Did you know you can read regular playing cards like tarot? This practice, sometimes called cartomancy, has roots going back centuries - even before tarot was used for divination. If you don't have a tarot deck but have a standard 52-card playing deck, you can still do meaningful readings.
In this guide, you'll learn exactly how to read playing cards as tarot, including the correspondences between suits, card meanings, and simple spreads you can use.
The Connection Between Playing Cards and Tarot
Playing cards and tarot share common ancestors. Both evolved from card games that came to Europe from the Islamic world in the 14th century. The four suits, court cards, and numbered cards in your standard deck directly correspond to tarot's Minor Arcana.
The main differences:
- Playing cards have 52 cards vs. tarot's 78
- Playing cards lack the 22 Major Arcana
- Playing cards have 3 court cards per suit vs. tarot's 4
- Suit symbols differ (but meanings are equivalent)
How Playing Card Suits Match Tarot Suits
| Playing Card Suit | Tarot Equivalent | Element | Domain |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♥ Hearts | Cups | Water | Emotions, Love, Relationships |
| ♣ Clubs | Wands | Fire | Action, Passion, Creativity |
| ♠ Spades | Swords | Air | Thoughts, Communication, Conflict |
| ♦ Diamonds | Pentacles | Earth | Money, Material, Physical |
Playing Card Meanings: Hearts (Cups)
Hearts represent emotions, love, relationships, and matters of the heart.
- Ace of Hearts - New love, emotional beginning, deep feelings
- 2 of Hearts - Partnership, connection, mutual attraction
- 3 of Hearts - Celebration, friendship, community
- 4 of Hearts - Emotional stability, but possible boredom or apathy
- 5 of Hearts - Loss, grief, disappointment in love
- 6 of Hearts - Nostalgia, memories, reunions
- 7 of Hearts - Choices, fantasy, temptation
- 8 of Hearts - Walking away, leaving something behind emotionally
- 9 of Hearts - Wish fulfillment, contentment, satisfaction
- 10 of Hearts - Emotional fulfillment, happy family, lasting love
- Jack of Hearts - Romantic messenger, creative young person
- Queen of Hearts - Loving, intuitive, emotionally mature woman
- King of Hearts - Compassionate, diplomatic, emotionally wise man
Playing Card Meanings: Clubs (Wands)
Clubs represent action, energy, passion, career, and creative pursuits.
- Ace of Clubs - New opportunity, inspiration, creative spark
- 2 of Clubs - Planning, decisions about direction
- 3 of Clubs - Expansion, progress, looking ahead
- 4 of Clubs - Celebration, stability, home happiness
- 5 of Clubs - Competition, conflict, struggle
- 6 of Clubs - Victory, recognition, achievement
- 7 of Clubs - Defensiveness, standing your ground
- 8 of Clubs - Swift movement, things speeding up
- 9 of Clubs - Resilience, persistence despite challenges
- 10 of Clubs - Burden, responsibility, hard work
- Jack of Clubs - Energetic messenger, adventurous young person
- Queen of Clubs - Confident, passionate, charismatic woman
- King of Clubs - Visionary leader, entrepreneur, bold man
Playing Card Meanings: Spades (Swords)
Spades represent thoughts, communication, challenges, and sometimes conflict or difficulty.
- Ace of Spades - Mental breakthrough, clarity, truth revealed
- 2 of Spades - Difficult decision, stalemate, blocked
- 3 of Spades - Heartbreak, sorrow, painful truth
- 4 of Spades - Rest, recuperation, time out needed
- 5 of Spades - Conflict, defeat, hollow victory
- 6 of Spades - Transition, moving forward, leaving difficulty
- 7 of Spades - Deception, strategy, hidden motives
- 8 of Spades - Restriction, feeling trapped, self-imposed limits
- 9 of Spades - Anxiety, worry, nightmares, fear
- 10 of Spades - Ending, hitting bottom, painful conclusion
- Jack of Spades - Clever messenger, intellectual young person
- Queen of Spades - Perceptive, honest, sometimes stern woman
- King of Spades - Authoritative, intellectual, decisive man
Playing Card Meanings: Diamonds (Pentacles)
Diamonds represent material matters, money, career, health, and practical concerns.
- Ace of Diamonds - New financial opportunity, material gift
- 2 of Diamonds - Balance, juggling resources, adaptability
- 3 of Diamonds - Teamwork, skilled collaboration, craftsmanship
- 4 of Diamonds - Security, stability, possibly possessiveness
- 5 of Diamonds - Financial difficulty, feeling left out
- 6 of Diamonds - Generosity, giving/receiving, fairness
- 7 of Diamonds - Patience required, long-term investment
- 8 of Diamonds - Skill development, dedication, craftsmanship
- 9 of Diamonds - Abundance, self-sufficiency, luxury
- 10 of Diamonds - Wealth, inheritance, family legacy
- Jack of Diamonds - Practical messenger, student, apprentice
- Queen of Diamonds - Practical, nurturing, financially savvy woman
- King of Diamonds - Successful, reliable, materially established man
What About the Jokers?
Some readers include the Jokers as wild cards or equivalents to The Fool in tarot - representing new beginnings, the unexpected, or taking a leap of faith. If you include them:
- Red Joker - Positive surprise, unexpected opportunity
- Black Joker - Unexpected challenge, need for caution
Many readers simply remove the Jokers and read with 52 cards.
Simple Spreads for Playing Cards
Three Card Spread
Just like with tarot, you can use a simple three-card spread:
- Past influences
- Present situation
- Future direction
Yes/No Spread
Pull three cards:
- Red cards (Hearts, Diamonds) = Yes energy
- Black cards (Spades, Clubs) = No energy
- Majority determines answer, with nuance from specific cards
Quick Guidance Pull
Simply shuffle and pull one card for daily guidance, just like a daily tarot pull.
Tips for Reading Playing Cards
- Pay attention to suits - Dominant suits reveal the reading's overall theme
- Notice number patterns - Multiple 3s suggest growth, multiple 10s suggest completions
- Consider red vs. black - Red tends positive/active, black can indicate challenges or depth
- Trust your intuition - The standard images may be simple, but your intuitive hits still matter
Limitations of Playing Card Readings
While playing cards work well for readings, there are some limitations:
- No Major Arcana - You miss the big life-theme cards
- Only 3 court cards - Less nuance in personality types (tarot has Page, Knight, Queen, King)
- Simple imagery - Standard playing cards don't have illustrated scenes to spark intuition
For deeper readings, a proper tarot deck offers more dimensions. But for quick guidance or when a tarot deck isn't available, playing cards work beautifully.
Why Learn Playing Card Reading?
- Playing cards are available everywhere
- They're inconspicuous - you can read cards without attracting attention
- Understanding playing card meanings deepens your tarot Minor Arcana knowledge
- It's a skill that connects you to centuries of cartomancy tradition
Ready for More?
Once you're comfortable with playing card readings, you might want to explore a full tarot deck for access to the Major Arcana and richer imagery. Browse our deck collection to find one that calls to you.
Whether you stick with playing cards or expand to tarot, you're participating in a divination tradition that spans centuries. Shuffle up and start reading!
