According to Hoyle Day: Celebrate the Rules, the Cards & the Man Behind the Name

If you’ve ever argued about the rules during game night, August 29 might be your favorite holiday. According to Hoyle Day celebrates Edmond Hoyle, the legendary authority on card-game rules. The observance falls on August 29, the anniversary of Hoyle’s death at age 97 in 1769. However, Hoyle’s story is much more interesting than simply being the guy who wrote down the rules. His name eventually became synonymous with playing by the book. That’s why we still say something happened “according to Hoyle.” And naturally, the best way to celebrate is with a deck of cards.

Who Was Edmond Hoyle?

Edmond Hoyle was an English writer who became famous for documenting the rules and strategies of card games. His most important early work was A Short Treatise on the Game of Whist, published in 1742. At the time, whist was an extremely popular trick-taking game. Hoyle’s rules became authoritative enough that players began referring to them when settling disagreements.
Eventually, his name became associated with rules for many other games. And that’s how “according to Hoyle” entered the language as a way of saying something follows the accepted rules.

If you’re a serious card-game enthusiast, this is a fun opportunity to explore to see where modern card-game rules began. Explore Hoyle’s classic game books.

And Then There Are the Playing Cards

Of course, you can’t celebrate card games without cards. And personalized decks of cards totally ups the ante on any game night. You can create decks featuring names, photos, initials, artwork, or personalized designs to use for family game nights, weddings, poker nights, bridge groups, holiday parties, stocking stuffers, bachelor parties, bridal showers, and poker runs.

How to Celebrate According to Hoyle Day

Keep it simple. Choose a card game. Invite a few friends. Put out snacks. Then deal the cards.

You could even make things interesting by choosing a game nobody knows and learn the rules together.

When someone inevitably says, “That’s not how we play,” you have the perfect response: “Let’s check Hoyle.”

More Card Games, More Game Night Ideas & More Movies

Want to keep playing? Check out some of our other articles about card games.

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👉Movies Featuring Cribbage on our sister site Brickwall Pictures.

👉 Read our guide to the best poker movies on our sister site Brickwall Pictures.