<P> The third court card may have had a special role to play since the Spanish, French, and Italians called the newly introduced cards naipe, nahipi, and naibi respectively as opposed to their Arabic name of Kanjifah . In a 1377 description of cards, the most common decks were structurally the same as the modern 52 - card deck . Each suit contained a seated king and two marshals, one holding the suit symbol upwards while the other downwards . The marshals correspond to the Ober and Unter ranks in modern - day German and Swiss playing cards . As marshals were cavalry commanders, both ranks may have been mounted unlike their modern counterparts . Less popular decks included ones in which two kings were replaced with queens, all the kings replaced by queens, queens and maids added so as to make 15 cards per suit, and 5 or 6 suited decks with only the kings and two marshal ranks . </P> <P> In Italy and Spain, the Unter and Ober were replaced by the standing Knave and the mounted Knight before 1390, perhaps to make them more visually distinguishable . The Spanish rank of Sota means "under". In 15th - century France, the knight was dropped in favour of the queen . The 15th - century Italian game of trionfi, which later became known as tarot, also added queens . The Cary - Yale deck had the most with six ranks: king, queen, knight, mounted lady, knave, and damsel or maid for a total of 24 . It is unlikely that the Cary - Yale deck was designed for a game in mind as it was an expensive wedding gift and was probably never played . Standing kings are a Spanish innovation which was copied by the French . </P> <P> Throughout most of their history, face cards were not reversible . Players may accidentally reveal that they hold a face card if they flip them right - side up . During the 18th century, Trappola and Tarocco Bolognese decks became the first to be reversible . The trend towards double - headed cards continued throughout the 19th and 20th centuries . Some patterns resisted the innovation, most notably Spanish - suited decks where full figured courts remain dominant . </P> <P> Current playing cards are structured as follows: </P>

Who do the face cards in a deck represent