Polish Kings and Queens – red deck

The Polish Kings and Queens red deck¹ (Królowie i królowe polski, talia czerwona) was published by the game publishing house Jako (Wydawnictwo Jako) from Kraków, Poland. It includes 24 French-suited cards plus two Jokers. The face cards (King, Queen, and Jack) feature Polish kings and queens from history, illustrated in a distinctive cross-hatched art style inspired by real historical portraits of the individuals. The ruler’s name, along with their birth, death, and coronation years, is displayed on the right side of each card. The coronation year is identified with a small black crown icon. The Joker depicts Stańczyk, the famous Polish court jester.

The back of the cards and the packaging are both red, matching the name of the red deck. The card backs feature a pattern with crowns, while the packaging, a cardboard tuck box, prominently features the King of Diamonds (Bolesław I Chrobry) as the showcase card. The manufacturer's card, which features the Jako logo and the 'Made in Poland' origin label, is the Ace of Spades • see the box

Above: Polish Kings and Queens red deck published by Wydawnictwo Jako, Kraków, Poland, 2024. 24 cards + 2 jokers (58 x 88 mm) in cardboard tuckbox. The artist is not credited.

This is my favorite deck in my collection, a special gift from my friend, who brought it back from a trip to Kraków. Knowing how much I appreciate traditional playing cards with a strong regional connection, he didn’t settle for typical tourist souvenir decks. Instead, he searched the entire city until he finally discovered this set in a small shop. What I love about these cards is not just their strong national identity but also their historical accuracy and cohesive artistic style. These qualities make the deck feel truly high-quality and valuable to me—an exceptional set that beautifully combines history and play.

¹ the red deck features kings from the Middle Ages, while a companion green one represents monarchs from the modern era. Wydawnictwo Jako produce a range of board games and other printed products.