Transcribe Playing Cards

By: Carmen Willings
teachingvisuallyimpaired.com
​January 30, 2019

Playing cards is a great leisure time activity and it can also help a student practice math and logic skills! Adapted card games can be used by peer buddy groups and can also be sent home as a fun way for families to encourage braille reading skills at home!

There is no hard fast rule on how to braille the cards, so adapt to your student's preferences. That being said, the braille is usually placed on the top right corner of the front of the card about 1/4" from the edge. 

Standard Deck of Playing Cards

If transcribing a standard deck of cards, use 2 braille cells. It is not necessary to include the number sign. Simply indicate the number followed by the suit. Remember it is not possible to erase mistakes well on playing cards so be careful to not make any! I find it helpful to braille one suit at a time so I don't get confused! Use the following guidelines and remember to flip the card 180 degrees and braille that side too so the student can read the card no matter how it is oriented

Spades
as (ace of spades)
bs (2 of spades)
cs (3 of spades)
ds (4 of spades)
es (5 of spades)
fs (6 of spades)
gs (7 of spades)
hs (8 of spades)
is (9 of spades)
xs (x for 10 OR use 3 cells and use ajs if the x will confuse the student)
js (jack of spades)
qs (queen of spades)
ks (king of spades)
​
Hearts
ah (ace of hearts)
bh (2 of hearts)
ch (3 of hearts)
dh (4 of hearts)
eh (5 of hearts)
fh (6 of hearts)
gh (7 of hearts)
hh (8 of hearts)
ih (9 of hearts)
xh (x for 10 OR use 3 cells and use ajh if the x will confuse the student)
jh (jack of hearts)
qh (queen of hearts)
kh (king of hearts)

Diamonds
ad (ace of diamonds)
bd (2 of diamonds)
cd (3 of diamonds)
dd (4 of diamonds)
ed (5 of diamonds)
fd (6 of diamonds)
gd (7 of diamonds)
hd (8 of diamonds)
id (9 of diamonds)
xd (x for 10 OR use 3 cells and use ajd if the x will confuse the student)
jd (jack of diamonds)
qd (queen of diamonds)
kd (king of diamonds)
​
​Clubs
ac (ace of clubs)
bc (2 of clubs)
cc (3 of clubs)
dc (4 of clubs)
ec (5 of clubs)
fc (6 of clubs)
gc (7 of clubs)
hc (8 of clubs)
ic (9 of clubs)
xc (x for 10 OR use 3 cells and use ajc if the x will confuse the student)
jc (jack of clubs)
qc (queen of clubs)
kc (king of clubs)

joker = jo

UNO Playing Cards

As with transcribing a standard deck, use either 2-3 cells and don't include the number sign. Transcribe the top right corner and flip the card 180 degrees and braille the corner so the student can read the card no matter how the card is oriented. I find it helpful to braille one color at a time so I don't get confused! Braille the number or direction first followed by the color as follows:

Red
jr (0 red)
ar (1 red)
br (2 red)
cr (3 red)
dr (4 red)
er (5 red)
fr (6 red)
gr (7 red)
hr (8 red)
ir (9 red)
dbr (draw 2 red)
sr (skip red)
rr (reverse red)

Blue
jb (0 blue)
ab (1 blue)
bb (2 blue)
cb (3 blue)
db (4 blue)
eb (5 blue)
fb (6 blue)
gb (7 blue)
hb (8 blue)
ib (9 blue)
dbb (draw 2 blue)
sb (skip blue)
rb (reverse blue)

Yellow
jy (0 yellow)
ay (1 yellow)
by (2 yellow)
cy (3 yellow)
dy (4 yellow)
ey (5 yellow)
fy (6 yellow)
gy (7 yellow)
hy (8 yellow)
iy (9 yellow)
dby (draw 2 yellow)
sy (skip yellow)
ry (reverse yellow)

Green
jg (0 green)
ag (1 green)
bg (2 green)
cg (3 green)
dg (4 green)
eg (5 green)
fg (6 green)
gg (7 green)
hg (8 green)
ig (9 green)
dbg (draw 2 green)
sg (skip green)
rg (reverse green)

Wild Cards:
wi (wild)
wdd (wild draw four)

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