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Games in the 16th Century

The 16th century was the peak of the Renaissance. Artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo flourished. Explorers and scientists expanded human knowledge of the world, and many advances were made in technology, including the invention of the flush toilet, graphite pencil and thermometer. Games of all sorts, ranging from cards to sports, were a popular pastime during the 1500s. Some games were limited to the upper classes, while others were enjoyed by all.

Cacho: A Game of Cards
- The Spanish played a card game similar to poker known as Cacho. The deck consisted of cards numbered from ace to 6, with aces low. Players could raise, pass or fold during the three rounds of betting. The highest hand a player could make was three 6s. The game was named after the second-highest hand: the cacho, which was three cards of the same suit. The game had a strange method of tie-breaking. In case of a tie, the eldest player won.
Maw: A Royal Favorite
- The game of maw was played with a 52-card deck, and up to 10 people could play. James VI of Scotland, who later became King James I of England and the man for whom the King James Bible is named, reputedly enjoyed playing maw. The goal of the game was to take the most number of tricks.
Honors and Ruff: Team Card Games
- Ruff and honors were four-person games, with the players divided into two teams. While the games were largely similar, ruff was played with a 52-card deck. Huff was played with 48 cards -- all of the twos were removed from the deck. A team won when it scored nine points by taking tricks. The hand with the highest trump card played won that trick; if no trump card was played, the highest card of the suit led by the first player won.
Billiards: Played Without a Cue Stick
- An early version of billiards was a favorite game of Mary Queen of Scots. Based on an outdoor game (hence the green felt to imitate grass), only two balls were used, and the cue stick wasn't in use until the late 1500s. Instead, players pushed the balls on the table with a mace, which was just a wooden stick.
Golf: Popular Noble Pastime
- Golf was invented in the 13th century, but it wasn't until King James brought the game from Scotland to England that its popularity increased. King James appointed William Mayne, a bow maker, to make golf clubs in 1603. King James also granted to James Melville the right to make a new golf ball made of leather and stuffed with feathers.
Curling: Fun in the Winter
- Curling also was invented in 16th-century Scotland and was popular in what is now Belgium and the Netherlands, as well. Artists including Pieter Breughel depicted curling on canvas and engravings. Early curling stones were heavy rocks that had been worn smooth in water.

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