Fournier - Ruedo (French Suits)
Heraclio Fournier’s current dominance in the Spanish market was far from established half a century ago. Back then, formidable rivals like Naipes Comas, alongside countless smaller manufacturers, constantly challenged their position in a far more fragmented and competitive landscape.
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Driven by this fierce rivalry, manufacturers eagerly experimented with novel concepts to gain an edge. A prime—and rather quaint—example of this competitive drive is Heraclio Fournier's Ruedo, a novelty deck that used circular cards instead of the standard rectangular format as its core gimmick. Today, we are reviewing the French-suited edition—one of only two versions ever released under the Ruedo name.
It was preceded by the Spanish-suited edition, which enjoyed moderate success, being in production from 1972 until around 2022. Our featured deck, however, saw only a single known print run. While the exact year remains elusive, we can narrow down the release date by examining the tax stamp on the 4 of Clubs, corresponding to the 1972–1979 period.
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Anyone familiar with standard Anglo-American decks will instantly recognize the artwork, though in this case it has been rearranged into a radial layout. Five equidistant indices rim the card's edge. The design of the court cards is particularly clever: five identical figures radiate symmetrically from a central point, creating a striking kaleidoscopic effect. This is, in my view, the deck's standout feature. It works wonderfully on an aesthetic level, and serves as a testament to the ingenuity of the design team facing the constraints of the circular form factor.
As noted, this deck saw only one print run—a promotional commission by a pharmaceutical company for the drug Sedionbel. This ad, featured on the card backs, is the deck's biggest letdown. Instead of utilizing the unique circular canvas, they opted for a generic, uninspired layout reminiscent of a newspaper classified ad.
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In a manner of speaking, the failure of this format becomes apparent the moment one tries to use the cards for their intended purpose. As beautiful as they are, shuffling is a nightmare that risks bending or warping them. Fanning is equally frustrating, as they lack the natural pivot points provided by traditional corners. This completely disrupts a player's muscle memory, proving that this deck is a proof of concept rather than a gaming tool. From a functional standpoint, they're more like coasters, and I would bet more than one of these has been ruined by an unsuspecting house guest.
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Though poorly suited for the gaming table, the design's elegance and originality showcase a format rife with potential. It is a missed opportunity that no one stepped up to exploit it further with bolder, more experimental artwork.
This post is the first part of a two-part review. In our next entry, we will analyze the Spanish-suited version.
Spades
Hearts
Clubs
Diamonds
Card Back & Joker
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