Abstract: A deck of informational playing cards is disclosed, each card having a front surface with a primary printed indicia of a unique member of a class of items. The front surface also has a plurality of statistical elements directly related to the one member. Each element has a textual portion and a related numerical portion. The textual portion is substantially identical to the textual portion of the corresponding element on each of the cards. The value of the numerical portion varies among the corresponding elements and corresponds to the member. In playing a game, the players decide the basis for selecting the first and subsequent initiating players, for determining which of the statistical elements in a set prevails, and for determining who has won. The cards are dealt, one at a time and front surface down, to create a hand for each player. The front surface of only one of the cards in each of the hands is exposed.