Smoke and Mirrors (Mirror Flower and Water Moon) Playing Cards

Room One and Dan & Dave have teamed up for Smoke and Mirrors, a two-deck set inspired by the intriguing connection between illusion and the Chinese phrase 鏡花水月 (Mirror Flower Water Moon).

“Smoke and mirrors” describes the obscuring or embellishment of truth, while Mirror Flower Water Moon refers to something beautiful yet intangible and impossible to grasp. The two ideas come together in a collection that explores illusion, reflection, and beauty across cultures.

First released at the Asia Card Convention (ACC) 2026 in Guangzhou, the decks combine Room One's contemporary aesthetic with Dan & Dave's signature playing card design.

The set features Mirror Flower and Water Moon, each with shimmering cold-foil card backs, semi-custom courts, custom Ace of Spades and Jokers. The decks are housed in a distinctive light-up Infinity Mirror tuck box, adding another layer of illusion to the presentation.

Printed on Room One's premium 270g Sleight Stock. Available for $30 on Room One Cards.

Dan and Dave Release Taijitu Playing Cards

Dan and Dave Buck have released Taijitu Playing Cards, a limited-edition deck created to commemorate their 2026 trip to China and the Asia Card Convention, held August 7-9 in Guangzhou, China.

The design takes inspiration from the Taijitu, the traditional yin-yang symbol representing balance, harmony, and the interconnectedness of all things. 

The custom card back incorporates this philosophy alongside the image of a deer, a powerful symbol of harmony and spiritual purity in Chinese culture.

The deck is housed in a letterpress-printed tuck box featuring a custom die-cut window, elongated flap, and sculpted embossed gold seal. 

Printed in China and limited to just 666 hand-numbered decks, with an additional 80 print-overrun sets, Taijitu Playing Cards offers a refined blend of Chinese symbolism and Dan & Dave's minimalist aesthetic.

Available now for $28 on Dan and Dave store.

Smoke & Mirrors Brutalist Edition Playing Cards Now Available

Following their debut at Cardistry-Con in Copenhagen at the end of July, the redesigned Smoke & Mirrors Playing Cards are now available for purchase.

This new limited edition reimagines the iconic series by Dan & Dave with inspiration drawn from brutalist architecture, featuring bold geometric patterns, clean lines, and stark industrial aesthetics throughout the deck.

Each deck is housed in a minimalist tuck box with a die-cut window and comes individually numbered (1 of 288), adding to its collectible appeal.

The Brutalist Edition offers a fresh visual direction for the beloved Smoke & Mirrors series while retaining the premium quality expected by collectors and cardists alike. Available NOW for $26 on Dan and Dave's store.

Case Study (Version 11) Playing Cards

Case Study (Version 11) Playing Cards by Dan and Dave is an experimental playing card project that explores the intersection of cardistry, architecture, philosophy, cinema, design, and Japanese aesthetics within the traditional 52-card structure. The series is built around the idea of deconstruction and reconstruction, using iterative design as a creative framework.

Across the broader Case Study concept, 52 prototype back designs are reimagined through systematic variation, all derived from the foundational DD logo. This approach treats the card back not as a fixed graphic, but as a design system capable of endless reinterpretation... blending minimalism, structure, and conceptual art into a unified visual language.

Version 11 stands out within the series as an artistic hand-sketched interpretation of the card back, featuring the iconic DD logo as its central motif. This edition emphasizes raw illustration and expressive linework, giving the deck a more tactile, studio-study feel compared to more geometric or refined iterations in the series.

Produced as a limited collector’s release, Case Study Version 11 is numbered from 001 to 288. Available NOW on Dan and Dave store for $30.

Case Study Version 8 Playing Cards

Dan and Dave continue to push the boundaries of playing card design with Case Study Version 8 playing cards, the latest addition in their long-running series exploring playable art. The Case Study series has long served as an experimental canvas, refined through decades of study and practice. 

Drawing inspiration from cardistry, architecture, philosophy, cinema, and Japanese aesthetics, the twins create decks that honor the traditional playing card framework while expanding its artistic possibilities. 

Case Study 8 introduces a borderless, one-way back design composed of circles, squares, and triangle shapes in a striking red and black palette, enhancing both geometric clarity and dynamic visual energy during play and flourish.

Now on Dan and Dave for $30.

Dan and Dave's Case Study Playing Cards Version 7 Released

Dan and Dave have released Version 7 of their fascinating Case Study playing cards series, continuing the evolution of this long-running exploration of playable art. The new edition features a mirrored card back built around the iconic Dan and Dave logo, presented in a striking red, white, and black colorway that emphasizes symmetry, contrast, and motion.

The Case Study series is an experimental exhibition of design refined through decades of study and practice. Drawing inspiration from cardistry, architecture, philosophy, cinema, and Japanese aesthetics, the twins work within the traditional framework of playing cards while continually pushing its boundaries.

With Version 7, Case Study continues to serve as a visual archive of ideas, offering both a snapshot of the brand’s design philosophy and a foundation for future creative exploration.

Available for $20 on Dan and Dave store.

Case Study Playing Cards by Dan and Dave

The Case Study playing cards series is an exhibition of playable art, crafted by Dan and Dave after decades of study and practice. Each deck is pressed onto premium paper and packaged as a collectible, offering both functional playing cards and a piece of artistic expression. 

Case Study is an experimental project that blends a wide range of influences, from cardistry, architecture, and design to philosophy, cinema, and Japanese aesthetics. 

Working within the traditional framework of playing cards, the twins deconstruct and recombine fifty-two prototype back designs, each anchored in their distinctive brandmark. The result is an object of art designed for cardistry, magic, collecting, or everyday play. 

These decks serve as a visual archive, providing inspiration and guidance for future creations. Each deck is a limited edition, numbered from 001 to 288, with a special signed, black-foil A.P. edition of just 12 copies.

Case Study Version 1 sold out. Version 2 and 3 still avaiable on Dan and Dave store for $30.