Rider-Waite Smith Tarot Review

The Rider–Waite–Smith deck was designed by Arthur Edward Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, first published in 1909 by William Rider & Son

Trusted Companion: Rider-Waite Smith Tarot Rating

Jenuine Treasure My introduction to the Tarot

The Tarot Deck

Deck Name	Rider-Waite Smith ("RWS") Tarot
Creator / Author	Arthur Edward Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, first published in 1909 by William Rider & Son
In My Collection Since	1991
Date Reviewed	2026

Who Would Benefit

RWS decks are a great introduction for the new reader who wants to embrace the traditional tarot framework

What I Loved

The RWS has been a constant on my shelf in one form or another for over three decades. There is a grounding comfort in its consistency - wherever you pick it up, the language is the same. The symbolism that greeted you on your very first card still holds across every version and every size. That continuity is rare, and quietly powerful.

Of the four separate RWS decks I own, each has earned its place. But more than that - it's the foundation. Every deck I've read with since carries some trace of what the RWS first taught me. It isn't second-in-command. It's where the conversation began.

Opportunities & Challenges

If you are a traditional reader who likes to focus on a specific framework, the RWS is a trusted companion to have on your altar. An abundance of information is available online now to assist any level of reader’s interpretation

As a new beginner, embrace the RWS deck as an intuitive tool that you get to know, rather than learn by book or lecture. Don’t focus so much on the definitions but rather take the Fool’s journey, discover the same messages and lessons together. Allow each suit to unfold and intertwine.

Card Quality & Handling

Card Stock & Feel	I have bought 4 different RWS tarot decks over the tenure of my reading journey and find they are light weight and comfortable in your hand ⭐⭐
Print Quality & Colour	The print quality is good and the colours are traditional ⭐⭐
Card Size & Handling	I have 4 varying sizes and find they each offer a place at my table. The smaller sizes are great for portability. The Giant size requires a special shuffle style more akin to swirling on the table than anything representing a casino table ⭐⭐
Notes on Card Quality	The cards, before long, get a weathered appearance that I don’t dislike. They show they are loved

The Guidebook

Depth & Clarity of Meaning	The guidebooks are very high level for the minor and major arcana, outlining the divination meanings – including reversals ⭐
Writing Style	High level ⭐
Notes on Guidebook	A quick reference for the new reader
Box / Packaging Quality	I don’t know why, but the boxes of the RWS decks I have bought are not resilient to my many openings and closing⭐

My Review

My relationship with the original Rider–Waite–Smith tarot is rooted in nostalgia. It feels like coming home to a tradition that runs deep within my intuitive soul.

In the early 1990s, I approached this deck with a fair amount of trepidation. Tarot card readers back in those days in Australia lived on the cultural fringe. You might find them at markets or tucked inside a metaphysical bookshop, seated behind velvet cloths with candles, incense and a well-worn deck of cards. Their style leaned bohemian and mysterious. Flowing scarves, crystals and soft lighting created an atmosphere that felt half ritual, half theatre. Like many, I was curious, sometimes sceptical and often fascinated.

My analytical mind wanted a documented understanding of what Tarot was — its reasoning, its rules. So, together with my first tarot deck, I also bought a few tarot guidebooks. I believed the key was to memorise meanings, absorb the written word and study every interpretation available—this was all long before Google was even a household name.

Like the decisive movement of the sword and the determined work of the wand, I set about learning the tarot system with the same vigour I gave to mastering the Pitman shorthand language of my secretarial days. But somewhere along the way, something shifted. What became clear was that the real magic of this deck (and the tarot generally) wasn’t just in the definitions—it was in opening the intuitive corridors of the mind and allowing the imagery to breathe. Behind the framework and the familiar symbolism lies a quiet beauty. Patterns began to emerge. Certain card positions began speaking to one another. The numbers, layouts and pathways formed a colourful map of life.

As I gained confidence and began reading for clients, the messages and information shone brightest when I stepped back and took in the whole spread, rather than focusing on each of the cards in isolation. Even after many years of reading, I still find myself speaking the language of the Fool’s Journey. With almost childlike enthusiasm, I enjoy the wonder of the combinations—the familiar “same-same” moments that greet me each time I sit down for a reading.

Yes, it’s a classic. But more than that - it's the foundation. Every deck I've read with since carries some trace of what the RWS first taught me. It isn't second-in-command. It's where the conversation began.