      */
     func moveCardToTable(card:Card) {
 
-        if (self.getHand().count > 0) {
-
-            moveCardToTableInModel(card: card)
-            moveCardToTableInView(card: card)
-
-        }
+        moveCardToTableInModel(card: card)
+        moveCardToTableInView(card: card)
 
     }
 

     */
    func moveCardToTableInView(card:Card) {

        // moves the card in the view
        let cardNode = self.node.childNode(withName: card.getId())

        if let existingCardNode:CardNode = cardNode as? CardNode {

    func removeCardFromHand(card: Card) {

        self.player.removeCardFromHand(card: card)

    }

    /*
     * gets the top card in the hand
     */
    func getTopCardInHand() -> Card? {

        var topCard:Card?
        if self.getHand().count > 0 {

            topCard = self.getHand()[0]

        }
        return topCard

    }

    /*
     * gets the top card on the table
     */
    func getTopCardOnTable() -> Card? {

        var topCard:Card?
        if self.getTable().count > 0 {

            topCard = self.getTable()[0]

        }
        return topCard

    }

