Question

package cards;
import java.util.ArrayList;

import java.util.Scanner;
public class GamePlay {

static int counter = 0;
private static int cardNumber[] = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13};
private static char suitName[] = { 'c', 'd', 'h', 's' };

public static void main(String[] args) throws CardException, DeckException, HandException
{
Scanner kb = new Scanner(System.in);

System.out.println("How many Players? ");
int numHands = kb.nextInt();

int cards = 0;
if (numHands > 0) {
cards = 52 / numHands;
System.out.println("Each player gets " + cards + " cards\n");
} else {
System.out.println("OOPS you entered an invalid number try again! ");
}
Hand hand;
Card c;

ArrayList<Hand> hands = new ArrayList<Hand>();
for (int i = 0; i < numHands; i++) {
hand = new Hand(cards);

for (int j = 0; j < cards; j++) {
c = getANewCard();
hand.getCard(c);
}
hands.add(hand);
}
play(hands);
}
private static void play(ArrayList<Hand> hands) throws CardException, HandException
{
Card hand = new Card(1, 'd');
int i = 0;
int playerNum = 0;

while (i < hands.size() * hands.get(0).handSize)
{
playerNum = i % hands.size();
hand = hands.get(playerNum).giveCard();
System.out.println("Player " + (playerNum + 1) + " plays the "
+ hand.toString());

if(hand.getCardName().equals("Ace")){
System.out.println("Player " + (playerNum + 1 ) + " wins! ");
break;
}
i++;
} }
public static Card getANewCard() throws CardException
{
counter++;
return new Card(cardNumber[counter%13], suitName[counter%4]);
}
}

In this file of code i was wondering why there are certain things in place.

static int counter = 0;
private static int cardNumber[] = {1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13};
private static char suitName[] = { 'c', 'd', 'h', 's' };

What is the use of declaring these lines of code?

Then what does this line of code do in this program?

public static Card getANewCard() throws CardException
{
counter++;
return new Card(cardNumber[counter%13], suitName[counter%4]);
}