Ausnahme im Thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException?

Question

Ich bin ein Anfänger in der Java-Programmierung. Ich versuche, eine vereinfachte Version des Kartenspiels Krieg nachzubilden. Ich habe mein Programm, das unten gepostet wird, ausgeführt und es kam mit diesem Fehler zurück:

Ausnahme im Thread "main" java.lang.NullPointerException

at cardgame.BuildDeck(cardgame.java:36)

at cardgame.main(cardgame.java:60)

Ich habe versucht, dieses Problem auf eigene Faust durch Forschung zu lösen, aber ich konnte es nicht lösen. Ich habe mich gefragt, ob mir jemand helfen kann. Wenn Sie weitere Informationen über mein Programm benötigen, fragen Sie bitte einfach. Vielen Dank im Voraus!

-FGxMatta

public class cardgame 
{
static class TheCard
{
    // Java getter & setter
    private String CardName;
    private int CardRank;
    private int Chosen;

    public TheCard(int rank, String name)
    {
        this.CardName = name;
        this.CardRank = rank;
        this.Chosen = 0;
    }
}

@SuppressWarnings("null")
private static TheCard[] BuildDeck()
{
    TheCard[] TheDeck = null;
    String[] Cards =  {"2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10","Jack","Queen","King","Ace"};
    String[] Suits = {"Spades","Hearts","Diamonds","Clubs"};
int[] Rank = {2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14};
    int cardnumber = 0;
    for (int i = 0; i < Cards.length; i++)
    {
        for (int j = 0; j < Suits.length; j++)
        {
            String deckcard = Cards[i];
            String suitcard = Suits[j];
            String cardname = deckcard + "-" + suitcard;
            TheDeck[cardnumber] = new TheCard(Rank[i], cardname);  
            cardnumber++;
        }
    }
    return TheDeck;
}
private static TheCard GetRandomCard(TheCard[] OrderedDeck) 
{
    TheCard thecard;
    int random = (int) (51*Math.random ());
    thecard = OrderedDeck[random];
    if (thecard.Chosen == 0 )       // if available... 
    {
        thecard.Chosen = 1;         // mark it taken...
        return thecard;
    }
    else
    {
        return GetRandomCard(OrderedDeck);
    }
}

public static void main(String args[])
{
    TheCard[] OrderedDeck = BuildDeck();
    System.out.println ("Welcome, Prepare for War!");
    int decksize = OrderedDeck.length;
    int player1wincount = 0;
    int player2wincount = 0;
    int tiecount = 0;
    for (int cardcount = 0; cardcount < decksize;)
    {
        TheCard Player1 = GetRandomCard(OrderedDeck);
        cardcount++;
        TheCard Player2 = GetRandomCard(OrderedDeck);
        cardcount++;
        System.out.println ("Player 1's card is: " + Player1.CardName);
        System.out.println ("Player 2's card is: " + Player2.CardName);
        if (Player1.CardRank > Player2.CardRank)
        {
            System.out.println("Player 1 wins this hand");
            player1wincount++;
        }
        if (Player1.CardRank < Player2.CardRank)
        {
            System.out.println("Player 2 wins this hand");
            player2wincount++;
        }
        if (Player1.CardRank == Player2.CardRank)
        {
            System.out.println("Player 1 and Player 2 played the same valued card");
            tiecount++;
        }
    }
    System.out.println ("Player 1 won " + String.valueOf(player1wincount) + " hands");
    System.out.println ("Player 1 won " + String.valueOf(player2wincount) + " hands");
    System.out.println ("There were " + String.valueOf(tiecount) + " ties");
}
}