Are poker mats any good? (1 Viewer)

[MaxB]

I am looking for a cheap alternative for tables when hosting the Applewood fundraising tourneys. I have a folding table top already, but was looking to get a couple more to avoid lugging a full sized table there. On Amazon, I saw some poker mats with rubber non-slip backs. Are they pretty good? I could get a few on the cheap and they won't get a ton of action. I can continue using my real tables for poker at home.

 

[Irish]

They're OK, not something I would want to play on all the time, but they serve their purpose as providing a quick portable solution, easy to throw out and roll up at the end of the night. The padding is pretty thin but it's firm like volara, and the cloth doesn't glide all that well, but it's serviceable. We occasionally have a cigar & cards cash night and play out back on the deck, I use one to (mostly) cover the patio table. One thing to note is that they're not very big, less than 6' long so they fit on a standard 6' folding table. We can typically fit 6 people, 8 if we squeeze, but you couldn't fit 10 around one.



If you need them for multiple tables, you can also grab a roll of speed cloth and a roll of 1/4" high density foam padding, them cut to length for your tables. Would run around the same price for a better playing surface.

 

[detroitdad]

They're OK, not something I would want to play on all the time, but they serve their purpose as providing a quick portable solution, easy to throw out and roll up at the end of the night. The padding is pretty thin but it's firm like volara, and the cloth doesn't glide all that well, but it's serviceable. We occasionally have a cigar & cards cash night and play out back on the deck, I use one to (mostly) cover the patio table. One thing to note is that they're not very big, less than 6' long so they fit on a standard 6' folding table. We can typically fit 6 people, 8 if we squeeze, but you couldn't fit 10 around one.



If you need them for multiple tables, you can also grab a roll of speed cloth and a roll of 1/4" high density foam padding, them cut to length for your tables. Would run around the same price for a better playing surface.

What he said.

I used to have a CT topper. I loved it as a back up cash table. I occasionally run two table tourney's. The first couple people would break out the topper and play cash until a table opened up.

I lent the damn thing to someone and forgot who

 

[DJ Mack]

Yeah I've got one and it sees service occasionally. As long as you're OK with the idea of it being cheap in every sense of the word then it'll do in a pinch. If they see heavy play the felt will start to pill which can be annoying and they will usually absorb water so watch out for drink spills.

Given the choice between using it and using a bare wood table I'll always take the wood if it's finished; the cards will glide a lot better. But if it's a plastic folding table that generates lots of static electricity the topper gets used. Plastic cards and plastic tables don't get along well.

 

[ttttubby]

If you can get another piece of foam (or even a blanket) to put underneath it, I found that my CT topper worked great. If it was just flat on the table, there wasn't enough cushion to easily pick up cards... still better than felt from JoAnns

 

[MaxB]

so they fit on a standard 6' folding table

That is perfect. I am using 6' folding tables now (one for the folding poker top and another with a linen table cloth taped below known as "the ghetto table"). The third table was Guinesses' super heavy table that is a bitch to move anywhere

 

[Chicken Rob]

What he said.

I used to have a CT topper. I loved it as a back up cash table. I occasionally run two table tourney's. The first couple people would break out the topper and play cash until a table opened up.

I lent the damn thing to someone and forgot who

I dont have one of those despite my lifetime supporter status. Just sayin'...

 

[T_Chan]

For a fundraiser tournament, it should do the job fine for you. For fundraiser poker people often expect folding wood or plastic tables, so anything other than that is an upgrade.

 

[DJ Mack]

For a fundraiser tournament, it should do the job fine for you. For fundraiser poker people often expect folding wood or plastic tables, so anything other than that is an upgrade.

But I'm sure T_Chan would be happy to help make more respectable furniture for your event, right

 

[bentax1978]

Are poker mats any good?

In my experience no; @MatB is a pretty terrible poker player.

 

[MatB]

why i liked that post i have no idea...

but i do love a bit of irony.

 

[stocky]

In my experience no; @MatB is a pretty terrible poker player.

Came here to make a similar joke. Damn sleep.

 

[MatB]

Came here to make a similar joke. Damn sleep.

You did miss my epic 1st hand bust out of a tourney recently. BGinGA overplaying his pocket 3s and getting paid off on the river.

 

[Chicken Rob]

In my experience no; @MatB is a pretty terrible poker player.

But @matill binked the BBotB main event in 2015. So in my experience, yes.

 

[doakwolf]

I lent the damn thing to someone and forgot who

Gee that shits me! There's no chance the person you lent it to has forgotten who lent it to them so they should damn well give it back by now!!! Grr

 

[bentax1978]

But @matill binked the BBotB main event in 2015. So in my experience, yes.

It appears that even if we want to draw statistically insignificant conclusions from extraordinarily small data sets, we still need at least one more person to chime in and break the tie.

Anyone else know a poker Mat?

 

[guinness]

I've always owned 3-5 poker tables but owned 2 CT toppers. I can't tell you how many people have asked to buy them from me. I can't find one that is NIB in my house somewhere and the other I eventually sold. Poker Mats >>>>>> solid wood tables IMO. I hate the sound of chips on solid table tops.

 

[detroitdad]

Gee that shits me! There's no chance the person you lent it to has forgotten who lent it to them so they should damn well give it back by now!!! Grr

You would have thought so.

 

[T_Chan]

Poker Mats >>>>>> solid wood tables IMO. I hate the sound of chips on solid table tops.

For me it's not the sound of the chips, it's picking up the damn cards. Trying to pick up your cards off a flat unpadded surface is difficult and frustrating.

 

[MatB]

It appears that even if we want to draw statistically insignificant conclusions from extraordinarily small data sets, we still need at least one more person to chime in and break the tie.

Anyone else know a poker Mat?

Fine Dan...... Matt Damon is a terrible poker mat.

Sorry MaxB for Bentax's thread jack. I'm sure a pubic apology is forthcoming from Dan.... and yes i said Pubic.

 

[MaxB]

Damn you Bentax

 

[BGinGA]

BGinGA overplaying his pocket 3s and getting paid off on the river.

Had you smoked on the flop. Although I didn't get paid until after the river.

On-topic: I like my topper just fine, and it will work great for a travel charity tournament. For home use, I add extra foam underneath (Happy Feet pool liner, cut to size) with a padded-rail that fits the rounded-corner folding table it sits on. Great second (or third) table option.

 

[Whiteside]

I use a topper and it does the job for me. If nothing else the betting line clears up a lot of confusion in my games compared to not using the topper.

 

[Mental Nomad]

With no real table, the toppers are worth it to me for all three reasons cited above, with this priority:

1. Picking up cards from a no-cloth surface really sucks. (I shuffle and deal a lot.)
2. Without a rail, amateurs migrate their chips/cards to strange places. The topper and betting line help organize the table and make the action readable.
3. Sound of chips on hard table pains me.
4. It looks cool compared to a flat table, especially to an amateur. You and I may see it and say, "oh, no table.. " But people there just for an event tend to be wowed by them.

 

[bentax1978]

With no real table, the toppers are worth it to me for all three reasons cited above, with this priority:

1. Picking up cards from a no-cloth surface really sucks. (I shuffle and deal a lot.)
2. Without a rail, amateurs migrate their chips/cards to strange places. The topper and betting line help organize the table and make the action readable.
3. Sound of chips on hard table pains me.
4. It looks cool compared to a flat table, especially to an amateur. You and I may see it and say, "oh, no table.. " But people there just for an event tend to be wowed by them.

I agree for all of the above reasons. I still content that generally speaking poker (players named) Mat are no good, but poker mats (to play on) certainly have their place.

 

[BukNaked36]

Anyone have an opinion on the Poker Hoody covers?

http://www.pokerhoody.com/

 

[BGinGA]

Personally, I don't like them and think they're over-priced, but some people love 'em. YMMV.

 

[detroitdad]

Personally, I don't like them and think they're over-priced, but some people love 'em. YMMV.

I agree. I didn't care for it either. However I don't have the loot/storage for a third table so this worked in a pinch. Plus I think I got mine in a CT group buy for 20 shipped (or close to that price).

it's picking up the damn cards. Trying to pick up your cards off a flat unpadded surface is difficult and frustrating.

this, it was just horrible to try and shuffle off of one of these things.

 

[pltrgyst]

It appears that even if we want to draw statistically insignificant conclusions from extraordinarily small data sets, we still need at least one more person to chime in and break the tie.

Anyone else know a poker Mat?

I know Matt Grapenthien (@mgrapes) from BARGE. He's a pretty decent player. :

 

[TexRex]

I have 4 table toppers and I like them, though I don't put them directly on my table. I do not have a dedicated poker space, and poker tables are not a real option for me. I use a dining table, a kitchen table, and if necessary a table top set on the legs. All are wood. On two tables, I have a neoprene pad that covers the table, and I put the topper on top of that. It makes a nice padded surface.

On the third table, I have a Poker Hoody. I've never figured out how to cinch it and make a flat surface, so I cover the table with a non-slip carpet pad and put the Hoody on top of that. Then I usually put a topper on top of that.

The toppers do have a betting line, and that's a nice feature. They are about 35x70. They do easily roll up and are easy to carry. I do carry mine some and often when I do, they are put directly on a wood table. I think they beat playing on the wood, but they could use more padding.

Cards slide on the neoprene much better when it's clean. I've washed them, but I don't really have a good means of doing that. When I'm putting things up, I brush the toppers, and then take a damp paper towel and go over them. Then I do the same for the neoprene table pads.

I've thought of putting some type of speed cloth on top, but I'm not sure if you just lay it on top it would stay in one place. I'd be interested in thoughts on that.