Ignorant Newbie Question Regarding The Word "Setup" (1 Viewer)

[Bikshu]

I have seen the word "setup" used quite often within this Poker Playing Cards sub-forum, but I had never actually come across that word being used in reference to playing cards before. Now based on the context that people seem to be using the word around PCF, I am assuming that the word "setup" almost functions like the word "set" here. So I am guessing that a setup just means two decks of cards - often in different colored back designs to help differentiate between them - that come packaged together in a single box (photo below to illustrate what I'm referring to). Is this the correct meaning of the word setup for PCF purposes?

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I tried checking the PCF Glossary and didn't actually see the word "setup" listed there. And obviously if you search for the word setup either here at PCF or in any search engine like Google you get a million results that don't seem applicable to playing cards. Thanks in advance everybody!

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Yes. Setup is two decks of different cards. For many of our home games we switch between the two decks to reduce downtime while shuffling.

 

[AlbinoDragon]

You will see in some casinos, if there is a marked/damaged card, they will swap out the entire setup (meaning both decks) rather than just the one. I recall hearing dealers call "floor, setup" a couple times at the place near Tucson.

 

[Bikshu]

You will see in some casinos, if there is a marked/damaged card, they will swap out the entire setup (meaning both decks) rather than just the one. I recall hearing dealers call "floor, setup" a couple times at the place near Tucson.

I'm not much of a casino guy so I've never heard that phrase used in one before. Very interesting. Thanks guys!

 

[SteveEH]

A setup is a knife, fork, spoon and napkin.

I used to serve at a restaurant.

 

[Mushmanchuman]

At first I thought I was cool when I referred to a deck as a “pack of cards”.

Then, like always, I found out that I’m lame and the cool dudes call them setups.

Now, just so I can fit in, I also call packs of cards a setup.

 

[allforcharity]

Maybe we should call it a Shakur.

 

[upNdown]

Yes. Setup is two cards. For many of our home games we switch between the two decks to reduce downtime while shuffling.

It’s the best way. One guy shuffles the last deck while the next guy is dealing the current hand. No downtime between hands.

You will see in some casinos, if there is a marked/damaged card, they will swap out the entire setup (meaning both decks) rather than just the one. I recall hearing dealers call "floor, setup" a couple times at the place near Tucson.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen that. What I’ve seen is usually when there’s a damaged card, they’ll switch decks, and while we’re playing with the other deck, they’ll come up with a replacement card to make the damaged deck whole. I think the only time o ever saw a whole setup replaced was when it appeared that all the aces in both decks were marked. But I’m sure each casino/room has their own policies.

 

[dinosaur]

Maybe we should call it a Shakur.

Perhaps a 2 pac?

 

[allforcharity]

Perhaps a 2 pac?

Exactly

 

[dinosaur]

Exactly

Oh. I thought you were referring to 2pac being SETUP by Diddy. Errr. Maybe I’m over analyzing. It’s ok, I’m sure jokes are always funnier when explained.

 

[Bikshu]

I am not sure who is in charge of the PCF Glossary pages, but I think the word "Setup" might be a pretty good addition to it. I say that because other than AlbinoDragon encountering it being used at a casino one time, I really don't think PCF's definition of the word is very well known outside of this site.

I mean I absolutely agree that most home games do have multiple decks going at the same time: one in play by the dealer and the other being shuffled by someone else. I know my home games have always operated that way. But despite that I was still completely unfamiliar with the word setup being defined as two card decks getting sold together as one package. Heck, I very recently purchased setups by each of Copag, Da Vinci, Desjgn, Faded Spade, Fournier, and Kem and yet I swear not a single one of the retailers referred to what I purchased as a "setup" in their product descriptions (nor did any of the playing card manufacturer pages that I have visited lately). Instead, they typically referred to these as two-deck "sets" or "packs" from what I saw.

So I really think the word setup as used here at PCF probably qualifies as "lingo or jargon" mainly used within the forum itself. And although I was eventually able to figure out its meaning based on context clues spread out over reading a bunch of posts, I think it might be helpful to future newcomers to add it to the Glossary > Forum page. At the very least I don't see how adding it to the Forum Glossary could hurt anything. Just my $0.02 of course!

 

[upNdown]

I am not sure who is in charge of the PCF Glossary pages, but I think the word "Setup" might be a pretty good addition to it. I say that because other than AlbinoDragon encountering it being used at a casino one time, I really don't think PCF's definition of the word is very well known outside of this site.

I mean I absolutely agree that most home games do have multiple decks going at the same time: one in play by the dealer and the other being shuffled by someone else. I know my home games have always operated that way. But despite that I was still completely unfamiliar with the word setup being defined as two card decks getting sold together as one package. Heck, I very recently purchased setups by each of Copag, Da Vinci, Desjgn, Faded Spade, Fournier, and Kem and yet I swear not a single one of the retailers referred to what I purchased as a "setup" in their product descriptions (nor did any of the playing card manufacturer pages that I have visited lately). Instead, they typically referred to these as two-deck "sets" or "packs" from what I saw.

So I really think the word setup as used here at PCF probably qualifies as "lingo or jargon" mainly used within the forum itself. And although I was eventually able to figure out its meaning based on context clues spread out over reading a bunch of posts, I think it might be helpful to future newcomers to add it to the Glossary > Forum page. At the very least I don't see how adding it to the Forum Glossary could hurt anything. Just my $0.02 of course!

Your post surprised me. So I went straight to Amazon to prove you wrong. I didn’t scroll for very long, but I only came up with one example. So yeah, it’s a real term, but apparently not as common as I thought. Hmm.
Is it regional? I feel like I’ve heard it a lot here in the northeast, but maybe I’ve mostly heard it in pcf. Hmm.

 

[Mushmanchuman]

Oh. I thought you were referring to 2pac being SETUP by Diddy. Errr. Maybe I’m over analyzing. It’s ok, I’m sure jokes are always funnier when explained.

That never happened bro! Pac (as I know him as) is still alive and dreads. He is in a new band. Haven’t you seen that YouTube video of him walking behind a reporter?

No I’m kidding. I’m sure he resembled Swiss cheese when they got him outta that car.

 

[Bikshu]

Your post surprised me. So I went straight to Amazon to prove you wrong. I didn’t scroll for very long, but I only came up with one example. So yeah, it’s a real term, but apparently not as common as I thought. Hmm.
Is it regional? I feel like I’ve heard it a lot here in the northeast, but maybe I’ve mostly heard it in pcf. Hmm..

Well done on finding an example! I actually think that's hilarious because Cartamundi is one of the only major manufacturers that I haven't bought a setup from within the past week. So I think you may have found one of the few instances of the word being used on the web that way outside of PCF. But yeah it very well could be a regional thing. I'm in Cleveland so I am a midwest guy, and again the terminology was certainly new to me.

But to reiterate, I am not disputing the forum's usage of the word "setup" at all. It's a perfect word for it, and you have now demonstrated that at least some people outside of PCF do use the word in this exact same way. So that's all fine and dandy. I am simply pointing out that a lot of newbies to poker and/or PCF might not be familiar with this usage of the word, just as I was not. And so it certainly couldn't hurt to add it to the PCF Glossary.

 

[allforcharity]

Oh. I thought you were referring to 2pac being SETUP by Diddy. Errr. Maybe I’m over analyzing. It’s ok, I’m sure jokes are always funnier when explained.

That's a level of meta that I cannot possibly aspire to.

 

[MeridianFC]

I've heard set up used as stated (two decks of cards with differentiated back colors) for nearly 30 years.

FWIW I'm the rare case where I prefer one deck in play. The nature of my game is more social than HPR efficiency oriented and I find the one deck accommodates better. Obviously in the minority on that.

 

[Bikshu]

I've heard set up used as stated (two decks of cards with differentiated back colors) for nearly 30 years.

FWIW I'm the rare case where I prefer one deck in play. The nature of my game is more social than HPR efficiency oriented and I find the one deck accommodates better. Obviously in the minority on that.

Gotcha. I suspect that upNdown may be correct when they wondered if setup might be a semi-regional term. I notice that you are in DC and they are over in Boston so you're both kinda sorta in the northeast (relatively speaking), whereas I'm more of a midwesterner here in Cleveland. Or perhaps setup is only really well known within the fairly "hardcore" card playing community which could include folks who play at casinos, in home games, in leagues, etc. plus of course anybody who just collects gaming equipment.

I readily admit that I really don't go to casinos and that I'm brand new to the world of high-quality poker supplies. So almost every phrase, abbreviation, and acronym that I see here at PCF is "news to me." But I have a couple of close buddies who are much more immersed in the poker world than I am, and I was very curious if they were familiar with the word or not. Neither of these guys are professional poker players of course. But both of them play in home games on a weekly basis, in leagues around Northeast Ohio at various times throughout the year, and both also occasionally travel to poker tournaments around the country. And yet... neither one of them had ever heard of the word setup used in the manner in which PCF folks use it. Very importantly, however, I would not call either of these guys "hardcore" card players or collectors. They are unquestionably more in tune with the poker world than I am, but I think virtually every single long-term member of PCF assuredly puts them to shame when it comes to knowledge about the card and chip collecting hobbies. And so it makes perfect sense that they weren't familiar with it.

All that said, since I am now aware of the term and I do indeed like it, it is now my goal to spread the word "setup" far and wide going forward. I therefore declare that I am now a fully ordained setup preacher and I shall help bring this good word to the masses. LOL!

 

[MeridianFC]

Regardless of the history of the term, I like it because it helps clarify. "Hand me a new deck" or "Hand me a new set up" immediately make known what is requested.

FWIW I've been here a while, after a long lay off, and I still don't know all of the acronyms and slang. It's proper Theives' Cant here at times.