Paper vs Plastic cards (2 Viewers)

[DrStrange]

One of my players brought me six set ups of Bicycle cards for Christmas. Not the plastic ones, but the old school paper cards. I broke out a set up this week and put them in play, here is what happened.

The players instantly complained about the new decks. We didn't get three hands in the session before people were discussing how hard to the deck was to shuffle. My how times changed. The first few times with plastic cards oh so many years ago was filled with similar types of concerns.

The decks softened up quickly. No one was complaining thirty minutes into the session.

This was a three hour Tuesday night game. By the end of the night, the decks were already showing signs of wear. I wouldn't want to use them more than once maybe twice more before they get thrown away. No one objected to the cards being nicked up but that is likely on the horizon.

I had forgotten all the things I don't like about paper cards. Yes they are cheaper, but this in one of those times where cheaper isn't better.

This isn't news to most of us. Even so, I thought saying something might prove helpful even if it is only a reminder.

DrStrange

 

[Jimulacrum]

My family hates playing with plastic cards. I got them to use Copags a while ago, but eventually the same complaints arose about them being too slippery, feeling weird, "Why do you always have to be so fancy, Jim?" and so on. Modianos, Desjgn, same problem. Paper cards are what they're used to, and that's what they want to use—even if it means we're playing with an old deck with semi-bent cards and other obvious wear. We're usually playing for next to super-micro-stakes ($0.10/$0.20 fixed limit wild-card games), so it's no big deal, but I'd insist on better cards if it were for much more.

It's a rare deck of Bicycles that truly survives more than a night or two of poker. Even so, most of the cards we play with are older decks, which means there's basically only one or two that are even close to acceptable, but we play with them anyway because my plastic cards get shunned. Some of them are even those shitty canceled casino decks that so often come with an incomplete suite of cards, noticeably marked card backs/corners, and other problems that make them no good.

I was actually accused of cheating by a new player once, specifically because of my plastic cards: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/24/home-poker/cheating-accusation-against-me-1373496.

 

[Dennis Stapleton]

I like plastic cards and will use them for fun games, however when money is on the table we use new or sealed plastic coated decks.

 

[upNdown]

I have one player who hates plastic card. Big Jim - grumpy old fish. This guy goes to the free bar poker a couple times a week where they play with dice chips on crappiest fold up table tops, and nasty old paper cards that never get swapped out.
I don't think he likes my paulson chips either.

 

[Trihonda]

I like plastic cards and will use them for fun games, however when money is on the table we use new or sealed plastic coated decks.

I'd go the other route. Just have a player or two inspect the cards prior to play. God, I play for entertainment... If I had to suffer through a long session with paper cards, why play, lol...?

On a security note, the paper cards a far more susceptible to cheating interference, especially if it's a new deck (freshly unwrapped). Keen cheats will nick a corner of the big cards (aces, for example), or bend a corner ever so slightly... Very hard to do this with quality plastic cards.

 

[Trihonda]

My family hates playing with plastic cards. I got them to use Copags a while ago, but eventually the same complaints arose about them being too slippery, feeling weird, "Why do you always have to be so fancy, Jim?" and so on. Modianos, Desjgn, same problem. Paper cards are what they're used to, and that's what they want to use—even if it means we're playing with an old deck with semi-bent cards and other obvious wear. We're usually playing for next to super-micro-stakes ($0.10/$0.20 fixed limit wild-card games), so it's no big deal, but I'd insist on better cards if it were for much more.

It's a rare deck of Bicycles that truly survives more than a night or two of poker. Even so, most of the cards we play with are older decks, which means there's basically only one or two that are even close to acceptable, but we play with them anyway because my plastic cards get shunned. Some of them are even those shitty canceled casino decks that so often come with an incomplete suite of cards, noticeably marked card backs/corners, and other problems that make them no good.

I was actually accused of cheating by a new player once, specifically because of my plastic cards: http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/24/home-poker/cheating-accusation-against-me-1373496.

Great read! Did anything ever come about with crazy pants? MIA or did she sent more emails, or... the cops?

 

[Mental Nomad]

I'd go the other route. Just have a player or two inspect the cards prior to play.

Agree. Also, having opened and inspected many hundreds of decks of paper cards, it's no fun, and you do find manufacturing rejects if you're really trying.

I suit up and spread my plastic decks before every game, and make sure at least one player inspects with me.

Paper cards are WILDLY easier to nick and mark during the course of a game in order to cheat.

What's more, as a former high-school sleight-of-hand artist, I've been asked to perform tricks... Only to discover that it's much more difficult for me to "handle" plastic cards than paper. This may be because I've never practiced sleights with plastic cards, but it seems to be partly inherent in the materials. So plastic cards are an additional deterrent to mechanics.

I'm for plastic, all the way.

 

[Max D]

Yes plastic, changed when I got tired of damaged cards, and having deck barely lasting a session...

 

[Jambine]

I'd go the other route. Just have a player or two inspect the cards prior to play. God, I play for entertainment... If I had to suffer through a long session with paper cards, why play, lol...?

On a security note, the paper cards a far more susceptible to cheating interference, especially if it's a new deck (freshly unwrapped). Keen cheats will nick a corner of the big cards (aces, for example), or bend a corner ever so slightly... Very hard to do this with quality plastic cards.

^ That ^

 

[jbutler]

I used to play a home game (self-dealt) where the host brought out two new, sealed paper Bicycle decks of cards every night. He eventually upgraded and certainly plastic is preferable, but I didn't despise playing with the paper cards.

 

[Chippy McChiperson]

I prefer plastic. You can inflict more damage when throwing the deck at the dealer.

 

[Poker Zombie]

I have probably 50 decks of paper cards in a box. They just sit there and take up space. I figure they will be great if my sister stops by with her kids and they want to make a couple of monster house/castles of cards and then throw marbles at each others fortress. Good learning experience, their father is an engineer and would approve, and it's the best way I can think of occupying kids for 3-4 hours while the adults catch up.

Poker, it's all plastic cards now.

 

[Jimulacrum]

Great read! Did anything ever come about with crazy pants? MIA or did she sent more emails, or... the cops?

Thankfully, that thread tells the complete story. She never made any further contact.

 

[Hobbyphilic]

I love plastic for poker but paper mostly gets used for other games.. gin, rat screw, oh hell, teething toy for the kids. Oh, I also always have a couple decks of paper in my carry-on. I travel a lot.

I notice a lot of it comes to background/preference.

 

[chipjoker]

I will never play at my house with paper cards again, i am a PLASTIC CARD man now for LIFE homie.....

PCFL

I went to a tourney at a friends house about 3 months ago and his friend said "here some cards for you" and I had already told the host I would purma deal.... Well we used the cards for the whole night, likely I did not have to shuffle but the other players were complaining and the guy who brought them was defending the cards the entire night....funny stuff..

 

[Nex]

I collect paper poker decks, and occasionally I play a few of them with trustworthy (= cautious) people. I just love the nonstandard designs (check out Dream, Starlight: Black Hole, Pressers, Bohemia/Pagan...)

Paper cards seem to be made for draw poker since you usually keep your cards in hand, hence less bending from peeking, plus there's no community cards so regular indices work fine (you just read the cards on your hand). I don't play draw poker though.

Usually I play with plastics. Have a few different decks... KEM Arrow with jumbo&standard index, Fournier 2800, Modiano 2pip&4pip, Copag Texas Hold'em (gold package). Prefer the KEMs over anything else, they're the most flexible ones. Runner-up are the Fournier, much stiffer but glide better. The Modianos are meh, but good value for their cost. Butt-ugly faces though. Would however rather put some money on top and buy KEM/Fournier again. The Copags are meh but overpriced for what they deliver, certainly wouldn't buy those again.

The KEMs seem to have frequent manufacturing issues though – dust and small flecks of other random stuff embedded inside the card material of a few cards; if you're unlucky enough they are visible on the backside, so "factory marked"

 

[codeman00]

I really had no idea anything about the plastic vs paper cards debate until recently. We had a couple of poker nights in a row where my coveted cancelled casino cards were being destroyed at a blinding pace. We started having everyone chip in to buy new bicycle paper cards by the box. I had a friend and others on the board point out that there are better cards out there...but all I could think of was, I'm not paying for fancy plastic cards only for them to be destroyed too. I didn't realize they would last 20-30 times longer than regular Bicycle cards.

So once this box of paper cards wears out, I'm moving to plastic cards for our game. We'll see how that goes.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Report back after!

 

[DrStrange]

I'd be remiss not to cross post the Desjgn kickstarter project here. This is an opportunity to get some nice plastic cards at a good price. Desjgn cards are some of my favorite cards - check them out.

Large index cards are good solutions when playing in lower lighting levels or players with vision issues. They are all that I buy unless I am forced - say when buying four color decks which essentially never seem to come with large index.

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...esjgn-bridge-w-jumbo-index.19905/#post-364898

worth every penny -=- DrStrange

 

[Nex]

four color decks which essentially never seem to come with large index

If you can stand cards that shuffle badly and where the color chips off very quickly, you could get your own printed.

Before I knew the material quality was this bad, I had 2 custom plastic decks made for me by MakePlayingCards.com. They charge a hefty premium for it but they do print single decks. 4 color and large indices.

 

[T_Chan]

Ugh... paper cards. Who would ever get caught using those?

 

[Jambine]

Ugh... paper cards. Who would ever get caught using those?

View attachment 95019

Well, at least they are the best paper cards available......

 

[Mental Nomad]

Before I knew the material quality was this bad, I had 2 custom plastic decks made for me by MakePlayingCards.com.

Not a resounding endorsement!

Ugh... paper cards. Who would ever get caught using those?

View attachment 95019

So, if I were trying to build a deck of 52 bugs...

 

[T_Chan]

Paper cards are great for squeeze baccarat. I'd hate to throw away plastic cards after a single use.

 

[codeman00]

Ugh... paper cards. Who would ever get caught using those?

View attachment 95019

WOW!

 

[BUBBLE]

Plastic all the way

 

[3betChet]

Functionally, plastic no question. Just wish there were more styles available. The world of paper is vast, and there are some really great decks out there.

 

[Kyle]

Check out the J Desjgn Jumbo Index Bridge size cards. We have a kickstarter link going on for them. Awesome cards.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1404114000/desjgn-100-plastic-playing-cards-classic-baroque

63% funded we can do this. Pledge today. 24 Days left.

 

[codeman00]

Check out the J Desjgn Jumbo Index Bridge size cards. We have a kickstarter link going on for them. Awesome cards.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1404114000/desjgn-100-plastic-playing-cards-classic-baroque

63% funded we can do this. Pledge today. 24 Days left.

Can you explain to me what is special about these cards vs any other cards I can buy? That's a serious question...not meant to be offensive.

 

[Kyle]

Can you explain to me what is special about these cards vs any other cards I can buy? That's a serious question...not meant to be offensive.

I have played recently with Kem, Copaq, Plastic Prestige Bicycle and Fournier. I like the the Kem and Fournier to name a few big names.

@justsomedude bought some J Desjgn cards and I have never played with them before. All I can say is as soon as I put my hands on them, shuffle them etc. I noticed the feel of them being superior. Not too stiff but not to flimsey like copag. I also love the brightness and font of all the cards. I told @justsomedude That these are the best cards I have played with.

With the kickstarter @desjgn will be able to produce the same cards in a bridge size jumbo index. As you can see in the pictures they really pop.

I will let @nitzilla comment also as he collects playing cards and is more of an expert then me. I just know he is a big fan also.