Round vs oval vs octagon tables for 8 player self dealt games? (1 Viewer)

[RowdyRawhide]

@T_Chan
Any chance you have an extra one of these felts lying around collecting dust? Better yet, with all the give-aways around here lately, we've been pretty spoiled so...when is the great table give-away of 2017.

Still my favorite setup:
View attachment 75128

I just spent 30 min scouring my photos for this table as the link I had saved for it was dead.

One of the best round tables I have ever seen

 

[mummel]

I just spent 30 min scouring my photos for this table as the link I had saved for it was dead.

One of the best round tables I have ever seen

Beautiful table. I would prefer a darker wood, but otherwise its perfect.

 

[T_Chan]

Hey Tony...I was totally kidding of course. I hope it didn't come off like I was putting you on the spot or anything.

Of course, but I'm happy to give back to the community which has helped me so much. It has to make sense for me as well but we'll see how things go this year. I certainly can't do it now as I have about a dozen tables on the go, maybe closer to summertime.

 

[T_Chan]

Rather than continue to threadjack, here's a useful contribution to the post.

I just finished a 60" octagon table. Here is the table and me sitting at it with my chest right up against the rail and arm fully extended. The cards are exactly in the middle of the table. I stand 5'7" so someone with longer arms would be able to reach the middle just fine. Also note that the poker table is on a dolly, raising it up higher so when I sat at the table, the rail was almost at my armpit because it was higher. So if the table was on the floor, I could probably lean in a bit more to reach a bit further.

 

[BGinGA]

Dunno about a give-away, but holy crap..... I'd totally be on board for a raffle of an authentic custom ChanMan table delivered to my door. :

Could make it basic enough to appeal to a large number of ticket buyers (raised rail, custom gaming cloth, choice of colors, rail covering, and shape), with extra cost options available to the winner (if desired). Shipping included, so no additional expenses imposed on the winner unless he/she wanted to purchase options, like lighted rail, cupholders, racetrack , custom dinner tabletop covering, etc. Built to order, but paid for by the raffle. Jeez, he could do one several times per year, for that matter. Worst case, insufficient raffle sales and nothing happens.

It'd be like a guaranteed table sale for Tony, and the chance for some lucky SOB here to get a ChanMan custom table for twenty bucks. Win-win.... (y) :thumbsup:
.

 

[Seeking Alpha Social Club]

Tony's picture got me thinking...which I usually try to avoid

Here's a picture of me reaching, comfortably seated (leaning against the rail), taking chips from the middle of my larger octagon table. I'm 5' 10". Anything beyond the middle of the table requires lifting my butt off the table or an assist. I also stacked WAY MORE chips than I usually win to see if chip stack is an issue. It was not.

 

[mummel]

Tony's picture got me thinking...which I usually try to avoid

Here's a picture of me reaching, comfortably seated (leaning against the rail), taking chips from the middle of my larger octagon table. I'm 5' 10". Anything beyond the middle of the table requires lifting my butt off the table or an assist. I also stacked WAY MORE chips than I usually win to see if chip stack is an issue. It was not.

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How many inches is this table?

 

[RowdyRawhide]

How many inches is this table?

The top one in the pics below is 58" from one end of the arm rest to the other. Felt area is 39" with a 6" race track. This one seats 8 okay, but is a tad tight if you have 2 big guys (or gals) bookending you.

The bottom one is oversized (68" diameter, 48" felt area, and 6" race track). That one is PERFECT for 8 players and comfortable with 10. It may seem a bit big, but the the speed felt makes dealing a breeze.

View attachment 74703
View attachment 74704

 

[mummel]

Ah, so 68. You probably need to reach another 8 inches beyond the center point for folks that dont put their chips exactly in the middle. I'm guessing a 60inch table is probably the sweet spot.

 

[Seeking Alpha Social Club]

Ah, so 68. You probably need to reach another 8 inches beyond the center point for folks that dont put their chips exactly in the middle. I'm guessing a 60inch table is probably the sweet spot.

I think 60" would be PERFECT for most situations, especially if you typically play with 8 players or less. I built the oversized because I routinely (every Friday) have 10 players at this table, which fit comfortably.

 

[Mental Nomad]

In my opinion, having to get up or get assistance when winning a pot is a hell of a lot better than feeling like I can't properly lean on the rail with both elbows and play with my chips.

Thanks; interesting input...

Here's a picture of me reaching, comfortably seated (leaning against the rail), taking chips from the middle of my larger octagon table. I'm 5' 10". Anything beyond the middle of the table requires lifting my butt off the table or an assist. I also stacked WAY MORE chips than I usually win to see if chip stack is an issue. It was not.
View attachment 75140

What the... are you asking me to believe all your players lean forward and stack their chips onto one tower when the pot is right? Or that the dealer collects everyone's chips in order to make a stack and push it to the middle?!?!?

You're kinda confirming my suspicion that if you have a pot that looks anything at all like a normal pot (a pile of chips), you can only reach to the middle of the pot without getting up... so you either get up to pull your pot, or you need others to give it a push towards you; one or the other, every time.

If that's cool with you and your pool, well, then it's cool. I'm not saying it's a problem; I'm just saying it happens. It may be worth it to people who really like the extra space at the edges of the table, or people who just always think bigger is better, or have other reasons to like the bigger size.

Definitely an interesting thread. And nobody has weighed in about an ellipse or, crazier still, an ellipse with rounded ends...

 

[T_Chan]

I think 60" would be PERFECT for most situations, especially if you typically play with 8 players or less. I built the oversized because I routinely (every Friday) have 10 players at this table, which fit comfortably.

60" Decagon? Or even 68" decagon?

 

[Rhodeman77]

I have used the 60" round tables that are sold at Sam's club with a neoprene table topper I bought from someone that made them on chiptalk. It works great for 6 to 7. It has a enough table top space for more, but because the legs are so wide they get in the way and knees bang into them constantly.

Players have always liked playing on it short handed though. Easy to deal and reach pots.

 

[BGinGA]

Definitely an interesting thread. And nobody has weighed in about an ellipse or, crazier still, an ellipse with rounded ends...

Well, actually, there was one guy.....

I have a strong preference for oval (or elliptical) tables

And I definitely don't think a rounded-end ellipse is crazy at all -- quite the contrary, it offers the best overall solution in my mind, bringing together the best attributes of both an oblong and a true ellipse without the drawbacks of either. It's just a lot harder to make.

 

[BGinGA]

Which of these look best to you for poker?

 

[Seeking Alpha Social Club]

60" Decagon? Or even 68" decagon?

DECAGON!!! I like the way you think sir!!!

 

[mummel]

 

[Seeking Alpha Social Club]

View attachment 75206

SWEET!!!

 

[Rhodeman77]

I had an elliptical table. Sat 12 easily, it was nicknamed "The Battleship". It was huuuuuge!

If there wasn't someone with long arms paying attention all the time in the middle of the table it was difficult to move pots around.

It was one of the first tables made in our group and they wanted it to have as much room per person as possible out of 4' x 8' sheet of plywood. They didn't realize how hard it would be to ship pots though.

 

[Taghkanic]

No doubt repeating myself from other threads, but chiming in belatedly here on one of my pet peeves, and something I am working on a book about (the industrial design of poker) ...

* I absolutely hate “oval” tables —that is, racetrack or stadium-shaped tables.

* Once you get up to 9 players or 8 plus a dealer, it becomes really difficult to have everyone be able to see all the players and action properly from certain seats. (I usually try to sit in seat 3 or 6 at a 9-handed table with a dealer to minimize the issue.)

* 9 or 10 plus a dealer truly blows at an oval table.

* There is no good reason for this shape of table to exist except that (a) they’re easily built from a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood, and (b) it helps casinos cram in 9-10 players on a table, plus a dealer. From a usability standpoint, they suck, from sightlines to raking to dealing, because of the size and shape.

* Round and octagon tables also have issues — they can’t be too big, because of the problem of raking chips and collecting cards if the diameter is too wide, and they can diminish the space available per player... But they are great for visibility.

* I prefer elliptical or super-elliptical tables, because they split the difference between round and oval. An elliptical makes it easier to see what’s going on, easier to rake pots, etc.

* Almost all these table shape issues are lessened when poker is played 7- or 8-handed. There is enough room, players can be spread out, sightlines are easier to obtain, etc. The whole idea of 9+ handed poker is a relatively modern thing that we take for granted, but IMHO should die a swift death...

 

[Taghkanic]

FWIW, here is a crude graphic showing various ways to seat 8- or 9- players (or 7/8 players plus a dealer) at an “ellipsoid” table, which is slightly fatter than a true ellipse

The pink area shows the same length and width oval/stadium/racetrack shaped table. This is meant to illustrate how the ellipsoid can reduce the distance to the pot for most players, and somewhat improve sightlines (by not seating players on the sides parallel to each other).

 

[joseywales]

Our social game, we use my octagon with usually 7 or 8 players and it plays well. Fits in my room better, etc. I will say this. I've played one a few times at casinos and each time I got burned at least once, read that made bad decisions, because I didn't "see" someone to my left. I have to consciously tell myself to look for cards in that blind spot, to know who I still in. Agreed that's my issue and more experience at ovals would cure it. But it's what I've experienced.

 

[Poker Zombie]

View attachment 211450

FWIW, here is a crude graphic showing various ways to seat 8- or 9- players (or 7/8 players plus a dealer) at an “ellipsoid” table, which is slightly fatter than a true ellipse

The pink area shows the same length and width oval/stadium/racetrack shaped table. This is meant to illustrate how the ellipsoid can reduce the distance to the pot for most players, and somewhat improve sightlines (by not seating players on the sides parallel to each other).

Your graphic showing player spread assumes the table has a pedistal base correct? A table with actual legs prevents a person from sitting at every position, unless they dont have actual legs.

 

[Taghkanic]

Your graphic showing player spread assumes the table has a pedistal base correct? A table with actual legs prevents a person from sitting at every position, unless they dont have actual legs.

The elliptical table I built has two heavy-duty steel folding legs (so I can store it between games) which do not present real problems for legs. The feet don’t come out all the way to the edge of the table, and have a bent shape which makes them less of an obstruction.

But yes, either one or two pedestals would be ideal, I think. If I had a bigger house where the tables could be kept out permanently, I’d go that way.

 

[Taghkanic]

Here’s my previous rant/thread on this:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/table-shapes-a-bit-of-a-rant.22942/

 

[mudhog]

10 sided custom ChanMan table. 72" at points.