Why does everybody use expensive decks? (2 Viewers)

[springbox]

Plastic is absolutely a big step up over paper. More durable, won't mark as easily, won't be destroyed by contact with water, and feels better to shuffle. That being said, you can find more than satisfactory plastics at $5 and under per deck, and if you're playing once a week they should last a long time. All my paper cards seem to pick up nicks/frayed edges and I hate how stiff they are. As the price continues to go up you get heavily diminishing returns, so if you're budget minded I'd stop at the $5 plastics and call it good enough. It's the same reason I'd tell people on a budget to get chips 1 tier above non-denominated dice chips, it's the biggest relative step up in functionality/quality while still being a low enough price that diminishing returns haven't kicked in yet. Sure paper cards and dice chips are plenty usable to play poker, but on a forum for hobbyists people are naturally going to focus on higher quality.

 

[TAG_Cowboys]

I'll add that when I replaced a paper deck with a plastic one for my group (without mentioning anything), almost everyone immediately noticed the difference in feel.

Plastic jus shuffles better and has a better flex overall than paper. The difference just based on touch alone is alr rather obvious and hard to miss and almost guaranteed to be better

 

[PokerSenpai]

Does anyone use four color decks?

 

[PokerSenpai]

I really like the plastic Broken Arrow cards I broke open for the last game. $7.50 a setup + $5.60 shipping

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/broken-arrow-setups-bridge-size.115003/

I ordered a set of these very recently to give them a try.

Spinettis has a deal on wsop copags. $3 a deck.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3053374212...XbkGMnxR0i&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I'm in for one. Thanks for posting. I was eyeing the Bridge Standard index copags on sale at the poker store but honestly too many decks for me and would have preferred jumbo index.

However, If there is someone interested in these and didn't want/need the full 12 set ups. I would be down to pay for 3 of them + shipping and get them reshipped: https://www.thepokerstore.com/colle...neoteric-green-red-bridge-size-standard-index

 

[Lord_Foldemort]

Get samples.

Can you get samples from the manufacturer or are you referring to keeping an eye on the classifieds for samples? I have thought about making the jump to higher quality cards from Copags, but do not want to spend $20+ on a deck that I may not like the feel of and will end up collecting dust.

 

[meerdeer]

Does anyone use four color decks?

They hurt my eyes tbh so no

 

[KHarp1]

At the end of the first page and haven't noticed anyone mention that Copag will replace damaged cards. I'm not a fan of the feel of Copag, but, I play in a couple of games where that's all they use because of this warranty. I believe one, or two, of the others do this as well. That can make buying a more expensive deck a smarter buy in the long run.

 

[PokerSenpai]

At the end of the first page and haven't noticed anyone mention that Copag will replace damaged cards. I'm not a fan of the feel of Copag, but, I play in a couple of games where that's all they use because of this warranty. I believe one, or two, of the others do this as well. That can make buying a more expensive deck a smarter buy in the long run.

I didn't know that. Thanks for the information.

 

[KHarp1]

Shoot me a pm with the title of "cards" and I'll send you a couple of decks. I have some of the 12 or 13 wsop decks. A couple of other selections as well. Most of mine are poker, jumbo with the exception of the above mentioned wsop cards, which are bridge, normal pip.

 

[TheOffalo]

At the end of the first page and haven't noticed anyone mention that Copag will replace damaged cards. I'm not a fan of the feel of Copag, but, I play in a couple of games where that's all they use because of this warranty. I believe one, or two, of the others do this as well. That can make buying a more expensive deck a smarter buy in the long run.

Agreed, Copag USA customer service has been great! They've replaced a damaged card, damaged cut card, broken logo clip that goes in between the decks, etc.

I didn't know that. Thanks for the information.

https://www.copagusa.com/collections/plastic-card-replacement-request

 

[allforcharity]

Does anyone use four color decks?

Yes

 

[Mangatang]

Does anyone use four color decks?

no

 

[The_General]

Personally a fan of the Bicycle Prestige's. Can get them at the WMT for $10 and they hold up well for me!

 

[JohnnyD]

Before finding PCF, only cards I owned…

After PCF and heading the get samples advice…

I figured cards are relatively cheap way to upgrade my home game (relative compared to chips that is). Still want to try out more, but I am surprised on how much different they all feel, shuffle, play, and look, even across the various Desjgn models.

All are upgrades from paper decks for sure and definitely worth it. My friends showed up with a paper deck and I introduced them to the plastic cards. They said, “what the heck are plastic cards” then took an instant liking to them.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Love it @JohnnyD . Honestly my players barely noticed changing the chips out, but liked the cards an awful lot once they got over them being more slippery. Definitely took some getting used to, and on a kitchen table they can be a pain to pick up, but they're so much better.

Eventually grab some WSOP Copags. Cheap but good history behind them and very viable option.

 

[upNdown]

but liked the cards an awful lot once they got over them being more slippery

Yeah the idea that paper card regs took an instant liking to plastic cards sounds surprising to me. In my experience, people hate the switch from paper to plastic because even the best plastic cards are a lot more slippery than paper.

But even though I’m willing to compromise and be flexible in most ways as a host, plastic cards are non-negotiable. Get used to them!

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Yeah the idea that paper card regs took an instant liking to plastic cards sounds surprising to me. In my experience, people hate the switch from paper to plastic because even the best plastic cards are a lot more slippery than paper.

But even though I’m willing to compromise and be flexible in most ways as a host, plastic cards are non-negotiable. Get used to them!

Agreed, this was not something I was going to compromise on. On the flipside, also said that I wasn't using a fresh setup every game of 5c/10c. New player said they read online about never playing in a poker game with a deck that's already been used, I told them I guarantee that info was meant for games where the buy-in was higher than the cost of the decks.

 

[JohnnyD]

Oddly, no complaints on slipperiness. Actually, the very first comment was “they aren’t those cards with the funny four colors are they?” Nope definitely not, as I’m not a fan at all (blue/green suits make my head hurt). The Copag’s are definitely slick, I’m liking the Desjgn cards better at the moment (better texture, stiffness, and designs IMO). The Prestige cards are also quite good and have a nice texture and not as much card slip as the Copags.

This PCF rabbit hole is deep…my wife and daughter are already looking at me sideways with why I have so many decks. They don’t yet know of the others I have planned also I’m only in the early samples stages for chips!

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Oddly, no complaints on slipperiness. Actually, the very first comment was “they aren’t those cards with the funny four colors are they?” Nope definitely not, as I’m not a fan at all (blue/green suits make my head hurt). The Copag’s are definitely slick, I’m liking the Desjgn cards better at the moment (better texture, stiffness, and designs IMO). The Prestige cards are also quite good and have a nice texture and not as much card slip as the Copags.

This PCF rabbit hole is deep…my wife and daughter are already looking at me sideways with why I have so many decks. They don’t yet know of the others I have planned also I’m only in the early samples stages for chips!

 

[as4k]

Cool thread. Its kind of like me buying nice Callaway golf balls even though I suck at golf and know I'm gonna lose em . I unfortunately dont play enough home games to use the majority of the decks I have. Marketing and handling Faded Spade cards is what got me to buy them, which are the most expensive cards I've bought I believe. I have so many WSOP decks from the past 5-6 years as just "throw away" decks, used for various card games in which I dont care if they get marked/botched. The group I play with used to use Copag and sometimes Desjgn but now Faded Spade. So, to answer the question, "just because"

 

[Phyffe]

I use premium cards because I sometimes have to deal and I always help in shuffling.

My friend runs a card room and he uses the cheap, durable cards similar to the Brybelly the OP referred to.

I'm not in it for the money, as someone posted, its the same reason we obsess over high quality chips, whereas my friend who runs the card room was using Dice chips before I warned him people could easily sneak chips in from the outside.

 

[ekricket]

I use premium cards because I sometimes have to deal and I always help in shuffling.

My friend runs a card room and he uses the cheap, durable cards similar to the Brybelly the OP referred to.

I'm not in it for the money, as someone posted, its the same reason we obsess over high quality chips, whereas my friend who runs the card room was using Dice chips before I warned him people could easily sneak chips in from the outside.

People can sneak cards in too if he’s using cheap ones….. just another reason to have good quality cards.

 

[dpeks13]

My 7 year old started playing card games at camp, so our new thing is to play after dinner. After testing a bunch of setups (watching me cringe as she "shuffles" them), she prefers Fournier.
I think there's a lesson in here somewhere.

 

[warma]

I've had some plastic decks start to lose the printing on the faces from wear after 30-40 games. A good quality card will last for a very long time if washed and cleaned regularly. It's a minimal cost for extended wear. We pay piles of money for chips, 20 extra bucks for two decks of cards is nothing.

Hopefully not your special cheap plastics. They’re still a bit slippery, but now that I’ve figured them out, they work really well, especially for the cost. Still a best buy in my book.

 

[Josh Kifer]

Hopefully not your special cheap plastics. They’re still a bit slippery, but now that I’ve figured them out, they work really well, especially for the cost. Still a best buy in my book.

Those cards just keep going and going. Fantastic cards for the price.

 

[BBB_Wong]

They just feel better. Better shuffling, better handling, better dealing. Don't get me wrong , you can get some great decks for under 20 USD, but there's something special about handling you're preferred deck, price be damned.

 

[upNdown]

They just feel better. Better shuffling, better handling, better dealing. Don't get me wrong , you can get some great decks for under 20 USD, but there's something special about handling you're preferred deck, price be damned.

I agree with you. But there’s something painful about seeing your preferred deck get damaged in a game.
I’ve given serious thought to switching to paper decks and just using them for a single session. But I can’t go back to paper, they’re just terrible.