Poker vs Bridge Size (4 Viewers)

[RocAFella1]

Google search for “poker playing cards”. #1 hit is an Amazon link

I would imagine the more common search would be “playing cards” which results in the following results

The aforementioned Bicycle Playing Cards which are by default poker sized.

There is no doubt that poker size is the more common purchase by many magnitudes and the much more popular choice. But that popularity is not derived from people picking them over bridge size cards. It’s what is familiar to most people who are likely indifferent and believe poker is the standard all around.

They’re just not that popular yet they’re the gold standard in casinos and cardrooms.

 

[RocAFella1]

I don’t have the numbers but I would be really curious if manufacturers of both sizes make more of one size or the other, taking into account both casinos and non casino consumers alike.

 

[Ghostwheel]

As someone who plays a lot of trading card games, I prefer poker sized cards. Magic cards are almost exactly as big as poker size cards, and obviously even wider when sleeved. I'm so used to shuffling cards of this size that I would never go down without a good reason.

And most normal people buy and use poker size cards for all sorts of games played with a standard deck. So they're used to shuffling those cards as well.

 

[Isorg]

Gatekeeping? WTF? . If you have eyes and can read than why would you make such a broad and sweeping comment…especially when you haven’t been here that long to even have proper perspective?

You continue to attempt to gatekeep me based on forum account age.

You are one of the people who I was referring to with my first comment. Your behavior towards other forums members has been appalling.

Insulting, condescending, and now gatekeeping others to prove your POV is correct.

These are the tactics of a person on the loosing side of a argument. This now explains why your hide your comments.

 

[RadicusScout]

As someone who plays a lot of trading card games, I prefer poker sized cards. Magic cards are almost exactly as big as poker size cards, and obviously even wider when sleeved. I'm so used to shuffling cards of this size that I would never go down without a good reason.

This is an interesting point. I'm curious, do you shuffle your Magic cards the same way you would your poker cards? While the size may be the same, Magic (and other TCG) cards are heavier, stiffer. They're really not meant to be shuffled in the classic poker way. Instead (as you probably know and do) it's primarily a derivative of the mash shuffle because sleeving cards is widely accepted as a norm (and everyone will be mortified if you tried shuffling your cards raw and in the riffle way).

 

[dragonmire]

As someone who plays a lot of trading card games, I prefer poker sized cards. Magic cards are almost exactly as big as poker size cards, and obviously even wider when sleeved. I'm so used to shuffling cards of this size that I would never go down without a good reason.

And most normal people buy and use poker size cards for all sorts of games played with a standard deck. So they're used to shuffling those cards as well.

this is interesting as someone who plays a lot of magic, in that i want my poker cards to feel and be different in size than my mtg ones

variety is the spice of life! (or so I tell myself)

 

[Ghostwheel]

This is an interesting point. I'm curious, do you shuffle your Magic cards the same way you would your poker cards? While the size may be the same, Magic (and other TCG) cards are heavier, stiffer. They're really not meant to be shuffled in the classic poker way. Instead (as you probably know and do) it's primarily a derivative of the mash shuffle because sleeving cards is widely accepted as a norm (and everyone will be mortified if you tried shuffling your cards raw and in the riffle way).

You're right, I do often mash shuffle Magic cards. But I also learned how to do a "soft" riffle shuffle where the cards don't bend at all and they're joined at the bottom corner. I do this very frequently for pretty much all card games including sleeved cards if they aren't double sleeved.

Of course, if I'm handling plastic playing cards I can go harder with the riffle shuffle and I do enjoy that, too. Even if the method of shuffling is slightly different it still feels better to handle cards of a size I'm so used to.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

MTG also requires poker-sized because some of them have books printed on them. Tough to compare the two but I understand muscle memory. They are shuffled and used very differently and aren't worried about fitting 9 people to a table either, or shuffling 10 times per hour.

 

[toothpic]

I exclusively use bridge for my games. The other groups I play with I'll sometimes bring a deck of cards with my chips and have slowly converted them to bridge.

 

[Machine]

commercial market center of gravity is poker size

Might doesn't make right. We are not talking about which size has cornered the market.

I think which size is best? - is speculative, although I know I'm right!

Case in Point: QWERTY vs Workman or any other more efficient layout (Keyboards)

not going to lie, seeing how people are acting to each other in this thread is putting a really sour taste on this forum.

especially when you haven’t been here that long to even have proper perspective?

You continue to attempt to gatekeep me based on forum account age.

To be clear, he has a valid point;

He didn't say you're too young to provide value. He didn't tell you that you are dumb, no ad hominem.

Making such a broad statement across the entire forum based on one thread, a thread that is over a year before your membership, in which most of the active participants engaged in the heated debate are significantly older accounts. I would say maybe you didn't read the room very well.

I think it's objectively reasonable to say you don't have enough historical context across the forum to chime in here.

I would also argue what familiy doesn't argue?

 

[toothpic]

Also, inline with what others have posted previously in the thread, when I first started playing poker some 20 years ago we exclusively used poker sized cards. Back then Copaqs which were all plastic were a big upgrade for us. I continued to use those for many years until I got my hands on some bridge sized cards about 5-6 years ago. Yes, I thought bridge sized cards were for bridge games too!

After using them a few times I did start to enjoy them more. This is especially true of you play mixed games where you are dealt 4+ cards.

The other games I play at are mostly NLHE based with PLO bomb pots. Half of the guys have agreed that bridge sizes cards after using them a few time feel and play better compared to poker. After a while, going back to poker sized they feel really unecessarily large.

That said, I'll use any cards when the poker game is good (just like I use any set of chips too), but my preference when I buy new sets is still bridge.

 

[MikesDad]

Poker size for the neighbors who don't play plo, are older than dirt, need large index so they can read them and don't care or know the difference.

Bridge size for everyone else

 

[toothpic]

Poker size for the nighbors who don't play plo, are older than dirt, need large index so they can read them and don't care or know the difference.

Bridge size for everyone else

Use bridge jumbo index!

 

[MikesDad]

Use bridge jumbo index!

Have to get the poker size in play somehow

 

[Taghkanic]

The average person buying cards doesn’t even know what bridge cards are and likely doesn’t know what plastic cards are either.

In this rare, rare case I actually kind of agree with @Old State .

Anecdotal evidence:

I asked a friend who plays a ton of blackjack what size cards they used for table games at his nearest casino. He had no idea, and wasn’t even really sure what I meant by the poker/bridge distinction.

Similarly, friends who are not serious card players sometimes give me fancily-designed decks as presents—almost always paper. They don’t realize I’ll never use them, or only use them once and then toss them in the trash, since they’ll almost certainly get damaged within a couple hours.

That does not mean that one size is not better or worse than the other. Just that it does not matter to many or even most people. Much like a lot of amateurs could not care less that someone hosts a game with Paulsons instead of dice chips.

 

[Frogzilla]

This now explains why your hide your comments.

Like on Instagram where you filter who can comment on the post? How does one do this on PCF? What are you talking about?

 

[upNdown]

Like on Instagram where you filter who can comment on the post? How does one do this on PCF? What are you talking about?

I say we gatekeep him!

 

[Frogzilla]

I say we gatekeep him!

Tell me how

 

[upNdown]

Tell me how

I have no idea. Is it like gaslighting?

 

[Cratty]

I suspect there's a correlation between those who prefer bridge-sized and those who would put cheese on a Sloppy Joe.

 

[owlbee]

account settings > privacy > allow users: view details on your user page

 

[toothpic]

I suspect there's a correlation between those who prefer bridge-sized and those who would put cheese on a Sloppy Joe.

That sounds delicious

 

[LotsOfChips]

seeing how people are acting to each other in this thread is putting a really sour taste on this forum.

You have only been here less than a year …which is very short time to make a judgement like that.

I wasn't aware that time on the forum was required to be able to determine if some members are acting like douchebags.

I've been here for 5 1/2 years, and I pretty much agree with @Isorg .

 

[toothpic]

It's a forum with thousands of people. People will argue and bicker sometimes. One thread, or more more preciesly a short string of interactions in a thread does not represent the forum.

 

[Isorg]

some food for thought.... Casinos started using bridge size cards back in the 70's, and the burning question is why?

Some claim because its easier to deal.
Some claim because bridge size was cheaper.

I completely believe that cost was the number 1 deciding factor.

I found an amazon company that sells blank casino cards in both 3.5x2.25 and 3.5x2.5 sizes Bridge, Poker

Bridge size = $0.0358 a card
Poker size = $0.0554 a card

I find it hard to believe that a casino in the 70's is not making a decision based on $$$ first? some reports that some of the larger casinos are into the 1000's of cards a year they buy. at the end of the year, that $1000 difference.

 

[extreme517]

I suspect there's a correlation between those who prefer bridge-sized and those who would put cheese on a Sloppy Joe.

I suspect there is a correlation between those who prefer poker-sized and those who prefer to play tournaments.

 

[toothpic]

I suspect there is a correlation between those who prefer poker-sized and those who prefer to play tournaments.

Interesting. There seems to be some correlation there based of my small sample set of players.

 

[Frogzilla]

I suspect there is a correlation between those who prefer poker-sized and those who prefer to play tournaments.

Guilty as charged on both but casino tournaments use bridge size

Quite curious what is driving this suspicion

 

[CdnBeerLover]

Personally, I think those that regularly play in casinos likely prefer bridge size, and those that do not likely prefer poker size.

 

[extreme517]

Guilty as charged on both but casino tournaments use bridge size

Quite curious what is driving this suspicion

Personally, I think those that regularly play in casinos likely prefer bridge size, and those that do not likely prefer poker size.

Yes, my thoughts exactly. Tourney players tend to be more casual. The people that have essentially lived in a card room playing cash for any length of time are going to strongly prefer bridge-sized.