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Home Game Cards (5 Viewers)

Copag, poker, jumbo lately. Thinking about pulling out the 4-color decks for the next game.
 
I like to use Copags! Only thing I regret is not getting the Jumbo index just because with bridge size being a bit smaller, the index on them is so small that trying to read them quickly on the board is tough depending on seat. I just wish they offered more variety with the color of the faces. I'd love the multi color faces with the teal/purple card set, that would be the ultimate set to buy.
 
I enjoy Copag decks. My favorite design + colors are the neoteric blue/green decks. I prefer to play with bridge size cards that have jumbo index for clarity.
 
If you want cards that are good and also easy to source…DaVinci off Amazon.

Kems are the absolute gold standard in feel….but they have to be carefully stored to stop bowing and are now ridiculously expensive…like they purposely don’t want to sell cards to the public anymore expensive. I have seven setups and never payed more than $23. They are the cards used in almost every major casino card room in the US

That said, Angel cards are basically as luxurious feeling as Kems but don’t seem to bow. Problem is you need to buy them from the Japanese Amazon page and should order multiple setups to make the shipping worth it.

Copags are fine and the easiest to find. They just look and feel cheap to me.

Fournier are great mid weight cards (as far as stiffness) but you need to buy them on eBay from Europe. Desjgn has new cards coming out that are made by Fournier I should have soon. Can’t speak for how they will feel but they artwork is hands down the absolute best there is.

I have a card addiction and own basically every brand made…happy to share my thoughts 😂
 
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Snarespectre said:
You're right, the bend isn't nearly as bad as KEM, but what is? I've used a friend's old set of KEMs and hated them. I felt like I was playing with paper napkins. I might dislike Marion Pro, but I'll take them any day over KEM. I've seen @NotRealNameNoSir liken people's love for KEM to the emperor's new clothes, and to me that's a perfect analogy. I don't understand how anyone likes them, much less is willing to take out a 2nd mortgage to buy them.
Click to expand...

1773718477668.gif


You do realize that Kem cards could be picked up for $23-29 just a few years ago on Amazon. Sometimes cheaper. The most I ever paid was $23 and least was $13. Now they are absurdly priced and it seems to happen very quickly. I would never recommend them now and before only did with a warning on how to store them.

The Emperors New Clothes comparison is WAYYY out there 😂😂😂😂. Some wacky stuff right there. They are literally used by almost every casino card room in the US 🤦🏻.

There are the best feeling cards in the objective opinion of many people

There is a very strange and often bizarre obsession with hating on them. 😂

I had one deck bow when I left them out in an unfinished basement for a week. The reason I now have over 40 set ups of plastic cards was because I was trying every brand I could find trying to find a card that felt like Kems within the chance of bowing.

Most cards are playable. The only brand I hate is Faded Spade. Awful. Angels are very very close to Kem in feel but hard to get. That’s it.


BTW, all my Kem decks I bought from 2003 through 2019…all kept perfectly flat with a cut card on top and cheap dealer buttons

 
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Old State said:
View attachment 1653227

You do realize that Kem cards could be picked up for $23-29 just a few years ago on Amazon. Sometimes cheaper. The most I ever paid was $23 and least was $13. Now they are absurdly priced and it seems to happen very quickly. I would never recommend them now and before only did with a warning on how to store them.

The Emperors New Clothes comparison is WAYYY out there 😂😂😂😂. Some wacky stuff right there. They are literally used by almost every casino card room in the US 🤦🏻.

There are the best feeling cards in the objective opinion of many people

There is a very strange and often bizarre obsession with hating on them. 😂

I had one deck bow when I left them out in an unfinished basement for a week. The reason I now have over 40 set ups of plastic cards was because I was trying every brand I could find trying to find a card that felt like Kems within the chance of bowing.

Most cards are playable. The only brand I hate is Faded Spade. Awful. Angels are very very close to Kem in feel but hard to get. That’s it.


BTW, all my Kem decks I bought from 2003 through 2019…all kept perfectly flat with a cut card on top and cheap dealer buttons

Click to expand...

Maybe I'm doing it wrong... but how do you get this outcome?

I've heard something like "upside down" with KEM.... but that could mean a few things.

I've done controlled temp, face down in the KEM box, cut card on top, plastic dealer button on top of that, box lid, and put some weight on it. I'm pretty sure it hasn't fixed the slight bow.

Do some people store them face down in the box with that cut card and dealer button on top, then the lid.... then turn the entire box upside down (meaning lid down with the card faces up toward the sky)?

I love them but I'm almost afraid to use them with the bowing and now the expense to replace them.
 
Jerome100 said:
Maybe I'm doing it wrong... but how do you get this outcome?

I've heard something like "upside down" with KEM.... but that could mean a few things.

I've done controlled temp, face down in the KEM box, cut card on top, plastic dealer button on top of that, box lid, and put some weight on it. I'm pretty sure it hasn't fixed the slight bow.

Do some people store them face down in the box with that cut card and dealer button on top, then the lid.... then turn the entire box upside down (meaning lid down with the card faces up toward the sky)?

I love them but I'm almost afraid to use them with the bowing and now the expense to replace them.
Click to expand...
They used to be my favorite cards, bc their pips and face card art was sweet, now they are just overpriced and the quality IMO with us card company is ok, so many good options out there, man the broken arrow cards nice, modiano and Davinci, Shute even Copaq has stepped it up
 
Jerome100 said:
Maybe I'm doing it wrong... but how do you get this outcome?

I've heard something like "upside down" with KEM.... but that could mean a few things.

I've done controlled temp, face down in the KEM box, cut card on top, plastic dealer button on top of that, box lid, and put some weight on it. I'm pretty sure it hasn't fixed the slight bow.

Do some people store them face down in the box with that cut card and dealer button on top, then the lid.... then turn the entire box upside down (meaning lid down with the card faces up toward the sky)?

I love them but I'm almost afraid to use them with the bowing and now the expense to replace them.
Click to expand...
It’s about preventing the bow…not fixing it.

Put the cards in withe the paint up. Put cut card on top. Put dealer bottom on top. Close box
 
Snarespectre said:
It looks like yours are bridge size - is that correct? Mine are poker. I agree yours look fine and not stretched - I'd wager they designed the pips with bridge in mind and then stretched them (width-wise) to fit poker size cards.

You're right, the bend isn't nearly as bad as KEM, but what is? I've used a friend's old set of KEMs and hated them. I felt like I was playing with paper napkins. I might dislike Marion Pro, but I'll take them any day over KEM. I've seen @NotRealNameNoSir liken people's love for KEM to the emperor's new clothes, and to me that's a perfect analogy. I don't understand how anyone likes them, much less is willing to take out a 2nd mortgage to buy them.

For reference, here are some pictures of what I was talking about with Marion Pro:

View attachment 1611618
^ Wide-stretched font on two Marion Pro cards

View attachment 1611619
View attachment 1611620
^ Dark red ink and dull white compared to the brighter red and brighter white of Da Vinci

The reason I decided to try Marion Pro is because I heard the same thing you're talking about - that they use premium stock from Kua Kao. My understanding is that Faded Spade uses stock from them, and I really like the Faded Spade FSX stock, so I was thinking they'd be something similar - but unfortunately (for me) they're very, very different.
Click to expand...
This is the first negative review that actually got me to buy something.

You claim they are almost as soft as Kem …and they use darker “security ink” …SOLD! Deck in bound from Amazon. I had avoided them when I saw “made in Taiwan”..,,but you sold me.

Stay tuned for the honest, hyperbole free, non hater review…😉
 
Old State said:
This is the first negative review that actually got me to buy something.

You claim they are almost as soft as Kem …and they use darker “security ink” …SOLD! Deck in bound from Amazon. I had avoided them when I saw “made in Taiwan”..,,but you sold me.

Stay tuned for the honest, hyperbole free, non hater review…😉
Click to expand...
I never said they were as soft as Kem, just that they bow. And the bowing happens after basically the first shuffle.

Regardless, I hope you enjoy them! And if you like them enough, I’ve got 2 sets I’d be happy to sell you. :)
 
Snarespectre said:
I never said they were as soft as Kem, just that they bow. And the bowing happens after basically the first shuffle.

Regardless, I hope you enjoy them! And if you like them enough, I’ve got 2 sets I’d be happy to sell you. :)
Click to expand...
I’m well over 40 setups of cards at this point. Even if I like them I wound buy more. Also have the new Desjgns inbound this week. It’s also for “research”. I’ve avoided trying some of the super cheap Taiwanese and Chinese cards…but serval have mentioned the Marions.

BTW, I checked the Japanese Amazon page and they no longer have the Angel cards in stock. That sucks. Of every card manufacturer on the market they were the only one that approached the luxurious feel of Kem cards…and without the storage issues. 😉
 
NotRealNameNoSir said:
Hey Pot, I'm Kettle! ;);););)

Click to expand...
No one “defends” them. They say they like the feel, acknowledge the issues, and decide if it’s worth it or not. How can you say I just blanket defend them when I’ve explained how I’ve spent over $1000 accumulating over 40 set ups of every major card brand trying to find an alternative to Kim’s. That feel the same way but don’t have any tendency to bend. That doesn’t sound like a defense. That’s an objective observation based on physical interaction with all these products.


Any “defense” is a direct reaction to your attacks. You are both the pot and the kettle😉

You are so full of hate it clouds your perception of reality

BTW, the conundrum you never can explain is this…..if they are such an awful product, why does every major casino card room still use them…..even when there are cheaper alternatives? Bellagio, Aria, Wynn, Rio, Borgata, Harrahs, Tropicana, on and on…..all just suckers.

1774365135814.webp
 
Last edited:
Old State said:
View attachment 1653227

You do realize that Kem cards could be picked up for $23-29 just a few years ago on Amazon. Sometimes cheaper. The most I ever paid was $23 and least was $13. Now they are absurdly priced and it seems to happen very quickly. I would never recommend them now and before only did with a warning on how to store them.

The Emperors New Clothes comparison is WAYYY out there 😂😂😂😂. Some wacky stuff right there. They are literally used by almost every casino card room in the US 🤦🏻.

There are the best feeling cards in the objective opinion of many people

There is a very strange and often bizarre obsession with hating on them. 😂

I had one deck bow when I left them out in an unfinished basement for a week. The reason I now have over 40 set ups of plastic cards was because I was trying every brand I could find trying to find a card that felt like Kems within the chance of bowing.

Most cards are playable. The only brand I hate is Faded Spade. Awful. Angels are very very close to Kem in feel but hard to get. That’s it.


BTW, all my Kem decks I bought from 2003 through 2019…all kept perfectly flat with a cut card on top and cheap dealer buttons

Click to expand...
I only just now noticed this reply of yours. I've been responding to the more recent one.

Yes, I'm very aware they used to cost a lot less. I was not talking about past Kem prices, I was referring to how much they cost now. Nobody can go online and buy a new set for $23.

There is no such thing as an "objective opinion," so I'm not sure what your point was there.

I don't have an obsession with hating Kem. I only commented on them relative to Marion Pro because the person I was replying to made the comparison about bowing. I dislike the Kem cards I've played with, but it's not a big deal because nobody is forcing me to play with them.

Regarding the bowing, I was referring to how Marion Pro lose their shape pretty much immediately after one shuffle. That was my experience with Kem, as well. I personally prefer cards that snap back to being flat instead of maintaining a curve. But I have no ill will toward anyone who prefers the latter. I don't doubt that if you store Kem cards a certain way, in perfect humidity, with a dealer button, and after reciting various incantations, that they can go back to being flat again.

Nobody disagrees that most cards are playable. Perhaps I'm reading it wrong, but you're coming across as defending yourself when nobody is attacking you. If you love Kem cards, that is 100% okay and you don't have to explain yourself to anyone.
 
Old State said:
No one “defends” them. They say they like the feel, acknowledge the issues, and decide if it’s worth it or not. How can you say I just blanket defend them when I’ve explained how I’ve spent over $1000 accumulating over 40 set ups of every major card brand trying to find an alternative to Kim’s. That feel the same way but don’t have any tendency to bend. That doesn’t sound like a defense. That’s an objective observation based on physical interaction with all these products.


Any “defense” is a direct reaction to your attacks. You are both the pot and the kettle😉

You are so full of hate it clouds your perception of reality

BTW, the conundrum you never can explain is this…..if they are such an awful product, why does every major casino card room still use them…..even when there are cheaper alternatives? Bellagio, Aria, Wynn, Rio, Borgata, Harrahs, Tropicana, on and on…..all just suckers.

View attachment 1656983
Click to expand...
Cause they use them and chuck them after 6 hours. Casinos =/= home game use. Why do casinos close poker rooms to replace them with slot machines? Surely that means they're more fun than poker, right?


Me, waking up after another Kem nightmare:
 
NotRealNameNoSir said:
Cause they use them and chuck them after 6 hours. Casinos =/= home game use. Why do casinos close poker rooms to replace them with slot machines? Surely that means they're more fun than poker, right?


Me, waking up after another Kem nightmare:
Click to expand...
This comment makes zero sense 😂. They don’t throw them out after hours. This is nonsense and you know it. You are clearly an irrational and emotional person 😉
 
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I've tried many brands from Copag, Modiano, Fournier, Broken Arrow, and cheaper China versions, and they all are different in dealing them. Some are very stiff, others are medium, and some are thinner and easy to shuffle. I prefer Fournier for dealing, but hard to be negative about Copag cards. Modiano cards are OK.
 
Snarespectre said:
I only just now noticed this reply of yours. I've been responding to the more recent one.

Yes, I'm very aware they used to cost a lot less. I was not talking about past Kem prices, I was referring to how much they cost now. Nobody can go online and buy a new set for $23.

There is no such thing as an "objective opinion," so I'm not sure what your point was there.



Regarding the bowing, I was referring to how Marion Pro lose their shape pretty much immediately after one shuffle. That was my experience with Kem, as well. I personally prefer cards that snap back to being flat instead of maintaining a curve. But I have no ill will toward anyone who prefers the latter. I don't doubt that if you store Kem cards a certain way, in perfect humidity, with a dealer button, and after reciting various incantations, that they can go back to being flat again.
Click to expand...
You were implying that it’s crazy people would buy them because they cost so much. What I was telling you is that many people like myself bought our set ups of them when they were much cheaper..

What I meant by “objective” is without an agenda …as you and the norealname guy accused people of with the absurd “emperor has no clothes” analogy.

Most cards are playable…except the Faded Spades I own. Now THAT is an absolute awful unplayable product.

As for curling as soon as you use them… I’ve no clue what you’re talking about. I am numerous sets of Kem cards and I’ve been using them since 2022 not once ever did they curl as soon as you use them. That’s insane. The reason almost every major casino uses them is because they are resilient. They don’t mark and snap back to their shape when people bend them.

I still own a set up from 2003. They never curled. I have my very first deck curl after leaving them out on the table in an unfinished basement for several days (i forgot about them after a late night game.

Again….my Kem cards from 2003-2019. All perfectly flat because I simply keep them with a cut card and cheap dealer button on top.

 
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Old State said:
You were implying that it’s crazy people would buy them because they cost so much. What I was telling you is that many people like myself bought our set ups of them when they were much cheaper..

What I meant by “objective” is without an agenda …as you and the norealname guy accused people of with the absurd “emperor has no clothes” analogy.

Most cards are playable…except the Faded Spades I own. Now THAT is an absolute awful unplayable product.

As for curling as soon as you use them… I’ve no clue what you’re talking about. I am numerous sets of Kem cards and I’ve been using them since 2022 not once ever did they curl as soon as you use them. That’s insane. The reason almost every major casino uses them is because they are resilient. They don’t mark and snap back to their shape when people bend them.

I still own a set up from 2003. They never curled. I have my very first deck curl after leaving them out on the table in an unfinished basement for several days (i forgot about them after a late night game.

Again….my Kem cards from 2003-2019. All perfectly flat because I simply keep them with a cut card and cheap dealer button on top.

Click to expand...

Yes, I think people are crazy for paying the current prices for Kem cards. I never said they were crazy for paying past prices for them. So I don't know why you're defending yourself and others against an accusation I never made.

What "agenda" do you think I have? I used Kem cards once and disliked them. That's literally all there is to my opinion of the cards. I don't understand why people like them so much and it feels to me like because they've been branded as "the best," people are afraid to be honest and say otherwise - hence, the emperor's new clothes analogy. But this is all subjective (not objective) and you're welcome to keep liking Kem regardless of what random people like me on the internet say about them.

You've now lumped me in with people who you think have a "bizarre obsession" with hating Kem, despite the fact that I merely shared my opinion of them in a relevant conversation that someone else brought up. Yet now you've mentioned your hatred of Faded Spade multiple times, unprovoked. It seems @NotRealNameNoSir 's pot/kettle comparison really is appropriate here.

I don't doubt your experience with Kem cards not curling. I'm happy for you. I can only share what my experience is, and that's one game I played with Kems in which they didn't lay back flat after players shuffled them. I'm sure a bunch of casinos use these cards, but that fact is completely irrelevant to my opinion. And anecdotally, I see Faded Spade a whole lot more on live poker streams.

You are welcome to keep linking that YouTube video, but I don't see the point. We get it, your Kem cards are flat.
 
Snarespectre said:
Yes, I think people are crazy for paying the current prices for Kem cards. I never said they were crazy for paying past prices for them. So I don't know why you're defending yourself and others against an accusation I never made.

What "agenda" do you think I have? I used Kem cards once and disliked them. That's literally all there is to my opinion of the cards. I don't understand why people like them so much and it feels to me like because they've been branded as "the best," people are afraid to be honest and say otherwise - hence, the emperor's new clothes analogy. But this is all subjective (not objective) and you're welcome to keep liking Kem regardless of what random people like me on the internet say about them.

You've now lumped me in with people who you think have a "bizarre obsession" with hating Kem, despite the fact that I merely shared my opinion of them in a relevant conversation that someone else brought up. Yet now you've mentioned your hatred of Faded Spade multiple times, unprovoked. It seems @NotRealNameNoSir 's pot/kettle comparison really is appropriate here.

I don't doubt your experience with Kem cards not curling. I'm happy for you. I can only share what my experience is, and that's one game I played with Kems in which they didn't lay back flat after players shuffled them. I'm sure a bunch of casinos use these cards, but that fact is completely irrelevant to my opinion. And anecdotally, I see Faded Spade a whole lot more on live poker streams.

You are welcome to keep linking that YouTube video, but I don't see the point. We get it, your Kem cards are flat.
Click to expand...
You seem to interpret anything I say int he complete opposite way. Some serious straw man arguments here

I mention Faded Spade in the context I’ve tried all the cards out there. There are all playable except one. You also brought them up in your first comment….🤦🏻
 
Snarespectre said:
Regarding the bowing, I was referring to how Marion Pro lose their shape pretty much immediately after one shuffle.
Click to expand...
Wich Marion Pro do this?
I got the Crown Series from AHPC, and they don‘t lose shape. Even after a lot of shuffling.
 
SwissChip said:
Wich Marion Pro do this?
I got the Crown Series from AHPC, and they don‘t lose shape. Even after a lot of shuffling.
Click to expand...
I didn't know there were different kinds of Marion Pro - I thought these were the only ones. I can only speak for the ones I have.

1774474334427.webp


I haven't tried the Crown Series from AHPC. But if they snap back to their flat shape instantly after shuffling, I'm assuming they're a different card stock than these.
 
Old State said:
You seem to interpret anything I say int he complete opposite way. Some serious straw man arguments here

I mention Faded Spade in the context I’ve tried all the cards out there. There are all playable except one. You also brought them up in your first comment….🤦🏻
Click to expand...
If you think I'm the one doing the misinterpreting here, then I give up. I don't blame you for liking Kem or hating Faded Spade. It's just not a big deal that you have a different opinion than I do.
 

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