Best cupholder spacing for my game (2 Viewers)

[Hornet]

I am having a table built and am really struggling with the question of cupholders. Specifically, how many cupholders to have and where to place them in the rail.

No cupholders you say? I agree that the look is much better without cupholders and that would be ideal, but I have a couple of people in my game that tend not to follow rules about drinks on the table. Best I can hope for is that they use the cupholders. If I don’t do cupholders, there will be spillage. And I don’t like slide in cupholders or the other options.

So my table is 96” x 45” and we almost always play 8 max. Usually we have 7-8 players, sometimes 6 or less. 90+% of the time we have a dedicated dealer. The rest of the time we self deal.

So the first question is how many cupholders? 10 (standard), 9 (players+dealer) or 8 (players only). Since I don’t like the look of cupholder, I’m trying to minimize the number of them. And if 9 or 8, how best to arrange the cupholders, mainly around whether you have a clear space in front of the dealer. We generally sit between cupholders now, but that becomes a relevant item for discussion as well.

I would love to get any thoughts people have about the best layout.

I have added drawings below for each of the options.

Thanks!

 

[mipevi]

The cupholder placements near the table ends according to top and second drawings would tilt me something crazy, so I’d pick one of the last two. Voted ten holders as it allows for more flexibility.

 

[cpac54]

If you generally have a dealer, I'd think that having a section free of obstruction for them would be nice (thus no cup holder in front of the dealer). Does the dealer have a side cart they could use for drinks?

I'd go with a setup that serves the games you host the most, which sounds like 8 or less with a dealer. I'd go with option 1 or 3 (if you want the flexibility to add a seat).

 

[Hornet]

Does the dealer have a side cart they could use for drinks?

I plan on having a few side carts for people to use, so yes.

The thing I like about option 3, in addition to being more flexible to add a player, is that with 8 everyone can sit in between the cupholders.

 

[swana]

I voted 10 because I'm having a table built with very similar dimensions and went with 10... and it's too late to change... I didn't even think about any other potential options for a 10 person table and I dont want to entertain them now!!!

 

[Machine]

You need a dude, @justsomedude

also this

 

[cpac54]

I plan on having a few side carts for people to use, so yes.

The thing I like about option 3, in addition to being more flexible to add a player, is that with 8 everyone can sit in between the cupholders.

I like this point, my vote is for 3 now instead of 1.

 

[TheWhiteJZ]

#3 is symmetrical (non-symetrical would tilt me) and allows for your typical dealer situation.
IDK who it was, but they recommended you place cup holders so ppl can "belly up" to them. sit directly behind, place chips in front of the cup, and arms around to rach ofr cards. I like this idea bc it feels like this means ppl are less likely to knock over their cup (or neighbors cup) by swinging their arm

 

[T_Chan]

Cup holder placement can be tricky, but in the end I've found it doesn't really matter that much. I use my rental tables for my league games. The tables have 8 cup holders, but we play 9 handed for our league games. Everyone just kind of picks a spot, and uses whichever cup holder makes sense. It's super rare that everyone has a drink so there's never a time when all cup holders are full and so someone's left out holding their drink, or worse, putting it on the felt.

If you're not doing a dealer cutout with a separate mini-rail for the dealer, then it's fine to have a cup holder in front of the dealer. Then they have one to use in case they have a drink, and if not, leave it empty for a non-obstructed path. Though a cup holder directly in front of you isn't much of an obstruction, even with a drink in it as long as it isn't a tall bottle or glass.

 

[RowlettTexasChipGuy]

I plan on having a few side carts for people to use, so yes.

The thing I like about option 3, in addition to being more flexible to add a player, is that with 8 everyone can sit in between the cupholders.

then go with zero cup holders, side carts only

 

[Hornet]

Cup holder placement can be tricky, but in the end I've found it doesn't really matter that much. I use my rental tables for my league games. The tables have 8 cup holders, but we play 9 handed for our league games. Everyone just kind of picks a spot, and uses whichever cup holder makes sense. It's super rare that everyone has a drink so there's never a time when all cup holders are full and so someone's left out holding their drink, or worse, putting it on the felt.

If you're not doing a dealer cutout with a separate mini-rail for the dealer, then it's fine to have a cup holder in front of the dealer. Then they have one to use in case they have a drink, and if not, leave it empty for a non-obstructed path. Though a cup holder directly in front of you isn't much of an obstruction, even with a drink in it as long as it isn't a tall bottle or glass.

Thanks Tony. I think I’m just coming around to the idea of sticking with 10 cupholders. Although I prefer a clean rail, I don’t think having 10 versus 9 makes much difference in that respect.

 

[Hornet]

then go with zero cup holders, side carts only

If I could trust my group to not put their drinks on the table and spill, I would do that 100%. But I don’t want to be the drink police and have to stress out about it. I’m trying to be practical about it rather than imagine how I’d like it to work.

 

[RowlettTexasChipGuy]

cut drink holders into your side carts, best of both worlds

 

[Hornet]

cut drink holders into your side carts, best of both worlds

The side carts have drink holders. That doesn’t stop people from grabbing their drink while they are playing their hand and putting it on the table.

 

[RowlettTexasChipGuy]

well you can't fix stupid.....lol

 

[doublebooyah85]

Highly recommend the sliding Cupholders that sit below the table like GG gaming tables.

 

[raynmanas]

for me, if you must have built-in holders, it is option 3 and it isn't even close. K.I.S.S. - i have already put way more thought into this than any of your players probably ever will. they will make it work regardless.

 

[pokerplayingpisces]

You need a dude, @justsomedude

also this

^^^This

 

[Hornet]

Highly recommend the sliding Cupholders that sit below the table like GG gaming tables.

I’m not sure that’s an option with this builder, but I’ll ask. They slide out under the table on the outside?

 

[Hornet]

So @justsomedude please tell me what to do lol

 

[bergs]

My preferred cupholders spacing involves 3 cupholders near me and a rectangular holder for a large Tupperware container filled full of high octane margaritas.

(Actually, I would snap buy that table, that would be amazing)

 

[Josh Kifer]

35 cup holders, no rail. Ultimate drink abilities.....

 

[justsomedude]

So @justsomedude please tell me what to do lol

In all honesty I do prefer asymetric seating the best. The "problem" with true evenly spaced cupholders (rabbit hole warning: evenly spaced along inside of rail? outside of rail? centerline of rail?) is that those sitting on the rounded edges of an oval-shaped table will get "squeezed" against other players, while those along the flats will have way more table and leg space. However, there is really no way to avoid this - it's simply the nature of an oval-shaped table and those on the ends will always get fvcked, so to speak, when it comes to table area and leg space.

Also, asymetic cupholders also require somewhat disceplined seating by your players. Meaning... if everyone sits with a cupholder centered between their elbows, they're not maximizing the seating/spacing... the cupholder should be offset to a left (or right) elbow crook.

Here's a pic:

All that being said, just listen to this guy... as over-thinking it probably won't produce a significantly better result, and - aside from the stress and mental gymnastics - it may not make much of difference in the end...

Cup holder placement can be tricky, but in the end I've found it doesn't really matter that much.

 

[justsomedude]

 

[bergs]

One giant cupholders in the middle of the table and 8 straws. Let us commune together my degen brethern!

 

[Marius L]

Dont know of others have suggested it, but I prefer slide under cupholders. Movable, removable and the rail looks much better without 8-10 holes in it, lol.

 

[Hornet]

Dont know of others have suggested it, but I prefer slide under cupholders. Movable, removable and the rail looks much better without 8-10 holes in it, lol.

Pretty sure those won’t work with a raised rail. I’m not really a fan anyway.

 

[pokerplayingpisces]

Another option to keep drinks off the felt!

 

[Hornet]

well you can't fix stupid.....lol

You know what, I can. Drink on the table is $100 fee to the house. I’m going with what I actually want, which is no cupholders in the rail and drink carts with cupholders.

 

[upNdown]

those sitting on the rounded edges of an oval-shaped table will get "squeezed" against other players, while those along the flats will have way more table and leg space.

Have you noticed this in practice or just in theory? Because I’ve always found the curves better than the straights, just because on a curve, you get more space in tangential directions that you never get on a flat.