How long do your Modiano Christallo last? (8 Viewers)

[ATGrimaldi]

So I have a few decksa of Modiano Christallo. I only play, at home, a few times a month. They all look to be in perfect condition to me. How long do your plastic cards last?

And what do you look for before retiring a setup?

- ATG

 

[derekdd23]

At the rate of which you play, probably years. I usually retire when there is a distinguishing mark or when the ink has faded beyond my what I like to see due to friction.

 

[Andrew Marks]

Hey AT. I'm much more picky when it comes to re-using plastic decks like Modianos. We use them for about 4-5 games. Through Brybelly they are pretty cheap -- $8/ two deck setup or even less. I usually buy a case (12 setups) once a year or so. We always have a fresh setup available, so for me no sense washing them or continuing to use them when they start to become a little less fresh. But as you know, I like to include a used setup or two when I sell chips so its win-win. I also have found that some types of Modianos and other plastic cards start to show white spots on the black suits after several games of use. It doesn't make them unusable, but... And finally I also find that they don't slide as well on the table after several games' use.

 

[jsta281]

I have used these cards, I now play others that I prefer, but they lasted about a year (playing about 12 hours a month) before the colors started to "fade" or flake off. I still have them, they are totally playable, they just don't look new anymore. And I found other card brands I like better.

 

[ATGrimaldi]

I have used these cards, I now play others that I prefer, but they lasted about a year (playing about 12 hours a month) before the colors started to "fade" or flake off. I still have them, they are totally playable, they just don't look new anymore. And I found other card brands I like better.

Prey tell what are those other brands and types of cards?

 

[jsta281]

Kem. I have played Copaq that I liked even better then Modiano. I prefer the thinner cards, Modiano feel stif. I'm pretty much sold on Kem I wish they had more styles to choose from.

 

[ATGrimaldi]

thanks

 

[DrStrange]

Your cards will last longer if you keep the table clean. The fine grits on the table act like sandpaper.

Card protectors are also the enemy of your cards. There are always a couple of players who bend the cards hard up against the protector and leave a mark. Enough of those and the deck is toast.

DrStrange

 

[Milo013]

All good points. your Cristallos will last a good long time based on how often you have them in play. Then it falls to how much "wear" you are willing to tolerate before retiring a set-up. For me, the issue is one of bowing. Once a deck is bowed to the point it cannot be flattened and STAY flattened, then it's gone. My first set-up of Gemaco sextants was like that. Would not last a night before the bow was too problematic. Gonzo . . . never an issue with Modianos though.
Secondary consideration is the flaking of colour on the card face, or the backing. If any card develops a mark that makes it identifiable from the back, the deck is gone. I tolerate more wear on the faces because that does not affect the integrity of the game, just the "show". So far so good on that aspect, but I have a LOT of Modianos that I rotate through.

 

[Zentish]

I play with a prolific bunch of degenerates that like to call themselves the "Idiots", mostly due their extension of the "No Fold'em" style of play into O8, Big-O, super-big-O they like to call "super-crack" (don't ask), anaconda, double board hi-lo, and even more degenerate variations. This group will spend a summer playing 2 or 3 nights a week most weeks. The Modiano Platinum, Cristallos, or any of the old-school sets like the "Trophy" or plain "poker" sets wear very well. We rarely have issues with the backs while the faces do eventually fade a bit. The're generally playable for 50+ sessions before the edges or backs show signs of wear.