I got some new cards! (1 Viewer)

[Phyffe]

Just go these yesterday. As usual, it took forever to ship to me.

That's a setup of Slowplays, Copag Uniques and Dal Negro Trevisos.

The funny thing about the Dal Negros is that they came with NO packaging. As in the cards were shipped in a plastic bag. No boxes, not shrink wrapped, no nothing. Pristine condition though.

On first inspection the Slowplays are supple and beautiful. The card back and the cut cards are very nice. They have a very PVC feel to it but much more supple than, say the Ice deck I tried out recently.

Oh, the ICE deck lasted well, however, the fading on the suits, when it began was severe, and the PVC finish attracted dirt more than the textured acetates.

The Copag Uniques have a much more textured feel to it than their standard 1546 slightly more supple as well. I think this may be my new standard deck (pending durability tests).

The Dal Negros are standard index, and have the most paper like feel. Not as smooth as the Freedom Xs but we will see.

 

[CdnBeerLover]

I've never heard of Slowplay cards...I'll have to take a look. Thanks!

 

[JMC9389]

I've never heard of Slowplay cards...I'll have to take a look. Thanks!

They're cheap on Amazon, maybe $12 a set up or so?

They're ok cards. Smooth to shuffle and handle but I abhor the design.

 

[Phyffe]

Funny thing...

I showed my poker group the 3 sets of cards when they came and gave them the option of choosing which one to use for the next few weeks, including a new set of Modiano PAs as well, and guess what they chose?

They loved the old school backs of the Slowplays, the reds and blues really contrast well with the poker table felt. Personally I love anything Art Deco so love them too.

Problem is the quality. Don't get me wrong, for $12 a setup they are worth the money. The Uniques costs half again as much and the Modianos, sheesh However, the PVC finish is already picking up stains and so I don't think the faces will last even as long as the Ices or the Bullets.

They shuffle better than the Ices or the Bullets but they still have that paper-cut-ish feel around the edges you just dont get with good quality acetates.

I still love the designs though. Love em. I don't know who they copied the designs for the face cards from (if they did) but they are elaborate and colorful, considering they are jumbo indexes and are by necessity smaller than on standards.

 

[Jake14mw]

Slowplays look interesting. Ordered a set. Thanks for the review!

 

[Jake14mw]

We played with the Slowplays in our last game. For the most part the group liked them. They are thin and shuffle very well. Personally, I have just found that I don't like cards without a border on the outside. One thing I noticed with them as well, the suit is more towards the middle than most cards, causing you to have to bend the cards up further in order to see the suit. I think we will keep them in the rotation as long as people want to play with them, but I will not order more. The main reason why? Made in China. Yeah, I realize tons of things I buy are made in China. But when I have options, I will buy things made in other places. And with cards, there are plenty of other options.

 

[Phyffe]

We played with the Slowplays in our last game. For the most part the group liked them. They are thin and shuffle very well. Personally, I have just found that I don't like cards without a border on the outside. One thing I noticed with them as well, the suit is more towards the middle than most cards, causing you to have to bend the cards up further in order to see the suit. I think we will keep them in the rotation as long as people want to play with them, but I will not order more. The main reason why? Made in China. Yeah, I realize tons of things I buy are made in China. But when I have options, I will buy things made in other places. And with cards, there are plenty of other options.

Have you noticed that the card backs were staining on to the front of the cards?

 

[Phyffe]

Update on the Copag Ultimates -

We just tried them today for a 5 hour session and it seems to stood up well, but these are Copags so no surprise about the quality.

The feel is excellent, and while the much-demonized Modiano Platinum Acetates (along with the beautiful but hard-to-find Dal Negro Freedom Xs) are still my top choice, cost-be-damned, these are probably going to be my card of choice for my home games, being the best combination of value and quality.

 

[Phyffe]

Hmm, my Copag Ultimates just went through their 4th 5-hour session and the decks have begun fading on their faces. In any deck, wear seems to begin on the vertical lines of the box enclosing either the pips or face card illustrations. It would be better if they werent there so they would begin to fade so quickly

 

[JMC9389]

Hmm, my Copag Ultimates just went through their 4th 5-hour session and the decks have begun fading on their faces. In any deck, wear seems to begin on the vertical lines of the box enclosing either the pips or face card illustrations. It would be better if they werent there so they would begin to fade so quickly

I'm sorry to hear that.

This goes in line with card marking being really common at the past couple WSOP's. It looks like the cards fade and mark very easily after a few hours of use. I hope that Dal Negro or Fournier get the next WSOP card contract. How many more years does Copag have the contract?

 

[Phyffe]

I'm sorry to hear that.

This goes in line with card marking being really common at the past couple WSOP's. It looks like the cards fade and mark very easily after a few hours of use. I hope that Dal Negro or Fournier get the next WSOP card contract. How many more years does Copag have the contract?

All the Copag Website says is they just extended their contract so there you go....

 

[AnteAndy]

Hmm, my Copag Ultimates just went through their 4th 5-hour session and the decks have begun fading on their faces. In any deck, wear seems to begin on the vertical lines of the box enclosing either the pips or face card illustrations. It would be better if they werent there so they would begin to fade so quickly

Could either be the texture of the cards or maybe if you guys are playing on speed cloth. Have a few decks of WSOP 2016 Copags and they have no wear on them at all, playing on the default felt that comes with our folding tables and my wodden WPT round poker table with it's default felt on it. Not sure why people crap on Copags in general, they hold up really well especially compared to Bike Prestieges poker sized decks, those sound similar to the Uniques where they have more texture but wear the cards real fast.

 

[Phyffe]

Could either be the texture of the cards or maybe if you guys are playing on speed cloth. Have a few decks of WSOP 2016 Copags and they have no wear on them at all, playing on the default felt that comes with our folding tables and my wodden WPT round poker table with it's default felt on it. Not sure why people crap on Copags in general, they hold up really well especially compared to Bike Prestieges poker sized decks, those sound similar to the Uniques where they have more texture but wear the cards real fast.

Not crapping on the Copags, far from it. I thought I had my default playing cards with the Uniques.

Oh, I am playing on what is essentially a table with a pool table felt on it. I don't *think* that's the problem (though I really could be wrong). I think its from the shuffling that the fading comes from.

It's just that I hold very regular games and comparing them with the cards we just cycled through (Modiano PAs, Bullets, Slowplay), I was expecting the Uniques to hold up at least as long as these 3. It lasted as long as the Slowplays but not as long as the Bullets or Modianos, sadly.

I have not yet played for a long period of time with the Prestiges, primarily because we have some older players who really prefer playing with Jumbo indexes.

I tried buying the Spanish-made Prestiges but those were quite bad and not worthy of the Bicycle brand TBH

 

[JMC9389]

Not crapping on the Copags, far from it. I thought I had my default playing cards with the Uniques.

Oh, I am playing on what is essentially a table with a pool table felt on it. I don't *think* that's the problem (though I really could be wrong). I think its from the shuffling that the fading comes from.

It's just that I hold very regular games and comparing them with the cards we just cycled through (Modiano PAs, Bullets, Slowplay), I was expecting the Uniques to hold up at least as long as these 3. It lasted as long as the Slowplays but not as long as the Bullets or Modianos, sadly.

I have not yet played for a long period of time with the Prestiges, primarily because we have some older players who really prefer playing with Jumbo indexes.

I tried buying the Spanish-made Prestiges but those were quite bad and not worthy of the Bicycle brand TBH

The one's made by Fournier? I have to say I'm surprised.

 

[CdnBeerLover]

I tried buying the Spanish-made Prestiges but those were quite bad and not worthy of the Bicycle brand TBH

The one's made by Fournier? I have to say I'm surprised.

I have to say, that wasn't my experience. I posted a review a few years ago.
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/cards-review.3776/page-3#post-267144

We have since used them in a few games, and they were on par with the red/blue standard index Prestige cards. That said, I do have a preference for Desjgn and Fournier cards (I just prefer cards with the beige centre), so these do not hit the felt regularly. Maybe I was lucky.

 

[AnteAndy]

I have to say, that wasn't my experience. I posted a review a few years ago.
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/cards-review.3776/page-3#post-267144

We have since used them in a few games, and they were on par with the red/blue standard index Prestige cards. That said, I do have a preference for Desjgn and Fournier cards (I just prefer cards with the beige centre), so these do not hit the felt regularly. Maybe I was lucky.

Never understood the beige center on jumbo index cards and why it's a necessity to some people.

 

[CdnBeerLover]

Never understood the beige center on jumbo index cards and why it's a necessity to some people.

Not a necessity. Just a personal preference regarding the look of the cards.

 

[AnteAndy]

Not a necessity. Just a personal preference regarding the look of the cards.

Was always curious but figured that was the reasoning.

 

[JMC9389]

Yeah, it's a design and personal preference thing, really. I think the beige center looks a lot classier now, though initially I thought it was distracting.

 

[Phyffe]

So to add to my misery regarding my high hopes for the Copag Uniques -

One of the decks developed a chip on what I think is the 4th or 5th session. Add that to the fading issues and I think it may not live up to my hopes.

Had to replace them midway with a Bicycle Duraflex setup (the box set with green & maroons).

The Uniques had a greater feel, hands down. I don't know how the Duraflexes will last under a torture test of a series of 5 hour sessions but we will see.

Maybe the Modianos PAs have been holding up well after all and I just didn't see it....