Playing Cards preference (7 Viewers)

[Dix]

I’ve acquired a massive collection of cards in the past 15+ years looking for a Kem replacement

And here I was thinkin' I was the only one that particular grade of OCD crazy.

 

[Phyffe]

I was wondering if it is there sort of a consensus on what brand model and size of cards most people here in pcf like to play. I am new to the forum, so please enlighten me. Or just tell your preference.., thanks!

Btw...I have Kem poker size

Oh, what have you done? lol

 

[surfik]

In regard to Desjgn... They have fresh look but they as good as stock materials and producers technology meaning Modiano and DalNegro. On this note I value DalNegro for durability but Modiano (I like this cards) has a history of quality problems (Desjgn ordeal) . They use few different types of stock materials and alone for Platinium line you never know what you end up with.
Other brands have more consistent product. I do not like Fournier design but I value them for durability. Right now even Bicycle Prestige which were midiocre quality cards are produced in Spain in Fournier factory so they should be much better. Look for "Made in Spain" decks.
I also like Cartamundi "made in Belgium" customised for casinos decks if you can find any. They not top durability but such a pleasure to shuffle.
As for KEMs I like them and even let the warping problem to slide. It is not easy to find other cards to serve for 8 years and still remain in "working" condition.
As a Polish citizen I recommend Trefl. Durable and easy to shuffle. Despite the fact that they right now being offered in poker size jumbo index full bleed back and only red/blue option only they have great price/quality ratio. You can check ck them out in Redneck Database 2.0.

 

[Phyffe]

In regard to Desjgn... They have fresh look but they as good as stock materials and producers technology meaning Modiano and DalNegro. On this note I value DalNegro for durability but Modiano (I like this cards) has a history of quality problems (Desjgn ordeal) . They use few different types of stock materials and alone for Platinium line you never know what you end up with.
Other brands have more consistent product. I do not like Fournier design but I value them for durability. Right now even Bicycle Prestige which were midiocre quality cards are produced in Spain in Fournier factory so they should be much better. Look for "Made in Spain" decks.
I also like Cartamundi "made in Belgium" customised for casinos decks if you can find any. They not top durability but such a pleasure to shuffle.
As for KEMs I like them and even let the warping problem to slide. It is not easy to find other cards to serve for 8 years and still remain in "working" condition.
As a Polish citizen I recommend Trefl. Durable and easy to shuffle. Despite the fact that they right now being offered in poker size jumbo index full bleed back and only red/blue option only they have great price/quality ratio. You can check ck them out in Redneck Database 2.0.

Surfik,

Do you recommend this setup? It's the only Trefl I found on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Card...=1&keywords=trefl+cards&qid=1603675969&sr=8-1

 

[upNdown]

he other brands that have bowed similar to those first Kems I had were Gemaco Superflex, Gemaco 5 Star, Dal Negro, and Cartamundi Acetate (thought they went flat again with the storage technique). Copags are the only card that faded ....though after heavy use and some decks bled with long term storage.

I’ve definitely seen bowed copags in casinos. I’ve only ever owned one deck and that was a disaster, so no personal experience in terms of ownership.

 

[surfik]

Surfik,

Do you recommend this setup? It's the only Trefl I found on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Card...=1&keywords=trefl+cards&qid=1603675969&sr=8-1

Nope that's regular index and paper. If you want pics you can find some on Redneck Database or on my post in Classifieds ( I sold few decks, decks are gone but pics are not hard to find )

 

[Old State]

I’ve definitely seen bowed copags in casinos. I’ve only ever owned one deck and that was a disaster, so no personal experience in terms of ownership.

Copags came out at the beginning of the poker boom and were half the price of Kems. At the time we had a very large poker group and were having weekly cash games and seven or eight 30-35 person tournaments throughout the year. Those of us hosting started buying Copags as they were the only alternative and were cheap.
I didn’t notice any issues until a few years laters when poker slowed down and I had several in storage. Almost all had bled terribly.

That said Copags never bowed on me and I’ve never personally seen them in use at a casino. Harrahs in AC uses Kems for cash but Gemaco Superflex for their tournaments. I’ve seen many of their Super Flex with chips of ink missing from the faces and most the decks have a slight bow. They only hand shuffle for tournaments there. The cash tables all have shufflers like most these days.

There is also a difference between “bowed” and “warped”. Bowing is usually what I’ve seen and only saw one deck warp. I consider “bowing” to be slight. Something that causes the edges of a card to rise up 1-2mm of a flat table. It also makes the deck “click” when you do a proper casino type shuffle. “Warp” would be extreme and make the cards unplayable. I only had one deck ever do that...my very first Kem deck (2002) that I left out on the table in a half finished basement for several day outside the box.

I think a lot of materials can take a bow due to temperatures while shipping. I just remembered one deck of a Desjgn set up arrived with slight bow (of Modiano stock). He replaced it no questions asked and that’s the only issues I ever had with them. Love those cards and can’t wait for more! I own samples of all his bridge sized offerings

 

[upNdown]

This is a great deal on outstanding cards
https://www.amazon.com/CCP-Standard...keywords=Cartamundi+ccp&qid=1603389897&sr=8-1

https://www.amazon.com/CCP-Standard...keywords=Cartamundi+ccp&qid=1603389997&sr=8-7

Edit...even better for red and blue
https://www.amazon.com/Cartamundi-1...rds=Cartamundi+acetate&qid=1603390143&sr=8-12

Any idea how the stock of these compare to the stock of the cartamundi bravos that are being sold here now?
(I just received a setup of these and had no idea why. I had to do a forum search on cartamundi cards to figure out why I ordered them. I'm impressed - they feel great.)

 

[BirdCage]

Best deal: https://www.playingcards.net/BICYCL...NDY-PLASTIC-POKER-JUMBO-INDEX-SET_p_1672.html (just note, they don't come with any box)

Thanks for the tip! In addition to the poker-size, jumbo index format, I like the green/purple scheme. At $10.45 delivered for two decks (no tax, free shipping), it's likely tough to beat this deal.

 

[Old State]

Any idea how the stock of these compare to the stock of the cartamundi bravos that are being sold here now?
(I just received a setup of these and had no idea why. I had to do a forum search on cartamundi cards to figure out why I ordered them. I'm impressed - they feel great.)

Actually yes! @sir bluffs alot was nice enough to give me a setup. They are definitely a little different in that one side is smoother than the other so they seem a little slicker. I haven’t played with cards he gave me but I played with his set up once. I think once they break in the slickness would go away....but covid came so I’m not sure they ever got to that point yet.
They look identical to the earlier CCPs. The ones in the links are probably the best bang for the buck card I’ve ever handled though. If I was still hosting big tournaments I would buy setups in very color they had and use them. The feel is very similar to Superflex....but the artwork is way nicer.

 

[BirdCage]

A Bicycle Prestige follow-up post...

This thread has some excellent background on Prestige versions and bulk offerings over the years, however, I'll add a tidbit regarding the poker-size, jumbo-index version mentioned a few posts back. I promptly received a setup from the link above. As expected, the decks arrived double bubble-packed, but only cellophane wrapped (no boxes). I also have the poker-size, standard-index offering to compare. The boxes for the latter clearly indicate that the cards are made in Spain. No box or manufacture location indication came with the former, but Amazon indicates that they are also made in Spain.

The quality feels identical, gritty but slippery, as they are plastic. They feel about medium weight for plastics. Both styles weigh exactly 134 grams per deck. Other than the obvious designs and although they feel the same, the standard-index plastic stock is a brighter white than the jumbo-index version. I actually prefer the slightly off-white version. My conclusion is that they are likely made in the same factory and are high quality decks. Certainly worth $5.25 per deck delivered.

Question: What does "88" mean on the ace?!

 

[Dix]

My conclusion is that they are likely made in the same factory and are high quality decks. Certainly worth $5.25 per deck delivered.

Question: What does "88" mean on the ace?!

Bike Prestige are made by Fournier on the same card stock. Only difference between 'em is purely cosmetic. USPC purchased Fournier back in 1986. (& now USPC is owned by Cartamundi) If you want the whole incestuous picture scroll down to the "Who Owns Who" section in this link.....

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/resources/the-redneck-poker-card-database-2-0.76/

The "88" is likely a "version number" like Fournier uses.

For example, amongst Fournier's lines of plastic cards....

2818 = Poker Size / Jumbo Index
2826 = Bridge Size / Jumbo Index
2525 = 4 Pip / Std Index
etc....

Certainly worth 5 bucks & change. Actually, even a little more than that. But, not worth more than any other decent quality PVC card. (As opposed to cellulose acetate) Because, that's what they're made of.

The "proprietary Duraflex" material you see these things sometimes touted as being made of is just BS marketing hype. PVC, regardless of which side of the pond it came from is still PVC. It isn't worth CA prices just because it speaks Spanish & took a relaxing cruise across the Atlantic.

 

[JRReynolds6181]

I have several setups of Design and them. Poker size jumbo. I have a couple of setups of Faded Spade and them. Bridge jumbo.
Have fun experimenting and buying decks and see what you like.
I echo the Kem complaints, mine bow like wet plywood. It’s depressing.

 

[JRReynolds6181]

Faded Spade now makes a dope purple and black version. Assuming you work out and have the manly Popeye forearms to handle them.

 

[surfik]

Faded Spade now makes a dope purple and black version. Assuming you work out and have the manly Popeye forearms to handle them.

Where to get this purple beauties? None of them is on website.

 

[JRReynolds6181]

They took them down? I bought them a few months ago.
Well, in true PCF fashion now that they’re a collectors item I guess I put them into a hyperbolic chamber for six years then say, “golly! I found these I had definitely, positutely, sure as sunshine planned to use myself but I’m willing to begrudgingly part with them for the low low price of $50! ”
They are pretty, though, that’s for sure:

 

[redeagle]

Very nice simple decks. I like playing alternative color pairs to red/blue.
Green, Purple and Orange are always cool.

 

[upNdown]

It has worked for me for well over 10 years

Okay, while trying to jam a few more decks into my cards drawer, I figured I’d give these a check. These are some casino KEMs I got about two months ago, in a spinetti’s plastic box with a button on top.
Caveats -
It’s only been two months
It’s winter, so, no humidity
They haven’t actually been played

All that said, these cards are perfect, so far.

 

[Old State]

Okay, while trying to jam a few more decks into my cards drawer, I figured I’d give these a check. These are some casino KEMs I got about two months ago, in a spinetti’s plastic box with a button on top.
Caveats -
It’s only been two months
It’s winter, so, no humidity
They haven’t actually been played

All that said, these cards are perfect, so far.

Used casino cards or new?

 

[upNdown]

Used casino cards or new?

They’re new. Never been played, just shuffled a dozen times.
It’s a worthwhile experiment, because casino KEMs are the very best cards in the world. But I’m gonna need to see these survive UN-bowed before I buy any others.

 

[Old State]

They’re new. Never been played, just shuffled a dozen times.
It’s a worthwhile experiment, because casino KEMs are the very best cards in the world. But I’m gonna need to see these survive UN-bowed before I buy any others.

Ok good. Cut card is more important than a dealer button but I use both

 

[upNdown]

Ok good. Cut card is more important than a dealer button but I use both

Oh, you think I should put a cut card in between the deck and the button?

 

[Old State]

Oh, you think I should put a cut card in between the deck and the button?

Yes that’s what I do.

 

[megarises]

We've been using Copag (poker/jumbo) and I've grown quite fond of them. There were some initial complaints about how slippery they were but I feel like now that they're "broken in" I'm getting less complaints.