So my Angel Poker decks just arrived from Japan..... (1 Viewer)

[Phyffe]

They arrived courtesy of my cousin's daughter who is studying in Japan. Got them off Amazon.jp.

The first thing that struck me was that. - "Hmmm, the packaging has changed. Oh well."

I didn't mean to open the decks but I noticed that while the height of the decks were identical, the back pattern was slightly different as well.

"Hmm, may as well open it. After all, the Club Pokers have barely warped at all after all these years" and then of course I realized the labelling was different. LOL

While the card faces were identical, the Angel Playing cards were much softer, more along the lines of those Nintendo cards you can purchase in department stores and Don Quijote all around Japan, though less slick (more texture). I suspect they are just boxed versions of their standard plastic cards that are offered as single decks on Amazon.

Bottom line is you can't get the real Club Poker off Amazon, even in Japan. Angel's website is not helpful so I don't even know if they still make them.

I bought my Club Poker deck at a specialty toy store I randomly bumped into in the Ginza shopping district off Tokyo. I can't remember the name but I do remember it was across the street from a big Montblanc store.....

 

[RocAFella1]

@Split

 

[Bacon Dad]

Are Angel Poker decks not available over there anymore? Love those cards!!!

 

[Split]

While the card faces were identical, the Angel Playing cards were much softer, more along the lines of those Nintendo cards you can purchase in department stores and Don Quijote all around Japan, though less slick (more texture). I suspect they are just boxed versions of their standard plastic cards that are offered as single decks on Amazon.

I've handled the Nintendo playing cards, and I hold Angel Poker in much higher regard. Angel Poker might be my favorite cards to handle. I didn't even find the Nintendo cards worth purchasing more than one example of. They are both extremely flexible, and I would not recommend Angel Poker for anyone that prefers stiff cards. If someone is looking for a Kem replacement (that's less likely to warp in my experience) then Angel Poker are as good as it gets. Angel Poker are definitely not the same cards as the standard Angel 100% Plastic individual decks you can find. Those decks are alright, but the Angel Poker are better in my opinion. The 100% Plastic decks are smooth while Angel Poker has a nice texture.

I've only seen Club Poker in jumbo index before and it's cool to see one with regular index. I've seen posted elsewhere on this forum that the Club Poker decks aren't in production and aren't likely to be anytime soon. I don't know if that means never or means they'll show up again someday. You can find decks called Casino Angel for Poker that are regular index and use what I've been told is the same card material as the Club Poker setups. I've only seen Casino Angel for Poker with green backs, so you can't make a setup with them so far as I can tell.

Are Angel Poker decks not available over there anymore? Love those cards!!!

Angel Poker are still available. Club Poker are apparently no longer available.

 

[grandmeme]

I've handled the Nintendo playing cards, and I hold Angel Poker in much higher regard. Angel Poker might be my favorite cards to handle. I didn't even find the Nintendo cards worth purchasing more than one example of. They are both extremely flexible, and I would not recommend Angel Poker for anyone that prefers stiff cards. If someone is looking for a Kem replacement (that's less likely to warp in my experience) then Angel Poker are as good as it gets. Angel Poker are definitely not the same cards as the standard Angel 100% Plastic individual decks you can find. Those decks are alright, but the Angel Poker are better in my opinion. The 100% Plastic decks are smooth while Angel Poker has a nice texture.

I've only seen Club Poker in jumbo index before and it's cool to see one with regular index. I've seen posted elsewhere on this forum that the Club Poker decks aren't in production and aren't likely to be anytime soon. I don't know if that means never or means they'll show up again someday. You can find decks called Casino Angel for Poker that are regular index and use what I've been told is the same card material as the Club Poker setups. I've only seen Casino Angel for Poker with green backs, so you can't make a setup with them so far as I can tell.


Angel Poker are still available. Club Poker are apparently no longer available.

I have tried all variants of Angel poker, including the jumbo acetate variants (local casino stock). The jumbo acetate stock is the by far the best. I actually prefer the Angel Poker variant vs the Club Pokers. The Club Poker setups tilt me a little bit because the texture is different on the face compared to the back.

In light of this post, I pulled out a nintendo setup just to make sure that I wasn't confused. Those cards are rubbish. You can tell a distinct difference between Angel Poker and the cheap nintendo stock.

 

[CUORE3]

jumbo acetate variants (local casino stock)

We need them!

 

[parazyd]

What's your opinion between Angel Poker and Club Poker? Are the new ones still a good setup?

 

[Phyffe]

What's your opinion between Angel Poker and Club Poker? Are the new ones still a good setup?

Well, the size and the card fonts are the same, so there's that. The texture is definitely different. The Angels are softer, slicker, less... nuanced, for lack of a better word? Definitely less unique, I would say.

I paid $25 per setup, which is more expensive than, say a COPAG setup, but for something that's made in Japan, why not? I can't say much as to durability and since I got 2 setups I can actually put it into the rotation, though my group really prefers a jumbo setup.

 

[grandmeme]

We need them!

They are casino restricted now, unfortunately. Last time you could buy them was in 2014!

 

[khaltire]

The question is, are these newer ones with the different box a shimmery, thin material? The old club pokers were a bit thicker made of PVC.. There used to be a black box called Angel Poker and they were made of Acetate. It was a thinner more flexible feel but they creased easily although they felt the best.. Theres a chance that the new box you have is now the acetate version in a green box.. Can you post pics side by side of the old and the new in the light? Do they reflect differently?

 

[Phyffe]

The question is, are these newer ones with the different box a shimmery, thin material? The old club pokers were a bit thicker made of PVC.. There used to be a black box called Angel Poker and they were made of Acetate. It was a thinner more flexible feel but they creased easily although they felt the best.. Theres a chance that the new box you have is now the acetate version in a green box.. Can you post pics side by side of the old and the new in the light? Do they reflect differently?

Actually, they do reflect light differently. If you look at the the pic I posted above, you will note older ones (Club Angel) actually have a sort of checkerboard pattern surface on the face while on the new ones they are smoother.

I think this is why the older decks do not slip and slide as much.

Again, nowhere in the packaging or the decks themselves nor on the Angel website can I find any reference of the cards being made of Acetate so I've no idea if this is indeed the case.

 

[khaltire]

Id really have to compare them between the cheap ones you find for $5 on Amazon and everywhere in Japan. If they have a shimmery pearlescent finish then these are actually probably their premium acetates line. Which is what casinos get and is their top product.. that would be really great as they feel the best. The difficulty, without experience you may confuse the acetate and the cheap plastic ones , which don't have the finish , and are slightly thinner and way lower quality.. were talking triple of the price.

Can you send higher resolution photos in different lights and angles ? I should be able to confirm

For your reference:

X post from the other thread I commented on.. I was the original Angel Card buyer and organized the first group buy 10 years ago .

"This was the line up , before seeing this new one from this post

Angel Poker (Black Box) - casino grade, their most premium offering. This wasn't really offered to the public. These are my favorite of all. Acetat, flexible , have a shimmery texture. Kind of like Kem but less papery feeling, slightly less matte than KEM. A similar, but branded card was used on Poker After Dark for a while 7-10 years ago when they starting posting episodes from the poker room with all the pros . I believe these are also used at the Venetian poker room now (I recognized them on Rampages most recent video where he said he burned 100k)

Angel Club Poker (green box)
These were the ones that everyone fell in love with, the jumbo elongated font and super clean design. They had a micro dotted (perforated finish) to help with gliding of the cards. They were PVC, not acetate like the previous ones. Slightly thicker and more stiff. Used in Crown Casino in Australia at the time. They were thr more desirable and I did a group by with about 50 sets

Angel Playing Cards Co (green box)
Exact same material and fit and finish as the Club Poker (PVC). Except is a regular index (not the jumbo). Same stock, different graphics. Images are the exact same as the Angel Poker (black box), but these are PVC and those are Acetate
Angel Texas Hold'em (single deck)
Same as Angel Playing Cards Co above but just a single deck instead of 2 with a plastic case and cut card. PVC as well

Angel Cards (from Amazon and elsewhere)
These are cheap and can be found anywhere in Japan at toy stores and big department stores. They are very thin and flexible. Actually they aren't too far off from the premium acetates on the Angel Poker (black box) or casino versions, just feel slightly cheaper and slightly thinner. The graphics are a brighter red ink than all the above poker/casinocards which are a slightly darker red. They feel great, just slightly lower quality. But my players seem to like this alot..so an easy and cheap way to get Angels with Japanese quality on the cheap

Matsui (?) Group Buy (By Angel)
I never felt these ones but my understanding they are printed on PVC and with different graphics

Lime Green Box Angels
Id like to see these. The question is are they PVC, acetate and do they come in regular index or Jumbo also. Based on what I can see. The back design is different (same design as the Angel Poker cards now, id have to see a better photo). This could indicate they are Acetate or they are just blending lines and redundancies now. They may also just have changed the box color and rebranded the same cards on PVC with a new back design

If anyone wants to send me a set I can check it out and confirm where they fall.

If not, I'll be in Japan in 10 days if anyone wants to direct me to get a couple

Hope that helps. Cheers"

 

[RocAFella1]

Angel Playing Cards Co (green box)
Exact same material and fit and finish as the Club Poker (PVC). Except is a regular index (not the jumbo). Same stock, different graphics. Images are the exact same as the Angel Poker (black box), but these are PVC and those are Acetate

If these are the same ones that are currently available on Amazon.jp they are acetate.

 

[khaltire]

Nice, If that’s the new model then that’s good news. Premium material used in casinos, less durable but better feeling

Anyone know where to get some in Tokyo?

 

[parazyd]

Probably the neighborhood Donki (Don Quijote) stocks them

 

[Phyffe]

Probably the neighborhood Donki (Don Quijote) stocks them

None of the ones I went to did, just the cheap Nintendos.