Table Shape Maths (1 Viewer)

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I've not seen anything about the table shape with the largest (or best) circumference. I'm trying to find the best shape with the most efficient space. I'm not sure it would be limited to a single sheet of plywood (size) but close to that size. One concern is I don't want it to be difficult for the dedicated dealer to reach bets. But I want 10 beefcake players to be comfy.

Thoughts?
 
I did some obsessive calcs on it for my first build, because I was trying to save space in a small room I have for hosting.
Here's the link: https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/seat-calculator.62890/#post-1241160

And here's my spreadsheet for standard oval shapes:
1630176848048.png


For my second build I did asymmetrical seating with built-in cupholders, and focused more on playable area in front of each player instead of equal edge space...

1630176418758.png

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If you want 10 players AND a dedicated dealer, you're probably going to be headed towards a full 4'x8' size table.

If you want to get fancy you can look at the kidney shaped tables. But that's a bit above my pay grade... and I'll let some one else chime in.
 
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@justsomedude thank you, I've seen your middle chart, but I thought it was a focus on cup holders. I hate cup holders in a table, but if I was going to do it, I would use your thesis on the topic =D!

Does anyone have a kidney table, how does the chute (1 seat) and the birdcage (10 seat) fair in play? Do they complain they can't see if the other player has cards, or is it not a very difficult?
 
@justsomedude thank you, I've seen your middle chart, but I thought it was a focus on cup holders. I hate cup holders in a table, but if I was going to do it, I would use your thesis on the topic =D!

You can use it for cupholders... it was mainly just to get an idea of how much space each player has along the edge. 24" is pretty damn comfy. Even 23" is spacious. Once you get below 22" per player you can start feeling a little "snug," especially with bigger folk.

For larger players I'd suggest using 22" spacing as the minimum for your design basis.
 
Here’s the dilemma: The bigger the circumference, the more likely it is that some seats will have a lot of trouble reaching the middle of the table, especially with circle- and racetrack-shaped tables.

Also, long racetrack tables have terrible sight lines.

P.S. Not sure what oval is meant to mean here… I think of ovald as the ellipses, quite different than a racetrack:

A1BB8DDF-067B-437E-B489-9824E4E506A6.png


I chose something between a true oval and a racetrack, a super-ellipse:

E0B8471D-3E83-4718-AFAD-840DC7A0B79A.jpeg


This has the advantages of better sight lines than a racetrack, since the sides are not straight; but has a longer circumference than a normal ellipse.

It’s a little trickier to draw and cut than a racetrack, but I am very pleased with the result.
 
Ideal table for both the dealer access and player comfort would be a donut :)

Next would be a kidney shape, that gives the dealer the best access to the full felt area and maximized rail space. Downsize to those are the ability to get a clear shot of all players when you're seated in those lobe areas. Those also tend to be more expensive as they're tougher to cut & upholster, and they have a pretty large footprint.

Next down the line (and usually most practical) is the oval. I'd recommend not going over 44" wide, anything wider than that and you'll have trouble with the reach. Adding a small semi-circular cut-out to the dealer spot of the table helps a good deal, it lets the dealer lean into the table to reach the ends without fully encumbering player vision of all seats. If you're going with a 10 man table, I typically recommend 92x44, gives you a little less than 24" per player. That will be comfortable for most and a little tight for more "beefy" players, but not horribly uncomfortable. If you want 10+dealer, you'll need to go between 8.5' and 9' long to get the same level of comfort.
 
For what is worth I host a weekly game and we have 10 players plus a dedicated dealer. My table is 96in x 44in and its tight for 10. The main problem is foot room for the end seats. I would recommend going bigger for 10 players + a dealer. I've been looking around for a slightly larger table. I have heard people say that a 96in by 48in table has enough room for 10 plus a dealer but I don't have any first hand experience playing on a 96x48

side note.... I would love to see a pic of 10 players plus a dealer on a 96x48in table if anyone has one!
 
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