Many people these days are holding their own in-home poker games with friends. It’s a great way to get together for some fun. As you play more and more, you will inevitably look for ways to enhance your home gaming experience. Choosing the best playing cards is a great place to start.
Sure, you can go out and get a great table, huge set of chips, shuffler, and much more, but have you considered the cards you are playing with?
Paper playing cards, like the classic Bycicle 808′s you find in your local drugstore (do they still have drugstores?) are inexpensive and adequate for infrequent play. These cards will wear down quickly, are easily bent or creased, and not easily cleaned. They will look beaten within a few good nights of solid play.
Plastic playing cards, on the other hand are much more durable, easily cleaned and hold their shape much better than their paper counterparts. They are made out of 100% plastic, rather than simply having a thin plastic coating on the top. These cards are more expensive initially, but will last much longer. Here are some of the advantages of plastic cards:
- can be cleaned with a towel
- won’t get ruined if they get wet (think spills!)
- easier to bend (peek) while retaining their shape
- will last for years of abuse
- give your game that “finished” touch
There’s a reason why the casinos use plastic cards. They are cheaper in the long run. Casinos go through decks of cards in a hurry. It is not uncommon for them to retire decks multiple times a day. If they were using the cheaper paper decks, they would need to replace them constantly.
If you are looking for ways to step up your home game, consider buying some nice plastic cards. They will look great, feel great, and last much longer.