Choosing High-Quality Poker Cards For Your Home Game

Selecting the right poker cards can significantly enhance your home game experience. High-quality cards not only feel better to handle but also last longer, ensuring countless nights of poker fun. This guide will walk you through what to look for when choosing poker cards.

Card Material: Plastic vs. Paper

The most common materials for playing cards are plastic (typically 100% PVC) and paper (often plastic-coated). For poker, 100% plastic cards are generally preferred due to their durability, resistance to bending and marking, and ease of shuffling.

Paper cards, while cheaper, tend to wear out quickly, bend easily, and are more susceptible to spills and marks. If you host regular games, investing in quality plastic cards is worthwhile.

Card Size and Finish

Poker cards typically come in two standard sizes: poker size (3.5 x 2.5 inches) and bridge size (3.5 x 2.25 inches). Poker size is wider and generally preferred for poker games. The finish of the card (e.g., linen finish, air-cushion finish) affects how smoothly they glide and handle.

Design and Index

Consider the design and readability of the card faces. The 'index' refers to the size of the numbers and pips (suit symbols) in the corners. Standard index is common, but jumbo or magnum index cards offer larger print, which can be easier to read from a distance, especially on a larger table.

Choose a back design that you find appealing, but ensure it's symmetrical to prevent any potential tells if a card is accidentally oriented differently in the deck.