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Buying Poker Cards? These are the differences!

If you want to buy playing cards to play poker with, you have a lot of choice. Poker cards come in many different varieties, which can sometimes make it confusing which one to buy. Each poker deck consists of 52 cards, excluding jokers. Jokers are found in almost every pack, but are never used in poker. To play poker professionally, poker cards must meet many requirements.

The main difference between poker cards and regular playing cards is the material. If you attend a professional poker event, the cards will almost always be 100% plastic. This is very important with poker cards because the cards are often viewed by 'peeking'. This means that the corners of the cards are carefully lifted from the table. Players do this to ensure that their opponents cannot see the cards. If you were to do this with ordinary playing cards, the cards would quickly bend. Once cards are no longer straight, they cannot be dealt properly. This increases the likelihood that cards will end up visible on the table, which of course is not the intention in poker. Because poker cards are 100% plastic they are virtually impossible to bend.

This material has even more advantages. Apart from the fact that they will not become crooked, they also wear out a lot less quickly. For dealing the cards, it is also convenient that they are made of plastic. This makes them much easier to shuffle and they glide easily over the poker table or poker mat. If playing cards are 100% plastic it is also more difficult for cheaters to mark them. This means that, for example, a scratch on the back of a card can lead to the recognition of this card. If a card is damaged in a casino, the deck is immediately removed from the game. In a casino, playing cards are changed several times a day. Because of the extremely intensive use and electronic shuffling of the cards, the chance of wear and tear is greater. To prevent possible recognition of cards that are face down, they are therefore changed so often.

The plastic material of the playing cards also makes them somewhat heavier than average. This reduces the chance of the cards being accidentally exposed. For example, if you fold your hand and throw it to the middle of the table, it will not easily turn over and end up the wrong way around.

Another choice you can make with the poker cards we sell is the index. You can choose between cards with 2 index and 4 index. But what does that really mean? With 2 index cards the values of the cards are only shown in the top left and bottom right. The reason for this is that it is less easy for opponents to see your cards. For this reason, casinos and large cashgames usually use 2 index cards. With 4 index cards the values of the cards are shown in all corners. This is especially an advantage for left-handed players. This way you can easily see your cards no matter which hand you raise them with.

The representations of the values on the poker cards are available in large and small. Cards with extra large value displays are called Jumbo index cards. These are convenient for playing poker. With large display you don't have to lift your cards far from the table to see what your hand is.

Traditional poker cards are shown with two suits as standard. red for hearts and diamonds and black for spades and clubs. What is also growing in popularity these days is the four-color deck. These cards show the diamonds in blau and the clubs in green. These decks are increasingly being ordered because people are used to playing with four suits in online poker. If the cards all have their own suit, they are easier to remember, which means you don't have to look at your cards as often. This reduces the chance of opponents picking up information because you look at your cards more often.

In MEC Shop cards of different brands are sold. When it comes to poker cards, Copag is the most well-known brand. Almost all Copag poker cards are 100% plastic playing cards. They supply cards for many major professional tournaments worldwide. Modiano, Fournier and Bicycle are also big names in the world of playing cards. Modiano playing cards are good quality and relatively inexpensive, which makes these cards perfect if you are looking for high volume playing cards. These cards are available in many different colours. Bicycle has hundreds of different types of cards, but these are not always suitable for poker. However, all the different varieties do make this brand interesting for collectors of playing cards.

Poker cards also differ in size from regular playing cards. Poker cards are a lot larger, and therefore look more like bridge cards. This is so that the values on the cards are easier to read. Bridge cards usually measure 5.6 centimetres by 8.8 centimetres, and poker cards are even bigger at 6.2 centimetres by 8.8 centimetres. This is much larger than regular playing cards, which are usually 5.5 centimetres by 8.5 centimetres.

Which poker playing cards are best for you?

From the text above, you've probably already got an idea of the type of poker cards that are right for you. For example, if you are left-handed or play with left-handed people, having 4 index cards is useful. Do you think it's important that other players can't easily look at other people's cards? Then we recommend 4 index cards.

When buying your ideal poker cards, also think about the colour of your poker table. This may sound crazy but can be very important. Do you have a red poker table, for example? Then it is not very convenient to choose poker cards with a red back. This makes the cards less visible. This is especially true in a poorly lit room. Choose a set with a contrasting colour back to your poker table or poker mat.

A four-colour deck is modern and very handy while playing. This way you will be less likely to forget whether you have hearts or diamonds in your hand. A four colour deck is also very handy when playing other poker games like omaha. In this case, you have more cards in your hand and it is therefore even more difficult to memorize your cards. A four colour deck helps with that.

If you are going to buy several packs of poker cards, it is a good idea to go for different colours. This way the decks can't get mixed up. Usually, when playing at one poker table, two decks of two different colours are used, for example red and blau. One deck can then be shuffled when the other is dealt. This way you can also play faster hands. When buying many sets of poker cards we recommend Modiano. They are available in many different colours.

Always make sure you have one or more spare decks available when you go out to play cards. If your cards are damaged or worn out, you can easily replace them with a spare deck. It would be a shame if people didn't want to continue playing because cards might be marked.

What else do you need for a successful poker night?

When you buy a poker set from us, it always includes two different decks of playing cards of different colours. It also contains poker chips of a high quality. Combine this with a poker table or mat, and you're all set to host your own home game! The use of professional products can really make a difference, and will give your poker night the feeling of a real casino.