Test & review: The cheap poker playing cards vs. the quality poker playing cards

People play poker all over the world. However, even so the game is popular, most often they play with the cheapest possible playing cards.

The quality poker playing cards costs approximately 6-8 times more than the cheap ones. (Naturally there is also much more expensive cards available.) Are they worth it? Absolutely yes. In this test and review it will be explained why they are worth it.

 Playing cards. Small example of different brands, sizes and prices.

Not only that the cards are cheap, but usually they are bridge size and not poker size. The bridge size cards are made for bridge, in where player has plenty of cards in hand at the same time. That is why the bridge size cards are more narrow than the actual poker playing cards.

The bridge size playing card at left, the poker size playing card at right.

The bridge size, which is commonly used around the world,

is more narrow than the poker size playing card.

The quality poker playing cards have many advantages vs. the cheap ones. They are made to last and perform well when playing, for example they should slide well on the table when dealer deals the cards. Their looks are high on details. (More about these special features on the different reviews considering different card brands. You can check COPAG test and review from here:  Test and review: COPAG POKER SIZE 100% PLASTIC )

The cheap poker playing card at left and the quality poker playing card at right.

In graphics the quality poker playing card is high on details and finishing quality,

when compared to the cheap one.

The quality poker playing cards can handle the bending without suffering any damage. During the game the cards are bent dozens of times, both when shuffling the cards and also when the players check what they have.

The bending of the cards from the player's own view, when he checks what cards he has.

Same situation from the side. From the side it is easier to notice how much the cards

actually bend every time player looks at them.

When the player releases his grip from the card after bending, the quality poker playing cards return back into it's form in the split of a second. That is one major difference to the cheap poker playing cards, since the cheap cards may not return back to their form at all.

 The difference. 

The quality poker playing card returns back into it's form immediately

after bending. (Pictured at left.) The cheap poker playing card doesn't return

into it's form even in 60 seconds. (Pictured at right.)

During the game the cheap poker playing cards tend to tear and brake easily. And they got stains from the (greasy/dirty) fingers. From the different kind of marks and stains all the players are able to see what the card is, only by looking at the back of the card. That is terrible thing when playing poker, or any card game in that matter.

Different quality cards have different features. Some may be slicker than the other. Some may be thicker than the other. One thing what they all have common is their durability. They might cost 6-8 times more than the cheap poker playing cards, but for that price they can and will last 100 times longer. (And most likely even much longer than that.)

 Our test group supposed to play 6-10 hours with these cheap poker playing cards,

but they had to stop using these cards after 4 hours of playing.

 Same test group. The quality poker playing cards after 10 hours of playing.

The cards were as good as new ones without any flaws.

In the long run it pays off to purchase good quality poker playing cards without any doubt. The quality poker playing cards also affect to the game-experience, when they are nice looking, comfortable to hold, easy to shuffle... but most importantly, when nobody can tell from the back of the card what the card is. Only that alone is good enough reason to invest into the quality poker playing cards.