This gets said all the time, but...compared to what?

For all the people who picked Copag, I ask -- how many other brands have you used? And if you did use multiple brands -- price aside, why did you switch?

Our league burned through multiple decks of Copags - with heavy fading on the backs and fronts that had "transfers" from the backs on them - in maybe only a hundred hours of use over 6 months of calendar time. So, we switched to Kems (arrow, bridge, SI).

Obviously I'm just one sample - but we switched away from them. Multiple bar leagues that I've been in used them too - and they all looked the same: faded. And, unfortunately, it's not uniform. Copags end up faded and marked quickly.

My casino uses Kem and I've used both old and new Kem. The only problem that I've ever had with Kem cards was warping -- and unlike the fading issues on the Copags, you can prevent the warping by taking care of your cards (don't store them in your trunk in Arizona).

Kems are consistent enough that you can swap single cards out when something happens to one (e.g. the player in the 7-seat eats the 4). Try that with a Copag with 40 hours of play on it.

I've noticed more than a few Vegas casinos use Copags...easily recognizeable card faces. They do appear a shade light with their inks, but they are not only excellent cards but the best value out there.

Only played with KEMs (made by USPC) and Copaq, and I felt they were pretty good. Although I didn't enjoy the design on the Copaqs.

Here are my two cents worths. Pre-USPC Kems are the gold standard in cards if properly cared for. If you take care of them and don't leave them in the heat and humidity which will warp them they will last forever.

New Kems, Copags, Modianos and DalNegro are all good cards and will give you a long play. The only complaint I have against Copags is that they tend to fade over time.

I think it's just a matter of aesthetics for the most part between most of the premium cards these days. I tend to favor the Modiano because I like the look better and they are a little stiffer than the others.

For those wanting "best bang for the buck" at $5 per deck for Modanos you really can't go wrong, enter "scott" at checkout for an aditional 10% off. The Modiano Chrstallos are our groups fav decks, w/ the jumbo 4pip setup is great for those at the end of the table or those "sight challenged" folks.
And yes, I've used all the brands in my poll
http://www.tridentcards.com/

Ive only used Bicycles lol....and some other offbrand, Dollarstore, type cards. Most of my play has been online and when I did once play at a bar, we used a digital interface. Everyone gets a little keyboard thing with a little screen that shows your cards and the flop comes on a tv screen that keeps up with all the action.

We appreciate your completely relevant contribution to a thread about which playing cards you prefer for a regular home game. Thanks for posting!

(yes, I'm in a mood for snark tonight )

From your list I selected Kem, but you forgot A+, which I really like because of how sturdy they are. Also, there is a very little known card called "Graphica." They are made in Canada. They are great cards as well. They hold up very well after repeated uses.

Sorry, they only let you have a max 10 items in a poll, but thanks for the review of those cards, may have to check into them

Gonna go against the grain here.

I have to say, most of my time handling cards is practicing or performing sleight of hand. Most actions are ten times easier with good paper stock cards (USPCC are the best), plastic cards have an awful finish and I hate the feel of them, as well as the fact they hinder sleight of hand (only slightly mind, most things are still entirely possible).

Bicycle Rider Back 808s and Tally Ho Fan Backs are easy to mark in game, Bees are best when marking before hand. Borderless cards (Bees, Steamboats, most Casino decks) are the nuts for second and bottom dealing, as well as false shuffles, it's harder to see the true edges of the cards so many techniques become much more deceptive.

If i'm using cards with people who don't regularly handle them though, I'd probably go for plastics, just because ******s who can't handle cards can't break them. Makes me cry when I see people giving cards nasty shuffles or folding them in half when checking their hole cards.

Thanx for this poll, based on it I bought some Copaqs, which arrived yesterday. Will give them a good run this weekend, but so far I like them. They don't feel as plasticy as other 100% plastic cards. Will see how the perform this weekend though

We'll put this down as an endorsement of plastic cards, preferably with a border

Desjgn just came out with some bridge-sized decks that are the nutz. Great colors and face and back designs are beautiful. The feel is also much softer than their poker size cards, which I like. I have Copag. KEM, Modiano, Fouriner, Gemaco, but play the Desjgns almost every time.

I only know Bicycle really =\

dal negro

I like pre-USPC Kems the best. Post-USPC Kems are good, but not as good as pre. All 6 of my KEM's (a mix of pre and post) have warped, and it makes me sad. I have used several Copag decks, and the only problem is fading.

In my home game we're not really worried about someone trying to mark the deck or swindle someone out of their $10 buyin by memorizing the exact shade of one particular faded card. I much prefer to play with a (slightly) faded card that has a great feel and snap to it even after a year of use than a deck that is still vibrant in color but feels wrong in my hand. I don't mind paying $15 every 6 months or a year (we only play weekly to biweekly) for a new setup when the fading is really bad or a card gets lost. It's worth it to me to keep the snap and the flat feel.

As far as Modianos go, it's a nice card but I can't stand playing with Jumbo indexes. That's a deal breaker for me, and last time I checked no one was stocking standard index Modiano cards.

I also really like the feel of NTP. However, I've only seen Jumbo indexes of them. In my (limited) experience with NTP, I would rank them up there with Copag if it weren't for the Jumbo aspect.

I'm a big fan of Modiano cards also I love the feel but I the ink starting to wear off only after a 8 months of weekly play. Is this usual? I'm thinking of switching to Copags.

Just voted in the poll before realizing that Reyzor resurrected a year-old thread.

Anyway, my vote is for Modiano, though I'm also noticing a small bit of fading. I tried Copag and just don't like them, too thin and slippery. I just bought a setup of Desjgn poker size for comparison - they'll get a test drive at tonight's game.

8 months? I generally replace my cards after 2 or 3 months. I bet you have a lot of crescent-shaped marks on your cards. Check the Aces and wheel cards first, especially if you play any hi/lo games.

Even still, it's Copag for me all the way. They hold up longest. The KEMs I've tried have gotten too sticky too soon.

You might want to try switching to bridge sized cards for poker, as they're easier to hangle. Poker sized cards are horrible to use for poker. I know, I know. But a tip isn't always a tip, either. And if you learn how to shuffle properly, the slippery aspect will come in handy.

Modiano FTW... Copag is the Budweiser of poker decks.

Comparison of face clarity and brightness:

I put my new Desjgns in play last night, and the reception was pretty good. They're a little slippery but look good and play well. Several players in my group liked them, and there were no complaints about the unique pip layouts.

I definitely prefer them over Copags, but I think the Modianos are still my first choice. There's something about the heft of the heavier/thicker card that I really like, and they have a more 'papery' feel than other cards I've tried.

Yeah, we have several brands in rotation: Kem, Copaq and Modiano. I like the heft of the Modiano Acetates best, but you have to get used to shuffling them. My decks are 1.5 years old, used every other week or so. I've cleaned them twice. Still look good.

I've played mostly with Copags and have little experience with other cards. Copags fade faster and are not that clear.

This post used to (hosting issues?) contain pics of fading compared:

Dal Negros were our first premium decks. I liked them fine, but they faded very fast. Maybe different runs have different characteristics? At any rate, it's odd.