Post deleted by Mat Sklansky

[GreedIsGood]

I could see some card room trying this out at a stud table. Who knows, it might even speed up the game a bit from all the old folks trying to figure out what the other players cards are. I don't see it adding much to hold'em though.

[bav]

That's a lot like the "jumbo or regular" debate. Four-color jumbo index cards are what the 80yo guys should want (but they're probably too nitty to accept 4-color). Monochrome microscopic index are what the sharp-eyed 21yo's should want. I'm in the middle. I don't like jumbo indexing, but I like the 4-color online and figure I'd like it in real life. When I once mentioned to a "traditional" friend that I used 4-color online he laughed and laughed... then a month later admitted "I misread a flush the other day and switched to 4-color".

Taking eyesight out of the B&M poker equation is a reasonable thing to do. But getting past the nits could be hard. There ain't many players who will walk past your competition to come play with your 4-color decks, but there are some who WILL walk past you and visit your competition because you're using a 4-color deck. So it'll be a long and slow road, if ever it happens. Best hope is for the isolated casinos with little or no nearby competition to adopt it (Foxwoods, say). Then it MIGHT be able to spread.

[jar]

As Mason's article said, the big problem with 4 color decks is it takes the ambiguity out of flashed cards. Now if you pick up the color of a slightly flashed card, you can only narrow down the suits. With four color you'd know for sure. Making cheating easier is bad for the game.

[Siegmund]

I can tell you, in another context -- bridge clubs -- there have been several attempts over the years to introduce four-colour card decks, and to introduce non-standard symbols (so that cards look exactly the same right-side-up and up-side-down, instead of the heart, spade, and club pips in the centers of the odd-numbered cards being usable to signal) ... so far every one has been a miserable failure.

If you want to try it, a certain prominent member of the World Bridge Federation's executive committee invested heavily in such a venture and probably has several thousand decks he could sell you cheap

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
Cons = I love it when people think they have a flush and they don't, because they can't tell a club from a spade.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some decks, like ones that mucks used to use, the red was so dark the hearts looked like spades. (think hole cards)

I think I remember they tried 4 color decks(somewhere) a long time ago but it didn't catch on.

b

[Spook]

I am a big fan of these cards
http://assboat.org/tim/lasthand.jpg
little index in the corner for peeking, big index in the center for being on the board.

[youtalkfunny]

[ QUOTE ]
You would think that some casino would try it,

[/ QUOTE ]

Several casinos in LV and LA did try it, and it was a monumental failure. People couldn't say why they didn't like the new decks--they just didn't like them. Personally, I think people just don't like change.

I dealt in a room once where the backs of the cards were blue or red. If a player said, "Change the deck," you'd take out the blue deck, and replace it with the red deck.

One day, I sat down to the deal, and the backs of the cards were brown or green. And the players were greatly agitated. It was terribly upsetting to some of them, who were used to the blue and red decks.

So if they can't handle it when the BACKS of the cards change color, they'd go completely out of their minds if you tried to change the colors of the suits.

Another thing to consider: Something may sound like a great idea on paper, but then it turns out to be terribly disappointing. The NFL's Instant Replay Review system comes to mind.

For a poker example, take the "jumbo index" cards mentioned above. How could they not be better?

I recently played with them in a casino for the first time. When I was dealt my hole cards, I couldn't just peel up a corner to read them. I had to lift half the card off the felt to read what I was holding. I found myself very concerned about flashing my cards, since I had to almost lift them off the table to read them.

Bottom line, "I didn't like them. I wanted the old cards back. WAAAAAH!"

[Wake up CALL]

It wouldn't help color blind players much but having each suit being a different sized card would be great for them. It might be difficult for the auto-shuffling devices though.

[Cactus Jack]

[ QUOTE ]
Taking eyesight out of the B&M poker equation is a reasonable thing to do.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hate wearing my reading glasses at the table. Reminds me I'm getting old. Next will be hearing aids, a walker and Depends. Wait, some of the men's rooms are a LONG way from the game, so maybe...hmmm.

I hate people who hate change. But I make money from them, too, so...

I hate people who can't make up their minds.

CJ

[driverseati]

The little home game where I play in we use 4 color decks. Problem is that the lighting causes misreading of suits (you get into the habit of looking at color, not suit). All of a sudden blue looks like black, etc. All the nits would probably complain too...so probably 4 color decks will not be used widely. (They also cost more to produce)

I wouldn't mind it personally, but I know others could and would.