Poker Tables Guide
There is no substitute to playing live poker. You can be one of the best online players, and be no good in a live game, or vice-versa. If you're a low-stacked online poker player wannabe, like many of us, there's only one way for you to approximate the feel of a live poker tourney or cash game: by playing home poker with your friends. Sure, you can always go to a live card-room too, but the problem is, there are all sorts of intimidating rules in place there, a steep rake, no rakeback and a whole bunch of sharks looking for fish just like yourself. Playing live poker like there is almost certain to cost you a lot of money.
Why don't you take the 'tuition' you would've ended up paying anyway, and invest it into a nice poker table, which can then be the source of countless hours of fun and good times?
The internet is bustling with poker table manufacturers and traders. Some of them offer ready-made merchandize, others take orders for custom pieces, still others sell parts and raw materials so you can make your own poker table if you're handy with the steel.
Whichever option you choose, you're certain to find and get what you're looking for on one condition: you have to know the type of table you need. You see, not all poker tables are the same.
There are the traditional ones, which are round or octagon-shaped, and which allow several players (usually up to 8) to play. These tables are for the complete player, not for the rookie who only plays Holdem, or Omaha but a variety of other poker games too. These tables come with diverse felt colors and materials. Vinyl surfaces are easy to clean yet they look good on the table. As far as the color goes, you can choose between green (the traditional poker felt color), red or blue.
Holdem tables are oval shaped. They need to accommodate around 10 players. Some of these tables come with a bumper around the rim, other have all sorts of extras like cup holders, chip wells and whatever else crosses the creative mind of the manufacturer.
For those who find the poker table prices steep, a fold-away table top is the answer. These table tops are designed to emulate the look and feel of a real poker table, without the fuss of actually having to allot space for one. Table tops can be laid on top of existing tables (use your kitchen table if you want to), and they do an excellent job without taking up any space.
Poker table tops can also be found in a wide variety, some of them expensive, some more budget-oriented.
At the end of the day, what the choice really comes down to is the existence or the lack of enough room in your house to accommodate a poker table.
Choose wisely, take everything into account, and get yourself a table that will take you one step closer to the fairy-tale world of the green felt and live poker play. |
