Texas Holdem Poker Table Tops

Texas holdem poker table tops are one of the more important aspects of a texas holdem poker table. You should give great thought to two features in particular when considering texas holdem poker table tops – the dimension and the playing surface.

Poker Table Dimensions

When shopping for a poker table, you’ll want to consider poker table dimensions before worrying about aesthetics. With so many poker table designs available, it’s easy to forget that first and foremost your table needs to be functional. So put down those matching poker table lamps with the flaming dice decals; forget the polyester “I’m All-In” t-shirt you were thinking about buying for the next big game, and let’s get down to basics.

Who’s playing and how many. That’s the question that will determine which texas holdem poker table top is right for you. You have 4 basic options for poker table dimensions.

  • Oval Poker Tables
  • Round Poker Tables
  • Octagonal Poker Tables
  • Rectangular Poker Tables

Most oval poker tables are the same shape and size as the full-sized Texas Holdem tables that you see used in tournament play. They seat 10 players comfortably, and you can find them in both premium and economy models. The great thing about these tables is that they allow you to feel like you’re playing in a real Texas Holdem tournament. The drawback is that if your home game requires you to pass the deal, it’s difficult for players at one end of the oval to deal to the far end on the opposite side.

Round poker tables are usually smaller than other poker tables, seating between 4 and 6 players. Occasionally you can find one that seats eight. Typically, round tables are found in medium to high-end models that convert to dining room furniture when not in use. If you’ve read my article on Texas Holdem Poker Tables, you know how I feel about convertible poker table tops. Blah! Buy a round table if you like to play Euchre while sipping white wine with your wife and her friends

Octagonal poker tables are a very nice option for home games. Because each seat is segmented by angles, it gives every player at the table the feeling of having his own space. And because each position on the table is the same distance from one side of the table to the other, dealing is much easier for pass-the-deal type games.

Rectangular poker tables are a bit of a rarity, but can be found in some medium to premium models. They seat 6-8 players depending on how long they are. I don’t care for these types of poker tables because they have all the drawbacks of oval poker tables with none of the advantages.

Poker Table Surface

The other feature to consider when deciding on a texas holdem poker table top is the material to be used on the playing surface. You have many options to choose from, all of which have different advantages and disadvantages.

  • Poker cloth
  • Poker speed cloth
  • Suited poker speed cloth
  • Velvet
  • Velveteen
  • Billiard Cloth
  • Moleskin
  • Suede
  • Faux Suede
  • Vinyl
  • Felt

Poker speed cloth, and suited poker speed cloth can be lumped together in the same category. In fact, there is no difference in playability between speed cloth and suited speed cloth. One just has a pattern of poker suits woven into it.

Speed cloth is made of woven nylon and plays faster than poker cloth which is made of woven polyester. Both are durable, stain and spill resistant. You can also dye both types of cloth if you want to customize your poker table with a logo or picture. In my opinion, speed cloth plays a little better while poker cloth feels better to the touch. Either are excellent options.

Velvet feels great, looks great, and has great card playability. It also is somewhat stain and spill resistant. Velvet is a nice choice for a premium table, but cannot be dyed without affecting card playability.

Velveteen is often used to surface economy table tops. It has good stain and spill resistance and is fairly durable.

Billiard cloth is durable and hides stains well, but will tend to lint up because of a higher nap. It’s also a bit rough on the hands.

Moleskin is an inexpensive cotton or cotton polyester blend that creates a smooth, playable surface, but isn’t good against staining or resisting spills. It can be airbrushed or screen printed, however.

Suede is a classy looking fabric that looks great with premium poker tables, but be careful if you’re friends are drunken boors (and whose aren’t?) because one spilled drink will ruin its surface.

Faux suede is stain and spill resistant, but who cares about that if you’re cards won’t slide on it? Not recommended.

Vinyl is an excellent choice for an economy poker table because you can just wipe it down with a bit of Windex and a towel after your spit potato chips and beer all over it during one of your frequent tantrums. It doesn’t have a great look to it, that’s for sure, but for simplicity and durability I think it’s hard to beat.

Many people make the mistake of buying felt when building a poker table from scratch, but you should never use this material as a texas holdem poker table top. Its surface is terrible for sliding cards and it pills up after only a few uses. Stay away!

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