Card Protectors/Card Guards (Caps), Yes or No?

[Phoenix Wright]

In my live poker Homegames, I've started using a chip as a card protector. Once the Covid pandemic is over, I'd like to see how my online cardschat and live homegame poker ability translates to playing live poker in a casino. I've been saving up my cardschat VIP points for the cool-looking CardsChat Card Protector (300 VIP Points)

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/car...join-cardschat-vip-program-click-here-467969/

but I've been saving up for what feels like forever and now I'm reconsidering if the little trinket is worth it to me Browsing online, this article by Johnathan Little got me thinking:

https://jonathanlittlepoker.com/donotuseacardprotector/

I've been searching online for famous poker pros at the tables and most don't seem to have a card protector, or if they do, they just use a stack of chips.

Am I paranoid with giving off tells? Perhaps the lower stakes aren't picking up on any potential tells anyway, but you play how you practice and I don't want to give away anything! Besides, maybe a CardsChat logo (no matter how cool it looks) might convey that I'm active in CardsChat (which I am ) and I don't know if I want everyone observing to know that.

So the two questions are: Should I use a Card Protector in live poker (save up for CardsChat one), or should I just go for the Hoodie like practically everyone else? After all, that is only 300 more VIP Points (Hoodie costs 600)...

 

[Normino]

I want a hat and hoodie but the hat is out of stock! it would take me years to get them tho so maybe try your luck at the league games 4 the shirt and hat or coming top 3 in the annual earnings and go for the cards protector if you want it maybe even consider the vip tourneys they look enticing.

 

[Phoenix Wright]

I want a hat and hoodie but the hat is out of stock! it would take me years to get them tho so maybe try your luck at the league games 4 the shirt and hat or coming top 3 in the annual earnings and go for the cards protector if you want it maybe even consider the vip tourneys they look enticing.

Yes, I'm trying to accumulate VIP points in Leagues and similar too (as well as rare merch prizes), but these players play tough

btw, don't forget to click your vote selection above

 

[Debi]

I read the article and it doesn't apply to me at all. I always use a card protector and I never vary how I place it on my cards based on the strength of my hand.

How many VIP points do you have?

 

[Luvepoker]

Personally I would hold out for the hoodie as I am always cold but the card protector is a very inportant item for live play. Save up for both.

 

[Chief talking bull]

I would go for the hoodie and find something more personal for a card protector.

 

[Phoenix Wright]

I read the article and it doesn't apply to me at all. I always use a card protector and I never vary how I place it on my cards based on the strength of my hand.

How many VIP points do you have?

Hey Debi - I try to cap my cards the exact same way, but every now and then I'll catch myself putting it a millimeter or two one way or another - hopefully not a subconscious tell (I don't think so), but perhaps I'm just super cautious to the possibility that somehow I could give off something, or more importantly - give off some unrelated information like HOW I cap the cards even if I feel I'm consistent with how I do it.

Perhaps Johnathan Little is onto something with less things you have to worry about, then the better. Besides, I don't want to lose my CardsChat protector in the unlikely event I forget it at the casino one day (and we poker players all know how the unlikely sometimes happens...)

p.s. I only have a little more than 100 VIP points, but it was more so the article which got me thinking what I should be saving them up for

 

[Phoenix Wright]

Personally I would hold out for the hoodie as I am always cold but the card protector is a very inportant item for live play. Save up for both.

Yes, cardschat members get one of each item per lifetime (except for hoddies for one per color - similar with t-shirts I think). Question is prioritizing them; especially when VIP points take a long time to accumulate (but they add up consistently when you are active )

I would go for the hoodie and find something more personal for a card protector.

I considered this too

 

[SPANKYSN]

Phoenix, Just spend a few thousand dollars to fly to Vegas with the Cardschat wsop team playing in the Colossus, get a hotel room and have some cash for entry fees, and Debi will give you both a card protector and a hoodie...what a deal !!!!!

All kidding aside, I went with the team in 2019. It was an amazing experience. The atmosphere was just electric.

 

[Phoenix Wright]

Phoenix, Just spend a few thousand dollars to fly to Vegas with the Cardschat WSOP team playing in the Colossus, get a hotel room and have some cash for entry fees, and Debi will give you both a card protector and a hoodie...what a deal !!!!!

All kidding aside, I went with the team in 2019. It was an amazing experience. The atmosphere was just electric.

Clever but also kidding aside, those Las Vegas trips do look fun and especially so with the group CardsChat seems to have Who knows what the future holds? Perhaps I might even join for one or more of those trips.

Since I live in Michigan, Las Vegas is quite a long ways away though (even by plane, it isn't super short). Most of my traveling has been to the South (Carolinas and Florida I've been to several times before) or to the east (such as New York I've been to once or twice). I've never been more west (for whatever reason), but would be open to it. I think the furthest west in the USA I've been was Wisconsin lol. I almost went to California or Las Vegas once or twice (some relatives live in California), but for scheduling or what not, never quite made it.

I'm not against travel (I've even flew international a few times), but trips that far away require a big block of time that isn't always so easy to setup. Maybe one day I might do something like that though

 

[Ashley Sleeth]

No matter how you cap your cards, you will most likely do it slightly differently every time. The great thing about live poker is everybody is thinking about themselves and what tells they are giving off.....which means they have much less room to think about YOU and the tells you are giving off! I would certainly not worry about giving anything away at the table regarding your card protector if you use it more or less the same way every hand. Not only would someone have to notice that you capped your cards slightly differently, they would then have to correctly figure out what that means. (No offense to Jonathan, but he was commentating when he noticed that tell, not playing at the table. AND the player was using different amounts of chips each time, NOT a single card protector like you're asking about.)

 

[Phoenix Wright]

No matter how you cap your cards, you will most likely do it slightly differently every time. The great thing about live poker is everybody is thinking about themselves and what tells they are giving off.....which means they have much less room to think about YOU and the tells you are giving off! I would certainly not worry about giving anything away at the table regarding your card protector if you use it more or less the same way every hand. Not only would someone have to notice that you capped your cards slightly differently, they would then have to correctly figure out what that means. (No offense to Jonathan, but he was commentating when he noticed that tell, not playing at the table. AND the player was using different amounts of chips each time, NOT a single card protector like you're asking about.)

Valuable insight

 

[Beanfacekilla]

I don't use a card protector, I cage my cards in my right hand while I play. I started doing this because occasionally players hands get killed by someone mucking on them, or the dealer will swipe your cards (even with a protector on them).

I've had my cards taken by the dealer more than once. Maybe we have some careless dealers. I'm not leaving it to chance. There's no way the dealer will get my cards and they won't get mucked on either.

I'm sure a heavy card protector might do the job, but at this point I'm OCD about holding my cards in my right hand.

I assume you mean live low stakes cash games and tournaments? I wouldn't worry about tells or anyone noticing a CC logo in live games. Obv don't be a tell box but most of the folks are rec players I would assume.

I think I'd get the hoodie if I were you. Poker rooms are always like meat lockers - freezing cold. A hoodie is def a necessity IMO.

 

[Phoenix Wright]

I don't use a card protector, I cage my cards in my right hand while I play. I started doing this because occasionally players hands get killed by someone mucking on them, or the dealer will swipe your cards (even with a protector on them).

I've had my cards taken by the dealer more than once. Maybe we have some careless dealers. I'm not leaving it to chance. There's no way the dealer will get my cards and they won't get mucked on either.

I'm sure a heavy card protector might do the job, but at this point I'm OCD about holding my cards in my right hand.

I assume you mean live low stakes cash games and tournaments? I wouldn't worry about tells or anyone noticing a CC logo in live games. Obv don't be a tell box but most of the folks are rec players I would assume.

I think I'd get the hoodie if I were you. Poker rooms are always like meat lockers - freezing cold. A hoodie is def a necessity IMO.

Thanks for the post and comment about the cold. I knew this, but still a good thing to hear twice versus not at all (I believe the cold temperature in casinos is typically done to keep slot machines and other devices cooler so they don't overheat).

 

[CallmeFloppy]

I don't use a card protector. When I ran a home game I used to use a minute hourglass timer as one just so I could flip it over if people took a long time to make a decision. ( or just so I could be a jerk )

At the casino I just make sure to hold my hand the same each time until its my turn, and then cap my cards with a chip. (which I guess is kind of using a card protector)

 

[rabman50]

Using a card protector can be fun. I have used various card protectors. I have a few pewter figurines that get a lot of attention. Most of the time I forget to bring my card protector so I end up using a chip to protect my cards. I don't think my opponents notice one way or the other. I understand what JL is saying, but in the low stakes games I play I don't think it matters.

 

[Phoenix Wright]

I don't use a card protector. When I ran a home game I used to use a minute hourglass timer as one just so I could flip it over if people took a long time to make a decision. ( or just so I could be a jerk )

At the casino I just make sure to hold my hand the same each time until its my turn, and then cap my cards with a chip. (which I guess is kind of using a card protector)

Yeah, I just use a chip to cap the cards now

 

[skoldpadda]

I use them sometimes. A friend of mine made a sweet one for me that's based on the Bernie Sanders meme from last year. Here's a buddy from the home game with one.

 

[Phoenix Wright]

I use them sometimes. A friend of mine made a sweet one for me that's based on the Bernie Sanders meme from last year. Here's a buddy from the home game with one.

That is awesome; I liked that meme too. I don't care what political party someone voted for: they have to at least admit the meme was funny. Perhaps you'd enjoy seeing this if not already seen it