Copag Playing Cards Reviews
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Copag Cards is a Brazilian manufacturer
was founded in 1908 and makes several lines of playing cards including 100% plastic cards in either bridge or poker size. The plastic
cards are made of PVC and are very comparable to KEM cards ... at a little more than half the price! Copag has recently enlarged their
sales marketing in North America so we should begin to hear more from this playing card manufacturer.
A deck of Copag plastic playing cards is about $8 which is a little over half the price of a deck of KEM cards. They certainly seem
worth the money and at half the price they are a good buy even if they don't last quite as long as KEM cards. They are almost the same
quality of KEM cards at a little more than half the price. An added bonus is that they do not seem to 'bow' over time as a KEM card has
a tendency to do.
There is no manufacturer's replacement policy for lost or damaged Copag cards. Newly purchased
defective decks will be replaced
but you cannot order one card replacements. The guarantee card states" If a manufacturing defect is found in this deck before
it has been extensively used, we will be glad to replace it.". In addition, some retailers will replace their customers individual
damaged plastic Copag cards, but most retailers do not offer this service.
I have played several tournaments using these cards and they hold up about the same as KEM cards, and at about half the price ...
they are certainly a bargain! Some dealers do find that the Copag's feel lighter and flimsier than the KEM's,
especially the first couple of hands. After that, no one seems to notice much difference. After playing several hours with the
Copag's and then going back to using KEM's, the KEM's seemed thicker and a little stiffer. However, most people did prefer the KEM's
overall. Keep in mind though, that the KEM cards cost twice as much money and the difference in quality is not that great.
The colors on Copag cards are a bit fainter and fade quicker than a KEM card. They have an off-white background color to them.
You can see the faded colors and off-white background in the scanned images. The KEM cards also had the same off-white background,
but in a different shade of white.
Copag Centennial
Copag Centennial playing cards review
Coming soon ...
Copag 1546
Regular Index
Jumbo Index
Copag 1546 Plastic Playing Cards Review
These are the cards that are sweeping the poker world as an alternative to KEM cards which
are getting harder to find, especially in poker (wide) size. Many players swear that the Copag's are just as good, if not better than
the KEM's. I personally wouldn't agree with that statement but ... they are definitely a better buy! The difference in quality
is almost nothing and the price is a little over half the price of a deck of KEM's.
Double decks of Copag cards come in a very nice plastic case. Unlike the Royal and A Plus cases, this case
will stay closed without the need of an elastic band. There is a plastic partition between the two decks to keep them
separate. A removable tab keeps the cards down in the case.
The Copag cards are about the same weight and thickness of the KEM cards. The thickness of all 52 playing cards was 16.30mm. Ten
cards weighed 23.0 grams. Copag's seem a little more flexible than KEM's, they bend easier. They also seem to slide a bit better than
KEM's. They feel slicker than a KEM card.
The typeface used on Copag cards is more blocky than on other decks. It takes a little getting used to and some players never
like it. The graphics are not as detailed and colorful as other decks of plastic playing cards. These are probably the two
most common complaints about Copag cards - that the graphics are too faded and the typeface too blocky. The graphics definitely
do look bleached-out but I find them acceptable.
Sample deck of Regular Index cards provided by
I had been using bridge size Copag's since the summer of 2004 and I have to admit
that I like the poker size Copag cards much better! The bridge size Copag's seem too light-weight and flimsy but the
poker size seem equal to a KEM. The bridge size Copag cards were not an acceptable alternative to poker size KEM's, but the poker
size Copag's seem just fine. I will have to give these poker size cards a try for a couple weeks to see how I truly like them.
Copag 4 Color
 Copag Four Color Plastic Playing Cards Review
This is a four color deck of Copag cards. Four color decks have been made more popular
by online poker rooms that allow this as an option while playing. The four colors help differentiate between card suits,
especially the board cards on the table. These poker size cards have the same thickness, feel, weight, size, cut, typeface, and
graphics as the Copag 1546 style. The only differences are the four different colors used for the four suits, and the different back.
Sample deck provided by
The back spades are the same color as any other Copag cards. The red color used for the hearts is the best color
I have seen on a Copag and I wish all their decks came with this deep color of red. The blue diamonds and green clubs colors
are rather faded, typical of Copag cards. After playing with the cards for a while, I realized that the faded colors are to help
differentiate between the colors - deep blues and greens could be easily mistaken for other colors and the faded colors make them
more distinguishable from each other.
This deck has a more traditional casino style back than other Copag cards. These cards come in the same
plastic box as other Copag cards. The price is $26.00 per setup.
Copag 4-Color 4-Pip
Copag 4-color 4-pip playing cards review
This is a large index, four-color, four-pip version of Copag cards.
Pokershop.dk
is the only source for four-color, four-pip cards that I know of, and they are a bit of a sought-after playing card. The pips are
rather boxy, as they are on all Copag cards. The green and blue colors are a bit better than they are on most other four-color cards
that are available.
The deck comes with 52 cards and 3 jokers. Unfortunately, these cards come in a cardboard box that lacks side flaps. These are probably
the worst boxes available because the top flap keeps opening on its own.
The cost is 9,75€ at Pokershop.dk
in Denmark. I am not aware of any North American retailers for this product.
Copag 4-Color Executive
Copag 4-color Executive playing cards review
These are the same basic card as the four-color Copag's shown above - the only difference is the design on the back of the card.
The Copag Four-color Executive decks come in the standard Copag black plastic box. The cost is $21.95 for a two-deck setup.
Copag 4-Pip Regular Index
Copag 4-Pip Regular Index playing cards review
This is the same playing card as above except in regular index instead of jumbo index. These cards are the same price ($21.95)
at CaraGails.com as the jumbo index cards and come in the
same (poor) cardboard box.
Copag 4-Pip Jumbo Index
Copag 4-Pip Jumbo Index playing cards review
This is a four-pip version of Copag cards that is similar to the Export style of Copag cards, except for the poker size and the jumbo index.
In general, I find that the Copag jumbo index playing cards have a more substantial appearance than the regular index cards.
The Copag regular typeface is rather thin and pale and the larger jumbo index seems to give the cards a bolder look.
The cost per setup (2 decks) from CaraGails.com is $21.95. Unfortunately,
these cards come in the standard (European) cardboard box with no side flaps. This means that
your cards have a very good chance of spilling out of the cardboard box ... unless you purchase a better box to store your playing cards!
Copag Dual Index
Copag Dual Index playing cards review
These are dual index cards, meaning that there are two different sizes of indices - there is a smaller index in each corner of the
card as well as a larger index in the center of the card. The smaller, corner indexes allow players to flip up the corner
of their down cards (hole cards) to view them - this exposes as little of the card as possible, ensuring that other players cannot see
your hole cards. The corner indexes are rotated in a slightly counter-clockwise position since most players peek at their hole cards with
the cards held at an angle. The larger index in the center of the card is helpful when viewing the board cards (cards face up in
the center of the table) from a distance.
There was a controversy at the 2007 WSOP when the new
Kem PokerPeek playing cards were first used by the players
during the tournament. Players immediately complained about the new cards and the WSOP was forced to bring in a completely different style
of cards to replace the Poker Peek's. These Copag Dual Index cards are similar playing cards but it is somewhat easier to
distinguish between the 6 and 9 cards and it is also easier to view the suit of the card. In general, the center area of the Copag cards
are much better than the center areas of the Kem cards. Still, these cards are a niche card and you had better make sure that your
players like them before you put them into play at your game.
The Copag Dual Index playing cards are made exclusive for PokerShop.dk and are not available in North America (except via overseas
shipping from PokerShop.dk in Denmark). The cost is 9€ per single deck. These cards come in a single-deck cardboard box without side
flaps to keep the top flap closed. These are the worst card boxes available and you will definitely need a better storage holder for these
playing cards.
Make sure that you watch my video review of dual index playing cards.
I like these cards - they allow you to flip up the corner of the card to
view your hole cards, while at the same time having large printing in the center of the card for viewing the board cards. These cards are
only available in poker size with full bleed backs. July 2007
Copag EPOC
Copag EPOC Playing Cards Review
These are bridge size, large index playing cards from Copag that feature a black design. They are unique and
have a bit of a following in the card community. They are a bit more of a collector's item than day-to-day playing cards.
A disadvantage of the EPOC setup of cards is that both decks of cards in the two-deck setup have almost identical back designs - the
only difference is that one deck has a white border and the other deck has a red border. This means that it is somewhat easy to
accidentally include a card from one deck in to the other deck. Most two-deck setups of cards come in two different colors to help
prevent cards getting mixed up between the decks.
Copag EPOC cards come in the standard black plastic Copag double-deck card box. There are 52 cards, an information card, and two jokers
included in a deck. The cost is $19.95 for a two-deck setup.
Copag ESPN Poker Club
Copag ESPN Poker Club playing card review
These are Copag playing cards that feature the ESPN logo on the back design. The cards themselves are exactly
the same as the other Copag cards reviewed on this page.
I like the design of these cards and they would make an excellent companion to any of the
ESPN poker chips. The cost is $19.99 for a two-deck setup. The ESPN cards
come in everyday standard cardboard boxes rather than the standard Copag plastic boxes.
Copag Export Europe
Copag 100% Plastic Export Playing Cards Review
The 100% Plastic bridge size Copag cards were provided to me by
Pokershop.dk and are only available to their European customers. These cards have the numbers and pips at all four
corners of the card. This makes it easier to bend up any corner of your down card (your card that is face down on the
table) to view it. Most decks, including the Copag 1546, only have the numbers and pips on the top left and bottom right
corners. The Dal Negro Torcello cards are the only other deck that I reviewed that had this useful feature.
Single decks of Copag cards come in a cardboard box very similar to a Bicycle or Bee deck, but much stiffer.
There are no side flaps on the box so the lid consistently came open and would not remain closed. The cardboard box is high
quality but not nearly as nice as the single boxes that KEM or (especially) Royal cards come in.
Sample deck provided by
These cards are made of PVC plastic and seem to have less of a plastic texture to them
and bend at the middle a bit easier than a KEM. They do not 'bow' over time as a KEM card has a tendency to do. They seem to
slide better than a KEM and are definitely more flexible. The Copag cards seemed light to me but I weighed them against
other bridge size cards and they all came in at about two grams per card. The thickness of all 52 Export playing cards
was 15.72mm. Ten cards weighed 19.0 grams.
Copag Export North America
Copag Export North America Playing Cards Review
Coming soon ...
Copag Magnum Index
Copag Magnum Index Plastic Playing Cards Review
These are magnum index cards, meaning that the numbers and pips are extremely
large. Players with poor eyesight will love these cards since the boards cards (flop, turn, river) can be seen very easily from the end
seats of a poker table. The downside to magnum index cards is that it is easier for your opponents to sneak a peek at your down cards
because you have to expose so much of the card to view it for yourself.
These cards feature a simple, but very bright and very readable design. The red ink with a
black border is almost like a comic book style, but is very easy to read from a distance. The design on the back is fairly
unspectacular and is available in red or blue. The deck contains 52 cards, 2 jokers, and a guarantee card (in Portuguese).
These magnum index cards feel like all other Copag cards, a bit thin, but not too bad. In fact, these cards
feel a bit more substantial than the other Copag cards that I have reviewed. They feel a bit thicker than usual. The texture feels a
little different too, a bit less texture and a bit more slickness.
One possible complaint about these cards is the confusion between the 6 and the 9 card. Both cards are shown to the left. I think
it is obvious which card is which, you read from the top down, but some players might get a little confused. There is a small dot
below the number on these two cards.
Sample deck provided by
10% off code:homepoker
These Copag magnum index cards come in horrible cardboard boxes. The box lacks side flaps on the
top, meaning that the top flap has a tendency to slip open. This is the same crappy cardboard box as the European 100%
Plastic cards reviewed above. Make sure to buy a wooden or plastic playing card box if you purchase these playing cards.
I actually prefer the magnum style of cards shown to the left. This is an old KEM card that is no longer available. The
beauty of the KEM magnum style is that there are small numbers and pips in the corner, so you can just flip up the
corner of the card to view your hole cards. With the Copag's, you have to flip up much more of the corner to view your hole
cards. But, unfortunately, the KEM style is no longer available and these Copag cards are probably the best plastic magnum
index cards that are still available for sale. It is very difficult to find any plastic magnum index cards.
The cost of two decks of Copag magnum index cards from
Trident Cards is $14.99 (sold as two single decks) but you should also buy a
plastic box for another $2.
Copag Texas Hold'em
Copag Texas Hold'em playing cards review
These are large index, poker size cards from Copag. They feature a yellow background on all the non-face
cards. I like the back design on these cards - it's something simple like what you might see in a casino. I also have a personal
preference for large index cards with colored backgrounds. These cards have a boxy look and a substantial feel to them.
The deck comes with 52 cards, 2 jokers, and a guarantee card.
Unfortunately, these cards come in a cardboard box that lacks side flaps. These are probably the worst boxes available because
the top flap keeps opening on its own.
The cost is 11,90€ at
PokerShop.dk in Denmark. I am not aware of any North American retailers for this product.
Playing Card Reviews
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