Bicycle StandardPrice: About $5, roughly. Bicycle Jumbo Index · Bicycle, US Playing Card Co.Price: About $6, roughly.
Easiest to read
Extra-large numbers and suits. Readable across the table, for kids learning their first game and grandparents alike.
- Good for
- Kids · Seniors
- Skip it if
- You want a classic look at a serious poker night: standard indices hold more hands in your fingers.
Buy now ↗on Amazon
Our take
The numbers and suits in the corners are about twice the size of a normal deck. That one change makes it the easiest deck to read, whether you are seven or seventy, or sitting at the far end of a long table.
It is the deck we choose for games where reading fast is the point (Speed, War) and for anyone learning their first game, because a child can find a card in their hand without help. It is also a kindness for older players whose eyes are tired of small print.
Serious poker players sometimes prefer standard indices because they hold more cards fanned in one hand. For families, kids and anyone who has ever said 'is that a six or a nine?', this is the one.
Test drive
Play Old Maid against three players. Pick a card you can't see, throw out pairs, and don't be left with the odd queen. Nothing is saved.
Games it suits
All card games →- Collecting sets · 2 to 6 players
Old Maid
Pair up your cards and don’t be the one left holding the odd queen.
- Shedding · 2 players
Speed
No turns: play one higher or lower as fast as your hands can move.
- Comparing · 2 players
War
Flip, compare, the higher card takes both.
- Collecting sets · 2 to 6 players
Go Fish
Ask for cards and collect sets of four.
Keep reading
- Buying guide
Choosing a deck
Plastic or paper, poker or bridge size, how many decks you need, and the deck we recommend for each of our games.
- Basics
Anatomy of a deck
Fifty-two cards, four suits, thirteen ranks and a couple of jokers. What everything is called, and a few details you have probably never noticed.
- Basics
How to shuffle and deal
Three ways to shuffle, how many shuffles you really need, and the small table manners of cutting and dealing.
Quick answers
- Paper or plastic?
Paper shuffles with more grip and costs less. Plastic lasts for years, shrugs off spills and feels a little slicker. If you play every week, or with drinks nearby, go plastic.
- What size do I need?
Poker size suits most games and most hands. Bridge size is narrower, which helps when you hold thirteen cards or more.
- How many decks do I need?
One for most games. Canasta, Spider and some Rummy variants need two with matching backs.
