Fournier playing cards are made in Spain and are quite
popular throughout Europe, especially in casinos. This brand of playing cards has been somewhat hard to find in North America, but is
now available through Playing Cards and Games,
Cara Gail's and several other retailers. Fournier is owned
by the USPC, the same company that makes Kem and Bee/Bicycle playing cards. In fact, some USPC cards such as the WPT plastic cards
are manufactured in Spain.
In general, these are high-quality plastic cards that seem to be a combination of Copag cards and Dal Negro/Modiano cards. They are not
quite as thick as the Dal Negro/Modiano's and seem to have less of a 'papery' feel to them. They are thicker than Copag's, and have much
deeper and nicer graphics, but have a bit of the same plastic 'feel'. The top cards on the deck seem to slide off less easily than most
other plastic playing cards. Take the stiffness, colors, and graphics of a Dal Negro/Modiano card but add the texture of a Copag card and
you will get a pretty good idea of how these cards rate. If you find that the Dal Negro and Modiano cards are a bit too thick and papery,
the Fournier playing cards may be just right for you!
Fournier 2508 Playing Cards
Sample deck provided by 10% off code:homepoker
Fournier 2508 Playing Cards Review
These are four-pip, regular index, poker-size cards. The Fournier 2508 playing cards have the same dark red color as
the 2818 design, but are even darker. The back design is exactly the same as the 2818. Unlike some other four-pip designs, these cards
have four pips on every card.
Fournier 2800 Playing Cards
Sample deck provided by 10% off code:homepoker
Fournier 2800 Playing Cards Review
These cards are similar to the 2826 playing cards reviewed above except for the back design and the slightly larger and
thicker indices. They have the same feel and texture as the other Fournier playing cards reviewed here. They are available for about $20 for a two-deck setup.
Fournier 2818 Playing Cards
Fournier 2818 Playing Cards Review
This is probably my favorite style of Fournier cards. The 2818 are large index poker-size cards with very large and very dark
numbers and pips. The beige background on the non-face-cards is very nice and adds an elegant quality to these cards, much the same
as the Modiano Black Jack playing cards.
Sample deck provided by 10% off code:homepoker
The size of the numbers is 14.5mm in height. The paper Aviator cards had the same size numbers but all the large-index
plastic cards that I have reviewed have pips about 12-14mm in height (Modiano Black Jack - 13.75mm, Copag 1546- 13.8mm). The
large-index Fournier Arabesque cards have pips of 12mm in height. I like the large size of the numbers and pips, if you are going to
have large index cards, the indexes (indices) might as well be as large as possible.
The red is a very deep color, close to security ink, but not quite as dark as the Royal or Dal Negro Freedom cards. The design on
the back of these cards is nice but nothing spectacular.
I did not receive a double-set box for these cards and I am not sure if a double set is available. The plastic single-deck boxes are
nice. The fit is fairly tight and the box will stay closed without an elastic band, unlike the Royal playing cards boxes. One of my
pet-peeves are card boxes that are not quite high enough to enclose the entire deck of cards. Many times, the top cards will
spill over the top of the box and either fall out of the box, or intermingle with the cards in the second deck (if a double deck box).
The Fournier box will hold 52 cards, but there is a spill-over effect if you keep all 55 cards (3 jokers) in the box.
Overall, I really like these cards and they might be my new personal favorite, up there with Modiano Black Jack cards. Yes, my eyes
are getting rather aged and I now prefer large-index cards. These cards cost $19.99 for a two-deck setup.
Fournier 2826 Playing Cards
Fournier 2826 Playing Cards Review
This is a jumbo index design with security ink and the 'Snowflake' back design. These cards, like all the Fournier cards here, are made
in Spain and have the same feel and texture. They cost $19.95 for a two-deck setup.
Fournier Arabesque Playing Cards
Fournier Arabesque Playing Cards Review
These are bridge-size cards that are similar to the 2818 in design. They are large index cards but the numbers and pips are smaller
(12mm) than the 2818 design (13.75mm). The red color on these cards is faded compared to the 2508 or 2818 - they have more of an orange
color to them than the dark, blood-red of the other Fournier cards reviewed here. I like the design on the back of these cards and,
similar to the 2818 cards, I like the beige background on the non-face cards.
Sample deck provided by 10% off code:homepoker
Double-deck plastic boxes are the same basic design as the single-deck boxes. There are two plastic tabs that keep the decks separated,
although the top six cards have a tendency to slide back and forth from one side to the other. The box will stay closed without the use
of an elastic band. The plastic appears to be a bit thinner than that found on the Kem or Copag double-set boxes.
These cards cost $19.99 for a two-deck setup.
Fournier EPT (European Poker Tour)
Fournier EPT Playing Cards Review
This is a European Poker Tour version of Fournier playing cards. In general, Fournier playing cards feel a bit thinner and more flexible
than most other European manufactured playing cards. They feel much thinner than a Modiano or Dal Negro and have a feel and texture that is
somewhat similar to Kem playing cards.
These are rather squarish cards, the corners are not very rounded. This gives the card a bit of a boxy feel. There is a very large
jumbo index in security ink (dark red) and a yellow background in the center of all the non-face cards.
Sample deck provided by 10% off code:homepoker
The back design features the logo from the European Poker Tour and is available in red or blue in single deck
cardboard boxes. The box is nothing special but at least it stays closed without a problem. The deck includes 52 cards, 2 jokers,
and an EPT information card that is hardly worth mentioning. The joker is a bit
unique in that it includes the EPT logo.
The price of the Fournier EPT playing cards is $10 per deck from Playing Cards and Games. If
you want a European playing card that is not as thick and inflexible as the Modiano's or Dal Negro's, these EPT Fournier cards are an
excellent choice. Sept 2007
Fournier Poker Vision
Fournier Poker Vision Playing Cards Review
This is the Fournier version of the dual index playing cards that have become popular since this style of playing cards was
temporarily used during the 2007 World Series of Poker tournament. There are two different size indexes on these poker size playing
cards - there is a large index in the center of the card and a smaller index in each of the four corners of the card. The center index
is good when viewing the card from a distance and the corner indexes are used when viewing your hole cards (down cards).
It is fairly easy to differentiate between the nine and six cards although the number is not underlined as it is on the Copag
dual index playing cards. The corner indexes are similar to ones found on the other brands of dual index playing cards.
These cards are made in Spain and have a bit of a squarish look and feel. There are yellow centers on all non-face cards. The security
ink (dark red) typeface is rather thin and gives the numbers a less substantial impression. There is a simple herringbone design on the back
of the cards, which are available in red or a very dark blue.
There are 52 playing cards and 3 jokers in each deck. They are sold in standard single-deck cardboard boxes so you will probably want to
purchase a plastic box to store these cards. Fournier Poker Vision playing cards are available for $24 for two single decks of cards
from CaraGails.com. December 2007
Fournier Tribus
Fournier Tribus Playing Cards Review
These are poker size, standard index, 2-pip plastic playing cards of the Fournier 2018 style. The Tribus back designs are only
available in the one color (black/gold) - there is no alternate color for use at a second table. The back design features a white border around a black
and gold 'tribal' design. The design is inspired by tribal tattoos, Japanese prints, and Mexican wrestling - quite the combination!
Sample deck provided by
The black color on the face of the cards is a very deep black, the red color is not as deep as the (security ink) Fournier EPT cards but are deeper than the Fournier Arabesque cards reviewed on
this page.
The deck features three jokers - two black jokers and one black joker with 'EXTRA' printed in red ink. These cards are delivered in a nice flip-top clear plastic case that holds one deck of cards.
The case stays closed on its own.
These Fournier playing cards are a bit expensive at about $13 per single deck, although the flip-top plastic case is probably worth a dollar or two itself.
March 2013
Fournier WSOP
Fournier WSOP Playing Cards Review
These are a poker size, jumbo index, 2-pip design. The Fournier WSOP playing cards are available in red or blue colored back designs.
They feature a unique officially licensed WSOP design. These cards were not used at the WSOP, they use bridge size cards at the WSOP, but were handed
out to participants in a gift bag.
Sample deck provided by
These cards feature a nice, dark, jumbo index. The non-face cards feature a light yellow background in a center box. The back design features a white
border around a unique WSOP design of breakout (exploding) card suits. This is not the typical WSOP design that you see on most WSOP licensed decks.
This deck includes the 52 playing cards, one joker, one hand rankings card, and one black card that can be used as a cut card. The cut card features some
WSOPAcademy.com advertising. The cut card is not a plastic but is made of the same material as the playing cards. Please watch the video review to see the
designs of the cut card and hand ranking card.
These cards are quite expensive at about $15 per deck. They come in a plain cardboard box with a lid that does stay closed on its own. Fournier playing cards are very high qulity and this is
certainly a unique deck. March 2013