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Ryan's Poker Table

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CardPlayer.com is the world's oldest and most well respected poker magazine and online poker guide. Since 1988, CardPlayer has provided poker players with poker strategy, poker news, and poker. Poker Table Plans Step 1 - Create Poker Table Plans on Plywood. Draw your Table/Rail pieces onto the 3 pieces of Plywood. The table top will be 1 piece and the rail will consist of 3 pieces (top, middle and bottom). The First Sheet of 48' x 96' Plywood. The first sheet will produce the bottom piece of the rail and the table. Recreate Las Vegas in your den or bar with a poker table. Having a dedicated gaming table adds an extra touch of class to your fun casino evening. These often feature slots for storing chips and a special fabric surface that makes it easier for cards to glide to the players as you deal. The table is octogonal and has cut outs to hold cards, poker chips and beverage cups. The board is finished with stain and glossy clearcoat varnish; also the playing surface is covered in felt. All materials are cheap and readily available at any builders providers or hardware store. This table could easily be made over a couple of weekends.

This page will instruct you on how you can build an eight player poker table step by step. The finished poker table is shown in the photograph below. The table is octogonal and has cut outs to hold cards, poker chips and beverage cups. The board is finished with stain and glossy clearcoat varnish; also the playing surface is covered in felt. All materials are cheap and readily available at any builders providers or hardware store. This table could easily be made over a couple of weekends depending on your woodworking experience and using modest woodworking tools. It would make for a very neat addition to any man cave! I got my poker table plans here.






Step 1 - Materials and Tools

Materials List and approximate prices:
$72
$26
$21
$48
$14
$16
$43
$9
$3
$5
$3
$5
$7
$8
$5
$7
$16
$306
Tools I used:
  • Circular Saw
  • Hand held sander
  • Electric Staple Gun
  • Plate joiner kit

Step 2 - Cutting for each side of octogan

Firstly, start with your 6'x8' 3/4' thick pine boards. These will be cut into 8 pieces and will form the perimeter of the top surface of the poker table. These will be routered out later to allow space for cups and chips/cards.


Step 3 - Cutting edge piece/molding

Next take your 6'x3' 3/4' thick long pine boards and using a drop saw or hand saw (with mitre box!)cut them roughly 1' longer than the longestedge of the 8 pieces that you have just cut in Step 2. These will be nailed and glued along the edge of the table top as a finish molding.

Step 4 - Gluing up each side of octogan

The next step will involve nailing and gluing the pieces cut in step 3 to the pieces cut in step 2.
I did mention that the pieces cut in step 3 ought to be about 1' longer than the longest edge of the piece cut in step 2. This difference will be split so that the pieces from step 3 will stick out 1/2' on each side of each piece (longest edge) from step 2. This was to ensure that there is enough material to trim off at the appropriate angle i.e. flush and inline with edges of the pieces made in step 2. Nails out to be punched below the surface and then later filled with appropriate colored wood filler.

Step 5 - Cutting each side to correct length and angle

The next step is to trim up the assembly on both sides such that each edge of the assembly is at the same angle. This is done using the mitre saw. Please ensure that your mitre saw is at the correct angle. Double check to be sure! Run your finger along the cut edge to ensure that the surface is smoothe and the edge of each piece is aligned.
The image on the right below shows the desired result.

Step 6 - Cutting out for cup holder

Using a hole saw cut a hole wide enough to allow the cup holders to fit snugly.

Step 7 - Cutting out for chips storage

The next step involves cutting the rectangular hole out which will allow each player to store his/her chips/cards. I did this by drilling a hole within the outline of the rectangle to allow the jigsaw blade to get started then slowly and carefully cutting out the material. Patience is key here, as I would imagine you want a smooth straight finish. Tip: Clamp a piece of straight edge to run your jigsaw against. This will ensure a very straight cut. This isn't shown in the diagram by the way.

Step 8 - Dry Assembly

At this stage, all going well, you should have 8 assemblies exactly like that in the picture above on the right. It would make very good sense at this stage to dry fit the assembly to ensure that all edges join up with no gaps, if you what I mean. They then can joined permanently.

Step 9 - Gluing up final assembly

Assuming that step 8 went well, the next step will be to cut out holes for the biscuits using the jointer and then gluing up the assembly. The pieces will be held together using clamps in the positions shown on the image on the right below.
Once the glue has dried, the two halves are then glued together on the flat as shown below in the picture.

Step 10 - Cut plywood base

The next step is to cut the plywood base onto which the assembly above will sit.
Ryan
Using the octagon ring made in step 9, measure the inside diameter and this will give you the measurement to mark out the outline of the base onto a sheet of plywood. I actually had to join two plywood sheets together as one would not suffice. It's all about measuring twice and cutting once here!

Step 11 - Cutting out for cup-holders in plywood base

The holes for the cup holders will now be cut out in the plywood base. This is done by fitting the top octagon ring (from step 9) to the plywood base (from step 10) and then using the top holes as a guide for the hole saw to cut holes into the plywood base.

Step 12 - Router the top edges

To give the table top a nice appearance I rounded all the edges with a router and a rounding bit.
Paying particular attention to the joints, I sanded all the surfaces with 120 grit paper on a hand held sander. I finished off the sanding with a 220 grit sandpaper. The surface was very smooth at this stage ready for stain and a finish. But that will come later. Next to cut out the centre octagon.

Step 13 - Cut out centre octagon

Next, the centre octagon (play surface) is cut out and wrapped up with felt. This piece is cut using a 4' x 4' sheet of 3/4' birch plywood. Remembering that batting & felt will be wrapped around this piece it is important that there roughly a 1/8' gap all around to allow for the thickness of the felt.
Ryan

The batting is glued to the plywood using a spray adhesive. The edges are then wrapped around the edges and stapled to the other side. The same is done when gluing the felt (green) to the batting.

Step 13 - Making the foot of the table.

The foot of the table is simply a plywood octagon which can be made to any width you desire. Mine was made 5/6 the width of the octagon centre piece mad in step 13.

Step 14 - Making the pedestal

The pedestal is the base onto which the table top rests. The pedestal consists of an upper pedestal and a lower pedestal. The upper pedestal slides over the bottom pedestal such that the table can be easily dis-assembled and transported from one place to another.
Poker
The top (&bottom) pedestal is square and is made from 3/4' plywood. The pedestal is nailed and glued together.
The bottom pedestal is constructed in the same way as the top pedestal but is nailed to the plywood foot. This is shown in the photos below.
Both the top and bottom pedestal edges are finished with a pine trim.

Step 15 - Finishing

The next step involves staining all surfaces that will be visible when the table is fully assembled.
All surfaces are given a sanding firstly with 120 grit sand paper and then secondly a rub with 220 grit sandpaper. All surfaces and brushed and rub with a tack cloth to remove any dust.
Uneven staining is a common problem when staining softwoods like pine, thus the wood is first preconditioned to allow the stain to stain the wood more evenly. The stain is allowed to dry, lightly sanded and rubbed with a tack cloth. The wood is then given a coat of polyurethane.

Step 16 - Attaching the top pedestal to the plywood base

Once the polyurethane has dried you can now proceed to attach the top pedestal to the plywood base.
On the underside of the plywood base mark out a section in the middle and apply glue. For extra security the top pedestal is screwed to the plywood wood base.

Step 17 - Cutting & gluing fabric in chip holder cut out

The table is assembled. The octagon ring will give the correct positions for the batting and felt cut outs. The method of securing the batting to the plywood base and then the felt to the batting is identical to the method used in step 13.
Once the fabric fitting is complete lay the octagon ring on top.

Step 18 - Ready to Play some Poker?

The table is ready for some fun nights of poker playing with friends or family.
I hoped that you have realised just how easy it is to make your own poker table. I used some plans that I bought online and they were well worth it. I have had many a fun night poker with my buddies, you can too.

The Upswing Poker Lab is a poker training course taught by Doug Polk and Ryan Fee. The Lab is updated regularly with in-depth learning modules, theory videos, and a wealth of information to make you a better poker player.

Live poker tables are full of limpers. As a result, learning to play effectively against limpers is a crucial part of becoming a successful live player.

In this article, I'll break down how to react to limps from one of the most important positions: the cutoff. We'll take a look at some general things to consider when constructing your own ranges, and then use some example ranges to serve as a rough guide.

How To Play The Cut-off Without Limpers

Before we consider our strategy against limps, we have to consider what a standard live cut-off opening range looks like. As we face three-bets at a much lower frequency in live poker, we can justify opening a fairly large range of hands. Here's an estimated 36 percent cut-off opening range as recommended by The Poker Lab:

The way that we adjust this range against limpers depends on a number of factors:

• How loose are our opponents?

Our range should be adjusted according to the limping ranges of our opponents. If we are up against opponents that limp an extremely wide range of hands, we can raise more frequently than if we're facing tight limpers.

• What are the stack sizes?

Ryan

If there are any short-stacked players which have limped in front of us, we have to be cautious when selecting our hands to raise with. Suited connectors and weak Broadway hands will play poorly against smaller stacks, while medium to strong pocket pairs and strong Broadway combinations will do well against them. We don't want to get limp/re-raised and have to fold often in these situations, so your range should be weighted towards stronger holdings that do well in low SPR spots.

• What positions are our opponents limping from?

The earlier the limper's position, the tighter we should play. If we face an under-the-gun open-limp followed by a number of calls, we should consider tightening our raising range as it will be difficult to isolate players. We need to raise with hands which can play well in multiway pots by retaining their equity in them. The opposite is true for late position limps, which we can attack with a relatively wide range.

• Do our opponents have a limping AND a raising range?

Usually players that mix it up between limping and raising preflop do the same thing: they limp weak to medium-strength hands and raise with strong ones. We can easily exploit this by raising often against their weak limping range.

• What can we get away with post-flop?

Post-flop tendencies matter too. If we are up against players that often fold to continuation bets and multiple barrels, we can exploit them by raising a wide range over their limps. Conversely, if our opponents are calling stations and float with a very broad range of hands, we should consider tailoring our range to being more value-heavy.

Bowen therapy casino nsw bay. • How often will we get preflop folds?

If our opponents will limp/fold frequently, raising from later positions with a wide range will be profitable as we can scoop up dead money.

Ryan's Poker Table #4

• Will we get limp/re-raised or three-bet often?

If the limper has shown a tendency to limp/re-raise, we should tighten our raising ranges. Because preflop raises will be larger when there are numerous limpers in the pot, three-bets will usually be bigger as a result. This means that you will not be able to defend call the three-bet as often, so you will need to tighten your raising range to avoid over-folding to three-bets. (This is rare in live poker, but adjust accordingly if you notice that it is happening.)

Ryan S Poker Table Plans

Playing Our Range Versus ‘Standard' Limping Ranges

Once we've considered these factors, we can begin to decide how we can most appropriately play our range. Against a ‘standard' limping range, the range outlined below will be a good starting point:

The hands in red will function as profitable raises against a normal limping range. The suited connectors included will realise their equity very well, whilst our Broadway combinations are strong enough to bet for value post-flop. The hands in pink can be either raised with or called with depending upon the dynamic of the table.

Playing Our Range Versus Tight Limping Ranges

The tighter range below can be used when you are up against tighter opponents, shorter stacks or are being aggressively three-betted:

Playing Our Range Versus Loose Limping Ranges

Against a field which is limping a wide range of hands, we can raise a wide range of hands profitably from the cutoff. A number of suited connectors are included in this raising range as they will realise their equity well.

Remember, when developing a strategy versus limpers from late positions, you must consider the following:

• How loose are our opponents?
• What are the stack sizes?
• What positions are our opponents limping from?
• Do our opponents have a limping AND a raising range?
• What can we get away with post-flop?
• How often will we get preflop folds?
• Will we get limp/re-raised or cold three-betted often?

Table
Using the octagon ring made in step 9, measure the inside diameter and this will give you the measurement to mark out the outline of the base onto a sheet of plywood. I actually had to join two plywood sheets together as one would not suffice. It's all about measuring twice and cutting once here!

Step 11 - Cutting out for cup-holders in plywood base

The holes for the cup holders will now be cut out in the plywood base. This is done by fitting the top octagon ring (from step 9) to the plywood base (from step 10) and then using the top holes as a guide for the hole saw to cut holes into the plywood base.

Step 12 - Router the top edges

To give the table top a nice appearance I rounded all the edges with a router and a rounding bit.
Paying particular attention to the joints, I sanded all the surfaces with 120 grit paper on a hand held sander. I finished off the sanding with a 220 grit sandpaper. The surface was very smooth at this stage ready for stain and a finish. But that will come later. Next to cut out the centre octagon.

Step 13 - Cut out centre octagon

Next, the centre octagon (play surface) is cut out and wrapped up with felt. This piece is cut using a 4' x 4' sheet of 3/4' birch plywood. Remembering that batting & felt will be wrapped around this piece it is important that there roughly a 1/8' gap all around to allow for the thickness of the felt.

The batting is glued to the plywood using a spray adhesive. The edges are then wrapped around the edges and stapled to the other side. The same is done when gluing the felt (green) to the batting.

Step 13 - Making the foot of the table.

The foot of the table is simply a plywood octagon which can be made to any width you desire. Mine was made 5/6 the width of the octagon centre piece mad in step 13.

Step 14 - Making the pedestal

The pedestal is the base onto which the table top rests. The pedestal consists of an upper pedestal and a lower pedestal. The upper pedestal slides over the bottom pedestal such that the table can be easily dis-assembled and transported from one place to another.
The top (&bottom) pedestal is square and is made from 3/4' plywood. The pedestal is nailed and glued together.
The bottom pedestal is constructed in the same way as the top pedestal but is nailed to the plywood foot. This is shown in the photos below.
Both the top and bottom pedestal edges are finished with a pine trim.

Step 15 - Finishing

The next step involves staining all surfaces that will be visible when the table is fully assembled.
All surfaces are given a sanding firstly with 120 grit sand paper and then secondly a rub with 220 grit sandpaper. All surfaces and brushed and rub with a tack cloth to remove any dust.
Uneven staining is a common problem when staining softwoods like pine, thus the wood is first preconditioned to allow the stain to stain the wood more evenly. The stain is allowed to dry, lightly sanded and rubbed with a tack cloth. The wood is then given a coat of polyurethane.

Step 16 - Attaching the top pedestal to the plywood base

Once the polyurethane has dried you can now proceed to attach the top pedestal to the plywood base.
On the underside of the plywood base mark out a section in the middle and apply glue. For extra security the top pedestal is screwed to the plywood wood base.

Step 17 - Cutting & gluing fabric in chip holder cut out

The table is assembled. The octagon ring will give the correct positions for the batting and felt cut outs. The method of securing the batting to the plywood base and then the felt to the batting is identical to the method used in step 13.
Once the fabric fitting is complete lay the octagon ring on top.

Step 18 - Ready to Play some Poker?

The table is ready for some fun nights of poker playing with friends or family.
I hoped that you have realised just how easy it is to make your own poker table. I used some plans that I bought online and they were well worth it. I have had many a fun night poker with my buddies, you can too.

The Upswing Poker Lab is a poker training course taught by Doug Polk and Ryan Fee. The Lab is updated regularly with in-depth learning modules, theory videos, and a wealth of information to make you a better poker player.

Live poker tables are full of limpers. As a result, learning to play effectively against limpers is a crucial part of becoming a successful live player.

In this article, I'll break down how to react to limps from one of the most important positions: the cutoff. We'll take a look at some general things to consider when constructing your own ranges, and then use some example ranges to serve as a rough guide.

How To Play The Cut-off Without Limpers

Before we consider our strategy against limps, we have to consider what a standard live cut-off opening range looks like. As we face three-bets at a much lower frequency in live poker, we can justify opening a fairly large range of hands. Here's an estimated 36 percent cut-off opening range as recommended by The Poker Lab:

The way that we adjust this range against limpers depends on a number of factors:

• How loose are our opponents?

Our range should be adjusted according to the limping ranges of our opponents. If we are up against opponents that limp an extremely wide range of hands, we can raise more frequently than if we're facing tight limpers.

• What are the stack sizes?

If there are any short-stacked players which have limped in front of us, we have to be cautious when selecting our hands to raise with. Suited connectors and weak Broadway hands will play poorly against smaller stacks, while medium to strong pocket pairs and strong Broadway combinations will do well against them. We don't want to get limp/re-raised and have to fold often in these situations, so your range should be weighted towards stronger holdings that do well in low SPR spots.

• What positions are our opponents limping from?

The earlier the limper's position, the tighter we should play. If we face an under-the-gun open-limp followed by a number of calls, we should consider tightening our raising range as it will be difficult to isolate players. We need to raise with hands which can play well in multiway pots by retaining their equity in them. The opposite is true for late position limps, which we can attack with a relatively wide range.

• Do our opponents have a limping AND a raising range?

Usually players that mix it up between limping and raising preflop do the same thing: they limp weak to medium-strength hands and raise with strong ones. We can easily exploit this by raising often against their weak limping range.

• What can we get away with post-flop?

Post-flop tendencies matter too. If we are up against players that often fold to continuation bets and multiple barrels, we can exploit them by raising a wide range over their limps. Conversely, if our opponents are calling stations and float with a very broad range of hands, we should consider tailoring our range to being more value-heavy.

Bowen therapy casino nsw bay. • How often will we get preflop folds?

If our opponents will limp/fold frequently, raising from later positions with a wide range will be profitable as we can scoop up dead money.

Ryan's Poker Table #4

• Will we get limp/re-raised or three-bet often?

If the limper has shown a tendency to limp/re-raise, we should tighten our raising ranges. Because preflop raises will be larger when there are numerous limpers in the pot, three-bets will usually be bigger as a result. This means that you will not be able to defend call the three-bet as often, so you will need to tighten your raising range to avoid over-folding to three-bets. (This is rare in live poker, but adjust accordingly if you notice that it is happening.)

Ryan S Poker Table Plans

Playing Our Range Versus ‘Standard' Limping Ranges

Once we've considered these factors, we can begin to decide how we can most appropriately play our range. Against a ‘standard' limping range, the range outlined below will be a good starting point:

The hands in red will function as profitable raises against a normal limping range. The suited connectors included will realise their equity very well, whilst our Broadway combinations are strong enough to bet for value post-flop. The hands in pink can be either raised with or called with depending upon the dynamic of the table.

Playing Our Range Versus Tight Limping Ranges

The tighter range below can be used when you are up against tighter opponents, shorter stacks or are being aggressively three-betted:

Playing Our Range Versus Loose Limping Ranges

Against a field which is limping a wide range of hands, we can raise a wide range of hands profitably from the cutoff. A number of suited connectors are included in this raising range as they will realise their equity well.

Remember, when developing a strategy versus limpers from late positions, you must consider the following:

• How loose are our opponents?
• What are the stack sizes?
• What positions are our opponents limping from?
• Do our opponents have a limping AND a raising range?
• What can we get away with post-flop?
• How often will we get preflop folds?
• Will we get limp/re-raised or cold three-betted often?

The ranges included here can be used as a guideline when building your own. Remember to be fluid in these ranges and change them accordingly to the dynamic of the table. ♠

Philadelphia native Ryan Fee is one of the top poker minds in the game today, with a WSOP bracelet and more than $3 million in live tournament earnings. Fee is also a lead instructor at UpswingPoker.com. The Upswing Poker Lab is a poker training course updated regularly with in-depth learning modules, theory videos and a wealth of information to make you a better poker player.

Sign up for the Upswing Poker Lab today for step-by-step instructions and examples to master both the fundamental theories and situational exploits to greatly increase your skill and earnings.

Ryan S Poker Table

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