Best Poker Sites with Four Color Decks

What is a 4-Color Deck?

A 4-color deck is exactly what it sounds like: a deck of cards that uses four suit colors rather than two. Usually in a deck of cards, suits are either red or black. Hearts and diamonds are both red, while clubs and spades are both black. Because there are two suits to a color in a standard deck, it can sometimes be hard to figure out whether or not there’s a flush on board. This is especially true online, where the cards are pretty small. Rather than the standard coloring, poker sites with 4-color decks use red, black, green, and blue to mark suits. Here’s a handy suit correspondence list:

• Blue = Diamonds
• Green = Clubs
• Red = Hearts
• Black = Spades

Why Do Poker Sites Have 4 Color Decks?

4-color decks became popular because they make life easier for players. Every good poker site caters to its players needs, and the 4-color deck is right up there on every player’s list of top features.

Grinders who play multiple tables at a time are especially fond of 4-color decks. Multitablers often have as many as 24 games open simultaneously, which means reading the board is pretty much a snap decision. You can’t afford to spend time deciphering a flop when you’re in action on five other tables. The 4-color deck helps to make reading boards easier, and in turn helps multitablers to avoid making costly mistakes.

The thinking behind the 4-color deck is the same as any strategic concept. If you break a problem into small parts, then master each small part, you conserve mental space for making more complex decisions. Think of it this way: learning how to add in math class is boring. But once you can add basic numbers instinctively, you can move on to more interesting problems. You don’t even think about addition once you’re good at it – you just do it.

It’s the same idea with 4-color decks. You don’t even think about reading the board after a while – it just comes naturally.

Are 4-Color Decks Standard?

Pretty much every poker site worth the price of admission offers a 4-color deck. All the major poker rooms do, as do most smaller sites these days. There was a time when a poker player’s options were limited, and poker sites weren’t concerned about losing players. But now, there are too many options out there. If a site wants to keep players around, you can be sure it will offer a 4-color deck. And if a site doesn’t offer a 4-color deck, you would do well to choose another one.

Why Should I Play At Poker Sites With 4 Color Decks?

Do you like money? You’ll make more of it if you play at a poker site with a 4-color deck. That itself should be reason enough to switch, if you’re still using a standard deck. It’s not only that 4-color decks make the game easier, though. It’s a matter of customer service, too. If a poker site doesn’t have a 4-color deck, you can infer that it’s probably lacking in other areas as well.

Which Poker Sites Have the Best Four Color Decks?

Choosing the best 4 color deck is an art, not a science. Your preference will be different from mine, and mine will be different from Joe Bob’s. It’s pretty subjective.

When comparing poker sites with 4-color decks, ask yourself the following questions:

• Are the cards a good size and easy to see?
• Can I easily figure out whether or not there’s a flush draw on board?
• Are the card faces ugly, or are they visually appealing?

If the cards are too small on the screen, you’ll run into eye strain problems – that’s no fun. And if the colors are murky or dull, you might have trouble reading suits. Choosing the best poker sites with 4-color decks is kind of like choosing a favorite piece of artwork: beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

888 Poker 4-Color Deck

As far as 4-color decks go, 888 Poker’s is well designed and easy to use. Here’s a screenshot:

Notice that the cards are clearly labeled, and the colors are vivid. You can clearly differentiate the ten of diamonds (blue) from the ten of hearts (red). It’s just an easy board to read, and that makes playing a pleasure.

Bovada Poker 4-Color Deck

Bovada Poker’s 4-color deck is nothing to sneeze at, either. Here’s a screenshot:

The cards are pretty big, which makes eye strain a non-issue. The suit colors are well defined, so you don’t have to worry about mixing up your suits. The only issue is with the graphics on the card. Notice that 888 Poker’s 4-color deck features large bolded graphics. The Bovada cards on the other hand are a bit more ‘light-weight’. The 888 deck jumps out at you a bit more than the Bovada deck, which is something to think about.

Lock Poker 4-Color Deck

Lock Poker’s 4-color deck can be summarized in one word: minimalist. Take a look:

No bells, no whistles, and no fancy graphics – just a bunch of cards in four different colors. Depending on your preferences, this could be either a pro or a con. Notice that the rank markings on the Lock Poker cards are pretty large, relative to the rank markings on other sites’ decks. That makes reading pairs and straights really easy, but can detract from reading suits at times.