Playing card sizes and the sleeves that fit them
The most common game card is poker size, 63.5 × 88.9 mm (2.5 × 3.5 in), used by Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon and many board games; it fits standard sleeves of about 66 × 91 mm. Yu-Gi-Oh! and some other games use smaller 59 × 86 mm cards that fit Japanese-size sleeves of about 62 × 89 mm. Measure a card before buying sleeves for any other game.
Card sizes are not as standard as they look. Two decks that look the same on a shelf can be several millimetres apart, and that is enough to make sleeves too tight or too loose. Here are the sizes you will meet most often, and how to match sleeves to them.
Common card sizes
| Name | Millimetres | Inches | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poker / standard | 63.5 × 88.9 | 2.5 × 3.5 | Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Lorcana, most playing cards and many board games |
| Bridge | 57.2 × 88.9 | 2.25 × 3.5 | Bridge decks, some board games |
| Japanese / small | 59 × 86 | 2.32 × 3.39 | Yu-Gi-Oh! and some Japanese card games |
| Standard American (board game) | 56 × 87 | 2.2 × 3.43 | Various board games |
| Standard European (board game) | 59 × 92 | 2.32 × 3.62 | Various board games |
| Mini American | 41 × 63 | 1.61 × 2.48 | Small cards in many board games |
| Mini European | 44 × 68 | 1.73 × 2.68 | Small cards in many board games |
| Tarot | 70 × 120 | 2.75 × 4.75 | Tarot decks, some large-card games |
Board-game card names vary by sleeve brand, so treat the board-game rows as a starting point and measure.
How to measure a card
- Use a ruler marked in millimetres, or calipers if you have them.
- Measure the width across the short side and the height along the long side.
- Measure two or three cards; die-cutting varies a little.
- Write it as width × height in mm, the way sleeve packs are labeled.
Choosing sleeves
Size. A good sleeve is usually about 2–3 mm larger than the card in each direction. Poker-size cards (63.5 × 88.9 mm) go in standard sleeves of about 66 × 91 mm. Japanese-size cards (59 × 86 mm) go in small sleeves of about 62 × 89 mm.
Thickness. Thin “penny” sleeves are cheap and fine for storage and prototypes but don’t shuffle well. Thicker matte sleeves shuffle smoothly and protect cards that get played every week. Sleeved decks get noticeably taller, so check the deck still fits in its box.
Inner sleeves. For valuable trading cards, put each card in a perfect-fit inner sleeve first, then insert it upside down into a standard sleeve. The two openings face opposite ends, which helps keep dust and spills out.
Backs. In trading card games, opaque colored backs are required in most organized play, so opponents can’t see marked or bent cards through the sleeve.
We Geek Together carries trading card accessories online and at its Sandy and Provo stores.
If you’re designing a game
Use poker size unless you have a reason not to. It is the cheapest to print, players already own sleeves for it, and sleeves are a handy prototyping tool: slide a printed paper slip in front of an old card and you have a card that shuffles well. See our prototype supplies guide.
Avoid going smaller to save money. Spider-Goat Games used mini cards in its Dark Web campaign to keep costs down, and backers made it clear they wanted full-size cards.
Questions people ask
What size are Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon cards?
Both are poker size, about 63 × 88 mm (2.5 × 3.5 in). They fit standard-size sleeves, usually listed at about 66 × 91 mm.
What size are Yu-Gi-Oh! cards?
About 59 × 86 mm. They need small or Japanese-size sleeves, usually listed at about 62 × 89 mm. Standard sleeves are too loose.
What is the difference between poker and bridge size cards?
They are the same height, 3.5 inches, but bridge cards are narrower: 2.25 inches (57 mm) wide instead of 2.5 inches (63.5 mm).
What are perfect-fit or inner sleeves?
Very thin sleeves cut just larger than the card, put on first, with the card then going upside down into a normal sleeve. Double sleeving helps keep out dust and moisture for valuable cards.
What size cards should I use for my own game?
Poker size, unless you have a strong reason not to. Printers handle it cheaply, players can sleeve it easily, and it's comfortable to hold.