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Axel Yberg Goes All In: Custom Poker Table by Akke Functional Art
By Ray Hu - Dec 11, 2012
Photos by Robert LowellWe first discovered Akke Functional Art at the ICFF this year—how could we pass on a steampunk ping-pong table?—and designer Axel Yberg has all but outdone himself with his latest project. The "All In" poker table refers both to the game itself and Yberg's recognition that building the Akke brand "has been a team effort and everyone involved has given it their all." "On a personal level, it symbolizes the fact that when I commit to something, I give it everything I've got; mentally, physically, and emotionally. When I'm excited about an idea, the first thing I say is, 'I'm all in!'"
Over 600 man-hours of labor went into the arboreal tabletop, which features fifteen species of exotic wood: Madagascar Ebony, Rosewood, Purple Heart, Zebra Wood, Wormy Maple, English Brown Oak, Black Locust, Claro Walnut, Quilted Maple, Sycamore, Cherry, Catalpa, Black Walnut, Quarter-Sawn White Oak, and live-edge Ash. And while the ligneous lines that comprise the striking web pattern of the surface are purely aesthetic, the rest of the table is chock full of symbolism:The vectors that bisect each angle on the perimeter of the table are made from Madagascar Ebony and Rosewood. Their colors, black and red, represent the suits in a deck of cards. This idea is carried into the turnbuckle drink holders, which are designed as a quadrant of Black Walnut and Cherry. The organic nature of the live-edge Ash on the perimeter of the table symbolizes the fact that the game of poker requires complex thinking, as opposed to a systematic game like Black Jack. To be a successful poker player, you must have plenty of skill, nerves of steel, and a good amount of luck. The steel horseshoes that surround the WPT logos symbolize that combination.
The center of the table features a five diamond pattern—"a nod to the legendary Doyle Brunson and the [World Poker Tour] Doyle Brunson Five Diamond World Poker Classic"—that is backlit by Edison reproduction bulbs, set in Akke's signature pipe fittings, while the gold-painted base is an ostentatious allusion to the "bling associated with Las Vegas."
The final product comes in at 81” × 52” × 31.5” and, by Yberg's best guess, roughly 300 lbs—hit the jump to see the making-of video...
Yberg notes that he came up with the design for the table, but his friend Matt Gai—who funded the table, which will be awarded to the WPT Player of the Year—shared his poker expertise:Matt advised me on the things related to gameplay; the space that each player requires, the maximum width the table could be (to allow the dealer to grab the chips), the depth and diameter of the drink holders, the height of the table.
Ray Hu
Formerly an editor and currently a contributor to Core77 (among other publications), Ray relocated from New York City to the Netherlands in September 2015 to pursue a Master’s in Curating & Writing at the Design Academy Eindhoven. Insatiably curious, he brings a broad interest in popular culture, media, and technology — alongside an abiding passion for art, music, and cycling — to his practice as a journalist and critic.
5 Comments
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a typical design where the designer creates something just because he can, neglecting all practical details of a normal poker table or improving on them. all the above + who stacks his chips sideways on the provided grooves? as far as I know almost all poker players stack them upwards so the chips don't roll out to the sides, block your cards while dealing/mucking etc. it is a shame the design ist just an eye catcher at best as the topic is very interesting.!Report as spam
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Looks beautiful...but I'm not sure how comfortable it would be playing on this table. The arm rests seem a bit rough. Too bad the designer seemed to overlook every aspect of ergonomics. Like manty said, picking cards up would be a pain in the a$$. There is a reason poker table tops are felt or leather!!Report as spam
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I'd like to see the designer pick up a hand of cards from that surface.!Report as spam
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It's missing the whale penis leather. And the legs should be real gold. I bet actually playing poker on it is an exercise in eye strain.!Report as spam
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Is it me or I find this poker table to be too much of everything, too much bling, too much wood essence, too much lines... It's like a puzzle or a stained glass poker table which is too much when you're dealing cards with different colors and forms. The frame is something else too, but I dont have any words left... At least they did a good job on the fabrication.!Report as spam
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