Poker and Cherrywood

Poker and Cherrywood are two shapes that grow out of a shared structural idea: the bottom of the bowl is flattened, so the pipe stands on a table or stand without any support. Any pipe with this feature is broadly known among enthusiasts as a "sitter" pipe; Poker and Cherrywood are the best-known, most standardized members of that family.

Poker

The Poker is an upright shape in which a near-cylindrical bowl meets a straight shank. The bowl walls are usually kept thick, the base is wide and flat, and the transition where the shank meets the bowl is slightly raised in most examples. Viewed from the side, this profile is most often compared in shape guides to a mallet; the comparison is descriptive rather than exact. Measured against a billiard of the same size, it gives a heavier, more massive impression — part of the bowl's volume goes toward the thick material that spreads the heat.

The shape's practical rationale is clear. At a writing desk, while reading, or with your hands full, the pipe can be set down without needing a separate stand. Because the shank is short, the mouthpiece is easy to grip, and the pipe's center of gravity stays close to its base.