Many pubs used to provide large boards.

a) Bricks don't get covered in stale ale.

b) Bricks don't disappear on the floor during an energetic shuffle, (usually about six pints in.)

A cribbage board is also useful to peg out the score...

Incidentally, that is how you told the difference between crafts down the pit (and indeed on the pit top.) Electricians played nomination whist, fitters played dominoes and blacksmiths played with themselves.

Twenty five years after leaving the pit, I bumped into an old mate, who reminded me of the night the King of hearts was played twice in the same game, and how our shift charge hand slipped a disk turning the table over..... Happy days (nights.)