Spotlight On... The Stacked Deck

The Stacked Deck

It’s actually been about a decade since casinos and gambling have made an incredible resurgence in the Realms. So much has been their impact that the entire currency system of the game received a much needed boost and from the long perspective we have as the Spotlighters we can assert that the economy of the game has never seemed so healthy. So first and foremost, all of the casino owners and dealers and those who devote time to gambling are all worthy of some part of the praise because all of you together have brought about the age of the casino and the age of the casino has enriched our game world considerably.

Specifically, however, we would like to take a moment to shine our spotlight on the efforts of the Stacked Deck. As most of you are aware, the Stacked Deck is a series of ranked poker tournaments wherein the winners receive points towards competing in a final tournament at the very beginning of the calendar year. Having just concluded the third season of this tournament play, having expanded the final event to larger than ever, and being poised to continue their success while refining their administrative tools, we feel that the group of individuals who make the Stacked Deck function are worthy of recognition.

If you’ve seen a Stacked Deck table at any of the many events that they occur at, you know that playing in one is an endeavor that no one takes lightly. At some events almost a score of people gather around to compete and the intensity surrounding their play draws in many people around them. It’s hard not to be interested in something taken so seriously by so many people. And while being a true master at poker is something that takes years of experience, another amazing thing about the Stacked Deck is that even a younger, less experienced player can be just as involved and also decently competitive with the titans of gambling that they might find themselves amongst.

Our community stands apart from other LARPs in a lot of ways, and one of the most amazing ways is how pretty much any members of the Realms can create content that draws people further in. Despite not being event holders at many events where Stacked Deck tables appear, the originators of this idea have designed something that has deepened the interest and intrigue of our game world in a subtle and interesting way. We hope that the Stacked Deck tournaments continue to be run with such zeal and that their impact continues to expand.

Part of the Stacked Deck table at Leviathan. Photo by Eren Pils-Martin

Spotlight On is a new View feature that seeks to highlight some of the amazing efforts around our community to make the Realms better. The Spotlighters staff is always on the lookout for things worth celebrating but if you would like to point us in any direction for ideas, please send an email to spotlight.realms@gmail.com