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Marked custom decks - where should the topic go?

Playing Card Plethora - it's custom, dude!  All custom decks are in the Plethora!
7 (77.8%)
Magical Cardistry Bonanza - it's marked, dude!  I can't use them at my poker table unless I'm performing magic!
2 (22.2%)

Total Members Voted: 9

Voting closed: May 31, 2015, 11:29:03 AM

Marked Decks: Plethora or Bonanza?

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Marked Decks: Plethora or Bonanza?
« on: May 14, 2015, 11:25:42 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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As you all know, sometimes a really cool custom deck comes out - and it has a marked back, telling you something about the card's face, even if it's just the suit.  The Aquila standard deck had this feature, as does the forthcoming White NOCs Signature Edition volume 1.

My question to you is this: since it's marked, should topics for such decks be kept in the Magical Cardistry Bonanza?  Or should they remain in the Playing Card Plethora?  On the one hand, it's a cool, custom deck, right?  But on the other hand, it's marked - and some people won't touch a marked deck because they use their cards on the game table and don't want to be accused of cheating.

What are your thoughts on this?  I need your feedback.  When we have 30 votes or the month ends - whichever comes first - I'll take your feedback and use it to make our official policy.

Thanks!

(Damn - that was fast!  I was still editing the poll and the first vote came in!)
« Last Edit: May 14, 2015, 11:30:46 AM by Don Boyer »
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Re: Marked Decks: Plethora or Bonanza?
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2015, 02:38:39 PM »
 

Rob Wright

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I see both sides of this. The NOC decks are geared towards magic and cardistry. Being marked, definitely not for poker. So that brings up another question. A lot of decks we see are not suitable for poker playing. Not just because of marking, but art style or other. So should we have a section for "Art" decks? I don't think so. My reason for keeping it in Plethora is just that. It's a deck of cards- regardless of style and use. I'm not a magician or cardist, so I rarely go into Bonanza. If a deck of cards is posted in Bonanza, I probably wouldn't know about it. When I look for new cards I go to Plethora.
That's my 2 cent.
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Re: Marked Decks: Plethora or Bonanza?
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2015, 02:55:33 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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I see both sides of this. The NOC decks are geared towards magic and cardistry. Being marked, definitely not for poker. So that brings up another question. A lot of decks we see are not suitable for poker playing. Not just because of marking, but art style or other. So should we have a section for "Art" decks? I don't think so. My reason for keeping it in Plethora is just that. It's a deck of cards- regardless of style and use. I'm not a magician or cardist, so I rarely go into Bonanza. If a deck of cards is posted in Bonanza, I probably wouldn't know about it. When I look for new cards I go to Plethora.
That's my 2 cent.

Ah, but while an art deck might not be well-suited for poker, it could still be used for such - it's just not the ideal design for the purpose, like using a pocketknife instead of the proper screwdriver.  But for a marked deck, however, regardless of whether it's well-suited for poker, it could in theory be used to give you an advantage over the other players at the table, more like using a lock pick kit for entering a stranger's home instead of ringing the doorbell or asking for the key...  That right there makes a world of difference.

Bicycle Rider Back: suited for all-purpose use, no cheats built-in - Plethora.
Stranger and Stranger Ultimate Deck: pretty to some, artsy to be sure, not very practical, but not impossible to use for cards - Plethora.
Bicycle "Ultimate Marked Deck," Rider Back design: can be used to cheat at cards, great for magic, can get you lots of money (or serious injury) at the poker table - Bonanza.

How is a marked custom deck (say, for example, Aquila standard, Phoenix "Jill Deck", etc.) different from the Bicycle UMD in this case?  More to the point, how it is the same?  I think they're too much the same for any marked deck to be treated as an ordinary custom deck.

Imagine if you will that not only are you not a magician or a cardist, but that you're a poker player.  Let's say you were not even aware that the Aquila standard deck was marked and you decided to use it at your poker table.  One of your buddies discovers the markings after you've coincidentally won a lot of money at the table - NOW what would you say?  "I didn't know it was marked?"  To a collector, it's no big deal - many collectors don't even open the boxes!  But to a player, especially one that's unaware of the markings, it can be seriously bad.
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Re: Marked Decks: Plethora or Bonanza?
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2015, 08:59:13 PM »
 

Rob Wright

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Imagine if you will that not only are you not a magician or a cardist, but that you're a poker player.  Let's say you were not even aware that the Aquila standard deck was marked and you decided to use it at your poker table.  One of your buddies discovers the markings after you've coincidentally won a lot of money at the table - NOW what would you say?  "I didn't know it was marked?"  To a collector, it's no big deal - many collectors don't even open the boxes!  But to a player, especially one that's unaware of the markings, it can be seriously bad.
I do play poker, and that would suck for sure. I can only speak for my self, but I wouldn't use custom cards in a serious poker game. Either way this comes down, maybe we should add something to the title of each thread like (Marked)
Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died.

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Re: Marked Decks: Plethora or Bonanza?
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2015, 03:32:59 PM »
 

Don Boyer

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Imagine if you will that not only are you not a magician or a cardist, but that you're a poker player.  Let's say you were not even aware that the Aquila standard deck was marked and you decided to use it at your poker table.  One of your buddies discovers the markings after you've coincidentally won a lot of money at the table - NOW what would you say?  "I didn't know it was marked?"  To a collector, it's no big deal - many collectors don't even open the boxes!  But to a player, especially one that's unaware of the markings, it can be seriously bad.
I do play poker, and that would suck for sure. I can only speak for my self, but I wouldn't use custom cards in a serious poker game. Either way this comes down, maybe we should add something to the title of each thread like (Marked)

Now what about if a company makes a custom magic deck?  Then what category?  "Name of the Wind" had a stripper deck, if I recall, as did a few others.  So, marked decks - are they a gaffed deck (in which case, yes, it's the Bonanza) or not?
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Re: Marked Decks: Plethora or Bonanza?
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2015, 09:49:28 PM »
 

Rob Wright

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Imagine if you will that not only are you not a magician or a cardist, but that you're a poker player.  Let's say you were not even aware that the Aquila standard deck was marked and you decided to use it at your poker table.  One of your buddies discovers the markings after you've coincidentally won a lot of money at the table - NOW what would you say?  "I didn't know it was marked?"  To a collector, it's no big deal - many collectors don't even open the boxes!  But to a player, especially one that's unaware of the markings, it can be seriously bad.
I do play poker, and that would suck for sure. I can only speak for my self, but I wouldn't use custom cards in a serious poker game. Either way this comes down, maybe we should add something to the title of each thread like (Marked)

Now what about if a company makes a custom magic deck?  Then what category?  "Name of the Wind" had a stripper deck, if I recall, as did a few others.  So, marked decks - are they a gaffed deck (in which case, yes, it's the Bonanza) or not?

We don't want to over think it. Either all new decks will go to Plethora, or any deck that is marked, or gaffed will go to Bonanza, and the rest to Plethora.
Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died.

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Re: Marked Decks: Plethora or Bonanza?
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2015, 12:31:46 AM »
 

Don Boyer

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We don't want to over think it. Either all new decks will go to Plethora, or any deck that is marked, or gaffed will go to Bonanza, and the rest to Plethora.

True.  But a little thought is needed, because the category of "custom decks with some form of gaffing built-in" exists, and marked custom decks are a large part of it.

I would say that something as simple as just a one-way mark (like the Phoenix decks) might not be enough to elevate a deck to being considered gaffed.  But markings that identify a card's suit (like NOC)?  Where would that lie?  Markings that identify both suit and color would certainly be gaffed - but if it's a unique custom design and only exists in the gaffed form, then what?

Judging from the consensus thus far, people are overwhelmingly in favor of keeping such decks in the Plethora.  Does ANYONE hold the opposing view?  Or is it just me?
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