February 16, 2024: To Sleeve Or Not To Sleeve?

I'm curious: What're folks' thoughts on sleeving their card games?

To be clear, that question is entirely to sate my personal curiosity. As far as I know, the Hidden Masters have no particular plans or use for this information . . . although I suppose if enough mysterious billionaires answered in the affirmative, then 1) we'd probably take notice, and 2) please play nice on the forums, like everyone else.

Speaking personally, I've developed the mindset that if I'm going to play a game frequently, then I want to keep the cards in decent shape. I'd hate to revisit a once-loved game in a few years only to discover that there's a bent card I forgot about, or scratched-up edges from overeager shuffling. Plus I like the peace of mind that sleeved cards give me. My own clumsy nature means that I'd either have to learn to be more careful at the game table or stop bringing snacks and soda with me – and the odds of either happening are only slightly less than having a cabal of mysterious billionaires suddenly appearing on the forums. I know myself.

However, I also know that sleeving can get expensive, especially with as many games as I like to buy. In addition, sleeved cards are harder to shuffle, they often don't stack right, and they take up more space in the box. So the whole issue is a topic I revisit mentally every so often. Like now.

If you have any insight you'd like to share, I'm all ears. Or eyes, actually. Feel free to drop on by the forums and share your thoughts.

-- Steven Marsh