Well protected is better played?

Some time ago Christian from Spielstil.net drew my attention to the #BG2GETHER campaign and asked if I would like to participate. At #BG2GETHER different bloggers, podcasters, vloggers etc. create a post about a topic from the world of board games once a month and link each other. To me, this is a great way for all participants to benefit through networking. The reader gets diverse access to a particular topic. After working our way through Spiel 2022 in Essen last month, this month's topic is the meaningfulness of additional card sleeves:

Sleeves - Sensible protection or environmental pollution?

More plastic? - No thanks! Basically, I never put my cards in sleeves. For me, games are allowed to look played. I don't have much experience with sleeved cards, but I find them much harder to shuffle, stack, and often read (if they're not matted sleeves).

As always, however, no rule is without exception. In games where the players take on hidden roles, it is essential for the game that the roles remain secret. These roles are usually distributed by cards. If the villain has a kink in the card, the game is practically unplayable. A well-known representative of this genre is for example Abgrundtief. And this is also the case with Mantis Falls. In this game, sleeves for all cards are supplied directly by the publisher.

Do you protect your games?

No - definitely not by making any additional purchases. I think everyone who plays board games and maybe has a small collection on the shelf is well aware of the value. That's why I handle my games very carefully and therefore don't see any sense in protecting them additionally. An exception are maybe some inlays for 3 - 4 games. But these are primarily for sorting, and of course they also protect the material.

Since I've been buying more and more games on the secondary market lately, it's interesting to note very quickly whether you bought the games from a frequent or occasional player. With the frequent players and collectors, they are usually in much better condition.

What do you consider important and when is it excessive?

I consider it important, as already written above, to treat games with the appreciation they deserve. After all, a lot of work goes into such a game and ultimately a high, but usually reasonable price. When a protective measure for a board game is excessive should be decided by each player for himself. I can understand it when collectors completely bag their Kickstarters and equip them with additional inlays, or lock the painted figures in a glass case, but it's not mine.

Additional question, what action by an enthusiast do you know of that you feel is completely over the top?

I can't think of anything specifically, so here's another question to think about: the Radlands game comes with cards that are no longer made of paper, but of a special plastic. These are of such high quality that you can bend them and wash them off. They are "sleeved" ex works, so to speak. Sense, nonsense? What do you think?

As already mentioned, #BG2GETHER is a format to strengthen networking, so read more interesting articles on the topic directly, for example, at:

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11.11.2022 - Stefan

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