Infinite Limits

E-lit Example

          Stud Poetry made by Marko Niemi is a poker game played with words instead of cards. The goal of this game is to create a strong poetry hand and try to win as much money as you can, just like in actual poker. Stud Poetry is a game that seems to take a lot of thinking as well as concentration, and of course some luck like most games. Like poets, this game forces you to believe in the power of words. Niemi states “to become a great master of Stud Poetry, you need to believe in the power of words, their magic capability to move mountains, minds, and souls.”  I found this most compelling because he believes in how powerful words really can be in completing a story, poem, or even a game. Just like Calvino, words are the basis of important literary texts, and will continue to do so for centuries to come.

           The game is set to three different speeds, slow, normal, and fast. Even at the normal pace, the word cards move quickly to create a hand of five cards. There are many other players and each person has to think poetically to come up with a good hand to win the money. As each hand is given, the cards are also colored black and red, and have different symbols on them like actual playing cards. Whatever player comes up with the best hand wins with a good pair of words.

          This E-lit example stood out visibly because of how the players must use their imaginations to visualize a good pair. The words in the game are what make up the visual imagery and it is important to believe in the power of the words in order to win. 

To play Niemi’s Stud Poetry and see if you have the talent and luck to win click here.