The Illinois TCG Blog

Playmat care, local events and practical tips for card players across Illinois.

Local guides for Illinois

February 10, 2026

Humidity, heat and long drives to events all take a toll. Here is how Illinois players keep a custom playmat flat, clean and legal all season.

February 24, 2026

Where card players actually gather across Illinois, what a first local night looks like, and the gear worth having before you turn up.

March 9, 2026

Practical habits that make card play better in Illinois, from protecting cards in the car to setting up a pod that plays fast.

October 16, 2026

Buy single proxy cards from our own studio designs, or grab a complete 100-card deck.

September 18, 2025

Stitched edges, rubber thickness, surface texture. Here is what actually matters when picking a playmat that survives a full season.

August 5, 2025

Custom sleeves are an investment. A few small habits keep them tournament legal and sharp through hundreds of shuffles.

July 12, 2025

From single-card display slabs to themed shelf collections, how to show off your best pulls without compromising storage.

October 2, 2025

Print resolution, safe margins and wrap edges: the checklist for turning your own art into a deck box that looks sharp on every side.

October 21, 2025

Bleed, resolution and where the print actually lands. A five-minute guide to getting sleeve artwork right the first time.

November 14, 2025

Custom playmats, deck boxes and display slabs make better gifts than another booster box. Here is how to pick the right one.

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