Welcome to the 2020 'Deck of the Year' Awards brought to you by the P52 playing card community and in partnership of the UC!
Voting officially opened on Monday, Jan. 18th at 12pm PST and officially closes on Sunday, Jan. 31st at 11:59pm PST so don't delay - VOTE TODAY!
For more in for on this event and how you too can participate, please read below!
WHAT
The ‘Deck of the Year’ Awards, or more popularly known as ‘The DOTYs’, is an annual event in which the community comes together from every corner of the web to reflect upon all the amazing decks to have been released throughout the past year and celebrate the hobby of playing cards by officially recognizing those that exceed in excellence which have really stood out among the rest of 2020. As the longest-running international playing card awards event of its kind, the DOTYs are highly regarded within the industry in honoring artistic & technical merit by awarding the most talented designers, passionate producers & diligent manufactures as chosen by YOU! With 15 different DOTY award categories, the best of the best are nominated in aspects of tuck to aces, pips, gaffs backs and everything in between! Now’s your chance to let your voice be heard on what decks truly come out on top and deserve the coveted title of ‘DECK OF THE YEAR’!
WHERE
This amazing DOTY Awards event is a collaborative community partnership between UC and Portfolio52 and we here at P52 are proud to offer, for the first time ever in DOTY history, a new custom-built and incredibly easy-to-use, one-click voting system to participants that has been designed and developed exclusively for this event! Built from the groud up with the exact specifications of the DOTY event as our guide from insightful feedback and insight from the community, the ease of usability for voters was and continues to remain at the forefront of it's design and we're super excited to roll-out this new feature in helping grow the Deck of the Year Awards!
WHEN
Voting for this year's DOTY Awards event is officially open from Monday, Jan. 18th until 11:59pm PST on Sunday, Jan. 31st.
But the DOTYs are so much more than just voting - below are also so very important dates to be sure to add to your calandar!
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Sunday, Jan. 31st : Voting Closes
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Monday, Feb. 8th : DOTY Awards are Announced
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Monday, Feb. 15 : Winners of the DOTY Voter Prize Giveaway is Announced
Read more about our DOTY Awards and Voter Prize Giveway below!
HOW
The Deck of the Year Awards are a community event in which eligible decks of the past year are nominated by members of the community and presented in 15 different DOTY Award categories and then presented and officially opened for voting so you can chose which decks you think are the best of the best of 2020. To learn more of eligibility and nominatations, please read below!
P52 x UC Partnership
We are proud to partner with the United Cardists forum in bringing the community this amazing event
Rules of Participation & Voting
Each user can vote for as many or as few categories as they want. They can only vote for a maximum of 1 entry per category.
Eligibility of Deck Releases
Deck releases are based on completed fulfillment, not necessarily manufactured date. Reprinted decks or recolors, if nominated before, may not be eligible for this year's event nominations. Reprinted decks or recolors not yet nominated in previous years are however elegible.
Award Categories & Nomination Process
There are 15 total award categories. Nominations were done December through January on UC.
Nomination & DOTY Award Eligibility
Best Tuck Case
Decks that come in boxes containers or anything that was not crafted from a majority of cardstock or similar materials are not eligible for nomination in this category. Only the outer case by which the cards are housed qualify for determining eligibility and, for example, if a limited edition deck, which has a tuck case, also comes housed in an additional box or case of any kind, it is only the tuck case that is eligible for nomination in this category.
*NOTE: 'Standard' deck color variants of a series are not specified and a vote for one counts towards each of the decks within that series. More 'premium' edition decks ('Signature'/'Collector's'/'Limited'/etc.) within a series however are specified in recognition as only that particular edition has been nominated for 'Best Tuck'. If there are more than 1 'premium' editions of a deck within a series, of which both feature the same qualities, they too are not specified in the same way as color variants are not and a vote for one counts towards each within that searies.
For example; there are 2 color variants of 'Amazon Spartans' but neither is specified. A vote for that deck, regardless of color, is a vote for each variant of that series equally and they are being recognized equally as set of that series as both are of the same manufacturing quality. Additionally, even though there are 2 limited edition variants within the series of 'Modern Idols', a vote for 'Modern Idols: Limited Ed.' is a vote for both edition variants of that series as both also feature the same tuck qualities and same artistic style.
If you have any questions or need further assistance on how to vote, please reach out and let us know!
Best Ace(s)
One, more or even an entire set of aces from a deck are eligible as a whole for nomination in this cateory. If an entire set of Aces have been nominated as a set, there will not be any distinction made between the Aces of each suit and they will be presented as a nomination for the entire set. A vote casted for one Ace from a set is a vote casted for all of them.
*NOTE: If the Ace(s) are the same or very close stylistically in design across variants and/or editions of a series, they are not specified and a vote for one counts towards each of the decks within that series since the design is the same or very similar. Color variants are also not specified and a vote for either deck is a vote for each variant of that series equally.
For example; there are multiple variants of 'Italia' but all feature the same aces or those very stylistically similar in design and of equal quality. A vote for that deck, regardless of color or edition, is a vote for each variant of that series equally and they are being recognized equally as set of that series.
If you have any questions or need further assistance on how to vote, please reach out and let us know!
Best Joker(s)
One, more jokers from a deck are eligible as a pair or set for nomination in this cateory. If a pair or set of Jokers have been nominated, there will not be any distinction made between each of the Jokers and they will be presented as a nomination for the pair/set. A vote casted for one Joker from the pair/set is a vote casted for both/all of them.
*NOTE: If the Joker(s) are the same or very close stylistically in design across variants and/or editions of a series, they are not specified and a vote for one counts towards each of the decks within that series since the design is the same or very similar. Color variants are also not specified and a vote for either deck is a vote for each variant of that series equally.
For example; there are multiple variants of 'Italia' but all feature the same Jokers or those very stylistically similar in design and of equal quality. A vote for that deck, regardless of color or edition, is a vote for each variant of that series equally and they are being recognized equally as set of that series.
If you have any questions or need further assistance on how to vote, please reach out and let us know!
Best Extra / Gaff Card(s)
Diptychs are eligble for this category as 'extra cards' rather than classification as jokers since the design of both cards are intended to be viewed together whereas jokers are often used on their own as wild-cards in gameplay.
If you have any questions or need further assistance on how to vote, please reach out and let us know!
Best Courts
All nominations submitted for courts from a deck are eligible as a set in this cateory. If only one or a suit-set of courts have been nominated, there will not be any distinction made between each of the courts either between suits or within and they will be presented as a nomination for the entire set of a deck. A vote casted for one or more courts from a suit is a vote casted for all of them across suits.
*NOTE: If the Courts are the same or very close stylistically in design across variants and/or editions of a series, they are not specified and a vote for one counts towards each of the decks within that series since the design is the same or very similar. Color variants are also not specified and a vote for either deck is a vote for each variant of that series equally.
For example; there are multiple variants of 'Italia' but all feature Courts that very stylistically similar in design and of equal quality. A vote for the courts of that deck, regardless of color or edition, is a vote for each set of courts from each and every variant of that series equally and they are being recognized equally as set from that series.
If you have any questions or need further assistance on how to vote, please reach out and let us know!
Best Fanning Deck
Any deck that features designs specifically intended for visual impact in fanning is eligible for nomination in this DOTY Award category. Lack of traditional design on the faces do not affect it's eligibilty but the deck must include a minimum of 52 cards.
If you have any questions or need further assistance on how to vote, please reach out and let us know!
Best Cardistry Deck
Any deck that was designed specifically for use in cardistry is eligible for nomination in this DOTY Award category. Lack of traditional design on the faces and/or the backs of the cards do not affect it's qualification as a 'cardistry deck' but the deck must include a minimum of 52 cards.
If you have any questions or need further assistance on how to vote, please reach out and let us know!
Best Magic Deck
Decks are only eligible for nomintation in this DOTY Award category if they include some feature either within the design of the tuck or cards that was specifically intended for use in any sort of magic. For example, this may be the inclusion of extra/gaff cards, a marking system of some sort, or card reveals either on the faces of the cards or anywhere within the design of the tuckcase. Although standard decks can be used for magic, only those that were specifically designed for magic fall under eligibility for this Award category.
If you have any questions or need further assistance on how to vote, please reach out and let us know!
Best Non-Poker Deck
Decks are only eligible for nomination in this DOTY Award category if they qualify as a non-poker as set by the standard in which the designs of the card faces are indistinguishable in rank and/or value making it impractical for traditional gameplay.
The most simple way to determine if this is the case, especially for 52-card "poker" decks is by soley judging the design on the face of the card; if the corner indicies were covered, would the person viewing the card be able to determine what card it is? can they know what suit it belongs to or whether or not it's a court or a value card? If the answer is 'no' for a majority of the cards within a deck, it falls under the classification as an 'art deck' and therefore a part of the 'non-poker' category as these decks were not intended for gameplay.
A deck that is nominated and qualifies for the 'Non-Poker' DOTY Award Category is not eligible for nomination in any of the following categories as they are inteded to highlight features of 'Poker' decks: 'Best Ace(s)', 'Best Joker(s)', 'Best Extra/Gaff Card(s)', 'Best Pips', 'Best Courts', 'Best Overall Deck'
If you have any questions or need further assistance on how to vote, please reach out and let us know!
Best Rookie Deck
Decks are only eligible for nomination in this DOTY Award category if they qualify as a first-time produced deck (either by a first-time designer and/or first-time producer). The Grand Prize Award of this category is firstly offered to the Rookie designer, however, in the case that it comes to light that the designer had designed a deck that did make it through production at any point, either personally/privately, or as privately or corprately comissioned work and/or through a design group/company/firm/etc., the Award will automatically offered to the first-time producer as the winning Rookie Award recipient. In the case that both the designer and the producer do not qualify under eligiblity of the 'Rookie' title due to previously produced decks either done in prior collaboration individually, then they will be removed from nominations. In the case that this comes to light only after voting has begun and/or concluded, they will be asked to respectfully recuse themselves from acceptance of the title and any/all associated Grand Prize Award(s) and an astrik will be made in the DOTY Award archieves to denote this.
If you have any questions or need further assistance on how to vote, please reach out and let us know!
Best Overall Deck
Any deck that is eligible in any of the other categories, excluding 'Best Non-Poker Deck' (please read the eligibility qualifications for this category in the relevant section above for clarification), is eligible for this category. The Grand Prize Award of this category is firstly offered to DOTY designer of the winning deck; however,inthe case that the designer declines, the Grand Prize Award will automatically be offered to the producer of the winning DOTY Award recipient.
If you have any questions or need further assistance on how to vote, please reach out and let us know!
DOTY Event Sponsorship
If you would like to help sponsor let us know by DMing us directly on Instagram @Portfolio_52 or through Facebook @Portfolio52.
Voter Prize Giveaway
Giveaways this year will be done by random draw matching to be announced in the week after voting completes. Only 1 entry per user allowed. Givewaway prizes will be matched with sponsor to winner and shipping will be negotiated among them on a case by case basis.
Grand Prize Event Winner Details
Cartamundi: The first place winner of the 'Best Overall Deck' also known as the '2020 Deck of the Year' category will be awarded a €4,000 credit with Cartamundi at their Cartamundi factory towards a single new project. First place winner will be decided based on total number of votes.
Note that the grand prize will go to the designing member, and not the producer, of the deck. The credit is only valid towards a single project and cannot be split up.
Legends: The first place winner of the 'Best Rookie Deck' category will be awarded a $2,000 USD credit towards a LPCC print run. Run must be a minimum of 800 decks and 200 decks will be cross sold and cross-promoted on the LPCC website. Please note that there is only 1 prize per winner. In the event that a rookie also wins '2020 Deck of the Year' they will be given the larger prize and the next place winner will receive the grand prize for this category.
Conditions for both prizes applicable to change at the discreption of the sponsors.
Award Nominee Resources
For you nominees, you can download branding resources to share on your social media accounts HERE. These badges can be overlaid across your preferred photos of your decks to help bring engagement to your accounts and encourage your followers to vote for your nomination to win the official DOTY award!
Authors: PipChick (@pipchickadee) and Alex Chin (@portfolio_52)
