Playing is much more than a pastime; it's the collective consciousness and the story of the triumphant hero and the defeated one—those timeless feats symbolized on the gaming table, with opponents wagering their resources and prestige. They are no longer heroes, but the skillful, the adept, and the expert gambler (the virtuous one) and the victim with racing passions, who cannot stop even as the losses mount (the vicious one). In the game, virtue and vice unfold, captivating us.