A series of unapproved flyers and casual meetups in the student lounge has since led to one of College of DuPage (COD)’s newest student clubs. The Trading Card Game (TCG) Club, officially chartered this January, brings together students to casually play, compete in tournaments and learn popular card games like Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon.

“I’ve been a big fan of trading card games since I was a kid.” said Lucky Johnson, president of the TCG Club. “Through the summer semester of ’25, I would cause trouble for Student Life by putting up unofficial posters all over campus telling people to meet me in the [Student Services Center] lounge to play card games,” 

After the lounge gatherings began drawing consistent attendance, Johnson said the Office of Student Life stepped in.

“Someone came to me just like, ‘You can’t do this, but you have so many people here at this point, you should just be a club,’” they said. “So I picked out some officers, and here we are.”

Since officially forming, the club has grown into a weekly gathering space on Fridays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in SSC room 1109 for students of all experience levels, from longtime competitive players to those picking up their first decks. The club is advised by motion picture and television chair Tony Venezia and English professor Austin Slott.

“We just crested 70 members,” Johnson said. “I’m now at the point where I don’t know everyone. And that’s pretty incredible.”

A major focus of the club is removing financial barriers to entry for card games, which can often become expensive for new players. On average, beginner decks can cost $20 at minimum. Unlike traditional card games that use a fixed deck, TCGs require players to build personalized decks from individually purchased cards that are often acquired through randomized packs or resale markets. The most expensive cards can be resold for millions of dollars. 

“We also run a small shop out of our club to provide people with stuff to get started if they don’t have it,” Johnson said. “We run our store at cost so that people can get into things really cheaply. As long as I’m the one running the club, stuff is going to be unreasonably cheap for all.”

The “Shop” includes items like card decks, card sleeves and deck boxes. 

“We sell starter decks for $5 regardless of what

we paid for them,” Johnson said. “We just call it ‘The Shop,’ which is just my 70-pound backpack.”

The club has also established partnerships with local game shops such as Ninja Cat Card Shop and Clan McDonald Comics in Naperville, as well as Grognard Games, a game store chain in the Aurora-Warrenville area. Through these partnerships, the club receives donated card products, collectibles and other items used as prizes during tournaments. 

Some community members have donated their own card collections. These are made available for new players looking to try the game without investing upfront. Johnson said the club is always open to donations and to contact them for further inquiries.

“We had a very generous donor give us about 15 years’ worth of a collection,” Johnson said. “Now people who have no collection can just show up and pick through bulk like you’re at a local game store, and it doesn’t cost them anything.”

For many members, TCG Club serves as both a social outlet and a place to reconnect with the hobby. 

Robert Zincoris, a first-year education student at COD, discovered the club after seeing students playing Yu-Gi-Oh! on campus shortly after he moved to the area. The experience quickly drew him in.

“I hadn’t played [any card games] in like three years,” Zincoris said. “I just started watching and talking to everyone, and it kind of re-sparked my interest after all this time.”

Zincoris said nostalgia is a major reason many students are drawn to TCGs.

“I think that’s what a lot of people we play with pertain to. It feels so nostalgic,” he said. “That’s kind of the driving factor for joining. I felt familiar with the community, and that has kept me coming back.”

Second-year student Devin Nguyen said he first encountered the club after seeing a flyer on campus. He later attended a tournament on a whim, won the competition and has continued participating since.

“I will always argue for TCGs and the people that are part of those communities. There’s so much more than the negative stereotype of this really just big, greasy guy that doesn’t shower,” Nguyen said. “And it sucks, because even if you look into the room, it’s so diverse. There’s a mix of ethnicities, genders and identities. So many different people. Everyone is just there to play and enjoy the game.”

Students can join the club’s Discord server for updates and announcements. Additional questions can be directed to Johnson at [email protected].