Cardstacker Builds Houses of Parliament out of Cards – Record Attempt

Sky Poker team up with Guinness World Record Holder Bryan ‘The Cardstacker’ Berg to build British landmark out of playing cards

As reconstruction sites litter the streets of London, there’s a much more glamorous alternative happening near the Olympic site in Stratford. Unbeknown to Boris Johnson, the reconstruction of a UK landmark is about to take place as Sky Poker, the UK’s leading online poker firm celebrate their highly-anticipated ‘Play the Nation’ promotion in the only way the poker pros know how: teaming up with Guinness World Record Holder, Bryan ‘The Cardstacker’ Berg for his first-ever appearance in London, and challenging him to recreate one of Britain’s famous landmarks solely out of freestanding cards. But which landmark should The Cardstacker rebuild? Sky Poker friends, fans and online poker players get to decide!

Sky Poker’s Play the Nation pits poker players from around the UK in a nationwide competition to find out who the regional kings and queens of the cash games are. With different parts of the UK pitched against each other, may the best region win!

Richard Milner, Head of Sky Poker, said; “Play The Nation is a great celebration of UK poker, giving people a unique opportunity to compete for their region and challenge others. People have really warmed to this already, the buzz and banter on the Sky Poker community and on social media is great.”

Richard added, “We’re really excited about working with ‘Cardstacker’ on his first project in the UK. He is a genuine phenomenon so we can’t wait to see the build and of course knock it down in spectacular fashion afterwards!”

The extraordinary event will take place in Aspers Casino from February 15-22, 2012, a stone’s throw from the grand Olympic site in London’s trendy Stratford, where the rebuilding process will be carefully monitored. (Heavy breathing and door slamming are strictly prohibited.)

The Cardstacker Challenge compromises of two stages:

Live Construction, Open to the Public – 15-22 February 2-10pm daily
The Knockdown! Live streaming on Facebook – 27 February

The big part of any true freestanding card build is the knockdown! It will be taken down with a twist and streamed live on Facebook.

Visit the Sky Poker Facebook Page to watch the build live from 2pm – 10pm each day and also watch the knockdown on February 27th.
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About SkyPoker.com
Sky Poker is the British Sky Broadcasting’s online poker division, which allows users to play poker online on their website, and screens selected hands from various tournaments and cash games on Sky Poker TV, allowing players on the site to become the stars of the TV channel. Sky Poker focuses on UK poker players, with all play at the tables in pounds rather than dollars, as well as its own Sky Poker Tour around the country.
Sky Poker is licensed and regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC).

About ‘Play The Nation’
Sky Poker is celebrating UK poker with ‘Play the Nation’. The promotion is free to enter and runs throughout February. ‘Play The Nation’ pits poker players from around the UK in a nationwide competition to find out which region has the best poker players. Represent your region against the rest of the UK and double your bonuses if your area is victorious! Enter the promotion at www.skypoker.com/playthenation

About Cardstacker Bryan Berg
Guinness World Record Holder for the Tallest House of Freestanding Playing Cards since 1992, cardstacker Bryan Berg also created the original Guinness World Record for the Largest House of Freestanding Playing Cards in 2004. Since age 17, Berg has been commissioned to break his own records more than a dozen times. His most recent tallest tower stood 26 feet, and his most recent largest contained 219,000 cards and required 44 days to construct. He continues to hold both records.

Berg uses no tape, no glue, no folding, and no other tricks in his structures—just freestanding playing cards. Using a grid technique informed by patterns found in nature, his cardstacking has been tested in an engineering lab to support more than 660 pounds per square foot. Berg is trained as an architect, and earned a Master in Design Studies from Harvard. Cardstacking is Berg’s full-time job. He has travelled throughout North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa building projects for science and art museums, television, and special events.

About Aspers Casino
Aspers is a high quality and upscale British casino operator. A joint venture between the Aspinall family and Crown Limited, one of the world’s leading gaming companies, Aspers Westfield Stratford City is the first of its kind to open in the UK. Open 24 hours per day, 364 days of the year, all guests over 18 are welcome. Aspers is a socially responsible game operator.