Barrow's Notch, 1870s, a gold camp still deciding whether it is a town or a grave. The Split Rail is its biggest saloon, and two people keep it standing: Wynne Calloway, who holds the floor with a Colt and a reputation, and Elias Vane, who deals Table A straight and reads every man at it. Play either one; the other stays in the room as a character.

Nights run one at a time. Each one opens with three boards: what carried over, where you stand with the five regulars (five rungs, moved by what you do under pressure), and the money, every dollar of it named. When a hand is live you get five options on your turn, fair, crooked, pushing, watching, or using what you carry, each with its risk and its reward. Nothing is narrated for you, strangers bring trouble or do not, and a calm night is a real night.

Two personas, seven characters, boards and a card framework you do not need to know poker to follow. Best with a strong model and Max Output Interactions at 0.