About Us
The Short Version
PlaySlab is a one-person shop based in Boise, Idaho. I sell graded trading cards in Slim Player Slabs — a form factor that lets you protect and play your favorite commanders and leaders without choosing between the two.
Who's Behind This
I'm Chris — a stay-at-home dad of two girls, married, and a Magic: The Gathering player since 2013. I started PlaySlab as a hobby that turned into a side hustle. Before this, my background was in biochemistry, but these days I spend most of my time with my family, remodeling our house, and turning cardboard sideways.
When I'm not packing orders or updating the shop, I'm probably at my local game store, rolling at BJJ, or hanging out with family and friends. My current card game obsession is Gundam, but Commander and One Piece are always in the rotation.
Why Player Slabs
I like playing with expensive cards. Foiled-out commanders, alternate art leaders — the stuff that makes your deck feel like *yours*. The problem is that the more a card is worth, the less comfortable you are shuffling it around a table every week.
Traditional grading solves the protection side but kills the playability. You can't sleeve a PSA slab into your deck box. Slim Player Slabs from Premier Card Grading changed that for me. They're thin enough to fit alongside your sleeved cards, they're sealed and authenticated, and they look clean in the command zone. I started buying them for my own decks, then realized other players at my LGS felt the same way.
That's how PlaySlab started. My goal isn't to build some massive operation — it's to popularize a form factor that I genuinely think is cool and useful. The players I've talked to agree. Once you see a graded commander sitting in your deck box next to your sleeved 99, it just clicks.
On Pricing
I'll be honest: the hardest part of selling slabs right now is getting people past the price tag. Most players don't realize what it costs to submit a card for grading — between the raw card, grading fees, and turnaround time, the markup on what I sell is smaller than you'd think. I keep my margins tight because I'd rather move product and get slabs into more hands than sit on inventory.
For most of the cards in our shop, you're paying roughly $30-40 over what the raw card costs. For that, you get a card that's been professionally graded, sealed, authenticated with an NFC chip, and ready to drop into your deck box. To me, that's a fair deal — and I think as the format catches on, more players will see it the same way.
Get in Touch
This is a small operation and I like it that way. If you have questions about a card, want to talk slabs, or just want to say hi, email me at chris@playslab.com. I typically respond within 24 hours.
PlaySlab IRL
Day in the life of a girl dad,
or, how to be a father and play with cardboard, too.
Daddy Daughter Date
Valentine's Day 2026
Paint Minis with Waifu
Aile Gundam FTW
Sort Bulk
Because I'm an animal who rips way too many packs.
Bandai Card Fest 2026
Don't ask me how it went /grumble.exe
