The setting of the story: A cramped, smoky room where four players gather. It is not an ordinary game, but a brutal battle that can only be won by the most ruthless. The plot of the novella unfolds during the game as an inner monologue of the main character, a journalist. Markov characterizes the world of the 1960s in Bulgaria through a poker game, showcasing a complexity that is little known in this context. He skillfully parallels the card game with a letter of assignment, reflecting the often manipulated journalism through the metaphor of marked cards. With simple means, the author transports us to communist Bulgaria, although the story could also take place elsewhere in the Eastern Europe of that time. At the center are the dependencies that are not openly addressed, as well as the psychological depths of the participants.