Maxperson
Morkus from Orkus
Try playing live poker without cards. You can't do that, either, yet opening the pack of cards is not playing poker.I agree with Lanefan. You cannot play without it, like the referee's prep. It's part of the game. How much it's considered "playing the game" is largely a matter of opinion...but completely irrelevant to just about everything.
Just because something is essential to the game, does not make that thing playing the game.