Behavior during tournaments

[rkoelsch]

Here is an article I found that I agree with.
http://www.grimmoire.com/index.php/article/articleview/201/1/5/

I understand that the money portion makes Magic more attractive but I sometimes wonder if there is a way to stop it from attracting oinkholes. Countless times I have caught people with higher rating cheating so they don't lose ratings points in a loss. These are at a small local shop that runs sanctioned events.

 

[Spiderman]

Had to add the fourth option...

Yeah, because of cash prizes, you'll always get some bad guys.

Funny thing in that article is that in the beginning, he's complaining how other players were telling his son how to play, yet down near the bottom, he's offering suggestions to his opponents. Obviously he doesn't go in detail but it could be that it was the same with his son: his opponents might have been "suggesting" better plays and trying to help him out

 

[rkoelsch]

Yes, I think you have to be skeptical of some of his viewpoints. It is very hard to be objective when family is involved. But I think his general feeling is correct. I actually think that the first response has some good points. If you have put money into an entry fee I don't feel it is necessary to point out mistakes an opponent makes during the game. There should not be a problem discussing them after the match.

 

[Mr_Pestilence]

Definitely.

I'm lucky to have a choice of several shops to play at, and all of the jerks seem to be concentrated at one or two.

I go there occasionally, just to see if my current decks are up to snuff.

Otherwise, I play at a much more casual store, where oinkholes quickly identify themselves, and are generally not encouraged to come back.

I HATE to lose, but I would never cheat.

 

[Killer Joe]

Last week, my young opponent declared "No Blockers", so 12 points of damage were going to hit him (he was at 14 life), then I said, "Before damage goes to the stack, I'll discard two cards to pump up my Mongrel making him Black, Black and giving him +2/+2." he does the quick math and says, "My bad. I'll block."

DOH!!!!

Okay, I'm 30 plus, plus, plus something and he's like wearing diapers (but a cocky little son of a gun). Immediately the guys at the table look at me and I say to the young lad, "Um, you already declared no blockers and besides the damage is about to go to the stack. Do you have any responses?" "No.", he says, and I get the evil eye from everybody. And I win second place for a measly $6.

Now I'm gettin' the evil eye from all of you .

Was I a jerk? Or did the little guy learn something from that experience?

I don't mind "Rules Lawyers" and I don't care for "crap-talkers", but I cannot stand cheaters!!!!!!!

Cheaters come in all types and sizes, so you can't immediately peg one on looks and attitude alone.

"Jerks!?"
Define what you mean by "Jerks".

 

[theorgg]

I've felt like that before, YJ.

The kid came back and knocked my block off afterwards.

I felt like a complete idiot afterwards, though.... However, in a tournament, you have to stick to the rules. If nothing was on the line, I could understand letting him take back the non-assignment of blockers, and mabe even suggest a possible blocking scheme...

However, during a tournament, it is a touranment, and you are suppose to do your best...

 

[Apollo]

Ditto. You were in the right, YJ. The kid made a mistake, and in a tournament you would be doing yourself and him an injustice if you'd let him take it back. If you're playing for fun, maybe, but not in a tournament.

Besides, say at some point he's playing for a lot more than $6. You know his opponent isn't going to let him take it back then, but maybe because of you he'll think it through and make the right play.

 

[rkoelsch]

YJ, I believe in sticking to the rules especially in a tournament. That's why I agree with a lot of the first person's response. Now if it was a casual game then it would be different.

 

[Spiderman]

If this was a tournament setting (like it sounds since you won money), there's no excuse for your opponent. He just didn't want to take the hit.

If it was a casual game, it's iffy... depending on your if any past history with him and whatnot. With a friend, I'd let it slide but a stranger, probably not. It's not a hazy part of the rules, especially if he said "No Blockers".

 

[Ransac]

You did the right thing, YJ. Like everybody has said, it was a tournament. You want to win. You didn't cheat, you just followed the rules. It's his fault that he forgot about the Mongrel's ability.


I had a similar incident at a draft last week. I was on the beating of a lifetime, because my opponent drafted a deck too broken to contemplate. here's an example: 2 Sengir Vampire, 2 Grotesque Hybrid, Pardic Collaborator, 2 Organ Grinders, etc. I had about 7 creatures in play and he had about 16. He had me down to 4 and he decided to let me draw out my deck rather than kill me. Well, about 3rd to last card, I draw into my Levatation, squeal like a little school-girl, play it, and attack. Well, unfortunately I just blindly attacked and didn't do the math, because I got him down to one. BUT, WAIT! I HAVE A MONSTEROUS GROWTH IN MY HAND!!!!! Wait, it's a sorcery. I ask if I can take that back, he says no. I jokingly attempt to cast the sorcery pumper as an instant and he jokingly eats it.

Sure, it would have been cool if he had let me do it and I would have been happy, but he was trying to win, too. If it was CASUAL play, however, he probably would've let me take it back, because that's just the kind of guy he is.


Ransac, cpa trash man

 

[Spiderman]

sorry to go off-topic and kinda private but all other methods have failed...

YJ, if you don't mind, can you tell us what happened to you in the beginning of the year and stuff? Or at least unblock your PMs and talk there? Or just say "nothing to worry about" (although some of us are still curious... )

 

[Avarweth]

I thought I'd add my two cents in here for anyone who might still be reading this thread...

When I first started playing magic, nearly all the people I played with were new to the game, too. The few non-newbies in our group had quit the game for long enough that they had to re-learn new rules anyway.

We made a rule amonst ourselves early on: NO TAKEBACKS. We all agreed that we were doing this for fun, but if we ever wanted to play seriously, and be taken seriously, we had to learn to play the right way. This led to a few scuffles, and a lot of arguments over rules, but in the end, it made us all better players.

Figure out what you need to do before you do it. Don't whine and ask for a DO-OVER, and if you already said "done" you don't get to play any more sorceries. I think that kid could have learned from us newbies.

 

[rkoelsch]

I think you learned the right way. There are reasons that games have rules and it is not right that you only obey them sometimes.
I am not saying people should have let the kid win or bend over backward for him. But being civil is allowed in tournaments. I also think anyone who feels they have to try and intimidate someone to win doesn't belong in the game.