CPA Voting Issues: Ethics

[Riva Iron-Grip]

about a month ago, my bro finaly started to get back into magic. but to win against all of my decks, he would cheat. i wouldn't take it any more. before games, he would take out key cards to his deck, and put them in his jacket or in his lap. it pissed me off. i mean i play at tournaments, but when people start cheating, it pisses the hell out of me off. i mean if you can't win by skill then get the hell out of the damn game. there is no room for cheaters and losers(not losing by better decks)in this game. they give us a bad name, and by doing this little/younger kids never want to come back. when i played at my first tournament, i got stuck playing against an older player(25-30). even though he beat me, he didn't get happy, instead he went through my deck and gave me suggestions on how to better deal damage and get creatures out. he even gave me some cards that i didn't have to get started with. Now, that is what got me to come back to magic tournaments. i think that all experienced players should play like that. it really helps. it's like the guru program. i think that these ideas are excellent ideas. ANYONE AGREE

 

[Landkiller]

What is a mind trick? Is it bluffing, like leaving two islands untapped and having a card in your hand? Why would that be unethical? Stalling is unethical in a timed game, no question. They should have clocks like chess players do. And the third game could be decided by some calculation of life total and time spent per player. Maybe 1 life is worth 30 seconds.

 

[sageridder]

Mind tricks,just wait till the split cards are legal in all types.I would never cheat,but if no card to play but a land I might turn it sideways in hand.I draw the line in the sand at something like that because it is only implyed,isn't your opponet doing the same by assuming you have the one card that could wreak them?Well not exactally the same but playing the odds like you are?I have allways explained the game and played it as a mix of d&d,chess and poker.Just my take.Bluffing can come into play in all of those games,and i personally don't belive it unethical.But instead a nessary part of the game.Agian I don't stack,false deal, misrepresent known facts,stall,or lie but I do bluff.

 

[Spiderman]

and I think I brought up the issue of the rules being more clear a while ago (around the time Long was doing his "funny" shuffling).

All I was saying was that I think Long received the just penalty currently under the rules and that people should be clamoring to get the rules/penalties changed, not saying Long got off lightly.

 

[Duel]

Look, the only reason people say he got off lightly is because he's Mike Long. If anyone else had gotten the same suspension for "Sloppy shuffling" (not stacking the deck) it would have been fine. Ignore who he is, and the penalty is about right.

 

[Baskil]

Is keeping two islands open a mind game?
How about saying "Damage on the stack?"
Having a poker face?
Talking like Regis about what people's options are?
'Acting' like you're flustered?

Personally, I think as long as you aren't breaking rules (insulting opponent, stacking decks, drawing extra cards, etc), then you're playing the game. Sure, it may not be the most moral thing to do, but it works.

If you're playing a deck with no counters and you have two untapped islands, some people will think twice before casting that spell. Or, conversely, if you have tons of counters, but none in hand, people might 'think' you have some. I really don't see what's wrong with that. Actually, the art of bluffing/jedi mind tricks is a good way to win seemingly unwinnable matchups. Use psychology against your opponent, and cause their game to be off. I don't see anything wrong with it.

 

[Namielus]

Mind games are fun/I have even been asked to go to a tournement to mess up the top players mentally. Mind games invole making someone slip up. I do this to Zadok whenever I can *(hopefully with out him knowing) and it works very well, when I make someone deal with incredible complex combat situations sooner or later there not gonna pay kicker on a skiziks or there are gonna be able to kill me and slip up.

BTW mind games are not leaving open 2 islands, mind games are (with plenty land open) turning a card sideways so your oppenet thinks your playing with a wax wane. And then there is always saying opps after you say go, when you did nothing wrong.

But cheating, I hate players that cheat, at that point they aren't playing...

The only expection I hold is in a game where one player is mana screwed, both players may choose to do something completly unorthdox. But never in a tournement, ever that is wrong.

 

[Spiderman]

They are the type of game play that doesn't break the rules; pretty much what you guys have been saying (no funny shuffling or deck stacking or drawing extra cards or whatever).

Leaving two islands open is legal under the rules. If the opponent think you have a counter, that's fine.

Saying "Oops" after a play or go is fine; not against the rules (more like personal commentary)

Saying "Go" after your opponent does something during her EOT and confusing her thinking it's the start of her next turn and letting her take it and THEN complaining about it is NOT fine. Strictly speaking, you haven't taken your turn yet and saying "GO" (when you've been saying it everytime else) means you have. You need to back up and probably get a warning or whatever it is for "confusing the reality of play".

Sitting on the back of your chair, while strictly legal, can probably be considered "bad sportsmanship" just from a common sense viewpoint.

 

[Duel]

Is asking "Is it my turn?" incessantly a mind game? I use that on occasion (Usually when I gottta go)

 

[Spiderman]

If it's incessantly for a reason (like you gotta go) then I guess it's okay (although why don't you just put the game on pause and go?)

If it's for no reason other than to get to your turn, yes, it's a mind game. Because the person will tell you when they're done when they're ready (unless they are intentionally stalling or are playing mind games of their own).

TomB: I just went to the poll and I think you need a third answer: "Don't know/Not sure" because that's how I feel looking at the question. I just don't have enough information to answer Yes or No (although I guess I could just not vote).