Subject: The Cheating Discussion
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 03:38:29 EDT
From: Pronigious@aol.com
To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com

Cheating, ect.

I would first like to point out that the reason wizards doesn't post or even
have strict guidelines for rules penalties is a very sound one.  Acceptable
Losses.  If I know that I won the first game, and by cheating I win the
second- but if I get caught I lose the next game... too late I already won the
match, let's see what we have for the runner up-  a large penis in his rectum
by donation of the rules.  We can't have that.  We also can't have horrible
penalties for dumb things- everyone has accidentally picked up two cards at
once and saw the other, most people say "sorry, do you want me to put it at
the top bottom or in the middle" and go on with their game.  In fact, The
people that cheat are people with good rankings, and rightly so I imagine, if
they can't win by cheating... you gotta wonder.  Listen truthfully very few
people know every rule in the game.  Yes, a lot of higher ranked players have
two years of experience on the judges.  This causes problems for the judges.
And intention is a big deal too, although I don't agree with, I do understand
the ruling made in "The Long Incident"  You can't judge based on a past
record, that would give everyone who played Long a way to win the game.  don't
pick up a card, and accuse him of extra drawing anyone could do that, and if
it was based on rumor (really no DCI report of cheating exists on Long, just
disruption I think) then I could get half the people at my local tournaments
DQ'ed everytime I played a game.  It is not going to happen.

What I propose would be something like to upcoming k?-scale tournaments.  The
penalties incurred would be severe based on your DCI rating.  This would keep
newer players safe from screw ups and make ranked players play better.  I also
think name players should be given harsher penalties (don't flame me for
this...)  It would really put an example in the minds of the newer players
that cheating will NOT be tolerated.  If they see Mike Long, God of Magic, get
DQ'ed for cheating, maybe they won't want to cheat.  A ranking based penalty I
believe would set things straight.  the people who have been playing for a
while don't need warnings.  If you are on pro-tour, you don't make
unintentional mistakes.  If a baseball player misses a ball it is an error, it
goes on the scoreboard and on the back of his baseball card.  That is a
"Professional".  If magic wants a "Professional" Tour, it should treat its
players in the same way.

That's my opinion on the matter anyway...

Benj Hamilton
Pronigious@aol.com