Subject: Cheating and the solution. (Issue)
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 1998 01:35:01 -0500
From: Billy Russell <tevesh_szat@pop.netaddress.usa.net>
To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com

In response to an article discussing Richard Garfield’s hop that Magic
would become an
international intellectual game on the same level as chess.  The players
of chess get to watch
their opponents intently and if they try to cheat then they can see it.

I think I have a simple solution to the problem.  If everyone is
complaining that there is too
much cheating and there are not enough guidelines or rules to stop
cheating.  (There definitely
are not enough judges at any tournament to stop cheating.)  Then the
players themselves
should be in charge of stopping the cheating.

Vision is the perfect answer to the cheating problem.  Keep everything
visible to both players
and then if one does try to cheat then their opponent should see it.  If
they don’t then that is
their own fault.  This should be something that is supported by WOTC and
the DCI only
because they are the ones who will have to institute the solution.  My
suggestion, and please if
you think it is reasonable send it in to WOTC, is for WOTC to supply all
of their sanctioned
tournaments with clear tables.  They don’t have to be glass just clear.
This way you can see
your opponent entirely and anything he does is visible to you and
everyone else.  Thus you
are in charge of watching and catching your opponent cheating.  There
won't be any more
reaching under the table to palm a card.  That is of course as long as
he isn’t a magician (no
pun intended).  Now of course your opponent can deny this accusation but
when a judge is
called over and everything is checked then you will be proven right.  I
doubt anyone would
try to abuse this power because everyone makes mistakes and they won’t
want to be on the
receiving end of it when they make a simple mistake.

Now granted this will cost money but if it keeps the players happy and
playing then it is a
good investment.

Billy Russell

A.K.A.  Tevesh Szat the DOOM of FOOLSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S.  And that is all I have to say about that.