So you’re playing in the SCG Open Series, and your opponent misses his Dark Confidant trigger, but it’s obvious the card he’s holding in
his left hand is the card that needs to be revealed, and it hasn’t quite made it to the rest of his cards. Do you do the following?
A.  Call him a complete moron and lecture him on how to play his deck, then call a judge over and do everything in your power to get your
opponent a match loss.
B.  Immediately call a judge over.
C.  Simply remind your opponent about the trigger and ask to see the card that wasn’t revealed.
Technically, you should always politely call a judge over and get your opponent a rule violation; personally I usually go with answer C. You would be
surprised to see how many players pick answer A. This lack of sportsmanship is something that truly bothers me, which is why I am writing this article.
With the SCG Open Series thriving, now more than ever Magic players are jumping into the competitive scene. This is great for the game and for the
community as a whole. With this wave of new players, I feel now more than ever it’s important that proper player etiquette and sportsmanlike
conduct are regulated and enforced.
People need to understand without continued support of new players our community doesn’t grow. If our community doesn’t grow, our
tournament numbers will dwindle, and we won’t have all the fantastic tournaments that we currently have at the local and national level. Older
players tend to understand this because it wasn’t too many years ago that Wizards was cutting down on the number of Pro Tours and GPs.
A lot of young grinders don’t have a proper understanding of community building and what’s good for the game. Some of these players have
the attitude of screwing your opponent over and showing a complete lack of respect. A great example of this is at the Indianapolis Open when my friend
Alex Krenik went 7-1-1 with this take on Team America.
Creatures (12)
Lands (21)
Spells (27)
It was a sick build and a right call for the metagame, and I remember him telling me stories about how certain elitists were lecturing him on how bad
Stifle and Daze were and how he shouldn’t run them. Then he proceeded to Stifle their fetchlands then Dazed them out. After one match, his
opponent didn’t shake his hand, was complaining like a little child, then just got up and left… silly kids.
Personally I have always treated Magic as a gentleman’s game, like golf. Magic is only considered a children’s card game if we sit and act
like a bunch of kids. My attitude towards the game is one of the reasons I have been called one of the more pleasant players to play on the circuit.
This is because I show up to these events to have a good time and hang out with friends. That doesn’t mean, however, I don’t do everything
in my power to win my matches straight up. I come with the expectation of having fun. Having fun isn’t solely contingent on making Top 8. I do
walk into the tournament expecting to succeed, but that doesn’t mean I have to be a sore loser when I don’t.
I also approach my matches and interactions with my opponents with common sense. So, going back to my question above, the reason why I chose answer C
is because it’s obvious that the card that needed to be revealed hasn’t fully reached their hand, and a simple reminder saves everyone all
sorts of time and headaches. Helping your opponent maintain a good game state only helps everyone in the long run. That doesn’t mean I remind my
opponents about many effects like Vial triggers, but I don’t call them bad when they miss the triggers and beat me anyway.
The last thing I am trying to do is encourage an atmosphere where players aren’t using the resources available to them, especially when it comes
to game state and game rules violations. The judges are a resource; use them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you have a question about the Oracle
text of a card, call them over. Or, if you feel something is not right or something smells fishy, call a judge over. Using the judges to aid the
legitimacy of your match is always good thing. There is a difference between politely calling a judge over for some clarification and calling a judge
over with the pure intention of getting your opponent a game loss. I never have been a fan of rules lawyering. I tend to see this happen when a good
player is against an inexperienced player, mostly because the inexperienced player has no idea how to properly explain themselves.
Magic is a game full of communication, and one of the easiest ways to protect yourself is to make sure your communication is clear. When having to
explain your case to a judge, you have a much higher chance of success if you present your case in a clear and concise manner. When a judge is
called, it’s important to keep a clear head and not let the situation fluster you. I have had opponents make a questionable judge call on
purpose with the intention of putting me on tilt or pushing me to make an incorrect play.
A great example of this was a few years ago, the turn before a game-winning attack, my opponent called the judge over to ask for a card count because
he felt I was up too many cards, and he was down a card. The judge came, and we had to go through the whole game. The head judge was
called because the problem was still not resolved. We later determined that everything was fine, and we were able to proceed with the game, what
felt like hours later. Unfortunately for me, I let the whole ordeal get to me, and I punted shortly after. Precisely what my opponent wanted. If I had
kept a clear head and stayed focused, I would have blocked properly then attacked properly the next turn. These types of things happen, and it’s
important to learn from them. I don’t approve of this use of the judging system, but people try these things, so keep a clear head, and don’t reward
them for it by playing badly.
Like Poker, Magic is a game with variance, that’s what makes it fun and exciting. There are going to be a lot of times when the better player
doesn’t win. The idea that anything can happen is what keeps players coming back. I like to call it the Chris Moneymaker Effect. For those of you
who don’t know who Chris Moneymaker is, he is an accountant who won the 2003 WSOP after getting into the tournament playing an online grinder. He
is a contributing factor to the poker boom the next few years. Did Chris make sound plays? Did he deserve to win? Absolutely not (Sorry Chris if you
read this)!
But it was sure fun watching him do well, and that concept is what brings so many players to the SCG Opens. Anyone can enter, and there is a huge range
of players, from new players who dream to sit across from Gerry Thompson, experienced grinders, and established Pros. Anyone can literally get lucky
and win an eight- or nine-round tournament, and that mix of experienced and inexperienced players in one tournament can make things interesting.
Here are some simple rules I follow when playing new players (keep in mind these are just my opinions):
- Help your inexperienced opponents maintain a good game-state.
-
I never have been a fan of trying to get my opponent DQ on game rules violations and I run into this situation when my opponent is new to a
complex format like Legacy and is having all sorts of problems. - I know I am going to win my match anyways so why be a jerk about it.
Don’t get labeled as a Scumbag.-
Information travels fast now days. If you’re the type of person who cheats people out of money, sits there and complains, or bashes your
opponent because you’re some sort of elitist; guess what? The next time you play someone and they are not in contention for Top 8 and you
are, they will dream crush you every time. -
It’s the same faces you’re going to see at the top tables at these events and if you’re known as a scumbag you will be
treated as such.
Lose with grace.-
Every time I see Alex Bertoncini play, win or lose, he’s having fun and is very respectful to his opponents. I have sat back and watched
Gerry Thompson lose to one-outers in people’s decks and is genuinely happy for his opponent’s excitement. - Magic is these people’s livelihood, but they still play and win/lose with class. What’s your excuse?
- Talk about your match with your opponents.
-
I love getting opinions on my matches with my opponents. I also love helping players with any miss plays they may have done. You never know
when you may need someone’s help. - Have Fun.
-
I don’t mean to beat a dead horse here. We have all heard this a million times, but for the majority of us this is the reason why we go
to these tournaments. -
Very few of us are going to make a living playing Magic, but it is probably one of the most productive hobbies’ you will ever do. So have
fun, travel with friends, meet people on the circuit, and have a good time!
Magic is a wonderful game, and we are all so lucky to see it prosper like it is now. It’s important to understand that the more people playing
the game competitively; the better it is for the game. Tournament attendance is how Magic tournament success is measured, and it doesn’t take a
genius to understand that new players are vital. Be thankful for all the big events you will be looking forward to in the coming year and months to
come. Always keep in mind: not so long ago we weren’t so lucky.
Thanks for reading