Immediately after Adepticon ended, Tastytaste from Blood of Kittens posted that he had video evidence of cheating. A week later, he posted 3 unclear videos, saying they were evidence of cheating. I think this was a very weak attempt at trying to get attention.
Then, Tim posted this. I don't know about anyone else, but I fully believe this is sincere. He forfeited his Vegas ticket which was a very big thing for him to have done. I think Tastytaste owes Tim an apology.
I want to talk about the topic of cheating. If you see it happening you should immediately take action. Don't stare at your feet, don't take out your video camera. First what you have to do is make sure you are correct. Think the situation over for a minute and if you are confident then call the guy on it. If he persists, bring a judge over. IMO there are two main reasons why people don't do this:
a) Intimidation - This is a factor for some people, but it's really an irrational fear. I have never even heard of a situation where someone actually physically attacked another player. That would be assault and he could go to jail for it. I have experienced many times the threat of violence, heck someone threatened to punch me at a tournament a while ago when we were on the top table. But these threats never actually materialize and if you're afraid of someone you just have to get over it. I'm a skinny 5'9" guy and if intimidation has never been a problem for me it shouldn't for you.
b) People unsure of the rules - A lot of times people are not clear on the rules and this leads them to be more trusting of their opponents. They might think their opponents are making a mistake but are unsure if they are right about the rules, so they don't bother to bring it up. It's very important to learn the rules of the game inside and out so these things don't happen. I know the rules better than the back of my hand and it really helps.
If I'm in a situation where I think my opponent is doing something wrong, I do not interrupt them and I open up to the relevant rules. However, I do this such that I can keep one eye on my opponent and watch what they are doing. If I am correct, I show my opponent. If I'm wrong, I put my rulebook away and no harm has been done.
You've got a real point with 1) intimidation.
ReplyDeleteCivilized people have a difficult time initiating aggressive behavior of any sort... even if it's to defend themselves. I've watched that play out in events over the years, where a player is afraid to say anything rude - hell, anything at all - when their opponent does something they don't understand or don't agree with. This never ends well, even if only because of the resentment that can build up.
I never assume my opponent is trying to pull a fast one: I believe in the benefit of the doubt. That said, if there's nothing to fear, a conversation about it isn't going to hurt, right?
I just think it's important to advocate for yourself, even if you're going to end up in an argument. Sometimes that's the only way to clear the air.
Take care - Brent
Bingo bango, people just need to grow some balls. This passive aggressive nonsense only causes more problems, especially when the "wounded" party turns out to be wrong.
ReplyDeleteI also expect my opponent to correct me on any errors I have made. If they are right I will happily take back my move. As I said, I'm 5'9" so nobody should be intimidated by me.
ReplyDeleteCorrection: I just measured and I'm actually 5'10". lol
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ReplyDeleteA nice, mature, reasonable opinion on the matter! A refreshing stance MoM.
ReplyDeleteI watched the videos for the first time yesterday and to be honest I don't really see a massive deal.
I have to agree with you on the filming of games and immediately taking action. It is really pathetic to let it run at the tournie and then post it on the internet starting a hate campaign. If you have issues let me hear them a.s.a.p. and we can sort them out. Don't hide behind your computer screen.
I would like to add one thing to your list though..
c) soft scores - people are afraid to call somebody on BS on something/call in an official for the fear of losing 'sportsmanship' scores and therefore losing out in the 'overall' scoring.
Personally sportsmanship scores are BS, but if people deem them 'essential' surely there should be some way in which they can take this into account.
That's a good point about Sportsmanship scores, and it's another reason why they shouldn't be incorporated into players' overall scores. When I play in a tournament though I don't care about my soft scores because my goal is always to win Best General. So soft scores don't really bother me very much.
ReplyDeleteMy primary goal is also to win best general which is typically unaffected by sportsmanship. Sportsmanship scores are fickle... I myself won the award at a GW GT once so go figure that one out. You have no control over who you play and some people are asshats plain & simple. I stopped caring about this category a long time ago and focus on my games. I do try to be reasonable if possible. There are some great ways to score this category in a fair manner so I see it still having some value. You'll find that most TOs still pay lip service to it.
ReplyDeleteOn to the main topic I agree with all your points. I find Tasty Taste to be a despicable person... He did not play at any events at Adepticon, apparently there only to film some cheating so he could get more hits on his BoK blog. I think this has tarnished his reputation, which is quite ironic.
G