My Thoughts on the Adepticon Cheating Controversy

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.