[GP:Florence] Saito DQed without prize.

[pathern]

This is funny because people are taking this to be a bigger deal than it actually is. I guess the DCI just got fed up with his slow playing - stalling way of playing and just gave him a ban. He will live, if he comes back he will after his suspension is over, if not, he will either stay on MTGO for the time being, go and start playing poker, work in his shop a little bit more and expand it.

[CrazyMatt]

GP Tournaments needs Digital Chess Clocks, this would resolve the problem. Before the game starts both players adjust their digital chess clocks to the time for the whole round. This would lessen the burden for the judges.

[Zaphrasz]

Chess Clocks really don't work in magic that well. They make everything way harder to run and have their own set of problems.

[Tha Gunslinga]

Originally Posted by pathern

This is funny because people are taking this to be a bigger deal than it actually is. I guess the DCI just got fed up with his slow playing - stalling way of playing and just gave him a ban. He will live, if he comes back he will after his suspension is over, if not, he will either stay on MTGO for the time being, go and start playing poker, work in his shop a little bit more and expand it.

He was caught CHEATING at an extremely high level. He was BANNED from tournament play for a year and a half. How is this not a big deal? He was stalling, which is cheating. It's not a "way of playing,' it's CHEATING. This is his third time being caught cheating.

[Ratinyourwalls]

I don't know how I feel about this. On one hand stalling is cheating and it's said he had a history of doing so. On the other hand banning someone because they take too long to think of a play when there are ten or more cards on the field leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[the_cardfather]

Originally Posted by Ratinyourwalls

I don't know how I feel about this. On one hand stalling is cheating and it's said he had a history of doing so. On the other hand banning someone because they take too long to think of a play when there are ten or more cards on the field leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

If you go back and read the thread, you will notice that the judges in question did not see a changing game state as a reason for the slower play. In one instance, he checked his opponent's gy 2x in one turn.

Originally Posted by Zaphrasz

Chess Clocks really don't work in magic that well. They make everything way harder to run and have their own set of problems.

Thanks for the link, I hadn't read that before.

[ThisSatori]

Originally Posted by the_cardfather

If you go back and read the thread, you will notice that the judges in question did not see a changing game state as a reason for the slower play. In one instance, he checked his opponent's gy 2x in one turn.



Thanks for the link, I hadn't read that before.

They discuss chess clocks in this weeks Judgecast Podcast.

[Necrogeist]

New blog post from Saito (http://harurumtg.blog41.fc2.com/blog-entry-157.html) confirms that his membership to the Hall of Fame has been revoked.

[RyanFisher]

Originally Posted by Tha Gunslinga

He was caught CHEATING at an extremely high level. He was BANNED from tournament play for a year and a half. How is this not a big deal? He was stalling, which is cheating. It's not a "way of playing,' it's CHEATING. This is his third time being caught cheating.

Saito was the one cheated, he didn't cheat. IMHO.

[discoransom]

Good lord just listen to you guys yapping like a pack of jackals over a fresh kill.

This game is almost unbearably flooded with hypocritical nits who would take advantage of rules to angle shoot while crucifying anybody they can. Shameful nonsense from a pathetic lot.

[jeffbcrandall]

Originally Posted by RyanFisher

Saito was the one cheated, he didn't cheat. IMHO.

You are of course entitled to your opinion. But in the end its the views and opinions of those judges that passed down the numerous warnings and the recent DQ, along with the DCI committee that handle such issues of suspensions and such that matter the most. I cannot say for sure whether he truely cheated, none of us that werent there could say one way or another. All we can do is trust that the judges and DCI committee are going to do what is best for the game and enforce the rules fairly and objectively to make sure the integrity of the game is kept as whole as possible.

But, that said, given information that was presented for a past big-event where he was reading and rereading jace numerous times in a row, and checking the graveyards numerous times, certainly would warrant some concern in my eyes, but thats just going off of what others have reported, once again, I wasnt there so I couldnt say for 100% certainly one way or another. That said, very few things in this world are based on 100% certainties. And judges especially are forced to go off of what information they are given, and make spot decisions accordingly.

[maxmorlock]

Originally Posted by Necrogeist

New blog post from Saito (http://harurumtg.blog41.fc2.com/blog-entry-157.html) confirms that his membership to the Hall of Fame has been revoked.

so what else did he say? he's retiring from magic or something?

[ThisSatori]

Originally Posted by maxmorlock

so what else did he say? he's retiring from magic or something?

Nope. Actually he says that he is going to of course be working with his store. He can't judge etc but he is going to try and make his store as successful as possible.

Then he says he is going to try things in magic that he hadn't had time too because of testing for professional level events. For example, he says he wants to try cube drafting and Winston drafting etc.

Seems like he is taking it pretty well, but he is definitely sad about being suspended...

[RyanFisher]

Originally Posted by jeffbcrandall

You are of course entitled to your opinion. But in the end its the views and opinions of those judges that passed down the numerous warnings and the recent DQ, along with the DCI committee that handle such issues of suspensions and such that matter the most. I cannot say for sure whether he truely cheated, none of us that werent there could say one way or another. All we can do is trust that the judges and DCI committee are going to do what is best for the game and enforce the rules fairly and objectively to make sure the integrity of the game is kept as whole as possible.

But, that said, given information that was presented for a past big-event where he was reading and rereading jace numerous times in a row, and checking the graveyards numerous times, certainly would warrant some concern in my eyes, but thats just going off of what others have reported, once again, I wasnt there so I couldnt say for 100% certainly one way or another. That said, very few things in this world are based on 100% certainties. And judges especially are forced to go off of what information they are given, and make spot decisions accordingly.

His most recent DQ prior to this was in 2001... which is 9 years ago. He has recieved warnings about Slow Play, which is unrelated to his DQ in 2001. As said before in this thread, top 8 matches are not timed, this is when he was looking at jace numerous times, checking the graveyard, etc. It was not during a timed match. Judges can't base their observations concerning players from previous events.

[Woapalanne]

Originally Posted by RyanFisher

Judges can't base their observations concerning players from previous events.

When it comes down to "an infraction has been committed; but is this an honest mistake or cheating?" yes, we can.