Is calling for a judge and asking for a deck check against the rules? I didn't think it was, but I was informed that unless I have a very good reason to do so, then this is unsportsmanlike conduct.
Background:
At a recent legacy event with a few hundred bucks on the line, my 2nd opponent of the day showed up with a deck with clear sleeves. I didn't realize until halfway through game one that he was using clear sleeves. I didn't want to be a jerk so I waited until the first game was over with (he won). I then called the judge and asked for a deck check against my opponent. The judge asked why I wanted to do that, I explained that he was using clear sleeves and that I thought they were against the rules to use (I had seen other people had to change their sleeves at other tournaments because they werent allowed). The judge said that no, that clear sleeves are fine and why in the world would they be not okay. I said that someone could cheat because the cards could be easily marked, or they could be scuffed by accident and still reveal information. The judge then took MY deck and went through it, examining the sleeves (I guess he wanted to get my in trouble for MY sleeves, but as they were brand new he couldn't find anything) he then checked my opponents deck by sifting through it for a total of 3 seconds and said it was okay, but he needed to get the head judge. After the head judge comes over, they confer for a few minutes, then the head judge issues me an official warning for unsportsmanlike conduct. I ask for what, he says for name calling and wasting time. I ask what name have I called anyone, then he explained that by saying "someone could cheat with clear sleeves" I was calling my opponent a cheater which is against the rules. Also I was wasting everyone's time and being a poor sport. I protested that I didn't call my opponent a cheater only that I thought clear sleeves were against the rules because I have seen people who have had to switch sleeves because another judge didn't allow them. He said its done and if I said anything else I would be kicked out of the tournament.
I feel kinda mad now because I still think clear sleeves should never be used, its way too easy to cheat, even by accident. Are they legal to use? Was I punished fairly in this situation?
Everyone knows that good luck and good game are such insincere terms that any man who does not connect his right hook with the offender's jaw on the very utterance of such a phrase is no man I would consider as such.
Here is what the official rule is regarding sleeves.
3.9 Sleeves
Players may use plastic card sleeves or other protective devices on cards. If a player chooses to use card sleeves, all sleeves must be identical and all cards in his or her deck must be placed in the sleeves in an identical manner. If the sleeves feature holograms or other similar markings, cards must be inserted into the sleeves so these markings appear only on the faces of the cards.
During a match, a player may request that a judge inspect an opponent’s card sleeves. The judge may disallow the card sleeves if he or she believes they are marked, worn, or otherwise in a condition or of a design that interferes with shuffling or game play. In the interest of efficiency, the judge may choose to delay any change of sleeves until the end of the match.
Competitive and Professional tournaments impose additional restrictions on sleeves. Highly reflective backs are not allowed; sleeves with artwork on their backs are only acceptable if there is a single color at the sleeves’ edges; sleeves with holograms across some or all of the sleeve front or back are not allowed.
So in short clear sleeves are in fact completely legal, but you are allowed to call a judge and ask them to make certain the opponents deck isn't marked. I cannot say whether or not you were punished fairly or unfairly in the situation because it depends entirely on exactly what was said and how it was said. In the end it is always at the head judge's discretion though.
It sounds like you were punished entirely unfairly, though I'd ask what the Rules Enforcement Level is at the tournament, which might make a difference to some of the other judges here.
Are you thinking of clear sleeves might have been problematic during Innistrad block? Obviously they present a problem when double-faced cards are present, and I had to mention to many people during that limited format that I could see the backs of their normal cards.
Other than that, could you clarify what you mean that clear sleeves enable cheating? I suppose they could be used to mark cards, but as long as that's not being done (and in that case, the penalty is for marking cards, not the sleeves), there's nothing inherently bad about clear sleeves.
It sounds like you were punished entirely unfairly, though I'd ask what the Rules Enforcement Level is at the tournament, which might make a difference to some of the other judges here.
Are you thinking of clear sleeves might have been problematic during Innistrad block? Obviously they present a problem when double-faced cards are present, and I had to mention to many people during that limited format that I could see the backs of their normal cards.
Other than that, could you clarify what you mean that clear sleeves enable cheating? I suppose they could be used to mark cards, but as long as that's not being done (and in that case, the penalty is for marking cards, not the sleeves), there's nothing inherently bad about clear sleeves.
It was competitive REL I think.
My beef with clear sleeves is that old mtg cards get wear and tear, discoloration, and other effects that could be used to distinguish cards from each other.
Also, the back of a mtg card is much easier to hide marks, just something as innocent as a pen mark on one of the colored surfaces, than a plain colored sleeve (very intricately designed sleeves also have this problem, hence why I only use plain colored sleeves).
This appears to be a clear cut example of Unsporting conduct minor.
Unsporting Conduct
—
Minor
Definition
A player takes action that is disruptive to the tournament or its participants. It may affect the comfort level of those around the individual, but determining whether this is the case is not required.
Examples
A. A player uses excessively vulgar and profane language. B. A player inappropriately demands to a judge that her opponent receive a penalty.
C. A player appeals to the Head Judge before waiting for the floor judge to issue a ruling.
D. A player taunts his opponent for making a bad play.
E. A player leaves excessive trash in the play are a after leaving the table.
From what you have put your only reason for calling for a deck check is a dislike of clear sleeves as they "could" allow the cards to be marked. This on its own is not an acceptable reason to warrant the investigation or a penalty and if you had a genuine substantial reason for wanting a deck check like the cards genuinely being marked it is unlikely you would have got any penalty.
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This appears to be a clear cut example of Unsporting conduct minor.
From what you have put your only reason for calling for a deck check is a dislike of clear sleeves as they "could" allow the cards to be marked. This on its own is not an acceptable reason to warrant the investigation or a penalty and if you had a genuine substantial reason for wanting a deck check like the cards genuinely being marked it is unlikely you would have got any penalty.
Asking a judge to perform a deck check is not the same as demanding that the judge issue a penalty. If a player genuinely believes something is illegal and asks a judge to check for a problem, that's not an infraction. We try to avoid giving the impression that simply calling a judge about a perceived problem can earn you a penalty. Since it's impossible to validate this story through the internet, I won't speculate on what the judge(s) did. Just know that a legitimate concern is a valid judge call, and would only fall into unsporting conduct if you insist "Judge, my opponent should get a game loss for using clear sleeves!" or something to that effect.
If a judge decides you have an incorrect understanding of policy (e.g., you think clear sleeves are illegal when they're not), education is generally the better course of action than issuing a penalty.
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This appears to be a clear cut example of Unsporting conduct minor.
From what you have put your only reason for calling for a deck check is a dislike of clear sleeves as they "could" allow the cards to be marked. This on its own is not an acceptable reason to warrant the investigation or a penalty and if you had a genuine substantial reason for wanting a deck check like the cards genuinely being marked it is unlikely you would have got any penalty.
So we can only call a deck check if we are 100% sure the cards are marked? Interesting. Ok so next time should i ask my opponent to hand mebhis deck i so.can look over it before callong a judge?
See through sleeves are allowed just as no sleeves at all (unless those cards are marked or Innistrad double face). What we're missing is the tone that was used and the exact words. The judge may have thought you were fishing for a game loss on your opponent for just using clear sleeves. If you had seen a card that was discolored or marked that would have been grounds for getting a deck check, not just the possibility of that occurring.
It would have been better if you had pulled the judge to the side and asked him out of earshot of your opponent. Obviously too late for that, but it may have changed what the judge thought what your intentions were.
All you're going to get out of this topic are opinions on people who weren't actually there. In other words, a discussion missing information.
Honestly, if I were in charge of the DCI, I wouldn't allow clear sleeves for modern, legacy, or vintage. Many staples in these formats are older and often times worn on the back towards the edges. Not always, of course, but often enough to know that most people with a legacy deck use real sleeves that aren't clear. I know even with my own cards I could see if I had a a FoW or scrubland on the top of my deck without really having to look very closely.
However, I can't really say if you were really deserving of the penalty you got. It's pretty clear from what you've said that they gave you the penalty on the basis that you were implying your opponent was cheating. Obviously, this is a big no-no. But from what you said specifically to us, I wouldn't have gone so far as to say that you were implying your opponent was cheating. That said, it's really hard for any of us to say what should be done since none of us were there. You can definitely make an appeal, though.
Speaking of which, Alex Bertoncini has recently gotten off his ban. I know I, for one, would gladly take a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct to have a judge just sit on him and watch him play while I played against him. Again, if I were in charge of the DCI, I'd say that calling a known cheater a cheater should be perfectly okay.
I will point out that in Legacy there is the added problem of Alpha corners being slightly off from the borders of Beta and on.
I don't know the rulings and such, but I do know that if you are using Alpha cards in your deck in conjunction with others you are required to use opaque sleeves, as they can be distinguished from sight from other cards. This isn't a subjective business of "Some cards are more worn" etc, but rather a fairly well known and objective problem. If you had seen Alpha/Beta cards in the mix, and couldn't differentiate between the two without heavy scrutiny you probably would have been fine if you argued you just wanted to make sure there weren't any Alpha cards in the deck that you wouldn't have noticed.
Of course, it all depends on tone and such of how you word things, and your exact arguments and as I said I'm not overly savvy on how judges are supposed to function in cases like this.
I want to make this as short as possible, but there is a lot to address.
First, can you call a judge to inspect someone's deck for marked cards? YES
Second, can you recieve a penalty for doing this? NO, but a judge can deny your request if you're getting into a habit of asking this every round with every opponent.
Third, are clear sleeves legal? YES, but obviously physical cards are not always in pristine condition, especially older ones, so it's understandable that you might be concerned.
Forth, should you have received a USC Minor Warning for asking this? NO based on what information we have in this thread. This one puts me in an awkward position. On the one hand I want to believe what you're telling me is the whole truth, but on the other I want to trust that the judges knew what they were doing. I hate to make this claim, but I get the feeling that we might not have 100% of all the facts. Because of that I can't say with certainty that you were or weren't deserving of an infraction.
Fifth, can you do anything about this? YES, contact your local regional coordinator. They'll be able to talk with the judges involved, and spread a little education to ensure this never happens to anyone else, if all accounts are correct.
My opponent has ten 2/2's on the battlefield. I have two lands in play. A shock and a fetch, but the top card of my deck catches my eye ,could it be?!...it's that pyroclasm with the whitened top right corner! (menacingly waiting for my pre combat main to fetch) Draw pyroclasm, crack the fetch, wipe the board. Thanks clear sleeves!
I will point out that in Legacy there is the added problem of Alpha corners being slightly off from the borders of Beta and on.
Players i know simply cut the cards in shape , or they run perfect fit sleeves in other sleeves that are overall harder, so you really cant feel the different card in that sleeve.
Also some Power 9 cards in Vintage have a very poor condition, using perfect fit sleeves and harder sleeves still makes them fairly playable and you really cant feel the condition throu the sleeve.
============
For the problem discussed here.
I also think it is important that players never get the idea that calling a judge will be bad for them, its ment to solve problems, not "produce" more.
If someone uses no sleeves at all (especially in Limited) you hardly can say anything against that.
If the provided lands are old and visible, thats a problem and some players literally "destroy" the cards with shuffling over the course of a match, even worse over several.
So in the end having no sleeves alone doesnt really justify a judge call, but again, if you "truly" think something is wrong, you have all right to call a judge and "let them judge".
Still it looks very bad if you do so after you lost first round of your matches, as this carries the idea of "i call a judge so hopefully my opponent gets the game lose" ; which is not cool.
As a player i would also take into account "what" kind of opponent you actual have.
If it clearly is a new guy, probably the very first tournament, it simply looks bad in your actual scenario.
(Extra: I remember a guy at some Limited Grand Prix that at a losing point in a game, would allways go ahead and count the opponents card in library [just because] for no particular reason, and with card draw involved, would even sometimes go ahead and call a judge with the intension that he thinks the opponent drew and extra card at "some point" or checked for card that "hopefully" look marked ; only to make a judge call, wasting more time and abusing the game lose that might be given.
Note, this guy will only do that if hes losing or knows hes losing.
It has very very bad wibes attached to it, so even "if" it is valid, it feels really wrong.)
Depending on the demeanor of the person asking for the deck check, I can certainly see it winding up in a USC -- Minor. I've issued that before to people who seemed too insistent on getting a judge to find something wrong with their opponent.
And since none of the rest of us were actually there and saw this happen, I'm not sure what else can be added to the discussion.
My opponent has ten 2/2's on the battlefield. I have two lands in play. A shock and a fetch, but the top card of my deck catches my eye ,could it be?!...it's that pyroclasm with the whitened top right corner! (menacingly waiting for my pre combat main to fetch) Draw pyroclasm, crack the fetch, wipe the board. Thanks clear sleeves!
My opponent has ten 2/2's on the battlefield. I have two lands in play. A shock and a fetch, but the top card of my deck catches my eye ,could it be?!...it's that pyroclasm with the scratched purple sleeve! (menacingly waiting for my pre combat main to fetch) Draw pyroclasm, crack the fetch, wipe the board. Thanks opaque sleeves!
What you identified is just as easy to pull off with coloured/opaque sleeves as it is with clear sleeves. It's a problem with cheating, not a problem with clear sleeves.
Assuming the OP's account is accurate, I would certainly report the judge. I cant imagine anyone supporting anything else.
Judges on this forum and others constantly tell players to always call a judge if they think anything is wrong. The idea that a player would be punished for "wasting a judge's time" seems outrageous.
Again, if the OP's account is an accurate depiction of events, I dont think either of those judges should be judging a FNM let alone a competitive REL tournament.
Assuming the OP's account is accurate, I would certainly report the judge. I cant imagine anyone supporting anything else.
Judges on this forum and others constantly tell players to always call a judge if they think anything is wrong. The idea that a player would be punished for "wasting a judge's time" seems outrageous.
Again, if the OP's account is an accurate depiction of events, I dont think either of those judges should be judging a FNM let alone a competitive REL tournament.
"Wasting a judge's time" is not a problem. But inappropriately trying to fish for an opponent to be penalized when there hasn't been an infraction is a problem, and is an infraction (Unsporting Conduct -- Minor). Where the line is for that is up to the judge handling the situation, as only they are actually present and can make a determination as to whether the line is being crossed by the player's behavior.
I have had judges called on me for playing a legacy deck in nothing but perfect fits once. They said that being able to see the backs of my cards game me an unfair advantage. The judge asked him if he was willing to un-sleeve his deck so that we both could see the back of our cards. He picked his deck up and left the building.
Found out later on that every one of his dual lands in the deck were collectors edition with trimmed corners. So now that shop requires everyone to present the actual deck at registration and they check for marked cards (even uv lights since certain types of glasses can see hidden marks), counterfeits, etc. Takes check in a little longer but it is worth it to know everyone is on a fair basis.
Background:
At a recent legacy event with a few hundred bucks on the line, my 2nd opponent of the day showed up with a deck with clear sleeves. I didn't realize until halfway through game one that he was using clear sleeves. I didn't want to be a jerk so I waited until the first game was over with (he won). I then called the judge and asked for a deck check against my opponent. The judge asked why I wanted to do that, I explained that he was using clear sleeves and that I thought they were against the rules to use (I had seen other people had to change their sleeves at other tournaments because they werent allowed). The judge said that no, that clear sleeves are fine and why in the world would they be not okay. I said that someone could cheat because the cards could be easily marked, or they could be scuffed by accident and still reveal information. The judge then took MY deck and went through it, examining the sleeves (I guess he wanted to get my in trouble for MY sleeves, but as they were brand new he couldn't find anything) he then checked my opponents deck by sifting through it for a total of 3 seconds and said it was okay, but he needed to get the head judge. After the head judge comes over, they confer for a few minutes, then the head judge issues me an official warning for unsportsmanlike conduct. I ask for what, he says for name calling and wasting time. I ask what name have I called anyone, then he explained that by saying "someone could cheat with clear sleeves" I was calling my opponent a cheater which is against the rules. Also I was wasting everyone's time and being a poor sport. I protested that I didn't call my opponent a cheater only that I thought clear sleeves were against the rules because I have seen people who have had to switch sleeves because another judge didn't allow them. He said its done and if I said anything else I would be kicked out of the tournament.
I feel kinda mad now because I still think clear sleeves should never be used, its way too easy to cheat, even by accident. Are they legal to use? Was I punished fairly in this situation?
- To my youngest sister when she was 6.
3.9 Sleeves
Players may use plastic card sleeves or other protective devices on cards. If a player chooses to use card sleeves, all sleeves must be identical and all cards in his or her deck must be placed in the sleeves in an identical manner. If the sleeves feature holograms or other similar markings, cards must be inserted into the sleeves so these markings appear only on the faces of the cards.
During a match, a player may request that a judge inspect an opponent’s card sleeves. The judge may disallow the card sleeves if he or she believes they are marked, worn, or otherwise in a condition or of a design that interferes with shuffling or game play. In the interest of efficiency, the judge may choose to delay any change of sleeves until the end of the match.
Competitive and Professional tournaments impose additional restrictions on sleeves. Highly reflective backs are not allowed; sleeves with artwork on their backs are only acceptable if there is a single color at the sleeves’ edges; sleeves with holograms across some or all of the sleeve front or back are not allowed.
So in short clear sleeves are in fact completely legal, but you are allowed to call a judge and ask them to make certain the opponents deck isn't marked. I cannot say whether or not you were punished fairly or unfairly in the situation because it depends entirely on exactly what was said and how it was said. In the end it is always at the head judge's discretion though.
Are you thinking of clear sleeves might have been problematic during Innistrad block? Obviously they present a problem when double-faced cards are present, and I had to mention to many people during that limited format that I could see the backs of their normal cards.
Other than that, could you clarify what you mean that clear sleeves enable cheating? I suppose they could be used to mark cards, but as long as that's not being done (and in that case, the penalty is for marking cards, not the sleeves), there's nothing inherently bad about clear sleeves.
When in doubt, call a judge.
Objectivist here. Hit me up to talk philosophy.
It was competitive REL I think.
My beef with clear sleeves is that old mtg cards get wear and tear, discoloration, and other effects that could be used to distinguish cards from each other.
Also, the back of a mtg card is much easier to hide marks, just something as innocent as a pen mark on one of the colored surfaces, than a plain colored sleeve (very intricately designed sleeves also have this problem, hence why I only use plain colored sleeves).
Correction. He did do something wrong.
This appears to be a clear cut example of Unsporting conduct minor.
From what you have put your only reason for calling for a deck check is a dislike of clear sleeves as they "could" allow the cards to be marked. This on its own is not an acceptable reason to warrant the investigation or a penalty and if you had a genuine substantial reason for wanting a deck check like the cards genuinely being marked it is unlikely you would have got any penalty.
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Clear sleeves can be a problem when players like to use older cards that have darker or lighter backs, so I can see where you might have been worried.
In my OPINION, the judge could have quickly ascertained whether or not there was a problem with the sleeves and should not have given you a warning.
Asking a judge to perform a deck check is not the same as demanding that the judge issue a penalty. If a player genuinely believes something is illegal and asks a judge to check for a problem, that's not an infraction. We try to avoid giving the impression that simply calling a judge about a perceived problem can earn you a penalty. Since it's impossible to validate this story through the internet, I won't speculate on what the judge(s) did. Just know that a legitimate concern is a valid judge call, and would only fall into unsporting conduct if you insist "Judge, my opponent should get a game loss for using clear sleeves!" or something to that effect.
If a judge decides you have an incorrect understanding of policy (e.g., you think clear sleeves are illegal when they're not), education is generally the better course of action than issuing a penalty.
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So we can only call a deck check if we are 100% sure the cards are marked? Interesting. Ok so next time should i ask my opponent to hand mebhis deck i so.can look over it before callong a judge?
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It would have been better if you had pulled the judge to the side and asked him out of earshot of your opponent. Obviously too late for that, but it may have changed what the judge thought what your intentions were.
All you're going to get out of this topic are opinions on people who weren't actually there. In other words, a discussion missing information.
However, I can't really say if you were really deserving of the penalty you got. It's pretty clear from what you've said that they gave you the penalty on the basis that you were implying your opponent was cheating. Obviously, this is a big no-no. But from what you said specifically to us, I wouldn't have gone so far as to say that you were implying your opponent was cheating. That said, it's really hard for any of us to say what should be done since none of us were there. You can definitely make an appeal, though.
Speaking of which, Alex Bertoncini has recently gotten off his ban. I know I, for one, would gladly take a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct to have a judge just sit on him and watch him play while I played against him. Again, if I were in charge of the DCI, I'd say that calling a known cheater a cheater should be perfectly okay.
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I don't know the rulings and such, but I do know that if you are using Alpha cards in your deck in conjunction with others you are required to use opaque sleeves, as they can be distinguished from sight from other cards. This isn't a subjective business of "Some cards are more worn" etc, but rather a fairly well known and objective problem. If you had seen Alpha/Beta cards in the mix, and couldn't differentiate between the two without heavy scrutiny you probably would have been fine if you argued you just wanted to make sure there weren't any Alpha cards in the deck that you wouldn't have noticed.
Of course, it all depends on tone and such of how you word things, and your exact arguments and as I said I'm not overly savvy on how judges are supposed to function in cases like this.
First, can you call a judge to inspect someone's deck for marked cards? YES
Second, can you recieve a penalty for doing this? NO, but a judge can deny your request if you're getting into a habit of asking this every round with every opponent.
Third, are clear sleeves legal? YES, but obviously physical cards are not always in pristine condition, especially older ones, so it's understandable that you might be concerned.
Forth, should you have received a USC Minor Warning for asking this? NO based on what information we have in this thread. This one puts me in an awkward position. On the one hand I want to believe what you're telling me is the whole truth, but on the other I want to trust that the judges knew what they were doing. I hate to make this claim, but I get the feeling that we might not have 100% of all the facts. Because of that I can't say with certainty that you were or weren't deserving of an infraction.
Fifth, can you do anything about this? YES, contact your local regional coordinator. They'll be able to talk with the judges involved, and spread a little education to ensure this never happens to anyone else, if all accounts are correct.
Players i know simply cut the cards in shape , or they run perfect fit sleeves in other sleeves that are overall harder, so you really cant feel the different card in that sleeve.
Also some Power 9 cards in Vintage have a very poor condition, using perfect fit sleeves and harder sleeves still makes them fairly playable and you really cant feel the condition throu the sleeve.
============
For the problem discussed here.
I also think it is important that players never get the idea that calling a judge will be bad for them, its ment to solve problems, not "produce" more.
If someone uses no sleeves at all (especially in Limited) you hardly can say anything against that.
If the provided lands are old and visible, thats a problem and some players literally "destroy" the cards with shuffling over the course of a match, even worse over several.
So in the end having no sleeves alone doesnt really justify a judge call, but again, if you "truly" think something is wrong, you have all right to call a judge and "let them judge".
Still it looks very bad if you do so after you lost first round of your matches, as this carries the idea of "i call a judge so hopefully my opponent gets the game lose" ; which is not cool.
As a player i would also take into account "what" kind of opponent you actual have.
If it clearly is a new guy, probably the very first tournament, it simply looks bad in your actual scenario.
(Extra: I remember a guy at some Limited Grand Prix that at a losing point in a game, would allways go ahead and count the opponents card in library [just because] for no particular reason, and with card draw involved, would even sometimes go ahead and call a judge with the intension that he thinks the opponent drew and extra card at "some point" or checked for card that "hopefully" look marked ; only to make a judge call, wasting more time and abusing the game lose that might be given.
Note, this guy will only do that if hes losing or knows hes losing.
It has very very bad wibes attached to it, so even "if" it is valid, it feels really wrong.)
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And since none of the rest of us were actually there and saw this happen, I'm not sure what else can be added to the discussion.
----
Lightning Bolts don't kill creatures. State-based actions kill creatures.
My opponent has ten 2/2's on the battlefield. I have two lands in play. A shock and a fetch, but the top card of my deck catches my eye ,could it be?!...it's that pyroclasm with the scratched purple sleeve! (menacingly waiting for my pre combat main to fetch) Draw pyroclasm, crack the fetch, wipe the board. Thanks opaque sleeves!
What you identified is just as easy to pull off with coloured/opaque sleeves as it is with clear sleeves. It's a problem with cheating, not a problem with clear sleeves.
Judges on this forum and others constantly tell players to always call a judge if they think anything is wrong. The idea that a player would be punished for "wasting a judge's time" seems outrageous.
Again, if the OP's account is an accurate depiction of events, I dont think either of those judges should be judging a FNM let alone a competitive REL tournament.
"Wasting a judge's time" is not a problem. But inappropriately trying to fish for an opponent to be penalized when there hasn't been an infraction is a problem, and is an infraction (Unsporting Conduct -- Minor). Where the line is for that is up to the judge handling the situation, as only they are actually present and can make a determination as to whether the line is being crossed by the player's behavior.
----
Lightning Bolts don't kill creatures. State-based actions kill creatures.
Found out later on that every one of his dual lands in the deck were collectors edition with trimmed corners. So now that shop requires everyone to present the actual deck at registration and they check for marked cards (even uv lights since certain types of glasses can see hidden marks), counterfeits, etc. Takes check in a little longer but it is worth it to know everyone is on a fair basis.
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