I just finished reading this thread fairly carefully so I don't think the following point I'm about to present has been said yet. If it has I do apologize for the redundant contribution.
Concerning opponents shuffling one another's decks, I am always adamant that my opponent shuffle my deck, even if he is reluctant to do so (I don't care if it's because he trusts me, is too lazy, or thinks my cards have AIDS). The reason being is if I get any kind of unreasonable or God draw from the first seven cards, I don't want any iota of suspicion to enter his mind that I may have stacked the deck. Sure some people here might say, "Sucks to his ass-mar, he should have shuffled then", and while perhaps when I was younger I would have felt the same, I don't any longer for two reasons.
Firstly, along the lines of what someone previously stated in this thread about sufficient randomization being the prerequisite to a pure form of playing magic, anytime someone stacks and benefits it doesn't hurt just the opponent but the entire integrity of Magic as a game.
Secondly, the personal suspicion will destroy his experience of playing magic at least for the duration of our match. Sure he is my opponent, but I don't wish for anybody I've ever played against for them to have a miserable time while doing so (especially while playing against my ever-formidable RDW brews =P ). Also, if they are bad at concealing their emotion, most intelligent people (and in my experience most adult magic players have higher than average IQ) will quickly pick up on the fact that their opponent is now suspicious or unhappy with them. Some may not be as sensitive as myself but this alone takes most if not all of the fun from the playing of the match for me. I am no psychologist or even well-read in the subject but I suspect a big but not entire reason for this is it destroys the innocence of the gaming experience that most matches without this kind of conflict have. Can anybody else help me think of any other reasons besides this?
I've enjoyed this thread immensely, both from reading the great advice about shuffling and randomization posted by theonlyone652089, the several moderators and all others who gave their input and from a complete master class in the art of trolling given by Alleyway Jack. Initially I believed he was 100% serious, but as the number of detailed posts began to accumulate, some employing laymen's language rather than statistics jargon, it become apparent to me that it was highly improbable someone could possibly be that dense. If he/she was completely serious than god help us all if any of us find ourselves sitting across from him in a future magic match.
Thank you all again!
Sincerely,
indiscipline242
Lansing, Michigan
Most Valuable Poster award for this thread definitely goes out to TheOnlyOne652089. Your posts were so comprehensive while remaining lucid, I will print them out and 3-ring punch for the inside of my binder for reference at the local MTG shop. It's not always easy explaining these concepts to the young, uneducated or the inexperienced, and this will definitely help. I don't mean to sound condescending of the three previously stated groups, nor do I believe anyone who posted trying to help behaved as such. It's the reality of the game of magic lately now that we have seen such a huge explosion in interest and in participation. It's no longer just the chess club and your former high school math teacher that we are encountering every Friday night for magic the gathering. Thank you again, everyone.
I just finished reading this thread fairly carefully so I don't think the following point I'm about to present has been said yet. If it has I do apologize for the redundant contribution.
Concerning opponents shuffling one another's decks, I am always adamant that my opponent shuffle my deck, even if he is reluctant to do so (I don't care if it's because he trusts me, is too lazy, or thinks my cards have AIDS). The reason being is if I get any kind of unreasonable or God draw from the first seven cards, I don't want any iota of suspicion to enter his mind that I may have stacked the deck. Sure some people here might say, "Sucks to his ass-mar, he should have shuffled then", and while perhaps when I was younger I would have felt the same, I don't any longer for two reasons.
Firstly, along the lines of what someone previously stated in this thread about sufficient randomization being the prerequisite to a pure form of playing magic, anytime someone stacks and benefits it doesn't hurt just the opponent but the entire integrity of Magic as a game.
Secondly, the personal suspicion will destroy his experience of playing magic at least for the duration of our match. Sure he is my opponent, but I don't wish for anybody I've ever played against for them to have a miserable time while doing so (especially while playing against my ever-formidable RDW brews =P ). Also, if they are bad at concealing their emotion, most intelligent people (and in my experience most adult magic players have higher than average IQ) will quickly pick up on the fact that their opponent is now suspicious or unhappy with them. Some may not be as sensitive as myself but this alone takes most if not all of the fun from the playing of the match for me. I am no psychologist or even well-read in the subject but I suspect a big but not entire reason for this is it destroys the innocence of the gaming experience that most matches without this kind of conflict have. Can anybody else help me think of any other reasons besides this?
I've enjoyed this thread immensely, both from reading the great advice about shuffling and randomization posted by theonlyone652089, the several moderators and all others who gave their input and from a complete master class in the art of trolling given by Alleyway Jack. Initially I believed he was 100% serious, but as the number of detailed posts began to accumulate, some employing laymen's language rather than statistics jargon, it become apparent to me that it was highly improbable someone could possibly be that dense. If he/she was completely serious than god help us all if any of us find ourselves sitting across from him in a future magic match.
Thank you all again!
Sincerely,
indiscipline242
Lansing, Michigan
Most Valuable Poster award for this thread definitely goes out to TheOnlyOne652089. Your posts were so comprehensive while remaining lucid, I will print them out and 3-ring punch for the inside of my binder for reference at the local MTG shop. It's not always easy explaining these concepts to the young, uneducated or the inexperienced, and this will definitely help. I don't mean to sound condescending of the three previously stated groups, nor do I believe anyone who posted trying to help behaved as such. It's the reality of the game of magic lately now that we have seen such a huge explosion in interest and in participation. It's no longer just the chess club and your former high school math teacher that we are encountering every Friday night for magic the gathering. Thank you again, everyone.