So as many of you know, I was selected to Judge at the Dark Moon Faire: Houston.  While I'm very excited about it, I was also a bit concerned, as I hadn't really judged anything major since Worlds, having missed DMF: Vegas for my Daughter's Birthday.  I know, sheesh, where are my priorities right?

So as I was brushing up again (no, I'm not like Siggie and don't have a copy of the OCR and CR next to the toilet paper) on the rules and obscure rulings, I got to thinking about something.  The Players.  So this week, I'm not so much going to give you a party to play or  party to think about, but more, give you some experiences I have had, and let you ponder things when it comes to interacting with your opponent across the board.

If you have ever played against me, I would hope you would call me casually nice, or, as Crash Davis would say, "When you speak of me, speak kindly."  I like the competition of games but I don't get hell bent on calling judges over for every minor infraction, with the malice that my opponent must certainly have been attempting to bend the rules to their favor.  Rather in fact, if I have a fault, it's that I'm overly casual.  

More-so, I tend to be overly casual when I'm playing someone I know.  This is a terrible trap to fall into.  Whenever we go to gaming events, most of us go with someone we know.  Some of us are grouped up as teams, and some are just casual friends going for the thrill and fun.  we usually don't want to see our pals slapping down their buttocks across from us, and as a result, we don't want to nickel and dime them with rules.

I for one, enjoy taking a moment or two before the game, and introducing myself if it's someone I don't know,  and actually letting them know a few things.  No, not like, "Hi I'm Ben Stoll and I'm about to roll you" (*For the record, I've never heard Ben say that, but I think it would be funny if he did).  Actually, I just usually introduce myself, and let them know I'm not overly anal, and if they need to grab anything on my side of the board, other than me, it's ok, as long as we agree on where it's coming from, and, please be nice enough to ask.  I don't expect a written form, but I don't expect them to pick up Velen and toss him over their shoulder either.

I usually let my opponent see the character cards I'm playing with as even though we almost all have them memorized since we only have two sets *COUGH*, it's still nice to let them see them in case someone I'm playing hasn't crossed their sights recently.

I have seen so many people sit down, slam down their character cards, never let their opponent see them, and inevitably something comes up in the game where the one player wishes he or she had reviewed them.  While this is the player's responsibility to review their opponent's cards, I never like to make them feel like they can't.  

Some other things I've noticed (and players like Ben, Matt, and "The Mikes" Allen, Ayers, and Pozsgay are good at this) is constantly confirming things in matches.  One player picks up dice, it's good to say, "You're attacking with X" right?  Or some line that fits the situation, but ensures whatever action is about to happen, happens correctly.  Going into Nationals and Worlds, so many people were concerned over the dice throwing rules, some people did seem to be deliberately trying to take advantage of some people, which is never a good idea.  

Communication is key to me, in having a good, clean, and friendly competitive match.  Just because you are slugging it out for big time prizes, doesn't mean you can't be honorable, communicative, and friendly about it.  You never know, the person you beat, or who beats you, may very well become your team mate soon!

So what thoughts do you, the community have?  How do you play?  Cards to the chest?  Doors wide open? Ping Pong Balls to the Wall?  Let us know some of the things you see, you do, or would like to see done, to make competitive matches even more fun than they normally are. 

Oh, and if you REALLY want a team to discuss this week... here ya go... chit chat away:  DMF team of the week - 

It's explosive fun, and something that you should try out.  I call it the Roller Coaster of Love.  As long as you pack a heal card with Morova, it's geeeeeeeeee-orgeous!