Greetings Judges! This week’s Judge of the Week is Miguel Calvo Paniego, L2 from Alcorcón, Spain! Miguel started judging as an L1 on Feb 28th, 2010 (impressive memory on dates!), and leveled up in July 2011 to L2! He was nominated by Alfonso Bueno, and had this say:
“I met Miguel many, many years ago, when he was one of my local players. Even in that ‘ancient time’ he had a vocation to help the community writing about magic on the web. Some years ago he became a judge and started using his skills to help the judge community, too. Currently he’s working on a judging website and traveling across Spain to HJ PTQs when we need him to.”
Occupation: Aerospatial Engineer
Favourite Card: It depends. Delver of Secrets, Snapcaster Mage, Vengevine, Arcbound Ravager
Least Favourite Card: Nowadays there is a tie between Thragtusk and Sphinx’s Revelation
Favourite Format: Standard
Commander General: I don’t have a Commander deck. Maybe Geist of Saint Traft?
Favourite non-Magic Game: Civilization
Best tournament result: Top8 Spanish WMCQ’12, Finalist PTQ San Diego December 09
Random fact about yourself: I am the webmaster of the Spanish site www.moxes.com – my dream is to have a book with everything I have written about Magic
Why did you become a judge?
I just wanted to give the game back part of what I received from it. Good friends, my girlfriend, a hobby… my life just would not be the same without Magic.
How has being a judge influenced your non-Magic life?
I learned a few things from being a judge. Managing teams, speeches in public, working under pressure. And I also got a few tips from my daily job: the need for being rigorous, the joy of doing your best. I like to believe that I am a better engineer & judge because both ways help each other.
Tell us an embarrassing story that you’re not afraid of everyone knowing.
I forgot one card from a player’s deck when doing a deck-check at the judge’s table. The player seemingly was unaware of it, but I had always the feeling that he knew it and he didn’t say anything to avoid the game loss.
What motivates you to continue being a judge?
The friends I made in the program and the feeling that my community still needs me.
You were nominated by Alfonso Bueno because of the hard work and time you spend working for several projects. What motivates you to get into these projects?
I just want to do things for my community. Whenever I see something that could be done, or something that could be improved, I try to do it. I think I have a lot of assets: my experience and my academic experience which can help a lot both Magic as a whole and my community.
Tell us your favourite judge story.
This was in GP Brussels 10. There was a judge call at a table where both players didn’t agree on the order of the lands they have played – this was important because of River of Tears. Arnaud Bordoux call the player apart, and he started playing a game with him. He was able to tell that this player was lying because he played the lands always in the same order (left -> right).
What positive aspects has the Judge Program contributed to your everyday life?
As I said before: managing teams, working under pressure and speeches in public. We could summarize all of them saying that being a judge has brought me some much-needed self-confidence, being a better person as a result.
What’s the best part about your local Magic community?
The people that come to me after the tournament ends to congratulate me on the [good] job, especially those who recognize the effort you make by judging that tournament instead of playing it or staying at home after a hard week of work.
What character in Magic (real or fictional) represents you the best, and why?
I would say Gerrard. He is far from perfect (in fact, in the Weatherlight saga he is always messing it up) but he has a strong feeling of justice, to do the right things.
What is your favourite non-judging moment that happened with other judges?
Traveling, no doubt about it, and hanging on in a bar with some beers to be had. The judges I call my friends were friends before we become judges, so there is a very solid relationship there. It is a pleasure to hang with them.
What’s the biggest rule-breaking play you’ve ever made as a player?
It’s not rule breaking indeed, but some judges think it is not ethically correct.
At WMCQ 2012 I was playing at the 4-1 bracket and I won first game when I showed a Gut Shot that I had drawn, when my opponent was at 1 life. The point is that I was at 2 life (my opponent was not aware of this) and I never said that I was playing it, nor did I point at him. But he conceded and I went on to Top 8 that event.
In fact, I am very proud of this since it was perfectly legal, and this was the only way to win that game.
If you could chat with one person, real or fictional, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
My father. I had the opportunity to chat with him thankfully, but he always seems to have the right answer for my doubts. He is the best example I have ever had.
Also, my two grandfathers. They died some years ago, but I would like to know what they think about the man I have become.
What would you be doing now if Magic no longer existed?
I really don’t know. Probably I would play a lot of video games, and read more than I do. Having played Magic for 18 years, it’s hard to say. As far as I can tell, I have always played Magic ;).
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Thanks to Alfonso Bueno for thinking about me, and visit www.moxes.com
Two Truths and a Lie
Two of the following statements is true, and one is false. Figure out which!
1. I like routine a lot, having a structured life and so on. I am happy with my life so I like it to be stable.
2. I am a MTG groupie. I like to take photos of myself with Mark Rosewater, Jon Finkel and so on. I own a playset of Delver of Secrets signed by Gerry Thompson.
3. I manage pressure pretty well when playing Magic. They call me “Iceman” because my opponents never know what to play around.
editor’s note: Thank you to Nemesio Gutierrez for the translation and acquisition of this awesome interview!