Did you know that at a competitive event like a PTQ, it’s required for your opponent to shuffle your deck after you present it? Most people don’t; most people are lazy and don’t bother, or will just cut their opponent’s deck. However, on occasion you will play an opponent who wants to shuffle your deck, even at FNM!

Don’t take that as an insult. It’s not that your opponent thinks you, specifically, are a cheater (otherwise he should just call a judge). Sometimes it’s just the way the rules were taught to him, or she’s playing a mill deck and she wants to pile count your cards. In fact, some players have gotten “free wins” by pile counting when their opponent failed to present a 60 card deck (having an illegal deck earns a game loss at competitive events).

If you think your opponent is taking too long with shuffling, or you don’t like the way he’s handling your cards, remember you can always call a judge. If your request is reasonable, the judge can choose to shuffle your deck instead of your opponent. And if you’re the kind of person who never shuffles your opponent’s deck, maybe it’s time to start getting in the habit! Although we’d like to hope otherwise, not all Magic players are above using sneaky sleight of hand tricks to cheat, and it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Today’s Tournament Tip written by
Jen Wong