Issue with management of repairs at Nationals

[King Piplup]

At Nationals this year, in the Senior division, about 5 matches were repaired after all players had set up. It was decided that the players who were repaired would have their setups picked up by a judge and moved to their new table assignment.

It seems to me that this isn't fair to the opponent of the repaired players, as they were never given the chance to ensure their new opponent sufficiently randomized their deck before setup. Put simply, there's not any way for me to know that they weren't playing an oblivious player and that they didn't pull a double nickel or something.

I completely understand the event staff's desire to save time by simply moving the setup, but given the situation coming out of Canadian Nationals and the renewed awareness of questionable shuffling tactics, it seems that this is an issue worthy of consideration before Worlds.

With that, what's the general community consensus on this issue? I could not find anything in particular that gives direction on this issue in the Rules/Resources section of Pokemon.com; did I miss something or is this not covered there?

 

[tutti]

If I get a good setup, and then I'm told it's going to be disregarded through no fault of my own, I won't be happy, and I may end up placing the blame on the judges making the decision - and considering they could have just as easily moved the setup, that blame wouldn't be entirely misplaced.

 

[King Piplup]

Right, but hypothetically, as your new opponent, how am I supposed to know your good setup wasn't the result of underhanded methods?

 

[tutti]

You can't. This is a situation where you can't keep all players happy, and decisions have to be made based on what is most likely to make the fewest players unhappy. Assuming there aren't actual guidelines for situations like that - there may well be.

 

[KazamBolt]

And there is also the issue of mulligans. If I had a hand with Kyurem and 2 Deoxys, I'll usually bench the Deoxys. However, if my opponent mulligans and shows me a Gothitelle deck, those Deoxys are staying in my hand. You don't get the chance for this in the above situation. I'd say that this is wrong.

 

[King Piplup]

That's not even getting into the fact that if a player has drawn an Opp's mulligan cards, then gets repaired, they now have too many cards in hand.

 

[Big Daddy Snorlax]

What doesn't seem to be clear to you was that the people who were moved in the way you described actually ended up playing the same opponents, just at a different table. That happens occasionally in re-pairing, and it was decided that since they were still playing each other it would not be fair to give them a chance to redo the setup. All re-pairings that did result in people playing a different opponent were required to scoop and setup again.

BDS

 

[King Piplup]

What doesn't seem to be clear to you was that the people who were moved in the way you described actually ended up playing the same opponents, just at a different table. That happens occasionally in re-pairing, and it was decided that since they were still playing each other it would not be fair to give them a chance to redo the setup. All re-pairings that did result in people playing a different opponent were required to scoop and setup again.

BDS

Thank you, that explains quite a lot and makes sense. I was hoping something along those lines was the case, but wasn't sure and posted inquiring for this reason. Thanks.

 

[Big Daddy Snorlax]

I appreciate the fact that you asked. Sometimes things happen at big events and only part of the story gets out. It is always better to try to get the facts than to form opinions without all the information. I would note that even some of the judges in Seniors were upset by this procedure until they found out that the people being moved were still playing each other.

BDS

 

[King Piplup]

I appreciate the fact that you asked. Sometimes things happen at big events and only part of the story gets out. It is always better to try to get the facts than to form opinions without all the information. I would note that even some of the judges in Seniors were upset by this until procedure they found out that the people being moved were still playing each other.

BDS

Yep, which is why I was trying not to form an opinion on the happenings at Nationals itself and rather just the process of repairing itself. Good to know that the staff was on top of every angle of it.

Thank you again for the clarification.