How to Spot and Prevent Cheating in the TCG World

Cheating is a problem with any game, but in the Trading card game world it runs rampant. Every single large scale event held will have multiple accounts of cheating, and lying as well. It becomes rather ridiculous after a while, and eventually you start to formulate anti-cheating measures. No one like a cheater, and so here are a few tips on how to spot and prevent this from happening. Knowledge is your best friend when it comes to thins like this.

Always asses your opponent - take a good look at who you're up against. Do they appear nervous? Friendly? Or Calm? Someone who is overly friendly may have other intentions, and someone who appears nervous should be watched closely. If your opponent seems clam, don't let your guard down, just watch how they play.

Know reputations - Many times at large scale events talk on forums will run wild about who will show up at said event. Be sure to look at what people are saying about other players. Normally if there is known cheater that is going to be showing up you will hear about it.

Age Matters - Ok so you are up against an eight year old kid, I don't think he will be cheating on you at least not on purpose. Cheaters normally rang in age from 16 - 35 yes there have been some fairly old cheaters in the world of competitive card playing.

Know the game inside and out - Be sure to be up to date on all the current rules and restrictions that are in place for the event you are attending. This is good advice for not only watching for cheating, but to make sure that your deck and cards are legal as well.

Watch for anything suspicious - Be aware of your opponent's actions. If he is required to make a certain play or move that is going to affect him negatively, chances are he will "forget" to do so. Make sure that on each move you are constantly making sure that he or she as your opponent is making the proper and correct plays and taking "damage" correctly.

Look at the crowd - watch for spectators that are behind you. These may be friends of the person you are playing against and they could possibly be relaying information about your hand to their buddy. You can always ask them to leave, just do it politely. Also remember this is a match between you and one opponent, don't let friends or other spectators interfere.

Don't be afraid of calling a judge - These people are getting paid to run this event. They are up to date on every rule every card every restriction that the came has to offer. They can be you greatest ally in the war on cheating. Never be afraid to as a judge for help, and always do so if something is in question. I hate to be like this but never trust a word that comes from the mouth of an opponent when it comes to a ruling. If you have any evidence, or sign that something is fishy with your current game, call a judge to solve the problem.

Tap your conversations - This may sound silly but it helps. In a match an opponent may do a move then take it back illegally. You say, "Wait you can't do that", they reply "do what?" and act like the move never happened. If you have a tape recorder on hand and it's running getting the whole conversation down you will have proof. If an opponent declared a move, then they must go with that action, and if they decide they don't like it, they will lie and cheat their way into taking it back, unless you have some kind of evidence to show a judge.

Cut an opponents deck - This is a big must! Many players will shuffle their deck or stack cards that will give them the major advantage during play. When you start the match, it is a rule that you must offer your deck for an opponent to shuffle and cut as they deem fit. If your opponent does not offer, then ask them, and be on the lookout for any other suspicious activity during the match. When you shuffle and sure make sure you do it right, and thoroughly, this may be the biggest and best way to prevent cheating.

Discard Piles are public property - Anyone at anytime during the game can look through an opponents or their won discard pile, or have a judge look through it for them. This can help with the strategy of the game, as well in counteracting cheating. If you are only allowed two copies of a specific card, and you think your opponent has played more then that, check it out!

Deck Checks are your friend - If at any point before a match you wish to preemptively stop cheating, call for a deck check. Judges will come over and run through the cards in each players deck making sure that everything is legal for the match. You may be surprised at how many people try and play with cards they should know not to have in their decks.

So there you have it, a guide on how to spot and prevent cheating during play. Just be aware of what's going on around you and you should be fine. And remember if something looks wrong to you, or just does not seem right, call a judge and sort the problem out.