Knowledge of cards

KevinM wrote:

Isn't this part of what the judge can do for the players?

Do what, exactly? Outlaw/prohibit something that isn't a problem?

I was unclear. Can't the judge help a player to understand what or how to play a card? look up rules or clarifications?

TorranceCircle wrote:

KevinM wrote:

Isn't this part of what the judge can do for the players?

Do what, exactly? Outlaw/prohibit something that isn't a problem?

I was unclear. Can't the judge help a player to understand what or how to play a card? look up rules or clarifications?

Yes, the judge can explain the mechanics of a card and/or the card's interaction to a player. Yes, the judge can explain and/or look up a rule/ruling/clarification/errata for a player.

KevinM wrote:

Yes, the judge can explain and/or look up a rule/ruling/clarification/errata for a player.

So back to the original post:

Is the knowledge of cards a right or is it an advantage reserved for those with good memory? Am I allowed to check up card texts on my smartphone? If I ask the table "what does X do?", are they obliged to help me? If they're obliged, do they recite from memory or do can I have them check it up on their smartphone? Are the judges obliged to share card texts with all players who asks for it?

Xaddam, isn't it okay to just ask the judge? Is there some advantage gained or lost?

KevinM wrote:

I've judged near a thousand tables now in over a hundred tournaments, in multiple states and even in another country, and I've never once encountered a situation regarding [EXAMPLE MENTIONED IN THIS THREAD] and any kind of bad behavior. So, either I'm continually not encountering [EXAMPLE MENTIONED IN THIS THREAD] that y'all are so sure must mathematically exist, or everyone in my tournaments behaves themselves based on the sole authority -- me -- and that authority's attitude.

Then VTES players are the angels of the world. I agree that by and large we're a trustworthy lot. However, I've refereed in the neighborhood of 250 soccer games and experienced the awful side of bad behavior many times. As an assistant, I have seen scores of examples where the center referee didn't use their authority when warranted and that caused lots of problems later on. Give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile. Perhaps those experiences have skewed my perception, but some people are just cheating bastards. My advice to judges: don't get burned on your watch. Doesn't mean be a jerk, but be clear about your expectations.

TorranceCircle wrote:

Xaddam, isn't it okay to just ask the judge? Is there some advantage gained or lost?

I don't think that would be a problem at all. But, I don't know how the rules actually work. I could see that card texts are only a "rightful knowledge" (knowledge everyone has a right to) if you actually have the card in front of you, but I could also see that the entire Card List is "rightful knowledge" at any point in the game. If all card texts is "rightful knowledge" a good way to ensure this would be to make judges obliged to answer queries concerning a card's exact card text.

All of these question were in earnest. I don't know how the rules work and I don't think I've seen it discussed before.

Xaddam wrote:

.... but I could also see that the entire Card List is "rightful knowledge" at any point in the game. If all card texts is "rightful knowledge" a good way to ensure this would be to make judges obliged to answer queries concerning a card's exact card text.

All of these question were in earnest. I don't know how the rules work and I don't think I've seen it discussed before.

I think its an interesting question. "Should the judge be obligated to answer questions concerning a card's exact text or ruling?" I don't know, I haven't read the judge's guide. Maybe some of the judges who have read the judge's guide could tell us if this is mentioned or not.

From my experience in Los Angeles, I've never seen a judge refuse to tell a table exact card text or ruling. I don't know how players would react if they didn't.

I'm trying to think of when a judge would refuse to do this (thereby raising the question of obligation). Maybe when a player is speculating as to a card he thinks another player may have, and wants to know the exact card text of that card?