DCI Ban: Paul Mastriano?

[Grand Inquisitor]

Does anyone know why Paul (Vintage Champ, Meandeck, Mr. Type4, etc) is on here for a 6 month ban?  There's a ton of names on this thing and I didn't even know this is how they disseminated this information.


http://magic.wizards.com/en/content/suspended-dci-memberships

[Attrition]

Maybe there's a secret cap on the number of tournaments the DCI will let you win.  They have to slow this guy down somehow.

[conboy31]

I wander into mtg at reddit on occasion, there appears to be a few players that were part of the recent bannings that allegedly have no clue how it happened. 

[desolutionist]

He was found deflating the air out of his sleeves

[Commandant]

Yeah. Let's ignore the elephant in the room. This guy is literally just another Nate Pease who's been coddled by this community for a long long long time. Can anyone who's a member of the Vintage community (with good faith) not acknowledge the shadiness of Paul year in and year out? Good riddance, I hope this was because of the Legacy Champs DQ.

[failtofind]

This was a long time coming, good work, they should strip him of all his titles, any idiot can win with combo or other fragile deck if they cheat.

[Varal]

There isn't many things that can get you banned from the DCI. The main ones are cheating, tournament fraud and aggressive behaviours.

[Smmenen]

It looks like it's a suspension, not a ban.  It could also be overturned on appeal. 

[failtofind]

I know if i ever have to play against him again i will request a judge sit with us the whole timhe, shuffle his deck for  him and deal him his cards

[thecrav]

I know if i ever have to play against him again i will request a judge sit with us the whole timhe, shuffle his deck for  him and deal him his cards

And that request would be denied.

[failtofind]

I know if i ever have to play against him again i will request a judge sit with us the whole timhe, shuffle his deck for  him and deal him his cards

And that request would be denied.

It may, but at the very least it would bring attention to the fact that he  has been a cancer on the vintage community for many years, preying on the good nature.and kind heartedness of all of us, but then again most of us know or have known this for a  while now, so at the very least all if the vintage to's i know would have him under scrutiny every time he showed up.

[MisterFoote]

I know if i ever have to play against him again i will request a judge sit with us the whole timhe, shuffle his deck for  him and deal him his cards

And that request would be denied.

I've only been a member of the vintage community for a short time(2+ years).  I've interacted with a lot of people who play vintage via paper, as well as on mtgo.  Anyone who I met and had played him went out their way to tell me to watch out for him.  Legitimately watch him while he shuffles, ect.  This wasn't the case for anyone else.  I'm in a bit of a hub of the NE and travel to NY/NJ/and GP Baltimore! for vintage.  I've never been warned like that about another player.

That was my introduction.  I did my research and saw his accolades.  He has had much success.  So when I heard about his DQ from Legacy champs I knew there was a problem.  

From what I understand this now Pariah of the vintage community, stifled counters from coming into play on a chalice of the void.  Which incase that went over your head, you cannot do.  It's tough to believe that someone with as many accolades playing this game had no idea that the card didnt do that.

It's hard to know if that is why he was "suspended".

What I do know about this person is that they are a degenerate magic player.  Someone who should no longer be welcome to play such an awesome format.

Off with the head.

[conboy31]

Bummer to hear this.  We had a win and in to top 8 at the gencon vintage champs and he beat me in 3.  Hope it was legitimate.

[Tha Gunslinga]

I've had a number of people tell me that he was a cheater.  Glad he finally got punished.

[failtofind]

Bummer to hear this.  We had a win and in to top 8 at the gencon vintage champs and he beat me in 3.  Hope it was legitimate.

This happened to me.another high level tournament, and most brutally to another very well known vintage player in the top 8 of champs.

[Ten-Ten]

P. Mas, is awesome. 'Nuff said.
Haters gonna hate...

[failtofind]

P. Mas, is awesome. 'Nuff said.
Haters gonna hate...

Lol the dci sure do randomely hate on people for no reason.

[MisterFoote]

P. Mas, is awesome. 'Nuff said.
Haters gonna hate...

It's possible he could be an awesome guy.  It's possible he could be a lamenting psychopath.  The fact's are that more people are willing to come out and say good riddance in length, as opposed to your less than two cents.

[Commandant]

P. Mas, is awesome. 'Nuff said.
Haters gonna hate...

How ignorant.

[Bill Copes]

P. Mas, is not awesome. 'Nuff said.
Cheaters gonna cheat...

FTFY

[JarofFortune]

That's a shame. I played against him once and he was a really nice guy. They were fun games too. At the end of game two he tried to tap a crypt for 3 mana, but luckily there were some spectators who stopped him. I don't know if I would've caught it. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, but now I have no reason to do so. After our match another player did tell me to watch out for him(Thanks again ).

I hope his time off makes him change his ways and TO's don't let him play during his sentence; I don't think anyone wants to worry about their opponents brainstorming for four cards or tapping their underground sea for red if they let their guard down.

[cvarosky80]

You know, I see a lot of people on here piling on, and yet I have not seen one example of any actual evidence proving this "conclusive point" so many of you seem to have about the guy. All I see and have been hearing from others is nothing more than speculation. The only people who "know" anything for sure are Paul himself, and the DCI.

I've been back playing MTG for a few years now, and pretty much only play Vintage here in the Northeast. And during this time, I've been told about several players that were "definitely cheaters", just like Paul. Here's a list of those that I've been told by multiple sources are shady cheaters:

1. Josh Potucek
2. Justin Kohler
3. Matt Murray
4. Brian Kelly
5. Tom Dixon

You notice something consistent in that list? ALL of them are consistent Top 8'ers, just like Paul is. In fact, outside of a handful of others like Rob Edwards, Shawn Griffiths, Joel Lim, and Keith Seals, these 5 guys make deep tournament runs very often here in the Northeast. I've heard many times from many people that Mark Hornung and Allen Fullmer, back when they were playing and winning often, were cheaters. It seems pretty unlikely to me that in a community this small there are so many of it's top players that are shady.

I've personally played against Paul, and each and every person I listed above numerous times throughout these last several years in tournaments. Not once have I ever seen any kind of "shady-ness" from ANY of them during the MANY times I've faced all of them. Not once have I ever even heard of a definitive example of one of those guys trying to blatantly cheat during a match. All I've ever heard was a lot of speculation, with no good evidence ever offered up as to why these guys are "shady players."

Now I'm not naive. I know damn well that Paul or any of these guys could, in fact, be former or even active cheaters. But I also know that any of you could be the exact same thing! So before you all start lighting up your torches and getting your pitchforks sharpened any further, how's about you offer up some REAL evidence to these claims so many of you so definitively have before you all go forming your lynch mob. Players make mistakes during games. Players make lots of play errors during tournaments. Especially in Vintage. It's a fast-paced format. I'm willing to bet each and every one of you has effed-up often during your individual tournaments. I'm willing to bet each and every one of you has ROYALLY effed-up as well and simply had the good fortune of not getting caught on it by your opponent as well. To call someone a cheater or shady is to say with certainty that that person is deliberately and maliciously trying to gain an unnatural advantage over their opponents. Not one of you has provided any evidence to prove that in Paul's case. Not one person who's told me about the other players that they considered shady has ever provided that either.

[Nefarias]

Here's some evidence:

http://magic.wizards.com/en/content/suspended-dci-memberships

[Grand Inquisitor]

how's about you offer up some REAL evidence to these claims so many of you so definitively have before you all go forming your lynch mob

I heard primary evidence from someone who played him and Paul's G1 deck contained SB cards that were highly advantageous to the matchup.  It was a couple rounds in, so Paul could have known what he was playing.  And he didn't find out until multiple rounds later when Paul's list was posted for T8.

There's more, but TBH, given the preponderance of cheating in MTG your (anti) 'lynch mob' rhetoric is wearing pretty thin.

[MisterFoote]

You know, I see a lot of people on here piling on, and yet I have not seen one example of any actual evidence proving this "conclusive point" so many of you seem to have about the guy. All I see and have been hearing from others is nothing more than speculation. The only people who "know" anything for sure are Paul himself, and the DCI.

I've been back playing MTG for a few years now, and pretty much only play Vintage here in the Northeast. And during this time, I've been told about several players that were "definitely cheaters", just like Paul. Here's a list of those that I've been told by multiple sources are shady cheaters:

1. Josh Potucek
2. Justin Kohler
3. Matt Murray
4. Brian Kelly
5. Tom Dixon

You notice something consistent in that list? ALL of them are consistent Top 8'ers, just like Paul is. In fact, outside of a handful of others like Rob Edwards, Shawn Griffiths, Joel Lim, and Keith Seals, these 5 guys make deep tournament runs very often here in the Northeast. I've heard many times from many people that Mark Hornung and Allen Fullmer, back when they were playing and winning often, were cheaters. It seems pretty unlikely to me that in a community this small there are so many of it's top players that are shady.

I've personally played against Paul, and each and every person I listed above numerous times throughout these last several years in tournaments. Not once have I ever seen any kind of "shady-ness" from ANY of them during the MANY times I've faced all of them. Not once have I ever even heard of a definitive example of one of those guys trying to blatantly cheat during a match. All I've ever heard was a lot of speculation, with no good evidence ever offered up as to why these guys are "shady players."

Now I'm not naive. I know damn well that Paul or any of these guys could, in fact, be former or even active cheaters. But I also know that any of you could be the exact same thing! So before you all start lighting up your torches and getting your pitchforks sharpened any further, how's about you offer up some REAL evidence to these claims so many of you so definitively have before you all go forming your lynch mob. Players make mistakes during games. Players make lots of play errors during tournaments. Especially in Vintage. It's a fast-paced format. I'm willing to bet each and every one of you has effed-up often during your individual tournaments. I'm willing to bet each and every one of you has ROYALLY effed-up as well and simply had the good fortune of not getting caught on it by your opponent as well. To call someone a cheater or shady is to say with certainty that that person is deliberately and maliciously trying to gain an unnatural advantage over their opponents. Not one of you has provided any evidence to prove that in Paul's case. Not one person who's told me about the other players that they considered shady has ever provided that either.

Your references to a witch hunt are unwarranted.  It's cute how you bring that up after you make a list of people though.  

I will again restate that Paul is the only one who I have heard consistently and at all.  I am close with someone who is playing at every event from NH to PA.  A good example is Bill's experience at my first large event, the NYSE.  Paul had pre boarded for the match knowing bill is on shops.  Bill even asked him about the MD choice and Paul lied to him.  I am friends with bill.  He is an honest man.  When we checked the decklists, Paul did not have swords in his main deck.  

So again, no one is calling him a cheater.  Just a degenerate.  And please do not name names like you did.  You are asking for trouble.

[failtofind]

You know, I see a lot of people on here piling on, and yet I have not seen one example of any actual evidence proving this "conclusive point" so many of you seem to have about the guy. All I see and have been hearing from others is nothing more than speculation. The only people who "know" anything for sure are Paul himself, and the DCI.

I've been back playing MTG for a few years now, and pretty much only play Vintage here in the Northeast. And during this time, I've been told about several players that were "definitely cheaters", just like Paul. Here's a list of those that I've been told by multiple sources are shady cheaters:

1. Josh Potucek
2. Justin Kohler
3. Matt Murray
4. Brian Kelly
5. Tom Dixon

You notice something consistent in that list? ALL of them are consistent Top 8'ers, just like Paul is. In fact, outside of a handful of others like Rob Edwards, Shawn Griffiths, Joel Lim, and Keith Seals, these 5 guys make deep tournament runs very often here in the Northeast. I've heard many times from many people that Mark Hornung and Allen Fullmer, back when they were playing and winning often, were cheaters. It seems pretty unlikely to me that in a community this small there are so many of it's top players that are shady.

I've personally played against Paul, and each and every person I listed above numerous times throughout these last several years in tournaments. Not once have I ever seen any kind of "shady-ness" from ANY of them during the MANY times I've faced all of them. Not once have I ever even heard of a definitive example of one of those guys trying to blatantly cheat during a match. All I've ever heard was a lot of speculation, with no good evidence ever offered up as to why these guys are "shady players."

Now I'm not naive. I know damn well that Paul or any of these guys could, in fact, be former or even active cheaters. But I also know that any of you could be the exact same thing! So before you all start lighting up your torches and getting your pitchforks sharpened any further, how's about you offer up some REAL evidence to these claims so many of you so definitively have before you all go forming your lynch mob. Players make mistakes during games. Players make lots of play errors during tournaments. Especially in Vintage. It's a fast-paced format. I'm willing to bet each and every one of you has effed-up often during your individual tournaments. I'm willing to bet each and every one of you has ROYALLY effed-up as well and simply had the good fortune of not getting caught on it by your opponent as well. To call someone a cheater or shady is to say with certainty that that person is deliberately and maliciously trying to gain an unnatural advantage over their opponents. Not one of you has provided any evidence to prove that in Paul's case. Not one person who's told me about the other players that they considered shady has ever provided that either.

If you want more detailed, personal accounts pm me. Also the reason that he was able to get away with it for so long was because he is a nice guy, most of the best cheaters are, thats tactic #1  also as far as the people on your list, i have never heard or seen anything of any of them acting in a shady way, the ones i know, anyway.   This is not a witch hunt, this has been years in the making for 1 person.

[saspook]

I played against Paul in an eight man vintage event at GP providence (2010?) and Paul had two different ways of resolving Preordain. If he had previously preordained, he would simply slide the scryed cards under the deck. If the bottom card was not known, he would pick the deck up very quickly and tilt the deck while putting the scryed cards in the bottom.

I only caught on to this pattern at the end of the third game and didn't push the issue with the judge staff.

[Chubby Rain]

I've been back playing MTG for a few years now, and pretty much only play Vintage here in the Northeast. And during this time, I've been told about several players that were "definitely cheaters", just like Paul. Here's a list of those that I've been told by multiple sources are shady cheaters:

1. Josh Potucek
2. Justin Kohler
3. Matt Murray
4. Brian Kelly
5. Tom Dixon

I have to admit, I find this very distressing. I would respond by saying I am not a cheater and I do not believe these other players are, but that response would be expected whether or not I was actually a cheater. I can only say what I have said many times to many people: ALWAYS shuffle your opponent's deck and ALWAYS call a judge if there is a situation with which you are not comfortable or need clarification. I will never be offended if an opponent does this and I will never attempt to talk you out of this (in many cases, I have called a judge over myself when an opponent has a question or would like clarification). I am really confused by these allegations and don't know how else to respond.

[Samoht]

I echo Matt's sentiments. Protect yourself at all times and call a judge for anything you're uncomfortable with. I've made a point of being explicitly clear at all times about what's happening ever since it was brought to my attention that this stigma has attached itself to me. I encourage everyone to do the same.

[desolutionist]

Maybe this thread should just be removed because

1) Paul Mastriano happens to be friends with people on TMD and a thread welcoming people to talk shit is only going to lead to trouble

2) cvarosky80 is listing off names of other people, who I happen to be friends with, and saying they're all cheaters

cvarosky80, your sources are clueless, and so are you!