Tournament

THE CURIOUS BANNING OF ZACH JESSE

THE CURIOUS BANNING OF ZACH JESSE

On July 1, 2015, a Magic player by the name of Zach Jesse was banned from sanctioned Magic tournaments/events by Wizards of the Coast (WotC)/DCI until 2049. Not quite a Lifetime banning, but it might as well be. Then again, I may still be collecting and playing Magic: The Gathering in the year 2049 if I'm lucky enough to still be alive and kicking!

While the title [above] may lack the flowing ring of the movie it parodies, I felt it was fitting. Not necessarily because the reasoning behind the action was curious, but because of how it was handled (is still being handled) and what it may imply long-term for the Magic community as a whole.

#GOYFGATE

#GOYFGATE

A few months after the Chapin drama in March, the Magic scene was struck with a new scandal. During the incredibly successful GP Las Vegas, a pro player — Pascal Maynard — made a controversial Top 8 draft pick. The choice simultaneously begat outrage and backlash from fellow "pro" players, some of which sponsored by the same company (Channel Fireball, CFB), as well as mass fan-backing supporting Maynard's selection.

By now, if you follow any sort of Magic related news, You are sure to know the story, but for those of you who don't, I will recap it here (followed by some recent developments)...

THE CHAPIN DEBACLE

THE CHAPIN DEBACLE

The past few months of Magic seem to be teeming in controversy. It's a factor that plays a large role in my endeavors to finally write about it. Just as my previous post about the Tucking Rule changes from back in March are a bit "outdated", so too is this topic. Though, the Chapin debacle is one I plan to reference in future posts regarding WotC, rule changes, and more current controversial matters at hand.

Where to begin...