Has anyone had problems with Magic: The Gathering at chess tournaments?
What do you mean as problems?
I’ve seen people playing it before between rounds, but have never seen anyone play it in the playing area. (Which I would view as unacceptable.)
Rob
I don’t think Magic is a huge problem here, though non-chess activities are nothing new.
My first tournament was the Pan Am in Chicago, where I was an alternate on the Northwestern B team. I spent at least as much time playing Risk as playing chess.
For many years a staple of the US Open was the ongoing scrabble games in the evenings among some of the Delegates and their spouses.
Bughouse seems to be a more pervasive diversion at the tournaments out here. I also think bughouse contributed to the demise of the Lincoln Chess Club in the late 1990’s.
Actually, if you had Magic as a side event in one of your chess tournaments, I’d have to consider flying to your area from MA to play in it.
As long as the players aren’t insisting on finishing their Magic game when they’re supposed to be playing the next round, I can’t see where it would be a problem…unless the hotel or site owner has an issue with card playing. I know in some places, that’s considered gambling…even if it’s solitaire - believe it or not!