Well, I haven't seen anyone address this ugly issue here at the PoJo, but
having just participated in my second Pokemon tournament, I feel have to
issue this sad warning:

*** "Beware of possible cheaters--even in Pokemon!" ***

Now, I won't name any names or tell you which tournament this article
refers to, or even tell you the gender of my opponent--for convenience I'll
refer to my opponent as "she."

Here's the scenario:  I'm playing an opponent, and as she draws a card, she
"accidentally" draws 2 cards.  Being the trusting & perhaps naive type, I
say "That's okay," and I watch as she puts the card back on top of her draw
pile. (ALERT! ALERT!)  A little later in the game it happens again--she
draws two cards.  I'm ahead on winning prizes and feeling generous, so I
say "That's okay" again, and she puts the card back into the =middle= of
the pile. (ALERT! ALERT!) This happens 3 or 4 more times during the game,
and I just kind of figure the plastic sleeves on her deck are sticky.  I
win in any case, and the "accidents" are clear out of my head.

Then later I'm chatting with another player, who also played my "clumsy"
opponent with the "sticky sleeves."   Turns out she tried to mulligan on
him, and when my acquaintance asked her to show him her hand, she suddenly
"discovered" she had a basic among her cards!  Gosh, how did that get in
there? (ALERT! ALERT!)  Again, the "sticky" problem also occurred fairly
often in their game...

Now, it was only after hearing my acquaintence's "mulligan" story that I
went back in my mind and realized what my "clumsy" opponent had been doing.
 When she drew 2 cards, she got a free "peek," and kept the card she wanted
in her hand. Then she could either:  (1) put the other card she wanted next
on top of her draw pile, or (2) bury the unwanted 2nd card inside her draw
pile.  

After the tourney I asked the judge about this, and was told that if your
opponent accidentally draws 2 cards on their turn, you have every right to
ask them to bury =both= cards in their draw pile, shuffle their deck, and
then draw again.  Lots of players don't know this--we certainly didn't
until the judge told us.

So while Pokemon may be the "fun" version of TCGs like Magic: TG,  just be
aware and stay awake when you play...  

Signing off,

Steven "Daddy-Oh" Diamond <diamondz@nmia.com>
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Mary & Steve Diamond
Shayna & Devin Diamond
"Los Diamantes de Alburquerque"
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