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Why do you do that? Could you please stop? It's annoying, and confuses those of us newer draftrs.

The point to it is so the next guy doesn't know what else they were looking at.  And how exactly is it confusing? 

It does next to nothing unless someone has memorized a print run, which is highly unlikely at FNM.   A lot of it's just for show, just like people flick their cards.  Just ignore it and focus on what you're doing.

They do that because that's what the judges tell you to do at big competitive magic tourneys. It eliminates some cheating. The cards should be somewhat randomized when you pass them. BUT at FNM it shouldn't matter.

I bring forward the cards I'm interested in to the top of the pack when I'm choosing.  I shuffle it before I pass so it's not obvious what I've been looking at.  I don't understand what is so confusing about that though.

Cheers

Jan 12, 2013 -- 7:15AM, GeekyDad wrote:

Why do you do that? Could you please stop? It's annoying, and confuses those of us newer draftrs.

That's the point.

Just put the pack back in order before you pick.  If they complain that you're holding things up, tell them that you'll stop reordering when they stop reshuffling.

Jan 12, 2013 -- 3:16PM, Catotheyounger wrote:

Jan 12, 2013 -- 7:15AM, GeekyDad wrote:

Why do you do that? Could you please stop? It's annoying, and confuses those of us newer draftrs.

That's the point.

Yep.

i'll also put strong cards in the front of a guild I am not gong into and follow up by placing cards of the same guild in front when I pass. It matters. 

Well, rstnme, that's just overt signalling. (Which is actually kind of cool.)

As a relatively new player to drafting, I kind of like seeing all the commons and uncommons clumped together, and the rare/mythic in the back. It's easier for me to read the signals if I can see it that way when a pack is passed to me. As in, first evaluation, decent uncommon passed over, players next to me not in that color. If it's shuffled, it takes me longer to try and evaluate the pack.

I wouldn't have even complained, except the player sitting across from me during draft griped about the same thing, so I know I'm not alone. I've never received any instructions to shuffle the pack before passing. When I look at the pack, I keep it in the order it came in (you've got really tiny hands if you can't spread cards to favor two or three at once) then make sure the edges are lined up before setting it in the zone (my FNM does zone drafting.) The next player has no idea which cards I've been looking at, except for the common/uncommon/rare slot that's missing because I drafted it.

It's sort of like all the players who nervously shuffle the cards in their hand while they play. I don't mind it at all... except when it happens to be my deck that I've loaned them to play against me. But I'm usually conscious enough to bite my tongue- it's not like they're not in sleeves, even if they're holding my Jace, Architect of Thought it's a very small likelyhood they'll accidentally tweak the card.

To put it in perspective I just drafted with some of the best players in the world today at GP SIngapore Day 2. It was explicitly told to us to shuffle the cards before we pass them (zone style drafting).

Signals are still there.

Just embrace the challenges that drafting presents!

Glad to hear things are looking up.

Keep in mind, I've drafted incredible decks only to go 1-3...it happens.