pksens Profile Joined July 2010 United Kingdom 156 Posts #1

A couple of quotes from current competing players:

In a recent thread it has been stated that is is quite acceptable behaviour, in the eyes of some SC2 Professionals, to prearrange the finals match of a tournament to be a non-competition in the spirit of "friendliness" between the 2 said competitors such that they can split the total winnings of the tournament between the of them, regardless of the outcome of the game.A couple of quotes from current competing players:

we made the agreed BEFORE the tournament had started, this is something that is common which several other players from different teams have done aswell.. just gotta know who your dealing with i guess =] i learned my lesson tho





when the money becomes fairly significant to 2 teammates and they are playing each other, agreeing to splitting money sounds like the most reasonable move imo, unless they can afford to gamble 5000$



Now, seeing as this is a purely community driven spectator online gaming industry, surely the opinion of the spectators are what count the most?

I ask of you TL, to shed your opinion:



Poll: Do you consider "Deal Making" a form of "Match fixing"?



Not as bad as match fixing, but still quite wrong (834)

40%



No (707)

34%



Yes (563)

27%



2104 total votes (834)40%(707)34%(563)27%2104 total votes Your vote: Do you consider "Deal Making" a form of "Match fixing"? (Vote): Yes

(Vote): No

(Vote): Not as bad as match fixing, but still quite wrong





The term "Match Fixing" is quite contentious, I am fully aware, because the purest form of Match fixing is to predetermine the victor or loser, or any small controllable element in a game, for which there can be benefit to someone such as betting or tournament point distribution.



There is the perception that in the interest of 2 friends, or 2 teammates who's livelihood rests with income generated within the game that in the interest of trust or friendship they can both mutually agree to split the winnings if they think it is likely, or actually any possibility, that they meet in the finals.



The problem that immediately occurs with this is a "Fake" finals. When 2 competitors no longer have the motivation or requirement to compete in the final, because the outcome is essentially irrelevant, is that the viewers are immediately robbed of any form of meaningful "Match".





Now I know this might not be a big deal to many people, that many poker players here might feel an affinity to this particular situation because in a long tournament when you get to the final table, to the last few or 2 competitors that splitting the prize is a common thing and an understandable thing. But for a game like SC2 which is totally dependent on being a honest & watchable spectator sport in order to succeed, surely this is wrong on every level?



More polls:

Poll: Should this be illegal?



Yes (1062)

64%



No (483)

29%



Don't care, not a big deal. (116)

7%



1661 total votes (1062)64%(483)29%(116)7%1661 total votes Your vote: Should this be illegal? (Vote): Yes

(Vote): No

(Vote): Don't care, not a big deal.





TL;DR: I'm surprised to witness out of the mouth of a couple of pro's that they believe match "dealing" is acceptable, happens multiple times in the past & will continue to in future. Theres a problem defining this as "match fixing" when it that can be thrown in the same pool as "betting scandal". It's a big pool.

But all in all, I considering it cheating, regardless of the definitions of match fixing or deal making. It's pointless to debate on the semantics of it, so it merely becomes the question of whether or not we accept it, do we punish it and or do we turn a blind eye to it.



Please don't turn this into a "This progamer cheated X out of money!!" or "This gamer is an excheater bla bla bla." Those guys made their beds, let them sleep in it, what really worries me is the frequency of this happening in general, how much it happens and if it's really possible to clamp down on it so it's unfair to make this into a witch hunt or anything else when we need to understand the whole scope of it. Now, seeing as this is a purely community driven spectator online gaming industry, surely the opinion of the spectators are what count the most?I ask of you TL, to shed your opinion:The term "Match Fixing" is quite contentious, I am fully aware, because the purest form of Match fixing is to predetermine the victor or loser, or any small controllable element in a game, for which there can be benefit to someone such as betting or tournament point distribution.There is the perception that in the interest of 2 friends, or 2 teammates who's livelihood rests with income generated within the game that in the interest of trust or friendship they can both mutually agree to split the winnings if they think it is likely, or actually any possibility, that they meet in the finals.The problem that immediately occurs with this is a "Fake" finals. When 2 competitors no longer have the motivation or requirement to compete in the final, because the outcome is essentially irrelevant, is that the viewers are immediately robbed of any form of meaningful "Match".Now I know this might not be a big deal to many people, that many poker players here might feel an affinity to this particular situation because in a long tournament when you get to the final table, to the last few or 2 competitors that splitting the prize is a common thing and an understandable thing. But for a game like SC2 which is totally dependent on being a honest & watchable spectator sport in order to succeed, surely this is wrong on every level?More polls:TL;DR: I'm surprised to witness out of the mouth of a couple of pro's that they believe match "dealing" is acceptable, happens multiple times in the past & will continue to in future. Theres a problem defining this as "match fixing" when it that can be thrown in the same pool as "betting scandal". It's a big pool.But all in all, I considering it cheating, regardless of the definitions of match fixing or deal making. It's pointless to debate on the semantics of it, so it merely becomes the question of whether or not we accept it, do we punish it and or do we turn a blind eye to it.Please don't turn this into a "This progamer cheated X out of money!!" or "This gamer is an excheater bla bla bla." Those guys made their beds, let them sleep in it, what really worries me is the frequency of this happening in general, how much it happens and if it's really possible to clamp down on it so it's unfair to make this into a witch hunt or anything else when we need to understand the whole scope of it.