Hello SWM Community!

This is a joint post fully agreed upon by both players ("word up" -Tim Ballard) and ("👍🏼" -Jason Kiernan), as well as the overall Gen Con SWM Tournament Organizer ("I approve this message" James Wyszynski)

Ya'll are probably wondering what the heck happened in the Gen Con championship finals.

Well, here's the short(-ish) scoop:

Game was played about 1am after a long day of gaming. One of the last moves in the final round in a tight game, Player A killed a major piece of Player B and ran around a corner. Then player B deliberated, drew several lines of sight, and found a line to use a scrub to attack Player A's piece that had just killed his piece. Player B rolled the magic number, (luck finally turned around!) and killed Player A's piece. The crowd (err - half dozen people) gasped. Player A removed the piece from the board and said "good game". Player B stared in shock at what had just happened. "Did that really just happen!?!" (He said thrice!) "Did I just Win Gen Con? That's the craziest finish ever!" There was a smattering of tired applause (a couple short claps really) as the players shook hands.

A minute later - "But wait!" Exclaimed Player A "I never moved a second activation before you shot my piece!" A hush filled the room. There were a few groans. Many sickened faces in the crowd (err - small handful of people). "What do we do?" "Ugh, this stinks".

Well, there was past precedent to rewind to the illegal game state and play from there. Player B did not want to be the "but you shook hands so it's over" guy, so he said "let's rewind and play it from there." Players and judge agreed. It was easy enough to set the board back up as it was and continue from the contested point.

Player A moved a scrub in front of his main piece, Player B did not get the miricle (second miricle?) to kill the scrub AND the main piece. Player B said "good game". They shook hands.

But wait there's more!

Much later Player B says to Player A - "Wait, how did you do this move?" (That dramatically changed the game). Player A moans in shock "I shouldn't have been able to! That's massive!" "I missed it too!" says Player B"

"So what do we do now?"

Both players agreed it was a heck of a predicament. Nothing official had been reported to the TO yet, it didn't effect any other games or any other players, another round hadn't started yet (obviously). The head judge was in a nasty place to have to make a call. Overall TO James recused the head judge so it would not be on his shoulders.

Important to note - both players were entirely civil and respectful in the process. Both agreed that there was valid arguments from multiple perspectives and there was no perfect solution. Neither wanted to win the championship in such a manner. Player A offered to concede the title to Player B. Player B refused that concession.

Both players were trying to honestly work out what the "right thing" to do would be. They are friends (as are most people in our community at this point) and there was no animosity. Multiple honest mistakes were made in the game.

Replaying from the illegal game state was proposed, but it would be difficult to rewind it with everything exactly right. Both players agree that if the early accidental illegal move hadn't happened, Player B wins pretty easily. Therefore Player A was reluctant to a full rematch because that would unfairly effect Player B (since Player B would have won from that point on minus the accidental illegal move, starting over benefits player A since he will avoid the bad position he was in). Player B acknowledged that starting all the way over would be worse for him thastarting from the point of the illegal game state, but he would still rather do that then take a concession.

Then it was pointed out that it could be a positive thing to replay the game. Play it LIVE ON VASSAL, with live commentary on the SITH HOLONEWS NETWORK, for everyone to watch and enjoy!

BOTH players refused to accept a concession from the other. Both want to do the right thing. Co-champions was brought up but it didn't seem quite right to either (again - both would rather the other just have the title) There is no perfect answer. Replay seems the best option.

Both players and the head SWM TO agree to the solution of a replay (date tbd), where the result will be final. An official judge will be on hand, and the game will be public for viewing.


A note from the players -
Both wanted to be sure to publicly commend the other on the civil manner in which this has been handled. Zero animosity. Both feel bad for the other guy. Both were also concerned about how it might effect the community. Ultimately since it effects nobody else directly, they have come to this decision in unison with full backing from the head TO. It is truly both players desire that this becomes a fun, positive thing for the community to look forward to.



As much anticipation as there has been in the community about this (we love all the interest!), trust us when we say the players and judges stomachs have most likely been churning over this more than anyone. It hasn't been a case of either play or feeling like they been cheated. In fact it's more of a case of both players trying to make sure they aren't accidentally cheating the other one out of anything.

Everyone has no doubt that this will be debated on if it's the right way to handle it. (it's to be expected we are all gamers) - but the decision on how to handle this has been made, agreed-upon by both players and the head TO, and it is final.

Stay tuned to find out when the rematch will happen! I hope you all are looking forward to it.

If you have any problems or concerns with this, please contact me via Email Jameswys@hotmail.com or call/text me at 517.582.6000

It will not be of any use to complain or criticize this. It is final, but I will take your thoughts into consideration for next year.

Meh, don't get bent up about it. They're literally going to play again, and the game will no doubt play out differently, probably will be more intense (they know each others squads even better now) so unless someone's dice poop all over them it should be a great game, and people (like you and me) that weren't there will have a chance to watch it.

Also, don't blow up this thread complaining. Maybe you have some constructive suggestions for handling game-state errors? (which range from trivial to game-changing, obviously)

*addendum - You mentioned 'camaraderie'. Seems more like sportsmanship to me.

I am a little bent about it. If it wasn't for buying a house (what a house it is as well) I would have been at gencon this year. I am already planning for next year and getting it "on the books" I even told the High School Athletic Director that next year for 4 days I will be gone during preseason and the assistant will have to take over haha.

Mix in Slow Play reports with players being able to determine their own fate and it is not very enticing. I mean, for me to leave my high school coaching job, my wife, and 5 children for 4-5 days and travel over 11 hours I would like to know there are rules in place and what I can expect.

Sportsmanship is just fair play. IF there are rules going against the rules to be "nice" is not sportsmanlike. It is cheating. One SHHN in 2017 before gencon discussed how gencon is different then other tournaments and how if a player did not declare say a "Lightsaber Assault" before movement then they would call that out and be really nit picky with language. That is because those rules are in place.Competition is Cut-throat.

Slow-Play should be called out and done away with. If someone concedes that is it. If they both don't want the title, call it null or give it to 3rd place if they both disavow it.

If someone makes a mistake in a competition I dont know why you can go back in time.
A goalkeeper slips and misses picking up a rolling slowly ball and it goes into the goal, I dont see him getting a redo. Someone misses a layup in the final seconds losing them the game they do not get a redo.


I do agree fully with the idea of not playing a 1AM after all those other games.

I was pretty upset back then, but official DCI rules ( in 2006 ) stated that if someone concedes, then the game is over, period!

Juice Man you are consistently unhelpful. Why do you even respond? Do you think it is a help? do you think it benefits any one to say "you shouldn't go"? Are you going to say that to others that are disappointed in an aspect of this tournament?
I am not the only one questioning how things went down this gencon and wanting some more set rules for the tournament.
People are disappointed in the largest tournament we have. All you have to say is "you shouldn't go".
IF I go there is a chance Deaths_Baine goes, Shmi15 might go, even theultrastar might come out and go.

So there is 4 people. I know there are a couple of other TN guys that we are pals with that might go just because there is a ride (5 kids means I own a Honda Odyssey). So we are talking quite a few people that might go if I go.
On top of that we might be able to pick people up on the way since I am driving from the East Coast.

Before all the above, you shouldn't count someone out so quickly just because that person is a human being. I shouldn't have to prove to you that I am "worth" being accounted for. Frankly put: You sir, are an ass.