MTG Pro Caught Cheating and Loses Sponsors

MTG Pro Carlos "Batutinha" Alexandre was allegedly caught cheating at a local RCQ by fellow players. This video evaluates the facts of the events and the aftermath response from his sponsors and community.

#MTG #HarryMTG

[HarryMTG]

As of now, Batutinha has only lost his sponsors. Do you think WotC should do anything?

[deansilvers]

The main message here:

The tron player isn’t always the bad guy

[martinrosschou]

Clearly cheating, choosing to attack a goblin guide in to a wurmcoil, and then making an illegal play. 100% a last resort play, aka cheating.

[abcdef-tbxt]

Multiple 5-0s with Burn… he knows how this card

[phcozinha]

This cheat is shaking brazilian mtg community. Is sad cause he’s a talented player and should not have done such a thing. Now he need to deal whit the consequences

[netoleal]

I watched "batutinha"'s stream once, he was talking about cheating and saying that if you don't get caught its not cheating and that he plays with the rules given to him or some shit like that lmao

[mimico]

This guy is well-known to cheat pretty often over here in Brazil. He even became a meme over here, is very nice to see this kind of international coverage.

[lucianofernandes]

The thing that maybe people is forgetting when trying to defending the Burn palyer is that there was a HUGE time that both players and the TO could read the card many times and as I know it was in Portuguese. I think that the problem was not the reading, but the way the Burn player explained the situation. Say he did not know how it works in the begging is kind of OK, but as I said, there was time to read the card and understand it.

[traxonsundays]

Having a judge won't always help though.

I once called a judge on my opponent in the finals, for using an ability wrong (which was a 4 mana benefit for my opponent) and would have instantly won my opponent the game.
See, if that was round one I wouldn't have called a judge, but in the 6th round/finals and from an "experienced" player of that store with the most points on their own leaderboard, this was testing me knowing the cards and see if he could get away with it. He even made the most outrageously bad acted "Oh, oops..." with the hand on the mouth and everything.
Anyways, judge comes over and gets mad at me for calling him. Clearly the two were friends, and had a scam going in that store. I never went back there.

[arandombard]

The incompetent judge made his final ruling and so the player response to the incorrect ruling as the game would be over. Why wouldn't the judge order a replay or just disqualify the idiot for lying? I'm super casual and even to me the text of that card is blindingly obvious.

[nicholastreuko]

As a former judge and a spike player, i can say he did It on purpouse. I've seen (and played against) many games to believe It was a mistake. Many pros are famous because of cheating, here in Brazil It is well known... And Common. 1 more... Sad bit not shocked.

[thiagomarins]

Now, here in Brazil, we call him "bigodinha" because 'bigode' is a slang for cheater

[JoaoHenrique-ngky]

He should be punished by WotC. He was clearing cheating and WotC should aplie some kind of punishment for this.

[gsharpenmydjencil]

I think the bigger issue is that the pro community couldn't care less.
Willy Edel supports this guy.
If MTG was my career and someone cheated, I'd make sure to stay far away from them because it will taint my reputation.
Yet they all don't even bat an eye because the probably became pro this way.

[rjjacintoph]

That doesn't make any sense. How can the TO think Wurmcoil is attacking if the burn player explained it correctly and it'll be super clear that the wormcoil is untapped. I wouldn't go back to that LGS unless an event got a judge

[griffinmtg]

believe it or not there are people defending the burn player. I mean, WTF bro.

[Trazaeth]

Everyone wants a level 1 judge but becoming a judge is not easy as you have to get sponsorship from a current judge just to become one. This is why WOTC should be running the judge program but they won't.

[coolColombianguy]

Unfortunately, this case was more of moral and ethical behavior. The case was presented to an "elected " judge. Batutinha is NOT REQUIRED to clear the issue but accept the ruling. It's a very slick and tricky behavior. He knew not to pick up the cards until everyone walks away.
I'm happy that karma got to him in the end with the loss of sponsorship.

[girththeogre]

"Cheater is just a fancy word for winner!!"
~ Every Cheater Ever

[codybrennan]

It appears that the common trend amongst pro competitors is that if they care more about winning than the integrity of the game. This was a clear move of "playing to your outs" hoping that you wouldn't get caught. We as players of all levels should hold ourselves and others accountable. Also, this is expected to be comp REL, you are expected to play at the highest standard. Unfortunately, newer rules seem to be too forgiving towards this standard. As it stands, it's a clear abuse of the situation and even if it's not a "cheat" it should be disqualified.