Possible New End of Match Procedure. Please Discuss!

As we're an informal group (we don't follow DCI rules to the letter, for example), we get to consider things like different formats (outside of Standard or traditional Drafts), procedures, etc.

I want to consider a procedure change for our "end of match" determinations.

Currently, we do adopt the DCI's "five extra turns" rule: At the end of time, after the current turn there are 5 additional turns (total) in the game.

The way we do the "who wins" consideration is this:

CURRENT POLICY
Games 1 or 3: Whoever has the most life at the end of the 5 extra turns wins the game and thus the match (winner would either be 1-0 or 2-1, so there's no need for an extra game).

Game 2: If there's no clear winner, the winner of Game 1 wins the match.


To be honest, I'm personally tired of losing Game 2 in extra turns because I can't kill my opponent. And I've had opponents not even go to Game 2 because time was about to run out and they had no chance to kill me. If Games 1 and 3 get to determine their game (thus match) winner by ending life totals, I want Game 2 to do something similar and mean something.


So I want us to consider this end-of-match policy:

PROPOSED POLICY
Games 1 and 3: Same as normal, since the game records would give one player the clear win of the match.

Game 2: At the end of the extra 5 turns, the winner of Game 2 is determined by who has the highest life total. If it's a tie, ignore non-combat damage/life gain and go to the first combat damage dealt. If there's no clear Match winner (after extra turns, the result is 1-1), go to Game 3. In Game 3, non-combat damage is ignored, as is non-combat life gain. First combat damage in Game 3 wins.



This is just an idea. The crux of it is I want Game 2 to possibly mean something, to not let people quit just because the winner of Game 1 got to run the clock out. I want to do some form of "go to Game 3 if the match score is tied after extra turns", but I don't want cheap burn/life gain to win the game by itself in Game 3. Combat damage would make you work for it. I know it would take longer, but I think it's be a better system to ensure the person who works hardest wins, not the guy who happens to luck up on the clock/direct damage topdeck/life gain topdeck.


Feel free to comment below or send an E-mail to CardGameNut@gmail.com . Chances are we won't implement this for the Scars of Mirrodin draft unless we get a majority approval, so take your time to think about this and respond.