Bazaar TraderBazaar Trader | Art by Matt Cavotta

Hello, and welcome to Am I the Bolas? This week, you assign the value!

This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some Magic and wondered if you were the bad guy. I'm here to take in your story with all of its nuances so I can bring some clarity to all those asking, "Am I the Bolas?"

I'm ready to hear you out and offer advice. All you have to do is email [email protected] with your story, a pseudonym you want to use, and of course, only include details you don't mind in the column! You might see your story below one day. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?

THIS PODCAST!

I'm Mike Carrozza and it's a new year!

PLEASE JUST MAKE THIS ONE BETTER!

(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)

SUBMISSION

VERDICT

Thank you for writing and asking me to weigh in on your story. As I mention every week, if folks don't write to me, there's no column, so if you, the reader, want to send me a story, whether it's your own or one from Reddit or a friend's, please send it to [email protected] and I'll get to it here.

The long and short of it for me is yes, if the trade is finalized and the price difference is relatively small, I'd call that Bolas territory. We have many tools to appraise the cards of this massive trading card game at our disposal. If there was no way to check the prices at the time of the trade, then maybe it becomes a little less Bolasy to go back to ask for more, but it still feels icky to me.

Is this a friend with whom there's trust and there's an expectation that the trade isn't completed until everybody goes home and checks on how they made out? Then wouldn't you also expect a message from them about the price discrepancy?

Either way, to me, this is just bad form. If you traded cards for cards and they've switched hands without mention of the price or after-the-fact adjustments being welcome, unless the amount is ridiculous, then it's over and you have to swallow the $5.03 loss on the trade.

I guess the question is "What changed?" You looked up the prices and found a price difference. It doesn't feel like you were swindled - like if they'd convinced you to trade a Black LotusBlack Lotus for two Standard rares that are readily available on the secondary market for very cheap, then yeah, that's a difference that'd require a discussion.

The thing is, you completed this trade happily. You got two cards you wanted and got rid of two cards you no longer did. That's the fun of trading with pals: Everybody walks away with something they want. There's inherent value in this. Now you don't need to pay the $1.97 plus shipping and taxes to buy the cards online. The thing is, between friends, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to bring it up and have a discussion about how they feel.

The trouble I'm having with this is that there's an acceptable amount to lose out on and you have to determine what you're okay with. Did you think they were all about the same value and that's what was important to you? No, in my reading of your submission, your goal was to flip cards you don't use for ones you will. You've assigned the value to those cards versus the ones you were trading.

I don't know, maybe Bolas is a little harsh for this. It's just a faux pas, really. If the trade is done and the cards have found homes, opening things back up feels wrong with few exceptions. You know how sometimes you'll order something online for less than you expect and you figure "well, okay, this is the agreement," but then they cancel your order and refund you but relist the same item at a higher price point? That's the vibe this is giving off to me. It feels like a pricing mistake you've got to suck up rather than a pricing mistake that should have never been available.

For example, if someone put a Black LotusBlack Lotus (whatever, it's hyperbole and it's the funniest card to compare to) on Cardsphere for $10, I'd try buying it, but I'd expect and accept the outcome of a cancellation and relisting. But if that same seller posted a $5 card for $3 and they then cancelled to relist it at $5, I'd find that a little scummy and would file a complaint.

This is less a verdict or advice on the matter and more of me giving you some things to consider. By all means, if you feel close enough to the other player to discuss reopening that trade, that's fine, I guess, but I personally wouldn't do it. It's not the worst thing in the world, but it could leave a sour taste in one's mouth.

Conversely, though, it could be well received and appreciated even. I'm only able to give you my perspective and I'm thinking you should let it be.

Thanks again for writing in!