Originally posted by Johannes Wagner:

Shuffling doesnt have anything to do with damaging cards.

Well, yes*. But if the player believed that, we wouldn't have the request to begin with. So we have to just tell the player that shuffling is something they have to accept (unless there's something unusually problematic about the oponent's shuffling).


*Actually, over time, most shuffling techniques do/can damage cards a bit - look at the damage to sleeve corners that mashing can do, or the bend that frequently riffled cards pick up over time. But this is just something people have to accept about playing.

If I see my opponent riffleshuffle/shuffle like a mad man, even I will say that and Im not playing any foils in my decks except some common foils I had lying around. My sleeves are getting damaged, yeah, but that's why I'm using sleeves. Still cards can get damaged if you shuffle wrong.

While I agree with the sentiment that players have to accept some amount of wear/damage through play, excessive shuffling with possible damage to cards/deck is not allowed:

MTR 3.9:
The opponent may then shuffle it additionally. Cards and sleeves must not be in danger of
being damaged during this process. If the opponent does not believe the player made a reasonable effort to
randomize his or her deck, the opponent must notify a judge. Players may request to have a judge shuffle their
cards rather than the opponent; this request will be honored only at a judge’s discretion.
(emphasis is mine)

Players without a medical condition should not be intentionally or unintentionally shuffling in damaging matters of things they do not own. I'd suggest some education and a calm but firm request that the opponent find a non-damaging way to shuffle if it seems to be reckless; I've seen a player shuffle their opponent's deck against sleeve openings and grooves, and split 1/4 of the deck's sleeve open.

In the rare case of mistrust (and I doubt this would scale in large numbers), judges can shuffle with our discretion as per the rules.

I don't think any action needs to be taken unless one of the players asks for it, there is also no need to observe that overprotective player imho.

No way of ordinaray (!) shuffling will drop the card value from NM to EX+, nor will any played card ever be boosterfresh. So I have not a lot of sympathy for the overconcearned player. Unless a player bruteforces the corners of cards into the side of the cards while he does the “waterfall shuffle” or bents the cards while riffleshuffling to an extent where they could be damaged. Any kind of shuffling should be fine.

“not doublesleeved” ? Well if that is that players issue - doublesleeve them… and if that isn't enough there is a wide variatey of sleeves with different bending and protection properties… if none of them suits that player then he probably should focus on the “collecting cards” part of magic.