wow, just noticed all of this now.
For newer members, the current rules regarding pace of play are more "guidelines" than hard rules. Tournaments used to take forever. These "rules" are supposed to make it easier on TOs and players.
I participate almost every week in these tournies, and I often allow my opponents up to 10 min between matches, especially if it is an important match. There have been a couple times where I have expressed frustration with my opponent taking too long, so what do I do? I let the TO know. Which is what danieela should have done in the first place, instead of accuse me of cheating after he lost. The few times I've complained to a TO that my opponent is taking too much time, they make an announcement to my opponent that if the game isn't started within the next couple minutes, he forfeits. The game promptly starts 1-2 min later.
This builds onto what Vangelios mentions. It is the player's role to report rule infractions when they occur. TOs have no idea how much time passes between matches, and frankly they don't care as long as it doesn't delay the tournament (thus guideline more than rule). By entering the match, danieela gave up the right to demand a forfeit from me due to taking literally an extra 2 min. All that will happen as a result of this is TOs adding new verbage to the rule stating "contact a TO prior to starting a match if player is taking more than 5 min".
Regarding specifically what happened with Danieela, we were in the semifinals tied at 1-1. We chat for 1-2 min about how close the games were. 2 min later (at 05:37 ET), danieela says he's ready. I say just a min because I needed time trying to mindgate him, not deckbuild. I determine what I think he will play, and I use a deck I built and used earlier in the tourney that I believe will counter him. I say I'm ready 5 min after he says he's ready (at 05:42 ET). **at no point during that 5 min did Danieela complain to me about taking too long** We search, i get in but he doesn't. I see time mark and AI plays earth pends, so I think I'm hard countered because he probably has grabbies. I immediately exit and search again, same thing happens. Search again and we finally get in. Luckily for me he brought EQ instead of grabbies, and I got a turn 2 trident. So I won. But halfway through the match when it looks like danieela is going to lose, he starts sending me in-game PMs about taking more than 5 min and how that is considered cheating, especially for a speedbuilding tourney (no idea what that has to do with anything, but whatever).
Frankly, I find danieela's in-game and post tourney comments disrespectful and completely inappropriate. I'm sorry I took more than 5 min, but you should have said something to me first, then to a TO if I still wasn't ready. This is just a game, no one is playing for money or their livelihood. Please act like gentlemen to your opponents as we are all just trying to have fun.