Cardboard Crack FTW!Hidden Card Error (HCE) was created to address serious, and likely, issues, and improve on our ability to handle them. Drawing Extra Cards is the prime example of what was improved on, with the advent of HCE.
Coincidentally, HCE also provided a remedy for this much-discussed scenario. Before HCE, all we could do is sympathize with the player who no longer has the cards that were in their hand.
With HCE, we do our best to determine the number of cards that should be in hand. (If the game state isn't too convoluted,
card counting techniques can be employed.)
Next, the opponent searches the player's library for that many cards, and the cards they choose will constitute the (rest of that) player's hand.
Finally, a Warning for HCE is issued for the offending player.
I'll admit, it was a
Happy Accident that HCE addressed this exceptional corner case. I will also admit that I'm aware that it actually did happen, in real life - including during the Top 8 of a PTQ here in Denver! - but at a rate approaching zero per 10,000 tournaments. (Something comes to mind about lies, damn lies, and statistics…)
d:^D