in any tournament setting. ^_^ This has
been covered quite extensively in the Magic the Gathering Tournament Rules
(MTR), and that’s also the content of this current post! Do note that this
is part 1 of 2 series, where we will cover the roles of Tournament Officials. A
person may hold multiple roles during a tournament.
Individuals, who are not Judges at
the particular tournament, including those without DCI numbers, are acting as Spectators
in any matches that they are not playing in. Members of the press are also
considered Spectators. Players and Spectators are expected to follow all
instruction given by the Tournament Officials.
In every event setting sanctioned by
Wizards Event Reporter (WER) or Wizards Large Tournament Reporter
(WLTR) ranging from the casual events (eg. EDH) to the tournaments events
(eg. FNM, Worlds, Grand Prix, Pro Tour), there are the several roles which have
been defined for tournament purposes. A person may hold multiple roles during
The original MTR can be found here.
The Tournament Official roles are 1)
Tournament Organiser 2) Head Judge 3) Floor Judge 4) Scorekeeper.
Let us take a look at them:-
1. Tournament Organizer
The bao kar liao personnel-in-charge for all tournament logistics
between all respective parties. Responsibility includes:-
1.1. sanction the event with Wizards (usually
through WER)
Good Practice👍:
Sanction the event early and avoid clashes, if possible, so that player
attendance will not be affected by other events.
1.2. provide a suitable space for the event
Good Practice👍:
Have a well-lit and comfortable playing area. Possibly set a limit cap due to event
space constraint. Everyone loves comfortable playing area.
1.3. advertise the event details early
Good Practice👍: Promote
the event with clear details on mediums (fb/blog/websites/store
calendar) so that players can plan their schedule.
Good Practice👍: Provide pre-registration that incentivize players to register and make payment early, so that players are committed to the event.
1.4. staff the event with appropriate tournament
official to run the event properly and efficiently
Good Practice👍:
Run the event on-time. Everyone likes event that starts on time.
Good Practice👍:
Have judges (certified or not)to
assist players with rules and games dispute.Have a scorekeeper who knows how to
work with WER properly.
Good Practice👍:
Secure and confirm a Head Judge (L2+ judges) early for PPTQs. Nobody likes a
cancelled event.
1.5.
provide all materials
necessary to operate the tournament
Good Practice👍: Ensure computer,
printer, space to post pairings, visible round clock, decklist& products (if required) are available. Everyone
likes a smooth event.
1.6. report and upload event results(usually through WER or WPN representative)
1.7.
save match result slips
from each tournament for a period of 6 months (to aid in match appeals)
2.
Head Judge
The person with final
authority in relation to in-game disputes, rules, policy and other official
game decisions. Responsibility includes:-
2.1. ensure that all necessary game and rule policies
violations are handled properly or brought to attention
Good Practice👍:
Serve as a resource to floor judges. Potentially further clarify and discuss
about game and rules policies violation with players involved after final
ruling and possibly in between matches, so that the discussion will not hold up
the whole tournament.
2.2. issue final ruling in all appeals, potentially
overturn the ruling of a floor judge
Good Practice👍:
Allow floor judges to take judge calls(mentoring
experience), and inform players that they have a right to an appealor a
second opinion of which is final (does
not mean that there is no trust on floor judges).
Good Practice👍:
Explain the reasoning behind in decision on any appeals to both floor judge and
player involved (whether it is upheld or
overturned).
2.3. coordinate and delegate tasks to Floor Judges as
needed(in larger events, with multiple
judges)
Good Practice👍: Have
a macro view of the event, in order to assign, organise, and manage Teams Lead
and teams in large events with multiple judges. Coodinate with the Tournament
Organiser (TO) on other tasks as needed by the organiser.
If necessary, the Head
Judge may transfer his duties to any judge (ie.
lunch break). Also, in exceptional circumstances (although the TO has the final say on whether the Head Judge needs to
be replaced due to exceptional circumstances, it is prudent to check with the
WPN representative on what is considered as exceptional), if the
tournament’s integrity would be damaged otherwise, the Tournament Organizer may
replace the Head Judge.
3.
Floor Judges
The resource person, that
assists the Head Judge and Players, dealing with questions, fixing play errors
and assisting with reasonable requests. Certification is not a must to be able
to judge, but it is recommended to be certified or working towards
certification.Responsibility includes:-
3.1. answer questions about rules, interaction
between cards, or provide Oracle text of relevant cards, while not providing strategic
advice regarding gameplays
Good Practice👍: Explain
the rules affecting the interaction, and let the Players derive the answer from
the understanding of the rules.
Good Practice👍:
Have an app that allows you to retrieve the MTR, Judging at Regular Document
(JAR), Infraction Procedure Guide (IPG), Comprehensive Rulebook (CR) and Oracle
text easily without the need of internet connection. (MTG Guide on iOS Phone OR MTG Familiar/MTG Judge Core App for Android
Phone OR Bugko – MTG Tool for Windows Mobile).
3.2. assist Players in understanding the game state
in the interest of education at Regular Rule Enforcement Level (REL)
Good Practice👍:
Understand and apply the philosophy of JAR in Regular REL events when answering
the Player’s questions (emphasis on
education and helping new players’ entry to the game).
3.3. honor Player’s request to ask questions away
from the table, if able
Good Practice👍: Offer
the Player the option to step away from the table to ask question, if the
Player feels that too much information may be given away to the opponent.
3.4. do not intervene in a game to prevent illegal
action, but to intervene in a game as soon as a rule has been broken or prevent
a situation from escalating
Good Practice👍: Adopt
a proactive approach bywatching games, and encourage the Players to call for
Judges if they need assistance.
Players may not request specific judges to answer
their calls, but may request a Tournament Official to help to translate(to maintain the partiality tournament
integrity). This request may be honored at the discretion of the original
Judge (as there are players who speak
different languages, translation helps to ensure that there is clear and
efficient communication).
4.
Scorekeeper
The “do
not disturb” person that ensures that generation of pairings and all other
tournament records are correct. Responsibility includes:-
4.1. generate correct pairings and accurately enter
the results for each rounds
Good Practice👍: Double
check and make sure that the results are entered correctly. No one like to be
paired with the incorrect opponent.
4.2. generate standings for posting before and after
the final Swiss round. Other rounds may be posted at the Head Judge’s
discretion
Good Practice👍: Remind
Head Judge to remind Players that actions that undermine the integrity of the
game should not happen.
4.3. solve all scorekeeping problems that arise, in
consultation, with the Head Judge
Good Practice👍: Consult
the Head Judge for determining corrective actions for scorekeeping errors (incorrect pairings).
4.4. Make sure all necessary information is included
in the eventsubmitted to Wizards
Good Practice👍: ensure
that infractions arising from the tournament are recorded.
~Sign off
SGJudges(Dennis Xiao)
