Last time we went over what Upper Deck Entertainment sets out as the responsibilities of head judges. This week, I’m going to focus on the lesser-known but still important responsibilities that head judges have accrued over the course of the Organized Play program. As Organized Play and the judge certification programs continue to evolve, we’ll find that everyone’s responsibilities shift and expand a bit. But we’ve definitely got enough to deal with for now, so let’s get to it! Aspiring head judges, take note, because the head judge is also responsible for all of the following things.
Organizing and conducting the judge’s meeting.
You should always run a judge’s meeting before the event begins. Pull the entire floor judging staff together and go over their responsibilities, including Upper Deck’s requirements and anything added by the tournament organizer or yourself. Don’t worry about seeming too obvious, especially if this is the first time that you’ll be working with some of the judges. Experienced judges who have worked elsewhere might be used to dealing with a different set of rules, and novice judges can’t be expected to instinctively know how everything will work. Make sure you introduce the judges to each other if they haven’t met before.
If you’re planning to break the floor judge staff into zones or teams to handle the different tasks (match slips, pairings, and more), then this is the best time to do it. Be prepared ahead of time with your assignments, and provide each judge with a list of their teams and zones, along with the names of their team leader and the other members of their team. Finally, be sure to ask the floor judges if they have any questions or concerns. This is the time to establish a sense of camaraderie, optimism, and confidence—especially for those judges that you haven’t worked with before. The floor judges should come out of the meeting feeling ready to handle the event and secure that they can rely on you when they need your help.
Organizing and conducting the player meeting.
Most tournament organizers like to have a brief player meeting before the start of the first round, and it’s a good opportunity to make sure that all of the players are aware of the basic event guidelines and any other information they need to know. Ask the TO before the event starts if there is any information that he or she would like you to pass along to the players. Once the players have been seated, the head judge should introduce him- or herself along with the rest of the judges, and then go over any information or rules that the players need to know. Things like deck-sleeving requirements, tournament formats, where the pairings will be posted, and the number of rounds in the tournament should all be mentioned here. It’s not a bad idea to remind players about leaving their cards on the field until effects have resolved, communicating clearly with their opponents about priority and responses, and so forth. Keep it short and to the point. The players want to get going with the first round, and they’ll get restless if you speak too long.
Act as a liaison between Upper Deck Entertainment and the public.
The “public” at the event consists of players, spectators, and parents. As the head judge and the person who gets up in front of everyone with a microphone, you have been duly elected as the receptacle for questions (numerous and constant), complaints (when they have them) and praise (aren’t we happy when we get it?). Since your judge shirt says “UDE Judge,” many people will interpret that to mean, “I work for Upper Deck Entertainment. Please submit all questions and comments regarding Upper Deck Entertainment and its products and events to me, personally, at your convenience.” It’s an easy mistake for a spectator or parent to make, so try to handle these situations with grace.
It helps to have some official email contact information on hand so that you can point people in the right direction when they have questions that you can’t answer. If the event is a large one, there will sometimes be problems that need to be dealt with, and it falls upon the head judge and the tournament organizer to sort out those problems. Do what you can to solve them, and remember that often all you really can do is listen and sympathize. Don’t let yourself get bogged down dealing with issues that are outside your responsibility—you can always politely remind the person that you need to focus on the day’s event. You are there to keep the event running smoothly, so if someone has an issue that doesn’t involve a ruling or floor procedure, it’s probably a good idea to deflect them toward the tournament organizer. You may wish to discuss this with the TO before the event and decide how best to handle these situations. Under no circumstance should you allow a player, spectator, or parent to undermine your authority. Keep your attitude calm and interested, but always remain authoritative.
Issuing higher-level penalties and ensuring that they are tracked in the system.
Floor judges can pass out warnings, and they can mark down “no show” game or match loss penalties. Administering any penalty for misconduct higher than a warning should be the head judge’s job. However, if you’re confident in the abilities of your floor judges, you may decide to allow them to give out game losses, provided that they’ve consulted with their team leader. Listen to the players and judges who are involved (do not allow spectators to interfere), then assess the situation and make the call. If you feel that the misconduct warrants a disqualification, you should probably discuss the situation with the tournament organizer.
Use your best judgment and experience to hand down penalties, and record them carefully on the match slip with the correct player’s name, along with your name and signature. If you don’t do this, the scorekeeper will not know that a penalty was awarded or who issued it, and he or she won’t be able to enter that penalty into the system. Make sure that the scorekeeper knows there is a penalty recorded on the slip, either by a note on the front that is easily visible, or by passing the information on directly, according to the scorekeeper’s preference. The MANTIS scorekeeping system tracks penalties, so it’s vitally important that penalties are correctly marked and entered. This preserves the tournament and penalty integrity. Without tracking, assessing penalties loses most of its effectiveness.
Helping train and prepare floor judges for higher levels of responsibility.
It’s not in the game’s best interest to have a stagnant judge pool. If everyone stays stuck exactly where they are, then they’ll be a wasted resource. A good head judge wants to have the best judges available, and he or she will work to help them improve. Encouraging quality floor judges to expand their knowledge and skill set is one of the best things you can do as a head judge. Sure, it might mean you’re no longer the only belle at the ball, but the benefits to Organized Play in general should outweigh any qualms you may have about “competition.” Anyway, there’s more to be said for helping promising floor judges rise in the certification program and move ahead, than for setting a record for most events head judged because you’re the only high level judge in your area. Observe the floor judges that you work with, and prepare them for head judge responsibility by making them team leaders. Training new judges to deal competently with head judge responsibilities is one of your most important tasks. Do everything in your power to give your floor judges experience and knowledge, and encourage them to participate in higher-level certification tests. More good judges bring strength to us all.
Act as a representative of a higher standard for the game.
As a head judge, you are out there in the spotlight. Not as the best deck builder, not as the best player, but you are there as an official who knows how the game is supposed to be played. You’ve got an unparalleled opportunity to help establish an ideal for behavior and attitude that will be associated with Yu-Gi-Oh!, so do your part to help eradicate unsportsmanlike conduct, intimidation, cheating, and any other behaviors that can negatively impact the image of any game. It’s possible you never thought “role model” would be part of your job description, but it’s in there. Make sure the image you project is one that reflects on the positive aspects of the game.
Act as a rules and procedural resource for players and other judges.
You should have amassed a lot of knowledge by now, so you’ll need to be ready and willing to spread it around a bit. Especially in areas under-supplied with higher level judges, players may approach you with convoluted hypothetical situations and lists of things they and their friends have always wondered about. Other judges might mention, “Hey, at my last event this-and-such came up. I ruled it like this, but what do you think?” It might not always be straightforward rulings—often it’s a player management issue that another judge might want to pick your brains about. You’ll be busy for certain, but when time permits, let others avail themselves of what you know. Experience shared means fewer mistakes that other people will make in an effort to gain it on their own!
Act as a representative to the media and assist them when necessary.
If you’re head judging a Shonen Jump Championship tournament, then Metagame.com will be there! We’d appreciate it if the head judge would assist us in providing coverage, and we don’t ask for much. All you really have to do is ensure that the floor judges are aware that the media is there, set aside a feature match area, and generally cooperate with the Metagame.com writer or writers. Most of us have head judged events ourselves, so we know what you’re going through and won’t make any unreasonable demands on you. If other media outlets are present, such as local television or papers and magazines, then make sure the floor judges know that all interviews should be run through the tournament organizer.
Act as a resource for Upper Deck Entertainment.
Judging gives you access to all kinds of information that can be helpful. You can spot emerging issues, such as players having difficulty with certain policies, players or groups that seem to get a lot of penalties, deck types that get a lot of play, or rulings issues that crop up too often. Participating in judge mailing lists, etc. is a good way to share what you’ve observed. You’re out there on the front lines, so to speak, and the information that you pick up can be valuable. Keep your eyes and ears open so you can provide dependable feedback when needed.
The higher you rise in the judge certification program, the more opportunities you’ll have, as well as the responsibilities that go along with those opportunities. It takes the concerted effort of all judges to move the program forward, and any contributions you can make help to build it up for everyone. The amount of judges who have passed higher-level certification is constantly increasing, while more and more tournaments are being held. As judges, we can make a huge impact on how well these events come off, and how well we are perceived as a whole. Taking our responsibilities seriously and looking for ways to do more is an excellent place to start.