Everyone has a job to do at an event, from the players on up to the Tournament Organizer. Most event participants have a general idea of what’s expected of them, but they might not realize that there are official tournament rules that define responsibilities for each player. If you’re not aware of your responsibilities, you might not be as prepared for tournaments as you should be. This week, I’m going to discuss player responsibilities. It’s easier to know what to do at an event when you know what’s expected of you.

In the UDE policy documents, you’ll find all the player responsibilities lined up and laid out. I’ll be using them as a framework for the article. They’re fairly basic, but a little extra explanation and detail won’t hurt. Read on and be enlightened!

First, you’re expected to arrive with the correct materials. These include:

·        For Constructed tournaments, players must bring a deck that follows all deck construction rules.

·        A pen or pencil, to fill out match result slips.

·        A method to track game scores and status (a calculator, life counter, pen and paper, or another reliable tracking method).

·        A copy of his or her personal nine-digit UDE membership number.

·        Identification to present when registering for a tournament.

You should also bring tokens, dice, and coins, if you’re playing with cards that will require them. It’s a lot less of a hassle than trying to borrow these items from another player or a member of the event staff. Plus, it’s a great way to express your individuality by choosing unique items for your tokens.

Now, let’s look at player responsibilities at an event.

·        Know and follow the most current and applicable TCG rules and UDE tournament policies.

This is important! Ignorance of the law is never going to be an excuse, so you should always check the Upper Deck website to see if there’s been a change. These changes are usually announced, but sometimes they aren’t, and if the change was one of those, you might have missed it. Policy or rulings changes can change how your entire deck works, so do yourself a favor and always check the website before you go. Fifteen minutes spent online can save you a lot of aggravation at the event.

·        Follow the instructions of any judge or tournament official.

When a judge, member of the event staff, or the TO tells you that you need to clear the aisle, move out of the venue, or take your food off the table, it’s your responsibility to comply. Don’t worry, they’re looking at the event from an overall perspective. It’s nothing personal—they just want the event to run as smoothly as possible.

·        Ensure they only register for one UDE membership number.

You shouldn’t collect a new number at each event! If you’ve lost your number, you can email ude@upperdeck.net and find out what it is. Be proactive! Don’t wait until the morning of the event and show up with 300 other people who are all expecting the TO to be able to find it, because the main focus for the staff then will be getting the event started on time. Memorize the number, keep the card in your wallet, or write it down on the inside of your deck box—whatever works best for you. If you have more than one number, you should email ude@upperdeck.com to sort that out. It’s much better for your rankings.

·        Act in a sporting and respectful manner at all times.

Even if your opponent is driving you nuts, if your team is losing, if you ripped your pants, or if the nachos gave you heartburn, you still need to be civilized. Yes, your opponent might have topdecked that Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, and it’s entirely possible you’d have won otherwise. It happens to everyone, so try and be philosophical about it.

·        Act responsibly and professionally in, or near, the tournament site.

This means you have to answer for your actions, so watch what you say and do. Being done with your match doesn’t mean you’re free to do or say what you want. As long as you’re on the tournament site, you should be mature and responsible. This is especially important in areas that don’t normally host card events. If merchants or residents get a bad impression of Yu-Gi-Oh! because players are running around terrorizing the town, that could end up causing a lot of trouble for the TO and UDE. The unfortunate result? No more events there, and you don’t want that. Be a good representative for the game!

·        Communicate very clearly each move that they make during game play.

I can’t stress the importance of this. So many problems can be avoided if you just make sure you tell your opponent what you’re doing, and give him or her time to respond. Judges never enjoy having to work out “I still had priority/No you didn’t!” kinds of situations, and there’s always a 50/50 chance that you’ll come out on the wrong end of the ruling. Maybe you feel dumb announcing phases and actions, especially if you don’t normally do it. However, you should get into the habit of it, because it is part of the game, especially if you’re sitting at a Top 8 table at a prestigious event. Play casual and cool when you’re playing for recreation, but when you’re in a sanctioned event, be clear and specific about each move you make.

·        Keep their hands and cards above the table during matches.

Lots of players forget about this one. You need to play so your opponent and judges can see what you’re doing with your cards at all times. Don’t give anyone any reason to think that you’re doing anything sneaky with your cards just because they can’t see them. Keeping your cards above the table will also lower your risk of dropping one and not realizing it. This happens more often than you’d think, and it’s often hard to track down the card’s owner.

·        Notify an opponent if he or she fails to follow any game rules or incorrectly tracks game score or life totals during a match, regardless of whom the error benefits.

Remember, notify your opponent when he or she fails to follow a rule or makes an error. Notice how it doesn’t say “Wait until your opponent screws up, make a note of it, keep your mouth shut until they end their turn, and then scream for a judge”? Well, that’s because both players are responsible to make sure they each play correctly. Sometimes you’ll both miss something and realize it later. You should definitely call over a judge if that’s the case, but you should never deliberately let your opponent make a game error, especially if you’re hoping to cause him or her to receive a game loss. That can backfire on you.

·        Avoid talking to any spectators during a match.

While you’re playing, don’t talk to your friends, your teammates, or your family members. If you’re involved in a match, you should only talk to your opponent and to tournament officials. If you get a phone call, check your phone’s caller ID. Unless you think it’s an emergency, you shouldn’t answer it. If you do answer and it’s not an emergency, tell the caller, “I’m in the middle of a game. I need to call you back.” If you’re done with your match and are watching someone else’s match, remember that they aren’t supposed to talk to spectators either, so don’t try and engage them in conversation. Make an effort to remember this, especially if you’re used to playing casually in a local card shop.

·        Avoid swearing or using inappropriate language or gestures.

We all know what they are, and I guarantee that the moment they come out of your mouth, a judge will be standing right behind you. Some of us have an amazing gift for that sort of thing—so control yourself!

·        Avoid wearing inappropriate or offensive clothing.

If you can’t wear it to school or to visit your grandma, you probably shouldn’t wear it to an event. That’s a good standard of judgment.

·        Avoid making offensive comments to any player or tournament official.

You’ll get warnings that can scale up to a disqualification, depending on what you say. Unfortunately, players often seem to get away with it against other players, but don’t start in on the tournament officials and expect nothing to happen to you. If you feel like you’re losing your temper, be extra careful of what you say.

·        Avoid insulting opponents or opponents' strategies, play skills, and so on.

This is similar to the previous guideline. Show some class and avoid insulting your opponents after the tournament on message boards, too. That can be asking a lot, but it’s surprising how often what you say can come back to haunt you.

·        Maintain accurate birth date and contact information for their UDE membership account.

It’s always possible that UDE is going to need to get in touch with you—maybe they need to tell you there’s been a venue change for Worlds or something like that. That’s a phone call you’ll want to get, right? Make sure your information is correct and up to date. It doesn’t hurt to give them an email address, either.

·        Maintain an accurate tournament rating. If a player notices anything unusual or incorrect in his or her rating, he or she must email ude@upperdeck.com immediately.

This one goes without saying! Keep an eye on your rating—you should be able to tell if it’s going up more than it should or going down more than it should.

These are the general player responsibility guidelines. Note that the same things apply to general attendees and spectators as well. If you’ve got some friends who are there to cheer you on, or otherwise not participating in the tournament itself, they’re bound by the same rules. And remember, if you’re at the event as a judge or as an event staff member of any kind, you may not register as a player. If you’ve done a bad job of adhering to your player responsibilities and have been suspended by UDE, you may not register as a player.

Next time, I’m going to cover some areas that cause a bit of confusion for some players: player’s responsibilities for shuffling, side decking, and conceding a duel or match. Knowing exactly what is allowed and expected will ensure that you conduct yourself in a way that gives you the best possible shot at success in your event. Don’t blow an important tournament because you don’t know your rights! Make sure to read the followup to this week’s article, and you’ll know exactly where you stand.