2005 is going to be a big year for Yu-Gi-Oh! Organized Play, which means more work for judges. The Sneak Preview prerelease events for the most recent Yu-Gi-Oh! expansions went over well, and there are more Sneak Preview events planned for the sets coming out in 2005. Regionals and Shonen Jump Series Tournaments will increase the number of premiere-level Constructed events. With so many Sealed Pack and Constructed options to choose from, a greater degree of planning and flexibility is called for on behalf of the judges. While the overall responsibilities are the same, there are some definite differences in judging for these different formats. If your judging experience has previously been only for one format or the other, then an overview of their essential differences will help get you in gear for the rush of upcoming tournament activity.
If you’re the head judge of an event, you’ll bear the bulk of the responsibilities at a tournament. Specific preparation for the event format will make it easier to ready the rest of the judge staff, generate an air of competence, and make the tournament run smoothly. Head Judges are responsible for having up-to-date knowledge of Upper Deck tournament policies and penalty guidelines, as well as protocols for their particular tournament organizer. They should know what sets are legal, the rulings for confusing cards, and have some knowledge of the venue. Floor judges have fewer broad responsibilities, but they will also need to be aware of policies and guidelines, the tournament organizer’s protocols, rulings, and a general knowledge of the venue, so they will be ready to answer questions and not need to rely so heavily on the head judge.
Of course, that’s general knowledge that will apply to either tournament format. On top of that, there are a few differences for Sealed Pack and Constructed events. I’m going to break the rest of the article into the two formats, and be specific with the differences. I’ll differentiate between Head and Floor judges when appropriate, so regardless of your role in the tournament, you’ll understand where you fit in and what you’ll need to do.
Sealed Pack
Sneak Preview events are scheduled for the next expansion sets, so judges need to be prepared. There’s an odd sort of paradox in judging Sealed Pack events—there’s more work involved, but usually less pressure. It’s strange, but true! While a few of the more popular or anticipated cards might have had some tentative rulings issued about them, preview sets do not generally have specific rulings yet. Judges are going to need a good background in what I like to call “judge theory.” Knowledge of how the game works, such as basic or advanced rules of gameplay, priority, and timing, will provide the framework for determining rulings on the cards. A good knowledge of previous rulings will help as well. Most of the rulings that judges issue at Sneak Preview events are going to be derived from their knowledge of the overall game and not from a list issued from Upper Deck.
If you’re the head judge, go over any rulings that have been issued with your floor judges. Stress the importance of relying on previous game knowledge, and make an assessment of each judge’s familiarity with the game. If there are some judges that you feel might be less knowledgeable about “judge theory,” then urge them to double-check with you when questions come up Doing this one-on-one is probably best.
Most players attending Sneak Preview events are aware that rulings are made to the best of the judge’s knowledge of other rulings and game mechanics, and won’t make a fuss if one or more judges consult the others on a ruling. While it is important to maintain a sense of confidence in the judge’s abilities among the event participants, there’s also the obligation to provide the most correct rulings possible. Floor judges have a fine line to walk. They need to be prepared to listen to questions carefully, and if they’re not totally confident on their ability to answer them, it’s necessary to defer the question to the head judge while maintaining an air of competence.
All judges need to be familiar with the Yu-Gi-Oh! draft formats. Draft rules vary from game to game, so make sure you’re doing it correctly. Sneak Preview events are usually run as Sealed Booster, but most will run Booster Draft side events. These events are sanctioned, so it’s vital that they are run according to the rules. You should never make up your own format at a sanctioned event! Head judges are responsible for ensuring that all the floor judges know the correct Sealed Pack format. Go over it with all the judges before the tournament, and never assume they are familiar with it. I’ve worked with a few judges who were sent to run a draft, and unknowingly ran it with an incorrect format. Make certain any judge put in charge of a draft knows the format and can communicate it to the participants.
Let’s go over preparation for the event, because there’s a bit more work that needs to be done here. Some events will require decklists and others won’t, but the main goal here is to prevent participants from cheating. It’s hard to catch everything that goes on, but vigilant judges who know what to watch for will make it harder for unscrupulous duelists to cheat.
The point of a Sneak Preview event is to play with the cards before they are released to the public. Unfortunately, some retailers will ignore the sale dates and put product on the shelves before it should be out. Some duelists will attend multiple Sneak Preview events and build up a stock of cards that way. Others will hit online auctions and other trading areas. Regardless of how they get the cards, there will be participants who show up at events with Sneak Preview cards already in their possession. Some will actually not be aware that they can’t include outside cards in their deck, while others will deliberately try to cheat to improve their chances of winning the event.
Judges will need to work with the tournament organizer to determine the best way to keep the event honest. If the event has a large number of participants or several flights happening at staggered times throughout the day, it’s harder to do things like deck or pack registration when the main goal is to get many participants ready to play as quickly as possible. Sometimes the best a judge can do is to carefully explain the rules to the participants and keep a close eye on them as they open their packs and build their decks.
Head judges should make certain all the floor judges understand the importance of watching their flights carefully and ensuring that all participants are aware that they can only use cards they pull from the packs in that specific flight. It seems obvious to anyone who’s played Sealed Pack events before, but there are duelists out there who aren’t aware of it. Ideally, a large Sneak Preview with hundreds of duelists in multiple flights will have extra staff members, but you should make do with what you have in order to cut back on cheating. Old-fashioned cheating can happen, too—marked cards, manipulated shuffling, illegal deck sizes—so be on the watch for that as well.
All of that seems like a lot of work. However, you will get a bit of a break in the overall attitudes of the duelists. Participants in a Sneak Preview event are usually more relaxed and friendly than they would be at a Regional or Shonen Jump Series event because the stakes are much lower. For the most part, the prizes are minimal, and the main focus is getting the cards early. Boosting player level and rankings matters too, and everyone likes bragging rights, but the majority of the participants are there for the cards. They also like the chance to interact with a wider range of people than they find at the local shop, and take a break from the more disciplined grind of Regionals.
Sneak Preview events usually draw a returning crowd, so most of the duelists there know what to expect. They know that rulings are not finalized for the sets, and that judges will be making the best calls possible with the information they have. Because of that, judges are less likely to be hassled if they make unpopular rulings at a Sneak Preview event. There’s no official source stating that “this is the ruling,” so there’s little room for argument. It’s not always guaranteed to be smooth sailing, but lower-keyed, relaxed players tend to make for less stress on the judges.
Constructed
The most important difference for Constructed events: keep up on rulings changes and updates! Certified judges of any level should be on the Upper Deck judge mailing list to receive rulings emails. It’s hard to keep up with a game where rulings do get reversed or corrected and cards are given errata, if you aren’t constantly staying in touch with the official sources. Read the judge lists and print out copies of the rulings FAQ to update them with relevant judge list topics—you should do this yourself, if it’s necessary. When players ask difficult questions, make a note of the scenario and email the list to get a final confirmation of the correct ruling.
Upper Deck posts tournament policies and penalties on the Organized Play section of their website. This information is invaluable to judges, and should be downloaded, printed out, and studied. It won’t hurt to carry it to the event, both to aid other judges and to quiet down duelists who think they’ve been wronged. The information is there for you, so make sure you use it.
High-profile events like Regionals and the new Shonen Jump Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Championship tournament series bring out players of all skill levels, both on the play and tournament sides. Most if not all of them are there to win the prizes, not just to play and have fun. Whether it’s an invite to Nationals or a Cyber-Stein, the prizes are usually much more of a focus in a Constructed event, and this leads to a heightened level of stress and competitiveness in the participants. Judges need to ensure fair and correct play, and make sure they’re up on rulings, because the event is going to be filled with a lot of people who all want to win. Some know what their decks do and how their cards work, and some don’t. Unlike the Sneak Preview events, where there is a tiny card pool, anything that’s not on the banned list is okay for a Constructed event. Judges are likely to see cards they’d never dream would be played competitively, and they’ll be asked to rule on them by people who don’t have the faintest idea how to actually play the game. You should be prepared for absolutely everything!
Finally, media coverage is more likely to occur at these high-profile Constructed events. Head judges should make a point of learning who the reporters are, if any, and introducing the judge staff. Head judges should prepare the floor judges for the idea of reporters popping in and out to ask questions or get photos. Reporters will often enlist the judges’ help. Many of the judges at these events are local and know the duelists at the event. This can be a big help to the reporters as far as choosing duelists and decks to feature.
Reporters should never interfere with a judge performing his or her duties, so make that clear at the outset and there shouldn’t be any trouble between media and judges—provided that both parties treat the other with respect. Whether it’s local media or sponsored by Upper Deck, coverage of important tournaments helps out Organized Play. Realize that it’s necessary and make what measures are needed to include media where appropriate.
The Organized Play schedule for Yu-Gi-Oh! in 2005 looks busier than ever. Regionals have always been popular, but the Shonen Jump series has the potential to be huge—did you see the closing bid on the Cyber-Stein that John Umali won at Gen Con So Cal? Sneak Preview events were successful in 2004, and there’s no reason to think this coming year will be any different. The demand for skilled judges is on the rise, so it’s in the judge’s best interests, regardless of his or her level or experience, to take the time to correctly prepare for each event.
When judges give off an air of confidence, competence, and readiness to deal with any situation, duelists are more willing to give them respect and abide by their decisions. Preparation will keep those dreaded moments of “Curses! I have no idea—think of an intelligent-sounding response!” to a minimum, and make that attitude a lot more natural and easy to maintain. Moving smoothly through events will also help raise your value in the judge program, so make an effort to get involved in the tournaments in your area. If you’ve only judged for Constructed events, take a shot at judging some Sealed Pack ones. Just as Sealed Pack play polishes up skills for the duelists, judging it will add further facets to your ability to judge.