Earlier this week, I discussed single-elimination events as they relate to players. For this column, I’m going to stick with the same subject but direct it to the judge side of the equation. Most judges encounter single-elimination tournaments only if they’re working at Booster Drafts, small Constructed side events, or scaled-down, Hobby League–type tournaments. However, single-elimination events exist on a larger scale at Last Chance Qualifiers, which give players a final shot to qualify for a National event. As participating countries head into their National tournaments, judges need to be prepared to manage large single-elimination events. Preparing beforehand will get you in top shape for your event. This article will look at what you should focus on when judging at a single-elimination qualifier.

 

The first thing you need to do is obvious, but trust me, it’s important: make sure that every player knows he or she is competing in a single-elimination event! There are always players who have an absolute talent for not hearing or reading important information, so don’t assume that they already know. These people are probably the same ones who used to go home after they lost their first round in Swiss. Do everything you can ahead of time to make sure that everyone understands what is going on. If a player doesn’t know about the single-elimination format, and then that player finds out that he or she isn’t listed in the round 2 pairings, you’ll have some explaining to do. You won’t like doing it either, since that player is going to be upset. Do yourself a favor—post a notice about the format, remind the registration table to tell each entrant, and make announcements at the player meeting and at the start of the first round. 

 

The player meeting is especially crucial in a single-elimination tournament. The head judge needs to stress the importance of proper gameplay, because no one wants to get knocked out of the event due to a penalty. Yes, the penalty guidelines and tournament policies are readily available, and everyone should have read them by now. Alas, many players have not, and they’ve picked up all kinds of bad habits at their local Yugi-haunts.   Remind players that they don’t want to risk a game or match loss due to deck errors or play mistakes. Be sure to explain the importance of checking their decks carefully between rounds to make sure that they don’t have any missing cards, extra cards, or side deck cards in their decks. Someone will inevitably receive a game or match loss penalty later in the event, and if you’ve been good about reminding players to be careful, the “ignorance of the law” excuse won’t be as much of a fallback.

 

Before the event, the head judge needs to coordinate the floor judges and go over the penalties. It’s bad enough when a player loses a match due to an inappropriate penalty in a Swiss round, but it’s fatal in single elimination. A player shouldn’t get bumped from a tournament due to a penalty error, and there’s no way to make up for it after the fact. Make certain your floor judges know that only the head judge is responsible for handing out game or match losses for anything other than late arrival to a round. Head judges should be completely familiar with the penalty guidelines—they shouldn’t be creative about penalties. Any duelist who loses a chance at Nationals due to an unnecessarily harsh penalty will be upset about it for some time, and situations like that can undermine the credibility of judges as a whole. 

 

When faced with a penalty situation, handing out a match or game loss needs extra consideration. Rely on your experience and try as hard as you can to resolve the situation rather than just handing out a game or match loss and being done with it. Penalty protocols should still be followed, but if some extra time can keep both players in the game until the end of the match, you should invest that time.

 

Judges should also be on the look-out for “rules lawyering,” because in single-elimination matches, some players will try to win by getting their opponents penalized with a match loss. Don’t let yourself get used like this—be very careful when assessing a penalty.

 

Judges also need to be especially careful with rulings. If a player loses a match due to a bad ruling and then gets knocked out of the event, he or she is going to be upset, you are going to feel badly, and it’s quite possible that the wronged player won’t let you forget it.   There are lots of rulings to keep track of, and it’s a rare judge who has memorized them all. If you aren’t certain about the answer to a question or the resolution of a chain, you should double-check with the head judge or consult a rulings document. It will only take a moment, and in the end, wouldn’t you rather be the judge who went and made sure instead of the judge who cost someone the match—and subsequently, the entire event?  Think before you respond to a situation, make certain that you understand the scenario correctly, and if you’re in doubt at all, consult another source. 

 

Judging is a high-pressure job as it is, and adding the burden of, “My expertise is the only thing standing between these players and certain ruin!” can get to you after a while.  However, remember that single elimination does have plenty of advantages from a judge’s point of view. You’ll lose half of your players after each round, so the workload will lighten considerably as the event goes on. Plus, no one will follow you around to ask whether he or she can make the Top 8 with a 4-1 or 5-2 record. That’s a priceless bonus right there. Focusing on the positive side will help you keep cool and calm, eliminating some of the anxiety that you’ll inadvertently cost someone the event. Players pick up a lot of cues from the judge staff. If the judges are positive, confident, and calm, the players will reflect those attitudes as well, and the event is more likely to be a success.