The days when “Yu-Gi-Oh! tournament” meant “thirteen people at Saturday league” are long gone. Bigger Organized Play programs have brought us tournaments of all sizes and at all levels of competition. Increasing the number of tournaments increased the player base, and with so many more people participating in OP events, judges are probably going to encounter players with special needs at some point in their judging careers. In most cases, some simple adjustments are all that’s needed to enable these players to participate in the event.

Ideally, parents should inform the event staff if they’ve brought a young player with special needs, so that these adjustments can be made. However, some parents or older players are reluctant to inform event staff of a disability or difficulty, since they might feel that it could cast a negative light on the player. Event staff should always project a sense of approachability and interest in the participants, to make this easier—but in the end, it’s up to the player or his or her parents to inform the event staff of any necessary adjustments that the event staff will need to make.

Sometimes, these adjustments are relatively simple. You might need to reassign seating to provide an easily accessible table, or allow an assistant to accompany a player throughout the tournament. It’s reasonable to grant a relevant time extension for portions of a match that were delayed as a result of adapting to the player’s need. Perhaps it took a long time to resolve some chains, since one player was deaf and had to rely on written explanations. Treat these kinds of occurrences like an extended judging call. Floor judges should monitor the match to make sure play is progressing at an acceptable rate, and if it is, players shouldn’t be penalized for some lag in strict procedure.

However, the tournament’s integrity has to be maintained, and there are some adjustments that simply can’t be made. For instance, rounds can’t be re-paired once they’ve been posted. Parents or other assistants can provide help with the mechanics of play—reading a card, handling the cards, helping a player move from table to table, or interacting with an opponent on a player’s behalf—but they can’t coach the player or make rulings of their own.

Players themselves cannot be allowed to significantly disrupt a tournament. If an event is more than that player can handle, he or she needs to withdraw from that event. Likewise, parents or caregivers can’t be permitted to throw a tournament off course. Parents can be overprotective, especially with their children, and they sometimes don’t see that your job is to maintain the integrity of the event for everyone. Without understanding this, they can occasionally react as if you aren’t working hard enough to accommodate the player. If you’ve made concessions and adjustments without violating the integrity of the event, then that’s all you can do. You have an obligation to all of the players, not just this one.

Once the head judge is aware that a special-needs player will be participating in the tournament, he or she should inform all of the floor judges and describe any adjustments that will need to be made. The head judge should also check in on the player from time to time and see how he or she is managing the tournament experience. This is a delicate task, as head judges need to strike the right tone when interacting with the players and parents. Avoid talking over the player, or making uninformed assumptions about someone’s condition. As the head judge, you need to be willing to do what you can to ensure a positive experience for the special-needs player.

Floor judges should accommodate the extra help that some special-needs players might require, like a parent or other caregiver who might be needed for communication purposes. When a special-needs player is in your zone, keep an eye on his or her match, make sure that anyone who is assisting the player is not interfering with the match, and that the player as well as the opponent are coping with the match. Some opponents may feel nervous playing against someone with a disability, and others may try and take advantage of it. Knowing that the match is under observation helps minimize potential problems.

Judges should be prepared for anything, but here are some common situations you’re likely to encounter over the course of your judging career.

Autistic Players

Autism is a frequently encountered developmental disability, appearing in approximately 1 in 166 births. People with autism often have difficulty with verbal and non-verbal communication, reading social cues, and interacting with others. Sometimes loud noises or excessive activity can overwhelm them. Since the tournament environment is usually loud and chaotic, and clear communication is central to the game, players with autism have unique challenges to deal with.

Remember that autism is not a form of mental retardation—autistic brains function differently, but autistic people are not less intelligent than others. Some autistic players might require a specific table that’s set aside from the overall area of the event, and some might need a caregiver to sit alongside them and help them interact with their opponent. Others might be able to proceed through the tournament like the other players, but will benefit from a judge keeping an eye on their matches to make sure both player and opponent are handling the game well.

Players with Anxiety or Panic Disorders

Panic disorders can affect 1 in 75 people, and often manifest later in life, in the early teens through adulthood. A panic attack is much more intense than simply being “stressed out”—it’s a sudden, overpowering surge of fear. Judges should remember that panic attacks are unpredictable, and a player that’s suffering from a panic attack can’t just “snap out of it.” Provide an area for the player to recover, and apply game or match losses if the player is unable to continue the round.

Most parents of younger children with panic disorders don’t take them to large events, because it can be too stressful. You may see them at smaller, local tournaments, and that’s a good way for children to take part in an activity that interests them. A dedicated table in a quiet area that’s out of the way and a sympathetic judge to keep things calm is usually all that’s needed.

Mobility-Impaired Players

Mobility issues can present a problem at many venues. Tables are crowded close together, players leave chairs pulled out into the aisles, and there’s a lot of activity cluttering up the floor. If you’ve got a player who needs a wheelchair or other mobility device, the easiest solution is to find a table that’s easy to get to, and reroute all that player’s matches to that table. You don’t need to bother with MANTIS; just send a judge at the start of each round to the spot where the pairing should be, and bring the opponent to the new table. You can page the opponent over the microphone as well, but it’s often hard to hear in the pre-round bedlam.

Some players might need assistance handling their cards. As long as the assistant isn’t interfering with or directing gameplay, this should be fine.

Deaf Players

It’s easy enough to play Yu-Gi-Oh! with hand gestures, as long as both players are deliberate, but deaf players might also use note-writing to communicate with their opponent. Other deaf players lip-read, and some might want to use a sign-language translator. Deaf players know they’ll need to pay attention so they don’t miss the beginnings of rounds, so make it easy for them. Provide a visual cue so everyone knows what is going on, and remember that deaf players cannot hear any announcements you might make. Instead, ensure that deaf players get tournament information in another way. Floor judges need to make sure that the player and opponent are able to resolve any communication problems. Some deaf players do not speak, so be extra attentive and watch for gestures from the player to indicate that he or she needs your help.

Blind Players

Some blind players make use of a sighted assistant to “narrate” the game state, and some rely on markings on the face of their cards. Bear in mind that a blind player may be accompanied by a guide dog, which will also need to be accommodated. Check with the player, and find out if he or she would like to make use of a dedicated table. Again, floor judges need to pay extra attention to make sure the player and opponent are managing the game correctly. The temptation to take advantage of a player that can’t watch what’s going on might prove to be too much for some opponents.

Players With Reading Disabilities

This one is tricky. Most players memorize what different cards do, and can get along well enough as long as a judge is within call to clarify any unfamiliar cards. Some players (or their parents) may want to have someone there to read for them, and that’s fine as long as it does not disrupt the game. The assistant should not get involved in play decisions or ruling situations. Go with your best judgment on this one—usually all that’s needed is an extra-attentive floor judge.

While you’re judging, you’ll find special-needs players of all ages and backgrounds. The difficulty you’ll encounter is deciding the difference between a disability that can be accommodated and one that cannot. For example, kids that are too young to read, or players who aren’t able to understand the basic rules of play, don’t count as special-needs players. In order to participate in an event, players need to be able to understand the game and participate more or less under their own power. Players should be able to control themselves and not interfere with the judge’s duties. Ideally, Organized Play strives to promote the game and make the tournament experience available and enjoyable to as many people as possible, but in order to achieve this goal, judges need to exercise plenty of tact and perception.

If you’re judging at an event and you’re bilingual, know sign language, are CPR-certified, or have any other relevant experience that might be helpful, always let your head judge or Tournament Organizer know. It might happen that your skills are just what may be needed. Making some adaptations to an event so a wider variety of players can participate takes the cooperation of all the staff, but having a plan in advance will make it much easier for everyone. The tournament must go on, but as the head judge, you should make every attempt to give all players a chance to participate.

Questions? Comments? Got a topic you’d love to see discussed? Now you don’t have to wait until you see me at an event. Email me at MetagameJulia@gmail.com and let me know!