If you’ve read my Solid Ground columns these past two weeks, you’ll know I’ve been writing about the different levels of Organized Play available for Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG players. Last week I covered local-level events, and this week I looked at premiere events.
Whenever there’s OP, there needs to be a judge, so I decided to tie this week’s Agents of Judgment column in with the different levels of OP, and talk about what’s appropriate and expected from judges at each level of event. If you’ve been judging for a while and have experienced a variety of events, you know there’s quite a difference between the Hobby League run once a week or so, and the Regionals or Shonen Jumps that come less frequently. If you’re relatively new or haven’t had the opportunity to judge a range of tournaments, then this article is of especial interest to you. Let’s compare these events, acknowledge the basic similarities, and then address what needs to change for each event.
We begin at the roots, with local level play!
Hobby League
Often, the judge for Hobby League is the person (or persons) running the event. This is where a lot of judges usually get their start—they’ve been running League at their local store and decide to take the tests to get certified. Without judges like these, the foundation of OP wouldn’t hold up.
It’s not an easy job, either—Hobby League judges have a lot to do! They are most players’ first encounter with the idea that there is a “right” way to play the game, and a good Hobby League judge has the ability to start these players off correctly. Hobby League judges do a lot of teaching, in addition to imparting rulings and settling disputes. Hobby League play isn’t sanctioned for the most part, so there’s a large safety zone for dealing with mistakes—you aren’t really costing anyone anything significant, and you are teaching players how they’re expected to play.
Since the Hobby League atmosphere is casual and fun, penalties are usually scaled down in accordance to the age and experience of the members. Hobby League is where players are readied for higher level OP, and as such, the judge doesn’t want to take away from the enjoyment of the game. Misplays and errors are usually treated as a teaching opportunity rather than a punishable offense, but ensuring good sportsmanship and correct gameplay are of utmost importance. Judges should always be vigilant about bad language, intimidating behavior, and abuse of the rules, but minor offenses are usually dealt with leniently.
Local-Level Tournaments
The Hobby League judges and the local-level tournament judges are usually one and the same. Local-level tournaments vary in scale and strictness—a tournament of eight kids aged ten and under playing for a few packs is going to have a different tone than a tournament consisting of sixty teenagers trying to win an expensive gaming console. Local-level judges have the advantage of knowing the players who are there, and that can help guide them towards the right “tone” for the event. Are you dealing with a smaller group of kids who are really only there to enjoy themselves, or is this a more seriously regarded event? (Most will be a mix of the two.) When the stakes are low and the participants are more interested in dueling than winning, keep the penalties moderate and do what you can to promote correct rulings and gameplay. Most players keep coming back to events because they enjoy themselves, not just because they want to win prizes! When the event is bigger and more competitive, with older or more experienced players, raise your expectations. Let the participants know that you’ll be holding them to the guidelines of the game, and that you expect a higher level of play. When you’re dealing with a situation that requires a penalty, look at the age and experience of the players involved, and then make your decision appropriately.
Remember that local-level events are sanctioned, so you need to treat them more seriously than you would a simple hobby league session—even when you’re dealing with the same set of players. Local-level events are the stepping stone to higher-level premiere play. Regardless of the age and experience of your participants, you have an obligation as a judge to do what you can to teach these players the rules. If they go on to participate in Regionals or Shonen Jump events, they’ll do better if they’ve been properly educated at their locals. Certainly it’s not your sole responsibility to stuff their little heads with everything they need to know, but it is your responsibility to help provide an environment where they can learn it.
Finally, never look down on or be embarrassed by Hobby League and local tournament judging experience—judges who work such events (and strive to do a good job) gain a solid knowledge of the card pool and familiarity with essential rulings. Working with the same group of players consistently helps you to spot behavioral patterns that you can only observe through time. This develops that invaluable “judge sense” that lets you know when something is up, and you’ll be able to apply it when you step outside your usual sphere.
Let’s move on to the next level of events, and talk about the different kinds of premiere events!
Sneak Previews
Sneak Previews are really in a class by themselves. Nowhere else will you encounter this combination of pre-Hobby League beginners and seasoned, cutthroat veterans. Since Sneak Previews are often advertised on television and Hobby Leagues are not, this will be the very first organized play experience ever for a large number of your participants—I’ve worked at Sneak Previews where a full third of the players in attendance signed up for their Upper Deck Entertainment Player ID at the event.
The number of things you’ll need to do is astonishing. If the promo card or set is highly anticipated, there will be a crush of attendees and you’ll have to do a lot more crowd control than you would at any other event. Be prepared to teach complete novices to play, and remember to study up on the rulings for the sanctioned flights. Since the cards are new and many of the players haven’t seen them before, expect a lot of rulings questions. Some rulings might have to be extrapolated, so make sure you inform players that they are subject to change.
The goal of the Sneak Preview is to introduce the new cards and provide a fun, casual play experience. Focus on maintaining good sportsmanship and keeping the events moving along. If you’re in the open play area, keep your eyes open for absolute beginners, and try and give them a few play tips. Bear in mind that very young participants might prefer to play their own way, and if that’s the case, suggest purchasing a structure deck to their parent or guardian so that they can obtain a playmat and rule book, let them know you’re there to answer any questions, and just let them be. It’s also not a bad idea to let new players who are keen to learn to play know about your local leagues.
Regionals
Regionals are the premiere events most frequently attended. Here, players will compete for the Top 4 spots that will win them admission to the National Championship, along with various other prizes like playmats, product prizes, and additional tempting tidbits like iPods and gaming systems. Players are expected to hand in decklists, know rulings for the cards they are playing, conduct themselves in a sporting fashion, and adhere to the policy documents. Some do a better job than others, so Regional judges are kept on their toes. Play time is more or less over, because there are some meaningful prizes on the line here, and players are after those as well as improved rankings.
This isn’t the place to indulge sloppy play or ignorance of the rules that you could tolerate at league—and there’s definitely no room for deliberate abuses of the game. Judges need to be vigilant and authoritative. That can be hard when you’re dealing with the same players you see at league or small local events, where they might be accustomed to a degree of leniency. Make sure that the tournament begins by announcing to the players what’s expected of them.
Shonen Jump Championship Events
For these events, expect the same level of enforcement you’d provide at a Regional event—just for a lot more players. Shonen Jump events in the past have ranged from just under 200 players to over 800—and you’ll never know how many you’ll get until registration closes. Be prepared to work for up to ten rounds! Shonen Jump events are similar to Sneak Previews in that they are often advertised on local media, so brand-new players are wont to show up and be in dire need of help from the judges to cope with the event. I have met many, many players whose first OP experience was a Shonen Jump.
Nevertheless, the prize structure is highly coveted and there are masses of people there, so rules enforcement should be at a high level. Players should conduct themselves correctly and expect the recommended penalties when the situation warrants it. Don’t be afraid to hand them out when they are due. These are big, prestigious events and need to be treated as such.
Lots of judges aspire to being selected for a Shonen Jump event—it is a great showcase to display the skills you’ve acquired, and a fantastic opportunity to meet with and learn from judges you don’t normally work with. Dedicated, consistent work on a local level can help you get there, especially if your TO is the Premiere organizer in your area.
Nationals/Worlds
Few judges get to work these events—they’re the very highest level. Judges are expected to be supremely professional, competent, and skilled. You’ll make decisions at Nationals that will determine who represents their country at the World Championship, and who becomes the World Champion at Worlds. These events are definitely not the place for mistakes from either the judges or the players, so judges need to be extra vigilant for cheating and unsporting conduct. Plenty of players will arrive unprepared to play at this level of precision and won’t be able to cope, so player/player conflict and player/judge conflict can escalate if the judges don’t keep control of the event. If you are fortunate enough to be selected to work one of these tournaments, make sure to prepare yourself by studying rulings and policies, and absolutely network and get the most use out of your fellow judges to do the best job possible.
I’ve based my article around the North American OP structure, but judges working events outside that area can compare the scale and intent of our tournaments to their own, and apply the same approaches. As judges, we are on the front lines to promote the OP programs and keep them healthy by encouraging new players, correcting gameplay errors, enforcing correct rulings, and setting a high standard of sportsmanship. The work we put in helps keep the game going—without a dynamic, varied OP program, interest in a game quickly declines. The judges who can adapt to suit the event are absolutely vital to that varied OP program. As long as you keep that in mind, you’ll remember that every event at every level is important, and the skills that you learn are universal.