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Doomkaiser Dragon
Card# CSOC-EN043
Doomkaiser Dragon's effect isn't just for Zombie World duelists: remember that its effect can swipe copies of Plaguespreader Zombie, too!
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Welcome to the last week of my article series about what not to do at a tournament. This week, I’m going to call your attention to missteps that can occur once you’re done with your match. Like I talked about last time, some mistakes will cost you, while others will make you wildly unpopular with the event staff. Read on as I present the final installment.
What Not To Do at a Tournament: After the Round
Leave the Table before Filling out Your Match Slip
This mistake can be especially painful if you won the match! If you leave the table without signing the match slip and making sure the win goes to the correct player, your opponent might decide to seize the day. Both players need to sign the slip, make sure the correct player got the win, and then make sure that the slip gets turned in to the scorekeeper. Lost or illegible match slips will delay the start of the next round, and once the slip is turned in, you can’t argue that it was marked incorrectly.
Write Derogatory Comments About Your Opponent on Your Match Slip
Whether you’re frustrated about the match or just teasing a friend, don’t write comments on the match slip. You might be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. Just sign your name, check the “win” box if you won, and check the “drop” box if you want to drop from the event, but don’t write anything else on the slip. The same goes for using the slip to keep track of your life points. Bring paper with you or ask a judge for some, but don’t use the match slip, because that isn’t what it’s there for.
Check the Drop Box if You Want to Keep Playing
Match slips are labeled with the event name, the round, the table number, and both players’ names. Each slip has a spot to sign your name and a box to check to indicate who won the match. There is also a box on the slip marked “Drop.” If you check this box, you will be eliminated from the tournament. Don’t check the “drop” box if you want to keep playing in the tournament! This is another good reason to always double-check the result slip before it’s handed in. Even if you know that you didn’t check the box, a disgruntled opponent could drop you from the tournament with a single check mark.
Leave the Tournament after Losing a Round in a Swiss-Format Event
If the event is Swiss format, each player will compete in every round. If you lose a round, you aren’t eliminated from the event, so don’t leave. If you’re not certain that the event is Swiss, ask the TO or the head judge. If you decide to withdraw, mark the “drop” box on the match slip or inform the scorekeeper.
Annoy the Scorekeeper
You might think that scorekeeping is for people who don’t know how to do anything but type match slips into Mantis while sitting down and relaxing. If you’re at an event that’s run by a good TO, you couldn’t be more wrong. The scorekeeper is responsible for getting all of the results in accurately and getting the pairings ready for the next round. The scorekeeper is not responsible for listening to your complaints or for giving you general information about the event. Bothering the scorekeeper with complaints, chitchat, or irrelevant questions will drastically slow down the event.
Annoy the Judges
In a tournament situation, the judges outrank you. They are there to ensure that the tournament runs according to Upper Deck’s guidelines. If you don’t like a ruling or a penalty that you’ve received from a floor judge, you may appeal to the head judge. You should make your appeal in a calm, respectful manner. Once the head judge has spoken, the decision is final. It doesn’t matter what you, your friends, your opponent, the other players in the area, or your parents think. You can contact Upper Deck after the event if you have a serious complaint, but raising a fuss at the tournament won’t help your cause and may earn you a penalty.
Ask Judges Hypothetical Questions When a Round is Going On
If there aren’t a lot of high-level judges in your area, you might want to take advantage of their expertise when you attend an event. Judges are happy to answer general questions about rulings and so on that don’t necessarily apply to the deck you’re playing at the event, but try to limit such questions to “down” times. During a match isn’t a good time to pull out your list of hypothetical questions, because each judge’s attention needs to be focused on the players in the event. Also, bear in mind that most of the judges that you’ll see at an event are not Upper Deck employees. Our black-and-white shirts might say “Upper Deck Judge Program,” but we aren’t employees and can’t answer questions about the company.
Swear
Rules against swearing are in the tournament guidelines. Everyone gets frustrated at some point, but if you let loose with bad language, you’re going to get hit with a penalty. If that makes you swear even more, the penalty will be increased, so don’t even start down that road.
Complain a Lot
Stuff happens, and life doesn’t always go your way. Sometimes, you’ll have issues with an event. It might be running late, there might be problems with the venue, the computers might explode, there might be a shortage of promos or other giveaways, or there might not be enough room at the tournament site. Sometimes, you’ll screw up and go to the wrong address, bring the wrong kind of deck, show up late, and so on. If there is a problem, no matter who is at fault, it isn’t going to be fixed by screaming at the event staff or insulting the judges or TO. If you’re abusive, you might find yourself ejected from the event. When you are busy running down a litany of all that went wrong on your day, remember that the event staff member you are taking it out on has likely had it just as badly. Also keep in mind that the TO and the head judge have the power to decide who lives and who dies, at least as far as participation at the event goes, so don’t alienate them.
Stand in the Aisles to Observe Ongoing Matches
Judges need to be able to walk up and down the aisles, and they can’t do that if you’re blocking the way. If you finish the round and want to watch a friend’s match that’s still in progress, it’s okay to observe from a spot near the end of the table. Just don’t stand in the aisles. While you’re watching, refrain from speaking or making any obscure movements. You don’t want to be accused of helping your friend cheat. Many judges have had to deal with people passing information to someone’s opponent, so don’t risk giving that appearance. If you are standing near someone who is still playing and he or she asks you to move away, you should comply. Players have the right to ask spectators to move.
Fiddle Around with the Table Numbers
Don’t touch the table numbers! Don’t move them to make room for your pizza, which doesn’t belong on a tournament table anyway. Don’t turn the numbers around backwards. Don’t pick them up and play with them—though they do make you look exactly like a wind-up monkey with cymbals. Don’t take table numbers home as souvenirs. Just leave them exactly where they are!
Neglect to Read the Tournament Guidelines Before Showing Up
You shouldn’t go to an event without having a general idea of what to expect. Be sure to read and learn the tournament guidelines, which are posted here. The guidelines will tell you things you should know, like what to do when a match is called on time, and what the penalties are for policy violations. Lots of players show up to an event and are surprised when penalties are given out. The list of guidelines is short, so learn it. Print out the list and bring it with you if you think that will be easier.
Whether you’ve played in a lot of events or only a few, you might have done things that cause problems without realizing it. Naturally, you don’t want to incur a penalty, but you also don’t want to get a reputation for being clueless, so remember what I’ve talked about. Yu-Gi-Oh! Organized Play has come a long way. If you make it to an event like Nationals or Worlds, knowing the pitfalls to avoid will help you look a lot more skilled. Plus, I judge at plenty of events, and I expect to see a lot fewer players making the mistakes that I’ve listed. Got it? Good! See you on the tournament floor! |
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