Judges as Educators, not Enforcers, of the Rules |
Chris Zantides
What is a Judge?
In the F&W dictionary, "Judge" is defined as:
"Public Officer appointed to hear and try cases; supreme arbiter; person
appointed to decide dispute or contest; person who decides a question." How
should this technical definition of a judge be applied to Magic judges?
It shouldn't.
Magic has far outgrown its rather humble
beginnings; we now have a professional circuit of tournaments, World
Championships, and hundreds of thousands of dollars for prizes. We also now have
a competitive game, with a complex framework of rules, that has grown and been
shaped by over five years of constant development. As a judge, it is our
responsibility to make sure that players of the game adhere to these rules but
more importantly that they understand the "why" behind them.
Judges are ambassadors for the
game
As a judge for Magic you are also an
ambassador for the game as whole. You are not just there to make rulings and
hand out game losses; a computer can do that. You need to develop the necessary
skills that will allow you to educate both players and other judges alike. If
nothing else, it is a requirement for judge certification to train or mentor
other judges. Training others often helps your own understanding of how things
work. As an ambassador of the game you may also be called on to explain your
decision to a young player's mother, who may not be happy having her son ejected
from the tournament, If you can make a player understand the reason for your
ruling or penalty, then you're more than half-way there! I am sure most of us
have been in this situation.
Tournaments as Training Ground for the "Big
League"
Judges need to be aware that they are not really
there to catch the person who leaves a card in his brother's deck just before
the tournament, or the player who misplays the mulligan rule. Although, having
said that, it is important for judges to make sure play is correct whenever
possible, and that cheating is not occurring. We are there to issue the
appropriate penalty, and at the same time attempt to educate the player as to
why he cannot be careless when playing. This is especially important at
premiere-level events (such as Pro Tour Qualifiers), as this is the training
ground for professional-level events (such as the Pro Tour, Continental
Championships, or the World Championship). When a player has reached an event
like the Pro Tour, judges expect that player has been educated at qualifiers and
is prepared for the strictness of a PT. You should take the time and effort to
prepare players for the "Big League".
New Rulings for New Situations
Judges must also remember that the rules for
Magic are still a work in progress and need to think about this when
handing out penalties. Pro Tour-Rome is a good example of this: the senior
judges decided that Time Spiral was confusing and badly worded. As a result of
this decision, only a notice was giving for any player's first mistake involving
this card, and play continued as if a problem never occurred. The net result was
that all players understood the rules better (though education by the judges),
and didn't get penalized (for a card did not clearly state how it worked). These
type of decisions set judges apart from simple enforcers of the rules. At the
end of this event, I felt the players had more respect for the judging staff,
were properly educated how this particular card worked, and the game didn't
suffer due to some players knowing the rules better than others. All players
were treated equally and the integrity of the event was maintained at the same
time.
Each Situation is Different
Judges for Magic can fall into the trap of
using the rules as shield not to make decisions. A disturbing trend amongst many
of the newer judges is to simply use whatever the penalty guidelines say without
considering the particular situation at hand. Consider each case individually,
and explain the reason for your ruling. It will earn you a great deal of
respect, and you will not get a reputation for running "Gestapo Tournaments
Inc.".
Even at the Pro Tour level it is still important
to maintain the attitude that you are essentially a coach and an umpire rolled
into one. By taking that little bit of extra time with your rulings and
decisions and explaining yourself you will gain not only the respect of the
players, but of other judges as well.
Next time you make a ruling, stop and think "Am I
making myself clear here? Am I am actually making a difference to this players
understanding of the situation?" If you don't think so, then try again, take the
time and the reward will be the respect of the player and of your
peers.
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