1. Judging at Regular
How to apply the JAR at Regular REL events:
What are proper solutions, when to rewind and
when to deviate?
Michel Degenhardt
Dustin de Leeuw
3. History of JAR
● Up until 2010: Regular used to be part of IPG
– Too complicated for judges
– Too strict for players
● 2010: Fixing Common Errors at Regular
– Focus: play naturally
● 2011: JAR
– Focus: players and non-Judge TO's
4. Common Fixes
● Triggers
● Looking at Extra Cards
● Drawing Extra Cards
● Deck problem (No Decklist! :p)
● Other Errors
5. Missed Triggers
A player forgets a triggered ability (one that uses the words
“when,” “whenever,” or “at the beginning” usually at the
start of the ability's text).
6. Missed Triggers cont.
● These abilities are considered missed if the player did
not acknowledge them in any way at the point that it
required choices or had a visible in-game effect. If the
ability includes the word “may,” assume the player
chose not to perform it. Otherwise, add it to the stack
now unless it happened so long ago that you think it
would be very disruptive to the game - don’t add the
ability to the stack if significant decisions having been
made based on the effect not happening! Unlike other
game rule errors (which must be pointed out), players
are never required to point out their opponent’s missed
triggered abilities, although they may do so.
7. Looking at Extra Cards
A player sees a card in a library that he or she shouldn’t have
seen
This is easily fixed by shuffling the card seen into the unknown
portion of the library. Make sure to check if any player knows of
any cards in the library (because an effect sent them to the
bottom, for example), and ensure your fix preserves those
cards.
8. Drawing Extra Cards
A player accidentally draws more cards than he or she was
supposed to
If the identity of the card(s) were known to all players, return them
to their proper location. Otherwise, determine how many extra
cards have been drawn, take that many cards at random from
the player’s hand and place them on top of the library. If the
extra cards were drawn while drawing the opening hand, shuffle
the extra cards back into the deck instead and allow the player
to continue making mulligan decisions.
9. Deck Problems
A player has illegal, insufficient, or another player’s cards in
his or her deck
Remove any cards that shouldn’t be there and put back any cards
that should. Then, if the deck or sideboard have insufficient
cards, add basic lands of the player’s choice to bring it to the
correct size. Any cards that are added to the deck should be
shuffled directly into the library. If the error was discovered
during a draw effect, have the player complete the draw effect
after the deck is fixed and shuffled. Encourage players to count
their deck and present their sideboard (face down) to their
opponents before starting a game.
10. Other Errors
A player makes an in-game error not mentioned above
This will cover the bulk of player errors, and we will usually leave
the game as it is. Fix anything that is currently illegal (e.g. an
Aura enchanting an illegal permanent) and continue the game.
If the error was caught quickly and rewinding is relatively easy,
you may choose to undo all the actions back to the point that
the illegal action happened. This can include returning random
cards from the hand to the library to undo card draws (though
don't shuffle the library if you do this) and reversing various
other actions (such as untapping permanents and declaring
attackers or blockers). Don't go crazy with this!
11. Deviation: When and How?
● Toby Elliott: “Deviate like hell!”
– Customer Service > Consistency
– If both players agree, it's correct
– Rules lawyers, go home
– IPG? Never heard of it...
● Often multiple fixes available
● Choose what you think is best for this specific
event and/or these players
12. Scenario: Jitte in the Void
● “Last turn, I played an Umezawa's Jitte, but I
controlled a Chalice of the Void set to two
(Whenever a player plays a spell with converted
mana cost equal to the number of charge
counters on Chalice of the Void, counter that
spell).”
● How do we fix this Missed Trigger?
13. Jitte in the Void (2)
● Leave as is
● Rewind completely (Jitte in hand)
● Just put Jitte back in hand
● Put Jitte in Graveyard
● ...
15. Convicted of Defeat
● Alex has True Conviction (Creatures you control have
double strike and lifelink), 3 Squires, and is at 1 life.
● Nadine has a tapped Air Elemental and is at 7 life.
● Alex attacks with everything, then states “You take 3, I gain
3, and then I'm dead.”
– Nadine calls for a Judge, what do you do?
– Nadine asks “So you concede”, then Alex calls for a
Judge
– Nadine says OK, picks up her cards, and a spectator
calls you over
16. The Attentive Attendant
Norbert has a Soul's Attendant (Whenever
another creature ETB, you may gain 1 life).
Alex casts and resolves a Runeclaw Bear, then
advances to combat. Spectator Sammy walks
by and says to Norbert: “Hey, you're supposed
to gain 1 life for that cute little bear”.
– Alex explodes and calls you over to have Sammy
DQ'ed.
– Norbert shrugs and says “nah, don't need that life”
– Norbert says “thanks, I completely forgot”
17. Post Mortem
After a very complicated combat phase, both
Aldwin and Nicky agree that Nicky is dead.
They scoop up their cards, but then start to talk
about the specific rules interactions. They call
you over to check, and indeed, it seems that
they misunderstood some rules and that Nicky
should still be alive and would for sure have
won next turn. Both players seem very unhappy
about this “stupid” outcome.
– Good luck solving this!
18. Combat Wrecking Ogre
Anastasia attacks with her Wrecking Ogre (3/3
double strike), Nicholas blocks with his 3/3
Centaur token and his 1/1 Soldier token.
Neither player says anything, then they both put
all creatures into their graveyards. You happen
to stand by and observe this happening.
– What do you do, if anything at all?
– When (if at all) would you explain about Damage
Assignment Order?
