I got an email from Ben recently:
“You should write an article with advice for people looking to become judges.”
Okay. I’ll add some stuff about what judges do, what the judge levels mean, and so forth.
Aaron: “Help me, if you can, what was our head judge’s last name? Ingrid ________ ? Was this a tourney that, had she not been trying to gain her next level, or however it was described, you might have head judged? What level judge does one need to be to be appointed head judge at a PTQ such as ours?”
Aaron, that would be Ingrid Lind-Jahn. My wife. She was head judge because she’s a far better judge than I am. And to run a PTQ, you have to be a Level Three judge (generally), like her. I’m just Level Two.
If I do the dishes tonight, she’ll provide some additional insight into the whole judge thing.
Why NOT To Become A Judge
Lots of reasons — starting with ego. If you want to be a judge to stroke your ego, you are making a mistake. If you do your job well, no one will ever notice — and when you make a mistake, players will chew you out forever.
More importantly, whenever judges start acting self-important, they are usually screwing up. Judging isn’t about yourself.
You don’t want to judge because of compensation. Yes, there are judge foils, once a year, and sometimes foils, T-shirts or packs from the organizer — but the total worth of those “gifts,” when considered against time spent judging, rarely totals much more than minimum wage. There are a ton of jobs that are easier, pay better, and don’t involve the same level of abuse. In fact, I don’t know that I have ever had a job where I was paid less (adjusted for inflation, of course) than judging. I know I made more per hour mowing lawns and shoveling snow, and probably didn’t work as hard.
Don’t judge for the glory. The single biggest job judges do is picking up trash left by players. Even at the Pro Tours and at Worlds, I have spent a lot of time cleaning off tables. Glorious. Coming in second, in terms of time spent, is probably pushing in chairs. The only discernable change in this as events become higher level is that you finally spend more time pushing in chairs than you do picking up trash.
And don’t judge for the sheer “a thrill-a-minute!” excitement of judging. Yes, judging has its adrenalin-filled moments, but you’re trying to keep an event running smoothly, and one of the hallmarks of a smooth event is that adrenalin-filled moments are few. If you can’t be patient enough to put up with some stretches of relative boredom now and again (okay — a lot of long stretches of boredom), this may not be the job for you.
So Why Do People Become Judges?
I know how I became a judge. I found that, by helping the Tourney Organizer straighten and number tables, organize lines, and otherwise help out beforehand, I could get prereleases to start faster and I could play more. Over time, that somehow morphed into judging more and playing less, which still confuses me — so I asked Ingrid why people become judges. She turned the question around and listed the types of traits that judges have. Any given judge will have some mix of these traits.
1) A Real Need To Know The Intricacies Of The Rules.
Some judges become judges because they are fascinated with the rules. They want to know everything about them — not just how they work normally, but how they work in the weird and contradictory situations. These people really care how Humility, Opalescence, Mycosynth Lattice and Titania’s Song interact, or how you could make a permanent a Legendary Land Artifact Creature Enchantment. In Ingrid’s case, she wanted to know the rules at least as well as her opponent, if not better, to make sure they didn’t try to pull anything over on her (like a player trying to give his Morphling flying at the end of her turn so he would have the extra mana free on his turn).
2) A Burning Desire To Root Out Cheaters.
Some judges are driven by a desire to make the game fair, and to protect new players from thieves who steal away victories and prizes. For others, stopping cheaters is just part of the job.
3) Because They Want To Make Tourneys Better…
Some people become judges because they can help. They volunteer because it helps the game and their community. It can be very satisfying to help on a large event and make it run smoothly, especially with very few staff, or on very short notice.
4) Or To Make Tourneys Possible.
In some cases, people become judges because there are none in their local area and someone has to do it just to get tournaments sanctioned — but in many cases, those people are the same people who volunteer for a lot of other activities in the community.
Judges may become judges for some mix of the above, but they often remain judges for one other reason: the judge community. Judges have a set of shared experiences, and generally try to help each other. It’s not a bad group to be part of.
I also asked Ingrid what makes a successful judge. The answer boils down to a mix of three things:
1) Desire to make events run smoothly and well
2) Rules knowledge
3) The mentality that Magic players are “customers,” and customer service is important. (That does not mean being lenient for a given “customer” — customer service includes preserving the integrity of the game and tourney for all customers.)
How to Become a Judge
The short answer is, “Get in touch with your local level three judge, or talk to the DCI representative at big events (like Gencon or a Pro Tour).” Personally, I think dealing with the local Level 3 Judge is the best option, both because there is more time for review and training, and because you will want the local L3 and TOs to know you if you want to be invited to judge at area events.
The local level three will generally want to observe you judging in a couple local tournaments, which can be anything from a Friday Night Magic, to side drafts, to helping at something bigger. This is a learning experience for both of you. You will be learning a lot about how to judge and how tourneys are run behind the scenes; the L3 will be learning about your skills, your strengths, and your weaknesses. In the end, you may or may not pass, but you will get some good advice on what you need to do to be a better judge. This is true at every level — no matter how good or experienced judges are, they constantly get feedback on how they can improve.
You also will need to take a written test. It is a mix of multiple choice and true-false questions. The passing score for Level One judges is 70%. The passing score for Level Two judges is 85%. It goes up from there. The Level Threes will also conduct an interview to go over the written test, to talk about judging, and to further assess your strengths and weaknesses.
Here’s what you need to know to be a judge. It is, not coincidentally, the same sort of stuff that is on the test.
The Comprehensive Rules
The Comprehensive Rules are the nuts and bolts of the game. You need to understand the rules and to know how they operate. When judging, you need a basic proficiency, and at least the ability to find rules for special cases in a hurry. You should, at a minimum, understand the stack and timing, priority, be able to name and describe the phases and steps (including the end step), state-based effects, types of permanents, types of abilities, and so forth.
Chris Richter has some favorite questions he likes to ask people, to determine whether they are ready to test. Here are a few:
1) Name some State-based effects (there are fourteen).
2) Name a couple types of abilities.
3) Give two examples of events which would give players priority after the cleanup step.
This is the kind of stuff you should know — or at least know about — if you are thinking you are ready to test. Chris and Ingrid use questions like these to get some general idea of whether you are ready to test: if you have no idea what a state-based effect is, you probably aren’t.
The Unified Tournament Rules
The tournament rules include the Unified Tournament Rules (which cover the basics of how all Wizards tournaments are run), the Magic Floor Rules (which cover rules specific to Magic) and the DCI Penalty Guidelines (which cover the specific infractions and the penalties appropriate at different levels of rules enforcement).
You should be familiar with the contents of all of these documents, at least enough to know where to find information. You should know how Swiss pairings work and how to seat players for drafts. You should be familiar with the various formats, the B&R lists and sets which are legal in each format. You should have some basic idea of the difference between procedural error minor and major, of the penalties for decklist errors or failure to de-sideboard — and know that the penalties differ based on the rules enforcement level.
Actually read these documents. The first time I tested for level 2, I missed by one percentage point — and the main reason was that I screwed up on tournament procedure. I figured I knew the answer, because I could, very clearly, remember experiencing it in a T8 at a PTQ. Unfortunately, either the judge at that PTQ got it wrong (or maybe I remembered incorrectly) because the procedure I remembered so clearly was not correct.
Besides, things change and stuff gets added. When I last took the test, the floor rules did not cover Two-Headed Giant. They do now — so make sure you read them.
The Oracle
The Oracle contains the current wordings of all Magic cards. Since many, many cards have errata, it is always a good idea to have access to the Oracle when judging. Most events will have Internet access on at least the scorekeeper’s computer, and most serious judges I know also carry copies of the Oracle and comprehensive rules on their Palm Pilots. You won’t need the Oracle while taking the test, but you should be familiar with it, and you will need it when judging. (You aren’t expected to have your own personal copy with you, but you should know who has one if you need it.)
How to Practice for the Test
To prepare to become a judge, you should do several things.
First, you should play in tournaments, and observe what the judges do. You want to get a feel for how the tournaments operate, how the TO runs things, and get to know the players. The easiest way of doing that is to play in the tournaments.
Second, print out the above documents and study them. It is not going to be exciting, but you need to know this stuff. As a side effect, this can really help your game.
Third, practice making rulings. The easiest way of doing this is to go to the StarCity Ask the Judge columns, or the StarCity or Wizards rules forums, and to read the questions one by one. Try to answer them, then scroll down and check your answers. Think about the answers — especially when you get them wrong. This is always good practice — when Ingrid and I drive to distant events, we often print out recent Saturday School and Ask the Judge columns and the passenger asks the driver the questions. It not only sharpens our skills, it also gives us some idea of what concerns people — and what they could be asking at the tournament.
Fourth, the DCI has some Web pages devoted to judges and judging resources. The archives of judge articles contain a lot of information — everything from the intricacies of judging Two-Headed Giant to how to note penalties on match slips. The contents are more than you need to know to become a Level One judge… But all of it is stuff you will eventually want to know if you want to become a good judge.
Finally, if you have a chance, talk to judges. All the judges I know are happy to give advice and assistance to anyone.
Here’s another bit of free advice — when you take the test, ask for a blank sheet of paper, and take the test twice. The first time, write your answers on the blank sheet. Then take it again, writing your answers on the answer key. Then compare them. Everyone I have talked to about the test admits to making at least one stupid mistake (“How many basic lands are there?” “Four.”) (Okay, except Ingrid who had a perfect score on her Level Two test, and Chris Richter, who was close.) But all normal people have brain farts — and doing the test twice helps eliminate them.
So What Is This “Level” Stuff, Anyway?
Judges progress in levels. It is a lot like a role playing game — levels are based on acquired experience, and do translate into additional skills. Wizards has spelled out the official descriptions and requirements for each level, but I’ll summarize.
Level One:
These freshly-minted judges have theoretical knowledge of the rules, tournament structure, and penalties, but little to no practical experience. At best, they will know where to look to handle unexpected problems — but their biggest difficulty is handling the shock and stress of actually having to do this stuff.
It’s like the first time you get out of the simulator and drive an actual car in real traffic. The real thing involves some adrenalin.
Level One-Point-Five (This is not an official level)
These are judges who have learned to handle judge calls, have awarded penalties and probably have some experience with the DCI tournament reporting software. They know how to give a ruling — how to strike the balance between providing too little info and being wordy, and between answering the whole question and coaching. They don’t know everything, but they generally know where to get the answers.
Experienced Level Ones are the workhorses of the judge program. They run the thousands of small tournaments (like FNM, store tourneys, and side drafts), that form the bulk of all sanctioned play.
Level Two:
A Level Two judge has taken the extra steps to work at bigger events, often events outside his or her normal stomping grounds. They have handled most of the typical infractions many times, and seen many of the rarer ones. They can run larger tournaments, calculate standings and create pairings, coordinate the work of other judges and know how to do deck checks, notate while table judging and so forth.
New level twos are also often acutely aware of their shortcomings, and, as Matt Tabak once noted, are masters of the skill of responding quickly to judge call while making sure they don’t actually get there first. (That may not be universal, although I knew I used to do it.)
Level Two-Point-Five(This is not an official level)
These are Level Twos that have judged at a lot of tournaments, generally including multiple high-level events like PTQs, Grand Prix or higher. They have considerable experience with most typical questions, problems and infractions, and have the procedures of running tournaments down cold. These judges know all the behind-the-scenes minutia of running tourneys, and are equally at home doing deck checks, scorekeeping, on logistics or as floor judges. They can spot problems developing, and are comfortable dealing with the really messy problems — like calls involving slow play, unsporting conduct, and players who failure to agree on reality (e.g. game state, life totals, etc.)
Level Three:
This level is by invitation only. You don’t get to test for Level Three unless you are recommended.
Level Threes know the card rules, the floor rules, and how to judge. They have generally been doing it for a long time. More importantly, they have gotten to the point where judging is instinctive enough that they can also watch the performance of other judges, and can help and support where necessary. Level Threes are the equivalent of the older worker who just naturally trains and mentors all the less experienced workers — the kind of worker who is naturally a lead worker or teacher. Level Three judges have the skill to know where to push and challenge other judges to help them improve, while not over-stressing them or harming the tournament as a whole.
Level threes are also involved in writing instructions and articles, developing and testing policy, and other stuff. Level threes also do a lot of secret stuff that Ingrid can’t talk about. (But she assures me that there is no secret handshake. She refused comment about the secret wave.)
There are just over one hundred Level Threes worldwide.
Levels Four and Five:
These are the world-class judges who run the Grand Prix, Pro Tours, National Championships and World Championships. I know several, and they are amazing judges. The evaluation process for a Level Four takes up to a year, and involves scrutinizing everything the judge says and does during that time. The process to make level five is, presumably, harder.
Level Six:
These are the guys who never make mistakes.
There are no Level Sixes.
How can Judges Make Mistakes?
It’s easy. Sure, that’s trite, but judging involves getting hit with the most difficult questions and problems in Magic, and having less than a minute to come up with the right answer. Most judges get a remarkably high number of questions right. Most judges also know who the rules geeks in a judging squad are, or whether the nearest Oracle or comprehensive rules are – I know I often say “I don’t know. I’ll get the answer and be right back…”
I know that judges, myself included, have occasionally said “Here’s my ruling, but I’m not sure. If you disagree, you should appeal this to the head judge.” A lot of rulings involve arcane rules trivial and complex interaction. Others involve very close judgment calls — for example, situations where neither player was clear on what he was doing, and the game devolves to a state where the judge has to decide, in effect, who loses.
Here’s an example I remember clearly. Player A attacked with something. Player A mumbled “before damage” and tried to Ninjutsu out Higure, the Still Wind. Player B argued that blockers had not be declared, and wanted to burn the attacker before Ninjutsu. I got called. After a lot of discussion with both players, I ruled that neither player had been clear about the game state, and backed it up to the last point everyone agreed upon — declaration of attackers.
I could see that doing so would probably cost the player the match (it did). What’s worse is that, in hindsight, I should probably have ruled that since player A at least made some attempt to specify the game state and the opponent didn’t, I should have ruled for player A. It was a judgment call, and the ruling I made was acceptable, but not the best one I could have made — and it still bugs me. It was only a 16K side event with first place just getting some packs, but I’m still upset about it.
I have noticed that the mistakes I have made as a judge annoy me more than the mistakes I have made as a player — even the one in the finals that cost me the qualification for a Pro Tour in Japan.
Judges make mistakes. We try very, very hard to avoid it, but it happens. That’s why larger tournaments have head judges — so that there is someone to appeal rulings to. It is extremely unlikely that both the floor judge and the head judge will both screw up the ruling in the same way. Note that it’s unlikely, but not impossible. Sadly, given that we’re working with humans, it’s that is the best solution that Wizards can yet devise. It sure beats Magic Online, which does not allow technical rule violations, but where coaching, stalling, and unsporting conduct are all rampant.
As a judge, you try never to make mistakes. When you do, you apologize, you fix the problem if you can, and you move on. And you make sure you never make the same mistake again.
Some of you are probably now thinking of a really bad local judge, and how they make lots of mistakes over and over again. Yes, that problem still exists — but the Judge Program, under Andy Heckt, has made huge strides in improving the quality of judging and judges. The program is gradually weeding out the bad judges and getting better judges into problem areas. It just takes time.
Most Memorable Moments As A Judge:
The most memorable moments, for most judges, probably involve realizing you screwed something up. So, that aside, here’s one of mine:
It’s Worlds, 2004, in San Francisco, in the side events area. It’s ridiculously early in the morning, because somebody at Wizard had scheduled a Sealed Grand Prix trial – with a Rochester draft Top 8, no less — to start at 6 p.m., and it went six rounds. Ingrid was head judge of the Trial, so I was staying until it finished. The top 4 was in progress. I was wandering around the side events area cleaning off table and straightening chairs, and I realized that so were some other judges. They, like me, had put in about sixteen hours at that point, and were, officially, off duty, but were still helping out.
I like people like that.
I’ll give Ingrid the last word on this:
“It’s hard to pick out one particular memorable event, especially if you’re talking positive ones. There are a lot of them out there, though. One of the moments I really enjoy has been happening more often as of late. When you work an event, especially a larger one, sometimes you reach a point in the event where things just… Click. Everyone settles into their rhythm, things are running smoothly and suddenly you feel like you’re part of a well-functioning team. These are the moments when it really feels fun to be a judge.”
That about says it all.
Pete Jahn
Ingrid Lind-Jahn
[email protected]