I'm going to be playing in my first large tournament next week (SCG Open: Phoenix). What are some things a person who is trying to immerse himself in competitive play should remember?
What should I do/not do at a larger event?
Besides extensive playtesting, how should I prepare?
What should I look out for so I don't get screwed by a technicality (commonly used excuses to get an opponent a game loss)?
Is that because of theft? Or people worrying you have a larger sideboard than you should?
Theft and speaking of sideboards make sure you de-sideboard after every match and keep your board and main deck clearly separate, make sure your sleeves are clean and I think you should be good to go its really not that intimidating once you are there
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Magic players have made it abundantly clear that their time is worth $0/hour in their opinion, so no sympathy there. -DR jeebus or something
I remember my first SCG open, and while it was fun I did quite poorly (ran one too few lands, and paid for it dearly.) In any case, here are some things to keep in mind.
I highly suggest buying a fresh pack of sleeves on site. the $6 hit shouldn't be that big a deal, but I've seen people get tossed for having "marked" sleeves that were just used a bit too much.
You'll be well served to bring a water bottle and a few aspirin, it's gonna save you no amount of pain and money. Also travel light - bring as little as you think you'll need so as to make you that less a target for thieves (As much as I hate it, they're out there).
As for technicalities, make sure your decklist is exactly 100% accurate - that's the easiest way to get a game loss. Other things? Never EVER agree to draw or concede for anything in return, or even discuss the possibility as that'll get you just thrown out. Aside from that, just don't scoop up your cards until your opponent either takes you to 0 or scoops up themselves. Make sure you know your rules, and if you aren't sure about something, call a judge - they're there to help.
Good luck!
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What should I look out for so I don't get screwed by a technicality (commonly used excuses to get an opponent a game loss)?
Make sure your sleeves aren't marked. Actually it's likely a good idea to just use a new set of sleeves for the tourney. Even just normal use can mark up sleeves and you can get warnings or even match losses (I believe but not completely certain here) if the judge considers your sleeves marked.
wear some deodorant and be showered when you show up, if theirs something you don't want it's to be the guy who smells like fresh manure, no one appreciates it.
As well bring life pads instead of using a phone...your time at a wall socket will not be enough to recoup the power spent on your battery, and make sure you have a spare pen for your opponent to borrow (make sure you get it back).
Delivery can be really expensive to a site, and if SCG orders pizza expect it to be expensive (regardless of its national name they are still a business). Only bring the exact amount of cash and ID inside your super small wallet can really be weighing on you, bringing only the amount of money necessary and your license is not only easy it's light.
AND FOR GODS SAKE GET A PLAYMAT, the table they set up are shoddy at best and have ruts in them that can bend / damage cards (this is no fault to scg, these tables get used by tens of thousands of players a year).
Beyond that, be courteous to your opponent and those around you, noone will tolerate a player that is being a royal ass, if you get mad take a break outside or go do something until the next round.
Don't slow play, this is a Competitive REL, you have a maximum of 30 seconds to make an action and the rounds are timed.
Wash your hands after eating, greasy hands are one thing someone does not like to see, make sure you clean up 5 minutes before the round if at all possible, your fingerprints should not be left greasily on others sleeves, it looks like you've marked the sleeves and you will be wasting other people's money.
Everything basically comes down to common courtesy, and packing light.
Don't leave your backpack anywhere / with anyone, if you cant see it, it's gone. Recommended you put your feet through the straps as you play, no one is going to yank you out of your seat for your bag, but at the same time it helps you not forget it after.
De-sideboarding after every match and when you sit down before you shuffle recheck to make sure your SB is 15 cards, all the ones you registered with your deck-list.
Edit: also, be kind tot he judges, the PDF file for SCG's decklist is Here Type it out and make sure you spell it right, if it takes a judge 15 minutes to deck check you, your holding the entire tournament up for 15 minutes because your handwriting sucks (i know, i've seen it happen, and judges have to see many of these lists, don't be the jerk with terrible handwriting, avoid it by using the pdf)
buy or make a good portable lunch that you can eat on site. a sandwich, or something in a tupperware or whatever. getting food at the venue is REALLY hard, and sometimes just outright impossible. don't play hungry.
also, be prepared for the long haul. if the event is large and you're doing well then you will be playing magic from 10 in the morning to 10 in the evening. make sure you're well rested and that your travel arrangements can deal with the possibility you might be there until quite late.
Use pen and paper to track your and your opponents life.
Be polite and courteous to everyone (judge/opponent/the person playing next to you).
Know where the toilets are and how long would it take to go to and from there to the game hall/pairing announcement area. You don't want to get a game loss for showing up late, which brings to another point, always be punctual. Coming in late would cause other people some discomfort especially when your sitting is in the middle.
Don't slow play, this is a Competitive REL, you have a maximum of 30 seconds to make an action and the rounds are timed.
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This is untrue, Slow Play doesn't have any clear definitions like that. Yes, play quickly but don't think because a judge is standing over you that you only have 30 seconds to make a play and go on tilt. Let the judge worry about if you are slow playing or not, if you are you'll likely receive a verbal caution and that's all.
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its true that there isn't anything like a 30 second "shot clock", so to speak, but slow play is a real concern. its good to be aware that if you think your opponent is taking too long to make a play you are 100% within your rights to call a judge and tell him that you think your opponent is playing slowly.
Good advice here. I would bring water and some sort of snacks.
I would observe your opponents carefully. I'm not talking about staring them down, but just watching to make sure they don't cheat. It happens a lot and if it does, call a judge immediately. You can't always tell if someone did something on purpose or not.
I will give you a personal experience that I had once. This was probably my 40th PTQ. I had an opponent on Game 3 scoop up all of his cards. So I proceed to scoop up all of mine because I thought he had conceded. While I am waiting or him to shuffle up his cards, which he doesn't, he puts all of his cards back down. Since I had a lot more permanents than him, it was a lot harder for me to put all of mine down. Nowadays, I just keep my cards in play until they verbally say they concede or start shuffling up, even if this makes them mad.
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Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
Use pen and paper to track your and your opponents life.
Be polite and courteous to everyone (judge/opponent/the person playing next to you).
Know where the toilets are and how long would it take to go to and from there to the game hall/pairing announcement area. You don't want to get a game loss for showing up late, which brings to another point, always be punctual. Coming in late would cause other people some discomfort especially when your sitting is in the middle.
Most of all...have fun...
Actually, no on the dice. Do not use dice as "tokens" at a higher-REL event. Either get the actual tokens you need (spirits, wolves, etc.), or at least something like a playing card, facedown card, checklist, or other rectangular object. It's important to be clear about what your tokens are (wolves, humans, spirits, zombies), as well as if they are tapped or untapped.
The only exception would be with something like splinter twin, where it simply isn't feasible to carry around 10,000 tokens or whatever. [note - I know that this card isn't legal in standard, I'm just trying to indicate to the poster that in 99% of situations, tokens that tap should be brought to tournaments.] If the deck you intend to play generates tokens, you should be prepared with something better than dice.
Good advice here. I would bring water and some sort of snacks.
I would observe your opponents carefully. I'm not talking about staring them down, but just watching to make sure they don't cheat. It happens a lot and if it does, call a judge immediately. You can't always tell if someone did something on purpose or not.
I will give you a personal experience that I had once. This was probably my 40th PTQ. I had an opponent on Game 3 scoop up all of his cards. So I proceed to scoop up all of mine because I thought he had conceded. While I am waiting or him to shuffle up his cards, which he doesn't, he puts all of his cards back down. Since I had a lot more permanents than him, it was a lot harder for me to put all of mine down. Nowadays, I just keep my cards in play until they verbally say they concede or start shuffling up, even if this makes them mad.
Yeah - just be very clear about everything you're doing. It's better to say to your opponent "this pile is my hand, and these are the three cards I'm looking at for ponder" than not. Some players might find it annoying, but it is one way you can avoid being taken advantage of by opponents. Unfortunately, people can be somewhat cutthroat at these events, and stuff like foodchain mentioned can and does happen.
At the last GP I went to, I inadvertently drew 7 off of a mulligan. I immediately called a judge on myself. The judge asked me "did you see the cards." I said "I saw the first one, and then counted them and realized I had an additional card." My opponent then said, "he saw them all!" Bro -- why would I call a judge on myself and then lie about something like that? If I wanted to be dishonest, I wouldn't have called a judge in the first place.
The point is, and food chain is right on the money here, some players will try to take advantage of you, especially if you seem "new" to higher level play. Just indicate to your opponent everything that's going on, keep the game state clear, play at a reasonable pace, and you'll be fine.
While slow play is an issue, playing too fast is just as bad for you to. Especially when you are nervous think about each line you could take. This is especially a good thing to do when your opponent is in the tank, know what your next few lines of play are based on the board state. For example, your opponent has a creature in play and is thinking during his first main phase. During this time you should be thinking of what you want to do should he attack and what you want to do should he not attack.
Knowing your deck well enough to be able to predict what your lines of play are in any situation is very important. I know that knowing the deck well enough that I can look at the board state and know what the play is calms me down significantly when I am nervous.
While it is usually better not to scoop, if you know you have 0 outs and your opponent has no real way to punt the game to you, its ok to scoop to save time. If you are playing a deck where if you go to time you've already lost (i.e. RDW) then don't scoop ever.
Along those same lines, play to your outs. I've seen to many people tap wrong or not attack and chump with their threat to buy a turn when they could top deck a sword and kill me and other things. Make sure you choose the line that means you can say "X card, one time" topdeck it, and win. A lot of times they have an answer and you are just dead, but you are guaranteed to be dead if you don't play to your outs.
Last thing, communicate clearly to your opponent and make sure he passes his priority (I know there are ladies out there that play to, but "he" is less letters than "she" :P). Nothing irritates me as a competitive player more than when somebody just starts resolving a trigger or enters combat without giving me a chance to respond. Also don't be afraid to stop your opponent, speak up for your priority. To not be the guy they are asking to slow down say "Untap, upkeep, draw" at the beginning of your turn and say "declare attackers" or "combat" or another synomym for it when you want to move to your attack step.
So in short, know your deck, know your lines of play, play to your outs, and communicate clearly within the game.
P.S. you are permitted to have sideboard notes to look at between games, I highly recommend that you make yourself a page of notes to leave in your deckbox with your sideboard, have a plan for your board against the decks you think will be the most popular so you don't have to make too many decisions between games. Just make sure your notes are back in your deckbox when you present your deck along with the rest of your sideboard
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This is all good advice. Another thing I would suggest is get some sleep before events. It sounds obvious but I've seen and been the player who can't focus because of a lack of sleep. Also play a deck you are familiar with and comfortable playing. Try to be relaxed and don't worry about who you is sitting across from. Do not go on tilt. Ever. That's it. Welcome to the tournament scene
I'm relatively new to the larger tournament scene and three things that I've learned from playing in larger events:
ONE: If your opponent misses a trigger and doesn't realize it and neither do you (or you deliberatley don't tell him) you will BOTH get warnings should he call the judge. So just be aware you are responsible for maintaining an accurate board state for BOTH players.
TWO: Your opponent only has a limited amount of time with his sideboard. I once had an opponent that probably took 8 minutes after game one and other five after game two.... You only have a limited time (I beleive its three minutes) with your sideboard. You can also call a judge if your opponent plays slowly. That same guy took 4 minutes to Gitaxian Probe me, cast an island, and then Ponder.... I should've known the rules. Basically what I'm trying to say is don't hestitate to call a judge, they are there to help!
THREE: Be very clear with your opponent. If you draw during the end of their turn be clear with which draw is from your spell and which one is for your turn so you don't get accused for drawing too many cards. Being clear with your opponent help keeps the game moving and opponents usually appreciate it.
Remember just be courtious and have fun. I've found most people aren't too different from the people I play against at FNM. They're willing to talk after the match is over, ask you why you made certain plays, why you didn't make certain plays, and how you could make your deck better. Hope this helps!
I'm relatively new to the larger tournament scene and three things that I've learned from playing in larger events:
ONE: If your opponent misses a trigger and doesn't realize it and neither do you (or you deliberatley don't tell him) you will BOTH get warnings should he call the judge. So just be aware you are responsible for maintaining an accurate board state for BOTH players.
TWO: Your opponent only has a limited amount of time with his sideboard. I once had an opponent that probably took 8 minutes after game one and other five after game two.... You only have a limited time (I beleive its three minutes) with your sideboard. You can also call a judge if your opponent plays slowly. That same guy took 4 minutes to Gitaxian Probe me, cast an island, and then Ponder.... I should've known the rules. Basically what I'm trying to say is don't hestitate to call a judge, they are there to help!
THREE: Be very clear with your opponent. If you draw during the end of their turn be clear with which draw is from your spell and which one is for your turn so you don't get accused for drawing too many cards. Being clear with your opponent help keeps the game moving and opponents usually appreciate it.
Remember just be courtious and have fun. I've found most people aren't too different from the people I play against at FNM. They're willing to talk after the match is over, ask you why you made certain plays, why you didn't make certain plays, and how you could make your deck better. Hope this helps!
On account 1, you WERE right, but as of this Friday, the rules have changed. You are no longer required to alert your opponent of missed triggers. If they miss them, they cannot go back and get them. This is a very new rule told to me by several judges, so I don't blame most people for not knowing it.
Account 2; you are right. There are 3 min. to side board. Anything longer, you can warn your opponent and if they refuse, you may want to call a judge. You can always request that a judge watch your game. I did it for the first time last Sat. at an Invitational Qualifier because an opponent was taking forever to make blocks or take combat damage (presumably because my Sworded creature was going to hit for a bunch). He was a bit pissy after the match, but it's fine with me. I really don't need a RG Aggro player with 2 cards in his hand taking forever to take combat damage from a SwordedMirran Crusader.
Account 3; yes it is always a good idea to be clear. Remember you can always ask your opponents what size their creatures are, how many cards are in their hand, or how many lands are untapped/tapped.
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Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander - Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build) (dead format for me)
TWO: Your opponent only has a limited amount of time with his sideboard. I once had an opponent that probably took 8 minutes after game one and other five after game two.... You only have a limited time (I beleive its three minutes) with your sideboard. You can also call a judge if your opponent plays slowly. That same guy took 4 minutes to Gitaxian Probe me, cast an island, and then Ponder.... I should've known the rules. Basically what I'm trying to say is don't hestitate to call a judge, they are there to help!
Yeah I had a guy do this to me at a GP a few months back. This is the same guy who refused to scoop after I had just reset the game with Karn, while Karn was holding Olivia, Inferno Titan, Solemn Simulacrum, and an Acidic Slime. He then proceeded to try and sideboard for as long as possible, so I called a judge and the judge forced him to finish, at which point the judge hovered nearby and watched him try and slowplay his way into a draw so that he could make day 2.
I know that it feels jerk-ish to call a judge on somebody, (because it feels unfriendly) but you do need to be "that guy" if you plan on going to an event and not being taken advantage of. I'd rather be "that guy" and cash out than let people walk all over me and go home empty handed.
On account 1, you WERE right, but as of this Friday, the rules have changed. You are no longer required to alert your opponent of missed triggers. If they miss them, they cannot go back and get them. This is a very new rule told to me by several judges, so I don't blame most people for not knowing it.
The tournament I was referencing was back in February, and I was extremely surprised it was my job to remind my opponent of triggers. But it's good to know this has since been changed as I never understood why it was my job to tell my opponent of their Burning Vengeance trigger or whatever! Thanks for the heads up!!!
The tournament I was referencing was back in February, and I was extremely surprised it was my job to remind my opponent of triggers. But it's good to know this has since been changed as I never understood why it was my job to tell my opponent of their Burning Vengeance trigger or whatever! Thanks for the heads up!!!
Yeah, there was nothing more depressing than having to explain to your opponent that he's actually killing you but he doesn't realize it. Like, in limited, you would have to say "uh, I think your falkenrath noble just killed me, bro" half the time.
This way is much better. Now, you don't HAVE to remind them, but if it appears they are intentionally "forgetting" NEGATIVE triggers, you can still call a judge. Basically it's all the good things about the old system with none of the bad ones.
one huge thing. Fingernails. people are looking at your hands all day while you play. keep your fingernails clean and trimmed.
That is so random yet so true. I used to hate when people showed up to Super Smash tournaments with long, gross-ass fingernails, then expected to use your controller. Ugh.
I went to my first competitive event last weekend (GPTQ). Of course, being the moron I am, I get myself a penalty game loss. When I FNM, I carry nothing but my deckbox (no backpack, no anything). I keep all sorts of stuff in my deckbox, including non-75 cards that I adjust to my meta/whatever I feel like running before FNM starts. I was dumb enough to leave it like that going to a competitive tournament, and I randomly got deckchecked after losing the first game of a match. My SB and MB were all good, and the judge really wanted to just give me a warning since it was my first comp. tournament, but I had two of those non-75 cards sitting in the box with sleeves on them (I had decided just before registering to take out my 2 Gideon's Lawkeeper for something else, and just left them in the box with the sleeves on since I had extras). So he had to give me a game loss since it would be too easy to swap them in. I couldn't argue, obviously, since if I didn't know me either, I would say it looks sketchy. So I lost a game, making that match 0-2. That really sucked. Because of that loss, I just missed top 8.
I'd advise keeping only 75 (registered) cards on you with 75 sleeves. I'm sure he could have given me a harsher penalty, but he knew I was a newb. Le sigh.
3. Eat right and drink a lot i found out the hard way dropping with mayor headache first GP.
4. Bringing the right deck now that is the hard part. How do you know what is the right deck you usually scoop out other tourneys in the 1-4 weeks prior to the mayor one. Usually the last GP or SCG tells you the most. And check recheck and let someone else check your decklist this is vital.
And personally, I think it's better to actually KNOW your deck than to play whatever netdeck. In most formats there are usually at least 4-5 decent to good choices, and it's better to actually have practice and play your deck well than to play a deck that may be "better" but your are less experienced with.
What should I do/not do at a larger event?
Besides extensive playtesting, how should I prepare?
What should I look out for so I don't get screwed by a technicality (commonly used excuses to get an opponent a game loss)?
Magic players have made it abundantly clear that their time is worth $0/hour in their opinion, so no sympathy there. -DR jeebus or something
Is that because of theft? Or people worrying you have a larger sideboard than you should?
Theft and speaking of sideboards make sure you de-sideboard after every match and keep your board and main deck clearly separate, make sure your sleeves are clean and I think you should be good to go its really not that intimidating once you are there
Magic players have made it abundantly clear that their time is worth $0/hour in their opinion, so no sympathy there. -DR jeebus or something
I highly suggest buying a fresh pack of sleeves on site. the $6 hit shouldn't be that big a deal, but I've seen people get tossed for having "marked" sleeves that were just used a bit too much.
You'll be well served to bring a water bottle and a few aspirin, it's gonna save you no amount of pain and money. Also travel light - bring as little as you think you'll need so as to make you that less a target for thieves (As much as I hate it, they're out there).
As for technicalities, make sure your decklist is exactly 100% accurate - that's the easiest way to get a game loss. Other things? Never EVER agree to draw or concede for anything in return, or even discuss the possibility as that'll get you just thrown out. Aside from that, just don't scoop up your cards until your opponent either takes you to 0 or scoops up themselves. Make sure you know your rules, and if you aren't sure about something, call a judge - they're there to help.
Good luck!
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Make sure your sleeves aren't marked. Actually it's likely a good idea to just use a new set of sleeves for the tourney. Even just normal use can mark up sleeves and you can get warnings or even match losses (I believe but not completely certain here) if the judge considers your sleeves marked.
As well bring life pads instead of using a phone...your time at a wall socket will not be enough to recoup the power spent on your battery, and make sure you have a spare pen for your opponent to borrow (make sure you get it back).
Delivery can be really expensive to a site, and if SCG orders pizza expect it to be expensive (regardless of its national name they are still a business). Only bring the exact amount of cash and ID inside your super small wallet can really be weighing on you, bringing only the amount of money necessary and your license is not only easy it's light.
AND FOR GODS SAKE GET A PLAYMAT, the table they set up are shoddy at best and have ruts in them that can bend / damage cards (this is no fault to scg, these tables get used by tens of thousands of players a year).
Beyond that, be courteous to your opponent and those around you, noone will tolerate a player that is being a royal ass, if you get mad take a break outside or go do something until the next round.
Don't slow play, this is a Competitive REL, you have a maximum of 30 seconds to make an action and the rounds are timed.
Wash your hands after eating, greasy hands are one thing someone does not like to see, make sure you clean up 5 minutes before the round if at all possible, your fingerprints should not be left greasily on others sleeves, it looks like you've marked the sleeves and you will be wasting other people's money.
Everything basically comes down to common courtesy, and packing light.
Don't leave your backpack anywhere / with anyone, if you cant see it, it's gone. Recommended you put your feet through the straps as you play, no one is going to yank you out of your seat for your bag, but at the same time it helps you not forget it after.
De-sideboarding after every match and when you sit down before you shuffle recheck to make sure your SB is 15 cards, all the ones you registered with your deck-list.
Edit: also, be kind tot he judges, the PDF file for SCG's decklist is Here Type it out and make sure you spell it right, if it takes a judge 15 minutes to deck check you, your holding the entire tournament up for 15 minutes because your handwriting sucks (i know, i've seen it happen, and judges have to see many of these lists, don't be the jerk with terrible handwriting, avoid it by using the pdf)
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also, be prepared for the long haul. if the event is large and you're doing well then you will be playing magic from 10 in the morning to 10 in the evening. make sure you're well rested and that your travel arrangements can deal with the possibility you might be there until quite late.
Use pen and paper to track your and your opponents life.
Be polite and courteous to everyone (judge/opponent/the person playing next to you).
Know where the toilets are and how long would it take to go to and from there to the game hall/pairing announcement area. You don't want to get a game loss for showing up late, which brings to another point, always be punctual. Coming in late would cause other people some discomfort especially when your sitting is in the middle.
Most of all...have fun...
Bold for highlight.
This is untrue, Slow Play doesn't have any clear definitions like that. Yes, play quickly but don't think because a judge is standing over you that you only have 30 seconds to make a play and go on tilt. Let the judge worry about if you are slow playing or not, if you are you'll likely receive a verbal caution and that's all.
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I would observe your opponents carefully. I'm not talking about staring them down, but just watching to make sure they don't cheat. It happens a lot and if it does, call a judge immediately. You can't always tell if someone did something on purpose or not.
I will give you a personal experience that I had once. This was probably my 40th PTQ. I had an opponent on Game 3 scoop up all of his cards. So I proceed to scoop up all of mine because I thought he had conceded. While I am waiting or him to shuffle up his cards, which he doesn't, he puts all of his cards back down. Since I had a lot more permanents than him, it was a lot harder for me to put all of mine down. Nowadays, I just keep my cards in play until they verbally say they concede or start shuffling up, even if this makes them mad.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Actually, no on the dice. Do not use dice as "tokens" at a higher-REL event. Either get the actual tokens you need (spirits, wolves, etc.), or at least something like a playing card, facedown card, checklist, or other rectangular object. It's important to be clear about what your tokens are (wolves, humans, spirits, zombies), as well as if they are tapped or untapped.
The only exception would be with something like splinter twin, where it simply isn't feasible to carry around 10,000 tokens or whatever. [note - I know that this card isn't legal in standard, I'm just trying to indicate to the poster that in 99% of situations, tokens that tap should be brought to tournaments.] If the deck you intend to play generates tokens, you should be prepared with something better than dice.
Yeah - just be very clear about everything you're doing. It's better to say to your opponent "this pile is my hand, and these are the three cards I'm looking at for ponder" than not. Some players might find it annoying, but it is one way you can avoid being taken advantage of by opponents. Unfortunately, people can be somewhat cutthroat at these events, and stuff like foodchain mentioned can and does happen.
At the last GP I went to, I inadvertently drew 7 off of a mulligan. I immediately called a judge on myself. The judge asked me "did you see the cards." I said "I saw the first one, and then counted them and realized I had an additional card." My opponent then said, "he saw them all!" Bro -- why would I call a judge on myself and then lie about something like that? If I wanted to be dishonest, I wouldn't have called a judge in the first place.
The point is, and food chain is right on the money here, some players will try to take advantage of you, especially if you seem "new" to higher level play. Just indicate to your opponent everything that's going on, keep the game state clear, play at a reasonable pace, and you'll be fine.
*DCI Rules Advisor*
I think my biggest concern is staying calm and thinking rationally.
Knowing your deck well enough to be able to predict what your lines of play are in any situation is very important. I know that knowing the deck well enough that I can look at the board state and know what the play is calms me down significantly when I am nervous.
While it is usually better not to scoop, if you know you have 0 outs and your opponent has no real way to punt the game to you, its ok to scoop to save time. If you are playing a deck where if you go to time you've already lost (i.e. RDW) then don't scoop ever.
Along those same lines, play to your outs. I've seen to many people tap wrong or not attack and chump with their threat to buy a turn when they could top deck a sword and kill me and other things. Make sure you choose the line that means you can say "X card, one time" topdeck it, and win. A lot of times they have an answer and you are just dead, but you are guaranteed to be dead if you don't play to your outs.
Last thing, communicate clearly to your opponent and make sure he passes his priority (I know there are ladies out there that play to, but "he" is less letters than "she" :P). Nothing irritates me as a competitive player more than when somebody just starts resolving a trigger or enters combat without giving me a chance to respond. Also don't be afraid to stop your opponent, speak up for your priority. To not be the guy they are asking to slow down say "Untap, upkeep, draw" at the beginning of your turn and say "declare attackers" or "combat" or another synomym for it when you want to move to your attack step.
So in short, know your deck, know your lines of play, play to your outs, and communicate clearly within the game.
P.S. you are permitted to have sideboard notes to look at between games, I highly recommend that you make yourself a page of notes to leave in your deckbox with your sideboard, have a plan for your board against the decks you think will be the most popular so you don't have to make too many decisions between games. Just make sure your notes are back in your deckbox when you present your deck along with the rest of your sideboard
UBControlBU
UWDelverWU
BWUSuperfriendsUWB
Type 2 in development
WBUCounterless Solar FlareBWU
Type 2 Retired
UBWControlBUW
RBVampiresBR
GRValakutGR
GElves!G
GBEldrazi GreenBG
Legacy
UWStonebladeWU
EDH
GWRhys the RedeemedWG
GWURafiq of the ManyUWG
GRWMayael the AnimaWRG
ONE: If your opponent misses a trigger and doesn't realize it and neither do you (or you deliberatley don't tell him) you will BOTH get warnings should he call the judge. So just be aware you are responsible for maintaining an accurate board state for BOTH players.
TWO: Your opponent only has a limited amount of time with his sideboard. I once had an opponent that probably took 8 minutes after game one and other five after game two.... You only have a limited time (I beleive its three minutes) with your sideboard. You can also call a judge if your opponent plays slowly. That same guy took 4 minutes to Gitaxian Probe me, cast an island, and then Ponder.... I should've known the rules. Basically what I'm trying to say is don't hestitate to call a judge, they are there to help!
THREE: Be very clear with your opponent. If you draw during the end of their turn be clear with which draw is from your spell and which one is for your turn so you don't get accused for drawing too many cards. Being clear with your opponent help keeps the game moving and opponents usually appreciate it.
Remember just be courtious and have fun. I've found most people aren't too different from the people I play against at FNM. They're willing to talk after the match is over, ask you why you made certain plays, why you didn't make certain plays, and how you could make your deck better. Hope this helps!
On account 1, you WERE right, but as of this Friday, the rules have changed. You are no longer required to alert your opponent of missed triggers. If they miss them, they cannot go back and get them. This is a very new rule told to me by several judges, so I don't blame most people for not knowing it.
Account 2; you are right. There are 3 min. to side board. Anything longer, you can warn your opponent and if they refuse, you may want to call a judge. You can always request that a judge watch your game. I did it for the first time last Sat. at an Invitational Qualifier because an opponent was taking forever to make blocks or take combat damage (presumably because my Sworded creature was going to hit for a bunch). He was a bit pissy after the match, but it's fine with me. I really don't need a RG Aggro player with 2 cards in his hand taking forever to take combat damage from a Sworded Mirran Crusader.
Account 3; yes it is always a good idea to be clear. Remember you can always ask your opponents what size their creatures are, how many cards are in their hand, or how many lands are untapped/tapped.
Premodern - Trix, RecSur, Enchantress, Reanimator, Elves https://www.facebook.com/groups/PremodernUSA/
Modern - Neobrand, Hogaak Vine, Elves
Standard - Mono Red (6-2 and 5-3 in 2 McQ)
Draft - (I wish I had more time for limited...)
Commander -
Norin the Wary, Grimgrin, Adun Oakenshield (taking forever to build)(dead format for me)Yeah I had a guy do this to me at a GP a few months back. This is the same guy who refused to scoop after I had just reset the game with Karn, while Karn was holding Olivia, Inferno Titan, Solemn Simulacrum, and an Acidic Slime. He then proceeded to try and sideboard for as long as possible, so I called a judge and the judge forced him to finish, at which point the judge hovered nearby and watched him try and slowplay his way into a draw so that he could make day 2.
I know that it feels jerk-ish to call a judge on somebody, (because it feels unfriendly) but you do need to be "that guy" if you plan on going to an event and not being taken advantage of. I'd rather be "that guy" and cash out than let people walk all over me and go home empty handed.
Because we care about facts.
The tournament I was referencing was back in February, and I was extremely surprised it was my job to remind my opponent of triggers. But it's good to know this has since been changed as I never understood why it was my job to tell my opponent of their Burning Vengeance trigger or whatever! Thanks for the heads up!!!
Yeah, there was nothing more depressing than having to explain to your opponent that he's actually killing you but he doesn't realize it. Like, in limited, you would have to say "uh, I think your falkenrath noble just killed me, bro" half the time.
This way is much better. Now, you don't HAVE to remind them, but if it appears they are intentionally "forgetting" NEGATIVE triggers, you can still call a judge. Basically it's all the good things about the old system with none of the bad ones.
*DCI Rules Advisor*
That is so random yet so true. I used to hate when people showed up to Super Smash tournaments with long, gross-ass fingernails, then expected to use your controller. Ugh.
Because we care about facts.
I'd advise keeping only 75 (registered) cards on you with 75 sleeves. I'm sure he could have given me a harsher penalty, but he knew I was a newb. Le sigh.
Is that like, when your opponent plays mayor of avabruck?
And personally, I think it's better to actually KNOW your deck than to play whatever netdeck. In most formats there are usually at least 4-5 decent to good choices, and it's better to actually have practice and play your deck well than to play a deck that may be "better" but your are less experienced with.
*DCI Rules Advisor*