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<\/a>Name:<\/strong>\u00a0Ilan Seid-Green\nLevel:<\/strong> 2
\nLocation:<\/strong> Philadelphia, PA, USA
\nJudge start date:<\/strong> March 2013
\nOccupation:<\/strong> Undergraduate Student \u2013 Mechanical Engineering
\nFavorite card:<\/strong> Today? Serum Visions<\/a>.
\nLeast favorite card:<\/strong>\u00a0Remand<\/a>. As you can see, liking Serum Visions right now doesn\u2019t necessarily mean I\u2019m all about the blue.
\nFavorite format:<\/strong> Modern
\nCommander General:<\/strong> Leia Skywalker. Oh, you meant Magic? I don\u2019t really (read: at all) play Commander, so\u2026
\nFavorite non-Magic Game:<\/strong> I\u2019ve been playing a lot of CIV 5 lately.
\nBest tournament result:<\/strong> Top 8 of a PPTQ, probably.
\nRandom fact about yourself:<\/strong> I\u2019m a member of a lightsaber choreography stage combat group called Dragon Jedi.<\/p>\n
<\/u>Several of your Exemplar recognitions have to do with having difficult discussions with other judges. How do you reach out to other judges who are having tough times? It also involves knowing the judges in my area so I can comment on them when they apply for large events. Some amount of helping stores and judges find each other, especially for events with specific requirements like PPTQs. Honestly the whole thing is just a lot of talking to people, in person and online.<\/p>\n How did you get involved in Magic in the first place? How has being a Judge influenced your non-Magic life? What motivates you to continue being a Judge? What is your favourite non-Magic hobby? <\/p>\n What\u2019s the biggest rule-breaking play you\u2019ve ever made as a player? What is the strangest card interaction you have seen in a tournament?
\n<\/strong>It all comes down to paying attention and asking questions. Throughout a day of judging I\u2019m constantly asking those around me how they are doing, and I\u2019m looking for real answers. When something comes up, we talk about it. I do my best to offer both support and solutions; often the best solutions actually come from the judge having difficulty, they just need prompting and a person will to talk it through, so it\u2019s not uncommon for me to ask things like \u201cwhat do you think you can do to fix this?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>What do your responsibilities as an area representative include?
\n<\/strong>A lot of it is dealing with minor concerns regarding the judges in my area. Something goes wrong at an event, leading a judge or a player to come to me about another judge. I talk to everybody, try to figure out what really happened, and judges improve for the future. It can be very helpful to those with concerns to have someone in an official position that they know they can go to.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Basically it went like this: Back in high school, someone I liked mentioned that they wanted to know how to play this game their sibling used to play. Me being the nerd I am, I decided it was right up my alley to learn how to play so that I could teach them. So I went to my local store, bought an Eventide Superabundance theme deck, and looked up tutorials online about how to play. I didn\u2019t end up teaching that first friend how to play for at least two years, but I taught two other friends and became the rules person for our little group.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>On the one hand, it means I\u2019m out of town or busy a lot of weekends, meaning my friendships at school don\u2019t develop as much as they could. But my Magic friendships definitely make up for that. On the other hand, being a judge has taught me so many useful skills that I can apply to the rest of my life: critical and logical thinking, interpersonal skills, organization, and by far the most relevant for me personally: the ability to remain calm under pressure.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>It\u2019s a challenge that I enjoy. It\u2019s really as simple as that. I really like helping run tournaments, interacting with players, and answering judge calls. I get to watch Magic, think about Magic, and talk to players and judges. I am constantly challenging myself to be better, learn more, and develop myself. Every successful event, successful presentation, and exemplar recognition inspires me to keep judging.<\/p>\n<\/a>What is one tip you have for other Judges?
\n<\/strong>Take care of yourself. You can\u2019t look after your event, players, community, and other judges unless you take care of yourself.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Rock climbing. It\u2019s really my ONLY non-Magic hobby, honestly.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Break rules? I\u2019ve never done that. Okay, maybe a few times, by accident. I\u2019ve definitely cast Griselbrand for 7 mana to win the game, but can you blame me for that mistake? The card is all about 7s.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>I\u2019ve definitely seen a few, but the one that comes to mind right now is the classic Gitaxian Probe<\/a> + Trinisphere<\/a>, Phyrexian mana being the one thing that didn\u2019t get the Delve\/Convoke rules update.<\/p>\n