Definition
A player, spectator, or other tournament participant does any of the following:
Penalty
Match Loss
-
- Seeks play advice or private information about their match from others once they have sat for their match.
As soon as a player has sat for a match, they are not allowed to get instructions or information about the match from other people. Casual chat is not forbidden, unless such chats include information which may benefit the player’s match. This does not include asking for advice at the pairings board or dealer booth, or outside while smoking. Players are going to chat about decks they played against or think they have to play against. We cannot control what they talk about in the restroom. - Gives play advice or reveals private information to players who have sat for their match.
- Seeks play advice or private information about their match from others once they have sat for their match.
- During a game, refers to notes (other than Oracle™ pages) made before the official beginning of the current match.
The form notes take can be varied, but are typically on paper. While looking at these notes between games is OK, during a game it is not permitted. As an exception, official Oracle text is allowed to be checked at any time during the match. Typically players will just call a judge, but if someone has a printout of all the oracle text of all the cards in the set, they can use it as long as they are quick.
These criteria also apply to any deck construction and draft portions of a limited tournament. Additionally, no notes of any kind may be made during a draft. Some team formats have additional communication rules that may modify the definition of this infraction.
Notes made outside the current match may only be referenced between games, and must have been in the player’s possession since the beginning of the match.
Examples
- A. During a game, a player references play notes that were created before the tournament.
- B. A spectator points out the correct play to a player who had not solicited the information.
Philosophy
Tournaments test the skill of a player, not their ability to follow external advice or directions. Any strategy advice, play advice, or construction advice from an external source is considered outside assistance.
Keep in mind though that asking or telling a player the results of another match is not Outside Assistance, even if that information is used to end the game.
Visual modifications to cards, including brief text, that provide minor strategic information or hints are acceptable and not considered notes. Detailed instructions or complex strategic advice may not be written on cards. The Head Judge is the final arbiter on what cards and notes are acceptable for a tournament.
Spectators who commit this infraction may be asked to leave the venue if they are not enrolled in the tournament.
Not being enrolled in the tournament doesn’t protect you from this infraction. If a spectator commits this infraction and is not enrolled in the tournament, enroll them, assign the infraction, then drop them from the event.
Downgrade
If the information acquired is information that the player would have access to between games, the penalty is a Game Loss.