English
For the first game of a match, a designated player – chosen at random by MTG ARENA during Swiss rounds, or the player ranked higher at the end of Swiss rounds during playoff matches – chooses either to play first or to play second. After each game in a match, the loser of that game […]
A Magic match consists of a series of games that are played until one side has won a set number of games (usually two). Drawn games do not count toward this goal. If both players have equal game wins, the match is a draw. The Tournament Organizer may change the required number of games to […]
Any person physically present at a tournament, or present in the channel the Tournament Organizer identifies as the place Official Tournament information is posted, and not in any other category above is a spectator. If spectators believe they have observed a rules or policy violation, they are encouraged to alert a judge as soon as […]
Players are responsible for: Behaving in a respectful manner toward tournament officials, other tournament participants, and spectators and refraining from unsporting conduct at all times Complying with announced start times and time limits Calling attention to any rules or policy infraction they notice in their matches Bringing to a judge’s attention any discrepancies in their […]
The Lead Admin ensures the correct generation of pairings and all other tournament records throughout the tournament. The Lead Admin’s responsibilities include: Generating correct pairings each round and accurately entering the results of those rounds Generating standings and brackets where appropriate Solving all scorekeeping problems that arise in consultation with the Head Judge Recording and […]
Judges/Tournament Admins are available to players and spectators to answer questions, help resolve issues, or assist with reasonable requests.
Sanctioned tournaments require the presence of a Head Judge during play to adjudicate disputes, interpret rules, and make other official decisions. The Head Judge is the final judicial authority at any tournament and all tournament participants are expected to follow their interpretations. The Head Judge’s responsibilities include: Issuing the final ruling in all appeals, potentially […]
The Tournament Organizer of a tournament is responsible for all tournament logistics including: Securing a sanctioning number from Wizards of the Coast Choosing a platform for the tournament to run that meets the tournament’s expected needs Advertising the tournament in advance of the tournament date Staffing the tournament with appropriate tournament officials Providing a hub […]
Tournament participants must have a Wizards Account, which is required to play Magic: The Gathering Arena, in order to register. Players without a Wizards.com Account can obtain one by registering for an account through the Magic: The Gathering Arena game client. Players agree to all Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Code of Conduct by […]
The following roles are defined for tournament purposes: Tournament Organizer (or TO) Head Judge Judge/Tournament Admin Lead Admin Player Spectator The first four roles above are considered tournament officials. The Head Judge and judges/tournament admins are collectively considered judges. A single individual may act in any combination of tournament official roles. Individuals who are not […]