For those players who go to large tournaments, you’ll notice that there are many more tables than there are judges to watch them, and it can be hard to tell when a match has concluded. For this reason, the Magic Tournament Rules include a simple way to tell: The match is over when both players have filled out and signed the match slip (or, for tournaments that aren’t using match slips, when one player leaves the table).

This means that under certain circumstances, it can be legal for a match slip to say something different than how the match actually ended. For example, suppose Alice and Bob are tied at one game apiece in extra turns after time has been called, and the game looks sure to end in a draw. As they’re packing up their decks, Alice can say, “I really want to make top 8, and I can’t do it if I get a draw.” Bob can say, “I have to drop after this round, so I’m willing to concede the match to you.” The players can subsequently record the match as 2-1 in favor of Alice. (Bob must be listed as having one win, even though he conceded the match, because a game was played with that result.) Players can also intentionally draw matches regardless of the result, but the slip must be recorded as 0-0-3.

Remember that under no circumstances can you offer an incentive or reward in exchange for a certain match result, and you can’t use a random method like rolling a die to determine the winner either. Spending too much time discussing whether someone should concede or draw before signing the slip could get you in trouble for slow play. It’s also a good idea to have a judge present, so a third party can verify that your match result was decided in a legal manner. Of course, the best way to avoid problems is to just write down the results from playing the game!

Today’s Tournament Tip written by
Jen Wong, Level 1 judge from Irvine, CA