Whether you’re at your local FNM, watching a match because you already finished your match, or you’re at a Grand Prix watching your friend play, it’s not uncommon to see spectators watching matches. So what is expected of a spectator watching a match?

First off, you should be a silent observer. You can say some things, like ‘hi’ or whether you won or lost your last match, but you shouldn’t make any comment on any game play decision while they’re playing the game. This can be considered outside assistance. If you want to make a comment to your friend, try waiting until after the match is over and they’ve stepped away from the table.

What if you notice a rules violation, like someone casting a Doom Blade on a black creature? Step one is that you shouldn’t try to correct it yourself. That’s why we have judges: they’re there to step in and fix mistakes like this. Even if you’re a judge, if you’re not judging in the event, don’t step in. So if you shouldn’t try fixing it yourself, what should you do? If you’re at a regular or competitive level event (e.g., FNM, a Grand Prix Trial, or day one of a Grand Prix), you can ask the players to pause the match while you find a judge and explain what happened. The judge will handle it from there.

What about at professional level (meaning a Pro Tour, or day 2 of a GP)? First off, spectators are rarely allowed at professional level events, so don’t expect to be able to show up to day 2 of a GP and watch whatever match you want. For the few spectators that are allowed, if they see a rules violation, they should not interfere with a match, but they should feel free to get a judge and let them know.

The final note about spectators is that a player or tournament official may request that a spectator not watch a match. If a player is making the request, they should do so through a judge. If you’re a player and you’re calling a judge over in this case, you should have a reason as to why you don’t want someone watching your match. If you don’t really have a reason, the judge may decline your request.

Today’s Tournament Tip written by Nate Long