Players were gathered at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre last month on September 17, 2022. Aiming to secure one of the eight invites that were up for grabs. Ready to battle it out with their Modern deck of choice for the weekend.

Our colleagues from Singapore were just as ready as the players for the event. One of them, just like the previous ones we featured is relatively new to the program.

Kwok Siang recently had a chat with him for this interview.

Allow me to introduce you folks, Alfred.

Name: Alfred Lauw Yong Peng
Local Game Store: Games Haven Paya Lebar
L1 Certification Date: 17 May 2022
L2 Certification Date: 18 September 2022

What motivates you as a certified judge?
Watching players enjoying the event knowing that the judges are there to maintain the integrity of the tournament and assist them when they need help. Also, the random pat on the back plus words of appreciation from players makes it all worth it.

Was Singapore Open your first multijudge big-event as a certified MTG Judge, how was the overall experience?
Singapore Open was my first event working in teams greater than a pair at the local store level. Our team leader Andre allowed us to dip our toes into each role throughout the day, giving us various opportunities to learn and self-improve. I thoroughly enjoyed the process and working with the rest of the team.

Any memorable personal experience from the event you can share?
It was nice to see all the players from various stores that I’ve interacted with and connected with whilst judging the RCQs in Cycle 1 congregate together to play to the best of their abilities.

Major takeaway from the event?
It was a vastly different experience from working at the local store level. When working in pairs at the store level, each judge pretty much covers the other and you have to juggle both the logistical and judging side of things. Whereas at a large event where roles and teams are assigned, you get to hone in on your assigned role and focus on doing your best in that role. Once again, I’m reminded that learning never stops and there are always areas for improvement.

Your message for aspiring judges/ inactive judges?
For inactive judges:
OP is back and we need all the judges we can mobilize to support the system. I look forward to working with you all!
For aspiring judges:
Speak to a community leader or a judge in your local store! After getting involved and interacting more with the judge community I came to realize I had the aspiration to be a judge and really wanted to become one.

You recently advanced to L2, what were your motivations for pursuing the advancement?
Under the guidance and trust of my mentor Chuanjie, he approved me to Head Judge a couple of major local Legacy events and RCQs, and I thoroughly enjoyed the role. He was constantly pushing me to be a better judge and I think that constant desire to improve was a huge motivating factor to attain advancement. At the end of the day, I believe that learning to work with other judges alongside cultivating the right mindset was more crucial, and attaining the L2 was just the icing on the cake.

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If you haven’t registered for our upcoming regional digital conferences, here are the links for it.
SEA Regional Q4 Conference – Step up the Plate

and for our upcoming End-of-Year conference.

That’s it from us, remember to stay safe and stay awesome.

Is there a particular judge story you’d like to share? or a judge that you’d like us to feature?. Just send us an email and let us know.

Do you have any suggestions, comments, or ideas? Feel free to contact us via mtgsearegion@gmail.com