02. Tournament Mechanics

2. Tournament Mechanics

2.1 Match Structure
A Magic match consists of a series of games that are played until one side has won an announced number. Drawn games do not count towards this goal, and the match continues for as many games as necessary or until time ends for the round, in which case the winner of the match is the player who has won the most games at that point. If both players have equal game wins, the match is a draw. The default number of games required for winning a match is two. The Tournament Organizer may define single-elimination final rounds to be played until one player has won at least three games, but this choice must be announced before the tournament begins. Match results, not individual game results, are reported to the DCI for the purpose of inclusion in worldwide ratings and rankings.

2.2 Play/Draw Rule
For the first game of a match, the winner of a random method (such as a die roll or coin toss) chooses either to play first or to play second. The winner must state this choice before looking at his or her hand. If the winner states no choice, it is assumed that he or she is playing first. The player who plays first skips the draw step of his or her first turn. This is referred to as the play/draw rule.
After each game in a match, the loser of that game decides whether to play first in the next game. They may wait until after sideboarding to make the decision. If the game was a draw, the player who decided to play or draw at the beginning of that game chooses.

2.3 Pregame Procedures
Before each game, players may not use more than three minutes to perform all pregame procedures. Players then present their decks to their opponents. Any pregame procedures that take place after that, such as mulligans, must be performed in a timely fashion.
The following steps must be performed before each game begins:
Players may exchange cards in their decks for cards in their sideboards (only after the first or subsequent game of the match). The number of cards exchanged does not need to be announced.
Players shuffle their decks. Steps 1 and 2 may be repeated.
Players present their decks to their opponents for additional shuffling.
Each player draws seven cards. Optionally, these cards may be dealt face down on the table.
Each player, in turn order, decides whether to mulligan. (Rules on mulligans can be found in the Magic Comprehensive rules, Section 101.4)
The game is considered to have begun once all players have resolved their mulligans. Pregame procedures may be performed before time for the match has officially begun.

2.4 Conceding or Intentionally Drawing Games or Matches
If a game or match is not completed, players may concede or mutually agree to a draw that game or match at any time. Players may not concede or draw games that have already been completed and may not reach an agreement in exchange for any reward or incentive. If a player refuses to play, it is assumed that he or she has conceded the match.

2.5 End-of-Match Procedure
If the match time limit is reached before a winner is determined, the player whose turn it is finishes his or her turn and five additional turns are played in total. This usually means that one player takes three turns and the other two, but a player taking additional turns may modify this. Team tournaments featuring multiple players playing together (such as Two-headed Giant) use three turns instead of five.
If the game is incomplete at the end of additional turns, the game is considered a draw.
If a judge assigned a time or turn extension (because of a long ruling, deck check, or other reason), the end-of-match procedure does not begin until the end of the time or turn extension.
In single-elimination rounds, matches may not end in a draw. If all players have equal game wins, the player with the highest life total wins the current game. In the event all players have equal life totals (or are between games and the game wins are tied), the game/match continues until the first life total change that results in one player having a lower life total than the other. Two-headed Giant teams are treated as a single player for determining a match winner.

2.6 Time Extensions
If a judge pauses a match for more than one minute while the round clock is running, he or she should extend the match time appropriately. If the match was interrupted to perform a deck check, players are awarded time equal to the time the deck check took plus three minutes.

2.7 Deck Registration
Players are required to register their decks and sideboards (if applicable) in Competitive and Professional REL tournaments. The Head Judge may require registration in Regular REL tournaments.
Players in individual Limited tournaments using decklists must refrain from communicating with, or revealing hidden information to, any players or spectators until after they hand in their decklists.
Registered decklists record the original compositions of each deck and sideboard (if applicable). Once decklist submission has closed, the decklist may not be altered.
Players have the right to request to see their decklist between matches. Such a request will be honored if logistically possible.
Decklists are not public information and are not shared with other players during an tournament. However, in some multi-day, Professional REL tournaments, to offset any advantage one or more players may gain from outside publication of deck lists for development or media purposes, the Head Judge may elect to distribute copies of all remaining players' deck lists at some point, usually during the single elimination playoff rounds.

2.8 Deck Checks
Deck checks must be performed at all Competitive and Professional REL tournaments, and the Head Judge has the option to perform deck checks at Regular REL tournaments. The DCI recommends that at least ten percent of all decks be checked over the course of the tournament. If a player has drawn an opening hand and potentially made mulligan decisions, the contents of the hand will be preserved unless a game loss is issued as a result of the deck check. Players may not sideboard after a deck check, though they may continue to mulligan if they had not finished the process.

2.9 Taking Notes
Players are allowed to take written notes during a match and may refer to those notes while that match is in progress. At the beginning of a match, each player’s note sheet must be empty and must remain visible throughout the match. Players do not have to explain or reveal notes to other players. Judges may ask to see a player’s notes and/or request that the player explain his or her notes. Players may not refer to outside notes during games. This includes notes from previous matches.
Between games, players may refer to a brief set of notes made before the match. They are not required to reveal these notes to their opponents. These notes must be removed from the play area before the beginning of the next game. Excessive quantities of notes – more than a sheet or two - are not allowed and may be penalized as slow play.
Players and spectators (exception: authorized press) may not make notes while drafting or registering a card pool. However, they are allowed to do so when constructing a deck.
Artistic modifications to cards that indirectly provide minor strategic information are acceptable. The Head Judge is the final arbiter on what cards and notes are acceptable for a tournament.

2.10 Dropping from an Tournament
Players choosing to drop from a tournament must inform the Scorekeeper by the means provided for that tournament before the pairings for the next round are generated. Players wanting to drop after the Scorekeeper begins pairing for the next round will be paired for that round. If a player does not show up for their match, they will be automatically dropped from the tournament unless they report to the Scorekeeper.
If a player drops from a tournament after a cut has been made, such as a cut to the top 8 in a Magic Pro Tour Qualifier, no other player is advanced as a replacement. That player’s opponent receives a bye for the round. A cut is considered to have been made once the cut itself or pairings for the round following the cut have been posted or announced.
Players who have dropped may reenter a tournament at the discretion of the Head Judge. Players may not reenter a portion of the tournament that requires a deck they did not draft or build. Players may not reenter a tournament after any cut has been made.
At Limited tournaments, players that drop during the time between a draft or deck construction and the beginning of the next round receive a match loss for that round unless the player receives a bye for that round,

2.11 Electronic Devices
The Head Judge may choose not to allow players to use electronic devices (such as cellular phones, headphones, pagers, and/or portable audio units) while they are playing, and/or may ask players to set these devices to silent mode.

2.12 Appeals to the Head Judge
If a player disagrees with a judge’s ruling, he or she may appeal the ruling to the Head Judge. Players may not appeal before the full ruling is made by the responding floor judge. Under unusual circumstances the Head Judge may appoint another senior judge as his or her proxy to issue a second ruling. Players still retain the right to appeal to the Head Judge.