Captain’s Personal Log: Break the Rules, and You Will Suffer

Continental Championships are Level 3 events, and as such, carry with them a higher weight towards player ratings, and the prize selection is often far beyond what a TOC could offer (after all, there’s only seven continents). As you journey to the Championship of your continent, here are a few tips on the expected behavior during the event, and especially between rounds, when most player misconduct occurs:

•When the tournament is about to begin, listen to the tournament director. He will give you vital information about his desired method of logistics for the day; he will also tell you who your first opponent is. When the TD is talking, be quiet. Even though he might be saying something you’ve already heard, the entire player base deserves to be able to hear the TD’s instructions.

•When you meet your opponent for the round, shake his/her hand. Unless you’ve got some contagious disease (why didn’t you stay at home?), there is no reason to be discourteous to another player of the game you love. Small talk is perfectly acceptable while shuffling decks, and often serves to break the ice with your opponent so that game-time communication takes less time.

•Give your opponent a chance to look at your cards when you play them. This seems so basic, but many players get upset when they claim their opponents didn’t allow them to examine the card when it was played. You might have memorized all two thousand Second Edition cards; realize that the rest of us may have not. A little patience and forbearance by players helps to make a smooth tournament.

•Don’t take notes during your game! The only thing you are allowed to write down during a game is any change in score. Even something as simple as your opponent’s name written down during the game is a minor infraction; write only before and/or after the game.

•Keep your eyes on your own game. Scouting other games at your table is not permitted; it gives you an unfair advantage in future games. When your game has concluded, clean up quickly and walk with your opponent to the judge’s table so you can report your game’s result, bringing your score sheets along as well. Stay at the judge’s table until he has dismissed you; you will need to sign or initial your sheet after the judge has entered the results.

•When you’re done reporting, don’t go back to the tournament area! You may not watch games after yours is over; this is the same as scouting. Even if you’re just curious how your friend is doing with the 80-card Borg deck he built last night, be patient and wait for his game to finish before you talk to him.

•When you talk to other players between rounds, don’t talk about specifics in the game you just played. Stick to if you won or lost, if either player’s deck worked well or not, or if someone got a good/bad draw or had amazing/horrible luck during the game. No card titles, no skill names, no Weapons/Strength totals, and no point values should be discussed. You’d be surprised at the ability of some players to puzzle out what deck a particular player is using based on the barest of hints about it.

•Bring your trade binder(s)! Between rounds at a Continental Championship is a great time to trade cards; it kills time before the next round, and you can track down those last few cards you need to build that killer deck for Worlds. Also, if he doesn’t look too busy, don’t be afraid to ask the TD to trade cards. Most will happily oblige; judges have trade wants too!

•If you decide to drop, tell the TD when you submit your score sheets for that round. If you decide later before the next round is about to start, tell the TD then. Even if you tell a friend your intention to drop, and they relay that to the TD, the TD cannot drop you from the event without your initials on the score sheet acknowledging that you did in fact want to drop. Without an initialed sheet, you will be paired in the next round, and your opponent will receive a full win as long as they show up. So it is in everyone’s best interest that you communicate your intentions to the TD.

•Offer to turn your deck in at the judge’s table between rounds. Usually TDs at these high level events like to keep a close watch on players’ decks whenever they’re not being used. Deckchecks are consistently used to uncover any misconduct in these events, which necessitates the TD storing the decks between rounds. If you’d really like to help the TD out, put your deck in the same order of your decklist before you turn it in (in case he checks it, it will take much less time to do so). Don’t ask to see your decklist while doing this though; make a copy beforehand that you can reference.

•Get food quickly and return to the tournament site ASAP. The amount of time in a Star Trek round is usually at least 30 minutes long and can stretch up to 90 minutes after time has been called, if the final two turns are being very carefully played (which often occurs at these high-level events). Even if the TD announces a set schedule for rounds, it still behooves you to be in the area for any unexpected changes to that schedule. Rarely does a tournament run exactly to plan; be prepared for the bizarre and unusual.

•Hook up with other non-local players! Large tournaments are a great place to compare notes with players from other nearby areas; by supporting their efforts, you may find they will return the favor. Phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and instant messenger screen names are great information to exchange; consider making a ‘business card’ for your area ahead of time so all your contact information is condensed on something that will fit in a trade binder sleeve.


High-level Trek is a whole different animal from local events; with a higher level of rules enforcement, and players committed to playing at their best, the competition is fierce, but also highly rewarding. The experience that many players take away from a Continental Championship is a positive one, and reminds them why they’ve stuck with this game and community of players through good times and bad. May your Continental experience leave you thirsty for more!

Next time on Captain’s Personal Log: Cheating and how to report it.
Until then, Kirk out.

Origins Rulings

This is a reminder to send all rules questions to startrek@rellekmr.net. Posting them on the Decipher boards or the Team Jersey boards does not guarantee that I will see or respond to them. Send me the question directly, and I will be sure to answer it. I am going to be judging Origins, so it would be wise to ask me your questions if you plan on attending.

Data, Battleship Officer
Emergency Transport Unit
James T. Kirk, Original Thinker
To Boldly Go
Worf, The Strongest Heart

Origins Preparation

It has been decided that I will be judging Origins. In the run-up to the event, I would like to clear up as many points of confusion as possible.

First and foremost, yes, IaMD will be legal for all Star Trek 2E events at Origins.

Secondly, I highly suggest you read all posts on this blog before heading to Ohio. There's plenty of good advice.

Thirdly, I will be using the unofficial FAQ at http://stccg.wikispaces.com/ as the basis for most rulings. This has been compiled by myself and the other Level 4 Trek judges, so don't be surprised by anything on there come tournament time.

Lastly, I would like to hear from you. Please send ANY questions, no matter how inane they might seem or clear the answer might be to you or how often they've been addressed on the Decipher forums to me at startrek@rellekmr.net. I will answer as many questions as I can (in consultation with the other judges when called for) here on this blog and likely will add the most pertinent ones to the FAQ.

Please, e-mail me at the above address. Do not assume anything from the boards. I do not intend to be trawling through 500 message posts when it comes time to make a ruling. We have a brand new set out and the one before that generated much heated discussion, so I know there are burning issues that need to be addressed pre-Origins. Again, e-mail those questions to startrek@rellekmr.net

Thank you.

IaMD Legal for Origins!

The official release date for In a Mirror Darkly was June 15, 2007. This means that the cards will be legal for all tournament play beginning June 22, 2007. Origins attendees will have approximately two weeks to prepare for the new environment before the 2007 North American Continental Championships.