Hi all,

Ali Aintrazi was on a feature match at SCG Charlotte yesterday, and he was using an electronic notepad. As far as I know, I think it was the linked one, which does not have a memory function, but the MTR states that electronic devices “capable of taking or storing notes” are not allowed at Comp REL.

The linked device barely acts as anything more than a piece of slate, with some chalk, but technically falls within the definition. How sure would you have to be to be happy with a player using this at, say, a WMCQ?

link

Electronic use policy was updated to say only devices that cannot connect to the internet are allowed.

“At Competitive and Professional Rules Enforcement Level during drafting,
deck construction, and playing of matches, players may not use electronic
devices capable of taking and storing notes, communicating with other
people, or accessing the internet (with the exception of taking brief
personal calls with the opponent's permission).”

Nick,
That is only one portion of the policy, the device must also not fall
within the other aspects of this policy.

From my interpretation the device must be able to take *AND* store notes.
If this device, like boogie boards, cannot store notes then it should be
fine.

Edited John Temple (Aug. 23, 2015 04:31:37 PM)

It's an etch a sketch. It is absolutely consistent with the intent of the policy to allow this device.

There is literally no function that the digital pad can do that a paper pad cannot do. These are fine :)

Just to confirm what others have said: the current wording in the MTR includes “may not use electronic devices capable of taking and storing notes, communicating with other people, or accessing the internet”.

Parsing that per the rules of English grammar, there are three criteria for disallowing an electronic device:

1. does it take AND store notes?
   
2. does it allow communication with others?
   
3. does it allow internet access?
   

If any of those are true, the device is not allowed. There's also a fourth consideration:

• does the Head Judge or Tournament Organizer have reasons to disallow it?
  

That one's a bit less clearly defined - but it applies to Michael's original question “How sure would you have to be”. For me, I'd just want to be satisfied that the player can't use their device to violate the basic philosophy of that rule - i.e., seeking (and possibly gaining) strategic advice.

An additional concern is the delay introduced during the match while the device is used. If the device is inefficient for the purposes that are allowed (tracking life totals, in-game notes, etc), the Head Judge may choose to disallow it. (Maybe an older PDA that takes 5-10 seconds to wake up each time it needs to be updated, and goes to sleep way too quickly?)

d:^D