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Regular REL » Post: Illegal deck - how to handle past matches?

Illegal deck - how to handle past matches?

March 21, 2014 01:23:46 PM

Jeff Jeakins
Judge (Uncertified)

Canada - Eastern Provinces

Illegal deck - how to handle past matches?

A team is playing 2HG and they realize they have 6 Cavern of Souls between them.

The JAR says to fix illegal decks by replacing with basic lands but how do you handle previous matches that have taken place in the tournament?

Thanks

Edited Jeff Jeakins (March 21, 2014 01:24:06 PM)

March 21, 2014 01:25:57 PM

Scott Marshall
Forum Moderator
Judge (Level 4 (Judge Foundry)), Hall of Fame

USA - Southwest

Illegal deck - how to handle past matches?

You don't.

d:^D

March 21, 2014 01:28:44 PM

Jeff Jeakins
Judge (Uncertified)

Canada - Eastern Provinces

Illegal deck - how to handle past matches?

Ok, so if deemed it was a mistake then there are no disqualifications or anything like that?

March 21, 2014 01:36:43 PM

Brian Schenck
Judge (Uncertified)

USA - Midatlantic

Illegal deck - how to handle past matches?

Originally posted by Jeff Jeakins:

Ok, so if deemed it was a mistake then there are no disqualifications or anything like that?

Generally speaking, and except for “random determination of a game/match” or bribery, we don't disqualify people for purely accidental mistakes. If these two players simply goofed and didn't realize that they had six Cavern of Souls between the two decks, then you focus on educating them and fixing the illegal issue. That way they don't commit the error again, and learn to be more careful in the future.

March 21, 2014 11:03:40 PM

Joaquín Pérez
Judge (Level 2 (International Judge Program)), Tournament Organizer

Iberia

Illegal deck - how to handle past matches?

That situation happens in my LGS quite often, or using Legacy material in a Modern environment. It's usually done by casual players who play with whichever cards they have. You can't fix past matches. We try to encourage players to ask if they have any doubt about legality of cards in a given format, preferably before, but also during and after tournament. If you discover that in round 3… explain the problem, fix the deck, and go on and have fun :)

Past matches won't get fixed in Competitive REL, but the infraction is taken more seriously (at minimum, it will involve a Game Loss, and probably a bit of investigation).

Edited Joaquín Pérez (March 24, 2014 08:23:26 PM)

March 24, 2014 01:57:08 PM

Kim Warren
Judge (Uncertified)

United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa

Illegal deck - how to handle past matches?

Originally posted by Brian Schenck:

If these two players simply goofed and didn't realize that they had six Cavern of Souls between the two decks, then you focus on educating them and fixing the illegal issue.

As a small addendum - if they did know that they had 6 Caverns but were unaware that this violated the rules of the format, then we are also not in the realms of ‘Serious Problems’ and disqualifications.