Originally posted by Simon Cliche-Lamoureux, L1 from Quebec City:

I've recently started chatting with a guy who judged in my area after getting his lvl 1. We're having an argument about how a judge should answer rules questions asked during a match, depending on REL.

Two examples :

1) A player asks : if I cast Lightning Helix on my opponent's 2/3 Tarmogoyf, as you can see with no Instants in graveyards, will it die or will the instant pump it in time for it to survive?
2) A player asks, with his opponent having a Cryptic Command on the stack : if I sacrifice the creature he's targeting with the bounce part, will he still draw a card?

Depending on REL, can you, as a judge, answer these questions directly, or you can't because that would be giving strategic advice? On Regular REL, can the opponent ask you to not answer so you don't help the player who asked?

My stance is that these questions are clear and precise enough to be answered directly (his stance is they aren't). He even goes as far as to say that he won't answer them at Regular REL if the opponent doesn't want the asking player to get help.

Thanks!

EDIT : For 1), is the answer different if the player doesn't state that he counted the Tarmogoyf's current p/t and just asks if the tarmo will die without implying he knows its current p/t?

Since his inscription is awaiting approval, we'd figure I'd post it so we can get answers faster. We'd like an explanation in both REL, Regular and Comp.

Edited Samuel Tremblay (May 14, 2014 10:37:43 PM)

1) If all the text after the colon is how the player asks the question then
yes answer it directly: "The lightning helix will be in the graveyard
before we check if the Tarmogoyf has taken leathal damage.

2) Confirm that those are the two modes, then confirm that the spell will
be countered on resolution due to no remaining legal targets.

Both of these are cases where the players have given enough information to
answer a purely rules based question. The versions I wouldn't answer at
compeditive RELs is:

1) Will a lightning bolt kill that ‘Goyf?

2) If I sac this dude will that Cryptic be countered?

Both of those at regular REL I’d prompt the player for the right question
but at compeditive I'd just ask them to restate their question as they
haven't yet asked a rules question a judge can answer.

I agree these questions can be answered directly.

1b: Well here the follow-up question of the judge would be “what's the P/T of the goyf?” so then we're back to 1a.

Btw, it might be helpful if he could provide some example wordings of the scenarios that he thinks are sufficiently clear and precise. That way we can determine where the difference in expectations lies.

Edited Toby Hazes (May 15, 2014 02:42:30 AM)