DCI™ Universal Penalty Guidelines

Introduction

The DCI Penalty Guidelines provide a structure to help judges determine the appropriate penalty for infractions that occur during the course of a tournament. Penalties exist to protect players from potential misconduct. All penalties in this document (with the exception of section 160) assume that the infraction is unintentional. If a judge believes that an infraction was intentional, the penalty should be upgraded as appropriate (see section 160). Please remember that these are only guidelines. If the judge believes that the situation has significant, extenuating circumstances, he or she is free to modify the penalty as appropriate.

Note: See Appendix B of the DCI Universal Tournament Rules for definitions of terms in this document.

CONTENTS

10 Format of Infractions
20 Definition of Penalties
30 Applying Penalties
40 Repeat Offenses

100 DECK PROBLEMS
101 Deck Problem-Illegal Main Decklist
102 Deck Problem-Illegal Main Deck (Legal Decklist)
103 Deck Problem-Illegal Main Deck (No Decklist Used)
104 Deck Problem-Illegal Sideboard List
105 Deck Problem-Illegal Sideboard (Legal List)
106 Deck Problem-Illegal Sideboard (No List Used)

110 PROCEDURAL ERRORS
111 Procedural Error-Minor
112 Procedural Error-Major
113 Procedural Error-Severe
114 Procedural Error-Failure to De-Sideboard
115 Procedural Error-Misrepresentation
116 Procedural Error-Tardiness
117 Procedural Error-Playing the Wrong Opponent

120 CARD DRAWING
121 Card Drawing-Drawing Extra Cards
122 Card Drawing-Looking at Extra Cards
123 Card Drawing-Improper Drawing at Start of Game
124 Card Drawing-Failure to Draw

130 MARKED CARDS
131 Marked Cards-No Pattern
132 Marked Cards-Observable Pattern

140 SLOW PLAY
141 Slow Play-Playing Slowly
142 Slow Play-Exceeding the Pre-Game Time Limit

150 UNSPORTING CONDUCT
151 Unsporting Conduct-Minor
152 Unsporting Conduct-Major
153 Unsporting Conduct-Severe

160 CHEATING
161 Cheating-Bribery/Collusion
162 Cheating-Stalling
163 Cheating-Fraud

Appendix A - Penalty Quick-Reference Guide

Appendix B - Contact Information

10. FORMAT OF INFRACTIONS

• Infraction Type, Infraction Name-The category and designation of the infraction.
• Definition-The description of what qualifies as an infraction.
• Example-Sample incidents of the infraction.
• Philosophy-The reasoning behind the penalty.
• Penalty-Recommended penalties at each Rules Enforcement Level (REL).

20. DEFINITION OF PENALTIES

Warning: A warning is an officially tracked penalty. The purpose of a warning is to alert judges and the players involved that a problem has occurred and to keep a permanent record of the infraction in the DCI Penalty Database. Warnings must be communicated to the head judge and the tournament official responsible for the permanent tracking of the warning. Warnings must also be communicated to the player, explaining the infraction as well as possible consequences if the infraction is repeated.

Game Loss: A warning is always given with this penalty. If the player is between games, the loss should be applied to the player's next game. For some tournament structures or game systems, a game loss will essentially be a match loss. For example, a typical Pokémon™* tournament is structured to have one game per match; if a player received a game loss, it would essentially be the same as a match loss. Game losses must be communicated to the head judge and the tournament official responsible for the permanent tracking of the warning. Judges must communicate game losses to the player and explain the infraction and possible consequences if the infraction is repeated.

Match Loss: A warning is always given with this penalty. Generally, the match loss applies to the current match. If between matches, or if extenuating circumstances apply, a judge should apply this to the next match in the tournament. For example: A player receives a major unsporting conduct penalty during the last turn of the deciding game of a match. The judge might decide that the match loss should apply to the next match because the current match is basically finished and a match loss would be no penalty at this point. Match losses must be communicated to the head judge and the tournament official responsible for the permanent tracking of the warning. Match losses must also be communicated to the player, explaining the infraction as well as possible consequences if the infraction is repeated.

Disqualification: A warning is always given with this penalty. When this penalty is applied, the player loses his or her current match and is dropped from the tournament. Players will still receive whatever prizes they have earned before the disqualification. In certain situations, a disqualification without prize is appropriate. A disqualification without prize is defined as a disqualification with the player receiving no prizes and receiving no additional awards (such as professional points, event invitations, and so on). Disqualification without prize is recommended for severe unsporting conduct and cheating. Disqualifications must be communicated to the head judge and the tournament official responsible for the permanent tracking of the warning.

30. APPLYING PENALTIES

Tournaments for most games will use only Rules Enforcement Level (REL) 1. REL 2 and higher should only be used for more competitive events, typically found in Magic: The Gathering® tournaments and Legend of the Five Rings™ storyline tournaments and championships. Tournament organizers and judges are welcome to run events at higher RELs, but most events should be run at REL 1.

40. REPEAT OFFENSES

Caution - Warning - Game loss - Match loss - Disqualification

If a baseline penalty is a warning, the second offence should receive a game loss, and the third offence should receive a match loss. For example, at REL 1 a player's penalty for the first offence of Card Drawing-Looking at Extra Cards would be a caution. The player's penalty for a second offence would be the next highest, which is a warning. His or her third offence would result in a game loss, fourth offence a match loss, and fifth offence would result in the player's disqualification.

100. DECK PROBLEMS

101. Deck Problem-Illegal Decklist

Definition:
This penalty applies to tournaments in which decklists are being used. If sideboards are being used and only the sideboard list is illegal, please refer to section 114 instead.

Players are considered to have an illegal decklist when one of the following conditions is true:

• The decklist contains an illegal number of cards.
• The decklist contains cards that are illegal for the format.
• The decklist contains cards that would make the deck illegal because it would violate a game rule (such as the four-card limit rule in Magic® games).

Example:
(A) A player in a Standard Magic tournament has 59 cards listed on her decklist when the minimum is 60.
(B) A player in an Extended Magic tournament lists Tolarian Academy (a banned card) on his decklist.
(C) A player in a Pokémon Constructed tournament lists five Professor Oaks on her decklist when a maximum of four is allowed.

Philosophy:
The decklist is the ultimate guide to a player's deck. If the decklist is illegal, the player is considered to have an illegal deck, regardless of the physical contents of his or her deck. However, due to the fact that the majority of illegal decklists are due to clerical error, it is not in the best interest of the event to disqualify a player for an illegal decklist. To maintain tournament integrity, the DCI recommends that tournament officials verify the legality of all decklists as soon as possible, preferably before the beginning of Round 2. At all RELs, judges and other tournament officials must be vigilant about reminding players before the tournament begins of the consequences of submitting an illegal decklist.

Penalty:
At all RELs, the basic procedure is to correct a player's decklist so it is legal, and let the player continue playing in the tournament with a deck matching the corrected decklist. Any excess cards (cards violating a maximum number of cards restriction) or illegal cards should be removed from the decklist. Then, if cards need to be added to make the decklist legal, the player should add only basic resources like basic lands (for Magic) or basic energy (for Pokémon). For example, a player in a Standard Magic tournament has submitted a 58-card decklist with five Disenchants. Since there is a four-of-a-kind limit, one of the Disenchants must be removed. Now, the decklist contains only 57 cards, so three basic lands of the player's choice are added to meet the 60-card minimum. In addition, the player receives either a game or match loss, depending on the REL (see the penalty chart below). If the submitted decklist consisted of 61 cards, no basic land would be added since the decklist was legal after the removal of the extra Disenchant.

Deck Problem-Illegal Decklist

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Game	Game	Match	Match	Match

102 Deck Problem-Illegal Main Deck (Legal Decklist)

Definition:
This penalty applies to tournaments in which decklists are being used. If sideboards are being used and the sideboard is illegal but the sideboard list is legal, please refer to section 115 instead. This penalty applies to players who have misplaced cards from their deck, have cards from a previous opponent in their deck, or whose deck does not otherwise match the decklist.

Players are considered to have an illegal deck when one of the following conditions is true (while the decklist still indicates a legal deck):

• The main deck contains an illegal number of cards.
• The main deck contains cards that are illegal for the format.
• The main deck contains cards that would make the deck illegal because it would violate a game rule (such as the four-card limit rule in Magic games).
• The contents of the main deck do not match the decklist.

Example:
(A) A player in an Standard Magic tournament is playing with 59 cards in her deck when the minimum is 60. Her decklist indicates a legal deck with 60 cards.
(B) A player in an Extended Magic tournament is playing with Tolarian Academy (a banned card) in his deck. His decklist indicates a legal deck with no banned cards.
(C) A player in a Pokémon tournament is playing with five Professor Oaks in her deck when a maximum of four is allowed. Her decklist indicates a legal deck with four Professor Oaks.
(D) A player in a Magic tournament has a Pacifism in his deck from a previous opponent. His decklist indicates a legal deck.

Philosophy:
The decklist is the ultimate guide to a player's deck. If the decklist indicates a legal deck, but the actual contents of the deck do not match the decklist, the player should restore the deck to reflect the decklist.

Penalty:
At all REL, the player should receive a game loss, and then be instructed to make any changes necessary to make the contents of the deck match what is recorded on the decklist. If these changes cannot be completed within five minutes, the penalty should be upgraded to a match loss. The changes must be complete before the next match begins for the player to continue in the tournament.

Deck Problem-Illegal Main Deck (Legal Decklist)

All Levels

Game

103 Deck Problem-Illegal Main Deck (No Decklist Used)

Definition:
This penalty applies to tournaments in which decklists are not being used. If sideboards are being used and only the sideboard is illegal, then refer to section 106 instead.

Players are considered to have an illegal main deck when one of the following conditions is true:

• The main deck contains an illegal number of cards.
• The main deck contains cards that are illegal for the format.
• The main deck contains cards that would make the deck illegal because it would violate a game rule (such as the four-card limit rule in Magic games).

Example:
(A) A player in a Standard Magic tournament has 59 cards in her deck when the minimum is 60.
(B) A player in an Extended Magic tournament has Tolarian Academy (a banned card) in his deck.
(C) A player in a Pokémon Constructed tournament has five Professor Oaks in her deck when a maximum of four is allowed.

Philosophy:
If the deck contains an illegal selection of cards in some manner, the player is playing with an illegal deck. However, lower REL events should be used to teach players the game, so it is not in the best interest of the event to disqualify players for illegal decks.

Penalty:
At higher REL events, decklists are normally used so a separate, more severe penalty for higher RELs is not needed. At all RELs, judges and other tournament officials must be vigilant about reminding players before the tournament begins of the consequences of playing with an illegal deck.

When decklists are not being used, the general philosophy is to correct a player's deck and allow the player to continue playing. The head judge should work with the player to correct the deck. All illegal cards should be removed immediately. If cards need to be added to make the deck legal, the judge should require the player add only simple cards like basic lands (for Magic) or basic energy (for Pokémon).

Deck Problem-Illegal Main Deck (No Decklist)

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Game	Game	N/A	N/A	N/A

104 Deck Problem-Illegal Sideboard List

Definition:
This infraction applies only to games that use sideboards and only if players are required to register their sideboard cards for the tournament. If players are not required to register their sideboards, refer to section 106-Illegal Sideboard (No Decklist Used). For purposes of this infraction, it is irrelevant whether the actual cards being used in a player's sideboard are legal. The decklist (including sideboard list) is the final determination of the official contents of a player's sideboard.

Players are considered to have an illegal sideboard list when one of the following conditions is true:

• The sideboard list contains either too many or too few cards.
• The sideboard list contains cards that are illegal for the format.
• The sideboard list contains cards that would make the deck illegal because it would violate a game rule (such as the four-card limit rule in Magic games).

Example:
(A) A player in a Magic Constructed tournament lists only 14 cards in his sideboard.
(B) A player in a Magic Constructed tournament lists three Disenchants in her sideboard, while having listed two Disenchants in the main deck.
(C) A player in a Standard Magic tournament lists Time Spiral (a banned card) in his sideboard.
(D) A player in a Magic Limited tournament fails to list any of her sideboard cards in the "Total" column of her decklist.

Philosophy:
The sideboard list is the ultimate guide to a player's sideboard. If the sideboard list is illegal, the player is considered to have an illegal sideboard, regardless of the physical contents of his or her sideboard. However, due to the fact that the majority of illegal sideboards are due to clerical error, it is not in the best interest of the event to disqualify a player for an illegal sideboard list. To maintain tournament integrity, the DCI recommends that tournament officials verify the legality of all sideboard lists as soon as possible, preferably before the beginning of Round 2. At all RELs, judges and other tournament officials must be vigilant about reminding players before the tournament begins of the consequences of submitting an illegal sideboard list.

Penalty:
At all RELs, the basic procedure is to correct a player's sideboard list so it is legal, if possible, and let the player continue playing in the tournament with a sideboard matching the corrected sideboard list. Any excess cards (cards violating a maximum number of cards restriction) or illegal cards should be removed from the sideboard list. Then, if cards need to be added to make the sideboard list legal, the player should add only basic resources like basic lands (for Magic). For example, a player in a Standard Magic tournament has submitted a 13-card sideboard list with five Disenchants. Since there is a four-of-a-kind limit, one of the Disenchants must be removed. Now, the sideboard list contains only 12 cards, so three basic lands of the player's choice are added to meet the 15-card requirement. In addition, the player receives a game loss.

If the submitted sideboard list contains more than the maximum number of allowed cards, the player may have gained a significant advantage. Due to this, sideboards with more than the maximum number of cards listed should be invalidated for the remainder of the tournament. This invalidation applies to all rounds of the tournament using that deck and sideboard list, including final rounds that may be played later that day or on a different day.

Deck Problem-Illegal Sideboard List

All Levels

Game

105 Deck Problem-Illegal Sideboard (Legal List)

Definition:
This infraction applies only to games that use sideboards and only if players are required to register their sideboards for the tournament. If players are not required to register their sideboards, refer to section 106-Illegal Sideboard (No List Used). If a player's sideboard list is illegal, refer to section 104-Illegal Sideboard List. The decklist (including sideboard list) is the final determination of the official contents of a player's sideboard, therefore an illegal sideboard list infraction take precedence over an illegal sideboard infraction (assuming sideboard lists are being used).

Players are considered to have an illegal sideboard when one of the following conditions is true:

• The sideboard contains either too many or too few cards.
• The sideboard contains cards that are illegal for the format.
• The sideboard contains cards that would make the deck illegal because it would violate a game rule (such as the four-card limit rule in Magic games).
• The contents of the sideboard do not match the sideboard list.

Example:
(A) During a Magic Constructed tournament, a player is found to have five Terrors in his sideboard, although the sideboard list is legal (listing only four).
(B) A player has misplaced several cards from her sideboard (or lost the entire sideboard), but the sideboard list is legal.

Philosophy:
When the physical cards in the sideboard are illegal, but the sideboard list is legal, the best solution is to alter the sideboard to match the list. If the sideboard list is illegal, do not use this penalty; instead refer to section 114, which assigns a more strict penalty.

Penalty:
In addition to the appropriate penalty, the sideboard is altered to match the list for the remainder of the tournament. This includes final rounds or rounds of the tournament that will be played on different days of the tournament. The player is informed that he or she may not use his or her sideboard for the remainder of the current match. The player is responsible for correcting the sideboard error and finding any replacement cards that are needed before the next round begins. If the player is unable to obtain the appropriate cards, then those slots in the sideboard should be filled with basic lands of the player's choice.

Deck Problem-Illegal Sideboard (Legal List) All Levels Game

106 Deck Problem-Illegal Sideboard (No List Used)

Definition:
This infraction applies only to games that use sideboards and only if players are not required to register their sideboards for the tournament. If players are required to register their sideboards, refer to section 104-Illegal Sideboard List or section 105-Illegal Sideboard (Legal List).

Players are considered to have an illegal sideboard when one of the following conditions is true:

• The sideboard contains either too many or too few cards.
• The sideboard contains cards that are illegal for the format.
• The sideboard contains cards that would make the deck illegal because it would violate a game rule (such as the four-card limit rule in Magic games).

Philosophy:
When a sideboard is illegal, the cleanest solution is to remove the sideboard entirely. This creates a significant penalty, which is appropriate for the infraction, while still allowing the player to continue in the event.

Penalty:
At higher REL events, decklists are normally used so a separate, more severe penalty for higher RELs is not needed.

In addition to the appropriate penalty, the sideboard is invalidated for the remainder of the tournament. This includes final rounds or rounds of the tournament that will be played later that day or on different days of the tournament. The sideboard is not physically removed, but the player is informed that he or she may not use his or her sideboard for the rest of the tournament. The player is responsible for notifying an opponent that his or her sideboard has been invalidated before the second game of a match begins. Failure to notify an opponent that a sideboard has been invalidated is considered a Procedural Error-Minor.

Deck Problem-Illegal Sideboard (No List Used)

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Game	Game	N/A	N/A	N/A

110 PROCEDURAL ERROR

111 Procedural Error-Minor

Definition:
A Minor Procedural Error occurs when a player performs an unintentional, slightly disruptive action at the tournament.

Example:
(A) A player indicates "Peregrine Drake" instead of "Pendrell Drake" while recording the contents of his sealed deck.
(B) A player fails to provide a reliable method to track her life totals.
(C) A player shuffles his deck after an opponent has cut it.
(D) A player repeatedly holds her cards below the table.
(E) A player leaves a small amount of garbage in the tournament area (such as a gum wrapper or scrap of paper from a score pad).
(F) A player is using a snow-covered land in a Standard Magic tournament.

Philosophy:
Procedural errors vary significantly. The judge should adjust the penalty appropriately to reflect the level of tournament disruption.

Penalty:
If the procedural error makes it impossible for a player to effectively complete the game or match in the allotted period of time, and then upgrade the penalty to match/game loss as needed.

Procedural Error-Minor All Levels Caution

112 Procedural Error-Major

Definition:
A Major Procedural Error occurs when a player performs an unintentional, disruptive action at the tournament.

Example:
(A) A player fails to write her name on her decklist.
(B) A player replaces cards in his sealed deck with copies of the same card without permission from a judge.
(C) A player does not sufficiently randomize her deck before presenting it to her opponent.
(D) A player leaves a large amount of garbage in the tournament area (such as food debris).

Philosophy:
Procedural errors vary significantly. The judge should adjust the penalty appropriately to reflect the level of tournament disruption.

Penalty:
If the procedural error makes it impossible for a player to effectively complete the game or match in the allotted period of time, and then upgrade the penalty to match/game loss as needed.

Procedural Error-Major

All Levels

Warning

113 Procedural Error-Severe

Definition:
A Severe Procedural Error occurs when a player performs an unintentional, extremely disruptive action at the tournament.

Example:
(A) A player spills coffee on his deck and is unable to play the match effectively.

Philosophy:
Procedural errors vary significantly and the judge should adjust the penalty appropriately to reflect the level of tournament disruption.

Penalty:
If the procedural error makes it impossible for a player to effectively complete the game or match in the allotted period of time, and then upgrade the penalty as needed.

Procedural Error-Severe

All Levels

Game

114 Procedural Error-Failure to De-Sideboard

Definition:
A player is considered to have committed this infraction when he or she has not returned his or her deck to its original configuration before presenting the deck to an opponent at the beginning of the first game of the match. This infraction only applies to games that use sideboards.

Example:
(A) A player in a Magic tournament leaves a Circle of Protection: Red in her deck from the previous round.

Philosophy:
In this situation, a game loss is a fair penalty. Tournaments that do not use decklists should not use this offense unless some method of registering sideboards is used.

Penalty:

Procedural Error-Failure to De-Sideboard

All Levels

Game

115 Procedural Error-Misrepresentation

Definition:
A player is considered to have committed this infraction when he or she unintentionally misplayed a card or a game rule.

Example:
(A) A player in a Pokémon tournament attempts to evolve his Charmander into Charizard, illegally skipping the Charmeleon evolution.
(B) A player in a Magic tournament plays Wrath of God (2WW) using one white mana and three colorless mana.
(C) A player in a Magic tournament attempts to cast Treachery on a creature with protection from blue.

Philosophy:
This penalty assumes an unintentional action on behalf of the player. If the judge believes the misrepresentation was intentional, see section 160-Cheating. When the error is noticed and no significant game actions have taken place, the error should be corrected. If any significant game actions have taken place (such as moving to the next player's turn) it is better to leave the game undisturbed since players have made play decisions based on the present state of the game.

Penalty:

Procedural Error-Misrepresentation

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Caution	Caution	Warning	Warning	Warning

116. Procedural Error-Tardiness

Definition:
A player is considered to have committed this infraction when he or she is not in his or her seat when the round begins.

Example:
(A) A player arrives to her seat five minutes after the round begins.
(B) A player hands in his decklist after the time designated by the judge or organizer.

Philosophy:
Players are responsible for being on time for their matches.

Penalty:
A tardiness penalty should not be given if a round started early and a player arrived at his or her seat before the originally announced start time. At lower RELs, the tournament organizer may elect to give players the amount of time allotted for the pre-game procedure (three minutes) to arrive before a game loss is awarded. At higher RELs, a game loss should be awarded as soon as the round begins. At any REL, if a player is not in his or her seat ten minutes into the round, he or she should be awarded a second game loss. If a player does not arrive before the end of the round, he or she should be dropped from the event.

Procedural Error-Tardiness

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Warning	Warning	Game	Game	Game

117. Procedural Error-Playing the Wrong Opponent

Definition:
Two people played against each other when they were paired against different players for that round.

Example:
(A) A player sits at the incorrect table and plays against the wrong opponent.

Philosophy:
It is each player's responsibility to ensure they are sitting in the correct seat.

Penalty:
If the error is discovered within the pre-game time limit for the first game (usually three minutes), then the player sitting at the wrong table should receive a warning and report to the correct seat. If the error is discovered after the pre-game time limit has expired but before the time that a second game loss would be awarded for section 116 Procedural Error-Tardiness (usually ten minutes), the player sitting at the wrong table should receive a game loss and should report to the correct table. If the error is not discovered until after the time that a second game loss would be awarded for section 116 Procedural Error-Tardiness, the player sitting at the wrong table should receive a match loss.

Procedural Error-Playing the Wrong Opponent

All Levels

Warning

120. CARD DRAWING

121. Card Drawing-Drawing Extra Cards

Definition:
Players are considered to have drawn a card when they move a card more than one card length away from their deck, unless this is in the act of counting out cards face down. Players are also considered to have drawn a card when they take a card from their deck and perform any other action (casting a spell, advancing a phase in the game, and so on). If a player draws a card in this manner, the card is considered to have entered his or her hand immediately. In Magic games, this is generally considered an indication that the player has moved to his or her draw step (unless instructed to draw by some other effect).

Players are not considered to have drawn extra cards when they place a card face down on the table (without looking at the card) in an effort to accurately count out cards as they draw. This penalty should be applied only once to one or more cards if they are drawn in the same action or sequence of actions, at the judge's discretion.

Philosophy:
Any time players draw extra cards, there is always a chance they will go unnoticed by their opponent, potentially giving them a significant advantage. Because of this potential for abuse, the penalty for drawing extra cards is fairly severe. A player can accidentally look at extra cards very easily, so a separate, less severe penalty is established for that infraction called Looking at Extra Cards (section 122).

Correcting the problem always involves putting the extra card (if known, or a random card from the player's hand if not known) on top of the deck. This ensures that a player does not receive an advantage from a free shuffle (which they would receive if the card were shuffled back into the deck) and that the game will be impacted as little as possible.

Improper Drawing at Start of Game (section 123) is also a separate, less severe penalty.

Penalty:
For the game to continue, the situation should always be corrected. When it is obvious which extra card was drawn, the card should be placed back on top of the deck. If it is unclear which card is the "extra" card, a random card should be selected from a player's hand. If several cards are involved and it is unclear which order the cards were in, the cards should be placed randomly on top of the deck. The opponent of the player committing the infraction should be allowed to see any cards the other player has seen due to this infraction.

An automatic game loss should be applied if a player has drawn so many cards that a judge is unable to correct the situation. If the judge feels that the player has received enough of an advantage by drawing an extra card (for example, the player has had their library modified by their opponent or the player sees the next card which reveals some crucial strategic information), the penalty should be upgraded to a game loss.

Card Drawing-Drawing Extra Cards

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Warning	Warning	Game	Game	Game

122. Card Drawing-Looking at Extra Cards

Definition:
Players are considered to have looked at a card when the card is moved any significant amount from the deck. This could include dropping cards on the floor, turning a card over while shuffling their opponent's deck, or revealing cards from their deck in the act of misplaying a card. This penalty also applies when a player has looked at a card in an opponent's deck or hand in the course of a game (such as turning over an extra card while resolving a random discard effect).

A player is not considered to have looked at extra cards when he or she places a card face down on the table (without looking at the card) in an effort to count out cards he or she will draw.

This penalty should be applied only once to one or more cards if they are seen in the same action or sequence of actions.

Example:
(A) A player accidentally flips over a card while shuffling her opponent's deck.
(B) A player flips over an extra card while drawing from his deck.
(C) A player looks at the bottom card of her deck when presenting it to her opponent for cutting/shuffling.
(D) A player shuffles his deck or his opponent's deck with the cards face up.
(E) A player takes a card from her opponent's deck instead of her own.

Philosophy:
A player can accidentally look at extra cards very easily so the penalty is less severe than Drawing Extra Cards. Drawing Extra Cards is a separate, more severe penalty because of the increased potential for abuse. In order to avoid supplying a free shuffle, the card(s) is placed back on top of the deck (if it was the top card of the deck that was seen) or returned to the area where it came from.

Penalty:
In addition to the appropriate penalty, the situation should always be corrected. The opponent of the player committing the infraction should be allowed to see any cards that the other player has seen illegally due to this infraction.

An automatic game loss should be applied if a player has seen so many cards that a judge is unable to correct the situation or has received so much of an advantage by seeing an extra card (for example, the player sees the next card which reveals some crucial, strategic information).

Card Drawing-Looking at Extra Cards

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Caution	Caution	Warning	Warning	Warning

123. Card Drawing-Improper Drawing at Start of Game

Definition:
Players committing this infraction draw an extra card (or too few cards) when they draw their hand, either initially or while resolving a mulligan.

Example:
(A) A player in a Pokémon tournament draws eight cards in her initial hand (instead of seven).
(B) A player in a Magic tournament draws seven cards in his initial hand (instead of six) after taking a mulligan.
(C) A player in a Magic tournament who is playing first (as opposed to drawing first) incorrectly draws a card during her first draw step.

Philosophy:
This is generally a minor infraction and deserves a fairly minor penalty. Forcing players to redraw their hands with one less card is fairly quick and simple and avoids the possibility of a player gaining an advantage if he or she just had to reshuffle his or her cards and draw a new hand.

Penalty:
The player must shuffle his or her hand into the deck and redraw the opening hand, drawing one less card than the number he or she should have drawn-not the number he or she actually drew. (This is similar to a forcing a mulligan in a Magic game.)

Card Drawing-Improper Drawing at Start of Game

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Caution	Caution	Warning	Warning	Warning

124. Card Drawing-Failure to Draw

Definition:
A player does not draw a card that he or she was required to draw.

Example:
(A) A player in a Pokémon tournament forgets to draw a card at the start of her turn.
(B) A player in a Magic tournament forgets to draw a card after a "cantrip" effect.

Philosophy:
This is generally a minor infraction and deserves a fairly minor penalty. If the judge believes that it affected game play significantly (for example, a player forgot to draw several cards from a Howling Mine that allowed him or her to use Cursed Scroll successfully for several turns), the judge can upgrade to a game loss.

Penalty:
Players must correct the situation by drawing however many cards they neglected to draw, unless a turn has passed.

Card Drawing-Failure to Draw

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Caution	Caution	Warning	Warning	Warning

130. MARKED CARDS

131. Marked Cards-No Pattern

Definition:
A player's cards are marked with no pattern to the types of cards that are marked. If a player is using opaque sleeves, they are taken into consideration instead of the actual cards. If a player is using clear sleeves, both the card and sleeve are taken into consideration.

Example:
(A) A player in a Magic tournament has small marks on a few of his sleeves. The markings are on an Island, a Counterspell, and a Masticore. The judge decides this is not a significant pattern.
(B) A player without sleeves has several premium cards that stand out significantly from the rest of her deck.

Philosophy:
The possibility for advantage is fairly low when there is no pattern to the markings.

Penalty:

Marked Cards-No Pattern

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Caution	Caution	Caution	Warning	Warning

132. Marked Cards-Observable Pattern

Definition:
A player's cards are marked with a pattern to the types of cards that are marked. If a player is using opaque sleeves, they are taken into consideration instead of the actual cards. If a player is using clear sleeves, both the card and sleeve are taken into consideration.

Example:
(A) A player in a Magic tournament has a marking on each of his land cards that would be considered markings with a pattern.
(B) A player in a Magic tournament has four Powder Kegs in her deck, all of which are in card sleeves that have a slight bend in one corner.

Philosophy:
The potential for advantage is high when there is a pattern to the markings. Therefore the penalty must be significant. Please note this penalty still assumes that the cards are marked unintentionally. Refer to section 160-Cheating, if the judge believes that the cards were marked intentionally.

Penalty:

Marked Card-Observable Pattern

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Game	Game	Match	Match	Match

140. SLOW PLAY

141. Slow Play-Playing Slowly

Definition:
Players who take longer than is reasonably required to complete game actions are engaged in slow play. If a judge believes that a player is intentionally playing slowly to take advantage of a time limit, that player is guilty of Stalling (section 162).

Example:
(A) A player is unsure of which creatures to block with, and spends five minutes trying to decide.

Philosophy:
Slow Play penalties do not require a judge to determine whether a player is intentionally stalling. All players have the responsibility to play quickly enough so their opponent is not at a significant disadvantage because of the time limit. A judge should take into consideration the game scores when deciding if this should be upgraded to a Stalling penalty (section 162). If one player has already won the first game of a three-game match, he or she clearly has an advantage if the second game is not completed before the time limit is up.

Penalty:
In addition to the penalty, the judge may assign extra time to the match if he or she feels it is appropriate. The option to add extra time should be used sparingly in order to avoid tournament delays.

Slow Play-Playing Slowly

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Caution	Caution	Warning	Warning	Warning

142. Slow Play-Exceeding Pre-Game Time Limit

Definition:
A player exceeds the time limit for completing his or her pre-game steps.

Example:
(A) After three minutes into a round at a Magic Pro Tour™ Qualifier, the player has not completed his shuffling.

Philosophy:
This penalty assumes the player is not intentionally stalling. If the head judge believes it is intentional, refer to the penalty for Stalling (section 162).

Penalty:
A one-minute time extension is included with the penalty.

Slow Play-Exceeding Pre-Game Time Limit

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Caution	Caution	Caution	Warning	Warning

150. UNSPORTING CONDUCT

151. Unsporting Conduct-Minor

Definition:
Minor Unsporting Conduct is defined as behavior that may be disruptive to a person at the tournament, but has no significant impact on the operation of the tournament in any way.

Example:
(A) A player uses vulgar profanity in the presence of a parent or young player.
(B) A player loudly demands to a judge that her opponent receive a penalty.

Philosophy:
Different levels of unsporting conduct should be penalized accordingly. The head judge is always the final authority on what constitutes unsporting conduct and is free to interpret the guidelines as he or she sees fit for the appropriate situation.

Penalty:

Unsporting Conduct-Minor

All Levels

Warning

152. Unsporting Conduct-Major

Definition:
Major Unsporting Conduct is defined as behavior that is disruptive to a player or players at the tournament, but does not cause delays or include any form of physical contact or significant emotional distress.

Example:
(A) A player repeatedly calls a judge and argues that his opponent should lose the game for insignificant procedural oversights.
(B) A player fails to obey the instructions of a tournament official.

Philosophy:
Different levels of unsporting conduct should be penalized accordingly. The head judge is always the final authority on what constitutes unsporting conduct and is free to interpret the guidelines as he or she sees fit for the appropriate situation.

Penalty:

Unsporting Conduct-Major

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Game	Game	Match	Match	Match

153. Unsporting Conduct-Severe

Definition:
Severe Unsporting Conduct is defined as behavior that is disruptive to a player or players at a tournament, causes delays, and may include any form of physical contact or significant emotional distress.

Example:
(A) A player pulls a chair from beneath another player, causing her to fall to the ground with a minor injury.
(B) A player argues in an excessive and belligerent manner with a judge after the judge has made a final ruling.

Philosophy:
Different levels of unsporting conduct should be penalized accordingly. The head judge is always the final authority on what constitutes unsporting conduct and is free to interpret the guidelines as he or she sees fit for the appropriate situation.

Penalty:

Unsporting Conduct-Severe

All Levels

Disqualification without Prize

160. Cheating

161. Cheating-Bribery/Collusion

Definition:
A player attempts to bribe an opponent into conceding or changing the results of a match, or two players attempt to determine the outcome of a game or match using a random method such as a coin flip or die roll. Refer to section 25 of the Universal Tournament Rules for a more detailed description of what constitutes bribery/collusion.

Example:
(A) A player in a Swiss round offers his opponent $100 to concede the match.
(B) Two players roll a die to determine the winner of a match.
(C) In the last round of a single-elimination playoff, a player offers her opponent $300 to concede the match. The prizes given to the first- and second-place finishers total $200.
(D) A player in the last round of the single-elimination playoff, a player offers his opponent cash to concede the match. The prize given to both first- and second-place winners consists only of product.

Philosophy:
Collusion to alter the results of a game or match is a serious offence. This type of action not only harms other participants in the current event, but also has lasting repercussions on the worldwide rating and ranking lists. Due to this, the penalty for bribery/collusion is severe. Please refer to section 25 in the Universal Tournament Rules to insure the proper application of this penalty.

Penalty:

Cheating-Bribery/Collusion

All Levels

Disqualification without Prizes

162. Cheating-Stalling

Definition:
A player intentionally plays slowly in order to take advantage of the time limit. Refer to section 161 for unintentional slow play.

Example:
(A) A player has two lands in his hand, no options available to significantly affect the game, and spends several minutes "thinking" about what to do.

Philosophy:
If it is clear that a player is stalling, he or she should face a serious penalty.

Penalty:

Cheating-Stalling

REL 1	REL 2	REL 3	REL 4	REL 5
Match	Match	Match	DQ	DQ

163. Cheating-Fraud

Definition:
A player intentionally misrepresents rules, procedures, personal information, or any other relevant tournament information.

Example:
(A) A player uses a fake name and DCI number when registering for a tournament.
(B) A player misrepresents the results of a match to tournament officials.

Philosophy:
There should be zero tolerance for this type of activity.

Penalty:

Cheating-Fraud

All Levels

Disqualification without Prize

Appendix A - Penalty Quick Reference

Note: Rules Enforcement Level 1 (REL 1) is the standard enforcement for most DCI tournaments.

Appendix B - Contact Information

For the most recent version of this document or to learn about DCI tournaments and judging, please contact the DCI in any of the following three ways: