Road to l2 paul baranay

The Road to L2PAUL “BEARZ” BARANAY

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

NORTHEAST JUDGE

CONFERENCE 2014

The Road to L2PAUL “BEARZ” BARANAY

L3 – BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

NORTHEAST JUDGE

CONFERENCE 2014

• Uncertified

• Level 1 – Local Judge

• Level 2 – Area Judge

• Level 3 – Regional Judge

• Level 4 – International Judge

• Level 5 – Professional Judge

The Judge Levels

• Uncertified

• Level 1 – Local Judge

• Level 2 – Area Judge

• Level 3 – Regional Judge

• Level 4 – International Judge

• Level 5 – Professional Judge

• Why do we even

have judge levels,

anyway?

The Judge Levels

• Judge levels reflect

your scope in the

judge program

• Different levels are

just that, different—

not “better”

• Levels are not roles

A Level By Any Other Name

The Numbers Are In, And…

290

(77%)77

(20%)

9

(2%)0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

1. Certify more L1’s and

expand the Judge

Program even further.

2. Deeper understanding of

the rules, policy, and

philosophy.

3. Head Judge Preliminary

PTQs!

Why Do We Need More L2’s?

Better, Stronger, Faster…

The Future Is Now

• Keeping current with

Magic rules and

Competitive REL

tournament policy

• Knowledge of and

ability to teach

Competitive REL

tournament practices

(pairings, deck checks,

disqualifications,

reviews, etc.)

L2 Expectations

• Demonstrated diplomacy

with players, judges and

TOs

• Willingness to mentor and

certify other judges

• Working with multiple

stores

• Regional community

involvement

L2 Expectations

• One review

• Judge at least one Competitive

REL event with a second judge

• Head Judge at least one event

with a second judge

• These can be the same event

Pre-Certification Requirements

• Three reviews of other judges

• Head judge 2 Competitive

REL events with another judge

• Judge 6 reported events

• Judge for at least 2 stores or

organizers

• Working relationship with at

least 2 organizers or stores

• Recommendation from an L2+

• Tournament report

• Passing score on L2 Practice

Pre-Certification Requirements

• Judge at least 6 reported events

• Judge at least 3 “high-level

events” with multiple judges

• PPTQ, PTQ, WMCQ, GP,

SCG Open, 5K

• Working relationship with at

least 2 organizers or stores

• 3 reviews of other judges

• Recommendation from an L2+

• Tournament report

• 70% or higher on L2 Practice

Pre-Certification Requirements

• Rules/policy exam – 80%

• Demonstrated diplomacy with

players, judges and TOs

• Willingness to mentor and

certify other judges

• Regional community

involvement

• Knowledge of…

• Deck checks

• Entering certification reviews

• Entering disqualification reports

Interview Items

• Establish yourself in

your community• Local Competitive events

• PPTQ’s

• SCG IQ’s

• GPT’s

• Get involved online!• Facebook

• JudgeApps

• IRC

Getting Involved

• Stay in touch with

your mentor(s)

• Mentor others

• Improve yourself

• Rules/policy

• IPG & MTR

• Soft skills

• Judge articles

Getting Involved

•Apply for

larger events

•Write good

cover letters

•Persistence

Getting Involved

• Competitive practices

• Large event experience

• Head Judging skills

• Public speaking

• Authority and leadership

• Decision making

• Working with multiple judges

Head Judging PPTQs

• Don’t read through

the Comp Rules

• Don’t study for

judge exams

• Don’t burn through

the Judge Center

question pool

Rules Knowledge

• Do review specific material

• Do get a mentor

• Do find a friend

• Do delete what you know

• Do find actual examples

• Do take some practice tests

• Do continuously advance your

knowledge

• #mtgrules on IRC

• Read the Release Notes

• Play the game!

Rules Knowledge

• Annotated IPG

• JudgeApps

• Knowledge Pool

• Personal Tutor

• Competitive REL forum

• Tournament Reports

• Discuss with other judges

• …especially ones you disagree with

• #mtgjudge on IRC

• Judging events!

• Toby Elliot’s blog

Policy Knowledge

• Communication is critical

• Take time before you speak

• Give suggestions, not

commands

• Tone of voice, facial

expressions

• Pay attention to people’s

reactions

• Talk with people, not at them

• But maintain your authority

• Consider other points of view

Diplomacy

• Northeast Facebook group

• Networking

• Judge Conferences!

• Writing articles or tournament

reports

Regional Involvement

• [O] Blog

• blogs.magicjudges.org/o

• Home > Levels > Level 2

• Northeast Family Website

• blogs.magicjudges.org/northeast

• L2 Pre-Interview Form

• blogs.magicjudges.org/northeast

/L2

Where can I find all this?

Recap• Judge levels reflect

scope

• L2 redefinition to

accommodate new

PPTQ system

• Ways to prepare for

the interview and

the exam

• Email: [email protected]

• Facebook: Paul Baranay

• IRC: bearz

• Twitter: @twotwobearz

Questions?