3 Tournament Logistics

3.1 Round Structure

Tournaments are divided into rounds. Each round typically consists of matches between pairs of Players. A Player wins a match by winning a specified number of games.

• Swiss Rounds: In Swiss-system tournaments, players compete in each round and are paired based on their standings, match history, and the tournament format.
• Elimination Rounds: In knockout-style tournaments, players are eliminated from the event if they lose a match (single elimination) and do not participate in subsequent rounds.

Round structure and formats may vary across tournaments. A typical tournament will consist of a single format with timed Swiss rounds for all players, followed by untimed single-elimination rounds for the top 8 players (also known as the “top-cut” or “play-off” rounds).

For timed rounds, players compete until one player wins a specified number of games or the round timer expires. For untimed rounds, players compete until one player wins a specified number of games. If a match is still undecided at the end of a round, players complete the end-of-match procedure to determine the match result. Generally, only one game is needed to win a match unless the Tournament Organizer announces otherwise before the tournament begins.

3.2 Timed Rounds

Timed rounds are used to keep the tournament progressing at a reasonable pace and give players a clear understanding of when to be ready for their next round.

• The timer for a round starts when most players are seated or have had a fair chance to do so. Players may perform the first game’s start-of-game procedure before the round timer begins, but the first turn of the first game cannot start until after the round timer starts.
• If a Judge pauses a match for more than one minute during the round, the players in that match will be granted at least the same amount of additional time to finish the match.
• If the match is paused for a deck-check, players will receive the time taken for the deck-check plus an additional three minutes to shuffle and present their decks. However, this should not exceed the original round time.

Feature Matches

Feature matches should be allotted extra time to compensate for the time spent setting up or moving players, or the feature matches should be timed separately from the regular rounds.

3.3 Start-of-Game Procedure

Each match begins with the following standard setup steps, followed by mode-specific rules depending on which game mode is being played: Rookie, Substitution, or Playmaker.

1. Determine First Player and Battle Direction

Players randomly determine, using an agreed-upon method, a player.

The randomly selected player chooses:

• Who goes first in the first battle, and
• The direction in which Battles will resolve (left-to-right or right-to-left).

This procedure applies to all game modes unless otherwise specified by the format.

2. Prepare Decks

Each player presents all required decks for the selected format.

Players must sufficiently randomize their decks before presenting them to an opponent at the start of a game.

After shuffling, a player must present their deck to their opponent. The opponent may cut the deck or shuffle it further before returning it. Once returned, the deck is considered finalized and ready for play.

Whenever a player searches their deck, that player must shuffle the deck afterward unless the card effect specifically instructs otherwise. After shuffling, the deck must again be presented to the opponent.

Players may not intentionally manipulate the order of cards in a way that provides knowledge of the deck’s order. If a deck is not sufficiently randomized, a judge may require the deck to be reshuffled before play continues.

Deck requirements depend on the format:

• Rookie Mode: Hero Deck
• Substitution Mode: Hero Deck + Hot Dog Deck
• Playmaker Mode: Hero Deck + Hot Dog Deck + Playbook

See the Format section for details on legal deck construction.

3. Place Starting Lineup

Each player draws 7 Hero cards. Players simultaneously place their 7 Heroes face-down into one of each 7 Battle Zones in the order they choose.

• Players must remember their placements; players are not allowed to look at their heroes after placing.

Once both players confirm readiness, the match begins.

4. Draw Opening Hands

• Rookie: No additional cards drawn.
• Substitution & Playmaker: Draw 4 additional Hero cards as your hand.
• Playmaker Only: Draw 4 Play cards.

The maximum time allowed for the start-of-game procedure is:

• 5 minutes for the first game of a match
• 3 minutes for each subsequent game of the match

Players who exceed this time limit are considered to have committed slow play.

3.4 End-of-Game Procedure

At the end of a game, players must reveal any cards with hidden information if requested by their opponent or a tournament official.

At the end of a match, both players must agree on the match result and then submit it to the Scorekeeper.

3.4.1 Time Expiration in Timed Matches

When the round timer expires during a match, the following procedure is followed:

Players complete the current game using Rookie Mode rules. Players continue playing Battles until the game reaches its natural conclusion. If the game reaches a tied Battle score, Sudden Death is used to determine the winner of that game as defined in the Comprehensive Rules Guide. No new game may begin after time has expired.

Once the current game has concluded, determine the winner of the match as follows:

Step 1: The winner of the match is the player who has won more completed games in that match.

Step 2: If both players have won an equal number of games, the match is resolved using Sudden Death.

Step 3 — Sudden Death: Each player reveals the top card of their Hero Deck. The player whose revealed Hero has the higher Power value wins Sudden Death.

If both revealed Heroes have equal Power, repeat this process by revealing the next top Hero from each Hero Deck until a winner is determined.

Super Weapon Type Rule: If both revealed Heroes have equal Power and one of those Heroes has a Super Weapon, the Hero with a Super Weapon wins Sudden Death.

3.4.2 Untimed Elimination Matches

Some elimination matches may be designated as untimed. Untimed elimination matches do not use the Time Expiration procedure.

Untimed elimination matches are played as Best-of-3 games. The winner of the match is the first player to win two games.

Games are played following the normal rules of the game. If a game reaches a tied Battle score, Sudden Death is used to determine the winner of that game as defined in the Comprehensive Rules Guide.

Elimination matches cannot end in a draw. A winner must be determined for every match.

3.5 Concessions and Refusal to Play

Players may concede a game or match at any time before the round timer expires.

Once the round timer expires, players may no longer concede and the match must be resolved using the Time Expiration procedure defined in Section 3.4.

Players may not agree to intentionally draw a match. Because matches must produce a winner, any agreement between players not to play a match or intentionally produce a draw is considered mutual non-participation.

If a player refuses to participate in a game or match, that player is considered to have conceded.

If both players refuse to participate in the match, the result is recorded as a Double Loss.

A Double Loss may be issued for the following situations:

• Mutual non-participation
• Collusion

Players may not concede in exchange for any form of consideration. If players discuss possible considerations based on the match outcome (for example prizes or standings), they may no longer concede.

Players are prohibited from asking their opponent to concede at any time. Implicitly suggesting or pressuring a player to concede may be considered asking for a concession.

If a player must stop playing due to a legitimate reason, they should call a Judge immediately. Examples of valid reasons include, but are not limited to:

• A personal emergency requiring the player’s attention
• The player feeling physically unwell
• An accidental disruption of the game area requiring cleanup

3.6 Dropping from a Tournament

A player may drop from a tournament at any time by informing the Scorekeeper. Once dropped, a player may only re-enter the tournament at the discretion of the Head Judge.

Players who fail to show up for their match are considered to have conceded that match and should be dropped from the tournament unless they inform the Scorekeeper before the next round’s pairings are generated.

If a player drops before the first pairings are made, they are considered not to have participated and will not be listed in the final standings. If a player drops after the pairings for a round have been generated, they are considered to have conceded that round before being dropped.

If a player drops during a limited format portion of the tournament, they retain ownership of all cards they have legally obtained, including any opened, unopened, and partially-drafted booster packs.

Players who drop early may not be eligible for participation prizes, at the discretion of the Tournament Organizer. If a player drops after being announced as part of the top cut, there will be no replacement for them in the top cut.

Players may not drop from a tournament in exchange for any form of consideration.

3.7 Card-Pool Registration

Card-pool registration (decklist) refers to the recorded list of cards a player may use or intends to use during a tournament. Decklists are mandatory for all tournaments.

When a player submits their decklist to a tournament official, the decklist and its contents become the property of the Tournament Organizer. Decklists that are illegal, illegible, or improperly formatted may be rejected. Once a decklist is accepted, the player is not permitted to alter it. Players are responsible for submitting all required decklists before the start of the first round (for constructed formats), the end of deck construction (for limited formats), or another time designated by the Tournament Organizer. Late submission of decklists may result in penalties.

Players may request to review their decklist between matches, which should be accommodated when possible.

It is recommended that decklists remain private between the player and tournament officials throughout the tournament, except for use in coverage or sharing with players in the play-offs at a professional REL. If there are any deviations from this, the Tournament Organizer should notify participants before the tournament begins. At professional REL, players in the play-offs of a constructed format should be provided with copies of their opponent’s deck lists as soon as possible, with sufficient time to review them before the first game of the match. This requirement does not apply to limited-format play-offs.

3.8 Deck-Checks

A deck-check is a procedure used to verify a player’s cards against their accepted decklist. During a regular deck-check, the player’s cards are collected when they have presented their deck for a game (before drawing their opening hand) and are returned without any guarantee of the cards being in the same order. The goal of regular deck-checks is to ensure that the cards are not marked and that the player has presented their deck legally.

Regular deck-checks are mandatory at professional REL and recommended at competitive REL. They may be conducted at casual REL at the discretion of the Tournament Organizer. If deck-checks are being performed at a tournament, it is advised that all players in the play-offs have undergone a deck-check during the Swiss rounds before starting the first round of the play-offs. In the case of timed rounds, affected players should be granted additional time to complete their round if necessary.

The Head Judge reserves the right to perform a (non-regular) deck-check for any Player, including during the middle of a game or between rounds. If a deck-check is performed during a game, the deck must be returned to the Player in the exact state it was in before the deck-check was conducted in order to reinstate the game properly.

3.9 Judge Calls and Appeals

Players may call a Judge at any time during their match. The recommended procedure for calling a Judge is to pause the game, raise a hand, shout “Judge!”, and wait for the Judge to arrive. Tournament officials can also pause the game and call a Judge on behalf of the Players. Spectators are not allowed to call a Judge in competitive and professional REL, but they can discreetly bring a game issue to the attention of a Judge if needed. Judges should respond to calls in accordance with the official Comprehensive Rules, Procedure and Penalty Guide, and Tournament Rules and Policy.

During a match, Players should immediately call a Judge in the following situations:

• A Player commits a minor infraction that cannot be resolved between the Players in a timely manner.
• A Player commits an infraction that requires corrective action or could create a significant advantage or disadvantage for one of the Players.
• A dispute arises between Players that cannot be resolved promptly.
• There is an emergency or issue that requires the attention of a tournament official.
• A Player needs to leave the table for any reason.
• The Player requires immediate oversight from a Judge.

Players may also call a Judge if they need assistance with information. During a judge call, Players must answer all questions truthfully and may request to do so away from the match.

In tournaments with both Head Judges and Floor Judges, it is preferable for a Floor Judge to be the first responder to a call. If a Floor Judge is not available in a reasonable amount of time, a Head Judge should respond first. Players are not permitted to request a specific Judge to attend their call or to ask for a different Judge than the first one to respond. If there is a language barrier, Players can request a translator, which should be accommodated if feasible.

Once a Judge has made a ruling, but before any procedures or penalties are applied, either Player has the right to appeal the decision. In the event of an appeal, the Head Judge will review the ruling and make the final decision. If the Head Judge was the first responder to the call, the Player may still request an appeal. In such cases, the Head Judge should consult with another Judge before confirming or modifying the initial ruling.

3.10 Accessibility

The Tournament Organizer is responsible for ensuring that reasonable steps are taken to create an environment that is accessible to all Players, allowing them to participate in the tournament.

Players may request assistance from tournament officials regarding accessibility needs. In certain cases, exceptions to specific tournament rules may be made to accommodate individual Players, as long as these exceptions do not provide a strategic advantage. Any such exceptions must be approved by the Head Judge before being implemented.

3.11 Coverage

Bo Jackson Battle Arena reserves the right to release any official tournament information at any time, including during the event. The Tournament Organizer may also publish such information after the tournament concludes. By entering a tournament, players give their consent for their tournament information, including but not limited to their names, decklists, and results, to be used for coverage purposes.

Tournaments may feature live media coverage, such as video streams or replays of matches (feature matches). In these feature matches, the coverage team may manage the gameplay logistics and tournament materials to enhance the recording quality and prevent any strategic advantages. This can include, but is not limited to, using extra markers for better camera visibility, having players wear noise-cancelling headphones, and limiting the use of materials containing non-Bo Jackson Battle Arena intellectual property.

The Head Judge may authorize the use of video replays from the official media coverage to aid in rulings during a match. Additionally, video replays may be reviewed after a match for investigation purposes.

At casual and competitive REL (Regulated Event Levels), players can decline to be featured during Swiss rounds without facing any penalties. However, at professional REL or during play-off rounds at casual and competitive REL, players who decline to be featured will receive a match loss for that round.

Spectators may record matches as long as they do so unobtrusively. If a player or spectator wishes to use an intrusive method of recording, they must request permission from both the Tournament Organizer and the players involved in the match.