Welcome to July’s issue of Magic Judge News, and CHANGES!! We have new announcements about Judge Academy, and the changes to the program. We’ll continue posting

news as we go, and I’m sure we’re all in for an experience to learn about the new structure of the program. Remember, the world is not ending, just restructuring to something new! We’d be glad to chat if you have any

questions in the comments!

Judge Academy!

If you haven’t heard about Judge Academy at this point, the cave you’ve been living in must not have great internet. I suggest checking out their introductory post! They’ve also answered a lot of questions you may have already.

Want more information? It’s as if this is all folks are talking about this month. Sara Mox, the current community manager has a post with some more announcements relating to the future of the Judge program.

Still not satisfied?

The Judge Program Coordinators have also put up a blog post.

The final wave of Exemplars

is only a few days away from the writing of this blurb. If you’re a Judge, be sure to write your final recognitions for a Judge that’s been exceptional!!!

There’s an update to the Team Lead in Training Position!

Read all about the updates here; the description now matches how the certification has worked since the beginning of 2019.



Judge of the Week Judge of the week is still on hiatus! Judge Anniversaries! Still no updates! Welcome to the Fold A big welcome to the following judges who worked their first MagicFest MF Detroit

MF Krakow

MF Denver

MF Barcelona Exemplar Program With the new Judge Academy starting up, there will be changes to how the Exemplar Program operates. More information can be found here.

Questions asked in the Month of July and an [O]fficial answer, just for you! 1. AP is playing the top 8 of a Competitive REL event. During sideboarding for game 3 they note that there are in total only 74 cards in their box. They notice a card on a separate table and they figure it is the missing one, from their main deck. That card was found by the TO at least 1 hour ago and he didn’t inform anyone. What’s the appropriate infraction? A: Although that player have played some games without the missing card, as this was found between games, there is no infraction no penalty at all! Just fix the deck and let them proceed to game 3. Approved by the Forum Moderators

2. While searching their library for a fetchland effect, AP drops one of the cards from their library face down on top of their hand, which was face down on the table. Knowing that we are in a point where the player hasn’t touched those cards yet, what’s the appropriate infraction and fix? A: We can correct this mistake by using publicly available information. Neither player knows what that card is, but if they both know and agree the card on top of AP’s hand was the card that was dropped from the library, we can simply shuffle it back without issuing an HCE penalty and its respective additional remedy. Approved by Scott Marshall

3. AP has Wrenn and Six’s emblem in the command zone. They have a Daze in their graveyard. Can they choose to retrace it, using its alternate casting cost? If so, are they allowed to return the Island from the battlefield back to their hand, before discarding it for the retrace? Cards: Wrenn and Six, Daze A: Yes they can. When you get around to paying costs, you can pay costs in any order you choose. You can choose to return the Island to your hand for Daze’s alternate cost, then discard that same Island you just returned to your hand for the retrace part of the cost. Approved by Nathan Long

4. AP equips their Daggersail Aeronaut with a Colossus Hammer. On their next turn, does the creature has flying? Cards: Daggersail Aeronaut, Colossus Hammer A: It doesn’t. We can check the Oracle ruling to answer this one: “If an ability of the equipped creature states that it has flying “as long as” a particular condition is true, that condition becoming true will not cause that creature to gain flying. For example, if the equipped creature “has flying as long as it’s attacking,” it will not gain flying, even if it attacks after Colossus Hammer becomes attached to it.” The reason for this is that the Aeronaut’s timestamp is set when it enters the battlefield, but the timestamp for the Hammer is set when it becomes attached to the Aeronaut, meaning that the Hammer will always have a later timestamp than the Aeronaut. Even if it becomes your turn after the Hammer was attached to it, it won’t have flying since the Hammer’s effect has a later timestamp. Approved by Nathan Long



Judging for the Win

The latest Set Digest is available and it focuses on M20. Read on to get all the answers you need to questions about new cards as well as rules and policy changes.

M20 Rules update

Comp and card text rules updates for Magic 2020!

Policy Perspectives

Evil schemes. Blue-coated figures. Carnage in the streets. Sacrifices being made to save the day. Or in other words, delving a little bit deeper into the Policy Changes for Core 2020!

M20 IPG updates

M20 MTR updates

Two-Headed Giant Release Notes

Wrapping up with the publications written about M20, here are the 2HG Hidden Gems that are key to the format.

Find out which Judge Conferences, Grand Prix and SCG Opens have available worldwide staffing positions! You still have some time to apply for:

And many, many more!

Featured project – Judge Booth

This month we are featuring one of the oldest projects in existence. Judge Booth is a project that aims to provide some rules questions to players in a fun environment, at MTG events. They are currently searching for translators and every time a new set comes out, they look for help to create new questions. If you have any questions with new cards you would like to share, be sure to check this page every now and then and submit them!

You can also check other Public Projects that need the help of an awesome judge like you! If you wish to get more out of your Judging experience and give back to the community, sign up for something that interests you!

Sugar on Top!

CHANGES!!!

One of the new JA regions, France and Benelux, had a gathering! Check out these conjoined judges!