Tournament Code of Conduct

In order to ensure fair play and an enjoyable playing experience for all, Decipher sets high standards for sportsmanship and integrity in sanctioned tournament play, expressed in our Code of Conduct. Questions about this Code of Conduct should be addressed to the Decipher Tournament Coordinator (tournaments@decipher.com).

1. Each player must count their opponent's cards (seed deck, draw deck, and all side decks) before each game and should count their own cards immediately after each game. This helps ensure that you detect misplaced cards before gameplay begins and also serves to check the legality of the deck.

2. When required, deck lists must be completed and submitted, with your deck(s), to the tournament director, at a designated interval prior to the start of the event for preliminary checking. It is strongly recommended that you use the official deck list forms (or provide a printed list in the same format). Your deck list(s) must conform exactly to the contents of your deck(s). Decks will be checked against deck lists at random. Penalties for discrepancies may include adjusting the deck to match the list, forfeiting a match, and/or disqualification from the tournament, as outlined in the Tournament FAQ.

3. No changes to a tournament deck may be made at any time during a tournament (except as required by a judge). "Changes" include addition or removal of cards, and moving cards between seed, draw, and/or side decks. (Sealed deck tournaments are an exception. Players may alter their decks between games with their remaining unused cards.)

4. Star Trek CCG: Each player is responsible for providing his own copies of any cards needed from "outside the game" (for example, a Phoenix to seed under Montana Missile Complex). Any such cards added to your deck must be removed at the end of each game and your deck restored to its original condition.

5. Proxy cards are not allowed in tournament decks.

6. The marking of card backs is forbidden. Markings on the face of cards or sleeves, such as autographs, ownership identification, variable card features, etc., are allowed if they are not visible from the back, do not interfere with shuffling, and do not obscure gameplay or identifying features of the card (such as game text, card title, or image). These restrictions apply to both sides of a double-sided card.

7. Either clear or opaque card protective sleeves may be used for Jedi Knights TCG, Star Trek CCG, Star Wars CCG, and Young Jedi CCG sanctioned tournaments. If sleeves are used, all cards must be sleeved, and sleeves must all be of the same type and color; the only exception is that all double-sided cards must be in clear sleeves regardless of the sleeve type used for the rest of the deck. Any logos on the sleeves must be on the face-side of the cards. If your deck contains one or more foil versions of any card, all of your cards must be sleeved.

Sleeves suspected of being illegally marked should be brought to the attention of the tournament director or judge. (You may examine the sleeve backs when you count your opponent's deck.) If they determine that a sleeve is illegally marked, the player must either replace the suspect sleeve or desleeve the entire deck. (If the marking is judged to be deliberate, the player will be disqualified.) It is highly recommended that each player bring extra sleeves for replacements in case of damage or markings.

Star Wars CCG: You are required to bring extra sleeves for use if you "steal" an opponent's card or your opponent places an insert card into your reserve deck. These sleeves must be marked in a manner that will not interfere with shuffling, but will still be easily identifiable when the insert card reaches the top of the reserve deck.

8. Draw decks and side decks must be completely randomized (at the start of the game and whenever required by a card or rule) by shuffling, face down, in view of your opponent. Each time you shuffle your deck, present it to your opponent to cut. By presenting your deck you are stating that it is sufficiently randomized.

9. All cards in draw decks and side decks should be oriented in the same direction. You may ask your opponent to re-orient their cards if necessary.

10. All official gameplay rules must be followed. Shortcuts such as speed seeding (batch seeding of dilemmas) are not allowed in standard play.

11. Star Trek CCG: When a player initiates a game action, it cannot be reversed once the initiation is complete. Once you begin to choose targets for an action, you must complete the initiation of that action (if legal). For example, if you start looking through your draw deck for a target card to download, you may not decide to abort the download by not selecting a target.

12. If a player has a question regarding play, or if any form of misplay (accidental or intentional) is suspected, they should halt play and call a judge immediately. The judge cannot correct an error or make a retroactive decision on an issue once the players have continued to play. Tournament directors and judges (other than Decipher employees) are not permitted to point out misplays; it is each player's responsibility to do so.

13. No writing is allowed during play, except for scorekeeping and to record information that is readily available to both players, such as gender and classification of a Soong-type Android or the skill possessed by K'chiQ. You may not, for example, record the dilemmas underneath a mission during the seed phase or after playing a scan card. You may ask to know your opponent's points in a game at any time.

14. Deck lists or other reference materials may not be consulted during play, except to locate rulings in the official rules documents, under the tournament director's supervision.

15. If your constructed deck contains any card with non-English game text (if not the native language for your area), you must have official documentation of the latest Engish version. Acceptable documentation is a copy of the English version of the card, or the Glossary or Current Rulings Document if it includes the latest game text for that card (such as Blast The Door Kid or Beru Lars). A printout of the card is not acceptable. If you do not have acceptable documentation, your opponent may choose to allow you to play the card or to place it out of play.

16. After a game, all score sheets must be filled out by the tournament score keeper in the presence of both opponents. Each player must initial his own score sheet to verify the accuracy of his recorded score. Players may be required by the tournament director to leave their decks at the command table between matches.

17. Scouting (viewing other games in progress) is not allowed. Players must leave the designated playing area immediately after each game is scored, if possible. Giving out or obtaining information about another player's deck while a tournament is in progress, either through observation, or general or direct comments, is considered unsportsmanlike.

18. If a player quits after pairings have been made or during a game, he will receive a full loss for that game and will not be allowed to play in the rest of the tournament. Quitting is not a strategic option.

19. Distracting your opponent (or other players) during play, stalling, heckling, or other disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Be considerate of your opponent and those around you by concentrating on the game.

20. The tournament director or appointed judge has final authority in judgments on cheating, misplays, disruptive behavior, rules, timing, stalling, scouting, and deck construction during tournaments they run. (Tournament directors may play in tournaments run by other directors. However, they have no rule jurisdiction during these events.) Rules decisions must be based on official rules documents. If the issue is not fully covered by these sources, the tournament director or judge will make a judgment call. (Tournament directors should report to Decipher any issues not covered in the rules documents.) Under normal circumstances, judge's rulings will not be overturned by Decipher.

21. Penalties for misconduct may range from warnings or forfeiture of a match, to disqualification from the tournament, at the discretion of the tournament director or judge. A player who believes he has been unjustly penalized should contact the Decipher Tournament Coordinator (tournaments@decipher.com) within 3 days of the tournament with full details, after notifying the tournament director of his intent.

Revised 04/10/01