Official TRADING CARD GAME Tournament Policy

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Official TRADING CARD GAME Tournament Policy

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Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH
Official TRADING CARD GAME Tournament Policy
In Effect as of July 14, 2010


The Tournament Policy documents exist to explain what is required of tournament attendees, players, judges and spectators; how they should prepare for the event and what to expect at the event. Tournament Policy documents help to keep events consistent, so that attendees will always know what to expect at a KDE event.
Everyone who attends an official KDE tournament is expected to have read, understood, and adhere to all Tournament Policy and Penalty Guideline documents. Players should also read Policy Documents specific to the game they wish to play, as there will be more detailed information and additional rules which are relevant to that game provided in the game-specific document.

Specific events, such as the Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series and Regional Qualifiers, may have a standardized Tournament Operation Document. Any tournament-specific rules in these Operations Documents will supersede directions given in this policy document.

Tournament Policy documents are frequently updated. The most current version of the Tournament Policy document can be found here: US - http://www.yugioh-card.com/en/events/, Europe – http://www.yugioh-card.com/?area=eurp
For questions please email us-opsupport@konami.com (North America, Latin America and the Caribbean) or yugioh@konami-europe.net (Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand).


I. Preparing To Play
A. Players
B. Ineligible Players
C. Head Judge
D. Floor Judge
E. Tournament Organizer
F. Scorekeeper
G. Spectators
H. Media
II. Player Responsibilities
A. Player ID/COSSY ID Number
B. Identification
C. Tournament Materials
D. Understand Rulings
E. Unacceptable Behavior
F. Communication
III. Tournament Information
A. Tournament Tiers
B. Sanctioning
C. Tournament Match Structure
D. Number of Rounds
E. Publishing Tournament Information
F. Reporting
IV. Tournament Rules
A. Sportsmanship
B. Bribery & Collusion
C. Random Outcome
D. Tiebreakers
E. Note Taking
F. Game State
G. Sleeves
H. Shuffling
I. Marked Cards
J. Concessions
V. Tournament Infractions
A. Slow Play
B. Wagering
C. Cheating
D. Unsporting Conduct
E. Buying and Selling Cards
F. Prohibited Items
G. Privileged Information
H. Impersonation of KDE Employees or Representatives
I. Suspension


I. Preparing To Play
A. Players

To participate in a sanctioned KDE tournament you need a Konami Player ID card with a COSSY barcode and number. If you do not have one, you may sign up for one at the event. Do not lose your ID card, as it cannot be replaced. Please note that players at sanctioned KDE tournaments will be referred to by their Konami Player ID number and their first name and last name.
You must be in good standing and not on the suspended list to participate in Konami sanctioned events. To remain in good standing, you must adhere to all player responsibilities outlined in this and other official documents. You must meet any age and/or invitation requirements that apply to selected tournaments. (e.g. Dragon Duel events or National Championships).

B. Ineligible Players

Any tournament official associated with or working an event cannot play in that specific event. This includes, but is not limited to, the Judge Staff, Scorekeeper, and Tournament Organizer.
Individuals who have been suspended from Official Konami Tournaments may not play in sanctioned events. In addition, suspended individuals are prohibited from entering tournament venues. A list of suspended players can be located here http://www.yugioh-card.com/en/events/

Individuals who are banned by the rules of the Tournament Organizer, venue, or by local law cannot participate in official events.
Employees of Konami Corporation and their immediate family members (i.e. children, parents, and spouses) cannot play in official events. There may be exceptions made to this rule, in the case of Bounty tournaments or other special events, which will be announced beforehand.
Employees of partner companies cannot play in official events. These include, but are not limited to, VIZ Media, LLC., 4Kids Entertainment, Inc.

Employees of partner companies responsible for Organized Play (e.g. Devir, Amigo Spiel & Freizeit, etc.) cannot play in official events taking place in the market they are responsible for. They may, however, participate in events taking place outside of their market.


C. Head Judge

The Head Judge makes the final call for rulings or policy appeals. He or she requires superior knowledge of rulings and penalty guidelines. No other individual, including the tournament organizer or a Konami employee can overturn a call made by the Head Judge.
The Head Judge must be physically present and available during the tournament, to deal with event issues and answer appeals promptly. The Head Judge must be adequately prepared to make sure that proper guidelines are followed.

The Head Judge should act as a mentor for the event’s staff, and should carefully consider individual judges’ strengths and weaknesses when building the staff list and assembling teams. Judges should also receive feedback and evaluation from the Head Judge, consisting of compliments on their strengths and suggestions on how to improve further.


The Head Judge is responsible for communicating accurate information throughout the tournament to both players and event staff.
D. Floor Judge

Judges are expected to be courteous, professional, and on-task while staffing an event. While judging, judges should not engage in trading, long personal conversations, phone calls or other activities that would distract them from the tournament. Judges may not wear their judge shirt when they are not judging an event.
Judges should respect the authority of their Head Judge and team lead, and must address other members of the tournament staff with respect. Judges must interact with players in a polite manner, and do so without compromising his or her authority.

Judges are required to adhere to the specific responsibilities assigned to them both on the floor and as members of a specialized unit such as a Deck check or pairings team. In addition, they must be prepared to assist other judges in tasks as they are assigned.

Judges should constantly observe players, and maintain the tournament area by removing trash, pushing in chairs and straightening tables. Judges should actively walk the tournament floor and observe the matches, rather than waiting for a player to call for a judge.

When a player calls for a judge, the judge should approach the table, listen to the question, and provide a decision. If either player wishes to appeal the decision, the judge should notify the Head Judge immediately.
Judges are expected to seek out and complete certification tests to match their level of skill to the best of their ability, and should stay current with new rulings and new cards as they are released. Judges are also responsible for knowing the policy and guidelines documents for the games they wish to judge, and must keep themselves informed and well-versed in new documents as they are made available. Judges should actively seek out additional training, and are encouraged to assist their fellow judges in doing the same.
Apart from answering judge calls, judges should refrain from conversing with players engaged in a match, to avoid creating the impression of favoritism. This especially applies to conversations held in a language the opponent doesn’t understand.

E. Tournament Organizer

A Tournament Organizer is the person responsible for arranging and running the tournament. Anyone seeking to organize a sanctioned event should procure a venue that can safely accommodate the expected number of attendees. Venues should be safe, clean, and in compliance with all applicable building and fire codes. A Tournament Organizer is also responsible for providing staffing for the event and reporting the event results to KDE.

Sanctioned events are run at Official Tournament Stores or at venues chosen by approved Tournament Organizers.

Certain criteria must be met in order to run sanctioned events. Those interested in becoming a Tournament Organizer for a specific event can request more information by emailing us-opsupport@konami.com (North America, Latin America and the Caribbean) or yugioh@konami-europe.net (Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand).

F. Scorekeeper

The Scorekeeper is responsible for creating accurate pairings and additional tournament information throughout the event.

G. Spectators

Spectating at an event is a privilege, not a right, for tournament attendees. It is a spectator’s duty to remain neutral while observing game play, and to make sure their presence does not disrupt the event.
Spectators should not speak to or communicate with players who are currently engaged in a match, in any way. However, if a spectator notices any violation of game play rules or Tournament Policy, he or she must alert a tournament official immediately.

Spectators must be prepared to move if their presence blocks judge access, throughways, fire exits, or any other paths identified by tournament staff. Spectators will be asked to move if their presence is distracting to any of the players. If a judge or tournament official instructs a spectator to move, he or she must comply.

H. Media

Members of the media who wish to attend any sanctioned event to create written, photographic, audio, or video content must contact the Tournament Organizer and KDE in advance of the event. Media representatives should be prepared to provide evidence of their association with a news outlet or reputable entity in the gaming industry at the beginning of the event or before the event begins.
Any member of the media approved to cover an event agrees to provide, as well as assume liability, for all of his or her own equipment and employees. Guests from the media must abide by the same rules set for spectators, and are expected to defer to tournament officials and KDE employees.
Members of the media are required to obtain their own written releases from players and/or spectators.


II. Player Responsibilities
A. Player ID/COSSY ID Number

COSSY is the global player identification and ranking system used by KDE. You must register for a Konami Player ID card with a COSSY barcode and number in order to participate in a sanctioned event. Once your ID card has been issued, it is your responsibility to not lose the ID card and/or your COSSY barcode sticker. You will be required to present this information when registering for a tournament. Your ID card and barcode stickers are yours and may not be used by anyone else for any purpose.
After receiving your card, COSSY barcode, and number, you need to register your number online at https://www.cossy.konami.net. Until you register your number with your personal information, your ranking cannot be tracked. (Please note you must use https: and not http:).

You are responsible for the maintenance of your own COSSY information. This includes keeping contact information up to date, as well as regularly reviewing your tournament history for accuracy. Note that Konami cannot recover your password or ID number if you lose or forget them – only you may access your COSSY account.

You may register for only one Konami Player ID at a time. If the ID card or barcode is lost, that ID number cannot be replaced. You should consider keeping a photocopy, digital picture, or scan of your barcode, so that you can print out a new one in the future if necessary.

If you have questions about your COSSY ID that are not covered above, please contact us-opsupport@konami.com (North America, Latin America and the Caribbean) or yugioh@konami-europe.net (Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand).

B. Identification
You should be prepared to produce personal identification if asked to do so by a tournament official. School ID cards, state ID cards, driver’s licenses, passports and birth certificates are all valid forms of identification. You may contact the Tournament Organizer ahead of time if you have questions about providing identification.


C. Tournament Materials

You must bring a legal Deck (to constructed events); as well as extra card sleeves, paper and pencils to track scores and fill out result slips, and any dice, coins, counters or tokens that your Deck requires. You may use a calculator to help keep track of score, but must keep a paper record as well to help resolve disputes.
In addition to tournament supplies, you must bring the appropriate entry fee, your Konami Player ID card and/or COSSY barcode sticker, and personal identification.

D. Understand Rulings

You should read and understand the latest version of the rulebook for the game you are playing, as well as look over rulings that apply to the cards you have included in your Deck. While there will be judges at a sanctioned tournament, you will have a better tournament experience if you prepare yourself beforehand by knowing what your cards do, and how the game works.

E. Unacceptable Behavior

Participants in all sanctioned Konami tournaments are expected to display good sportsmanship when interacting with other tournament attendees, players, judges, and staff. Rude language, disruptive or disrespectful behavior, inappropriate clothing, unwarranted accusations, and disregard for the safety of others or the condition of the venue will not be tolerated. You should read the Penalty Guideline document before attending an event, to better understand how you are expected to behave.
If an attendee arrives at an event intoxicated, or becomes so during the course of the event, he or she will be disqualified and removed from the venue and will be subject to additional penalties.

F. Communication

It is your responsibility to relay accurate information at all times. You should clearly communicate your actions during game play, and ask questions of your opponent or a tournament official if you are unsure about something. You are obligated to notify an opponent if he or she fails to follow any game rules, including effects he or she may be playing incorrectly.


III. Tournament Information

A. Tournament Tiers

There are two tiers of tournaments in KDE Organized Play:
Tier 1 – Casual: This encompasses Hobby Store level events, Pegasus League, and Duelist League.
Tier 2 – Competitive: This encompasses Regional Qualifiers, Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series, National Championships, World Championship Qualifiers, and World Championships.
Tier 1 events are designed for casual play and light to moderate rules enforcement. Tournament Policy and Penalty Guidelines apply at these levels, but the focus is on fostering a friendly and fun atmosphere for players to play in.
Tier 2 events are prestigious events, and will have the highest level of rules and penalty enforcement.

B. Sanctioning

Only Official Konami Tournament Stores and approved Tournament Organizers may sanction Konami Trading Card Game tournaments. A Tournament Organizer must register for an official tournament with KDE no later than one day prior to the day of the tournament before it becomes a sanctioned tournament. Tournament Organizers must keep all tournament records for 6 months after a tournament’s completion date, which includes keeping backup copies or printed copies of the tournament details.

At least four players must compete in order for an event to be sanctioned.

C. Tournament Match Structure

A tournament can be organized as a single-elimination event or as an event using Swiss Rounds.
Single Elimination tournament – Half of the tournament is eliminated after each round – the losing player is out of the tournament, while the winner goes on to the next round. This continues until only one player remains, who is then declared the winner.

Swiss Round tournament – Players are paired off based on each player’s win/loss record. Players are not eliminated when they lose a match during Swiss tournaments – instead, they will continue to be paired against players with similar records for all remaining rounds of the event. A player may choose to drop from a Swiss tournament at any time by either filling out the proper information on a match result slip or by notifying the official scorekeeper prior to the pairing of the following round.

D. Number of Rounds

The number of rounds played in a Konami sanctioned tournament is based on the total number of players enrolled in the event. If specific operations documents have been provided for an event, any round information set forth within that operations document will take precedence.
Tournament Organizers may run events with no top cut, provided that information is advertised before the start of the event. The number of rounds and cut (if any) must be advertised before the start of the event, and cannot be changed afterwards. If a tournament operations document specifies that a Top Cut must be performed, TOs may not deviate from that document.

 4 – 8 Players = 3 Rounds of Swiss followed by a cut to Top 2
 9 – 16 Players = 4 Rounds of Swiss followed by a cut to Top 4
 17 – 32 Players = 5 Rounds of Swiss followed by a cut to Top 4
 33 – 64 Players = 6 Rounds of Swiss followed by a cut to Top 8
 65 – 128 Players = 7 Rounds of Swiss followed by a cut to Top 8
 129 – 256 Players = 8 Rounds of Swiss followed by a cut to Top 8
 257 – 512 Players = 9 Rounds of Swiss followed by a cut to Top 16
 513 – 1024 Players = 10 Rounds of Swiss followed by a cut to Top 16
 1025 – 2050 Players = 11 Rounds of Swiss followed by a cut to Top 32
 2051 or More Players = 12 Rounds of Swiss followed by a cut to Top 32

E. Publishing Tournament Information

KDE reserves the right to publish event information such as a player’s Deck List, photographs, interviews or video reproduction of any official Konami Trading Card Game tournament.

F. Reporting

It is a Tournament Organizer’s responsibility to report sanctioned tournament details to Konami via COSSY or Konami Tournament Software export within one week of the tournament’s completion.

IV. Tournament Rules

A. Sportsmanship

Players are expected to be respectful and behave in a polite manner towards all tournament attendees, players, judges, tournament officials, and spectators. Players who engage in unsporting conduct or behavior that endangers or detracts from the event, will be removed from the venue. Players should read the KDE Official Penalty Guidelines for a better understanding of acceptable behavior at tournaments.

B. Bribery & Collusion

The outcome of a match may not be influenced by any outside incentives or additional prizes /compensation. Offering or accepting a bribe is forbidden.

C. Random Outcome

Players may not randomly determine an outcome of a match, such as flipping a coin or rolling a die.

D. Tiebreakers

The following are the tiebreakers used to determine a player’s ranking in the tournament.

1. Match Wins
2. Opponents’ match-win percentage
3. Opponent’s opponents’ match-win percentage

E. Note Taking


Note taking is not allowed in KDE sanctioned tournaments, with the following exceptions:
- Players in sanctioned Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG tournaments should keep a record of both players’ Life Points for each game.

- Tracking of mandatory effect reminders.
- Tracking of turns and turn counters.
These notes should be taken quickly, so as not to disrupt the flow of the game.

F. Game State

Players are responsible to accurately represent the game state at all times, and truthfully answer questions about any aspect of the game state that is considered to be public knowledge.
Both players must indicate to one another all components of their Deck. Depending upon the game, this can include a Main Deck, Side Deck, and Extra Deck.
Cards should be laid out according to the pattern established by a game’s Game Mat. Players should not create their own layouts. All cards, including in-play cards, Decks, etc., should be kept in their appropriate areas.

If a player requires tokens or counters, the player should use a sufficient quantity of tokens or counters to accurately represent each game effect. Players should never use any object (including cards) for a token or counter if it could be mistaken for another game element.
Scorekeeping for the game must be done in view of both players.
Keep your hands and cards visible and above the table at all times.

G. Sleeves

A player may choose to use plastic card sleeves to protect their cards during the course of a tournament. All sleeves must be identical in terms of color, wear, and design, and all cards must be placed into sleeves in the same direction and manner.
At Competitive Level events, the quality of player’s sleeves will be held to a higher standard. Any sleeves with noticeable patterns or wear may be subject to penalties. Sleeves with highly reflective backs are not allowed.
Sleeves with excessive wear, noticeable patterns, or other identifying characteristics may be disallowed by the Head Judge. If you have a question about the legality of your sleeves, the Head Judge is the final arbiter as to whether or not your sleeves can be used in that tournament.

H. Shuffling

A player’s Deck must be randomized by using an accepted shuffling method (riffle, pile, Hindu, etc.) and then cut. This must be done at the start of every game, and whenever a game mechanic requires the player to shuffle their Deck.
Each player must thoroughly randomize (shuffle) their Deck where the opponent can see.
 A player cannot check or order the cards when shuffling
 A player cannot pre-sort their Deck (sorting Monsters/Spell/Trap, etc.)
After the Deck is thoroughly randomized, it must be presented to the opponent. The opponent must randomize (shuffle) the Deck further and then return it to the original owner.
The owner may then “cut” their Deck. If they do, they must present it to the opponent who must “cut” the Deck again and then present it back to the original owner. No additional randomization may be done to the Deck after this point.

By presenting your Deck to your opponent, you agree that you have sufficiently randomized your Deck.

I. Marked Cards

A card is considered to be marked if it can be identified without seeing the front of the card. This includes warping, discoloration, and water-marks, or if the cards are sleeved, sleeves with identifying marks or other unique characteristics that separate it from other cards in the Deck.
If players are using sleeves to protect their cards, they should take extra precautions to ensure that their sleeves do not become marked during the course of a tournament. The Head Judge may require a player to re-sleeve their Deck should they feel that the sleeves are marked.

The Head Judge may require a player to replace a marked card(s) during the course of a tournament. If the player cannot replace the card(s) before their next match begins, appropriate tardiness penalties at three minutes and ten minutes will begin to apply, as the player no longer has a Deck that matches their registered

Deck list.

If they cannot replace the card(s), or choose not to replace the card by the 10-minute mark in the match, they will be marked as a no-show and dropped from the tournament. If the player does not wish to drop from the tournament, they must notify the scorekeeper.

J. Concessions

A player may concede a game at any time, provided he or she has not been offered or has accepted any sort of compensation for doing so. Players who concede in exchange for cash, prizes, or other incentives are guilty of Bribery and Collusion, which violate the Konami Penalty Guidelines.


V. Tournament Infractions

A. Slow Play
This category covers infractions associated with the pace of a player’s game. Players are expected to play at a reasonable speed, regardless of the complexity of the game situation. Stalling is never acceptable.

B. Wagering
Players and tournament officials may not wager or bet on the outcome of any matches or games in an official Konami Trading Card Game Tournament.

C. Cheating
KDE holds a zero-tolerance policy towards cheating. If a player is discovered to have cheated in an event, the Head Judge will issue a disqualification and will send their report to the KDE Penalty Committee. The KDE Penalty Committee will then review the incident and determine if any additional penalties are required.

D. Unsporting Conduct
Players who engage in unsporting conduct or behavior that endangers or detracts from the event, will be removed from the venue and be subject to additional penalties.

E. Buying and Selling Cards
Tournament attendees should familiarize themselves with the rules on buying, selling, and trading at each venue. Many venues do not allow attendees to buy and sell from one another, and attendees who violate this policy may incur a penalty.
Predatory trading practices (targeting inexperienced or young players for extremely unbalanced trades) are not tolerated.

F. Prohibited Items
Attendees may not bring any items into the tournament venue that are prohibited by law in their area. Attendees who bring any such items to a tournament venue will incur penalties, including disqualification and removal from the event, and risk suspension from Organized Play.

G. Privileged Information
Persons who publicize privileged information, such as set contents, card spoilers, etc. for KDE brands before such information is officially released to the public, will incur penalties including suspension from participation in
Organized Play.

H. Impersonation of KDE Employees or Representatives
Persons who falsely present themselves as employees or representatives of KDE will incur penalties including suspension from participation in Organized Play.

I. Suspension

Players who have been disqualified from an event are subject to review by the KDE Penalty Committee, to determine if further penalties will be assigned. Disqualified players are responsible for filling out a disqualification form at the event, which provides them with the opportunity to tell their side of the story. Disqualification reports will also be collected from the Head Judge, and any opponents, spectators, or other tournament officials who were involved or witness to the incident. Authors of disqualification reports may be contacted by KDE for further detail or clarification about the incident.
Disqualification reports will be reviewed by the KDE Penalty Committee, and the player(s) will be contacted with the committee’s findings. In some instances, no further action will be considered necessary. In others, the player(s) may receive a suspension from KDE’s Organized Play program. Suspended players will be notified of their suspension and the date on which they may apply for reinstatement into the Organized Play program.
A suspended player may not participate in or attend any sanctioned KDE Organized Play event, until such a time as he or she has been reinstated as a player in good standing. Players with questions about their status may email us-penalty@konami.com for more information.