The majority of my work around event technology has been specifically around simplifying the process of getting tournament data to players. RTools connects with tournament software to grab tournament data, and PlayerLink Online provides a web interface for this information to be provided to players efficiently. But, what if none of that website tech is […]
(updated 2018.09.04) At the higher levels of scorekeeping, it’s common for scorekeepers to bring their own equipment with them, instead of using what the organizer has with them. This is primarily an advantage in familiarity: you can have your machine setup in the way that you want it, with the style of hotkeys that you […]
“Why aren’t result slips digital?” Because it’s a horrible idea once you dive into it, and would only make tournaments worse for just about everyone involved. … no, that isn’t enough of a reason? Well, let’s dig into this further.
So, I’ve had a busy couple months… PlayerLink Online started in 2010 as a small web tool for showing online pairings to players at Legion Grand Prix. Since then, it has been a catalyst for personal growth, providing a place for me to learn about practical web development, server infrastructure and configuration, internationalization, and more. […]
DCI numbers have expanded several times over the years. Originally, they were 4-digit numbers, and that number expanded to 5-digits, 6-digits, and — briefly — to 7-digits. When 8-digit numbers were introduced, they were actually 7-digit numbers with a check-digit. Check-digits are a simple verification scheme, in order to make sure that the rest of […]
The fundamentals of scorekeeping are the same for all tournaments, from PPTQs to GPs. When judging, the Comprehensive Rules don’t change between different event types, and there are only two different systems of resolving any given judge call. (based on the REL) There are structural differences at larger events, with judges specializing in specific roles […]
“I’m not on the pairings.” Cascade repairs are the normal fix in scenarios when the process of fixing an issue results in either an odd number of players being re-added to the event, or an odd number of players being left opponent-less. Very likely, the relevant player also has a record that would preclude them […]
Earlier this year, Wizards of the Coast made a transition, moving most of their logins and player data into a unified system called “Wizards Accounts”. This transition included the moving of all tournament information (match history, DCI number, Planeswalker Points) into this new system. This transition also had several behind-the-scenes changes for events. For example, […]
No real introduction here, just a chance to talk — in probably more detail then anyone would want — on tiebreakers in Magic tournaments. This is a superset of information that can be found in Appendix C of the Magic Tournament Rules. Tiebreaker Components Match Points This is the same point total that you see […]
Appendix E of the Magic Tournament Rules discusses the number of rounds that are run for a normal Swiss tournament. Reading down the line, you’ll see the player counts increasing at a powers-of-2 rate: 32 players is five rounds, 128 is seven. The implication behind this is that, after all rounds of Swiss are completed, […]
