Judging an Event

So this past weekend, the Alabama CAGE Match was held at the Crimson Castle. Lots of fun things happened, lots of games of 40k, lots of cool armies and models, and of course lots of players. I get a slightly different view of things, being the head judge.

I like to think I look this regal.

I really enjoy serving in this position, but it is very different than being an attendee. Being a judge consists of making a lot of tough calls, mainly because things come from unexpected quarters. You are expected to know all the rules, and you make people angry. You will be accused of being biased, openly or not. But all of that is just a minor portion. Rules are easily dealt with by using rulebooks and common sense. It is also critical to have a viewpoint of how things should go, or at least a theory of how you think 40k should be played. This helps inform your decisions when faced with uncovered rules questions, which are inevitable in this game. 

About as inevitable as the nerd rage.

But still more important than this, is that the judge is a key contributor in ensuring the happiness of the attendees. While every person is ultimately responsible for themselves, proper judging techniques can go a long way toward helping with enjoyment. Monitoring players throughout their games for their moods and behaviors. Many players exhibit their frustration long before it spills over, and the presence of a judge either nearby or directly at the table can mitigate poor behavior. Judges can also check in verbally to help decide on player attitudes and possibly provide uplifting comments. I find this helps the most when a less experienced player gets beat squarely by a seasoned veteran. Pointing out the veterans past achievements can usually help the newer player put his loss in context. Finally, making it clear that your decisions are final, while providing room for explanation and conversation on the rule. Most people at least want to be heard, so take the time to listen. After listening, make the call, and only consider additional discussion if new information is provided. Once this is done, I like to immediately walk away from the table, as this makes it clear that my decision is final. I will swoop back by that table to check in with the players again within five minutes or so. People get angry about rules, so checking back in is necessary, but they often need time to calm back down after a ruling.