Just some notes after judging back to back championships:
I felt (though I have no quantitative evidence) that more games were completed in time, and I feel that approaching the championships with my "200 or 2" mentality was well warranted and went smoothly.
Though I was just as "aggressive" this year as I was last year on slow play and stalling warnings, fewer were given out. 4 slow play in total with 5 and 6 not far behind (and would have resulted in a double loss) and 0 stall warnings (in fact, I called stalling more as a player than as a judge). So, I would hope this means that people are getting used to what I expect as a judge and are playing to my standards, which is why I repeatedly throw my hat into the judges ring, as I feel this is the best answer to a definitive stance on stalling and slow play. There is simply no way to floor rule it.
Back to the near double loss. Time had been called and when I walked over to that table, Ben (my other judge) informed me the round had started 3 minutes before I called time. Seeing as how it was 7 minutes after I called time I immediately issued both players a slow play warning. 10 minute rounds are somewhat accepted during normal play, but after-time rounds should be completed much faster. 4 minutes later after watching them count and recount points during every phase I declared that the round must be finished in 1 minute or it would be a double loss. Finally, 1 minute and 30 secs later (see I can be nice
) the round was finished.
Concerning warnings, I noted that people are still very unclear what it means, essentially:
One game warning: it's just that nothing to freak out about
2nd game warning: Possible loss
3rd game warning: definate loss
WARNINGS DO NOT CARRY OVER INTO SUBSEQUENT ROUNDS unless it is excessive. So if you were awarded a slow play warning in Round 1 and get another in Round 2 (of the tournament, not the game) it's not a big deal. However, come Round 3, there's going to start being issues. I notice people freak out unneccessarily when they are given one in a game. Awareness of your play style is good, overdue stress is not.
So, if at the end of a game you run your 10 hp 71 point character away from engagement, I will call stalling, but guess what....see above.
I hope that clears everything up. I hope to be back in the judges shirt for the Champs next year, and hope to see everyone back that was here this year, and the few who didn't show up because I was judging are welcome as well
Consistency is the key, not crying. MAybe that will be my new sig...