LEVEL 3
Description, Advancement, Maintenance and Skills
April 8th 2024: Changed according to the April 2024 Level Adjustments.
July 10th 2024: Added the link to the validation form that used to be in the Transition Period post.
November 13th 2024: Clarified time limit for the written exams.
Table of Contents
Description
Level Three Judges make up a large portion of the staff at large events and are autonomous on the floor of these events, comfortable with competitive tournament policy and experienced within all of the tasks and teams. Level Three Judges are also comfortable leading a small team and head-judging competitive events.
An example of what to expect from a Level Three Judge, aside from floor judging multi-day events, is leading one or two other team members as the deck checks team on a medium sized event, or head-judging a local competitive event with one or two judges assigned to them.
Level Three Judges are also good communicators and they provide feedback on problems and conflicts they notice to the leadership around them.
Level Three Judges promote Level One Judges in their local area to Level Two when they are ready for competitive events, and mentor them.
Level Three Judges are active in the community, commonly mentoring other Judges, presenting at conferences or helping organize them.
To read more about the philosophy and explanations for certain items in this document, please refer to the Level 3 details article.
Level 3 Testing Manager: Bruna Chiochetta L3TestingManager@InternationalJudgeProgram.org
Advancement
To be promoted to L3, a candidate must complete the following requirements. All advancement processes for L3 will be held in English.
Requirements in Step 1 and 2 may be completed in any order, though it’s suggested to ask for recommendation and endorsement (Step 2) with most of requirements in Step 1 already done.
This is followed by the tests (Step 3) and by the interview (Step 4).
Accessibility exceptions can be made by the Testing Managers, in coordination with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team.
Once you’ve completed all the items at step 1 and step 2 you can reach out to any Level 4 or 5 or fill this form, to validate your checklist and schedule your exams.
Step 1: Experience as an L2
- Work Events as a L2 (no time constraints):
- Work at least four multi-day events or medium sized events. At least one of the events worked must be multi-day and at least one must be medium sized, which can be fulfilled by the same medium sized multi-day event.
- Be a member on a team that is assigned each of these tasks (can be done at any competitive event with teams):
- Pairings (including teams that have Pairings amongst other tasks assigned).
- End of Round.
- Deck Checks.
- Side Events.
- Lead a small team with at least one other judge reporting to them (can be done at any competitive event with teams) or lead a task at a medum competitive event.
- Serve as head judge for a side event at a multi-day event.
- Write two reviews (recommendation and advancement reviews are valid):
- Must be from events that the candidate and the other judge both worked.
- At least one review must be of a L2+ judge.
- At least one review must be from a multi-day event.
- At least one review must be from the past 12 months.
- Both reviews must have been written since the candidate advanced to L2.
- Both reviews must contain specific and actionable feedback.
Step 2: Recommendation and endorsement
- Receive a recommendation review (this template can be used as reference) from an L3+, evaluating at minimum the following items and affirming that the candidate is ready for L3:
- Technical performance.
- Proficiency at giving a ruling.
- Details of one Policy-related discussion.
- Understanding of the importance of player engagement.
- Understanding of the team’s assigned tasks.
- Teamwork and Mentorship skills.
- Receive additional endorsements from other L3+ team leads or head judges (minimum is 1, not from the recommender).
Step 3: Rules and Policy Exams
- Pass the L3 Policy Exam with a score of 85 or better. The exam is timed, proctored and open book (only CR; MTR; IPG and JAR). 80 minutes to take the exam.
- Pass the L3 Rules Exam with a score of 85 or better. The exam is timed, proctored and open book (only CR; MTR; IPG and JAR). 80 minutes to take the exam.
Step 4: Interview
- Pass an interview with an L4+ Judge including at a minimum the following evaluated items (provided template can be used as reference):
- Understanding of all judge tasks at large events.
- Understanding of common upgrade paths for infractions.
- Understanding of how to handle appeals as floor judge at large events.
- Understanding of backing up games.
- Proficiency with technology tools common to multi-day events.
- Basic conflict management for players and other judges.
- Results of reflections on recommendation review.
- Understanding of how to certify a judge for L1 and L2.
Maintenance
To maintain the L3 certification, a judge must complete the following items each year:
- Choose one —
- Pass the annual L2/L3 rules refresh exam.
- Pass three out of four set update quizzes throughout the year.
- Pass the annual L2/L3 policy refresh exam
- Choose two different —
- Work at least six competitive events.
- Work at least three multi-day events.
- Team lead at a medium sized event.
- Head judge a local competitive event with at least 2 Floor judges.
- Create educational content (ex: article, conference presentation, video, etc.), subject to approval by an L4+ or RR.
- Write an Annual Report about their events.
- Maintain membership by being up-to-date on their membership dues. (Annual membership fee is still to be decided based on the number of members and the association’s costs. Our goal is to have it as low as possible.)
Skills
As a certified L3, a judge demonstrates the following proficiencies, in addition to the proficiencies of a L2:
Knowledge
- Passed the L3 policy exam, showing the skills necessary to handle competitive event judging independently.
- Understanding of upgrade paths for infractions.
- Ability to identify the difference between a partial fix, a simple backup and a full backup, and ability to describe considerations for each.
- Ability to identify the difference between Looking at Extra Cards and Hidden Card Error.
- Ability to identify the difference between Deck Problem and Decklist Problem.
Event Skills
- Understanding of the tasks of all teams at competitive events.
- Ability to identify the steps needed to start a local competitive constructed tournament that needs one or two floor judges.
- Ability to perform a card count as part of an investigation.
- Ability to perform a deck check efficiently.
Leadership Skills
- Ability to write reviews with detailed and actionable feedback.
- Developed experience leading small teams.
- Developed experience head judging side event tournaments at large scale events.
- Developed experience working at medium sized events and multi-day events.
Personal Skills
- Ability to positively engage with players and create a welcoming environment, even in a competitive setting.
- Ability to recognize and handle all Unsporting Conduct situations.
- Capability for self-criticism and ability to recognize and reflect on their own strengths and areas for improvement.
- Ability to provide feedback for improvement to judges of lower, equal, and higher experience level.
Unsuccessful advancement
Cooldown: If a candidate fails any of the Step 3 items (Written exams). They can not be reattempted within the next 3 months.
Written Exams: Are valid for 12 months since they are passed. After failing one of the tests the candidate can still take the other test (rules/policy), but they can not proceed to Step 4.
Failing the Interview: if the candidate fails the Interview, they can retake it after 3 months.
Recommendation and Endorsement: are valid for 12 months since they’re written. After that time they need to be updated and resubmitted and they will be valid for another 12 months.
Reattempt limit: If the candidate fails Step 3 (written exams) three times or Step 4 (Interview) two times, any further reattempt must be approved by the L3 Testing Manager.
Level 4
A L3 Judge can consider looking towards L4 when they want to lead bigger teams, head judge events with many floor judges and even multiple teams, want to extensively mentor L2 and other L3 Judges, and want to be highly involved in the regional and international community.
Regional Special Rules
There are no regional special rules for Level 4 certification.
