Table of Contents

• Location
• Approximate Schedule
• You must bring
• DCI membership
• Prizes
• Rules & Enforcement: A Message from the Head Judge

Location

Unless otherwise noted, all tournaments will take place in the Emirates International School Cafeteria.  Here's the easy way to get to EIS. 

Map

Here's a (rather crude but functional) map of how to get to the school.  Be sure to read the directions below as well.

From Dubai or Sharjah:

Take the Sheikh Zayed Highway (Abu Dhabi Highway) out towards Jebel Ali.  As you approach Interchange #4, take the right-hand lane but stay on the highway.  Just after the Interchange, there is a small exit that leads to a one-way road.  Take this exit. 

The road leads to a small roundabout; turn right, then take the first (and only) U-turn.  The school is now on your right, and the cafeteria is just off the main door.

From Jebel Ali or Abu Dhabi:

Take the Sheikh Zayed Highway (Abu Dhabi Highway) towards Dubai.  Upon entering Dubai proper, exit at Interchange #5 (shortly after the Hard Rock Cafe) and turn left.  At the first roundabout (it's a small one), turn right and proceed until you reach the traffic light.  This  is the signal for EIS; there should be a huge antenna at the corner.  Turn right, and head down almost to the end.  The school will be on your right, and the cafeteria is just off the main door.

Approximate Schedule

For drafts, substitute drafting and deck construction for round one, and adjust the other rounds accordingly.

Rounds are 50 minutes each. If time is called, players have 10 minutes to complete up to six total turns.

The single-elimination rounds will be for the top four if we have less than 20 players, or for the top eight if we have 20 or more players. Each round may continue up to 50 minutes; however, once both players due to play a match are finished with their previous match, they may commence immediately if they wish.   If there is less than 12 players, single-elimination rounds may be cancelled.

If a match in a single-elimination round must be called on time, and the score is 0-0 or 1-1, the players will be given 15 minutes to finish up to six additional turns. At that point, if neither player has won, the player with the higher life total is declared the winner. The final round will not be called on time.

You must bring

• Your Deck
  Only for constructed formats; if it's a sealed deck, booster draft, or Rochester draft tournament, you'll get the cards you need at the event.
  
• Pen and paper
  You must have a pen or pencil and some paper to keep track of your life.  Other methods are not acceptable at our tournament.  The tournament organizer won't have any spares to lend.  If the tournament starts and you don't have pen and paper, you will receive a warning!  So be sure to bring a pen or pencil and some paper.
  
• A lot of luck

DCI Membership

If you’re not a member of the DCI already, don’t worry. You can get a free Mana-level Membership when you register on the day of the tournament. If you’re already a member, either Mana-level or Legend-level, you’re all set, and can use your existing card. If you attended a previous DCI tournament, then you already have a number. Ask a judge or tournament organizer for a temporary membership card.

Prizes

Prizes will vary based on attendance, but we expect them to be higher than the prizes from last year.  Premier events such as prereleases, National Championships, etc., will have much higher prizes.

Rules and Enforcement

A message from the Head Judge:

It is your responsibility to have read all the floor rules and the game rules. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have, but you may not look at any notes, papers, books, or other documents during the tournament. Similarly, you should not take extensive notes about your opponent’s deck. Short notes indicating why you gained or lost life are fine, but nothing else is permitted. At these tournament, I will give warnings and penalties for not bringing life counters.

Please understand that as Head Judge, I have a responsibility to make sure the game is run fairly. I won’t give out warnings needlessly, but I must enforce the rules. Luckily, the rules say I should use my head when making decisions, so if you make an honest mistake, I won’t come down hard on you. I won’t be so nice if you do something that I’ve discussed here.

Let me remind you that at this tournament, coaching is strictly prohibited. If I catch someone giving help for a game in progress, I will most likely disqualify that player.  The best way to avoid this is simply to leave the play area once your match is completed.

If I discover that you have an illegal deck before the tournament starts, I’ll let you fix it. If I discover it during the tournament, I might have to disqualify you. So if you have any doubts, please ASK ME FIRST!!