> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://jh.gatcg.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://jh.gatcg.com/judging-the-basics/impartiality.md). # Impartiality A judge has a duty and responsibility to assume a position with an absence of bias. At the very least, judges are expected to act in a way such that they avoid even the appearance of bias as much as possible. To act impartially means that a judge can examine every situation more thoroughly and objectively. A tournament setting must be as fair as possible for all attending players to compete with integrity. Judges acting without bias or favor is a must to this end, otherwise, some players may receive unequal treatment, either favorable or unfavorable, irreparably damaging the essence of competition and fair play. This often means that an issued ruling may have to compromise the corrective procedure between two options to restore as much integrity to a match and the tournament as possible. This also means that, even if severe (i.e., match loss and disqualification penalties), some punishments must be carried out according to the established rules and precedents set in the game. As a reminder, severe punishments (match losses and disqualifications) must be reviewed by a Head Judge as a check. {% hint style="success" %} As a note, sometimes judges may feel that a penalty under the code of the infractions policy guide may be severe and may wish to be lenient, such as with game losses. In the context of judging, this is not considered a "severe" penalty, as those described above. Judges are encouraged not to deviate from the recommended penalties and apply them fairly and equally to players for whom there are grounds to do so. If you feel that a departure from the written regulations is warranted, consult the Head Judge. {% endhint %} Sometimes situations may occur when close friends, family, team members, or very familiar coworkers are involved. Judges should assess these situations carefully and recuse themselves from a call when possible under these circumstances. Even if a judge believes themselves to be acting impartially in these contexts, even the appearance of bias may cast doubt on the integrity of a game and the tournament. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://jh.gatcg.com/judging-the-basics/impartiality.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.