Professionalism

Judges hold an important position in tournament settings to maintain tournament integrity and serve as a central figure for both operational and player support. In dealing with both players and staff, professionalism is a requirement. This means maintaining respect with these individuals, as well as with other members of the judge team. Some examples of what professionalism might mean:

• Arriving to venues and other scheduled proceedings on time

• Maintaining courteous language

• Respecting other judges' boundaries and roles

Judges are part of a select group of players who have not only exhibited a deeper understanding of the game on a technical level but also represent Grand Archive in the community, acting akin to ambassadors. As such, judges are expected to maintain a sense of professionalism at all times while acting in the role of a judge. This is even more important for Head Judges, as they are expected to keep their team on task and professional through the course of an event.

Other aspects of professionalism may include appearance. While judges are typically issued polos with a blue color scheme and official Grand Archive labeling in addition to a JUDGE tag, other stores may suggest that judges wear a similarly-colored blue shirt for easy identification in the absence of the official judge polo. While there are no other strict requirements for dress code (other than what may be up to the tournament organizer), judges should dress in a presentable way. Maintaining hygiene is also important; judges interact at very close proximity with players much of the time, especially when attending calls at a table. In addition, many events host players who travel, making transmission of illness a higher risk. Judges should keep their hands clean when possible, either by washing or by sanitizing as needed. This also helps with maintaining respect towards players and their property, as judges will handle cards from other players regularly.