🧐Tips When You Are Caught

What to do when the judge pulls you aside

Note: Deck Checks are NOT for screening bootleg or proxy MTG cards. Deck checks ONLY look for accuracy and validity of your submitted list. Be very careful to always manage your sideboard appropriately. If you followed the suggestions, you will be just fine.

While deck checks are completely random, it's likely if you use bootlegs long enough you will be checked.

If you've been selected for a deck check, do not worry. You're smart and by using this guide you've made some excellent proxy selections and choices. The cards will pass the vibe check. Deck Check issues with proxies rarely result in a ban from tournament play. Typically, the judge will ask you to source real cards, replace with basic lands, or suffer a disqualification from that tournament. There is not typically any negative penalty other than disqualification. If you are caught by the same judge multiple times, it may start to become an issue, but there's no record of any player being permanently suspended due to bootleg MTG cards.

However, if something goes wrong, here's a helpful set of tips.

• You had no idea those cards were fake. You bought them on eBay for a great deal, and they looked fine.

• Stay calm, ask questions such as "How can I avoid this problem in the future?" and "What should I do now?" - Talk to the judge as if you are someone that just discovered they lost some money and cards they paid good money for are now worthless.

• If possible, source real cards at the event, or ask a friend if you can borrow them.

Either way, the less of a scene you make, the better. Act calm, collected, and bummed that your cards were fake, and you had no idea. There have been many, many reports of people using bootleg MTG cards even in Top 8 on camera, checked by head judges. The key is confidence and selecting the absolute best.