Introducing DCI-Sanctioned Enhanced K-Value Tournaments The DCI players' organization now offers you a way to get more from organized play with enhanced K-value sanctioned Magic: The Gathering tournaments. The K-value is a constant numerical value that determines the effect each sanctioned tournament match has on a DCI member's official rating. Different tournaments have varying impacts on the official ratings-the higher the tournament's K-value, the greater the impact. Enhanced K-value tournaments offer players and organizers even more tournament flexibility and choice. Tournament organizers will be able to choose the types of events that best suit their players' needs, and players will be able to participate in those events that best match their playing styles and competitive goals. Answers to Your Questions ABout Enhanced K-Value Tournaments When does the enhanced K-value program go into effect? September 1, 1998. How will enhanced K-value affect tournaments and ratings? The DCI uses the Elo system to rate its members' performances in sanctioned tournaments. In this system, the K-value is the maximum number of points available to each player per match in a sanctioned Magic tournament. Our rating formula determines exactly how many points from the K-value are added to or subtracted from each member's rating after each match, depending on whether the player wins or loses. DCI members receive a greater reward for defeating higher-rated members than for defeating lower-rated members, and vice versa. For example, a regular sanctioned tournament might have a K-value of 16. This means that each DCI member can potentially gain or lose up to 16 points in each match. Enhanced K-value events offer you the opportunity to increase this number to 20, 24, 32, or even 48. The higher the K-value, the greater the potential reward for players! Why are the official DCI ratings important? If a player has a high DCI rating, he or she can earn an invitation to a variety of title events, including National Championships or the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour. A DCI rating is the numerical description of a player's relative skill level. The difference between players' ratings helps predict the outcome of a contest between two players. The specific formula has been established according to statistical and probability theory. No rating, however, is a precise evaluation of a player's strength. Ratings are instead just averages of players' performances and should be viewed as approximations. What are the requirements for enhanced K-value tournaments? Refer to the chart below to determine the requirements for enhanced K-value tournaments. A tournament must meet all the mandatory requirements, and at least one of the variable criteria in order to qualify for the enhanced K-value. If the event meets all the required criteria, we will calculate the match results using the appropriate K-value. Enhanced K-Value Chart K-Value 16 20 24 28 32 40 48 Mandatory Criteria: Certified Judge (Level) N 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 4 + Deck Checks N N N N R R R Decklists N N R R R R R Sealed Deck Swap N N N N R R R Rules Application 1 1 2 3 4 4 5 Variable Criteria: Prize Value $0 $0 $100 $250 $500 $1,000 $2,500 Size 8 + 8 + 16 + 16 + 24 + 32 + 64 + Invitation N N N 1650 1700 1800 1900 Chart Key R = Required N = Not required + = Or higher What do the criteria mean? MANDATORY CRITERIA: Your sanctioned tournament must meet all the appropriate mandatory criteria in order to qualify for an enhanced K-value. Certified Judge: Sanctioned tournaments adjudicated by a DCI-certified head judge will be eligible for an enhanced K-value. The higher the certified judge level, the higher the potential classification. Deck Checks: The DCI recommends that judges perform random deck and sideboard checks each round for roughly 5 percent of the total participants. Organizers who institute this practice are eligible for an enhanced K-value. Decklists: To qualify for enhanced classification, the tournament staff must collect complete decklists prior to the start of the first round of play for both Limited and Constructed events. (They must also collect a new list each time a player is issued a new deck.) This includes deck checklists. Sealed Deck Swap (Sealed Deck tournaments only): To ensure fairness, the DCI recommends that the contents of sealed product be registered by a person other than the player using the deck, prior to deck construction. Sanctioned tournaments that follow this policy are eligible for enhanced classification and K-value. Rules Application: To indicate the severity and consistency of penalties issued to players who violate sections of the DCI Standard Floor Rules, the DCI has created a simple rules application guide. The scale ranges from "very lenient" enforcement of penalties (1) to "very strict" enforcement (5). The DCI will provide information to its certified judges on implementing this criterion at sanctioned tournaments. DCI Floor Rules Application Very Lenient 1 Lenient 2 Normal 3 Strict 4 Very Strict 5 VARIABLE CRITERIA: Please note that a sanctioned tournament must satisfy only one of the following three criteria in order to qualify for enhanced K-value. The DCI will use the higher of the three values to classify any tournament that meets more than one variable criteria, provided a minimum of eight players participate in the event, and provided all other mandatory criteria are met. Prize Value: A tournament organizer may obtain the desired tournament classification by offering a minimum cash (or its equivalent value) prize at the tournament, provided he or she also satisfies all the mandatory criteria for the desired classification. Tournament Size: Certain attendance levels can satisfy the variable criteria. This option is convenient for organizers who can rely on consistent participation numbers. If an organizer chooses this option but the event in question fails to attract the requisite number of players, the DCI will grant the highest classification possible based on the actual attendance. Invitation Status: To satisfy this criterion, a sanctioned tournament must be organized and run as an invitational event. All participants in the tournament must be DCI members whose official ratings meet the listed minimum rating requirement.