Articles

Running a conference is a fun way to gather judges and candidates, help people learn magic rules and policy, and find ways to build community in your area, as well as help people learn and grow as people themselves. Many skills of judging are very useful in other careers and in the community, so we […]

Northeast The RA of this region, Dennis Bradford, wanted to highlight an Invitational Series being run in NYC by Jenn Taylor. You can read more about The NYCIS Heavy Play Championship, and personally, I find it fascinating that players and judges alike were able to experience 3 rounds of Standard, 3 Rounds of Pauper, and

The current Board of Directors has re-established a commitment and unified goal on supporting the Judging Community; more importantly, providing the dollars, resources, and infrastructure to allow individuals to grow and lead their community as they see fit. Hence, the JF Conferences Committee, led by Stephan Classen, and the JF Judge Recruitment, led by Ryan

JumpStart If you just want to get started, here is the quick-start guide: Who needs to complete their checklist in 2026? All Judge Foundry judges need to complete their checklists, with a few exceptions. These haven’t changed this year.  If you don’t fall into one of those categories, you will need to fill out your

Plains The RA of this region, Jordan Powell, is planning and organizing at least three conferences this year, possibly a fourth, dependent on excitement and demand. The tentative timelines for the conferences are as followed: 1. First being in late Q1 or early Q22. Second being in late Q2 or early Q33. Third being in

The 2025 review contest has come to a close, and we have some winners! The goal of this contest was to encourage judges to help each other improve. Feedback is one of the best parts of judging. Taking the time to write up some thoughts for a fellow judge shows them you care about their

Set Update Quizzes: A History Ever since its inception in November of 2023, Judge Foundry and its members have appreciated and valued Set Update Quizzes. These quizzes have been routinely created and offered to JF members since the release of Lost Caverns of Ixalan in the Fall of 2023. Set Update Quizzes are crucial for

A special meeting of the members of Judge Foundry will be held on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (7:00 p.m. CST, 5:00 p.m. PST). The meeting will be held by videoconference via Zoom. The purposes of the meeting are to receive a report from the bylaws committee and to change

Hello, judges! Let’s cut to the chase: if you wrote or received a particularly great review this year, you can now nominate it for the Judge Foundry Review Contest! Here’s the link! Feedback is one of the cornerstones of judging. At its best, our community knits itself together with every event as judges lift each

Western & Eastern Provinces The RA of the Western Provinces Region, Chris Hrichishen, made me aware of this amazing recognition article series known as the Maple Mana: A Canadian Judge Spotlight.  This article series has highlighted some stellar judges such as Michael Hill, Tobi Vyseri, Sierra Black, Aaron MacLean, and Kyle Ryc!  I have considered