Big Texas Tournaments

Sign-up & check-in

• Sign up online with the button on each event. Seats are limited and events fill in the order people register.
• Check in at our HQ table in Room 212 A+B at least 15 minutes before start. Bring the name you registered under.
• Round 1 pairings go up at the listed start time. Players who haven't checked in may lose their seat to the waitlist.
• Every event has a minimum player count. If an event doesn't reach it, you'll get a full refund.

Refunds & late arrivals

• Entry fees are refundable up to 24 hours before the event. After that, entries are non-refundable but can be transferred to another player. Tell HQ.
• Arriving after Round 1 has started? See HQ. You may be able to join Round 2 with a Round 1 loss, at the organizer's discretion.
• Dropping mid-event is fine. Please tell a judge so your opponents aren't left waiting.

Rules & rulings

• Each game follows its official tournament rules: the Magic Tournament Rules (Regular REL), Play! Pokémon rules, and the official Disney Lorcana and Riftbound tournament rules.
• Commander events use our pod scoring (below). cEDH follows the same rules without bonus points.
• Call a judge for any rules question or dispute. The head judge's ruling is final.
• Rounds are timed. Please be seated when pairings go up and report results promptly.

Decks, sleeves & decklists

• Bring your own legal deck for constructed events. Sealed and Starter Deck events provide the product you play with.
• Opaque, matching sleeves are required for all competitive events. Judges may ask you to re-sleeve if your sleeves are marked or worn.
• Forgot something? We'll have sleeves and accessories for sale at the show.
• Competitive events (cEDH, Competitive Lorcana, Competitive Riftbound, Competitive Pokémon, Modern, Standard and Pauper) require a decklist at check-in.

Code of conduct

• Treat every player, judge, staff member and fan with respect. Harassment, threats, hate speech and discrimination of any kind are not tolerated.
• Play fair. Cheating, stalling, collusion, bribery, marked cards and deliberate rules abuse lead to disqualification.
• Keep your language table-friendly. This is an all-ages space.
• Never touch another player's cards or belongings without permission.
• Staff may give a warning, a game loss or a disqualification, or remove someone from the area without a refund. Serious issues go to convention security. You must also follow all Big Texas convention rules.

Hygiene & health

• You'll be sitting close to your opponents for hours. Please shower, wear deodorant and fresh clothes each day. Bring a change of shirt for long events.
• Please wash your hands between rounds, especially after eating.
• If you're sick, please stay home or tell HQ. We'll work with you on a refund.
• Staff may privately ask a player to freshen up before the next round. Please take it in the spirit it's meant.

Food, drinks & the play area

• Drinks with lids only at the tables, and keep them off playmats. No messy food at the play tables. Step away to eat.
• Keep aisles clear. Bags go under your chair, not in the walkways.
• Please clean up your space at the end of each round.

Your stuff

• You're responsible for your cards and belongings. Never leave bags or binders unattended.
• No trading or selling at the tournament tables.
• Found something? Bring it to HQ. Lost something? Check HQ first.

Prizes

• Prizes are awarded at the end of each event, and you must be present to claim them. Prize tiers depend on attendance, as listed on each event.
• Store credit prizes are good at our booth during the con or in our store.
• If a listed prize becomes unavailable, we'll substitute one of equal or greater value.

Kids & families

• Players under 13 need a parent or guardian in Room 212 for the whole event.
• Pokémon Kids & Beginners is built for new players. Staff will teach the basics, and parents are welcome to sit in.

Photos & streaming

• We may photograph or film top tables and winners for our social media. Tell HQ if you'd rather not be included.

Pods

• Round 1 pods and seating are random.
• After that, players are grouped into pods by points, with top players playing together.
• Pods of 3 are used when the player count isn't divisible by 4.

Points

• Win the game: 5 points
• Draw at time: 1 point for each player still in the game
• Eliminated: 0 points

Time

• When time is called, the current player finishes their turn and each other player gets one more turn.
• If nobody has won by then, the game is a draw.

Tiebreakers (in order)

1. Total points
2. Number of wins
3. Opponents' average points

Casual Commander (Fri & Sun)

• Bonus point: +1 for each opponent you eliminate, up to 2 per game.
• The top 3 players by total points win prizes.

Competitive Commander (Sat)

• No bonus points.
• After 3 rounds, the top 4 play one final pod. Top seed picks their seat first.
• Final pod winner takes 1st; 2nd–4th are ranked by Swiss standings.
• If the final is a draw, the highest Swiss seed takes 1st.