TOURNAMENT PREPARATION

MASTERS · PLAYER GUIDE

TOURNAMENT PREPARATION

← Return to Chapter Selector

Preparation is logistics plus mindset. Bring legal sleeves, a clean deck list, readable randomizers, and a short personal checklist (water, snack, pen, extra list, phone charger). Know the event's rules enforcement level expectations and any note-taking or open-decklist policies before you register.

CP and travel goals are marathons. Sleep, food, and a post-round routine (three breaths, jot one lesson, reset) outperform cramming new tech the morning of. You are building a season, not just one bracket.

Control what you can control: list, hardware, pacing, and sportsmanship.

Scenario: Between rounds

You just lost a win-and-in. The productive move is a two-minute debrief — misplay, variance, matchup note — then physical reset away from the table. Carrying the last game into the next is a choice; most players who do it lose twice.

Pack

Before you leave for the venue: deck, dice, damage markers, mat if required, judge-friendly tokens, and a printed list in a protective sleeve. Masters is where forgetting the small things costs big.

Build a between-rounds routine: water, bathroom, quick notes on matchup tricks, then re-center before pairings post. Avoid doom-scrolling pairings chatter if it spikes anxiety; protect your attention like a finite hand of Supporters.

Travel insurance for flights, duplicate copies of identification, and a photo of your deck list in cloud storage are boring — until they save a weekend. Treat logistics as part of Elo, not beneath it.