I've been hunting around, but I can't seem to find anything about the rules for Organized Play anywhere. Recently, me and a few others have just gotten in to UFS, and apparently, it's been put to me to be the official arbiter of everything real. >P Unfortunately, I can't seem to find anything other than a ban list, which, while helpful, doesn't answer some of the basic questions that comes along with Organized Play.

Round time? We can't seem to find a time limit for each game.

Game Format? Best 2 / 3, Swiss, Single Elimination, Top Cut?

In the Advanced Rulebook, they give mention of a sideboard in passing, but how many cards is a sideboard in UFS?

Sets playable? Are all sets fro the beginning capable of being played?

I went to the FFG: Organized play page, but it will only let me in as an organizer, which I have no desire to do.

My friends and I are really excited to start playing this - We're not about to give up our other card games, but UFS is a really interesting game, and the games are almost always intense. We'd just like to have a good idea of what we're walking in to before we get there, you know?If this is all assembled somewhere already, please feel free to smite me ( after you give me a link. )

Thanks!

Venjamin said:

Hey there, and welcome! I can handle These questions for you, as I'm the guy that's been drafted to handle write the tournament floor rules that's to cover all of this.

Please note that with all of the following answers these are the FFG suggested. If you want to do something different that works for your venue, then you are more then welcome to. At the end of the day FFG would rather see you guys doing OP at your venue that works for you then not doing it because one of the recommended ways does not work for you.

Please note while UFS can be an intense game, at the same time it is intended to be a fun game that you play for the sake of the game. There are no cash prize tournaments etc.

Venjamin said:

Lets start with this question. The suggested format is Best 2 out of 3 matches, swiss pairings with a top cut.

Top cuts are 2 if it's <12 players. 4 if it's >=12 but <32.

This past year for worlds, with over 80 players the final cut was top 8.

Venjamin said:

If you are doing best of 1 (Many areas do from what I've been told), 30 minute timed rounds. No side boarding. And if there is a draw,it's decided by:
Closer to starting vitality, if still tied, fewer cards removed from the game, if still tied. It's a draw. If you are in a single elimination setting where there must be a winner (finals), then use first blood.

If you're doing best 2 out of 3, 50 minutes is the suggested round time. Some areas prefer an hour, where as locally my shop uses 45 minutes.

Venjamin said:

8. And either you're playing with a sideboard or you're not. You can't enter the tournament with only 6 in the sideboard. After sideboarding there must also be 8 cards in your sideboard.

Venjamin said:

If you're playing a Standard format game, then all cards with a 5 star watermark on them.

Those are currently found in:

Soul Calibur IV: Tower of Souls
Shadowar
Tekken 6
Soul Calibur IV: Quest for Souls.
+Promos / reprints.

If you are playing legacy - then all cards from all sets minus the banned list.

Please note - if your store would like to use a separate banned list - please do, however you must announce it and publish it prior to the event. (IE list it in your tournament notes). Additionally if you want to do special formats subclassed under Special / Legacy - please do so.

As an example in Legacy there is a format called 6x10 where your deck must be exactly 60 cards, and contain 10 1 checks, 10 2 checks, etc. Your character would count as one of your 10 6 checks.

Venjamin said:

Please note that if your shop signs up for OP, there is free tournament support that is available to each shop on a monthly basis.

Venjamin said:

No smiting required... just a kick in my ass to "get documenting"

Thank you very much for taking the time to help me! All my questions in one shot was way more than I expected. xD It's definitely a positive to see the community ( at least, from this forum's standpoints ) is more like the Pokemon community than the Yuugiou community.

Venjamin said:

Believe me... this community is really NOTHING like the YGO community.