While reading in the barbershop for my turn to get a haircut, I stumbled upon two rules (one in the MTR and the other in the CR) that seem to contradict each other.

In MTR, 4.2, bullet 3

Whenever a player adds an object to the stack, he or she is assumed to be passing priority unless he or she explicitly announces that he or she intends to retain it. If he or she adds a group of objects to the stack without explicitly retaining priority and a player wishes to take an action at a point in the middle, the actions should be reversed up to that point.

CR 116.3c

If a player has priority when he or she casts a spell, activates an ability, or takes a special action, that player receives priority afterward.

How could a player legally tell his/her opponent to go back a bit so he/she can insert an “action”? The two rules seem to be at odds with one another, seemingly, even in context.

Then I got a great haircut.

It's actually quite easy.

There's a Game Rule which tells you that the player who last did an action
is allowed to first respond to said action,
and then there's a Tournament Rule, which is designed to make it easier to
play the game, which says that you're assumed to pass priority after
performing an action, unless you indicate you want to make use of CR 116.3c
and play something else before another player is allowed to respond. This
way players don't continuously need to ask if they can respond/continue
after someone performed an action.

-R.

2015-07-09 21:22 GMT+02:00 Roger Dunn <forum-19609-86bc@apps.magicjudges.org

For context as to why this rule exists, imagine player A has ten swamps and a Nantuko Shade in play. Working purely from the CR, if the player say “tap ten swamps, pump Shade 10 times,” then there is a 2/1 shade with ten activations on the stack and no mana in A's pool–so N can just cast Lightning Bolt. To avoid getting blow out by a burn spell, you'd have to handle your pumps one at a time: “tap a swamp, pump. Resolves?” “Yes.” “Tap another swamp. Pump. Resolves?” ten times every attack phase. Though technically correct, this results in an awful play experience for everyone involved.

So, to make play easier, the MTR has a shortcut that's generally understood by most players: when a player says “tap ten swamps, pump ten times,” what he really means is “tap, pump, pass, get priority back, a total of ten times.” If Player N wants to respond, he treats it like any other shortcut: he describes the point at which he will deviate; for example, “I have a response with the third pump on the stack, while your shade is a 4/3.”

I was told: MTR is not rules but more “procedure”. CR are rules. I have to admit that it is still difficult for me to understand the hierarchy of the different “sets of rules”. Right now I understand it as follows. The CR are the theoretical construct, the MTR the practical application of the CR.

PLEASE: correct me if I am wrong

The section quoted in the MTR is under the shortcuts section. Its stated this way so people don't have to verbalize every time they want to pass priority.

They are not contradictory rules.

Originally posted by Denis Leber:

MTR is not rules but more “procedure”. CR are rules.

MTR is rules, but only for tournaments - things that don't matter at your kitchen table, like sideboards and spectator responsibilities.

The big difference between MTR and CR?

• breaking a rule in the CR that's not specifically listed in the IPG is still a Game Play Error - Game Rule Violation
  
• breaking a rule in the MTR that's not specifically listed is not an infraction, just an opportunity for player education.
  

d:^D

Edited Scott Marshall (July 9, 2015 05:18:06 PM)

Interesting quote Scott… I don't remember saying that. :)

Wow - I must've highlighted Denis' words, then clicked on Quote under your post! Interesting “feature”, eh?

d:^D

I did and I take full responsibility :)

Thank you Scott.

Originally posted by Denis Leber:

I have to admit that it is still difficult for me to understand the hierarchy of the different “sets of rules”.

Just a small note, the precedence is explicitely mentioned:

MTR
Information in this document may contradict (or have information not contained in) the Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules. In such cases, this document takes precedence.