Hello fellow Judges,

my local TO asked me to do a timed draft for MM2015 FNM, last friday.
Since we have a lot of “competitive” players and some “heavily regular” players.
We normally do a 3 zone draft. Due to the different picking speed, it always piles up somewhere.
To prevent people from doing “crazy” stuff with this special product and trying how it will work, we timed the draft.
I adjusted the picking time and kept it more casual. Basicly I just waited till they had all done their pick and told them to pass the pack.
We had a great response of ALL players. The new once didn’t feel the pressure they normally have if boosters are piling up on them. The better once liked it, because it they had to wait ages before they get another pack. Beside this the TO was happy, because we were 15 min quicker with starting round one. Than ever before.

I want to know if someone of you has done something like this before and what are your thoughts about “timing” a draft on REL regular.
I know the main point is it depends on …… . But anyway feel free to contribute.

-
Ralph

I ran one timed draft at the request of a group of players. It went well, but it was my first time timing a draft, so that was awkward. I don't think I'd offer to do it unless someone asks me to do it.

Originally posted by Ralph Glätsch:

We normally do a 3 zone draft. Due to the different picking speed, it always piles up somewhere.

Originally posted by Ralph Glätsch:

The new once didn’t feel the pressure they normally have if boosters are piling up on them.

Are you sure that you're doing a zone draft? In a zone draft there should only be one pack in each zone. One in the hands, one to your left, and one to your right. If there's already a pack to your left/right when you're ready to pass your pack, you have to wait. No piling up, but some waiting.

Originally posted by Espen Skarsbø Olsen:

Are you sure that you're doing a zone draft? In a zone draft there should only be one pack in each zone. One in the hands, one to your left, and one to your right. If there's already a pack to your left/right when you're ready to pass your pack, you have to wait. No piling up, but some waiting.

If you have players, that take a lot of time to do a pick. They generate a queue of waiting behind them. Like if you are the traffic sign on a big road. and you just let 1 car through every minute. The 14 remaining cars will que up and w8 till the first in queue moves. They can't do anything beside waiting and honking.

Edited Ralph Glätsch (May 27, 2015 02:34:56 AM)

Originally posted by Ralph Glätsch:

If you have players, that take a lot of time to do a pick. They generate a queue of waiting behind them. Like if you are the traffic sign on a big road. and you just let 1 car through every minute. The 14 remaining cars will que up and w8 till the first in queue moves. They can't do anything beside waiting and honking.

So, not piling up per se, but still delays and queuing.

I'm not a fan of timed drafts at all. Timed drafts is something I see as a tool for making sure that multiple pods finish drafting at the same time. Timing requires manpower. You have to dedicate a judge per pod to call the draft. The judge has to focus his energy on calling the draft versus using his energy on other tasks, like monitoring the drafters (on competative).

My way to handle this situation at Regular would be to talk the player(s) that are slow directly, and try to make them understand that even though you don't have a called draft, they're required to make their choices in a timely manner. Short cues like “I need to to pick a card now” and “pick a card now” directly to slow players during the draft could also be used.

Originally posted by Espen Skarsbø Olsen:

My way to handle this situation at Regular would be to talk the player(s) that are slow directly, and try to make them understand that even though you don't have a called draft, they're required to make their choices in a timely manner. Short cues like “I need to to pick a card now” and “pick a card now” directly to slow players during the draft could also be used.

At Regular I tend to take the opposite approach. I'll encourage the more competitive players to relax and take it easy. Not everyone has drafted the set as much as possible so they shouldn't be looking to push the pace. Obviously if someone is being REALLY slow I'll speak with them about it, but my experience has been that the faster players get impatient and that's where the problems tend to arise.