Rules Enforcement Level

The Rules Enforcement Level (REL) of a magic tournament is a means to communicate to the players and judges what expectations they can have of the tournament in terms of rigidity of rules enforcement, technically correct play, and procedures used. The Rules Enforcement Level of a tournament generally reflects the prizes awarded and the distance a player may be expected to travel.

Rules

From the Tournament Rules (May 13, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)

• 1.12 Rules Enforcement Levels
  Rules Enforcement Levels (REL) are a means to communicate to the players and judges what expectations they can have of the tournament in terms of rigidity of rules enforcement, technically correct play, and procedures used. The Rules Enforcement Level of a tournament generally reflects the prizes awarded and the distance a player may be expected to travel. The appropriate Rules Enforcement Level for specific programs is listed in Appendix F.
  
  * Regular
  Regular tournaments are focused on fun and social aspects, not enforcement. Most tournaments are run at this level unless they offer sizeable prizes or invitations. Players are expected to know most of the game rules, may have heard of policy and what is “really bad,” but generally play in a fashion similar to the way they do casually. Players are still responsible for following the rules, but the focus is on education and sportsmanship over technically precise play. Infractions in these tournaments are covered by the Judging at Regular Rules Enforcement Level document, located at http://wpn.wizards.com/document/magic-gathering-judging-regular-rel.
  
  * Competitive
  Competitive tournaments are usually those with significant cash prizes or invitations awarded to Professional tournaments. Players are expected to know the game’s rules and be familiar with the policies and procedures, but unintentional errors are not punished severely. These are tournaments that protect the interests of all players by providing tournament integrity while also recognizing that not all players are intimately familiar with Professional-level tournament structure, proper procedures, and rules. Infractions in these tournaments are covered by the Magic Infraction Procedure Guide, located at http://wpn.wizards.com/document/magic-infractionprocedure-guide. .
  
  * Professional
  Professional level tournaments offer large cash awards, prestige, and other benefits that draw players from great distances. These tournaments hold players to a higher standard of behavior and technically-correct play than Competitive tournaments. Infractions in these tournaments are covered by the Magic Infraction Procedure Guide, located at http://wpn.wizards.com/document/magic-infraction-procedure-guide.
  

Chart

The following chart indicates the appropriate Rules Enforcement level for various programs:

Program	Rules Enforcement Level
Eternal Weekend	Competitive
Friday Night Magic	Regular
Game Day	Regular (Competitive recommended)
Launch Party	Regular
Prerelease	Regular
Pro Tour	Professional
Pro Tour Qualifier	Competitive
Regional Championships	Competitive
Regional Championship Qualifiers	Competitive
Store Championship	Regular (Competitive recommended)
World Championship	Professional