Deck Registration, Deck Checks & D/DLP in Practice

At Competitive Constructed events, players register a decklist before play. Requirements to know:

• A minimum 60-card main deck (no maximum, but it must be shuffleable) and a sideboard of up to 15 cards.
• No more than four copies of any card with the same English name, except basic lands and cards that say otherwise.
• Card names and quantities must be written clearly. Legibility and accuracy are the player's responsibility.

The registered list is the authoritative record of the deck for the whole event.

Judges pull a match's decks (randomly or by targeting) and, away from the table, count the cards, compare them to the list, and inspect the sleeves for wear or markings. Because the check consumes match time, the players receive a time extension equal to the time taken. Players present a shuffled deck; a deck check should never advantage or disadvantage either player on the clock.

D/DLP covers a family of issues, default penalty Game Loss:

• An illegal list — too few cards, more than four of a card, an oversized sideboard.
• The physical deck doesn't match the registered list (missing, extra, or different cards).
• An illegible or ambiguous registration.

The fix generally corrects the deck to match the list (or corrects an obvious list error), rather than letting the player change their intended deck after the fact.

Sleeves should be uniform and in good condition. Wear, dirt, or bends that make some cards distinguishable from the back are a Marked Cards problem — a Warning, upgraded if the pattern correlates with card identities. Presenting a deck represents that it is legal and sufficiently randomized, both of which are the player's responsibility.