So I’ve been wanting to play some Magic cards while vacationing in Greece this summer, but couldn’t find clear tournament rules anywhere. Here’s exactly what I did last weekend at a local Athens game shop.
Step 1: Finding The Tournament
First off, I walked into three different hobby shops near Syntagma Square asking if they run official Magic events. The first two didn’t have regular tournaments, just casual play. Finally hit gold at the third spot – “Spellbound Games” runs Friday Night Magic every week. The employee mumbled something in Greek but thankfully switched to broken English when he saw my confused face.
Step 2: Registration Stuff
Showed up Friday with my modern deck. Had to:
- Pay €5 entry fee cash (no cards)
- Write my DCI number on crumpled paper slip
- Wait 40 mins past start time ’cause Greek punctuality
Organizer kept yelling at late players in rapid Greek while waving hands everywhere. Felt like waiting for ferry schedules.
Step 3: Tournament Structure
Turned out they strictly follow Wizards’ rules but with Greek chaos flavor:
- Four 50-minute Swiss rounds
- Deck lists checked randomly
- Table numbers called in Greek/English mix
Got warned twice for slow play when checking oracle texts on phone during match. Judge screamed “Ftime! Ftime!” which I later learned means “quickly!”
Step 4: Prize Details
Here’s what they gave out after midnight:
- 3-0 records got full art booster packs
- 2-1 got one standard booster
- Everyone else received foil basic lands
The shop owner opened some Mythics during distribution and gasped so loud we thought he got electrocuted.
Reflections & Things Learned
Finished 1-3 but got a shiny island with Acropolis artwork that made the €5 worth it. Key takeaways:
- Always carry cash (they don’t do card payments)
- Modern decks better have card names memorized
- “Sigaro” means no smoking despite everyone smoking
Honestly preferred the laidback vibe over strict tournaments back home. Might skip next week though – that midnight finish murdered my sleep schedule.