Presented during the Europe East Winter Conference 2017

1. Hidden Card Error
Aether Revolt Edition
by Yuval Tzur
based on the seminar by Daniel Kitachewsky and Kevin Desprez

2. Philosophy Change

3. Why the Change Was Needed
● The overall severity of penalties has decreased over the years
● Players expect their games to be fixed
● Remedies aim at negating the advantage given by the infraction
● Game Losses should only apply when no other remedy is viable
● Penalties are meant to be educational, not punitive (except DQ)

4. The Problem
● The extra drawn card is potentially the best one
● A Warning doesn’t negate the advantage gained
● A Warning isn’t a strong enough deterrent
● Neither is returning a random card to the top of the library
● A judge should not be involved in making strategic choices

5. The Solution
● Removing the best card negates the advantage
● Letting the opponent see the hand is a strong deterrent
● The opponent should make strategic choices
● “Missed Trigger” has a precedence of an opponent making a choice

6. DEC → HCE
New mechanics (e.g. “card sets”) were introduced
Other actions (e.g. Scry) rely on hidden information too
Hidden information on a legal draw can occur (e.g. Dark Confidant)
Hidden information can exist in non-hidden zones (e.g. Morph)

7. Quiz

8. Q1: Which of the following is not a card set:
1. Cards in hand
2. The cards in the graveyard
3. The library
4. Cards being looked at while scrying
5. All of the above are card sets

9. Q1: Which of the following is not a card set:
1. Cards in hand
2. The cards in the graveyard
3. The library
4. Cards being looked at while scrying
5. All of the above are card sets
A set is a physically distinct group of cards defined by a game rule or effect. It
may correspond to a specific zone, or may only represent a part of a zone.

10. Q2: AP resolves a Divination that was cast for 2R.
What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. DEC - GL - No remedy
2. HCE - W - AP reveals her hand and her opponent chooses two cards to be
shuffled into the library
3. GRV - W - Perform a simple backup (put two cards at random from the
hand on top of the library)
4. GRV - W - Leave the game state as is
5. HCE - W - Perform a simple backup (put two cards at random from the
hand on top of the library)

11. Q2: AP resolves a Divination that was cast for 2R.
What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. DEC - GL - No remedy
2. HCE - W - AP reveals her hand and her opponent chooses two cards to be
shuffled into the library
3. GRV - W - Perform a simple backup (put two cards at random from the
hand on top of the library)
4. GRV - W - Leave the game state as is
5. HCE - W - Perform a simple backup (put two cards at random from the
hand on top of the library)
The root cause of the error was paying the wrong kind of mana, which is a
publicly-correctable error, so this is a GRV and a simple backup is in order.

12. Q3: AP looks at the top 8 cards of his library while resolving a Dig Through
Time. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. HCE - W - Finish resolving Dig Through Time, then NAP chooses a card
from AP’s hand to be shuffled into the library
2. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card out of the 8 to be shuffled into the
unknown portion of the library
3. LEC - W - Shuffle a random card out of the 8 into the unknown portion of
the library
4. HCE - W - Shuffle all 8 cards into the library, then AP looks at the top 7
5. HCE - GL - No remedy

13. Q3: AP looks at the top 8 cards of his library while resolving a Dig Through
Time. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. HCE - W - Finish resolving Dig Through Time, then NAP chooses a card
from AP’s hand to be shuffled into the library
2. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card out of the 8 to be shuffled into the
unknown portion of the library
3. LEC - W - Shuffle a random card out of the 8 into the unknown portion of
the library
4. HCE - W - Shuffle all 8 cards into the library, then AP looks at the top 7
5. HCE - GL - No remedy
The 8 cards being looked at are considered a set of cards. Since the set
contains more cards than it's supposed to, the opponent chooses a card and
it's considered an excess card. Excess cards are returned to the correct
location. If that location is the library, they should be shuffled into the random
portion.

14. Q4: AP points out her Dark Confidant trigger, doesn’t reveal the card then
draws another card. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. HCE - W - Perform a simple backup (put a card at random from the hand
on top of the library)
2. HCE - W - AP reveals her hand, NAP chooses a card, and AP loses life equal
to its converted mana cost
3. HCE - W - AP reveals her hand and NAP chooses a card to be shuffled into
the library
4. HCE - GL - A card whose characteristics needed to be checked was not
revealed, so the penalty is upgraded
5. HCE - W - AP reveals her hand and NAP chooses a card to be shuffled into

15. Q4: AP points out her Dark Confidant trigger, doesn’t reveal the card then
draws another card. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. HCE - W - Perform a simple backup (put a card at random from the hand
on top of the library)
2. HCE - W - AP reveals her hand, NAP chooses a card, and AP loses life equal
to its converted mana cost
3. HCE - W - AP reveals her hand and NAP chooses a card to be shuffled into
the library
4. HCE - GL - A card whose characteristics needed to be checked was not
revealed, so the penalty is upgraded
5. HCE - W - AP reveals her hand and NAP chooses a card to be shuffled into
There is a card in the hand that should have been revealed. The opponent
chooses a card, and it is treated as the unrevealed card. The action is then
performed on that card - life is lost equal to that card's converted mana cost.

16. Q5: AP resolves Sylvan Scrying and puts a card into his hand without
revealing it. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. HCE - GL - A card whose characteristics needed to be checked was not
revealed, so the penalty is upgraded
2. HCE - W - NAP chooses which card in AP's hand was found, and if it's not a
land, it's shuffled into the library
3. GRV - W - If the hand contains a land, leave the game state as is, otherwise
investigate for cheating
4. HCE - W - NAP chooses which card in AP's hand was found, and if it's not a
land, it's shuffled into the library, then AP searches again
5. HCE - W - NAP chooses which card in AP's hand was found (he must

17. Q5: AP resolves Sylvan Scrying and puts a card into his hand without
revealing it. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. HCE - GL - A card whose characteristics needed to be checked was not
revealed, so the penalty is upgraded
2. HCE - W - NAP chooses which card in AP's hand was found, and if it's not a
land, it's shuffled into the library
3. GRV - W - If the hand contains a land, leave the game state as is, otherwise
investigate for cheating
4. HCE - W - NAP chooses which card in AP's hand was found, and if it's not a
land, it's shuffled into the library, then AP searches again
5. HCE - W - NAP chooses which card in AP's hand was found (he must
There is a card in the hand that should have been revealed. The opponent
chooses a card, and it is treated as the unrevealed card. If the card chosen
would not legally be in the set as a result, it's treated as an excess card. Excess
cards are returned to the correct location. If that location is the library, they
should be shuffled into the random portion. If a card that is not a land was
shuffled into the library, the action is repeated and the library is searched for
a land.

18. Q6: AP puts a Lightning Bolt into his hand after it resolves.
What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. GRV - W - Perform a simple backup (put a card at random from the hand
on top of the library)
2. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card from AP’s hand to be shuffled into the
library
3. GRV - W - Put the Lightning Bolt from AP's hand into the graveyard
4. GRV - W - Leave the game state as is
5. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card from AP’s hand to be put into the graveyard

19. Q6: AP puts a Lightning Bolt into his hand after it resolves.
What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. GRV - W - Perform a simple backup (put a card at random from the hand
on top of the library)
2. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card from AP’s hand to be shuffled into the
library
3. GRV - W - Put the Lightning Bolt from AP's hand into the graveyard
4. GRV - W - Leave the game state as is
5. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card from AP’s hand to be put into the graveyard
HCE only applies when a card whose identity is known to only one player is in
a hidden set of cards both before and after the error. The stack is not a
hidden zone, and therefore this is not a HCE.

20. Q7: AP taps three Swamps, casts Painful Truths and asks "Draw three?", to which NAP replies by
saying “sure”, so AP draws three cards. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. GRV - W to both players - Perform a simple backup (put two cards at
random from the hand on top of the library)
2. DEC - GL - No remedy
3. CPV - W to both players - Leave the game state as is and tell the players to
be careful next time
4. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card from the hand to be shuffled into the
library
5. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card from AP’s hand to be put on top of the
library

21. Q7: AP taps three Swamps, casts Painful Truths and asks "Draw three?", to which NAP replies by
saying “sure”, so AP draws three cards. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. GRV - W to both players - Perform a simple backup (put two cards at
random from the hand on top of the library)
2. DEC - GL - No remedy
3. CPV - W to both players - Leave the game state as is and tell the players to
be careful next time
4. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card from the hand to be shuffled into the
library
5. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card from AP’s hand to be put on top of the
library
HCE only applies if the infraction was made without the opponent's
permission. By saying "sure", the opponent gave his permission, which is why
both of the players performed a GRV. The simple backup in this case is to put
three cards at random on the top of the library, but since it will be followed by
drawing a card, a shortcut can be used. CPV is applicable only when the
Communication Policy is violated, which is not the case here.

22. Q8: AP casts Serum Visions, draws a card, scries 2, leaves both on top and
then draws another card. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. GRV - W - Perform a simple backup (put a card at random from the hand
on top of the library)
2. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card from AP’s hand to be put on top of the
library
3. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card from AP’s hand to be shuffled into the
unknown portion of the library
4. HCE - W - Perform a simple backup (put a card at random from the hand
on top of the library)
5. GRV - W - Shuffle a random card from AP's hand into the unknown portion

23. Q8: AP casts Serum Visions, draws a card, scries 2, leaves both on top and
then draws another card. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. GRV - W - Perform a simple backup (put a card at random from the hand
on top of the library)
2. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card from AP’s hand to be put on top of the
library
3. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card from AP’s hand to be shuffled into the
unknown portion of the library
4. HCE - W - Perform a simple backup (put a card at random from the hand
on top of the library)
5. GRV - W - Shuffle a random card from AP's hand into the unknown portion
Since the hand contains more cards than it's supposed to, the opponent
chooses a card and it's considered an excess card. Excess cards are returned
to the correct location. If that location is the library and the identity of the card
was previously known, the card is returned to the top of the library.

24. Q9: AP mulligans, keeps her six cards, then scries
two. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. LEC - W - Shuffle one of the cards at random into the library
2. MPE - W - AP takes an extra mulligan
3. MPE - W - NAP chooses a card out of the two to be shuffled into the library
4. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card out of the two to be shuffled into the library
5. MPE - W - AP shuffles the library and scries again

25. Q9: AP mulligans, keeps her six cards, then scries
two. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. LEC - W - Shuffle one of the cards at random into the library
2. MPE - W - AP takes an extra mulligan
3. MPE - W - NAP chooses a card out of the two to be shuffled into the library
4. HCE - W - NAP chooses a card out of the two to be shuffled into the library
5. MPE - W - AP shuffles the library and scries again
Scrying for more than one card after taking a mulligan is treated as a Hidden
Card Error. The two cards being scried are considered a set of cards. Since the
set contains more cards than it's supposed to, the opponent chooses a card
and it's considered an excess card. Excess cards are returned to the correct
location. If that location is the library, they should be shuffled into the random
portion.

26. Q10: AP casts Duress and chooses a card. After discarding, NAP accidentally
draws a card. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. GRV - W - NAP shuffles the extra card into the library
2. HCE - W - AP chooses any card from NAP's hand to be shuffled into the
library
3. HCE - GL - No remedy
4. GRV - Perform a simple backup (put a card at random from the hand on
top of the library)
5. HCE - W - AP chooses the drawn card from NAP's hand to be shuffled into
the library

27. Q10: AP casts Duress and chooses a card. After discarding, NAP accidentally
draws a card. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. GRV - W - NAP shuffles the extra card into the library
2. HCE - W - AP chooses any card from NAP's hand to be shuffled into the
library
3. HCE - GL - No remedy
4. GRV - Perform a simple backup (put a card at random from the hand on
top of the library)
5. HCE - W - AP chooses the drawn card from NAP's hand to be shuffled into
the library
Since the hand contains more cards than it's supposed to, the opponent
chooses a previously-unknown card and it's considered an excess card. Excess
cards are returned to the correct location. If that location is the library, they
should be shuffled into the random portion.

28. Q11: While scrying 2, AP accidentally shuffles the scried cards into his
library. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. HCE - No penalty - Losing the cards is enough
2. HCE - W - AP scries the new 2 top cards
3. HCE - W - Leave the game state as is
4. HCE - W - NAP looks at AP's library and chooses two cards as the scried
cards
5. HCE - W - Select two cards at random from the library to be the scried
cards

29. Q11: While scrying 2, AP accidentally shuffles the scried cards into his
library. What are the infraction, penalty and remedy?
1. HCE - No penalty - Losing the cards is enough
2. HCE - W - AP scries the new 2 top cards
3. HCE - W - Leave the game state as is
4. HCE - W - NAP looks at AP's library and chooses two cards as the scried
cards
5. HCE - W - Select two cards at random from the library to be the scried
cards
If the set of cards that contained the problem no longer exists, there is no
remedy to be applied.

30. Questions?