The DCI Standard Floor Rules

OFFICIAL NETRUNNER
STANDARD FLOOR RULES
Effective October 1, 1998 
INTRODUCTION

The DCI Standard Floor Rules are the foundation of fair and 
consistent Netrunner tournament play worldwide. In order to 
maintain standardization, tournament participants must abide by 
both the rules themselves and the spirit in which they were 
created. Players who violate sections of the Standard Floor Rules 
or the codes of conduct will be subject to the appropriate 
provisions of the DCI penalty guide. The codes of conduct and the 
DCI penalty guide are included in the Appendix. 

A. NECESSARY TOURNAMENT MATERIALS 
Players must bring the following items to a tournament in order to 
participate: 

Visible method to count bit totals (counters, dice, pen and pencil,
and so on). 
Visible items that denote accumulating card effects (dice, beads, 
and so on).
Note: Other Netrunner cards may not serve as counters, except those
specifically designed to serve this purpose. The head judge may 
disallow any counter at his or her discretion. 
One DCI membership card.
New players may register for DCI membership at their first 
tournament. Players may only have one membership card and one DCI 
number. Players using more than one DCI membership number should be
reported to the DCI. 
Any materials specifically required for a particular tournament 
format.
Example: Players need to bring preassembled decks to Constructed 
tournaments. 
Additional required materials-if any-are determined by the related 
rules sections or by the tournament organizer. Tournament 
organizers specifying additional required materials for their 
tournaments must announce this requirement sufficiently in advance 
of the tournament. 
B. TOURNAMENT SANCTIONING & RATING TYPES
The DCI sanctions the following Netrunner tournament types: 

Constructed Netrunner 
Limited Netrunner 
The DCI produces the following ratings and rankings categories: 
Constructed Netrunner 
Limited Netrunner 
C. PREGAME PROTOCOL
The following steps must be performed in order before each round 
begins. 

Players shuffle their decks. See Section 1.3.11. 
Players present their decks to their opponents (for additional 
shuffling and cutting, if desired). 
Each player draws five cards from his or her deck and collects 5 
bits from the bit bank. 

STANDARD FLOOR RULES
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING ALL OPTIONAL RULES: Tournament organizers,
tournament officials, and head judges who choose to use any rule 
marked "OPTIONAL" must provide notice to participants before the 
tournament begins. Optional rules may not be invoked or altered by 
either tournament officials or players once the tournament begins. 

1.0 RULES GOVERNING ALL SANCTIONED TOURNAMENT PLAY 

1.0.1 Judges, tournament organizers, and tournament officials may 
not play in the events they organize or run. 

1.0.2 Rules Knowledge Responsibilities
Competitors in sanctioned tournaments are responsible for knowing 
and following the most current version of the DCI Standard Floor 
Rules and any other applicable regulatory documents. 

1.0.3 Tournament Coordinator Handbook
Tournament organizers must have their updated DCI Tournament 
Coordinator Handbooks and a current copy of the DCI Standard Floor 
Rules available at any DCI-sanctioned events they are running. 
Tournament organizers must have copies of the most recent rulings, 
errata, and clarifications from the Top Runners' Conference. 

1.1 Head Judge
Officially sanctioned competition requires the presence of a head 
judge during play to interpret rules, terminate excessively long 
matches, disqualify players, and make other official decisions. The
head judge may enlist the help of other officials to answer rules 
questions or perform other tasks at the head judge's request. The 
head judge and the tournament organizer can, but do not have to, be
the same individual. 

1.1.1 Appeals to the Head Judge
If players should disagree with a tournament official's decision, 
they are free to appeal the ruling to the head judge. The head 
judge has the right to overrule all tournament officials' 
decisions. 

1.2 RULES INFRACTIONS & JUDICIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Judges must take action to resolve any rules infraction (whether a 
violation of the Standard Floor Rules or the rules for Netrunner) 
they notice or that is brought to their attention. Competitors are 
not permitted to waive penalties on behalf of their opponents. The 
head judge must ensure that the appropriate penalty, if any, is 
imposed. 

1.3 RULES MOST LIKELY TO REQUIRE ENFORCEMENT OR INTERPRETATION 

1.3.1 Termination of Lengthy Matches
The head judge may be required to determine the outcome of an 
excessively long match prior to its actual conclusion. Before 
intervening to terminate a match, the head judge must give the 
players involved at least thirty minutes prior notice. 

Once the notice period passes, the judge announces that the match 
is over. A player in mid-turn has five minutes to complete his or 
her turn before the match result is determined. (A player in 
mid-turn is someone who has resolved start-of-turn effects.) 

1.3.2 Tempo of Play
Players must take their turns in a timely fashion. Whereas taking a
reasonable amount of time to think through game strategy is 
acceptable, deliberately stalling for time is not. If the head 
judge determines that a player purposely failed to complete his or 
her turn in a reasonable amount of time, that player will be 
subject to the appropriate provisions of the DCI penalty guide. 

1.3.3 Pregame Time Limit
Prior to each game, competitors have five minutes to thoroughly 
shuffle their own decks. This five-minute period does not include 
shuffling an opponent's deck. Shuffling requirements specified in 
Section 1.3.11 apply during these steps. 

If the head judge determines that a player exceeded the time limit 
on purpose and is stalling, the head judge will subject the player 
to the appropriate provisions of the DCI penalty guide. 

OPTIONAL: The head judge or tournament organizer may set a time 
limit of less than five minutes for these procedures, but if he or 
she does so, this policy must be announced to players before the 
tournament begins. 

1.3.4 Mid-game Shuffling Time Limit
A one-minute time limit exists for all shuffling that occurs during
a game. If the head judge determines that a player's shuffling time
is excessive, that player will be subject to the appropriate 
provisions of the DCI penalty guide. 

Shuffling requirements specified in Section 1.3.11 apply. 

1.3.5 Tardiness
Players are expected to be in their seats when each round begins. 
Players arriving at their seats ten minutes after the round begins 
receive a first-game loss in the match and a match loss after an 
additional ten minutes. Players who fail to take their seats by the
end of the first round will be ejected from the tournament. 

1.3.6 Cheating
Cheating will not be tolerated. The head judge reviews all cheating
allegations, and if he or she determines that a player cheated, the
head judge will issue the appropriate penalty based on the DCI 
penalty guide. All tournament disqualifications are subject to DCI 
review, and further penalties may be assessed. 


Cheating includes, but is not limited to: 
Receiving outside assistance or coaching 
Looking at opponents' cards while shuffling or cutting 
Taking notes-See Section 1.3.6.1 
Misrepresenting cards or rules 
Underpaying bit costs 
Using marked cards/sleeves-See Section 1.3.6.2 
Intentionally marking cards/sleeves during play 
Drawing extra cards 
Manipulating which cards are drawn from the player's or the 
opponent's deck 
Deliberately stalling the length of a turn to take advantage of a 
time limit 
Intentionally misrepresenting public information (bit totals, 
number of cards in hand, and so on). 
1.3.6.1 Taking Notes
Players are not allowed to take notes on the contents of an 
opponent's deck while participating in a match, other than the 
following: 

total MU for the Runner; 
maximum hand size; 
virus counters and similar effects; 
bit totals; 
the total number of cards each participant has played; and/or 
agenda point totals for each player.
(Next to each entry, players may write a brief description of what 
caused any change.) 
If any other notes are taken, the player will be subject to the 
appropriate provisions of the DCI Penalty Guide. 

1.3.6.2 Marked Cards
A card is considered marked if it bears anything that makes it 
possible to identify the card without seeing its face. If each card
is sleeved, the sleeve is considered part of the card. 

For cards in clear sleeves, both the sleeve and the card must be 
examined in order to determine whether a card is marked. 

For cards in opaque-backed sleeves, the sleeve must be examined in 
order to determine whether a card is marked. 

For more information about the use of card sleeves, see Section 
1.3.10. 

If the head judge determines that a card in a player's deck is 
marked, that player will be subject to the appropriate provisions 
of the DCI penalty guide. 

1.3.7 Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Unsportsmanlike conduct is unacceptable and will not tolerated at 
any time. Judges, players, and officials must behave in a polite, 
respectable, and sportsmanlike manner. Collusion to alter the 
results of a game or match is considered to be unsportsmanlike and 
will not be tolerated. Players who engage in collusion, use 
profanity, argue, act belligerently toward tournament officials or 
one another, or harass spectators, tournament officials, or 
opponents, will be subject to the appropriate provisions of the DCI
penalty guide and will be subject to further DCI review. 

1.3.8 Card Elevation
Players must keep their cards on or above the level of the playing 
surface. If players need to temporarily set aside their hand of 
cards, the cards must be laid visibly on the table. 

Example: The "trace game" and similar effects require players to 
select a number of bits, either by holding them in their hands or 
noting the amount in some manner. The player may opt to set the 
hand of cards down in plain view on the table to facilitate this 
action. 

1.3.9 Proxy Cards
The use of proxy cards is not permitted, unless these cards are 
provided by a judge. When a judge determines that a card has become
excessively worn through play or accidentally damaged in the 
current sanctioned tournament, the judge may provide a proxy 
replacement card at his or her discretion. 

The term "proxy" includes counterfeit cards or any card that is not
a genuine Netrunner card. Violation of this rule will be considered
unsportsmanlike conduct and the responsible player will be subject 
to the appropriate provisions of the DCI penalty guide and to 
further DCI review. Counterfeiters will be prosecuted to the 
fullest extent of the law. 

All cards in the participant's deck MUST be genuine Netrunner 
cards. 

1.3.10 Card Sleeves
A player may use plastic card sleeves or other protective devices 
on cards. If a player chooses to use card sleeves, all cards in the
player's current deck must be placed in these devices in an 
identical manner. If the sleeves feature holograms or other similar
markings, cards must be inserted into the sleeves so that these 
markings appear only on the face of the cards. If for any reason 
any player's opponent wishes a player to remove the sleeves or 
protective devices, he or she may request this prior to the 
beginning of any match, and the player must immediately comply. All
player requests to desleeve must be made prior to the beginning of 
the match. 

Once a match has begun, a player may request that the judge inspect
his or her opponent's card sleeves. The judge may disallow a 
player's card sleeves if the judge believes they are marked, worn, 
or otherwise in a condition that interferes with shuffling or game 
play. A card sleeve may be used to mark a player's card if the card
is in the opponent's playing field. 

Newly released card sleeves and/or types of protective devices are 
not permitted in sanctioned tournaments until the DCI gives its 
official approval for their use. 

OPTIONAL: The head judge or tournament organizer may declare that 
card sleeves may not be used. If this option is used, it must be 
announced before the tournament begins. 

1.3.11 Shuffle
Regardless of the method used to shuffle the deck, players' decks 
must be sufficiently randomized. After decks are presented, if a 
player is not satisfied that his or her opponent's deck is 
sufficiently randomized, the player must notify the head judge. The
head judge has final authority regarding whether or not a deck has 
been sufficiently randomized. 

Each time a player shuffles his or her deck during a match, the 
player's opponent may shuffle and/or cut the player's deck. Players
may not use this rule as an opportunity to view any cards in an 
opponent's deck. After shuffling, the cards are returned to their 
original owners, who may cut (but not reshuffle) the cards before 
play begins. 

1.3.12 Forgetting about Paying Card Costs
If a player ends an action and does not pay the appropriate cost, 
the effects of not paying that cost are realized immediately and 
the player is subject to the appropriate provisions of the DCI 
penalty guide. 

Example: If the Runner plays Lucidrine Booster Drug to make a run 
and fails to account for the required brain damage, that damage is 
assessed immediately when the violation is noted. 

1.3.13 Electronic Devices
OPTIONAL: The head judge or tournament organizer may choose not to 
allow players to participate with electronic devices such as 
cellular phones, pagers, 'trodes, and/or portable audio units 
turned on. Players violating this rule will be subject to the 
appropriate provisions of the DCI penalty guide. 

1.3.14 Spectators 
Players have the right to request that any person, other than 
tournament officials, not observe their match. All such requests 
must be made through the head judge. 

Spectators are expected to remain silent during the course of the 
match and are not permitted to communicate with players in any way 
while a match is in progress. Players are not permitted to observe 
other games. 

1.3.13 Lengthy Rulings 
If a judge needs more than one minute to make a ruling, either 
player may request that their match be extended by the amount of 
time that the game was delayed. The head judge may then, at his or 
her discretion, extend the match by the appropriate amount of time.
 

1.4 POSTING TOURNAMENT-SPECIFIC DCI STANDARD FLOOR RULES AT TITLE 
EVENTS
Tournament organizers coordinating title events (championships, et 
al.) must post tournament-specific sections of the DCI Standard 
Floor Rules at the tournament. 


2.0 RULES FOR NETRUNNER CONSTRUCTED TOURNAMENTS
2.1 Constructed Tournament Required Materials
In order to participate in a sanctioned Constructed tournament, 
players must bring a preassembled deck of Netrunner cards (and 
everything specified in the introduction, Section A). Players' 
decks must each contain at least forty-five (45) cards. Corp decks 
must contain the minimum number of agenda points required by the 
Netrunner game rules. Players must each use the same deck 
throughout the tournament. 

2.1.1 Tournament-Legal Decks 
Decks that contain fewer than forty-five (45) cards, or Corp decks 
that contain less than the required agenda point total, do not 
comply with Section 2.1 and are not tournament legal. Use of 
illegal decks will result in the responsible player being subject 
to the appropriate provisions of the DCI penalty guide. 

The following card sets are permitted in sanctioned Constructed 
Netrunner tournaments as of October 1, 1998: 

Netrunner 
Proteus 
2.1.2 Deck Registration
OPTIONAL: The head judge or tournament organizer may require 
players to register their decks upon arrival at a tournament. 
Registration records the original composition of each deck. Once a 
player's decklist is received by a tournament official, it may only
be altered at the head judge's discretion. The deck must be 
returned to its original composition before the beginning of a new 
match. 

NOTE: Wizards of the Coast, Inc., reserves the right to publish 
contents of decks as well as transcripts or video reproductions of 
any sanctioned tournament. 

2.1.3 New Releases
New Netrunner card sets (i.e., new expansions or new editions of 
the basic set) released during the first 15 days of a month are 
allowed in tournament play on the first day of the month following 
their retail release dates. Card sets released after the first 15 
days of a month are allowed in tournament play on the first day of 
the second month following their release dates. Therefore, card 
sets always enter tournament play two to five weeks after their 
retail release dates, and always on the first day of the month. The
DCI announces the exact date that each new card set enters 
tournament play before the set is released. 

The card sets a tournament organizer plans to use at a tournament 
must be announced by tournament officials or the tournament 
organizer prior to the event. 

2.1.4 Banned and Restricted Cards
There are no banned or restricted cards for Constructed Netrunner 
tournaments. 

NOTE: The Banned and Restricted Lists are modified quarterly by the
DCI as follows: March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1. 

2.2 ANTE
Players may not wager ante. 


3.0 RULES FOR NETRUNNER LIMITED TOURNAMENTS 
3.1 GENERAL RULES FOR LIMITED TOURNAMENTS 

3.1.1 Banned and Restricted Lists
No Banned or Restricted lists exist for Limited-environment 
tournaments. 

3.1.2 Anomalous Decks, Boosters, and Cards
If a player receives an anomalous deck, booster pack, or card, it 
should be brought to the head judge's attention and replaced at his
or her discretion. In the case of an anomalous-or "marked"-card, 
the judge may replace it with a proxy card at his or her 
discretion. Neither Wizards of the Coast, Inc., nor the tournament 
organizer guarantees any specific distribution of card rarities or 
frequency in a particular pack or deck. 

3.1.3 Deck Size Requirements
Each deck is required to have a minimum of forty-five (45) cards. 
Corp decks must contain the minimum number of agenda points 
required by the Netrunner game rules. Before a game begins, each 
player is allowed to count the number of cards in his or her 
opponent's deck to ensure the total number of cards has not changed
since the deck was originally issued. Any discrepancy should be 
reported to a tournament official and, pending an investigation, 
the head judge will subject the player to the appropriate 
provisions of the DCI penalty guide. 

3.1.4 Deck Registration
OPTIONAL: The head judge or tournament organizer may require 
players to record on a decklist every card they receive in a 
Limited tournament. Once the cards are registered, players have a 
limited amount of time to prepare their decks before play begins. 
The time allotted for deck construction must be announced by the 
head judge before the tournament begins. 

3.1.5 Card Use
Players must only use the actual cards they receive or draft at a 
Limited tournament. Players may not trade or replace cards they 
receive or draft at a Limited tournament with any other cards, even
if the replacement is an exact copy. If a card is damaged or 
otherwise considered "marked," players must comply with Section 
3.1.2-Anomalous Decks, Boosters and Cards. 

3.1.6 Early Departure
Limited-tournament participants may not withdraw from the event 
prior to the first match. Violation of this rule shall result in 
the offending participant receiving a match loss on the official 
tournament record (the opponent shall receive a match win). 

3.2 RULES FOR SEALED-DECK TOURNAMENTS 

3.2.1 Deck Construction
Before tournament play begins, each player receives a sealed deck 
of Netrunner cards and various booster packs, from which he or she 
will create a tournament deck. 

The total number of cards available to a player for deck 
construction is determined by tournament officials prior to the 
event. The DCI suggests giving each player a combination of decks 
and/or boosters totaling ninety (90) to one hundred and eighty 
(180) cards. 


4.0 TOURNAMENT SCORING
4.1 Scoring Point Types
There are two different types of scoring points in Netrunner 
tournaments. 

Game Points are awarded for winning games. 

Tournament Points are awarded based on the number of games and 
matches won. 

4.2 Game Point Scoring 

A player receives ten (10) Game Points for winning a game. The 
losing player receives a number of Game Points equal to the agenda 
points scored. 

In the event of an incomplete game, each player scores Game Points 
equal to the number of agenda points scored. 

4.3 Tournament Point Scoring 

A player receives one (1) Tournament Point for each game he or she 
has won in a match. The winner of the match receives one (1) 
additional Tournament Point. 

A player who wins both games of the match is the winner of the 
match. If one game is incomplete when the match ends, the winner of
the match is the winner of the complete game. Where each player has
won one game, or no game was completed during the match, the player
with the higher Game Point total is the winner of the match. 

The tournament winner is the player with the highest Tournament 
Point total at the end of the final round. 


APPENDIX I. DEFINITION OF TERMS
Cut: Removing a single portion of a deck and placing it atop the 
remaining portion without looking at any of the card faces. 

Deck: Selection of cards that conforms to the deck construction 
rules for that particular format. For format-specific information, 
see: 

Section 2.3 for Constructed tournaments 
Section 3.1 for Limited tournaments 
Game: One complete game of Netrunner 

Match: A series of two games between two players to determine the 
winner. Each player in the match plays one game as the Runner and 
one game as the Corp. 

Proxy card: A card used during competition to represent another 
card; also counterfeit cards, or any card that is not a genuine 
Netrunner card. 

Public information: Statistics or card text that game participants 
are required to share with tournament officials and opponents by 
the rules of the game. 

Round: The period during which match play takes place. 

Stalling: Intentionally playing slowly in order to gain an 
advantage in a game or match. 


APPENDIX II. CODES OF CONDUCT
i. Introduction
The purpose of the Codes of Conduct is to provide players and 
officials with a guide to expected behavior during Wizards of the 
Coast sanctioned tournaments. By entering a Netrunner tournament, 
players and spectators agree to abide by all rulings rendered by 
tournament officials. 

ii. Sportsmanlike Conduct
Sportsmanlike conduct is based on mutual respect. Players, 
spectators, volunteers, and tournament officials are expected to 
exhibit this respect throughout a tournament. 

iii. Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Unsportsmanlike conduct is not tolerated at any officially 
sanctioned tournament. Players, judges, spectators, and volunteers 
must conduct themselves in a polite, respectable, and sportsmanlike
manner. A competitor behaving in a belligerent, argumentative, 
hostile, or unsportsmanlike manner will be subject to the 
appropriate provisions of the DCI penalty guide (see Appendix III).
 

The following behavior is automatically considered unsportsmanlike 
conduct: 

profanity 
physical intimidation 
failing to start a game or match in a timely manner 
arguing excessively with a judge 
scouting other competitors' decks 
enlisting the aid of observers to scout other competitors' decks 
disobeying/disregarding the rules for the tournament event 
willfully disobeying a ruling by the head judge or DCI tournament 
manager 
iv. Reporting Violations of the Codes of Conduct
It is a player's individual responsibility to promptly notify 
tournament officials of any condition he or she believes interferes
with tournament play. By failing to immediately notify tournament 
officials of possible unsportsmanlike conduct, witnesses and others
waive any possible claims against tournament officials and/or the 
tournament organization(s) for not taking action. Notifying 
tournament officials means the possible conduct violation may be 
investigated at the officials' discretion. Any possible penalties 
will be issued based solely on the outcome of the officials' 
investigation. 

If a player disagrees with how tournament officials handled the 
possible conduct violation, he or she can appeal the ruling to the 
DCI staff or the DCI tournament manager (if at the tournament) for 
a final decision. When the DCI staff (or DCI tournament manager) 
issues a final ruling, the players must follow that decision 
without further argument or other difficulties. If a player 
continues to argue or be disruptive, he or she will be subject to 
the appropriate provisions of the DCI penalty guide. 

v. Player Responsibilities
All players must obey the current official tournament rules 
applicable to the tournament type in which they are competing. If a
player has a rules question, he or she should communicate it to the
other player and judging staff in a concise, polite, and rational 
manner. 

Players have the right to appeal a judge's decision to the head 
judge. Players may appeal the head judge's decision to the DCI 
tournament manager (if at the tournament). When the head judge (or 
DCI tournament manager) issues a final ruling, the players must 
follow that decision without further argument or other 
difficulties. If a player continues to argue or be disruptive, he 
or she will be subject to the appropriate provisions of the DCI 
penalty guide. 

vi. Spectator Responsibilities
To ensure that spectators at official tournament events do not 
disturb the players' ability to concentrate on their matches, 
spectators must maintain a minimum distance of three feet from the 
players and the play table. Spectators must also remain silent and 
refrain from engaging in any behavior that could be disruptive to 
the players. A spectator may not take notes regarding any player's 
deck during a tournament, unless he or she is doing so for 
journalistic purposes and has received advance clearance from the 
head judge or DCI tournament manager. Any spectator violating these
rules may be warned by tournament officials or may be required to 
leave the event. 

vii. Volunteer Responsibilities
Volunteers should receive a full briefing by the judging staff in 
preparation for the tournament event, including: 

an overview of the official tournament rules, format, and 
procedures 
a review of the rules governing scoring 
a discussion regarding the length and number of tournament rounds 
policies regarding player movement during the tournament 
As with any public representative of DCI tournaments, volunteers 
are expected to treat players, spectators, and others with respect.
Should any player or spectator feel that a judge has not treated 
him or her with respect, he or she may file a complaint with the 
DCI players' organization. 

viii Tournament Organizer
The tournament organizer is charged with making sure an event runs 
smoothly and properly, and returning the event's results to the DCI
in a complete and timely manner. Unless the organizer is also the 
head judge, he or she is not authorized to overrule any 
rules-related decisions made by the head judge. 

ix. Judge Responsibilities
Judges must be provided with accurate and precise plans and 
procedures from the head judge and/or DCI tournament manager (if at
the tournament). 

Judges must treat players and spectators in a courteous and polite 
manner. Should any player or spectator feel that a judge has not 
treated him or her with respect, he or she may file a complaint 
with the DCI, head judge, and/or the DCI tournament manager (if at 
the tournament). 

x. Head Judge Responsibilities
If the DCI tournament manager is not in attendance, the head judge 
is the final arbiter of all questions and disputes during a 
tournament. As with all other public representatives of DCI 
tournaments, head judges are expected to treat players and others 
in a courteous and polite manner. Should any player or spectator 
feel that a judge has not treated him or her with respect, he or 
she may file a complaint with the DCI and/or the DCI tournament 
manager (if at the tournament). 

xi. DCI Tournament Manager
The DCI tournament manager is an employee of Wizards of the Coast, 
Inc., and is the final judicial authority at all events that he or 
she attends. The tournament manager may reverse any decision made 
by the head judge or any other tournament official. If the DCI 
tournament manager is present at the tournament, that person 
decides the degree to which a player should be subject to the DCI 
penalty guide.