Judge of the Month May 2023 – Juan Ortiz

Welcome back everyone! We are excited to announce our Judge of the Month for May, Juan Ortiz! He can be found at large events being a positive influence on judges and players alike. He maintains the balance of attention to responsibilities and friendly support to those around him that judges aspire to achieve, so we are excited to recognize him as our Judge of the Month!

Name: Juan Ortiz

Level: 2

Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Occupation: I am in the U.S. Army! Ive been serving for about 11 years and I serve as a diesel mechanic. But im currently assigned to Recruiting Duty! So if you have questions about the army let me know! (Shameless plug)

Fun Fact: I’m adventurous I’m always the one looking for a new culture, food, or topic to dive into! I love to learn and hear about people’s experiences from other parts of the world!

Favorite Hero: I like to play Fai! Block what? I just wanna play the cards and do as much damage as I can! I know, I’m sorry, but aggro is too much fun!

How long have you been judging Flesh and Blood?
I took the level one exam in February of 2022 and helped judge my first event which was ProQuest season one in march of the same year! After some encouragement from a non Fab judge!

Why did you become a judge?
I’m always the person who, even if I’m not playing in an event, I’m just as happy hanging out and being part of the community! Who doesn’t want to hang out with their friends! So when my friend Zack who judges other things told me about all the stuff he gets to do and enjoy i decided to give it a shot! But I chose to try it out with FAB. Took the test and did a PQ and Turned out I love it! I enjoy talking with the players and participating! It’s a great way to be a part of the community in a greater capacity and still do the things I enjoy!

What are some tips you have for other judges?
1. Just try it out! Don’t be afraid to just give things a shot! You don’t know what what are capable of until you try! Trust me I took some encouragement! When afforded an opportunity to do something new take it! It’s how you grow!
2. Find mentors and people you can trust and confide in! Individuals you can lean on to to give you real feedback! Judging is not an individual sport! We are all part of a team working towards a common goal! You have people ready to help guide you and help you learn so seek that advice.
3. Utilize your resources! Open the PPG, CR, and Tournament rules do your due diligence the players deserve it! Utilize the other judges around you, two heads are better then one even if it’s just asking someone to shadow you. Ask for feedback (when appropriate and time allows). Learn from your mistakes so you don’t repeat them. Oh, and READ THE CARDS.
4. Knowledge is useless if you keep it to yourself. When you learn something teach it to the group because one day someone has to take your spot. Impart that knowledge when you can, that helps prevent or lessens a gap in the future. Learn from your mistakes and tell others about it so that they too might avoid it! Trust me, maybe they have done it too and you can learn from it together.
5. HAVE FUN- Don’t forget that the players are there to have fun, so you should too! Talk to those players between rounds and get to know them! Get to know the other judges too! People travel from all over to play some great games (of Flesh and Blood), learn about them. They will remember you even if you don’t remember them! Build that relationship with the other judges, you will make great friends and even start some fun traditions.

If you were a Flesh and Blood hero, what do you think your class would be?
Mechanologist warrior maybe? I feel like they are always trying to innovate and adapt these cool inventions to their advantage.

What challenges have you faced in judging, and how have you worked to overcome them?
I tend to get that IMPOSTER syndrome where I think im not doing as well as I might be or could be, but listening to feedback and genuinely learning from it has helped!

Who have been some of your biggest mentors in Flesh and Blood judging, and what did they teach you?
I’d say I have a lot! I try to learn from everyone! Whether it’s from direct feedback, me asking questions or seeing things I do or don’t like to put in my tool box. But a few definitely stand out:
Brandon Welch- is always providing me with honest feedback. Providing insight into other avenues of approach and helping me get over the imposter syndrome
Ryan Wood- is always giving me the kick in the butt needed to just go try something I want to or something I should do to help develop me in judging.
Gérard Trpin- has taught me how fun it is to really learn and interact with those players and judges around me while also providing me with real honest feedback when I need it!
Maddie Thompson- we both judged our first event together so having someone to debrief with at the end of every event and talk about experiences taught me how invaluable self review and reflection is. And they provide a little bit of competition encouragement to keep growing as a judge! Always excited to hear when they learn something now or do something new!

How did you start playing Flesh and Blood?
I bought the original Rudy kit from alpha investments and played with some of the decks with my brother. Sadly no one else played around us so I didn’t touch the game again until I moved to Oklahoma and there was a budding community then I started playing heavily at the monarch release!

What is your proudest moment in your Flesh and Blood judging career?
So far, probably at Calling Indianapolis? Last hour of the weekend, my feet hurt and I was tired, I was in line to sign out for the weekend and a player walks right up to me in line and tells me how happy they were to have me as one of the judges on side events and how good their weekend was. That was the best!

What motivates you to continue judging?
Being able to travel with my friends who play in the tournaments while seeing those I’ve met from around the world really motivates me to keep doing it! It’s an opportunity I wouldn’t have otherwise.

What is your favorite non-Flesh and Blood hobby?
I’m an avid movie goer! I love going to the theatre to have some popcorn and see a movie, whether it’s good or bad. I like to fish too.

Flesh and Blood is the first card game you’ve judged, do you have any advice for others who are jumping into the world of TCG judging for the first time with Flesh and Blood?
Definitely!
Find like minded people like you to grow with! Don’t be afraid to try new things! And ask questions. If you don’t know ask those around you we are all here to support each other!
Use the tools you have to your advantage. Read the cards and utilize the CR and PPG of you don’t open them you won’t learn from them. Same with you ears open your ears to others and learn from their experiences!

You quickly rocketed from being a brand new judge to a level 2 with lead positions at large events, how has that experience been? Are there any things that you think have been pivotal to your success?
It’s been a lot of fun! Like I said before, I tend to feel like I’m not doing as well as others say I am. My goal at every event is really to just be as helpful as I can. I really want to just be valuable member of the team and pull my weight! I think a bit of my army expirence bleeds over. I think being able to quickly adapt and overcome certain situations helps anywhere you go! Having been a part of many teams over the course of many years taught me how important it is to do your part and lean on others when needed.

Other judges have commended you for your good vibes and the sense of camaraderie that you encourage while on the event floor. Do you have any tips for judges that are looking to inspire a similar feeling among those they are working with?
Just be genuine! Be kind and keep your values. Having fun and remembering others are there to have fun helps! Talk to players and judges and enjoy the fellowship and friendship!

Thank you to Juan for your contributions to the Flesh & Blood judging community and for taking some time to answer our questions! Want to nominate a judge for next month? Fill out this form to get them in the running!