Learn to Play: 2025 in Review, and What to Expect in 2026

The most common improvement opportunity on submissions was the recommendation quality. Many recommendations were supportive and positive, but too general to be actionable: they told us a judge was “great” without describing what the judge did.

A strong recommendation does not need to be long, but it needs to be specific. The simplest way to think about it is: actions, impact, context. Instead of “This judge was awesome,” aim for statements like:

• “The way this judge explains the rules in the first two minutes is especially clear and gets players involved early.”
• “They not only ran their own tables, but also coordinated breaks with the team and gave insightful one-on-one coaching at the end of each day.”

If someone was impressed, it should be possible to name what created that impression.

The second most common improvement opportunity was the event validity. Only official Learn to Play booths are eligible for Advanced checklists. In practice, these booths are very hard to miss: the official LSS booth kit uses large banners and prominent official art, and it should not be confused with other demo setups.

At the same time, it was genuinely encouraging to read how many judges are teaching Flesh and Blood outside official booths: at local game stores, smaller conventions, and community spaces. That work is valuable. It builds experience, confidence, and better teaching instincts. It also directly grows local communities. Even when it cannot be counted toward Advanced for consistency reasons, it remains one of the best ways to hone L2P skills between major events.