APL

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about the Amsterdam Pauper League.

What is the Amsterdam Pauper League?#

The Amsterdam Pauper League (APL) is a community of Magic: The Gathering players dedicated to the Pauper format. We organise tournaments in Amsterdam and fly Dutch players to Paupergeddon, the largest Pauper event in the world.

Founded in Amsterdam on June 6, 2026, the APL is part of the international network of Pauper leagues coordinated by Lega Pauper Italia (LPI). We follow LPI's guidelines to organise our activities and deliver a rewarding Pauper experience to players in the Netherlands.

The APL was born as the successor to the Dutch Pauper League (DPL).

What about the Dutch Pauper League?#

The DPL was born as the successor to the Amsterdam Pauper Series (APS). It organised Pauper tournaments in Amsterdam from January 28, 2024 to June 6, 2026.

LPI supported the transition from Dutch Pauper League to Amsterdam Pauper League by preserving standings points for the 2026 season.

How can I participate?#

Join any leg, and you will become a member of the league. Each leg awards league points, and your final position in the season standings determines your knockout qualification and eligibility for Paupergeddon rewards, including byes and travel allowances.

What does the APL organise?#

Each year, the APL organises events at different Rules Enforcement Levels (RELs) to ensure the best environments for players of different skill levels:

  • Monthly legs. Single-day tournaments, open to everybody. Match results award leg prizes of the day and league points for the season standings. Each leg is a paid-entry Swiss tournament run under Regular REL.
  • End-of-season knockout. A playoff for the top-ranked players to decide the league champion. The knockout is a free-entry tournament for qualified players only, run under Competitive REL.
  • Up to twice a year, an International Pauper Tour (IPT).

How are season standings calculated?#

Points are awarded based on match outcomes: 3 points per win, 1 point per draw, 0 points per loss.

Standings count each player's best 7 of 8 events. If a player has joined 7 or less events during a season, all of them are counted.

Who qualifies for the knockout?#

After all season legs are played, the Top 8 players in the standings qualify for the knockout. If there's a tie for the final spots, all tied players are invited.

How does the knockout work?#

The knockout tournament consists of two stages:

  • 3-Round Swiss Stage. All qualified players compete in a three-round Swiss tournament to determine the Top 4.
  • Top 4 Playoff. The four highest-ranked players from the Swiss stage advance to a single-elimination bracket to decide the APL Champion of the season.

This format is suggested by LPI to ensure players compete in multiple matches, with the final rounds determining the overall winner.

In Round 1, the higher-ranked player in the standings chooses who goes first. From Round 2 onward, including the Top 4 playoff, the starting player is decided randomly.

What can I win?#

The APL awards prizes at every level of play:

  • Leg prizes: awarded at each event, scaling with attendance.
  • League Standings Winner: the player with the most league points at season end. Eligible for Paupergeddon travel allowance and bye based on attendance.
  • APL Champion: winner of the knockout. Represents the Netherlands at Paupergeddon with guaranteed travel allowance. Byes depend on attendance.
  • Knockout Runner-up: second place in the knockout. Eligible for byes based on attendance.

How do byes and travel allowance work?#

We aim to cover round-trip flights for eligible players. Byes for Paupergeddon depend on the average attendance of the 7 largest legs in the year:

  • 16+ avg players: unlocks 1 bye for the APL Champion
  • 32+ avg players: unlocks 1 additional bye for the Standings Winner
  • 64+ avg players: unlocks 1 additional bye for the Knockout Runner-up

What if one player wins both titles?#

If one player wins both the standings and the knockout, the extra bye passes down to the next eligible knockout finisher.

Can the APL help me get a Paupergeddon ticket?#

Yes. As a league member, you can buy a pre-sale ticket directly from LPI. Contact us for details.

When does the season reset?#

After the knockout, the league standings are cleared, and the new season begins.

What's the APL's long-term goal?#

Our aim is to consistently run 8 legs with 64+ players so three Dutch players each year get travel allowances and byes for Paupergeddon. That means raising the competitive level in the Netherlands and making sure talented players get the support they deserve.