<p>Since the corners of alpha cards are distinctly different from the other editions of magic cards, it would be equivalent to playing with a marked deck, since presumably all your cards won't be alpha.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-11T23:38:32.870Z
2016-02-11T23:38:32.870Z
Stephen
<p>In <a href="https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/a/28809/15277">this answer</a> the <a href="http://wpn.wizards.com/sites/wpn/files/attachements/mtg_mtr_22jan16_en.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">tournament rules</a> are quoted:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>3.3 Authorized Cards</strong></p>
<p>[...]</p>
<p>Players may use cards from the Alpha printing <strong>only if the deck is in opaque sleeves</strong>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Why is this?</strong> As far as I remember there was an idea of having different card backs for each edition/expansion, but it was decided later to have the only one card back, which makes all cards compatible.</p>
<p><strong>What makes cards from Alpha different so that they could be recognized without an opaque sleeve?</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-11T23:47:09.077Z
Related: http://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/5120/how-can-i-tell-the-difference-between-early-magic-the-gathering-card-editions (talks about differences between all early sets without set symbols; the answer specifically for alpha is buried in there)
Cascabel
<magic-the-gathering>
Why do cards from Alpha have to be in opaque sleeves?
null
# Why do cards from Alpha have to be in opaque sleeves?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-02-11)

In [this answer](https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/a/28809/15277) the [tournament rules](http://wpn.wizards.com/sites/wpn/files/attachements/mtg_mtr_22jan16_en.pdf) are quoted:

> **3.3 Authorized Cards**
>
> [...]
>
> Players may use cards from the Alpha printing **only if the deck is in opaque sleeves**.

**Why is this?** As far as I remember there was an idea of having different card backs for each edition/expansion, but it was decided later to have the only one card back, which makes all cards compatible.

**What makes cards from Alpha different so that they could be recognized without an opaque sleeve?**

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Related: http://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/5120/how-can-i-tell-the-difference-between-early-magic-the-gathering-card-editions (talks about differences between all early sets without set symbols; the answer specifically for alpha is buried in there)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-02-11. Score: 16 | Accepted answer

Since the corners of alpha cards are distinctly different from the other editions of magic cards, it would be equivalent to playing with a marked deck, since presumably all your cards won't be alpha.


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