What counts as a Showdown beginning?

According to Rule 344 and the associated RiftJudge FAQs, a Showdown begins when control of a battlefield is contested and the turn is in a Neutral Open State (meaning no other showdown or combat is currently ongoing).

Here is the breakdown of how a Showdown begins:

1. When a Showdown Begins

• Contesting a Battlefield: A Showdown is triggered when a player moves a unit into a battlefield that they do not currently control.
• Combat vs. Non-Combat:
  • Combat Showdown: If the battlefield already contains units controlled by an opponent, the Showdown opens as a Combat Showdown (Rule 344.1).
  • Non-Combat Showdown: If the battlefield is empty (uncontrolled) or contains only units controlled by the player who just moved in, it opens as a Non-Combat Showdown (Rule 344.2).

2. Important Timing Nuances

• Staging: If a battlefield becomes contested while a chain is resolving or another showdown is ongoing, the Showdown is staged and will not begin until the current chain resolves and the state returns to "Neutral Open" (Rule 323.11, FAQ #4322).
• No Showdown for Reinforcements: Moving a unit to a battlefield you already control does not trigger a Showdown; it is simply considered a reinforcement (FAQ #8066, FAQ #5980).
• Only One Showdown: Only one Showdown can exist at a time. If multiple are staged, they must resolve one after another (FAQ #10).

3. The Sequence of Initiation

When a Showdown begins:

1. Focus: The player who applied the "Contested" status to the battlefield gains Focus (Rule 345).
2. State: The game enters a Showdown State, which is a Window of Opportunity where players can play spells and activate abilities in an alternating fashion (Rule 342, Rule 343).
3. Combat Transition: If a non-combat showdown is ongoing and a combat becomes staged at that same battlefield, the showdown will transition into a combat showdown during the next cleanup (Rule 323.14, Patch Notes 2026-03-30).