diff --git a/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/tournament/TournamentController.java b/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/tournament/TournamentController.java
index d6d8dd8d6d1..5483733e44e 100644
--- a/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/tournament/TournamentController.java
+++ b/Mage.Server/src/main/java/mage/server/tournament/TournamentController.java
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ import mage.game.tournament.TournamentPlayer;
 import mage.players.PlayerType;
 import mage.server.User;
 import mage.server.draft.DraftController;
-import mage.server.managers.TableManager;
 import mage.server.managers.ManagerFactory;
+import mage.server.managers.TableManager;
 import mage.util.ThreadUtils;
 import mage.view.ChatMessage.MessageColor;
 import mage.view.ChatMessage.MessageType;
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ public class TournamentController {
         checkStart();
     }
 
-    public synchronized void join(UUID userId) {
+    public void join(UUID userId) {
         UUID playerId = userPlayerMap.get(userId);
         if (playerId == null) {
             if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
@@ -143,21 +143,23 @@ public class TournamentController {
             logger.debug("player reopened tournament panel userId: " + userId + " tournamentId: " + tournament.getId());
             return;
         }
+
         // first join of player
+        User user = managerFactory.userManager().getUser(userId).orElse(null);
+        if (user == null) {
+            logger.error("User not found  userId: " + userId + "   tournamentId: " + tournament.getId());
+            return;
+        }
+
         TournamentSession tournamentSession = new TournamentSession(managerFactory, tournament, userId, tableId, playerId);
         tournamentSessions.put(playerId, tournamentSession);
-        Optional<User> _user = managerFactory.userManager().getUser(userId);
-        if (_user.isPresent()) {
-            User user = _user.get();
-            user.addTournament(playerId, tournament.getId());
-            TournamentPlayer player = tournament.getPlayer(playerId);
-            player.setJoined();
-            logger.debug("player " + player.getPlayer().getName() + " - client has joined tournament " + tournament.getId());
-            managerFactory.chatManager().broadcast(chatId, "", player.getPlayer().getLogName() + " has joined the tournament", MessageColor.BLACK, true, null, MessageType.STATUS, null);
-            checkStart();
-        } else {
-            logger.error("User not found  userId: " + userId + "   tournamentId: " + tournament.getId());
-        }
+        user.addTournament(playerId, tournament.getId());
+        TournamentPlayer player = tournament.getPlayer(playerId);
+        player.setJoined();
+        logger.debug("player " + player.getPlayer().getName() + " - client has joined tournament " + tournament.getId());
+        managerFactory.chatManager().broadcast(chatId, "", player.getPlayer().getLogName() + " has joined the tournament", MessageColor.BLACK, true, null, MessageType.STATUS, null);
+
+        checkStart();
     }
 
     public void rejoin(UUID playerId) {
@@ -173,7 +175,7 @@ public class TournamentController {
         tournamentSession.update();
     }
 
-    private void checkStart() {
+    private synchronized void checkStart() {
         if (!started && allJoined()) {
             managerFactory.threadExecutor().getTourneyExecutor().execute(this::startTournament);
         }
@@ -191,7 +193,7 @@ public class TournamentController {
         return true;
     }
 
-    private synchronized void startTournament() {
+    private void startTournament() {
         Thread.currentThread().setName(ThreadUtils.THREAD_PREFIX_TOURNEY + " " + tableId);
         for (final TournamentSession tournamentSession : tournamentSessions.values()) {
             if (!tournamentSession.init()) {