If I enter an amber in a competition in CA, does it need to be hoppy or will a traditional amber still be judged by the traditional style?
It simply needs to conform to the style guidelines for the competition. If BJCP apply, then enter it into the stylemost appropriate, regardless of what you intended. American Amber Ale is category 19A, but there are a lot of amber beer styles. 19A allows for more a malt forward crystal-focused version, but typically the style has good hop presence to balance it out.
Which comp are you entering?
Oh sorry. NHC. I didn’t know if regional judging mattered.
Taste it while you read the style guidelines. If it tastes like want the guidelines say, that’s what to enter it as.
This is the thing most newer brewers miss. Enter it for what it is, not what was intended. Beers can turn out in unexpected ways, which can be a good thing, comp-wise, if you are flexible with an entry description.