I only vaguely remember the first tournament I had to travel over three hours to get to. It was in Massachusetts, so it could’ve been a PTQ or Regionals. There were a lot of people there, I remember that, but I can’t say what format it was or what deck I was playing. I do remember going with a friend that I looked up to and I remember the energy in the room when the names of the Top 8 were called. Mostly, I remember wanting desperately someday to be one of them. These players with their mono-blue decks who seemed intimately familiar with success—who were they? How did they do it? More importantly, how could I achieve similar success?

Role models are just as important in Magic today. That is one of the many reasons that cheating is so devastating. Nobody wants to find out that someone they look up to actually owes their success to victimizing other people. We want to believe that the people who are successful deserve their success and we want to know how they did it, so we can follow in their footsteps. I daresay that that is one of the biggest reasons any of us read Magic articles, though not all Magic writers have had a great deal of Magic success and not all great players are great (or even good) writers.

Recently, three friends of mine qualified for Pro Tour Honolulu and, because it’s been a long time since I qualified, I was interested in how they did it. Then, because I started thinking how important having role models has been to me at all stages of my development as a player, I thought it would be a great idea to share the thoughts of these Pro Tour competitors in an article, for all of you.

So, without further ado, let me introduce you all to Jackie Lee, Andrew Roystan, and Brandon Gade.

Jackie Lee Magic Accomplishments: PTQ win, Grand Prix Top 32, Massachusetts State Champion 2010.

Andrew Roystan’s Magic Accomplishments: Ohio Valley Regionals Champion 2007, Top 50 Pro Tour Philadelphia, Top 100 Worlds 2011, plus a lot of local and PTQ Top 8s.

Brandon Gade’s Magic Accomplishments: Long time PTQ grinder with a handful of Top 8s and a win, Day 2 at Pro Tour Philadelphia.

When and how did you start playing Magic?

Jackie: In high school all my friends played, and although I’ve taken breaks at different times in my life, I just never stopped.

Andrew: I started playing in 1998, after seeing the 1998 World Championships of Magic on ESPN.

Brandon: I was introduced to Magic when I was 12 through a cousin who had no idea how to play or even tell the rarity of a card. That got me buying packs at a local shop where I learned how to play.

When did you start playing competitively? What got you into competitive play?

Jackie: I was one of those arrogant, elitist kids who didn’t know if they had a superiority complex or an inferiority complex. What I did know, though, was that I liked winning—I wasn’t terribly consistent at it, however, until Mirrodin. After I learned to draft effectively, I befriended a bevy of PTQ grinders. Soon, I was hooked on the chase.

Andrew: I started to play competitively in 2000; I had moved to a bigger city that actually had a card store.

Brandon: I started playing competitively on the JSS circuit in 2002, but what really got me hooked was an eleven (!) round Massachusetts Regionals where I managed to finish 26th of 561 players. That event opened my eyes to all the aspects of the game that I still love today.

Are there any players, past or present, that mentored and inspired you?

Jackie: When I moved back to Boston for college, I fell in with the YMG team, and they showed me the ropes of competitive play. Darwin Kastle mentored me the most, back then, and the very first thing he taught me to do was draft a simple affinity deck in Mirrodin-Mirrodin-Darksteel. I’d been drafting Dripping Dead before this, so believe me when I say I needed all the help I could get. Rob Dougherty and Chad Ellis also inspired me, as they were fun people to spend time with, and I admired their Pro Tour accomplishments and Magic articles.

Andrew: In the past, yeah, of course there was—you! Presently, no. I find myself inspiring other local players to compete and grow their game.

Brandon: I started following event coverage diligently right away, so I recognized all the big names and consistent finishers then in the same way that I do today. My answers would be pretty straightforward relative to each time period. It’s hard not to be inspired by the best.

What was your first major breakthrough as a player?

Jackie: “Grinder boot camp” at YMG was my first breakthrough. Before this, I had no idea what I was doing. I had no idea what curve was, didn’t know that foils or sleeve irregularities could “mark” a deck, didn’t know how to spot cheating, and didn’t take precautions against presenting an invalid deck or drawing too many cards. These are all things I take for granted now, but looking back, I learned a huge volume during this time. Of course, I was nowhere near as good as I am now, but this formed the foundation for learning good play.

Andrew: Winning a Limited PTQ in Lorwyn block. I finally made my first Top 8 and won the whole thing. I got to travel to Kuala Lumpur and, even though I lost my last two rounds to miss Day 2, I got to see Finkel take the tourney down.

Brandon: I started playing PTQs in Time Spiral block—I Top 8’d my first three. The second one I punted the finals with lethal on board, and I would mark this moment as my breakthrough. Not because it qualified me for the Pro Tour, but because in the same tournament I learned about winning and consequence all at once. As much as it haunted me, it taught me lessons that are generally learned much more gradually.

How would you rate the importance of technical play vs. mind games?

Jackie: Technical play is more important, but not by as much as I used to believe. I think tells are a big part of the game. You might not realize you’re reacting to your opponent’s decision to tank for two minutes before swinging, but subconsciously, we absorb information like that.

Andrew: Technical play is at the highest importance. When that is at a high level, then sure, try some mind games if you want. Mind games do not matter if your technical play is not sound!

Brandon: Technical play is essential—you cannot be successful without it. These mind games are useless if you aren’t capitalizing on any advantage gained by them. Once you attain a high level of play, you should absolutely think about other aspects of the game that can give you an edge in a match.

How often do you think people are casually trying to get free information from you? For example, through friendly conversation.

Jackie: I don’t think they do it very much intentionally. But whenever I sit down with my opponent, I start analyzing his behavior, his speech, his choice of questions. I’m sure many people assess me in the same way. It usually just amounts to, “How good do I think my opponent is?”

Andrew: All the time. I honestly don’t chit-chat or anything until the match is over and the results are filled out. People are always trying to gain an edge, and that’s fine for them, honestly, but when I’m playing for money, I’m not there to make friends. Granted I don’t want to be mean or rude, but especially at a Pro Tour, I’m there to play first and socialize second.

Brandon: My matches are generally cordial, where little is said beyond what is obligatory. When an opponent tries to interact with me beyond that, it is usually very obvious that he or she is either being genuine or (not so) sneaky. I guess for me not very often, but in general plenty. I think it all depends on how you carry yourself in a match.

Do you think it’s important to be confident? Do you think you can be—or have you ever been—over-confident?

Jackie: It’s very important to be confident. If you are nervous or unsure, you’ll undermine your best efforts. If you think fighting your opponent is tough, imagine how much harder it can be when you’re also battling yourself. I don’t think I’m overconfident very often, but I definitely think I let my guard down for lesser tournaments, like FNM. Once, I was much more arrogant than I am now. I wouldn’t call it “overconfident,” though. Deep down, I knew I made a lot of mistakes, which is what drove me to seek affirmation so desperately.

Andrew: I feel it is extremely important to be confident in your play skill and deck selection. If you’re confident going in, it means you have tested and are prepared. A prepared, tested player should always feel confident—it means you put your work in. Being overly confident does happen, and I’ve done it. I feel if you’re too confident you will keep questionable hands and not think through plays properly.

Brandon: I know that it is vital to be confident in this game and in life in general. There is a difference between being extremely well-versed in a format and expecting good results because of it than feeling that your opponent is at a disadvantage, or that you are entitled to win that match based on your skill. I have fallen victim to this dangerous mindset before, and it causes you to focus less on the very things that make you confident in the first place!

How much time do you commit to playing Magic? How do you juggle that and other responsibilities? What advice can you give someone with a 9-to-5 job, a spouse, and kids about qualifying for the Pro Tour?

Jackie: I probably spend about 10-15 hours a week playing. I’ve actually had a really hard time managing this against other goals. During Alara block, I quit because I was going to school and working. I realized that I didn’t play enough to actually do well, and it was detracting from my studies! So I took a break. Now, I’ve been doing well, but my other projects, such as alters, have been suffering. Having a balanced life is always a challenge, but thankfully, my husband is very understanding. We both have things we want to accomplish, and if either of us is shirking a responsibility, we’re sure to let each other know.

Andrew: This really depends on whether I’m getting ready for an event, how big, and how far away it is. But even when there is nothing, I still play in some way probably 8 hours a week. My advice for trying to juggle a family and playing Magic is “keep it fair.”

I playtest a format and if I don’t feel comfortable or that I can win said tournament, I don’t go. There have been many local tournaments I could easily have gone to but decided otherwise due to lack of testing and preparation. I do this and then when a PTQ or GP is close and I do feel ready and tested, it’s not a question or a problem for me to attend. My family feels good when I skip a tourney or two, and we do family activities on the day.

On the other hand, when I do decide to go to an event they are excited because they know I’m going to do well typically, because I’ve put in the work. Basically split your time up, pick and choose to play when you know you have the best chances. The plus side to this is when you do go and you do well, they want you to actually go more!

Brandon: I honestly play very little outside of the weekend. I work 40 or more hours a week, have a girlfriend, and most of my friends don’t play Magic. The ones that do often have obligations of their own or we have conflicting schedules. I would tell someone trying to qualify in a similar or harder situation than mine to basically maximize what resources you have. It’s important to stay current even if you can only play sometimes, so reading articles is important. Playing MODO is probably the best thing you can do, because of the availability of quality testing whenever you have time. Networking is essential to have access to cards, information, and, most of all, save time. To keep it short, just try to be structured in what time you do have.

Do you think humility has any role in competitive sports or games?

Jackie: Humility plays a huge role in competition. At its core, competing is all about self-improvement. If you can’t see your weaknesses in an accurate light, you can’t begin to address them. Additionally, I think the internet has ended the period of heroes and villains in Magic. These days, no one wants to be seen as unlikable. The community is very small and connected, and I think the strategy of trying to tilt your opponent is short-sighted and ineffective, on the whole.

Andrew: All creatures are small when Humility is in play, and that’s the way it should be!

Brandon: I feel that it should, anyways. Not everyone has the time required to excel at this game, and not everyone plays for the same reasons. Any competitive thing is going to have its elite class, but those people should treat everyone as individuals, not classify them as durdles or ringers. People are too results-oriented and desire so much to be affiliated with this elite class that humility sometimes becomes an afterthought. Stay classy—there are plenty of people who would be great at this game if they had time. You could be losing out on some good friendships without practicing humility.

Is there someone now you go to for advice?

Jackie: I try to get advice from everyone I can. I have a general idea of who the better players are in my group, and hearing about their pick decisions and plays helps me gel my own opinions. But I think even average players have suggestions to offer. Different players have different skills, so whenever someone voices a strong opinion, I try to figure out why before writing them off as wrong.

Andrew: I would not say one person, I have an amazing team of players around me. Preparing and playing is done with my team at the Realm Comic and Games in Mansfield, Ohio. Honestly, these guys are great and you could easily be seeing one or more of them at the next Tour.

Brandon: I would say my best friend Chris Bertone. He can best relate to me because we’ve played for so many years together and we’ve had one another as our best resource in this game for so long. He has more responsibility than I do, so I really respect him as a player and person.

How did you qualify for this particular Pro Tour?

Jackie: I won the Innistrad Sealed PTQ in Charlestown, MA.

Andrew: I qualified through making the Top 50 at Pro Tour Philadelphia; I got to Philly by winning a Standard PTQ in Columbus, Ohio.

Brandon: I qualified for Pro Tour Honolulu via Planeswalker Points. I don’t feel that I earned it, but I didn’t really change any of my behavior as a grinder all that much to attain it. They set the parameters, and as a result people like me qualified.

Are you doing anything different to prepare for the Pro Tour? If so, what?

Jackie: Preparing for the Pro Tour is different for me! But seriously, I’m being forced to play Constructed. I generally prefer the improvisational strategy of Limited, so I’ve had to do a lot of research on the current format. I know it’s all going to change after Dark Ascension, but having a good idea of the current metagame should give me insight on the post-rotation meta.

Andrew: My team and I are pretty good right now, just waiting for all the cards to be spoiled. When all cards are fully spoiled we will be setting up a gauntlet and running ideas and options through it. One major difference for this Pro Tour is I’m lucky enough to have several teammates testing with me as though they are qualified as well. Shout out to James and Brian Mann, Jay, Miller, Gibson, Gardner, Jersey, Payne, Keith, Eric, and Denny. Having this many guys to test with constantly is an amazing edge, and they do not have to do this, so thanks guys!

Brandon: I played in Pro Tour Philadelphia, and that taught me a lot about structured playtesting. Basically I will be networking more and the process will go smoother because I have that experience.

Are there particular decks that you’re leaning towards?

Jackie: Honestly, I want to do a lot of testing after Dark Ascension comes out. I’ve been feeling out a few different decks in the current meta, and I’m just starting to get an idea of what I may want to play.

Definitely not Mono Red, though! I picked it up recently, thinking the format’s hate for it had lessened since the Lightning Bolt rotation, and I was so disappointed by my experience with it. Between Timely Reinforcements, Trees of Redemption, and Spellskites that still don’t require mana to flip you off, it was hard to tell which hated my deck more: my opponent’s sideboard, or me.

Andrew: Right now, we have all the “top” decks and are testing new cards and ideas. My style is leaning me towards an aggro deck for sure.

Brandon: It is impossible to say without the spoilers, but I wouldn’t be too candid anyways. Not going to get too cute, just something solid that I will have tested enough to feel confident.

What players do you pick to do well in this event and why?

Jackie: I honestly couldn’t tell you. I have this weird mental block, where I just don’t retain any information about famous people. I have a significantly higher chance of knowing someone nerdy and famous, but it’s still pretty bad. Someone was talking to me about some famous person during Grand Prix Austin, and he abbreviated her name. I want to say it was Angelina Jolie, but I don’t know the difference between her and Bette Midler. They’re just names I’ve heard.

That said, it seems like LSV and Conley Woods have both been doing well recently, and they have the support of a strong testing team. Additionally, being backed by a major online retailer should allow them to get their hands on all the Sorins their little heart’s desire. The rest of us are left wondering if there’s going to be a vendor there at all.

Andrew: Honestly it’s hard to bet against the Channel Fireball guys, they’re all so good and will put a couple of people into Top 8. Outside CF, from the U.S. I like Chapin and GerryT—both are playing well and coming off good finishes.

My sleeper picks from the U.S. are Reid Duke and Adam Yurchick. Reid is a great guy who is looking for a breakout finish, and I will not be surprised if this is it. Grinding in Ohio, I have learned the hard way that you do not want to face a focused Adam Yurchick. I expect and hope he gets off to a great start like last year.

Outside of the U.S. Shuhei, Yuuya, and Juza are all amazing players who are due to have a showing on the Sunday stage. I wouldn’t be surprised though to see a major blast from the past in Olle Rade putting up a really high finish.

Brandon: I don’t want to just list people with many past results, so I’ll add some not so obvious people that I’m confident in. Shouta Yasooka, because he is due for it. Reid Duke, because of his impressive consistency and dedication. Matthias Hunt, because I have been impressed each time I have watched him play. Matt Costa, because he is so strong in Limited. David Kaliski, because he is very good and he has to make the most of his events due to travel. I won’t say anyone specifically from Channel Fireball, because they will get theirs. Finally, I would love to see any of the Herr brothers from Maine do well. They are definitely capable of it.

Ashley: I want to thank all three of you for letting me interview you for this article. My hope is that your success might inspire some of the Pro Tour hopefuls out there who are reading this. Perhaps the three of you will someday be the role models of future grinders!

I’m sure we’re all interested to see how the three of you will do at Pro Tour Honolulu. I know that I’ll be watching closely. So good luck!

And good luck to the rest of you too!

An important note to all my readers: I’m going to be taking a break from playing Magic for a few months. Unfortunately, my schedule isn’t going to allow me the time I need to stay up to date on competitive Magic enough to write a regular column. I expect that to change in the next six months and, when it does, I’ll resume writing regularly. Until then, I want to thank you all for reading my articles, your kind words, and support. Again, good luck in future events. I hope to talk to you all again soon.