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AuthorSam Black

Sam Black is professional Magic player who's known for his love of building decks that attack formats from unexpected angles. He's made the Top 8 of sixteen GPs covering every format as well as three Pro Tours, but he's particularly proud of his less common accomplishments, including a Top 4 at the World Championship, a win in the Team World Championship in 2008, and winning a car in 2007.

Modern Horizons 2 First Impressions

Six of SCG’s best content creators give their first impressions of Magic’s newest set — Modern Horizons 2.

Cataloging My Work On Modern Horizons 2

Sam Black was brought in by WotC to do work on Modern Horizons 2. What impact did he have on Magic’s newest set? Lets find out!

Diving Deeper Into Bruenor Battlehammer, Drizzt Do’Urden, And Lolth, Spider Queen

Sam Black reviews three iconic Dungeons and Dragons characters turned Magic cards for Adventures in the Forgotten Realms. Will they be more than pretty faces in Standard?

A Second Look At What Historic Anthology 5 Means For Historic

Sam Black reassesses Historic Anthology 5 after the banning of Thassa’s Oracle in Historic. Is Relic of Progenitus still the set’s powerhouse?

What I’d Like To See From The Return Of Paper Organized Play

With Magic Organized Play in upheaval, Sam Black looks to the future. What would make competitive Magic better for nearly all players?

Should We Be Excited Or Scared Of What’s To Come In Modern Horizons 2?

Is the card Urza’s Saga as broken as its namesake set? PVDDR, Sam Black, and Ari Lax call Fact or Fiction on five statements about Modern Horizons 2.

Everything You Need To Know To Win The Strixhaven Sealed Arena Open

Feeling lost about Strixhaven Sealed heading into the Arena Open? Sam Black has your essential cram session for maximizing your pool and more.

Why Two-Drops Are So Important In Strixhaven Limited

Strixhaven may have a spells theme, but in Limited, creatures still rule. Sam Black explores the most important spot on the creature curve: two-drops.

Learning About Strixhaven Limited: Your First Lesson

Learn cards and Lessons unlock key archetypes in Strixhaven Draft. Sam Black uses data and theory to present a unified view of their uses.

Exploring Witherbloom Decks In Strixhaven Standard

Strixhaven Standard brings new tools to Witherbloom decks. Sam Black takes an exhaustive approach to the options and offers three early builds for the format.

Making The Most Of Leonin Lightscribe In Strixhaven Standard

Will Leonin Lightscribe make magecraft relevant in Strixhaven Standard? Sam Black explores the possibilities of the global pump creature.

Is This A Splinter Twin Situation? — Breaking Tainted Pact In Historic

Tainted Pact from Strixhaven’s Mystical Archive will enable a cheap combo in Historic, but is playing a singleton deck worth it? Sam Black investigates.

Using 17Lands.com As A Resource To Improve At Limited

Sam Black uses data from 17Lands.com to reveal truths of Kaldheim Draft. Why is Bound in Gold overrated? Is Sarulf’s Packmate underrated somehow?

Elvish Visionary VS Elderfang Disciple: The Nature Of Card Advantage

Sam Black goes beyond the basics of card advantage to explain why Elvish Visionary and Elderfang Disciple favor such different types of games.

Does Kaldheim Standard Actually Have A Deck To Beat?

With no clear front-runner in Kaldheim Standard, turn to the experts. World Champion PVDDR and five more SCG creators say what they’d play.