Thursday, July 22nd – Recent Standard results from Japan show that the hype surrounding Primeval Titan is certainly well founded. Today, Sam Black explores the Standard format with the Big Green Monster, and suggests how things could develop in the coming weeks and months.
Thursday, July 15th – Last week, Sam Black analysed the Core Set comings and goings dictated by the arrival of M11 and the approaching departure of M10. With White, Blue, and Black put to the sword already, Sam turns his eye toward Red, Green, Artifacts, and Lands. What has gained, and what has lost out? Sam reveals all…
Friday, July 9th – When M11 arrives, it rings the death knell from a selection of M10 cards that, come rotation, will disappear from Standard. Today, Sam Black looks at what’s coming and what’s going, and posits whether the color concerned has gained or lost in the exchange. White, Blue, and Black are offered up today, with the rest coming next week!
Thursday, July 1st – For Sam Black, M10 was a success. He enjoyed the design and the flavour, but it seemed that M11 was not living up to its popular predecessor’s legacy. However, things changed when Sam saw an upcoming M11 Mythic cycle… he discusses his excitement for the new cards today.
Wednesday, June 23rd – New Extended is here, and everyone seems keen on resurrecting the scourge of Standard Past: the dreaded Faeries. Sam Black, a proponent of the Fae throughout their Standard tenure, examines his Faerie philosophy in order to create his optimal Blue/Black build.
Thursday, June 17th – In today’s enlightening edition of Black Magic, Sam examines his personal performance at Grand Prix: Manila, investigating precisely why he made the decisions he made. He also takes a look at the current Standard metagame, and suggests the direction of the format as the StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to St. Louis…
Wednesday, June 9th – Standard, it seems, is packed with powerful options. Thankfully, there are many viable decks, and the all-conquering strategy is largely a thing of the past. However, this creates its own problems. Today, Sam Black examines one of the lynchpins in the current metagame: the power of the four-mana spells. How will you approach your next Constructed tournament?
Thursday, June 3rd – For Pro Tour: San Juan, Sam Black believes his team created the best deck in the Block Constructed format. Today, he examines the genesis of the deck, and discusses the considerations that went into its strategic plans. While the format is largely dead, the preparation is something that can inform our playtesting processes and help us improve as players.
Wednesday, May 26th – Instead of focusing on Standard, Sam Black has been knee-deep in Block Constructed in preparation for Pro Tour: San Juan. Nevertheless, he shares his insight on the current post-GP Standard metagame today, with a look at his weapon of choice in D.C. and an examination of the Top 8 decks!
Wednesday, May 19th – The results from U.S. Nationals Qualifiers are trickling in, and Sam Black is here to crunch some numbers. He looks at the Top 8 results from eleven tournaments, breaks down the archetypes, and suggests the future of the Standard metagame for Washington this weekend!
Tuesday, May 11th – With Nationals Qualifiers approaching fast, and Grand Prix: Washington DC on the horizon, Sam Black examines the best way to adapt the current Most Popular Deck in Standard: U/W Control. He takes us through the basic elements that the deck requires, suggests a strong list, and provides an entirely different bonus take on the color pairing!
Wednesday, May 5th – Last weekend saw a selection of high-profile Standard events including the StarCityGames.com Atlanta Standard Open. Today, Sam Black looks at the successful decks across a number of tournaments, and posits exactly what it means for the developing metagame.
Wednesday, April 28th – Rise of the Eldrazi has been on the shelves for less than a week, and drafting the set has begun in earnest. After posting a creditable record in his recent RoE drafts, Same Black shares a selection of tips and tricks for the new format, and lists a color-specific selection of the commons and uncommon he picks highly…
Tuesday, April 20th – The Rise of the Eldrazi prerelease gave us the first hands-on look at the new cards and mechanics, and Sam Black is ready to weigh in with his preliminary opinions. He takes us through a selection of Limited events in which he played, giving us his take on the stronger and weaker cards in the set.
Tuesday, April 13th – The Rise of the Eldrazi prerelease is on the horizon, and the huge and wobbly monsters are getting everyone excited. In today’s Black Magic, Sam Black brainstorms around a selection of the more seductive cards, suggesting where they might find a home in the coming Standard metagame.
