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AuthorSam Stoddard

Sam Stoddard is a long time player from Columbus, Ohio and a veteran of the Midwest PTQ scene. He has several Pro Tour appearances and high Grand Prix finishes.

Organized Play Changes – Let Your Voice Be Heard

Sam Stoddard composes a letter that he mailed to Wizards of the Coast (yes, the old-fashioned way). He recommends you do the same; read the contents of his letter here.

SCG Classic – Creating A Fearless Magical Inventory

This article has changed many players’ perspectives on their games over time, including Patrick Chapin. Originally published four years ago, it is still a fundamental read for any aspiring Magic player. Make your own Fearless Magical Inventory!

Taking It To The (Cloud)Post

Sam Stoddard puts out a comprehensive article on the Twelve Post archetype and engine in Modern. Casting Eldrazi has never been to easy and fun!

The Hall Of Fame

Sam Stoddard explains the current issues with the Magic Hall of Fame and its voting process, including the uselessness of the Players Committee and the gaming of the system.

Mana Screwed! – The Importance Of Randomness In Magic

Getting frustrated by the variance in Magic is a common experience for many players. But what would Magic be like without that randomness? Would we even still be playing the game today?

Mana Screwed! – The Importance Of Randomness In Magic

Getting frustrated by the variance in Magic is a common experience for many players. But what would Magic be like without that randomness? Would we even still be playing the game today?

Thinking Holistically About Draft

Monday, March 14 – Sam Stoddard covers the fundamental drafting principles that people often miss – catch yourself from falling into these pitfalls, and improve your Mirrodin Besieged drafting skills by reading this article.

Learning to Accept Chance

Thursday, February 10 – If you have trouble winning in Magic, Sam Stoddard gives you some pointers on how to change your attitude and start thinking like a winner! Magic is game of skill, not luck!

What’s Happening In Extended?

Tuesday, December 28th – How many Jund variants are there? Will Tempered Steel be potent in the PTQs? What card should you be sideboarding, and what new U/W Control deck should you watch out for? Sam answers your questions!

Extended, 7 Ways

Tuesday, December 7th – Extended is barely a format anymore – in that almost no one plays it. Sam Stoddard has been running the Extended two-mans and wonders why. This format’s awesome!

The Danger of Small Cheats

Friday, November 19th – The days of rampant cheating in Magic are thankfully passing; however the integrity of the game still needs its champions – are you one?

Where We’re Coming From

Friday, November 12th – We do this all the time in Magic. We create shortcuts. We learn ‘fundamental truths’ and use them to quickly evaluate cards, decks, and board states. The problem comes when what really matters changes.

The Pro Play

Monday, November 8th – I hear a lot of players who are on the cusp of success talk a lot about “The Pro Play” – the idea that there’s always a much slicker, much flashier way of doing everything.

The Impact of Pack Order Changes

Friday, October 22nd – You have to give Wizards credit – they like to keep us on our toes. In case you haven’t seen Wizard’s latest announcement, Booster Drafts for all future formats will involve opening sets in reverse order – the most recent first.

The Tribe

Friday, October 15th – Sam Stoddard discusses what it means to be a part of the Magic community, the tribe. What is our place? And how do we keep alive this game we love?