Monday, September 8th – Last week, Wizards of the Coast did something unusual… they made a few Vintage announcements that pleased the community! In the spirit of thanks, Stephen Menendian takes us through the unrestrictions in a positive light, suggests some decklists, and talks about the restoration of Time Vault…
Monday, September 1st – The Perfect Storm, or TPS, is perhaps the most powerful deck in the current Vintage format. Stephen Menendian concludes his three-part primer series on the deck, taking us through the important matchups and sharing sideboarding strategies. With the most important matchup in the metagame being the TPS mirror, no serious Vintage player can afford to miss this!
Monday, August 25th – Last week, Stephen brought us the first part of a Vintage Perfect Storm primer. Today, he continues that fine work with a continued look at available tutors, important mana considerations, and the merits of playing a second Tendrils of Agony…
Monday, August 18th – Storm is a mechanic that has been abused in a variety of formats. From Standard to Vintage, from Extended to Two-Headed Giant, it seems that copying spells for zero mana is quite a strong strategy. Today, Stephen Menendian looks at the strongest deck in Vintage, replete with the powerful Storm combo… The Perfect Storm.
Monday, August 11th – Last week, Stephen Menendian brought us part 1 of his sterling attempt to defend his Vintage World Champion crown… today, he rounds out the report in fine style! He brings us a literal play-by-play of his entire tournament, and even throws us a complete play-by-play of the final! Classic Menendian… enjoy!
Tuesday, August 5th – At last weekend’s U.S. Nationals, 2007 Vintage World Champion Stephen Menendian attempted to repeat his victory of last year. Unfortunately for Stephen, he fell at the final hurdle… but he answered a variety of questions on the metagame along the way. Today’s So Many Insane Plays is part 1 of an epic-length tournament report… enjoy!
Monday, July 28th – 2007 Vintage World Champion Stephen Menendian has a title to defend… and he’s not taking the task lightly. With the recent restrictions still causing shockwaves through the Vintage metagame, Stephen examines his options as the 2008 World Championship approaches. Where will he lay his hat this year? Read on to find out!
Monday, July 21st – In today’s So Many Insane Plays, Stephen takes one final snapshot of the metagame at the time of the so-called Vintage Apocalypse. In this article, Stephen shows how Shadowmoor changed the Vintage metagame just before the DCI pushed the metaphorical button…
Monday, July 14th – With the prerelease behind us, it’s time to rattle through the completed card list and pick out those card that inspire innovation. Today’s So Many Insane Plays sees Vintage World Champion Stephen Menendian examine Eventide for standout options in both Vintage and the more casual Type 4…
Monday, July 7th – In Today’s ‘Insane Plays,’ Stephen faces Vintage master, Rich Shay, to test the Control Slaver mirror. Watch Stephen battle Rich Shay, play-by-play, through a set of five games as he learns the ins and outs of playing in the New Vintage. This is not to be missed!
Monday, June 30th – Time Vault… a card that’s caused consternation in the Vintage community for years. It seems that, with every new set release, there are calls to “fix” this tricky and intriguing card. In an attempt to have this card returned to its original functionality, Stephen Menendian calls on Mark Gottlieb for aid…
Monday, June 23rd – With the controversial Vintage restrictions now in place, it’s time to examine the face of an altogether new metagame. Vintage World Champion Stephen Menendian believes that Grim Long is primed for a triumphant return. The deck is packed with all the broken goodies the format has to offer… will it have the strength to shape the format in the months to come?
Monday, June 16th – With the latest upheaval to the Vintage metagame, a whole host of tried and tested strategies must adapt to survive. Today’s So Many Insane Plays sees Stephen reporting on the Vintage metagame in the months leading up to the so-called Vintage Apocalypse. What can these tournaments tell us of the state of the metagame today?
Monday, June 9th – Last week saw the DCI blow the scorching Winds of Change through the Vintage metagame with a sweeping cascade of disputed restrictions. Predictably, for some the sky is falling. However, Stephen Menendian is made of sterner stuff, and today’s So Many Insane Plays breaks down the decks and strategies likely to inform the Vintage metagame for the coming months. He makes some startling predictions… do you agree with his assessments?
Tuesday, June 3rd – Yesterday saw the most sweeping changes to the Vintage Banned and Restricted list for a number of years, with a swathe of Blue tournament staples becoming mere one-ofs in future decklists. Today’s renamed So Many Insane Plays sees Vintage World Champion Stephen Menendian analyze the changes, and evaluate the disappearance of Brainstorm and pals…
