The Industry Standard: Leader Of The Pack (Rat)
Zach Jesse just ripped his way through Standard at #SCGBALT, and this is his story. It’s actually Pack Rat’s story, but someone has to draw and cast it . . .
The Chump Block – Scarred for Life: A Scars Sealed Primer
Friday, October 22nd – Zach Jesse returns from the grueling grip of LSAT studying and makes his way into the world of Scars of Mirrodin Sealed. He made Top 8 of a Chicago PTQ and has played a few queues on MODO. See what he’s got!
The Chump Block – Red/Black Sac
Friday, July 16th – I reckon I am in the vast minority here, but I actually like Frost Titan. One of the things that I think turns people away from the card (and from a lot of cards) is that it wasn’t printed how they had imagined / wanted. “It would be so much better if it had shroud,†I’ve heard people lament. Yes. It would.
The Chump Block – Fauna Shaman Examined
Friday, July 9th – I haven’t been this excited for a set since Time Spiral block. I am a man who is easily impressed by nostalgia – one of the many reasons why Pogs make a common cameo in a vast majority of my jokes – and there are plenty of cards in M11 that pluck that particular heartstrings of mine.
The Chump Block – Thoughts on Thinking
Monday, July 5th – I don’t normally care for strategy articles. Magic has been around for quite a long while, and there are about a billion articles on the subject of bringing your game to the next level, tournament preparation, etc. Every time I read an article that advises me to get plenty of sleep before a big tournament, I punch my computer right in the face.
The Chump Block – Big White
Monday, June 28th – I knew what deck I wanted to talk about coming into this week. It had caught my eye, and I was subsequently amused that I ended up playing its pilot in the first round of an online PTQ that I participated in a week or so later. Had I not decided to play Grixis again, we probably would have had a very interesting round 1 mirror match.
The Chump Block – Two PTQs: When 9-0 Isn’t Enough
Friday, June 18th – I had the pleasure of playing in two PTQs these past couple of days. One was held at Misty Mountain in the Madison area on Sunday, while the other was held in the vast reaches of Cyberspace that is MTGO this Tuesday. I ended up doing reasonably well in both, ending up in 11th and 3rd place respectively.
The Chump Block – G/U Mana Ramp in Standard
Tuesday, June 15th – I’ve come to a slow acknowledgment on a self-truth about what types of Magic the Gathering decks I enjoy. I can subsist on some attacking and enjoy the occasional draw-go styles of control, but by far my absolute favorite decks to play are extraordinarily annoying.
The Chump Block – Block Constructed After San Juan
Friday, June 4th – During my short tenure here at StarCityGames.com, I’ve written two articles on a subject that is generally shoved to the wayside: Block Constructed. I posed the not-so-subtle “should I write about this subject again†question at the end of my last article, and the response was a fairly enthusiastic “sure, whatever.†In all seriousness, people seemed to enjoy the articles, as it’s a subject that doesn’t receive too much attention, which of course is because it’s not too applicable in our everyday Magic-playing universe.
The Chump Block – Cruel Ultimatum For Fun And Profit
Monday, May 31st – The first of many questions that may arise when one looks at my list is “No Siege-Gang Commander?†While Siege-Gang may be the five-drop of choice for any deck packing a significant amount of Red, I’m not really convinced that it is head and shoulders above the Malakir Bloodwitch which is taking its place now.
The Chump Block – A Sojourn into the Unknown
Friday, May 21st – There have been a slew of new and intriguing decks that have recently come as a result of the various nationwide qualifiers from this past weekend. While I wouldn’t go so far as to say that any of them are new contenders, it’s always nice to see people sit down and come up with brand new decks as opposed to playing the same stale, old fare.
The Chump Block – The Second Time (Sieve) Around
Thursday, April 15th – I was pleasantly surprised to sit down at my laptop this morning (technically, I was still wallowing in my own filth, in bed) to see that the entirety of the Rise of Eldrazi spoiler had been posted. Hurrah!
The Chump Block – Allied Strategies
Monday, March 29th – After the severe pummeling at the hands of the W/R Ally deck that I faced at the StarCityGames.com Indianapolis Standard Open, I breathed a small breath and took consolation in the fact that Allies was not a very popular deck. “Boy, am I glad no one plays those allies!â€
The Chump Block – Milling Indy
Monday, March 22nd – I took a unique deck to the StarCityGames.com Indianapolis Open. Unique in the sense that probably no one else in the room was likely playing it, but people who read my column on a regular basis (hey, mom) should recognize it. I had written about my Hedron Crab deck a little while ago and had be doing fairly well with it online, so after making a few minor changes and a few offerings to various deities I decided to put my money where my mouth was.
The Chump Block – Block Head 2: Return to Block Island
Friday, March 5th – With Worldwake added to the mix, I think it’s an opportune time to talk about Zendikar Block Constructed again. I realize that this is a topic that doesn’t pertain to a large portion of the Magic community, but for those of us who play online I recommend it highly.