It’s August, Lorwyn is just around the corner, and eyes have turned to the upcoming inauguration of the third class of Magic’s Hall of Fame. It’s safe to say that, of this year’s illustrious nominees, there are one or two locks for inclusion. Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike share his opinion on the class of 2007, with a rundown of his final five picks.
The Bad Beat story… as timeless as Magic itself. We’ve all been there: our opponent needs a ridiculous series of luck in order to turn our surefire win into a crushing defeat. Does he get there? You betcha. However, Richard believes that at the core of most Bad Beat stories lies a lurking evil, an insidious demon that tells us we could have played better. Today’s Deep Analysis looks at four Bad Beat stories, and translates them into lessons from which we can improve. Another winner from Mr. Feldman!
John Pelcak has spent the last six weeks in China. Surrounded by some of the most breathtaking scenery and architecture imaginable, he’s been busy brainstorming Time Spiral Block Constructed decks for Grand Prix: San Francisco. Today, he brings us five decklists to dissect and discuss. Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something splashing Blue. If you’re after a new direction for the GP, maybe the Cak has the answer…
Today’s Peebles Primers sees Benjamin take us through two tricky Tenth Edition Sealed card pools, breaking down each color of cards into a distinct three-tier system. Reviewing the possibilities and maxing the power has always been the road to success in Sealed play, and BPM demonstrates how he tackles such questions when presented with a fresh seventy-five…
As you’re no doubt aware, Stephen Menendian — the Voice of Vintage — is the new Vintage World Champion! At GenCon, piloting his much-lauded GroAtog list, he grabbed the tournament field by the throat and walked off with the title. Today, he takes us through his exhaustive preparation for the event, and shares each match, each game, and each play with his signature analytical style. Congratulations again, Stephen… you definitely deserve it!
Craig “The Professor” Jones takes us through his personal choices for this year’s Hall of Fame ballot, and questions the very nature of Magic play itself. Why do certain folk acquire a Bad Player nickname, even if their results would lead us to believe different? In answering this question, can we improve our own play?
Last week, Nick asked the forum folk a question: would they like to see a Tenth Edition Draft walkthrough. The answer was a resounding yes, and today Nick makes good on his promise. He takes us through each difficult pick, and gives us some food for thought with intricate game scenarios. If you’re looking to improve your Limited game, this is the article for you!
Patrick “The Innovator” Chapin, like so many other gamers, spent this past weekend at GenCon. Today he takes us through the experience from start to finish, including a crash and burn in the Legacy Championship, and a very creditable performance in the Vintage Championship. All the sights, sounds, and smells from the GenCon trenches… only a click away!
In the past, Constructed formats have been easy to define. Their metagames revolve around finding and tweaking the best deck, or simply positioning yourself to take advantage of a three-pronged rock/paper/scissors affair. With the policy of pushing Tier 2 cards and strategies, R&D have helped create a metagame packed with interesting choices and diverse decks. So what do you do at the eleventh hour, as the registration clock slowly ticks to zero? Dan reveals all…
Last weekend, Mike Flores helped two of his self-appointed “apprentices” make Top 8 at a Time Spiral Block Constructed PTQ. Asher Hecht came third, and Josh Ravitz won the whole thing. This was due, in no small part, to excellent deck choice and playskill… but also because of the excellent sideboarding strategy. Mike brings us the low-down today, plus an exhaustive response to Adrian Sullivan’s claims regarding the 4/1 “dogma” of card numbers in deck construction.
Richie Hoaen, our resident draft expert for many a month, has decided to hang up his boots… and in his place we’re proud to announce Kenji Tsumura! As before, Kenji will take us through a Time Spiral draft from pick 1 to pick 45, before sharing his draft deck and commenting briefly on the games. Thanks for the great run, Rich, we’ll miss you… and hello Kenji!
Kai Budde, it seems, is a shoo-in for the coming Hall of Fame Class of 2007. If that’s not all, his signature card — Voidmage Prodigy — is ripe for Time Spiral Block Constructred play! From the Portuguese PTQ trenches, Tiago Chan brings us an exciting Blue Wizards deck that has a fine matchup against a number of the block’s top decks. Teferi’s a Wizard, Venser’s a Wizard, Shadowmage is a Wizard… and Kai’s card binds these powerhouses together! Intrigued? Then read on…
Richie Hoaen, our resident draft expert for many a month, has decided to hang up his boots… and in his place we’re proud to announce Kenji Tsumura! As before, Kenji will take us through a Time Spiral draft from pick 1 to pick 45, before sharing his draft deck and commenting briefly on the games. Thanks for the great run, Rich, we’ll miss you… and hello Kenji!
Richard Feldman, fresh off a harrowing Teachings-fueled run of “nearly” performances in Time Spiral Block Constructed PTQs, has decided to try something a little different. Green/Black Rock-style decks have been a staple of every Constructed format for many a year… so why should TSP Block be any different? Richard brings us the decklist, the sideboard plans, and some crafty strategic knowledge that enables us to Rock Out With Our Rock Out (In Block Out). Or something.
Adrian Sullivan, one of the finest deckbuilding minds in the game, has done it again. Today’s Sullivan Library takes us through a fantastic new Green/White deck that has positive matchups against four of the top five decks in Standard. If that isn’t enough, the article also divulges some of the Master Builder’s deck design secrets. Looking to smash at a Standard tournament, or hoping to hone your deckbuilding skills? Then this is the article for you!
