Grand Prix: Kyoto saw a number of new and exciting decks hit the Planar Chaos Standard metagame. One particular deck that raised a few eyebrows was the innovative U/G Urzatron deck packed with morphs and card drawing, created by Constructed specialist Naoki Shimizu. He made the Top 8 that day, after topping the swiss… and here’s his report on the both deck and the tournament!
You all know the drill by now… Rich Hoaen, Canada’s finest and grumpiest draft export, takes us by the hand and drags us through the rollercoaster ride of an 8-4 TTP Draft on Magic Online. From pick 1 to pick 45, Rich shares them all, and his final deck and draft performance are analysed in the article, the forums, and beyond. Come join in the fun!
Last week, Stephen brought us the wacky fun that is the Goblin Charbelcher Vintage deck. This week, he takes it for a spin, facing off in a five-match suite against the perennial Gifts. Over the long haul, it’s tough to choose a winner… will it be the control shenanigans from Gifts, or the wacky combo goblin hi-jinks from Belcher? Read on to find out!
With Time Spiral Draft (TTP) being the eight-man Limited format of choice, any new information is paramount if you’re looking to rock your next MTGO 8-4 or Friday Night Magic session. Nick wades into the constant debate with a few new ideas and card evaluations based on extensive play. He also shares his cardpool from the recent Two-Headed Giant Limited Grand Prix in Fitchburg.
With the Time Spiral Block Pro Tour just around the corner, Craig “The Professor” Jones is forbidden to talk of super-secret Block technology on pain of catapult. Instead, he takes a long look at the Top 8 Standard decks from Grand Prix: Kyoto, and takes us through some of the more questionable predictions he made for the new Standard format when the cards were fresh off the production line…
Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike in a reflective mood. With copious reference to decks past and present, he lists the Top 8 Traits of Great Deck Designers, those pearls of wisdom that elevate the Great Ones high over the heads of us mere mortals. If you’re serious about deck design, or merely want to improve your design edge, then this is the article for you!
What is it with Dredge strategies and players called Ben? Taking a leaf out of Bennie Smith’s book, BPM takes hi own tweaked G/B Dredge deck and throws it into the IPA Qualifying Tournament ring. Today’s Peebles Primers takes us through the tournament step by step, with comprehensive game walkthroughs along the way. If you’re after a fringe strategy with the power to take home the prize, the look no further than your graveyard!
While Tiago didn’t exactly raise the roof at Grand Prix: Massachusetts, his practice sessions with some of the best minds in Magic has honed his skills and formed some strong opinions on how to succeed in Two-Headed Giant Draft. He outlines the four approaches he thinks can make waves in the format, and gives us a comprehensive guide to drafting his strategy of choice: Slivers.
Magic is a game of information. The better your knowledge of the game state, the better your decisions can be. The greater your information advantage over your opponent, the more likely you are to be able to outplay him.
But what is information? Let Chad explain all!
With Jeroen Remie currently snowed under by exam work, John Pelcak steps nobly into the breach, bringing us the full story behind his excellent Top 8 performance at Grand Prix: Dallas. He plumped for the mathematician’s choice, the powerful and dominant Affinity. He flew in the face of Kataki-packers, and made it to the top tables! To find out how, read on…
Raph returns fresh from Boston with a new edtition of Pimp My Draft! Today’s offering sees Yohan pilot the first three picks of a Magic Online TTP draft, before Raph takes over. There were some counter-intuitive picks made in this one… did you agree with Raph’s choices? And next time on Pimp My Draft, Raph takes a willing forum-dweeler on the journey, so make sure to make your voices heard!
Today’s Deep Analysis brings us Richard’s take on an interesting “tournament report” from an Extended PTQ Top 8, in which the writer involved made a series of terrible plays yet still managed to make the final table. Mr Feldman dissects the report from top to toe, and highlights each mistake in order to stop us falling into similar traps. Another excellent article from one of the top writers in the game today.
Can it be true? Has Jamie finally succumbed? Has he joined the Dark Side, and picked up an Island or two? Is he coming round to the Way of the Control Mage, ready to leave mana open and counter spells left, right, and center? There’s only one way to find out… Read on!
Last week’s Flores Friday has mutated into a special michaelj Monday… and it’s a corker! Mike discusses that most elusive of skills: cohesive strategy. By fixing a blueprint of plays, one path to success involves cutting off the important end game of your opponent. Just how do we go about this? Plus, Mike brings us a Standard deck to throw against the field: White Wafo-Tapa, updated.
The Turn 1 Kill… it’s an achievement as celebrated as it is derided. No deck in Vintage, despite many attempts, has ever been truly successful at executing a consistent turn 1 kill. However, Stephen believes that the surprising Goblin Charbelcher deck may have finally achieved the unthinkable. If you’re looking for a fun and competitive alternative to the usual Vintage powerhouses, then this could be the deck for you!
