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Deep Analysis — Power Versus Synergy

What is a Good card? What is a Bad card? In specific scenarios, these definitions can be handy short-cuts… but in the abstract, they are doing us a disservice. Today’s Deep Analysis sees Richard break down the definitions into manageable chunks, and in the process he walks us through the differences between power and synergy.

The Combat Phase — It’s Not Easy Being Green

Jamie continues his unrelenting quest to find a broken Green deck in Planar Chaos Standard. Today’s first offering pairs the traditional color of monsters with a little White action, bringing us a deck that harnesses the power of eight Anthem effects. The second deck finally sees Timbermare in the house, a card that Jamie is desperate to play to its full potential…

Feature Article — Two Heads in Amsterdam

Paulo, one of the new wave of Brazilian Magic superstars, is usually not one for Grand Prix play. Air fares from South America prove costly… however, a cut-price trip to Amsterdam, with a stop-over in Dallas, paved the way for an interesting road-trip. Sadly, the Grand Prix in Amsterdam didn’t go according to plan. Nevertheless, Paulo offers some invaluable advice on the format, perfect for the approaching Grand Prix in Massachusetts.

Drafting With Rich – TTP #1

That’s right folks… he’s back! After a brief hiatus in which our favorite grumpy Canadian travelled the world slinging spells in exotic locations, Rich returns to take us through a draft each day – from pick one to pick forty-five – before giving us a quick rundown of his thoughts and games played. For more detailed analysis, come visit the forums!

So Many Insane Plays — Q&A

In today’s So Many Insane Plays, Stephen answers all your pertinent Vintage questions, and takes a look back at the history of Magic’s most broken format. He shares his opinions on the best Fish deck available, and reveals just how he’s able to compose such comprehensive tournament reports.

Limited Lessons — U/W Slivers in TTP Draft

It’s a running joke here at Chez Craig that whenever my friends watch me draft, I inevitably open a Pulmonic Sliver. Now, thanks to this comprehensive guide to drafting the U/W Sliver archetype, I feel happy to slam the 3/3 flyer and ride him to victory! If you’re looking to draft a deck with the ultimate synergy, then this is the article for you!

From The Lab – 666, the Tournament of the Beast

Craig “the Professor” Jones teamed up with Keith “the Spraggle” Spragg for last weekend’s Grand Prix: Amsterdam… and while their performance at the tournament lacked a little spark, the fun they had in Amsterdam more than made up for it. Prof pulls no punches in this old-school tournament report, and shares many tales of debauchery and excess…

Flores Friday – Lots of Topics, Works in Progress

Mike walks us through a variety of topics and decklists, from Standard to Extended, from cheaters to Mike’s apprentice. If you’re looking to rock the final Extended PTQ this weekend, you can’t miss this… and if you wanna know Mike’s take on foreign players and cheating, look no further!

Peebles Primers — The Standard Metagame

With Magic Online Constructed tournaments recently coming back… erm… online, Benjamin Peebles-Mundy takes a look at the diverse Standard metagame, post-Planar Chaos. Which Planar Chaos cards have made a splash in Premier Event Top 8s of late? Are Dralnu du Louvre and Mono-Green Aggro still the decks to beat? Read on to find out!

Levelling Up – When a Plan Doesn’t Come Together

Tiago, fresh off his 9th-place finish at Grand Prix: Dallas, turns his talented eye towards Standard in preparation for Grand Prix: Kyoto. He takes a fresh look at Angelfire, the deck that took him to the Top 8 at Worlds, and updates it with Planar Chaos goodness. He also gives us the lowdown on his unsuccessful jaunt to GP: Amsterdam.

Feature Article – The Worst Metagame Choice Ever

Extended innovator and grammar assassin John F. Rizzo attempted to smash the system with an exciting deck that was, perhaps, the oddest metagame choice for quite some time. Today’s Feature Article takes a Rizzoesque look at the conception, creation, and performance of the deck at a local PTQ. All this, plus the usual Rizzo humor and irreverence.

Ask The Drama – Drama’s Back

This past weekend, Jeroen teamed with Old School Pro Victor van der Broek, and they proceeded to push their way to the very top of the pile, only to fall at the final hurdle. Still, a Top 8 finish at a 666-team PTQ is a fine result… and Jeroen talks us through some of the more interesting deckbuilding points.

Pro Perspective — The Grand Prix and Me

As we all know, Raph has recently lit up the Grand Prix circuit with back-to-back wins at Dallas and Singapore. Of course, those tournaments are just the tip of a huge Grand Prix iceberg… Raph has attended a whopping 57 GPs in total. Today’s Pro Perspective sees Raph take a reflective look back at some of his personal highlights and low-points. GP: Amsterdam? Guess where that one sits in the list…

Deep Analysis — Resilience

Richard Feldman, having significantly altered the Extended format with Zac Hill and Tenacious Tron, nevertheless sees himself without a Blue Envelope for his trouble. It’s true that he put the hours in this time… so what went wrong? Today’s Deep Analysis attempts to find out, and suggests that ditching a deck in the face of extreme hate may not be a wise move at all…

The Combat Phase — Happy New Year!

Jamie has goals. Magic goals, and non-Magic goals. In the spirit of endeavor that mirrors his new Spanish start, Mr Wakefield declares the coming of the Wakefield New Year! He also shares his latest thoughts on his particular color of choice, and brings us his Wakefield New Year’s Resolutions. Will he stick to them? Read on to find out!