Kyle placed highly at Grand Prix: St. Louis… and this is his story. Entertaining, enlightening, and a lot of fun, this excellent report packs strategy and good times in equal measure. The Pro Tour Qualifiers for PT: Kobe are still in full swing… Kyle’s insight into Coldsnap Draft may make the difference between a Top 8 pin and a Blue Envelope.
Nick took a methodical, structured approach to Standard testing for the 2006 U.S. Nationals. His article today shares his process, step-by-step, with his thoughts behind a number of decks in the current metagame. He shares his test decks, and the list of his final weapon of choice, alongside some practical tips on preparing for large events. Invaluable advice for those working toward upcoming Constructed tournaments.
Rich shares his Drafting technique in today’s installment of “Drafting With Rich!” As usual, he runs through a complete RGD draft from pick one to pick forty-five, and adds a brief commentary on his performance and final build. If you’d like some more detailed deconstruction, come visit the forums!
With the recent changes to Time Vault, Stephen feels that Meandeck Gifts – his most treasured creation – is once again viable in Magic’s most powerful format. Today’s article is a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of certain cards and matchups. Looking for an edge in your local Vintage metagame? Look no further!
Ben, the recent second-place finisher in the 2006 U.S. Nationals, takes us through the design of his successful U/R Tron deck. With strong matchups across the board, these Blue/Red mana-mad decks are proving to be a powerful force in the metagame. Ben, in his first article, shares the card choices and sideboard strategies that almost propelled him to the top!
The legend that is John F. Rizzo recently covered the U.S. Nationals 2006… and you knew he’d have an article dedicated to his experiences there! An epic read of mammoth proportions, packed with John’s signature style. Learn just what goes on behind-the-scenes of a major tournament… and learn the truth about Kelly Digges. As per with JFR, this is not for the timid reader…
After a brief sabbatical for Canadian Nationals, Rich Hoaen is back! In this popular series, the Draft Master takes us through an RGD draft from pick 1 to pick 45, sharing his draft process every step of the way. He supplies a final decklist, and comments on the build and performance. For more detailed deconstruction, come visit the forums!
Craig (me) finishes his (my) report on English Nationals 2006. When we left him (me), he (I) was poised at a precarious 5-2 after one day of play, looking to pose a strong challenge for a Top 8 spot. This concluding article deals with every match of Day 2, including an epic five-game final. Highs, lows, some startling and entertaining plays… and a mulligan to three.
What to cut? The eternal question. While sixty cards is the benchmark, many mages refuse to acknowledge the detrimental effect suffered when forcing those extra power-cards maindeck. Pat breaks down the logistics of such a ploy, and argues that while it may seem innocuous on the surface, the damage it can do can be telling….
After two consecutive English Nationals failures, Craig went to the 2006 tournament with a self-confessed “good feeling.” That good feeling was enough to send him to the top of the standings and see him crowned the last English National Champion! Indeed, his win was so mighty he began referring to himself in third person. (Seriously, how am I meant to introduce this with any dignity?) Part one of his entertaining – and long – report is within!
Josh takes an introspective look at his own personal performance at U.S. Nationals. While his Standard deck was undoubtedly powerful, both Coldsnap and RGD draft supplied hidden pitfalls that prevented him going far in the tournament. So, what went wrong? And in the harsh light of day, what steps can be taken to put things right?
Mike completes his examination of the Aggro-Ideal archetype with a look at the matchups to be faced in the current Standard environment. He supplies handy sideboarding tips, and outlines the strategies you need to pilot the deck to a successful finish. Yes, the deck has a couple of high-profile bad matchups… but the good matchups are abundant. Is this the deck for you? Read on to find out!
As we know, Magic strategy is largely a forum of opinion. Everyone has their own take on the strongest deck, the first-pick card, the bombiest of bomb rares… but how, in this age of Information Overload, can we sort the wheat from the chaff? Richard brings us an insightful article that tackles this most nebulous of concepts…
Flores comes a day early to bring us the tale of the best deck he’s ever created. Spawned by an article by Richard Feldman, Mike’s Aggro-Ideal deck has been providing strong results across the board, and today’s article deals with its creation, development, and game-plan. However, a rather large spanner has been thrown into the works of late… read on to find out why.
In the second article by a new Feature Writer today, we bring you Nathan Waxer’s take on the Coldsnap pick orders. He concentrates today on the Blue and Green cards, and has some surprising values and views on certain cards. Pick orders are, of course, a matter of opinion… and these two articles will surely fire up the forums with hearty debate.
