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Feature Article – A System-Based Approach To Deck Design

The StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to Denver!
Monday, August 2nd – A fair amount of controversy has appeared over the past few weeks, over the subject of “how to fish.” AJ Sacher wrote in this article that ‘there is too much deck copying, and not enough deck design’, to summarize in very brief. The parable goes that if you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day, but if instead you teach a man to fish, he will eat for the rest of his life.

The Long & Winding Road – Champs: Throwing Down the Gauntlet(s)

The StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to Denver!
Monday, August 2nd – Last week, we took a look at doing research, with an emphasis on why it is important to your development as a competitive Magic player. Today, let’s put that into practice by digging up some decks that are relevant to the various Champs tournaments occurring this weekend at GenCon.

The Combat Phase – Last Gasp

The StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to Denver!
Monday, August 2nd – In this week’s edition of The Combat Phase, Jamie shares the story of his preparation for his final shot at qualification for Pro Tour: Amsterdam. He forgoes his pet Green deck for a more streamlined and successful archetype, and shares the highs and lows of his life in his usual Wakefield style.

Flow of Ideas – Rediscovering Reveillark

The StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to Denver!
Monday, August 2nd – I have played with Reveillark since its pre-release debut, and worked on decks with the 4/3 flier at every opportunity. I’ve returned Eternal Witness with Reveillark before. I’ve cycled Complicate, Astral Sliding out Reveillark before. But, despite my best efforts, the most successful Reveillark decks no doubt end up in the traditional U/W shell – and for good reason.

Wesconomics – Reversing the Cash Flow from Magic

The StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to Denver!
Monday, August 2nd – In the first of a new financial-based column, Craig Wescoe presents a seven-step method of maximizing your profits from our glorious game! From buying your first booster to making a massive profit, Craig leads the way…

Episode 31 – Fog of Nats

The StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to Denver!
Friday, July 30th – This week, Joey and BHJ examine the results of French, Finnish, Australian, and Canadian Nationals. They also go over the decks they’ve been playing, and discuss the importance of communication during games.

Ideas Unbound – Clash of the Titans

The StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to Denver!
Friday, July 30th – When deckbuilding, I’m a firm believer in the philosophy that there are no “good” cards or “bad” cards, but merely cards that do what you need them to do. What you need a card to do is shaped by the environment in which you are playing. This is why I hate set reviews; it’s difficult to look at a new set and know precisely how the environment will shift to incorporate it.

The Magic Show #199 – Your Grand Prix: Columbus Metagame

The StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to Denver!
Friday, July 30th – Hello everybody, and welcome to another edition of the Magic Show. This week we’re taking a look at Grand Prix: Columbus and its metagame. We go over the decks and strategies, and we’ll also cover the upcoming changes to the StarCityGames.com Open Series. Let’s go!

Tribal Thriftiness #121: Mono-Green and Neo-Dragonstorm

The StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to Denver!
Friday, July 30th – Dave is travelling for the next month, but still squeezed in an FNM. See what he played, and how that FNM inspired him to build the “new” Dragonstorm deck!

The Dragonmaster’s Lair – Grand Prix: Columbus Preparation

The StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to Denver!
Friday, July 30th – Grand Prix: Columbus is upon us, and Brian Kibler has been deep in preparation. A self-professed Legacy layman, his buildup to the GP involved some heavy-duty cramming in order to build up a solid foundation of knowledge. He shares his preparation blueprint today, invaluable knowledge for anyone who is looking to prepare for an upcoming tournament at short notice, and his baseline predictions of the Legacy metagame are perfect for those with a deck choice still to make.

You Lika The Juice? – Brainstorming M11 Standard

The StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to Denver!
Friday, July 30th – If you’re a deckbuilder, new sets are always a good time to disconnect from the weekly (daily) metagame shifts in Standard and reboot your creative instincts by brainstorming new deck ideas. While most ideas don’t pan out, you never know what gold you might run across if you’re looking.

Sullivan Library – Blue/White is King: Tap Out and Wafo-Tapa

The StarCityGames.com Open Series heads to Denver!
Friday, July 30th – Blue/White Control, currently posting high-profile finishes across numerous Nationals and PTQ Top 8s, appears to be the current King of the Metagame. Adrian Sullivan explores the high-profile versions of the deck, and suggests a Red deck that could fight the control beast for your next Standard tournament.

Black Magic – The Rise of Combo in Standard

Grand Prix GP Columbus July 30-August 1, 2010
Thursday, July 29th – The Standard metagame is in a state of continual shift, and a current trend is a return to the Combo strategies. Sam Black looks at a slew of interesting Combo offerings that have found recent success, such as Pyromancer’s Ascension and Polymorph. He examines the state of the format, and suggests ways in which we can attack in coming tournaments.

Yawgmoth’s Whimsy #335 – UST and an Open Letter to Jamie Wakefield

Grand Prix GP Columbus July 30-August 1, 2010
Thursday, July 29th – We have the brackets. Play has begun, both online and off. This week, Ponza tries to stomp Nasiff 5c Control, Affinity faces Goblins, and Chapin 5CB duels with Squirrels. All that, plus an open letter to Jamie Wakefield.

The Justice League – Ringing In the Changes

Grand Prix GP Columbus July 30-August 1, 2010
Thursday, July 29th – July hails a new core set and new changes to the comprehensive rules. However, the scope of change is seldom limited to the comprehensive rules. and is often further reaching than you realize. Don’t be caught out!