Sullivan Library – Standard: Changing of the Guard
Friday, August 13th – With new National Championship results appearing all the time, the Standard format is constantly shifting. Let’s investigate archetypes poised for prominence.
Search Content
Yawgmoth’s Whimsy #337 – GenCon, the DQ, and the Hall of Fame
Thursday, August 12th – No UST this week. I was at GenCon most of last week, and I didn’t get time to play that tournament of history. I had too many modern tournaments to run and play in. This week I want to take time out to talk about GenCon, the DQ at Grand Prix: Columbus, and my Hall of Fame ballot.
Ideas Unbound – Mental Magic
Thursday, August 12th – I usually introduce Mental Magic to people as a game of Magic where nobody ever gets manascrewed. Usually, that’s more than enough to get them interested, but if they still hesitate, I tell them about a game of Magic with hundreds of options, where you can sculpt the game in any way you desire.
The Justice League – Signs You May Be A Judge
Thursday, August 12th – Whether you know it or not, there is a good chance you want to be a judge. My experiences have shown me the tell-tale signs, and a lot of people that show these signs don’t recognize their potential.
The Wescoe Connection – Is Green Beatable in Standard?
Thursday, August 12th – Green, much maligned through the history of Magic, is currently taking a stranglehold. A host of Tier 1 decks call on the color of nature in order to form the spine of their strategy. Can Green be defeated? A dedicated U/W Control mage believes that all is not lost…
Duel with Ruel – UW Control versus Naya Shaman: The UW Control Perspective
Thursday, August 12th – U.S. Nationals and the StarCityGames.com Standard Open in Denver are almost upon is, and Standard testing is on everyone’s mind. Today, Hall of Famer Antoine Ruel pits Wafo-Tapa UW Control vs Naya Shaman piloted by Manuel Bucher. Who has the upper hand?
Constructed Criticism – Figuring Out Fauna Shaman
Wednesday, August 11th – Fauna Shaman will define Standard for the next year. Take my word for it; the guy is insane. My initial impressions of him led me to believe that he was mediocre, since he has to untap to get any value, but with such a powerful ability lies a hidden value that is much harder to decipher: giving your deck the ability to produce threat after threat that the opponent must immediately handle.
Conversations – Stuck in the Middle with Rizzo
Wednesday, August 11th – Welcome to my new series, called ‘Conversations.’ The idea is to check back in with some of the authors of Magic’s great articles, discuss some of their most notable works, and pick their brains for whatever else is on their minds. Simple in concept, simple in execution, and hopefully educating and entertaining along the way.
Drafting With Olivier – M11 #1
Wednesday, August 11th – Hall of Famer Olivier Ruel takes us through an 8-4 draft queue on Magic Online. He shares some comprehensive thoughts about both the picks and the games, and talks us through each step of the way! If you’re looking to improve your Limited game, this is the article series for you!
MTGCast #219 – Slobad Bonebad
Wednesday, August 11th – On this week’s edition of MTGCast, the guys discuss GenCon tournaments, wagering in Magic, FNM promos, and much more!
Going Infinite – The Fundamentals of Trading
Wednesday, August 11th – In the first of a new financial column, Jonathan Medina discusses the fundamentals of trading. He explores how to think with a trader’s mindset, how to go about maximizing your binder real estate, and presents the three main outlets for making money via cardboard. All this, and some Magic stock tips too!
One Step Ahead – Ascending in Standard
Wednesday, August 11th – Pyromancer’s Ascension is setting a legitimate claim to the title of Best Combo Deck in Standard. Gerry Thompson took the popular strategy from French Nationals and tweaked it play at GenCon. While he didn’t make Top 8, the deck saw some success in the hands of others. With Nationals competition and the StarCityGames.com Standard Open in Denver looming large, Gerry takes us through the strategy today.
Embracing The Chaos – Hall of Fame Ballot and GenCon Report
Tuesday, August 10th – It’s the time of the year that I get to exercise a Level 5 privilege: voting for the Hall of Fame. I’ll tell you who I voted for (and not) and why (and not), then give you a recap of my GenCon weekend.
The Long and Winding Road – My GenCon 2010
Tuesday, August 10th – GenCon is always a hard weekend to evaluate. It isn’t just a tournament, like a Grand Prix or a PTQ. Admittedly, most tournaments are about the experience and the tournament both, for all but the most hardcore of pros. In that regard, GenCon offers an experience that’s rather difficult to match.
The Nose Knows – The Talk About Blue/White Control
Tuesday, August 10th – With U.S. Nationals and the StarCityGames.com Standard Open in Denver approaching fast, Kyle Boggemes returns to the deck he loves: Blue/White Control. Controversially, he is not enamored with the current popular Magic Online builds of the strategy… He presents his reasoning – and decklist – here today.