Podcasts about pro tour top

Gerry and Dave are joined by Pro Tour Top 8er Matt Costa, who successfully won a Last Chance Qualifier with his Izzet Drakes deck. They chat about their history together, why Matt would fly to an RC he wasn't qualified for, and his experience with Izzet Drakes in the new Pioneer format. Regional Championship decklists: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/tournament/sat-9-30-am-u-s-regional-championship-dreamhack-atlanta-2023#paper Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi patreon.com/arenadecklists youtube.com/arenadecklists twitter.com/arenadecklists twitter.com/g3rryt twitter.com/_DaveShiels twitch.tv/gerry_t

Chris Pikula is a former professional Magic player with two Pro Tour Top 8s and a Worlds Top 8. In 2000, Chris won the Magic Invitational and created the Meddling Mage card. Show notes: humansofmagic.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic

James (Yimin) Zhi is a professional Magic player and streamer from Shanghai, China. He has one Pro Tour Top 8 and four Grand Prix Top 8s. Show notes: humansofmagic.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic

Christian Calcano is a Magic and poker pro from New York. Show notes: humansofmagic.com/ Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic

You can follow us on Twitter @Mengu09 , @JavierDmagic , @mtgbentcard, @MrChecklistcard You can support us at : https://www.patreon.com/karnies You can check out Andrea Mengucci content on: Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AndreaMengucci1 Twitch: twitch.tv/andreamengucci Channelfireball.com Support buying from TCGPlayer using this link https://www.tcgplayer.com/?utm_campaign=affiliate&utm_medium=Veedeo&utm_source=Veedeo

The cast is joined by Dom Harvey fresh off his first Pro Tour Top 8 Swag Store: https://teespring.com/CCMTG Sponsors:https://puremtgo.com/ Follow us

The cast is joined by Dom Harvey fresh off his first Pro Tour Top 8 Swag Store: https://teespring.com/CCMTG Sponsors:https://puremtgo.com/ Follow us

Dom doesn't quite have a trophy to match Ari's but he returns from his business (+ pleasure!) trip to Barcelona with a Pro Tour Top 8 to his name after a truly bizarre weekend. He's (so) back to see how well Ari and Jarvis did predicting these results, deliver some sizzling takes on Modern and LOTR Draft, tell the barely believable stories of his miraculous Top 8 run, and explain the twists and turns of life as an 'Amulet pervert' (TM friend of the pod Tommy Ashton).00:00 PT predictions update + Modern analysis38:05 PT Limited rounds1:12:10 PT Modern rounds + tournament report1:57:40 Freestyle storytime/nonsense  Show NotesPatreon / Twitter / Discord

Support the show! http://patreon.com/magicmics  Visit our sponsor: http://www.coolstuffinc.com/  Check out the twitch channel: http://twitch.tv/magicmics  Visit our subreddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/magicmics  Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/magicmicscast  Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/magicmics    Co-Sponsors:  http://www.cardhoarder.com/  http://www.alteredsleeves.com/ (use code MAGICMICS )  http://www.cubeks.com/ https://www.manatraders.com/ (use code MAGICMICS )   AirDate - 5/10/23 First Pick   Updates to Standard and Alchemy: https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/mtg-arena/updates-to-standard-and-alchemy-on-mtg-arena https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/revitalizing-standard https://twitter.com/mtgaaron/status/1590170452764528641 https://twitter.com/BasicMountain/status/1655281927556063232 https://twitter.com/Knot_NotTyler/status/1655283071694823424 https://twitter.com/BasicMountain/status/1655283355414597632 Magic Con Minneapolis Roundup Preview Panel: https://twitter.com/wizards_magic/status/1654561662245175296?s=46&t=EHXA6g_IsvonuKOhstQYOw First Look at Commander Masters: https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/a-first-look-at-commander-masters https://twitter.com/TheMaverickGal/status/1656387330167517185 #MTGLOR Mechanic(s): https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/feature/the-lord-of-the-rings-tales-of-middle-earth-mechanics First Look at Wilds of Eldraine: https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/on-september-8-be-ready-for-wilds-of-eldraine Pro Tour Top 8: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/410942703623208960/1104584871919231056/image.png Nathan Steuer Wins Again: https://twitter.com/PlayMTG/status/1655331419063824384 Magic Mishamigo Wins Cosplay Contest: https://twitter.com/TaaliaVess/status/1655101214885912576 “More Women Here Than There Used to Be”: https://twitter.com/tobyelliott/status/1655715451463245827 Playtest Cards from Unknown: https://twitter.com/GavinVerhey/status/1656378135158587395/photo/1   Aftermath Released Early on Arena: https://twitter.com/MTG_Arena/status/1656020248536190976 https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/410942703623208960/1105587049454649384/Screenshot_20230509-095559.png Aftermath Packs Coming Thursday: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/410942703623208960/1105597157970563203/IMG_4008.png   From Cute to Brute: https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/commander-returns-to-secret-lair-with-from-cute-to-brute   Dana Fischer's Better: https://twitter.com/danafischermtg/status/1656044725949054978   Arena Coming to Steam May 23: https://twitter.com/wizards_magic/status/1654567784486146048 Price of Aftermath on MTGO: https://twitter.com/saffronolive/status/1656359509139288074 Star Wars: Unlimited: https://starwarsunlimited.com/articles/press-release   Ravensburger OP Mgr Job Posting https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7061449739778588672/    GIVEAWAY & THANKS https://streamlabs.com/dashboard#/subscribers

This week the guys hype up Shadows Over Innistrad Remastered, take a look at weekly challenges, and then end things with a discussion on some cards that are on our personal Pioneer watchlists.Pro-Tour Top 8: https://playingmtg.com/meet-the-pro-tour-top-eight/ Want to support the show? You can find our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/crew3mtgBuy a playmat or used our Inked Gaming affiliate link here: https://bit.ly/3aX4hzOWant to keep up with the show? Join our Discord discord.gg/Wydsb6xcTC or follow us on twitter @Crew3podcastWant more Crew3 content? Check out our YouTube channel or watch our weekly streams on Twitch.If you like the show, please share us with your friends and leave a review!  

 Get 20% OFF @ Manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code: Crew3pod at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod Looking for more pioneer content? Visit: playingpioneer.comFor premium content, check out their patreon: https://www.patreon.com/playingpioneerThis week the guys took to Patreon for a topic, and turns out you all wanted to know how best to tackle the post Pro-Tour meta popping up now at local game stores. Of course we got you covered on that!Pro-Tour Top 8: https://playingmtg.com/meet-the-pro-tour-top-eight/ Want to support the show? You can find our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/crew3mtgBuy a playmat or used our Inked Gaming affiliate link here: https://bit.ly/3aX4hzOWant to keep up with the show? Join our Discord discord.gg/Wydsb6xcTC or follow us on twitter @Crew3podcastWant more Crew3 content? Check out our YouTube channel or watch our weekly streams on Twitch.If you like the show, please share us with your friends and leave a review! 

  Get 20% OFF @ Manscaped + Free Shipping with promo code: Crew3pod at MANSCAPED.com! #ad #manscapedpod Looking for more pioneer content? Visit: playingpioneer.comFor premium content, check out their patreon: https://www.patreon.com/playingpioneerWhat a stocked weekend! Amazing non-stop paper action with a focus on Pioneer at the highest level of play, AND our first look at March of the Machines? Oh yeah this episode is stuffed!Pro-Tour Top 8: https://playingmtg.com/meet-the-pro-tour-top-eight/ Want to support the show? You can find our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/crew3mtgBuy a playmat or used our Inked Gaming affiliate link here: https://bit.ly/3aX4hzOWant to keep up with the show? Join our Discord discord.gg/Wydsb6xcTC or follow us on twitter @Crew3podcastWant more Crew3 content? Check out our YouTube channel or watch our weekly streams on Twitch.If you like the show, please share us with your friends and leave a review!  

Gabriel Nassif top 8'd Pro Tour Phyrexia! This episode is all about breaking it down. Join our discord: www.discord.gg/9yQ3E9KNa3 Check out Cardmarket: www.cardmarket.com/en Twitter: www.twitter.com/MidweekMetagame Patreon: www.patreon.com/MidweekMetagame

#FaBTCG Pro Tour 1 just happened and we were there! Chane takes down the first PT, Bravo Star of the Show hits the living legend list, and Channelfireball both shined and disappointed in the very first pro tour!Pro Tour Top 8: https://bit.ly/3Ljvj3zCalling Top 8: https://bit.ly/3yCuP5JThe Realm $10k and $5k: Realmgamingnetwork.comJoin our Discord here: https://discord.gg/nrGegbag4uQuestions and comments can be sent to @FleshPod on Twitter, as well as fleshandpod@gmail.com, or dropped in our discord!Pod Twitter: @FleshPodAbbie Twitter: @abbiedee83Jordan Twitter: @imjormanLogan Twitter: @LoganPetersen

Tiago Chan is a former pro Magic player from Portugal. He has 2 Pro Tour Top 8s, won Nationals and won the last Magic Invitational. He is best known for designing the card Snapcaster Mage. Show notes: humansofmagic.com Music in this episode is brought to you by @kuplasound

Andrea Mengucci is a popular content creator, Mythic Championship winner, World Magic Cup winner and 3 times Pro Tour Top 8 competitor.

Jon Finkel’s prolific talents and sterling resume earned him the nickname “Jonny Magic” long ago. After a substantial hiatus, Jon Finkel returned to the Pro Tour and immediately demonstrated why he’s widely considered the greatest player of all time by winning PT Kuala Lumpur in 2008 and Top 8’ing PT Avacyn Restored and PT Dark Ascension in 2012. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Jon Finkel when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep297   Jon Finkel's Desperate Ravings on Boosting Your Skill as a Magic Player Jon Finkel's prolific talents and sterling resume earned him the nickname "Jonny Magic" long ago. After a substantial hiatus, Jon Finkel returned to the Pro Tour and immediately demonstrated why he's widely considered the greatest player of all time by winning PT Kuala Lumpur in 2008 and Top 8'ing PT Avacyn Restored and PT Dark Ascension in 2012. First Set  Antiquities (1994)   Favorite Set  Innistrad (2011) - "Was the pinnacle of Limited set design."   Favorite Card Desperate Ravings What makes Magic fun for you? The depth of the game and the ability to add on to the basic framework through the expansions is what keeps Jon engaged. Early Challenge Not running enough lands in control decks and not playing 60 card decks. Level Up Moment Realizing that playing other decks outside your comfort zone can lead to growth and improvement as a player, not to mention better results. Proudest Magic Moment Making first Pro Tour Top 8 at Chicago in 1997 Best Format Draft Biggest Mistake Players Make Not being open to playing the best deck. Not playing Magic with the intention to improve. You need to be conscious of what you play and how you play so you can improve.     Jon Finkel on How To Build a Team and Pick the Best Card Jon Finkel's prolific talents and sterling resume earned him the nickname "Jonny Magic" long ago. After a substantial hiatus, Jon Finkel returned to the Pro Tour and immediately demonstrated why he's widely considered the greatest player of all time by winning PT Kuala Lumpur in 2008 and Top 8'ing PT Avacyn Restored and PT Dark Ascension in 2012. Evaluation Tips Rather than opening up the spoiler every week to see what's new, Jon gets the best grasp on a new set simple by drafting it. Limited Tips In Sealed you'll get powerful bombs that you really want to play but your deck will be less streamlined than in the draft. If there are two good black cards don't take a slightly worse red card because you "don't want to fight for black". Just pick the best card. Team Building Having a team is critical to improving. Find the best players you can but make sure you get along with them personally because you'll be spending a lot of time with them. Improvement Take advantage of draft simulators. Rebuild packs with friends so you can draft. Beg, borrow and use proxies if you're on a budget and need to test deck ideas. Be critical of your plays so you can improve Interview Links MTG Salvation Spoilers Connect with Jon Twitter: @Jonnymagic00 Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

In this episode, I’m talking to Brazilian Hall of Famer, Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa. Paulo has been on the professional scene for almost two decades and he’s the youngest player to reach 300 lifetime pro points. Recently, Paulo won Pro Tour Hour of Devastation and has the second most Pro Tour Top 8’s behind Jon Finkle. Paulo shares with us about his life as a professional Magic player, how he got started playing Magic, and his life in Brazil. Paulo also talks to us about improving at Magic, his competitive mindset, and his thoughts on his Semifinals match with Yam Wing Chun at Pro Tour Hour of Devastation. I caught up with Paulo in the summer of 2017. Go say hi to him on Twitter @PVDDR You can also read his articles that he posts on Channel Fireball. I’ll have all the links in the show notes at KitchenTableMagic.org. https://mtg.gamepedia.com/Paulo_Vitor_Damo_da_Rosa https://www.channelfireball.com/author/paulo-vitor-damo-da-rosa/ http://twitter.com/PVDDR http://facebook.com/paulo.vitor.52459615 I hope you enjoy my conversation with Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa. Music Credits (in order of appearance) Our theme song is Play the Game by Antracto (Yes I bought the rights, if you're curious) Patreon music: Lowrider by Joakim Karud Card Kingdom ad music: Take Me Higher by Jahzzar Paragon City Games ad music: Clouds by Joakim Karud Preview clip music: Wild Things by Yeyey I’ve got a new YouTube Channel called Play MTG Woo! And if you like the Kitchen Table Magic podcast by Sam Tang, you’re gonna love the new YouTube channel Play MTG by Sam Tang! It’s an upbeat, fast paced new YouTube Channel featuring deck techs from Pros, learn to play tutorials, expert difficulty level up advice, single card discussion, MTG community news, and more. I’ve only got 1 video uploaded right now about my vlog from Hascon. So if you wanna see what I look like, go check me out on Twitter and Facebook. It’s at on YouTube.com/c/playmtg Follow the new show on Twitter.com/play_mtg It’s on Facebook.com/playmtg I’ll have a link in the show notes at KitchenTableMagic.org I’m looking forward to creating content in video! Kitchen Table Magic is sponsored by: Kitchen Table Magic is brought to you by Card Kingdom.com! The newest Un-set is available for preorder now! Unstable is looking fantastic with crazy contraptions, inside jokes, strange math, and squirrels, lots of squirrels. And most importantly, there’s John Avon full art borderless basic lands in Unstable! You can preorder them now and support the show using our affiliate link: CardKingdom.com/KTM Paragon City Games! Kitchen Table Magic is brought you by Paragon City Games. They’re a community focused game store in Draper Utah that cares deeply about their player base. They invite you to join their in store stream at Twitch.tv/ParagonCityGames for weekly Legacy and Modern events. Hipsters of the Coast: Hey everyone! Great news! Kitchen Table Magic is now on Hipsters of the Coast. They’re the mages with the curly beards and the vegan potion options! Hipsters of the Coast is the premier news and strategy blog for the Magic: The Gathering Community. And Kitchen Table Magic is honored to be joining their lineup. If you’re listening to me right now from Hipsters of the Coast, I’m pleased to meet you. You’re going to love all the guests I have lined up for Season 3. And be sure to check out past episodes at KitchenTableMagic.org If you’re new to the HotC blog, head on over to HipstersoftheCoast.com to get strategy and content for all your favorite formats.

Martin Juza is a “Magic: The Gathering” Hall of Famer, Platinum Pro, and self-proclaimed “Professional Tourist.” His list of achievements is nothing short of astounding: 3 Pro Tour Top 8s, 26 Grand Prix Top 8s (including 4 wins), and over 500 lifetime Pro Points. Martin is also widely considered to be one of the best Limited players of all time. What do we talk about? • Martin’s childhood in the Czech Republic • Martin’s first Magic experiences and how he leveled up as a player • How Martin overcame the odds to turn “pro” and travel the world • Martin’s favorite places to visit — including an active volcano! • Martin’s thoughts on the current state of Limited Subscribe to “Humans of Magic” on iTunes today. And if you like what you hear, leave a review on iTunes to support the cause. And tell a friend, too :) Read full text transcripts of “Humans” audio interviews here: www.humansofmagic.com

Javier Dominguez returns to MTG Pro Tutor after two years of focused improvement. He's a Spanish Magic player with 6 Grand Prix Top 8s, including 2 Wins, 4 Pro Tour Top 16s, and just recently placed 2nd in the 2017 Magic Worlds Championship. Javier lives in Palau de Plegamans. (Check out episode 47 for his first appearance on the podcast.) Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Javier Dominguez when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep246 What have you been up to Javier leveled up by playing more and really focusing on improving. Last time he was on he was a Silver Pro and now his Platinum focusing on improving has paid off. 2017 World Championship In testing, Javier quickly learned that forcing a tribe/archetype would not work. He focused on Limited and played a deck he knew for Constructed. What Have You Learned From Magic Consider that others are thinking too. All parties are doing their best. Biggest Mistake Players Make Not listening to others. It's easy to assume you know the matchup but you'll be surprised when you play the other side. Parting Guidance Know your Constructed deck inside and out. Magic Resource Magic Online, CFB, Record your drafts Connect With Javier Dominguez Twitter:@Thalaiet ‏ Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

Craig Wescoe is the world's foremost expert of everything White in Magic. He’s the Pro Tour Dragon's Maze Champion, has 3 Pro Tour Top 8's + 2 more Top 16s and his Grand Prix record currently stands at 11 top 8s, including 1 win. He’s a weekly columnist for magic.tcgplayer.com. Craig lives in New York. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Craig Wescoe when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep225 First Set Ice Age Favorite Set Visions Favorite Card Swords to Plowshares Early Challenge Transportation as a young player was tough. Balancing life and Magic was an early struggle and as Craig got better, he could do more Magic. Magic Milestone Winning the first tournament with his own deck. Also, going to his early Pro Tours and seeing the caliber of players from Magic hubs like New York, Los Angeles, and Boston.  Worst Magic Moment Pro Tour Amsterdam, Paul Rietzl won with a white-based deck-very Craig Wescoe. Craig could have switched, but didn't. Craig learned he regrets not playing white when he can. Proudest Magic Moment Winning Pro Tour Dragon's Maze. What Have You Learned From Magic Magic is a microcosm of life. Biggest Mistake Players Make People aren't honest with themselves when they make a mistake. They also don't think about mulligans and side boards in advance. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Look at decks and their weaknesses, how can you attack it? Parting Guidance Even though winning is important, always have fun. Connect With Craig Wescoe Twitter:@Brimaz4Life ‏ Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

Tyrell Wheeler is the first Pro Tutor Prodigy listener turned guest! He has been playing Magic since Revised and has one Pro Tour top 16. Tyrell lives in Vancouver, Canada. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Tyrell Wheeler when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep217 Favorite Set Time Spiral Favorite Card Time walk Early Challenge Don't know the proper playing of Magic when in an autopilot. Worst Magic Moment He lost his backpack including his deck and some of his personal belongings the night before the event. Proudest Magic Moment Qualifying for the Pro Tour even though his life gets busy and played Magic on and off. What Have You Learned From Magic He could repeat other people's process to success so being mindful. Practice does not make perfect but perfect practice makes perfect. Best Format Sealed deck. Biggest Mistake Players Make Players just talking with everybody and setting down to play. People need to put the mental energy into thinking about what the best plays. Keep in touch with your monologue, ask questions why that this happened and internalize the game. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Watching Limited videos, ask pieces of advice from mentors, watching Magic matches once a week, get practice, think some plan and strategy and have confidence. Tips For Long Days in Magic Have big meals, eat salad, apple, banana, drink enough water, bring paper, pens, tokens, dice, etc. Parting Guidance Mindfully think through the games and adapt else' process that is so much better than you. Connect With Tyrell Wheeler Tyrell can be found in the MTG Pro Tutor Facebook group. Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

"Humans of Magic" interviews Christian Calcano, esteemed Gold Level Pro and Pro Tour Amonkhet Top 8 finalist. We go into Christian's backstory and how he feels about the game today. Please share this podcast with your friends! We have a lot of great content planned for this year -- subscribe now to make sure you don't miss any episodes.

Donald Smith started playing Magic in Theros. He got his first (and only) GP Top 8 in Charlotte 2015 and has chained Pro Tour invites ever since. Now he has a Pro Tour Top 8 under his belt and is a Gold level pro. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Donald Smith when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep189 First Set Theros Favorite Set Theros / Kaladesh Favorite Card Chained to the Rocks What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? "I got hooked on Magic because of the social aspect." Early Challenge Preparing for tournaments. Worst Magic Moment The period between PT Atlanta and PT Honolulu, Donald didn't have a good finish at any event. He also learned humility. Proudest Magic Moment Top 4 of Pro Tour Dublin. Also, the 11th win that got him the Pro Tour Dublin invite. What Have You Learned From Magic Taking risks pays off. Risk within reason. Best Format Limited Magic Mentors Derek; looked at the game with analytical eyes. Owen Turtenwald Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself Donald learned a good work ethic. Biggest Mistake Players Make People play too scared. Advice for Beginner Limited In AER Limited, have your colors set by the end of pack one. People let color biases affect them too much. Don't buy into hyperbole. What's in Your Tournament Bag Life pod, dice, pens, playmat, laptop, snacks, granola bars, Clif bars, water, token Daily Ritual Play daily. Parting Guidance Draft every day! Connect With  Twitter:@donaldwsjr Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

Jon Stern has been playing competitive Magic off an on for a long time but started to really take it seriously in 2012. He has 7 Grand Prix Top 8s including wins in Atlantic City 2013 and Atlanta 2014. He hasn’t broken through for a Pro Tour Top 8 yet but has a Top 16 and a couple Top 20 finishes. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Jon Stern when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep187 First Set Revised Favorite Set Invasion block Favorite Card Aquamoeba Standstill What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? You're rewarded based on the decisions you make. Early Challenge Knowing how to prepare for tournaments. Joining a team and preparing in a professional manner. Worst Magic Moment Forgetting to write down two cards in deck registry led to a game loss. Proudest Magic Moment Qualifying for his first Grand Prix Top 8. Winning his first Grand Prix. What Have You Learned From Magic Planning ahead, making decisions. Advice from Magic Mentors Understand there is variance. Magic is a number game. Trust yourself. Shortcomings Deck building in a new format. Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself You're not going to win every time but that doesn't mean you're on the wrong track.                                                                                                                                              Biggest Mistake Players Make Having an unlearning attitude. There is a learning curve in Magic and you can move up by talking, listening, asking and learning. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Jon focuses on time management. He looks at how much time he has to prepare and chooses his activities accordingly (Main board, side board, play testing). Best Format Constructed Beginner Standard Advice Realize that a lot of people are going to play one of the top 2 decks, card for card. This is exploitable. Parting Guidance Test with a purpose. Don't kill yourself over deck selection. Magic Resource MTG Goldfish, MTG Top 8, Magic Online League results Connect With Jon Stern Twitter:@JonSternMTL Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

Gerry Thompson is a master deck builder, deck-tuner, and Pro Tour mainstay. He dominated the SCG Tour and even worked at Wizards of the Coast for a bit. He has 11 Grand Prix Top 8s with 2 wins and 1 Pro Tour Top 8. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Gerry Thompson when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep181 First Set Mercadian Masques Favorite Set Ravnica City of Guilds Favorite Card Nether Spirit What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? Gameplay is super fun. Gerry loves to solve a puzzle. Early Challenge Card advantage was a concept that Gerry didn't grasp at first but made a huge difference once he learned. Breakthrough Moment First Grand Prix top 8 Worst Magic Moment At a Magic Worlds tournament, Gerry had a bad deck and was doing his best. He conceded a game that he didn't have to because he was unfamiliar with his deck. Proudest Magic Moment Winning two opens in one weekend and making Magic: The Gathering History. What Have You Learned From Magic Social interactions, decision-making skills,  and a word everything. Best Format Modern Magic Mentors Neil Reeves Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself Magic help Gerry mature. He learned that how he treats people matters. Biggest Mistake Players Make Side boarding and not understanding your role. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Ask critical questions in every match up. Shortcomings Gerry is working on getting better Pro Tour results. Winning Strategy in Modern Death Shadow Tournament Day Tips Get 8 hours of sleep. exercise in the morning, stay hydrated Parting Guidance If you've ever Connect With Gerry Thompson Twitter:@G3RRYT Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

Marcio Carvalho has an impressive record of 13 Grand Prix Top 8s including 3 wins, 3 Pro Tour Top 8s, and was a finalist at the 2016 Worlds tournament. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Marcio Carvalho when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep177 First Set Stronghold Favorite Set Ravnica Favorite Card Wasteland Early Challenge Choosing a deck. Breakthrough Moment First time competing at Worlds in 2005. Worst Magic Moment Getting banned for 6 months for looking at others cards in a draft. Marcio learned to not try to be the coolest kid in the room. Proudest Magic Moment Making Platinum and being a finalist Worlds Moment in 2016. What Have You Learned From Magic Slow down and understand it's okay to be wrong. Best Format Limited Advice From Pro Magic is a game of variance. Prepare it. Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself Marcio learned he can work hard when he wants to. Biggest Mistake Players Make Forcing a pick order in a draft. Drafts are fluid and you shouldn't put blenders. Shortcomings Constructed Daily Habits Not getting burned out by playing too much. Tournament Day Tips Eat well and drink water. Parting Guidance Don't force things. Play what you know. Magic Resource CFB, SCG Connect With Marcio Carvalho Twitter:@KbolMagic Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

Seth Manfield is the 2015 World Champion and has 11 Grand Prix top 8's including 5 Wins. He also has 2 Pro Tour Top 8's as well as multiple Pro Tour top 16's. He’s a full time Magic player and content producer for TCGplayer.com. Part of the #mtgdad club and a current Platinum Pro. Seth lives in Maryland, USA. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Seth Manfield when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep167 First Set Apocalypse Favorite Set Ravnica City of Guilds Favorite Card Vedalken Dismisser Early Challenge Confidence in his ability to compete. Breakthrough First Pro Tour Top 8. Fate Reforged. Worst Magic Moment Loss to Shahar Shenhar to make top 8 of a Grand Prix. Seth thought he blew his chance to make the Pro Tour. Proudest Magic Moment Winning 2015 World Championship. What have you learned from Magic You can follow what you love and turn it into a career. Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself Most players look at Magic as a hobby. Seth approaches the game as aa job. He's come to be okay with lifestyle. Biggest Mistake Players Make Thinking they've won a game before it's over. Think about your opponents outs. Shortcomings Seth is buying up misplays and his deck building skills. Weekly Rituals Look at decks that are doing well and familiarize yourself with the top deck lists. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Know the current meta-game. What are the best decks? Play against the top 3 decks but also be prepared for the surprise builds. What's in Your Tournament Bag Cards, Deck, Life Pad Improvement Suggestions Have fun, brew decks. Try things out and be happy with how you view the game. Magic Resource TCG Player, Wizards of the Coast Website Connect With Seth Manfield Twitter:@SethManfield Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com     Sponsors

Ben Weitz is a Gold Pro Magic Player and one of the resident deck builders for East West Bowl. He has 4 Grand Prix Top 8s and is working on improving his game to get his first Pro Tour Top 8. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Ben Weitz when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep162 First Set Ice Age Favorite Set Time Spiral Favorite Card Vesuvan Shapeshifter Early Challenge Sideboarding. Ben would have sideboard powooos with friends and learn how the built sideboard. Worst Magic Moment Ben terribly at a Grand Prix with a deck that he created. His friend (piloting the same deck) did very well. The dichotomy really stung. Proudest Magic Moment Hitting Gold after his second year on the Pro Tour. Level Up Moment Ben built a deck that Top 8'd in a Grand Prix and he realized "Wow, I'm a good deck builder". Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself Competitive environments is Ben's preferred way to socialize. Biggest Mistake Players Make Not sequencing your spells correctly. How to Build Better Magic Decks Note whether you are building for a known metagame or an unknown metagame. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of the metagame and either take a deck that has a way to address what's going on or build a deck that does the same. Improvement Suggestions Magic is about having fun. If you burnout, take a break or skip a Grand Prix. Connect With Ben Weitz Twitter:@bsweitz123 Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

This week on Limited Resources Marshall and Luis welcome 10 time Pro Tour Top 8 competitor and Pro Tour Hall of Famer Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa on the show to talk Kaladesh Limited and Magic in general. Paulo's CFB Article about Kaladesh Limited: http://www.channelfireball.com/articles/my-kaladesh-limited-guide/ Paulo vs Mihara at Worlds 2006: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCYMi9JsAsc Paulo's Twitter: https://twitter.com/pvddr Limited Resources is proudly sponsored by ChannelFireball.com You can support Limited Resources on the LR Patreon page here: LR Patreon Page Your Hosts: Marshall Sutcliffe and Luis Scott-Vargas Marshall’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/Marshall_LR Luis’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/lsv Email: lr@lrcast.com LR Community Subreddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/lrcast Contact Marshall_LR on Magic Online if you’d like to join the Limited Resources clan.

Matt Sperling has 6 Grand Prix top 8s and 2 Pro Tour top 8s. He writes a regular column called Sperling's Sick of It and tries to play to win without taking himself too seriously. He considers himself a hobbyist, not a professional, but feels that playing on the Pro Tour is just the best experience available. Matt lives in the Bay Area of Northern California. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Matt Sperling when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep137 First Set Legends Favorite Set Zendikar Favorite Card Preacher What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? The friends Matt had made is more important than the game now. How do you balance having fun and being competitive "I only play Grand Prix and Pro Tours." You have to devout time to the aspects of your life at the appropriate time. Aspect of Magic you improved at Getting attached to one deck. If you can only play one style of deck, look for opportunities to learn. "Empathy = Thinking about things from both sides of the table" Pro Player You Admire Jon Finkel Worst Magic Moment Most recent Pro Tour, Matt was Platinum level but hadn't done well and was shooting for Gold . He missed it by one game. Proudest Magic Moment 1st Pro Tour Top 8 Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself Impulse control. Playing fast and making the first good play that comes to mind helped Matt develop intuition. However, Matt has learned to think of other good plays. Not just the 1st one. Biggest Mistake Players Make Being afraid to make obvious attacks or blocks. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Follow the intuition of "this card feels really powerful" and "I feel helpless against this card." What are your shortcomings Constantly working on impulse control. Back in 10yrs Ago what advice would you give to yourself Look for energizing relationships and deck/strategies  Guidance To produce content for Magic, find something you can be proud of. Magic Resource CFB SCG TCG Player Playing w/ friends in similar level Connect With Matt Sperling Twitter: @mtg_law_etc Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

Immanuel Gerschenson is 23 years old and is studying technical physiques. He has 2 Grand Prix wins and 1 Pro Tour Top 16. He’s made Gold level Pro for the second season in a row and is a member of team EUreka. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Immanuel Gerschenson when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep136 First Set Kamigawa Favorite Set Innistrad Favorite Card Jace Beleren What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? Traveling around the world with friends. Early Challenge Constructed. Early on Immanuel was not good at building decks, but the events he wanted to attend were constructed so he had to practice. Level Up Moment Going from Silver to Gold level pro at Pro Tour Vancouver Worst Magic Moment GP Ghent went 0-2-1 and dropped. He stopped playing for a few months. Good friends got him to comeback Proudest Magic Moment GP Madrid - first Grand Prix win PT Eldritch Moon - needed 11-5 to stay on the train. Immanuel got 11-4-1. Effective Playtest Watch others play and keep track of hard to deal with cards so you can develop a plan. Best Format Standard What card is underplayed in that format Nahiri The Harbinger Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself Not to get as down or angry after a loss. It comes with time and by emulating players you respect. Biggest Mistake Players Make Players stay in their own playground. Go to events and play with others. If you could have a conversation with yourself 10 years ago, what would you say Look up to other players and learn. What's in Your Tournament Bag Water, Apples, Deck, Note Pad, Pen, Dice Improvement Suggestions Socialize and make friends. Magic is best when shared with others. Magic Resource SCG CFB MTG Mint Card MTG Salvation MTG Goldfish Connect With Immanuel Gerschenson Twitter: @igerschenson Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

Oliver Polak-Rottmann has 4 Grand Prix Top 8 including 1 Win, 1 Pro Tour Top 16, and is a 2-time National champion (2008, 2016). Oliver lives in Vienna, Austria. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Oliver Polak-Rottmann when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep130 First Set 4th Edition Favorite Set Coldsnap (Draft) / Champions of Kamigawa Favorite Card Island Mana Drain Master of Waves Underplayed Standard Card Woodland Bellower Gilt-Leaf Winnower What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? Oliver has made great friends playing Magic. How to have fun and be competitive By understanding variance always happens it will even out the highs and lows Early Challenge Try to finish his black border dual land collection. Money was an issue. Through trading and drafting. Oli was able to get the money for the card. Level Up Moment The year Oli qualified for 3 of 7 Pro Tours is when he realized he had leveled up. Worst Magic Moment In the 2008 season, Oli skipped the Pro Tour because he only needed 1 point. He needed to make to 200 of 380 players, and he didn't make it. It felt terrible . Oli learned you have to take the game seriously but not let it consume you."If you're failing at Magic, you're not failing at life". Proudest Magic Moment Making Platinum at Pro Tour Eldritch Moon. Best Format Standard Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself Oli learned about the world by traveling with Magic. Biggest Mistake Players Make Players don't Sideboard correctly and they don't seek advice as much as they should. People feel they know it better. Short comings Make Pro Tour Top 8. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Booked a house two weeks before the Pro Tour with his team to practice. Know the balance you need. Playing a lot of games (10-15) per match up helps Oli get a feel and collect data. Conversation 5 Years Ago "Pick up Power cards and dual lands." Improvement Suggestions Enjoy the game, Make friends. Magic Resource CFB  Hareruya Connect With Oliver Polak-Rottmann Twitter: @polakrottmann Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

Jonathan Melamed is a husband and father and has a PhD in Neuropsychopharmacology. He’s a long time Magic player, a Level 1 Judge, a Tournament Organizer AND store owner from Brasilia, Brazil. He has 2 Grand Prix Top 8s and 1 Pro Tour Top 16. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Jonathan Melamed when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep123 First Set Ice Age Favorite Set New Phyrexia Favorite Card Island/ Oath of Druids/ Tropical Island What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? The challenge of Magic drew Jonathan in at the beginning. All these years later the game is still challenging. Early Challenge Learning when/how to attack. As a control player attacking didn't come easy to Jonathan. Playing a lot of limited helped him learn. Worst Magic Moment Feature match in a Pro Tour in 2009. Playing a UG Landfall deck. Jonathan won but a well-respected player looked at him and said "you play so awful". This hit Jonathan hard. Jonathan focused on learning everytime, even if he wins. Pay a lot of attention to the game. Proudest Magic Moment National Top 8 in 2011 (first major top 8) made Jonathan realize he could do it. Best Format Modern Learn the deck you are playing. Learn it inside and out. Learn the other decks as well. Get to know their game plan Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself Be positive. No matter what. Jonathan struggles with this sometimes but knows how important it is. Biggest Mistake Players Make Not communicating well during a game. If you communicate well the entire game then mistakes come across as honest instead of cheating. Non-Magic Activity Neuroscience articles help Jonathan improve his focus.   What's in Your Tournament Bag Coat Food Water Playmat Notepad Dice Improvement Suggestions Have fun. Connect With Jonathan Melamed Twitter: @InsideMTG Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

"If I'm not moving forward in some way, I feel like I'm just burning daylight." Ben Friedman is one of the true Magic phenoms. At 23 years of age, he's already enjoyed incredible tournament success -- 3 GP Top 8s, 2 Pro Tour Top 16s, and 1 Pro Tour Top 32. Not only that, but Ben is in the running for future Hall of Fame consideration. He's a brilliant high-level Magic player, and this is only the beginning. In this free-flowing conversation, Ben goes beyond the game to discuss his views on friendship, forks in the road, life lessons, and much more.

Pascal Maynard was on the Canadian National Team in 2010 and Top 50’d his first PT (which was Worlds Chiba 2010) by making it to 5th place in the team portion. He’s played in over 15 Pro Tours and has 10 Grand Prix Top 8s (including 2 wins!) in his record. He currently has 1 Pro Tour Top 8 and is gunning for more. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Pascal Maynard when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep109 First Set 5th Dawn Favorite Set Time Spiral (Block) Favorite Card Tooth and Nail What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? The competitiveness. Early Challenge Pascal never wanted to play the best deck but he still remembers the first time he swapped decks with a body who ran an aggressive deck and the eye opening experience that was. Worst Magic Moment All of 2014. Pascal could not win that year. He considered leaving the game until he top 8'd a Grand Prix on his way to go visit a friend. If you are going through a slump, consider what you are doing wrong. Always turn the lens inward. Ask friends to watch you play. Proudest Magic Moment Making top 8 of a Pro Tour. Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself Pascal likes being competitive and doesn't like not learning. Magic has made Pascal a more organized person. Biggest Mistake Players Make People care too much about what's around them and how others think of them. Players who are good at ABC Magic play too fast because they don't want others to think they don't know. Great players slow down, think, and don't care what others are doing or thinking. Limited Evaluate whether you are the aggressor or on defense often. Make a note, especially when you sideboard. Improvement Suggestions Go to Wizards Coverage site and do a search for a specific deck or a specific player and you can watch all the coverage of that deck or player. It's all right there! No digging through hours of YouTube to find the right one. It's all right there. :) Magic Resource Neil Oliver articles on ChannelFireball Connect With Pascal Maynard Twitter: @PascalMaynard Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com   Sponsors

Patrick Chapin, "The Innovator," is a Hall of Famer, Pro Tour Champion, and 5-time Pro Tour Top 8 competitor. Author of Next Level Magic and Next Level Deckbuilding, his articles can be found on StarCityGames.com and podcast at TopLevelPodcast.com. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Patrick Chapin when he answered questions on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep105 Sideboarding Sideboards are there to tweak and tune your strategy. Know what your strategy is. Look at similar strategies and make your sideboard similar. Right now, sweepers are very popular - Languish and Planar Outburst. Building Local Interest If you have casual players that you would like to take to the next level, organize regular draft nights. Break off into teams after the draft portion so people can help each other build decks. If you have new players who don't know the rules, introduce them to a Duels of the Planeswalkers and see if they stick around and want more after a few weeks. Missing Triggers Create a shortcut system for your brain. Also, when playtesting, NO TAKE BACKS!! Practice how you want to play at events. Track your mistakes and do a push up for each one you do. Going to Grand Prixs and Other Big Events Grand Prixs are like gaming conventions. JUST GO and enjoy it! You will never feel ready if you don't go. If you are nervous about the main event then just show up and walk around, play in some side events, visit artists and vendors and soak it all in. When you participate in the main event, play all the rounds. You paid to play Magic and get experience. Utilize all the time you have. Play all the rounds even if you're knocked out early. Playing against different decks and opponents you don't know is invaluable. Home Brew vs. Net Deck By playing your own brew all the time you are missing out on learning what's working now and why it's working. By net decking all the time you will always be a week or so behind. Mix it up. Net deck 25% of the time and build your own deck 25% of the time. The other 50% is up to you to go where the wind blows. See what's working at large but try out your own ideas too. Read: Information Cascades in Magic on StarCityGames Make Sure It's Fun Don't force yourself to play Magic (or play more Magic) just because you feel like that's waht you SHOULD be doing, Make sure it stays fun. Pay Attention to Opponent Everytime your opponent makes a play, especially if it's not obvious why, ask yourself "Why did they do that?" Have a notebook and write down, after the match, what your opponent did so you can talk about it with others later. BONUS: Write down all the mistakes you made (win or lose) and what you learned and SHARE THAT LIST! Don't let your brain hide your errors from you. Get used to facing them and talking about them. The MTG Pro Tutor Facebook group is the perfect place to post your list because of the healthy, uplifting community there who is ready to help. Mulligan Decisions Now days you can keep slightly lighter mana hands because you can scry. Consider what your opponent is playing and have a plan based on the cards in your hand. If there is no viable plan, then mulligan. If you don't know what your opponent is playing, assume they are on an aggressive strategy. How does your hand line up in that match? Coping with Counterspells If you tilt when playing a control mage then watch someone play a control deck and ask questions. Learn when they are vulnerable so you know when to strike. Dealing With Ulamog Hand disruption is the best way to deal with Ulamog. Infinite Obliteration is the prime answer. Biggest Mistake Players lie to themselves. You can only control what you can control. People shift the blame to things they can't control and then use that to hide from the real problem. Which is that they are making mistakes and need to address it. Improvement Suggestions Focus on what really matters right now. Magic Resource Information Cascades in Magic on StarCityGames Eternal Patrick is working alongside other great Magic players at Direwolf Digital to release a new game called Eternal. Check it out when it goes into open Beta soon. Connect With Patrick Chapin Twitter: @thepchapin Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com Sponsors

Michael Majors is a Professional Magic player who lives in Roanoke VA and works at StarCityGames. He has 3 Grand Prix Top 8’s, including a win at GP San Diego in 2015, and has 2 Pro Tour Top 16s. He’s part of the Vintage Super Series duo Merriam and Majors. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Michael Majors when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep99 First Set Mercadian Masques Favorite Set Time Spiral Favorite Card Eight-and-a-Half-Tails What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? Winning is always nice but the friends he's made has kept Michael around. Early Challenge Identifying what in each game is important. Worst Magic Moment 2015 was a rough year for Michael. He missed Platinum by a few points in 2014 and this affected Michael for most of the next season. Finally, at GP San Diego, he let go of caring and got first place. This reinvigorated him and he's done great since. Proudest Magic Moment When Michael finally made Platinum Pro. Best Format Standard If you're new to Standard make one deck and stick with it to get it down, making adjustments as you go to meet your meta. Biggest Mistake Players Make Not using time wisely. While your opponent is taking their turn, you can be thinking and planning. Also, map your turn all the through. Don't just make the very next play, think of the full sequence. Card Evaluation Tips Compare new cards to older, similar cards to start determining how good they are. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Play a lot on Magic Online. Play in person twice a week for several hours each session. What's in Your Tournament Bag Deck Pen Paper Water Snacks Improvement Suggestions If you are loving an aspect of Magic then don't change that. If you want to become more competitive then build one deck and practice. Magic Resource Star City Games Connect With Michael Majors Twitter: @MichaelJMajors Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com Sponsors

Welcome to the 2nd episode of The Sideboard! We're joined by Pro Tour Top 8 competitor Frank Lepore as we dive into the Shadows Over Innistrad limited format and their impressions on how to succeed at it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Martin Dang is a Platinum Pro Level Magic player, who lives in Aarhus, Denmark with his lovely girlfriend Tina Dahl. He makes his living by playing every Pro Tour and every Grand Prix in Europe. Martin has 1 Pro Tour Top 8 where he won at Pro Tour Dragons of Tarkir in Brussels 2015! He also has 2 Grand Prix top 8s - including a win at Grand Prix Liverpool in 2015, a top 8 finish in the World Magic Cup and is a proud member of Team EUreka. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Martin Dang when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep78 First Set  Revised Favorite Set  Revised Favorite Card Jace, the Mind Sculptor What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? Martin finds Magic to be a good way to relax while also exercising his competitive urges, but like most long time players, he still had to take a break from the game. He wasn’t getting to where he wanted to be with the game, but after a while he started working at a game store. Working in an environment surrounded by Magic had him Drafting twice a week and rekindled his desire to enter tournament Magic again. Early Challenge The biggest enemy Martin faced in his early days of Magic was himself. At tournaments he would be nervous in every match he played, as his opponents appeared to be better, older, or just different. This led him to play the game by their principles instead of his own, and he felt as though he was just losing to himself in these matches. In order to become comfortable playing Magic, Martin continued to play more and against different people and eventually eased into the competitive scene. He found that playing more helped him meet more friends, and that if he stuck to playing by his own principles things went pretty well for him in matches. Level Up Moment Martin’s biggest period of growth came when he started working at his local game store. Before that he was playing Magic less frequently, but after working at the game store he was playing almost every day. He believes the key to getting better is playing as much as you can against as many different types of people as you can. Playing more pushed him into formats he wasn’t comfortable playing, and that helped him become a well-rounded player. Proudest Magic Moment Martin cites winning the Pro Tour as his proudest moment in competitive Magic. It was his first Pro Tour in over 5 years, so he didn’t have high expectations for his performance. After winning it took months for him to fully grasp the reality of winning the tournament. He started to receive a large amount of recognition from the community and other players. This acted as a confidence boost that has helped him power through other tournaments as well. His Pro Tour win helped establish team Eureka, as before they were just a bunch of loosely affiliated guys who tested for that one event. Now they get together and test for all of the Pro Tours. Heaviest Magic Moment After winning Nationals in 2010 he got to go to the World Championships, but didn’t do as well as he liked. He placed in the 40’s, and felt that he had made a lot of errors in his matches. This led Martin into a down period where he felt as though he couldn’t focus on the game enough, so he distanced himself from tournament play for a while. After reflecting he started to see that he hadn’t prepared adequately for the tournament. This has pushed him to prepare more going forward, and has helped him form a team which was something he didn’t have before. Best Format Limited What Would You Tell Someone New To Drafting? Martin has noticed that players will show up to their first Draft not understanding anything about the format. Even if you’ve played a lot of formats, you can’t expect to sit down for a Draft and end up doing well. Learning the cards and their synergies is one of the first steps to understanding the format. You want to go into the draft with a plan, ideally three strategies that you can be flexible with. Try and stay open minded, and look at spoilers to see what certain colors and cards actually do. After the match ask the other players what went wrong with your deck and why it didn’t work like you had hoped. Biggest Mistake Players Make Players can often be too settled in the way they play Magic, and this is an attribute that Martin thinks gets a lot of players stuck early on. They will come to the game store for the first time, not having played much, and are thrown off by other’s play styles and the faster tempo of play. Having a mindset that lets you absorb these new experiences will help you adapt to game store play, and eventually tournament Magic. Deepest Thing Magic Has Taught You Martin really loves to win in Magic, but he doesn’t take losses so heavily anymore. Losses used to haunt him for days, if not months afterwards. While he still thinks about his losses now, it’s in terms of what could he have done better instead of beating himself up over them. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Training for Grand Prix’s differs from event to event, but he doesn’t practice so much for the Limited portions, as he has a good grasp of the format and plays a lot at his store. Pro Tours are different. Team Eureka will set up a forum and Facebook group 3 months ahead of the Pro Tour, and anytime one of them has an idea of something to test they will post it there. They basically prepare for the full gap between Pro Tours. Two weeks in advance of the tournament they meet up and grind out games all day long. The preparation is grueling; they pair decks against one another and will play ten games pre sideboard, and then twenty games post sideboard. They will discuss the games, add new sideboard cards, tweak decks, and start all over again. They hold daily meetings where they discuss the matchups, what cards were good, but they also talk about how they felt about their decks, not just the results. What's in Your Tournament Bag Pen Paper Deck Snacks Water Dragon Shield Sleeves  Final Wisdom Martin wants to emphasize that there are no shortcuts in Magic. You have to practice a lot if you want to improve, so get out into the world and play, and don’t be afraid to seek advice from everyone else out there. Magic Resource MTGMintCard Connect With Martin Dang Facebook: Martin Dang Twitter: @MagicMartinDang Like What You Hear? If you like the show, head on over to iTunes and leave an honest Rating & Review. Let me know what you like and what I can do better so I can make the show the best it can be and continue bringing you valuable content. I read every single one and look forward to your feedback. (Here's a 1.5 minute tutorial on how to leave a review if you don't already know. THANK YOU!) Sponsors  

Gabriel Nassif has a long and storied history with Magic: The Gathering. His accomplishments include 6 Grand Prix Top 8s, one of which was a win in 2009, and 9 Pro Tour Top 8s! Three (3) of those were 2nd place finishes and 2 of them were 1st place finishes! His first championship was in 2005 at Pro Tour Atlanta and the second was in 2009 at Pro Tour Kyoto. He also has 3 Worlds Top 8s for good measure. Gabriel has been recognized as one of Magic’s greatest players and was inducted into the Magic: The Gathering Hall of Fame in 2010. Gabriel lives in Paris, France with his wife. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Gabriel Nassif when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep75 First Set  Ice Age Favorite Set  Tempest Favorite Card Crystalline Sliver What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? In his years playing Magic, Gabriel made a good many friends which helped keep him in the game. His ability to compete at a very high level, and Magic’s ability to stay interesting and fresh from year to year are also reasons why Gabriel has stuck around for so long. While he has continually competed in Pro Tours, he finds that renting a house before the tournament and training with his friends is almost more fun than the Pro Tour itself. Early Challenge In his early days of playing Magic Gabriel found himself not valuing cards correctly. Like many players, he would trade cards based on what seemed cooler as opposed to their tactical value. It took hours of playing the game and thinking about Magic while scribbling deck lists in his notebook at school for him to hone his evaluating skills. Gabriel also acknowledges getting into the game at a young age helped develop his Magic intuition, as he was able to fully immerse himself in the game and absorb all of its facets. Level Up Moment Gabriel’s level up moment came when he first started playing Magic, as there was the most room for improvement then. He finds that once you get closer to the top it’s much harder to keep ascending. When he was growing up he frequently played at his local store and was lucky to learn from the many excellent players that lived in Paris. This was back when deck lists weren’t on the internet or shared in many magazines, and Paris Magic players were notorious for being brutally good at the game. They often joke that if Magic Online hadn’t come about Parisian players would have dominated the world. Proudest Magic Moment Gabriel has had an amazing Magic career and can cite a dozen great moments that stand out to him. In his early days of Playing Magic he managed to win a Black Lotus at his local shop in Paris. At his first Grand Prix in London he made it to Day 2, and was convinced his opponent who flew in from the United States, Brock Parker, was a big cheater. Gabriel end up crushing him in their matches and realized Brock was just another player who loved the game just like he did. Heaviest Magic Moment Losing to luck or variance doesn’t bother Gabriel much, it’s the losses he takes due to his own mistakes that get to him. He notes that back in the day he was an excellent deck builder, but made a lot of sloppy mistakes in play which took him a long time to mentally recover from. Magic was his entire life, and losing a Pro Tour left a wound that took him almost an entire year to heal. When he was getting really good at the game he didn’t realize he’d become a little arrogant and wasn’t treating his friends well. He even threw his deck through the air after losing a feature match at a Pro Tour. It took one of his friends calling him out on his behavior for him to reel himself back in. On Cheating While cheating isn’t nearly as rampant as it was years ago it can still rear its ugly head from time to time. Gabriel says if something happens to you in a match, even if it just looks like sloppy play or an accident, you should always get a judge involved so a record can be made. Someone may have accidentally flipped your card over while shuffling your deck, or they may have made it look like an accident but actually have a record of doing it. Biggest Mistake Players Make Gabriel thinks one of the hallmark mistakes new players make is blaming their losses on luck. Be honest with yourself and take the time to analyze your deck in a meaningful way. He finds that when players first start building decks they are prone to not playing enough lands. Building your deck and playing it is how a player determines what needs to be adjusted, and looking at deck lists similar to your deck will help fine tune how many lands should be included. Listener Question: Do You Think There's A Herd Mentality When It Comes To Deck Building? Following deck trends is a phenomenon that Gabriel concedes very well might be affecting the Magic community at large. He misses his early days of playing Magic, as there weren’t deck lists online to influence players. Showing up to a tournament with a carefully brewed deck could give a player an amazing edge. Gabriel sees how a herd mentality affects how players prepare for events like the Pro Tour, as everyone now looks to see what decks are placing well in tournaments. This can be detrimental and hinder deck creativity. Gabriel notes that the Eldrazi decks he saw while playing Magic Online influenced his deck in a negative way, as they weren’t representative of what he faced in the last Pro Tour. If he had more of a clean slate Gabriel thinks he may have crafted something much more effective. Final Wisdom Gabriel’s advice is simple: try to play with people that are better than you, work on making friends in the Magic community, and love the game until you can talk about it for hours on end, just like him. Magic Resource Channel Fireball Connect With Gabriel Nassif Twitter: @gabnassif Like What You Hear? If you like the show, head on over to iTunes and leave an honest Rating & Review. Let me know what you like and what I can do better so I can make the show the best it can be and continue bringing you valuable content. I read every single one and look forward to your feedback. (Here's a 1.5 minute tutorial on how to leave a review if you don't already know. THANK YOU!) Sponsors

Pierre Dagen is a 28 year old French entrepreneur who has been playing Magic: The Gathering since about 2006. His first Pro Tour was Paris 2011, and since then he has scored 3 Grand Prix Top 8s and a Pro Tour Top 8, as well as making it to the Top 4 of the World Magic Cup in 2015 as the captain of team France. Formerly a founding member of team Revolution, he is now part of team EUreka. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Pierre Dagen when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep66 First Set Kamigawa Local Magic Scene: Paris, France With about 90% of French pro players living in Paris the scene is very competitive. Favorite Card Gifts Ungiven What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? While Pierre likes chess and sees the similarities to Magic, he felt that chess could be a bit mechanical. The complexity, strategy, and need to enter your opponent’s head are major draws that keep him playing Magic. Pierre notes how Magic has allowed him to travel a lot more than he usually would, which has allowed him to meet a ton of great people. Early Challenge Pierre had trouble building his decks early on. He tried to do this on his own without consulting friends or any other players. At some point Pierre says he humbled himself, and asked for help and feedback from other teams. Level Up Moment Pierre attributes a major level up in his game to the first time he joined a team. This allowed him to playtest twice a week in sets of 10-20 matches with teammates that were better than him. The team helped his Magic mindset evolve from just wanting to have fun, to playing each turn as if he was solving a puzzle and finding a solution to the match. Proudest Magic Moment This came for Pierre at the World Magic Cup in Barcelona where Team France made it to the Top 4. Pierre only knew one player on his team, and had just met the other two. This led them to think that they wouldn’t do that great, but they were all surprised at how well they were able to perform together. Heaviest Magic Moment Pro Tour Montreal: Pierre was invited for coming close to qualifying. He entered the tournament stressed out, believing he needed to prove himself worthy of being there. His bad memories of the tournament stem from him not believing he was a good player and losing a lot. He forgot that his first goal should have been to have fun, so after he lost his last match all he wanted to do was go back to France. What Has Magic Taught You About Yourself? Over the course of Pierre’s Magic career he learned that he can have a lazy approach to playing. When he first started, he would go into matches just to have fun and ride out games instead of trying his hardest. He thought that you needed to be a genius to be great at Magic. But when others asked him for advice he found that if thought about it hard enough he could usually figure out a solution to their problem. This led to him trying his hardest on every turn and let him see that anyone can be really good at Magic if they put the effort in. Best Format Sealed Biggest Mistake Players Make Pierre sees a good number of players that are overly optimistic about their deck. They only think of the good things that will happen with their cards, and don’t consider the situations where everything falls apart on the next turn, or 3-4 turns out. Player should always be thinking about how the match will go wrong in order to prepare for when things go right. Sealed & Draft Tips Draft: Pierre thinks it’s important to remember that you need a bit of everything in your deck. It needs to be coherent while not focusing on one specific area that might end up sinking your deck. Sealed: One of the keys to sealed is balancing power and consistency. Deciding if you are leaning towards one end of that spectrum or the other should be a constant thought. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Have a deck that you like and play it a lot—don’t try to come up with one the day before a tournament. Remember, there’s no surefire way to prepare against every player’s deck. Playing one deck, playing it a lot, and playing it against lots of other decks is a good way to get comfortable with tournament play. What's in Your Tournament Bag Pens Pad Snacks Water Deck What Does a Group Play Session Look Like? Pierre’s play tests usually consist of two deck groups: a group of decks everyone on the team likes to play, and a group of decks that are known to be at a specific event. They will play matches with all combinations from both deck groups, compare results, and revamp their decks. Final Wisdom Pierre wants to hammer home that a Magic player shouldn’t be lazy. You should treat Magic in such a way that every turn is a puzzle, and it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, but you should always be trying to solve the succession of puzzles to the best of your ability. Magic Resource MTG Top 8 Magic Online  2015 World Magic Cup Top 8 Connect With Pierre Dagen Twitter: @ElPruno_Dagen Like What You Hear? If you like the show, head on over to iTunes and leave an honest Rating & Review. Let me know what you like and what I can do better so I can make the show the best it can be and continue bringing you valuable content. I read every single one and look forward to your feedback. Sponsors

Ondrej Strasky is 20 years old and is already a Platinum Pro! He was the 2015 Czech World Magic Cup captain and has 1 Grand Prix Top 8 at Grand Prix Brussels 2015, and 2 Pro Tour Top 8s at Pro Tour Honolulu and Pro Tour Brussels. Ondrej lives in the Czech Republic. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Ondrej Strasky when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep64 First Set  Time Spiral Favorite Set Khans of Tarkir Favorite Card Daze Local Magic Scene: Czech Republic Prague is the only city where Ondrej can play Magic a lot in the Czech Republic, which is about a 2 hour bus ride away for him. Because of this he mainly plays Magic Online. What Makes Magic: The Gathering Fun For You? While Ondrej tries not to place too much focus on winning or losing, playing in tournaments and the competitive aspect is what keeps him playing Magic. Since there is no one in his town that plays he doesn’t get to play much casual Magic. Early Challenge The hurdle that tripped Ondrej up the most starting out was his play speed. He played too fast and missed critical card interactions because he didn’t pause to think them through. An additional 5 seconds helps Ondrej avoid stupid blunders. While addressing the way you play is a hard thing to do, the best way to improve is to just take a little extra time. Level Up Moment Ondrej grew the most in 2015 after landing in the Top 8 at his first Pro Tour. At the start of the year he moved in with 3 of the best Czech players and he wholly surrounded himself with Magic. They all streamed Magic, talked Magic, and of course played as much as they could, and Ondrej credits their skill with helping push him to the next level. Proudest Magic Moment Ondrej’s proudest moment came when he finished 9th in a London Grand Prix. He was super prepared and an article in Star City Games by Brian Braun-Duin helped him find an amazing deck. While he didn’t take down the whole tournament, Ondrej is proud of how prepared he was and feels like he played the best out of everyone there. How Much Magic Do You Play? If a tournament is on the horizon Ondrej wakes up and plays Magic until he passes out, and he might squeeze in a bite to eat somewhere in between. During the holidays he slacks off a bit, but now he’s busy learning archetypes and trying out decks. Best Format He plays best in Standard, but he loves how fun Legacy is even though it’s not his best format. How to Choose a Standard Deck Since the meta game shifts quickly in Standard, Ondrej tries to stay on top by playing Magic Online and seeing how others shift decks from week to week. In regards to setting up a sideboard, Ondrej tries to build it with his main deck in mind as a 75 card deck so he can pick the best positioned 60 to roll with. Biggest Mistake Players Make Ondrej thinks players shouldn’t blame luck for their losses, but they shouldn’t beat themselves up when there wasn’t much they could do in a match to win. Handling loss better can help a player see what they did wrong and learn from their mistakes. Sealed & Draft Tips Sealed: Ondrej doesn’t go to pre-releases too often, but he usually looks for cards that pop out to him instantly. Draft: Ondrej finds the best three archetypes and tries to draft them. He talks to other people who drafted and find what cards are most important to each one. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Ondrej thinks you can prepare mostly by yourself for a Grand Prix, but definitely not a Pro Tour. He has a team of 15 and sometimes thinks that’s not even enough. They will look at what decks are being played after the first Star City Open. Then they start playing and will ask Frank Karsten about deck matchups and post results in forums to help figure out what decks were best. What's in Your Tournament Bag Pen Deck Deck box for Limited portion Water Bottle: Ondrej says he stays insanely hydrated throughout a tournament. How Can a New Magic Player Break In? A new player can start by building a Pauper deck and playing Magic Online, as decks super cheap. Improvement Suggestions Ondrej reads articles written by Brad Nelson and looks at decklist postings from recent tournaments. He thinks reading solid content and playing as much as possible is the best way to improve. Final Wisdom If you enjoy Magic play it a lot, and the best thing you can do is buy a lot of packs, watch coverage, and spread the word of how great a game Magic is. Magic Resource Brian Braun-Duin Brad Nelson Frank Karsten Craig Wescoe Connect With Ondrej Strasky Twitter: @OndrejStrasky Facebook: Ondrej Strasky Like What You Hear? If you like the show, head on over to iTunes and leave an honest Rating & Review. Let me know what you like and what I can do better so I can make the show the best it can be and continue bringing you valuable content. I read every single one and look forward to your feedback. Sponsors

Lukas Blohon has an impressive Magic: The Gathering record with 5 Grand Prix Top 8s, including a win at Grand Prix Brussels 2015, and 2 Pro Tour Top 16s including a Top 8 finish at Pro Tour Dark Ascension. Lukas lives in Prague. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Lukas Blohon when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep61 First Set Tempest Favorite Set Ravnica: City of Guilds Favorite Card Vendilion Clique Early Challenge Limited. Lukas is good at playing one deck over and over again and getting very familiar with it. Limited was his weak spot early on. Level Up Moment Training with Channel Fireball helped Lukas grow a lot because he was able to play with some of the best players in the world. This culminated in Lukas making the Top 8 of a Pro Tour. Proudest Magic Moment Top 8 of Pro Tour Dark Ascension Best Format Standard How to Choose a Standard Deck Play all the big decks and see which works for you. Then play that one over and over again. Biggest Mistake Players Make Mentally checking out. Whether you're winning or losing, stay engaged in the game and consider what you need to do to win. Sealed & Draft Tips Sealed: Synergies are always strong, but in Sealed you don't always get enough of what you need to make the synergy work. In that case, play cards that affect the board Draft: Keep track of what's going on by noting the next picks behind yours. This gives you an idea of what the people to your left are doing. However, it's more important to track what's going on to your right. Do this by noting what is and is not being passed to you. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Use Magic Online to play anytime. You can put a few hours to good use without wasting time in transit. Play the same deck as a trusted friend and share the insights. What's in Your Tournament Bag Water Snacks (Bananas) Deck Pen Notepad  Improvement Suggestions Constructed: Build a tier 2 deck (or whatever you can afford) and play over and over again. Also, find someone who has a similar goal as you and work together to improve and advance. Magic Resource Star City Games Channel Fireball (The best people write for these sites.) Connect With Lukas Blohon Twitter: @LukasBlohon Like What You Hear? If you like the show, head on over to iTunes and leave an honest Rating & Review. Let me know what you like and what I can do better so I can make the show the best it can be and continue bringing you valuable content. I read every single one and look forward to your feedback. Sponsors

Javier Dominguez is the Champion of Grand Prix Paris 2014 (Legacy) and took 2nd place at another Grand Prix. He also has 3 Pro Tour Top 16s (one Worlds). He likes making decks and playing Legacy. Javier lives in Spain. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Javier Dominguez when he shared his story on #MTG Pro Tutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep47 First Set Odyssey Favorite Set Mirrodin Favorite Card Eternal WitnessMeloku the Clouded Mirror What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? The people Javier has met has made Magic really fun and sustainable. Early Challenge Drafting. To overcome this weakness, Javier would write down his picks and then ask people if  they would make the same ones. That post-game discussion and feedback really helped him improve. Level Up Moment When Javier started playing regularly (daily) with his friends and playing all decks against all deck he noticed he really started to improve. Proudest Magic Moment Building a Legacy deck and then seeing several team members perform so well in a Pro Tour really meant a lot to Javier. Javier's Commander Tasigur, the Golden Fang Best Format Legacy Breaking Into Legacy Play blue. From there you can identify your style and move from there. How to Choose a Standard Deck Consider what has been doing well, pick a deck, then play it a lot so you know it backwards and forwards. Biggest Mistake Players Make Not talking to people enough about the game. Also, keep your mind focused. If you are there to win then focus on winning 100% of the time. It's okay that you miss a land drop or make a misplay, just recalibrate and keep your mind on winning. You can train yourself to focus by playing against someone while visualizing you are playing for the Top 8 of a Grand Prix. Practice focusing and you'll get better at focusing. Card Evaluation Tips Javier looks for enablers when a set is released. He will compare new cards to ones that he's used to. This gives him a baseline. Sealed & Draft Tips Sealed: Make three piles: Wow cards, solid fillers, all the rest. Remember, anything not in your deck is your sideboard. Draft: When there are two cards that are close, take the bigger one because they are generally better.Know color combinations and archetypes for the set you're drafting. How to Effectively Play Test Link up with other players (find a good group at your local FNM) and practice with them. It's important to have someone to talk about the meta game with and make critical decisions with. What's Inside? (Tournament Bag) Cereal BarNutsWater Eat and drink at least every 2 hours. If you are hungry or thirsty then you've waited too long. Improvement Suggestions To break into the competitive scene there is always a cheap deck. (Usually red.) Start with this deck. No matter what you choose, make sure you stick with it and practice a lot. Magic Resource Frank Karsten articles (on Channel Fireball) Connect With Javier Twitter: @Thalaiet Like What You Hear? If you like the show, head on over to iTunes and leave an honest Rating & Review. Let me know what you like and what I can do better so I can make the show the best it can be and continue bringing you valuable content. I read every single one and look forward to your feedback. Sponsors

Raphaël Lévy is a Magic Player from Toulouse, France. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in November 2006. He has 3 Pro Tour Top 8's and 20 Grand Prix Top 8's with 5 wins to his name and led the French team to victory in the 2013 World Magic Cup. Click to Tweet: I loved hearing Raphael Levy's story on MTG Pro Tutor today! He was an amazing guest and shared great tips. http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep46 First Set Arabian Nights Antiquities Favorite Set Innistrad Favorite Card Llanowar ElvesElvish Mystic What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? Raphael is very competitive and the challenge has kept him hooked. Even when going through stale periods Raphael stuck around because he loves winning. Proudest Magic Moment Raphael joined an international team called Legion in 1997. He did this by qualifying for the Pro Tour by winning a Grand Prix in Djon which was 8 hours away. Hall of Fame ceremony in his home country of France. All of Raphael's family attended. With them there, along with his countrymen, he felt very honored and proud. Best Format Limited (Draft and Sealed) How to Choose a Standard Deck Raphael knows his play style and picks a deck that is competitive and that he can pilot well. Raphael really understands the combat phase and therefore does not play control decks. Choose a deck that fits your style. Biggest Mistake Players Make The biggest mistake Raphael sees is in the combat step. Players don't think about it enough. People don't realize that missing one point of damage in a combat step can lose then the game. Watch, talk and analyze Magic Card Evaluation Tips Raphael waits for the whole set to come out before evaluating cards. Sealed & Draft Tips Experiment with Limited yourself. Draft lots of color combinations and you will get a feel for what works and what doesn't. Read, listen and watch others but always apply what you learn by drafting yourself. Raphael mentions his draft at GP Madison 2015.  What's In Your Bag Deck boxSleevesTokensDicePensPaperBanana - healthiest snack you can have (not too heavy and full of nutrients)Water Improvement Suggestions Limited: Buy 6-12 packs, mark the packs and then after you build your deck (draft, sealed, team) you can rebuild the packs, switch around the rares and then play again. To be a better Magic player you need to not play Magic. This will help you avoid burnout, avoid automatic plays and put yourself in a different mindset for tournaments. Don't play your cards as they come. Stop and think. Magic Resource TCG Player - Raphael's articles Connect With Raphael Twitter: @hahamoud Twitch: twitch.tv/raphaellevy  Like What You Hear? If you like the show, head on over to iTunes and leave an honest Rating & Review. Let me know what you like and what I can do better so I can make the show the best it can be and continue bringing you valuable content. I read every single one and look forward to your feedback.     Sponsors "There's no such thing as a difficult thing. It's either possible or impossible." ~Raphael Levy

Lee Shi Tian has 5 Grand Prix Top 8s and is the Champion of Grand Prix Birmingham (2008) he has also made the Top 8 at 4 Pro Tours. He lives in, and joins us from, the tallest city in the world, Hong Kong, China. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Lee Shi Tian when he shared his story on MTG Pro Tutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep38 First Set Odessey Favorite Set Shards of Alara Favorite Card Vendilion Clique What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? Shi Tian love that there are lots of interaction and synergy between cards and that the games is refreshed every time a set comes out. He also enjoys the people reading part of Magic too. Looking for tells when playing against an opponent is fun for him. Early Challenge Being a Professional gamer is not highly regarded in Hong Kong so Shi Tian was constantly asked "When are you going to get a real job?" from those around him. Until he made Platinum it was a constant challenge standing up to the pressures. Level Up Moment After Shi Tian's first Pro Tour Top 8 Wizards unbanned Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle which allowed Shi Tian to play the Scapeshift deck. Shi Tian also joined with Taiwanese player Kuo Tzu-Ching, who was on the winning team of first ever World Magic Cup, to form the team MTG Mint Card.  This period of his career was full of growth and level ups for him. Proudest Magic Moment Top 8 at Pro Tour Honolulu. The Pro Tour was during a tumultuous time for Hong Kong and Lee Shi Tian was proud to bring attention to the issues his countrymen were facing. Best Format Draft & Modern How to Choose a Standard Deck Players at Grand Prix are much more diverse so Shi Tian plays the safest deck. The one with the best results. For Pro Tours he tries to surprise the field because the format is relatively undiscovered by that point. Biggest Mistake Players Make Limited: You should know your game plan and always track the game tempo. Know your role for the match up. Are you the aggro player or the player with inevitability? Card Evaluation Tips Review the spoiler several times and identify supported archetypes. Sealed & Draft Tips Evasion is Shi Tian's secret.  Get lots of cards with flying. Draft: Remember the 3 best cards in the pack. Do that with every pack to get a feel of what color people are in. To "read the draft" you should identify the best commons in each color. You see commons more and it's easier to pick up on what is open if you track the commons. Always draft a good curve. Team Building Teams are great because when you're going solo you don't have time to play every deck. Team mates help round out your knowledge. How to Effectively Play Test Know your meta game. What's going on locally and how can you beat it. As you scale up change your side board accordingly. Improvement Suggestions Watch videos online to pick up on the latest strategies. Read articles. Magic Resource MTG Mint Card Star City Games Channel Fireball Connect With Shi Tian Twitter: @leearson Like What You Hear? If you like the show, head on over to iTunes and leave an honest Rating & Review. Let me know what you like and what I can do better so I can make the show the best it can be and continue bringing you valuable content. I read every single one and look forward to your feedback.  

Jon Finkel's prolific talents and sterling resume earned him the nickname "Jonny Magic" long ago. After a substantial hiatus, Jon Finkel returned to the Pro Tour and immediately demonstrated why he's widely considered the greatest player of all time by winning PT Kuala Lampur in 2008 and Top 8'ing PT Avacyn Restored and PT Dark Ascension in 2012.   First Set  Antiquities (1994)   Favorite Set  Innistrad (2011) - "Was the pinnacle of Limted set design."   Favorite Card Desperate Ravings What makes Magic fun for you? The depth of the game and the ability to add on to the basic framework through the expansions is what keeps Jon engaged. Early Challenge Not running enough lands in control decks and not playing 60 card decks. Level Up Moment Realizing that playing other decks outside your comfort zone can lead to growth and improvement as a player, not to mention better results. Proudest Magic Moment Making first Pro Tour Top 8 at Chicago in 1997 Best Format Draft Biggest Mistake Players Make Not being open to playing the best deck. Not playing Magic with the intention to improve. You need to be conscious of what you play and how you play so you can improve. Connect with Jon Finkel Twitter: @Jonnymagic00