Chris Ferber is a doctor who is new to the upper tiers of competitive Magic with 1 Grand Prix top 8. Chris lives in Torrance, CA and plays at Fire and Dice.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Chris Ferber when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep228

First Set

Odyssey

Favorite Set

Rise of the Eldrazi

Favorite Card

Green Sun's Zenith

Early Challenge

Card evaluation was tough for Chris. Talking with others helped Chris learn faster.

Magic Milestones

Top 8 at several PTQ's helped Chris realize he was actually a good player.

Worst Magic Moment

At a Shadows Over Innistrad Sealed RPTQ Chris went 3-0 right off the bat. He needed to win just one of three rounds to make it. But he couldn't get there. He learned to manage his time better.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 4 at Cleveland with teammates.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Some things are out of your control but you still don't blame luck.

Biggest Growth

Magic gave Chris an analytical brain to look out problems and solve them.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Side boarding decisions in Limited.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Chris joined as many games as possible to understand the format and set.

Shortcomings

Chris has an autopilot made that he wants to turn off more often.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Backpack, snacks, water, energy  bars, decks, tokens

Parting Guidance

Put in practice.

Magic Resource

CFB, SCG

Connect With Chris Ferber

Chris 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

Rob Pisano was a finalist at Grand Prix Indianapolis and made top 8 at Grand Prix Denver. He’s a Silver level pro soon to be Gold.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Rob Pisano when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep160

First Set

Mirage

Favorite Set

Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Jace, Vryn's prodigy

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Rob loves the challenge of deck building and high-level play.

Early Challenge

Learning how to lose. Be social at the table and you'll develop a good relationship with your opponent. This will help take the sting of losing.

Magic Mentors

David Williams

Worst Magic Moment

Second Pro Tour, Rob lost two win and ins to the top 8.

Proudest Magic Moment

Qualifying for the Pro Tutor for the first time. Rob made top 4 of an RPTQ and was so excited.

Best Format

Modern

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Rob learned how persistent he can be. 

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Getting discouraged when odds are in your favor. Stay focused and keep your head in the game. Always ask "how can I win this?"

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

In modern, you need to ask "What's changed since the loss of big event?"
In Standard, you need to test a lot. It's tedious but the results will come.

Advice to Yourself 5 Years Ago

Play Magic! Go to as many competitive events as possible.

Daily Actions

Play Magic often. Leagues help.

Improvement Suggestions

Take loss as a challenge. Be friendly with everyone, Magic is the best game. If you're not having fun, make it fun. Innovate and come up with your own ideas.

Connect With Rob Pisano

Twitter:@Rob_Pisano

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

Thoralf Severin has been playing Magic since Nemesis and has tried about every format, no matter how silly. He enjoys figuring out new and wacky stuff and turning it into a big advantage. His record includes a top 8 at Nationals, 2.5 Grand Prix top 8s, 1 Pro Tour top 16, being on the coverage team for GP Lyon 2015, and getting 6th place in a Magic Online Championship. Thoralf lives in Berlin, Germany.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Thoralf Severin when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep266

First Set

Nemesis

Favorite Set

Shards of Alara Block

Favorite Card

Teferi's Response
Hidetsugu's Second Rite

Early Challenge

Thoralf really wanted to get better but we didn't have the same resources we do now. He overcome this by learning how to talk with others about Magic.

Worst Magic Moment

Losing the round for a PT top 8. Thoralf learned to think about every decision all the way through.

Proudest Magic Moment

First GP top 8.

What Have You Learned From Magic

English

Advice for New Players

Utilize the strengths and weaknesses of your group. Figure out what to learn from whom.

Magic Milestones

Top 8 at Nationals, won PTQ, first Pro Tour

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players don't play the best deck. Also, people don't bluff enough.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Thoralf watched a lot of twitch of streamers who played Limited a ton. You have to filter what people say and test and validate for yourself.

Parting Guidance

Nothing can go wrong by asking questions. Connect with good players and have an open mind to learning.

Connect With Thoralf Severin

Twitter:@ToffelMTG

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

Andrew Sullano is a Pro Tour veteran who has attended Pro Tour Avacyn Restored, Return to Ravnica, and Oath of the Gatewatch. He made top 4 at Grand Prix Oklahoma City. Andrew lives in Dallas, Texas.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Andrew Sullano when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep122

First Set

Betrayers of Kamigawa

Favorite Set

Shadowmoor

Favorite Card

Wild Nactl

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

At first, Andrew liked the lore. Then, because when he gets into things he like to do them well, he started getting more competitive. Now, Magic is a social component of his life and he likes the people he can surround himself with when he plays.

Early Challenge

Andrew lost a lot during team drafts when he started and while this was disheartening he learned to ask for help. By getting guidance from better players he slowly improved his win percentage.

Worst Magic Moment

At Grand Prix Pittsburgh Andrew was salty most the day because he needed 2 points to get Silver level as a pro player and even after two byes he found himself 6-3. His core group wasn't with him on this trip so things just seemed bad. Thankfully, another friend scooped to him and he was able to carry on but Andrew learned that the people you surround yourself with are very important.

Proudest Magic Moment

Making top 4 at GP Oklahoma City.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players are quick to clean up and move to the next game after losing. Andrew takes his time and reviews the entire game in his head (especially if he lost). He will analyze hands, land drops and spell sequencing to see what he could have done better.

Non-Magic Activity

Exercise

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Deck

Clothes

Toiletries

Improvement Suggestions

Draft at least once a week (if you're new to the game).

Set a long-term goal (like making Day 2 or Top 8 of a Grand Prix) and then actively work towards it.

Magic Resource

Star City Games

Channel Fireball

MTG Top 8

Friends

Connect With Andrew Sullano

Twitter: @panicking92

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

Daniel Fournier is a Toronto native, known locally for his dedication to the game and aggressive hyperbole. He had a breakout year in 2014, top 8'ing Grand Prix Montreal after going undefeated in the Swiss rounds. Then he represented Canada at the World Magic Cup. Since then, he's rattled off another pair of Grand Prix top 8s and is hoping to make it big on the Pro Tour stage.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Daniel Fournier when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep184

First Set

Portal

Favorite Set

Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Vendilion Clique

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

The depth of Magic attracts Daniel. "It's a puzzle that's constantly changng but always has a  solution."

Early Challenge

Deck building. Daniel would just copy decks and not understand why the cards were there. He played with great players to overcome and become better at this challenge.

Breakthrough Moment

GP Montreal and qualifying for the Pro Tour for the first time.Also realizing that building a solid deck and playing it well will get you results.

Worst Magic Moment

First Pro Tour Daniel was excited and nervous, Daniel received a call that his grandma is in the hospital with cancer and not doing well. He was emotionally distraught and did poorly in the draft. But he realized that he couldn't control that he did poorly because he drafted bad.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning WMCQ and representing Canada at the World Magic Cup.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Quick, visual, analytical skills

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Magic has helped Daniel realize his talents.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

People don't pay attention to technical play card sequence, tapping correctly, remembering triggers etc.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Be actively involved in researching the metagame for several weeks leading up to your event.

Parting Guidance

Stop switching decks in Standard. Pick and stick.

Connect With Daniel Fournier

Twitter:@tirentu

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

Hannes Kerem is an up and coming Magic: The Gathering star who has 2 Grand Prix top 8s and 1 Pro Tour top 8 on his record. Hannes' expertise is in Limited and he is from Estonia!

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Hannes Kerem when he shared his story on MTG Pro Tutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep39

First Set

Onslaught

Favorite Set

Lorwyn / Morningtide

Favorite Card

I need your help! I was a poor host on this one and didn't actually catch the card Hannes mentioned. If you figure it out please tell me.

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

The competitive scene and draft.

Early Challenge

Deck construction.

Level Up Moment

Going 6-0 in Limited at his second Pro Tour Qualifier is when Hannes noticed his skill had improved.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning Nationals in 2008.

Best Format

Limited

How to Choose a Standard Deck

Hannes trusted the advice of his friends and then tested. 

If you aren't confident in choosing a deck, ask someone who is more knowledgeable then you.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

People don't stick to 40 card Limited decks.

Keep your emotions in check. Don't say "Oh my gosh I drew a land again!!"

Emotions betray your hand and intentions. Stay stone faced and gain a slight edge.

Card Evaluation Tips

Compare new cards against ones you've encountered before.

Sealed & Draft Tips

Always play 40 cards.

Sealed: Look at your cool rares and build your deck around them.

Draft: You only get one pack from the left. Don't worry too much about screwing up their draft.
Hannes puts more weight on his first pick then most players and tries to stick with it. 

How to Effectively Play Test

Play a lot of Magic. In person or online, it doesn't matter, as long as you play a lot.

You need to know your deck inside and out so you give yourself the best chance of winning.

Keep detailed notes. Who went first, who won, etc...

Improvement Suggestions

Mono red is always a deck and often times good. It's a great way to break into Standard. Once it's built, just stick with it. 

Magic Resource

Channel Fireball

Connect With Hannes

Twitter: @Hanneskerem

Hannes on Facebook

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.

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 Elves
Elvish 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 box
Sleeves
Tokens
Dice
Pens
Paper
Banana - 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

Joey Manner is the owner of The Only Game In Town and has been on and off the Pro tour. He recently took a hiatus from Magic to focus on the shop but with the help of some very talented players he managed to top 8 Pro Tour Kaladesh with a deck no one saw coming (Blue White flash). Joey lives in New Jersey.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Joey Manner when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep148

First Set

Shards of Alara / Zendikar

Favorite Set

Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Gideon Jura

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Joey loves gaming and Magic just clicked.

Early Challenge

Joey identified himself as a control player and really struggled with combat math. He forced himself to play creature-based decks.

Level Up Moment

Joey was playing Magic Mon-Fri and on Sat and Sunday he was going to PTQS and competing at top events.

Worst Magic Moment

Losing in top 4 of first PTQ. (In the day when only first place got the invite.)

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at Pro Tour Kaladesh

Best Format

Standard

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

I've learned how to make friends.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not mulliganing aggressively enough.

If you could have a conversation with yourself 5 years ago, what would you say

Play more magic. Don't show up unprepared.

Shortcomings

Deck building skills - specifically mana bases.

Underplayed Card

Bruna and Gisela

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Deck box, Deck, Paper

Mentors

Christian Calcano

Magic Resource

Magic Online Beta Client
The Only Game In Town
MTG The Source
MTGCoverage

Guidance

Get your reps in Play Magic to get better at Magic.

Connect With Joey Manner

Twitter: @togitnj

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

Justin Cohen is the 2015 Rookie of the Year and has started topping the charts by making it into one Pro Tour top 8.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Justin Cohen when he shared his story on MTG Pro Tutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep34

First Set

Fourth Edition
(This set had no symbol)

Favorite Set

Modern Masters

Limited is Justin's favorite format so Modern Masters was  his favorite because it had a very deep Limited format.

Favorite Card

Gaea's Cradle

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Drafting. Plain and simple, Justin LOVES to draft.

Early Challenge

Finding others to play with was hard as a young player. On top of that he had to find players better than himself so he could improve. Whenever Justin identified someone he could learn from he would gravitate towards them and soak in all he could.

Level Up Moment

From Theros to Khans was Justin's biggest growth spurt. He avidly consumed content and by knowing more he made better decisions.

Proudest Magic Moment

Making Top 8 at Pro Tour Fate Reforged in 2015.

Best Format

Draft.

How to Choose a Standard Deck

Take up a deck that minimizes your opponents advantage. Justin will likely play a fast deck because Standard is not his strength and limiting the time a superior Standard player has to gain control is advantageous for him.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Getting their priorities mixed up. People say they want to improve but then default to protecting their ego. Too many people ascribe luck to their loses instead of internalizing what they did wrong.

Card Evaluation Tips

Justin needs the whole picture and waits for most of the cards to be released before he sifts through them.

He looks for trends in the size of creatures and trends in removal quality. Justin also will consider the archetypes being supported.

Sealed & Draft Tips

Sealed: Justin looks for flexibility. Try to construct multiple decks with your pool. Register your best deck but constantly reevaluate and sideboard aggressively to combat your opponents strategy.

Too make this work you should sleeve your entire pool and pay close attention to what you take out and put in.

Draft: Remember 2 things: what you expect to be taken for the 3-4 picks after you, then look at the next set of good cards so you know what's likely to come back.

Keep a mental tally of your mana curve.

Team Building

You want people who are not afraid to be wrong and who aren't afraid to throw out ideas. Surround people who complement your skill set.

Improvement Suggestions

Build a set specific cube to learn the interactions between cards and for a way to practice that's easy on the wallet.

Magic Resource

Star City Games

Channel Fireball

Connect With Justin

Twitter: @trippdup

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.

Louis Deltour is a 24 year old, French, Silver Pro, who started playing Magic in Odyssey and got competitive in Future Sight. He’s played in 10 Pro Tours and has 4 Grand Prix top 8's as well as a French Nationals top 8 in his record.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Louis Deltour when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep97

First Set

Odyssey

Favorite Set

Future Sight

Favorite Card

Mistbind Clique

Early Challenge

Showing up late, registering the wrong deck, miscounting combat math.

Louis struggled with really basic aspects in the beginning. You don't have to show up at a tournament with the wrong deck to learn like he did. Decide now to prepare ahead of time and show up with the right gear at the right time.

Lowest Magic Moment

Louis got really angry at a World Magic Cup Qualifier when he got beat by 2 cards.

After he cleared his head he realized that you can't get too emotional.

Proudest Magic Moment

Grand Prix London 2011

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Louis loves being around people.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Playing bad decks.

Too many people resist following the way of Siege Rhino.

If it's the best card or the best deck, you should probably play it.

He also sees a lot of mistakes around mulligans.

If your hand needs more than one thing, you should mulligan.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Deck box

paper

pen

dice

sunglasses

Tylenol

Improvement Suggestions

Get friends and borrow cards. :)

Connect With Louis Deltour

Twitter: @LWIDELTOUW

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

Niels Molle is the UK World Magic Cup team Captain and returns to the show with 2 Grand Prix Top 8 finishes and a Gold level Pro. Originally from the Netherlands but coming to us from England.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Neils Molle when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep248

Catching Up

Niels has spent the year playing more Magic Online and a lot more Grand Prix.

Biggest Lesson Over The Year

Niels' Limited game has improved a bunch this past season.

English Nationals

Niels played a Mardu vehicles lost. As the English team captain, he's with the other members to prepare for the World Magic Cup.

Standard

There are several tips 1 deck with Temur energy being the top.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

In reflection, Niels realizes that his technical gameplay needs work. (Money players struggle with this.) His solution is to slow down and consider the lines more.

Parting Guidance

Players are sometimes hesitant to take the next step. There's no substitute for just going.

Connect With Neils Molle

Neils 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

Luis Salvatto is currently tied in the Player of Year race (with Seth Manfield) and is the Pro Tour Rivals of Ixalan champion. He has 7 Grand Prix top 8s which include 2 wins and was also the Sunday Super Series champion in 2014. Luis lives in Argentina.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Luis Salvatto when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep308

Luis is a past guest of the show and you can find his origin story in episode 119.

World Travel

Luis spent 50 days traveling around the world. He spent 7 weeks in 7 different places. His secret was to travel Light. He had a modern deck and some clothes. That's pretty much it.

Pro Tour RIX

Luis friend approached him and suggested he play Lantern Control. After asking other friends what they think he went for it. After a rocky start, Luis got his steam and went all the way to take the championship.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players don't play to win. They play to survive. Also, players don't bluff enough.

Parting Guidance

The best part of Magic is the people you play the game with. Surround yourself with good friends and soar.

Connect With Luis Salvatto

Twitter:@LuisSalvatto ‏

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

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

Jessica Estephan is the first woman to win a Grand Prix and made Magic: The Gathering history when her team took first at Grand Prix Sydney 2018. She's a podcaster who loves creating content and she enjoys most competitive formats, with a preference for standard and modern. Though she does have a soft spot for a well-powered cube. Jessica lives in Sydney, Australia.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Jessica Estephan when she shared her story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep304

First Set

Born of the Gods

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Back to Basics

Early Challenge

Not understanding what it meant to be competitive. The Australian scene is very different than the States and it was hard for Jess to get started.

Worst Magic Moment

Jessica learned by observation that you "needed" to be a rules lawyer to succeed. She realized that that's not the case.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning Grand Prix Sydney 2018 (Team Unified Modern).

What Have You Learned From Magic

Jessica now plays poker on a serious.

Grand Prix Preparation

The thing that helped the most was having a good team chemistry.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Newbie mistakes include sleeving your deck wrong. 

Parting Guidance

Spend your Magic time having fun and creating positive memories for yourself and others.

Magic Resource

Limited Resources, CFB, SCG, YouTube, The V Clique Podcast

Connect With Jessica Estephan

Twitter:@jesstephan

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

Goncalo Pinto is stacking up his record with 1 Grand Prix top 8, 1 Nationals top 8, and a Pro Tour top 8 at Pro Tour Dominaria. Goncalo lives in Barreiro Portugal.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Goncalo Pinto when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep292

First Set

Stronghold

Favorite Set

Ravnica City of Guilds

Favorite Card

Ninja of the Deep Hours

Early Challenge

Goncalo had early successes but then got crushed a lot. He eventually started playing MTGO and got better.

Worst Magic Moment

Going to 9 Pro Tours and only making day 2 at 1 of them.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8'ng a Grand Prix and making top 8 at a Pro Tour 2 weeks later.

Current Draft State

Red is working well for Goncalo because everyone thinks the format is slow.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not playing enough with your deck.

Parting Guidance

If you want to improve play on Skype and share screens. Ask questions and discuss the game.

Magic Resource

SCG, CFB, Twitch.tv

Connect With Goncalo Pinto

Twitter:@u_mad_bro_MTGO ‏

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

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

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

Ryan Cubit made it to his first Pro Tour (PT Madrid) in early 2016 where he made day 2. He’s been playing on and off since 2000 and has won states and regionals as well as other low-level tournaments. He’s a member of the 2016 Australian World Magic Cup team who loves building new decks and tweaking current ones. Ryan lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Ryan Cubit when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep154

First Set

Mercadian Masques

Favorite Set

Invasion

Favorite Card

Goblin Guide

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

The good memories of his friends keeps Ryan involved.

Early Challenge

Ryan loved 80 card decks. He struggled to cut his deck down to 60 cards. Resource management. Your life total is just a tool.

Worst Magic Moment

Soon after winning States, Ryan played an FNM and went 0-3 and then got a bye. He had never lost that badly. Ryan learned magic is a game that you win and lose.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning in the States in 2004. Crushing a pre-release in Austria while traveling with a friend.

Level Up Moment

Ryan started top 8'ing tournaments and other players noticed him.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

How far your morals play into everything you do. In competitive events, there is always the ambition to win at any cost. Ryan has realized the importance of his values.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players get in their own head. They let misplays and losses affect their next match.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Ryan played a lot of Leagues on Magic Online. He has a Restore Balance deck in that he's practiced with a lot.

Improvement Suggestions

Be yourself. Play and have fun.

Magic Resource

SCG, SCG Premium, CFB, Gatherer

Connect With Ryan Cubit

Twitter:@EgyptainCubit

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

Christoffer Larsen is from Denmark and has 4 Grand Prix Top 8’s and has competed in at least 10 Pro Tours. He was on the Danish World Magic Cup team in 2015.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Christoffer Larsen when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep254

First Set

Apocalypse

Favorite Set

Ravnica: City of Guilds – Selesnya

Favorite Card

Sulfuric Vortex

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Travel a lot. Likes going to Grand Prixs with friends.

Early Challenge

Damage on the stack.

Worst Magic Moment

SCG team event. Had a really bad UR deck.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 of World Magic Cup with the team (back-to-back 2HG wins.)

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Christoffer hates losing.

Take some time to move past it. Don’t whine.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Know your opponent’s deck. So many players don't think of their opponent.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Watch videos!

CFB

SCG

Playtest

Ask other for input and adjust

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Decks, clothes, code names

Improvement Suggestions

Talk to tournament players, ask for help, borrow decks.

Be kind and helpful to new players.

Work out, get byes (they allow you to sleep in), eat breakfast.

Magic Resource

MTG Pulse

Don’t take it too seriously and have fun.

Connect With Christoffer Larsen

Christoffer 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

[smart_track_player url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/mtgprotutor/Magic_The_Story_-_Shadows_of_the_Innistrad_-_Final_Mix.mp3" title="Under The Silver Moon" artist="Shaun Penrod" image="http://www.mtgprotutor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Untitled-1.2.jpg" social="true" social_twitter="true" social_facebook="true" social_gplus="true" social_email="true" ]

Sponsors

Hunter Cochran is a 25-year-old graduate student of physics at Stony Brook University. He’s originally from Arkansas and Texas and has made the top 8 of three GPs, winning one. Hunter lives in Long Island, New York.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Hunter Cochran when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep214

First Set

Onslaught

Favorite Set

MIrrodin, Darksteel

Favorite Card

Perilous Vault
Tireless tracker

Early Challenge

Not having the access to cards and the money to buy to very competitive decks. Difficult to play ranges of decks and be able to think from other perspectives and learn new types of decks and strategies.

Breakthrough Moment

During the PPTQ in the Spring of 2015 when he decided to spend some money and attend the events. 

Worst Magic Moment

A very embarrassing and lowest moment that got him banned from playing Magic in a local venue in college. Playing against a good player that got him rolled by his opponent's super deck. Got angry, throw his fist to the table, punch the table and sat on the table for the rest of the day. 

Proudest Magic Moment

His first PPTQ win in just 3 months of playing.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Learned controlling emotions when results are unfavorable to you.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not having a very clear vision for the game, not knowing your role and how your deck is built and the difficulties to pinpoint why you lose the game. For Constructed - thinking about things before the tournament. For Limited- thinking about things before your round.

Tips to Curve Frustration

Try to be pretty animated and vocal with opponents. Try to make interaction and experience be personal. The more you see your opponent as a person, the easier to beat frustration.

Parting Guidance

Magic is a community game so build relationships, talk to people who might help you to open and close doors and get so much perspective on Magic.

Magic Resource

SCG, CFB

Connect With Hunter Cochran

Hunter 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

Jedrek Szmyd is a powerful magician, who is a dedicated blue mage. He made top 8 at Grand Prix Warsaw 2017. Besides MTG, he's also really into basketball and music. Jedrek lives in Poznań, Poland.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Jedrek Szmyd when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep269

First Set

Onslaught

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Snapcaster Mage

Early Challenge

Taking down the local "Endboss".

Worst Magic Moment

GP Warsaw 2012. Jedrek was playing well and felt like he had the game under control. In one turn his opponent turned things around and won.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at GP Warsaw 2017.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Don't be results-oriented. Focus on improving yourself.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players lose their will to fight too early. They give up the game (mentally) too soon. Also, players don't have a plan.

Advice To New Players

Pick a format to be competitive in and stick with it for a while.

Parting Guidance

Pick your one format and have a plan every time you play.

Connect With Jedrek Szmyd

Twitter:@SzmydcasterMage 

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

Max Margolis has been playing Magic competitively for 22 years. He has multiple Grand Prix day 2s with close cash finishes. Richmond 2018 was his first deep run to attempt to qualify for the Pro Tour. He barely missed qualifying for Cleveland by one win - but he did get 19th place. His biggest finish was at GP Denver where his team got top 4. He's had multiple top 8s in PPTQs and IQs. He's primarily a midrange player who has been playing since Urza's block was legal in Extended. Max lives in Maryland, USA.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Max Margolis when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep309

First Set

Fallen Empires

Favorite Set

Ravnica: City of Guilds

Favorite Card

Pernicious Deed

Early Challenge

Max faced tilt early on and learned how to manage wins and losses.

Worst Magic Moment

Wanting to quit Magic because of bullying in the community.

Proudest Magic Moment

At Grand Prix Denver, Max and his team made it to the top 4.

Best Format

Modern

Parting Guidance

Never judge a book by its cover.

Magic Resource

"Have a Plan" episode on Limited Resources.

Connect With Max Margolis

Twitter:@maximummagic87

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

Josh Collier is headed off to his first Pro Tour after qualifying through the RPTQ system. Fun fact, he's a proud owner of a foil pauper cube. Josh lives in Davenport, Iowa.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Josh Collier when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep303

First Set

Gatecrash

Favorite Set

Kaladesh

Favorite Card

Ongoing Investigation

Early Challenge

Josh picked one standard deck and would play it the whole season. He learned that in standard, what worked for him, was playing the best deck.

Worst Magic Moment

At an Eternal Masters sealed event, Josh was playing in the finals and missed a line of play. He learned to know the rules better.

Proudest Magic Moment

Qualifying for his first Pro Tour via an RPTQ.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Be persistent. Results take time.

Deck Selection

Josh reviewed the best decks and chose one similar to a play style he knew from a previous season.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players put cards in the sideboard or in their decks and they don't know why.

Parting Guidance

Conscious beating.

Magic Resource

Constructive Criticism, LR Cast, GAM Podcast

Connect With Josh Collier

Twitter:@agent_of_blight 

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

Matteo Moure has been playing Magic since he was 12 and has only been playing competitively for about one year. He made the finals at both Grand Prix London 2015 and Grand Prix Stockholm 2016. In addition to a few other minor Grand Prix placings he placed in the money at Pro Tour Milwaukee. Matteo lives in Rome, Italy.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Matteo Moure when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep121

First Set

Odyssey

Favorite Set

Onslaught

Favorite Card

Jace, The Mind Sculptor

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

A lot of friends play and Matteo gets to travel.

Worst Magic Moment

Matteo had to stop playing Magic for a while due to work and this was his worst moment with the game.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at Grand Prix London

Best Format

Limited

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Matteo learned how much of a social animal he is. He loves having fun with friends and Magic gives him that opportunity. (Futbol does as well.)

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players underestimate their opponent too often.

Players also play their resources too early in the game and don't have answers to real problems later on.

Improvement Suggestions

Draft when you can and trade your cards for what you need.

Connect With Matteo Moure

FB: Matteo Moure

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

Jarvis Yu enjoys formats with deeper card pools (especially Legacy). Having made one Grand Prix Top 8 in Legacy, as well as going 13-2 in Grand Prix New Jersey, he has also managed to win his only Top 8. Jarvis lives outside Washington.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Jarvis Yu when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep59

First Set

Revised (this is not the official symbol as set symbols were not around at this time)

Favorite Set

Ravnica City of Guilds

Favorite Card

Rishadan Port

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Infinite diversity.

Early Challenge

Starting out, Jarvis thought that a 1/2 for one mana was good - because it was "more efficient" than a 1/1 for one. He quickly learned that cards with abilities, like Eternal Witness, even though they don't have the best power/toughness/mana ratio are much better.

Level Up Moment

Zigging when everyone else zagged helped Jarvis grow. He saw (with the help of a friend) a strategy that wasn't explicitly supported in Ravnica City of Guilds. This opened his eyes to how to look at future sets.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning Grand Prix Seattle Tacoma 2015.

Best Format

Legacy

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Mulliganing when they shouldn't or not mulliganing when they should.

Know the match up and what you need to be effective in the early game. If you don't have that in your opening hand then ship it back.

Sealed & Draft Tips

Sealed: Jarvis runs 18 lands and looks for card advantage, big creatures and removal.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Play different decks, then settle on one and play against a lot of decks.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Extra cards

Snacks

Water

Pens

Paper

Dice

Improvement Suggestions

Build and play a pauper cube.

Magic Resource

Jarvis mentioned a [card]Battle of Wits[/card] deck from Grand Prix Milwaukee 2002.

Star City Games

MTG Gold Fish

Connect With Jarvis Yu

Twitter: @jkyu06

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

Woodrow Engle is a dual Magic and poker player from Seattle, WA. He broke into the upper tier of tournament play by making his first Grand Prix Top 8 at Grand Prix Oakland 2016.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Woodrow Engle when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep65

First Set

 Ice Age

Favorite Set

 Rise of the Eldrazi

Favorite Card

Lhurgoyf

What First Got You into Magic?

Woodrow got started as a young kid playing Ice Age, just throwing decks together with his friends and loosely playing by the rules.

After Weatherlight, he stopped playing all the way through college. While working at a game development studio Woodrow was invited to a poker game where he met Ryan Spain and Marshall Sutcliffe, who ended up getting him hooked on Magic again.

From there he quickly went from re-learning the rules to implementing high-end Magic thought processes.

What Makes Magic: The Gathering Fun for You?

Woodrow likes the competitive aspect and how Magic can feel a bit like poker with more skills and variation.

He enjoys how he gets to meet so many people with varying experience levels, and how sometimes he has no idea how good the person playing across from him might be.

Early Challenge

The toughest aspect of Magic for Woodrow when he started out was card evaluation.

It took him a long time to wrap his head around when a card was worth a slot in his hand.

Understanding the opportunity cost of not drawing another card in any given situation is a high level concept that takes time to develop.

Level Up Moment

In his first PTQ Woodrow placed 9th and knew from then on that he wanted to really step up and crush tournaments.

This was around the time the Jund deck took over the Standard scene, and Woodrow set out to brew decks to take it down. Then at the advent of the PPTQ system he managed to win one and made it to a regional Pro Tour qualifier, which he Top 8’d, but missed the qualification by one match.

What Kept You Playing Magic?

When Woodrow felt like he was caught in the grind he took breaks.

Eventually though, he learned to manage his tilt by being mindful and staying positive about his performance.

He reminded himself that a single tournament didn’t define him as a Magic player. This made it more fun for Woodrow to play, as it’s tough to do well in a tournament if you take an early loss and then shut down.

He discovered that ranting about his losses to friends was not only uninteresting for them to hear, but stopped him from identifying his mistakes and pushing forward.

Best Format

Limited

How Do You Manage Tilt?

Woodrow admits it’s difficult to stay focused when you know you’re going to lose a few turns out, but contemplating your outs and staying focused is critical for developing skill.

Players should mentally construct their winning scenario even when they may seem down for the count. This kind of mental fortitude is the mindset all Platinum Pros have when they play, and it’s how a player levels up their own game.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Being results oriented instead of decision oriented is the crux Woodrow believes most new players face.

As you go through life you want to make sure the decisions you make are sound, even if the end results don’t reflect them. When in this mindset you can realize that sure, you lost a game, but you did everything in your power to try and win it.

Woodrow won a game against Josh Utter-Leyton, but a huge mistake he made in an early turn haunted him afterwards despite the win.

He considers those kind of mistakes to be huge learning opportunities that make him less likely to repeat his blunders.

What Is the Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself From Playing Magic?

Woodrow believes that Magic remaps your brain when a player gets really competitive. This has bled over into his normal life, changing how he makes everyday decisions. Trying to get maximum value from limited time with the best decisions possible is an important crossover skill for him.

Sealed & Draft Tips

Sealed: Card evaluation is crucial in sealed. Players need to be able to analyze not only the best case scenario for any given card, but also the middle and worst case scenarios as well. This helps a player decide whether a card is worth a slot in their deck.

Draft: Don’t get married to your early picks. Being able to read other player’s signals and what your seat is open to is incredibly important.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

For GP Oakland: Woodrow ended up being talked into attending the tournament at the last minute while apartment hunting in the area.

Ryan Spain let him borrow a deck, but 90 percent of the cards were in a foreign language. With preparations rushed Woodrow had to strip cards out of his deck at random as he headed into the Grand Prix.

While it felt like he was going in blind, practicing for other tournaments had left him with a strong understanding of what he needed to do.

Like muscle memory, practicing across formats and staying well rounded can help steady your hand when you get thrown into less than ideal situations.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Deck box

Pad

Pen

Dice

Tokens

Final Wisdom

Surrounding yourself with people who are smart, supportive, and have a similar mindset to how you want to approach Magic will help you develop as a player.

This applies to life in general, as meeting and interacting with positive, analytical people will help you have more success in all your endeavors.

Magic Resource

GP Oakland: Woodrow Engle vs. Josh Utter-Leyton

Limited Resources Podcast

Kenji Egashira

Connect With Woodrow Engle

Twitter: @Woodrodius

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

Christoffer Larsen is from Denmark and has 4 Grand Prix Top 8’s and has competed in at least 10 Pro Tours. He was on the Danish World Magic Cup team in 2015. Currently locked in as a Silver level pro.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Christoffer Larsen when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep114

First Set

Apocalypse

Favorite Set

Ravnica: City of Guilds – Selesnya

Favorite Card

Sulfuric Vortex

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Travel a lot. Likes going to Grand Prixs with friends.

Early Challenge

Damage on the stack.

Worst Magic Moment

SCG team event. Had a really bad UR deck.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 of World Magic Cup with team (back-to-back 2HG wins.)

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Christoffer hates losing.

Take some time to move past it. Don’t whine.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Know your opponent’s deck. So many players don't think of their opponent.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Watch videos!

CFB

SCG

Playtest

Ask other for input and adjust

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Decks, clothes, code names

Improvement Suggestions

Talk to tournament players, ask for help, borrow decks.

Be kind and helpful to new players.

Work out, get byes (they allow you to sleep in), eat breakfast.

Magic Resource

MTG Pulse

Don’t take it too seriously and have fun.

Connect With Christoffer Larson

Christoffer is on Facebook

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

Thierry Ramboa started playing magic 12 years ago but wasn’t able to travel or play competitively until April 2015. He reached Silver level pro status in 2015 and has attended every European GP's since then. He Top 8’d Grand Prix Sydney.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Thierry Ramboa when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep131

First Set

5th Dawn

Favorite Set

Ravnica City of Guilds (Izzet)

Early Challenge

Always felt he was unlucky. Thinking through the situation and realizing that if the same thing happens it's not luck.

Worst Magic Moment

Came back after a break and did so poorly he thought magic wasn't for him. Friends helped him get through it.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 of Grand Prix Sydney. Just focus on the match.

Best Format

Standard - Look at best decks in the format. Use MTG Goldfish and pick a deck that can beat the top 3.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Tone down his over confidence.

Pro Tour Testing

Focus on limited and brewing. Run small tournaments within the Team and see results of each deck.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Being over confident. Think "How can I lose" and plan accordingly.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Played 2-4 drafts a day for the week.

Activity

Talking with others about magic. You get new ideas

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Deck Box, deck, water, pen, dice

Entry Level Suggestions

Borrow cards from other players. Use proxies (not in tournaments)

Improvement Suggestions

Never forget why you started playing.

Magic Resource

MTG Top 8
MTG Goldfish
CFB
MTG Mintcard

Connect With Thierry Ramboa

Twitter: @El_Gran_Boa

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

Andreas Ganz has filled his life with many Magic-related activities. When he’s not playing Grand Prixs he works at a local Magic store, manages content for Blackborder.com and does some trading of his own. He has top 8ed 2 Grand Prixs and won 1! Andreas lives in Zurich, Switzerland.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Andreas Ganz when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep151

First Set

Ice Age

Favorite Set

Mirrodin & Full block Ravnica

Favorite Card

Polymorph

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Magic is constantly evolving.

Early Challenge

Andreas thought he had "figured it out". However, when he started playing against top players he realized how much he had to learn.

Worst Magic Moment

Playing for top 8 at GP Vienna, Andreas was playing mono black and made a terrible chump block that cost him the game.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8ing a Grand Prix for the first time. (Charlotte 2016)

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Andreas learned that if you don't give up you can achieve your goals.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players get to a point where they think they are good when they still have much to learn.

You should always try to learn from others.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Read content about what's going on in your format. Remember that people want to play new cards and try what's popular. Choose the deck that is well positioned based on that knowledge.

Mentors

Kai Budde, Ben Stark

Advice To Past Self

Be patient. Results will come as you focus on your game.

Underplayed Cards

All the modules

Guidance

Enjoy the game. If you don't, take a break.

Magic Resource

MTG Goldfish

Cockatrice

Blackborder.com

Connect With Andreas Ganz

Twitter: @Pfluegmeischter

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

Aaron Barich has been playing Magic since he was 5 and is now a regular of competitive Magic. With some aggressive brewing, he has made a name for himself on the SCG Circuit. His Pro Tour grind began at Battle for Zendikar with a highlight of a Top 8 in Grand Prix Memphis 2018. Aaron lives in Gulfport, MS.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Aaron Barich when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep279

First Set

Mirrodin

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Ghor-Clan Rampager
Boon Satyr

Early Challenge

Card availability was really tough for Aaron. He took what he had and made it work. Aaron made friends and borrowed cards.

Worst Magic Moment

Aaron was disqualified for seeking during a draft at his first SCG event. He didn't know how to communicate his thoughts to the judge and feels that would have made a difference. Judges are there to help, they are not your enemy.

Proudest Magic Moment

SCG open in Dallas-Aaron put together a deck of his own design and won the event.

What Have You Learned From Magic

How to operate confidently under stress. Aaron also learned social skills and how to interact with people.

Sportsmanship

Each of your opponents and yourself should enjoy each game.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

The fear of losing holds back so many players. Many times players let the fear of losing dictate how they play and it makes things worse.

Parting Guidance

Have fun! Enjoy the game and the process.

Magic Resource

MTGO, articles

Connect With Aaron Barich

Twitter:@Runeclaw_Barich ‏ 

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

Robert Swarowski has 3 Grand Prix top 8s including being the champion of one of the first Grand Prix ever. Robert lives in Las Vegas, NV.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Robert Swarowski when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep285

First Set

The Dark

Favorite Set

Tempest

Favorite Card

Jackal Pup

Early Challenge

Robert struggled to maintain focus from match to match. He noticed he always lost the first round of a tournament. To overcome that, he took stock in how he approached Magic and realized that every player is equal.

Worst Magic Moment

After coming back to Magic, Robert played at a Grand Prix and got crushed. Robert learned that 'rust is real' and if you're coming back you have to practice.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8'ing GP Houston 2018.
This put Robert back into competitive Magic.

What Have You Learned From Magic

How to be competitive and the power of being prepared. It has taken a lot of effort but it pays off.

Dedication

Robert learned to put your best effort into everything you do.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Ignoring the board state and missing triggers, abilities, and onboard tricks.

Parting Guidance

Gather as much information as possible from as many people as possible is key.

Magic Resource

MTGO

Connect With Robert Swarowski

Robert 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

Patrick Chapin, "The Innovator," is a Hall of Famer, Pro Tour Champion, and 5-time PT 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.

Evaluation Tips

Look at every card and ask: "Why was this card printed? Who is it for? HOW can I use this card?"

Limited Tips

Sealed is often slower but more powerful (compared to draft) because you have six booster packs instead of three. This leads to bomb centric decks.

Focus on the key cards you passed, not every card in the pack.

Team Building

Use message groups and in person meetings to collaborate with your team. You will only improve to the level of the best player in your group. Bring your group up and/or find more talent if you're the best in your group.

Play Testing

Constant communication with teammate as well as taking the two weeks before a Pro Tour off to play test with the team has been a working formula for Patrick.

Improvement

Identify what you want to improve first: your collection, win ratio, deck building skills, etc... and focus just on that

Magic Resource

Next Level Magic

Next Level Deck Building

Connect with Patrick

Twitter: @thepchapin

Interview Links

www.starcitygames.com

www.toplevelmagic.com

Matt Brown has a few Grand Prix cashes, has appeared on the Pro Tour once before and now has his first Grand Prix top 8. Matt lives in England.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Matt Brown when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep289

First Set

Innistrad

Favorite Set

Return to Ravnica

Favorite Card

Cloudfin Raptor

Early Challenge

Getting crushed at his first several PTQs. Matt kept going because he was having fun.

Worst Magic Moment

At a Modern RPTQ, Matt felt really prepared. He took a plane to Scotland and then did terribly. Matt felt horrible and wanted to quit but realized that by removing the pressure, he was able to play and have fun. 

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at GP Birmingham (Standard).

What Have You Learned From Magic

People skills.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Newer players make a lot of small mistakes. Control your body language.

Daily Habit

Watching Magic Stream every day.

Parting Guidance

Enjoy yourself. The more you play, the better you'll get but you must have fun.

Magic Resource

Twitch, SCG, CFB

Connect With Matt Brown

Twitter:@MattBrown_MTG ‏

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

Sam Pardee is a Grand Prix superstar. So far he’s grabbed 7 Grand Prix top 8s, with wins in Detroit (team) and Portland (Modern). Sam lives in Berkeley California.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Sam Pardee when he shared his story on MTG Pro Tutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep40

First Set

Ice Age

Favorite Set

Invasion

Rise of the Eldrazi

Favorite Card

Gideon Jura
Gavony Township

Early Challenge

Side boards - Sam would just copy a side board and not think why the cards are there or pick 15 cards that weren't really good.

Rigorously going through each match up and thinking which cards you need in the match up with others really help.

Level Up Moment

Right after Worlds 2012 Sam played Tempered Steel, which was out of his comfort zone, twice a day on MTGO. He learned the deck inside out, including how to side board, and feels this period really boosted his skills.

Proudest Magic Moment

Pro Tour Born of the Gods. Sam's team, Face to Face Games, did really well and he loved being part of that moment.

Best Format

Modern - You get such an edge knowing your deck inside out.

(Currently playing Splinter Twin.)

How to Choose a Standard Deck

Consider what was visible from the most recent tournaments and play decks that come from a different angle. For example if Dromoka's Command is really popular, don't play a card that gets blown out by it (like an enchantment based deck).

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not advancing your own game because you ascribe too much to your opponent's plays.

Card Evaluation Tips

Sam takes a hard look at new lands, especially when a rotation is going to happen, because the mana base will have a huge impact on the direction of the format.

When evaluating cards for eternal formats, the casting cost is very important because the barrier to entry is very high.

Sealed & Draft Tips

Sealed: Sam looks at his bombs, answers to bombs, and cards that are resilient to removal.

Draft: Through practice (repetition) you get a better feel for reading the draft and managing your curve. Find the time to draft regularly and you'll see improvement.

Sam drafts 10-20 times to get a feel for the format and then uses that information to do well.

Team Building

Putting together a group of people you like and have similar goals is the basis of a team.

A minimum of 8 players is kind of the standard so you can hold a draft but 10-12 is better in case a member has to step out for something.

When you have your core group and come up short for the Pro Tour then bring people on through a trial period. If things work out, keep them, if not then you can part way cordially. 

How to Effectively Play Test

Find a group of people who have similar goals to you and that you like hanging out with and play a lot.

Improvement Suggestions

Use proxies to play test and then invest in the deck you really like before your event.

Magic Resource

Channel Fireball

Watching Streams

Magic Online

Connect With Sam

Twitter: @Smdster

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.

Kyle Boggemes a prolific Wizard who has an impressive record of top finishes at Pro Tours and Grand Prix. To date, he has 2 Pro Tour top 16’s, including a 2nd place finish, and 3 Grand Prix top 8’s including one win.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Kyle Boggemes when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep238

First Set

Ice age

Favorite Set

Invasion

Favorite Card

Fact or Fiction

Early Challenge

Playing at a very competitive store. Kyle formed friendships with players close to his ages. From there they played and traveled together and started talking to the better players.

Worst Magic Moment

2011-the whole year. Kyle had great success in 2010 and all the benefits rolled over to 2011. However, he did horribly all year long. It was tough to have so many people follow him and then not do well.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning GP Cincinnati in 2014. It was his first top 8 after coming back and it was a win so it was a big deal.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Kyle has been able to work hard out at something and see tangible results.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players don't understand side boarding. People over the sideboard. Have a focused game plan in game 1. Then, post-sideboard, you can be more targeted.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

For Limited, Kyle plays as many sealed events as he can because he recognizes that's his weakness. He talked a lot with friends about his pool.

Parting Guidance

Everyone has different goals when playing Magic. What are your goals? Know them and operate within that.

Magic Resource

Draftsim.com, GatheringMagic.com

Connect With Kyle Boggemes

Kyle 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

Matt Kling is the former co-host of the Constructed Criticism podcast and made his first Grand Prix top 8 at Memphis in 2018. Matt lives in West Valley, Utah.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Matt Kling when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep281

First Set

Rise of the Eldrazi

Favorite Set

Worldwake

Favorite Card

Akroma, Angel of Wrath

Early Challenge

Not being as good as you think you are. Matt overcome this by befriending better players.

Worst Magic Moment

Getting tricked by an old school trick (the pen trick) felt bad. Matt learned to be careful of advice given by an opponent.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at GP Memphis

Sportsmanship

Your opponent is a person who is trying to enjoy the game remember that and treat them kindly.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not admitting they are the one making mistakes.

Parting Guidance

Own up to your mistakes. When you do that, improvements start to come.

Magic Resource

MTG Goldfish, MTGO, Mana Traders

Connect With Matt Kling

Twitter:@thewitchkling ‏

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

Giordano Fagiolo is a rising star in competitive Magic and made it to the finals at his first Grand Prix ever! (GP Bruxelles 2018) Giordano lives in Albano Laziale, Rome, Italy.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Giordano Fagiolo when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep310

Favorite Set

Battle for Zendikar

Favorite Card

Insult // Injury

Early Challenge

At a Standard and PPTQ, Giordano felt upset and nervous, but when he sat down to play it all went away.

Worst Magic Moment

Giordano lost in a final at a PPTQ and learned you can't win every time.

Proudest Magic Moment

Making it to the final match of his first Grand Prix ever.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Thinking ahead. Planning.

Worst Mistake He Makes

Playing fewer lands than they should.
Giordano takes a deck and replaces the worst card wit a land.

Tournament Preparation

Giordano picked his deck the day before the GP. He found an article by Brad Nelson and changed 1 card.

Parting Guidance

Ask Brad Nelson.

Magic Resource

SCG Premium, CFB, Playing with teammates/friends in person.

Connect With Giordano Fagiolo

Gordano 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

Patrick Dickmann is a 25 year old student at Cologne University in Germany studying Economics. His Magic record includes being the Champion of Grand Prix Antwerp in 2013 and making the Top 4 of Pro Tour Valencia in 2014. He is heralded as the best Modern Splinter Twin player in the world.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Patrick Dickmann when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep53

First Set

Stronghold

Favorite Set

Innistrad (story)

New Mirrodin block because of his drafting success.

Favorite Card

Dark Confidant
Snapcaster Mage

Human Wizards and cards with options.

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Off and on, Patrick has enjoyed attacking the competitive scene.

Early Challenge

Dealing with loses.

Loses used to upset Patrick a lot. To combat this he became more analytical and would review his matches to see what he could have done better.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning GP Antwerp

Best Format

Modern - It gives you the most options without being too powerful.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Being star struck.

Players sometimes let the fact that they are playing a "big name" get in their head.

Also, people tilt and give up early. Stay focused and stay in the game. You can sometimes come back if you don't give up before the game is over. (See GP Richmond Round 9 specifically Game 2.)

Sealed & Draft Tips

Sealed: People tend to over value the rares that were hyped up during the spoiler. Don't feel like you have to play your spoiler rare if the rest of that color stinks.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Look at deck lists that did well at the last big event. Get some testing in but most importantly test your side board

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Water

Deck box

Platinum Promos

Money

Improvement Suggestions

You don't have to play exclusively on MTGO. Test out Cockatrice to cheaply test and play Magic.

Magic Resource

MTG Mint Card

Connect With Patrick Dickmann

Twitter: @0fe1ia

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

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.

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 stream lined than in 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

Eric Freytag is the founder and CEO of PucaTrade.com. He’s been playing Magic since 1994, has 14 commander decks, and spends most of his MtG time brewing in Vintage, Legacy, and Modern.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Eric Freytag when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep70

First Set

 Mirage

Favorite Set

 Battle for Zendikar

Favorite Card

Crucible of Worlds

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Eric believes Magic is the best game in the world thanks to its perfect blend of strategy, technique, deck building, and creativity. The community Magic has fostered is incredible, and he thinks this is because the game has so many facets and ways to play. Magic’s social scene and sitting down with friends to play the game in person is one of the most important aspects of the game for Eric.

Early Challenge

Deck building was a hurdle Eric had to overcome in his early days playing magic. Evaluating cards and making cuts causes a ripple effect through the rest of the 75 cards, and it took practice building lots of decks for him to understand that. Eric spent time identifying each card he liked, and then found cards relevant to his deck’s concept that were good to draw at any stage of the game. Looking for cards that stack is important for him, since you don’t want two of the same card if one of them will be useless if both are drawn.

How to Put Together a Commander Deck

Eric maintains a detailed spreadsheet of his cards where he organizes them based on their role and type. Next comes making columns for cards that pair well with each other and what type of situations they do well in. At some point making cuts becomes necessary, and you will have to get rid of some pet cards if they aren’t good in most situations. Be honest with yourself about if a card is going to synergize well with the deck concept you are working towards. Getting too attached to cards at this stage in a brew is something Eric finds dangerous. He looks at each card to see how many others it can combo well with, and loves when he finds ways for cards to come together and turn a disability in a match into an ability.

What Has Magic Taught You About Yourself?

Most of Eric’s personal growth in magic came from managing tilt. While he doesn’t feel incredibly competitive, he is emotionally invested in all his time spent trying to master the game with skill and creativity. If the deck he brewed doesn’t perform well, or he doesn’t pilot it right, he can definitely be thrown off balance. The feeling of personal failure is common to a lot of players when they play poorly. Eric sees managing tilt as not only an aspect of growing as a Magic player, but as improving as person. The best time Eric has had playing Magic is when he is having fun, even if he is not performing at his best.

How to Manage Tilt

Eric believes you can start right now, reading this sentence. Take a moment to acknowledge that at some point in the future you are going to mess up. You are going to fail at some aspect of Magic. Period. You might fail because of luck, because of bad drops, or because you played the wrong card. It happens to everyone, even the pros. You can mentally prepare for that moment now, and accept that the cards won’t be in your favor and that you’re going to make a mistake.

Best Format

Commander

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Eric finds tilt to be a major issue players face, and it’s an issue the player can directly control. A player can manage their reactions to what happens in a match. When players get dragged down by something that went wrong in the game they often stop paying attention. By controlling your reactions and staying engaged in the game your chances of pulling through to the end go up, even if it’s just a small amount.

What's a Non-Magic Related Activity That Has Helped You Play?

Eric found that Magic actually helped him with other activities. While he was a video editor he felt the same sense of creativity he got from building a Magic deck. Skills like knowing what cards to cut from his deck helped him take out unnecessary shots from the videos he was editing. Understanding his deck concepts worked in a similar way, letting Eric grasp what the overall vibe and aesthetic of his videos should be.

On Creating PucaTrade

Eric created PucaTrade based on how his playgroup traded cards and interacted with one another. The way they traded was personal and focused on giving rather than nickel and diming each other to death. This helped him realize that lots of players get trapped in their own way of playing Magic, where they don’t see the full spectrum of people who love the game. There are around 50-100 ways to play Magic, and Eric believes uniting that community through cards is one of the greatest things in the world.

How to Tell if a Card Is Fake

First and foremost, never damage or destroy a card to determine if it is fake. The best and easiest test to determine if you have a fake is to shine a LED flashlight through the back of the card. About 40% of the light should shine through the card. 95% of fake cards fail this test and will block all of the light. PucaTrade has a guide with steps you can follow if you feel you don’t have an authentic card, and if you still are questioning your trade you can mail it to PucaTrade and they will test it for you!

Final Wisdom

Playing with other people’s decks is something Eric doesn’t see enough players doing. When you play with someone’s deck that has been meticulously crafted and thought about for hours on end, you get to look through a window into their mind. Seeing what cards they value and prioritize gives you an incredible glimpse into how they play Magic.

Magic Resource

PucaTrade - sign up with a free account to start trading and receiving

PucaTrade: Counterfeit Guide

PucaTrade: Articles

MTG Goldfish: SafronOlive

Vintage Super League

Ask A Magic Judge

Connect With Eric Freytag

Twitter: @PucaTrade

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

Kris McCord is a Magic grinder from Switzerland who currently lives in Auburn Alabama (attending Auburn University). He’s reaching for Silver or better by the end of the 2017/18 season and is off to a good start with one Grand Prix top 8.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Kris McCord when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep235

First Set

Champions of Kamigawa

Favorite Set

Time Spiral

Favorite Card

Cryptic Command

Early Challenge

Losing. Kris learned that you can't win every time. He realized he wasn't having fun anywhere and decided to focus on having fun and accepting the variance.

Worst Magic Moment

Top 8 of a PTQ when Kris felt favored but choked and took it hard. He decided to play more casually and reconnected with the fun of Magic.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at GP Indianapolis 2017 and qualifying for his first Pro Tour through an RPTQ earlier in the year.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Accepting that things don't always pan out as planned. Make the best of every situation given to you.

Magic Mentors

Kris observed all the top players and learned from them.

Success Habits

Read articles, discuss Magic with friends.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Mulligan decisions.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

For Limited, Kris practiced with a team and drafted a lot. 

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Kris takes a carry on so he doesn't have to check in the bag. Deck box, life pod, pen, dice, water, snacks

Parting Guidance

Stay positive. Negativity serves o one and has a poor effect on your game. Positive attitudes help you whether many bad situations.

Connect With Kris McCord

Kris 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

Zach Allen is a member of Team RIW from Farmington Hills, Michigan. He Co-hosts the podcast Turn One Thoughtseize and has 2 Grand Prix top 8s, a Pro Tour top 16, and 1 SCG top 8 in his record. He's a dedicated control player and Snapcaster Mage enthusiast.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Zach Allen when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep317

First Set

Urza Block

Favorite Set

Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Snapcaster Mage

Early Challenge

Not being able to beat the best guy at his local store. This constant, ever-present challenge pushed Zach to improve.

Worst Magic Moment

Getting 9th at PPTQ's 6 times in a row. Zach learned that the results of tournaments are not indicative of your actual skill.

Proudest Magic Moment

Making top 16 of Pro Tour Guilds of Ravnica.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Making the play that sets you up for a win later. Make the best decision at the time with the information you have, but make a decision.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Getting out of the moment. Players need to focus on just the game in front of them. 

Parting Guidance

The people in Magic are what's most important. Relationships and friends are priceless.

Magic Resource

CFB, SCG, Cool Stuff Inc.

Connect With Zach Allen

Twitter:@A22en

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

Brian Braun-Duin is the 2016 World Champion, has 1 Pro Tour top 16 and 11 Grand Prix Top 8s, with 2 Grand Prix wins. He also writes articles at TCGplayer.com. Brian lives in Roanoke, Virginia.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Brian Braun-Duin when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep277

2016 World Champion Recap

Brian shifted to playing the best deck for an event instead of a pet deck.

How to Determine the Best Deck

Look at results from tournaments and Magic online events as a starter.

Sportsmanship

Treat your opponent with respect and handle yourself with class.

Advice

Relationships and people are more important than Magic. Take time to think about what others might think about you and the situation.

Lose With Class

Look at the big picture. If you consider the one game of Magic to be the end-all be-all then it will be hard to swallow. By having a big picture perspective, you'll realize it's not the only match that matters.

Graceful Winner

Feel free to celebrate but be mindful you don't "rub it in".

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Tunnel Vision. Some players have a plan and execute that plan no matter what often to their detriment.

Parting Guidance

Have fun!

Magic Resource

Being Right Instead of Being Correct; On Kindness

Connect With Brian Braun-Duin

Twitter:@BraunDuinIt ‏

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

Hannes Mauch grew up in Bern, Switzerland. At the moment he is studying civil engineering in Zurich. He's 23 years old and I has been playing Magic: the Gathering competitively for about 7 years. He enjoys Magic in its complexity and difficulty to master. He has had decent GP results over the last five years, culminating in making Top 8 at GP Liverpool 2017. Hannes lives in Zurich, Switzerland.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Hannes Mauch when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep#255

First Set

7th Edition

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Daze

Early Challenge

Self-confidence was an issue for Hannes when he started because he was young. He stuck with it and get better over time.

Worst Magic Moment

At Hannes first big tournament-Swiss Nationals 2010-he was 14 years old and started out 7-0. He was the only 7-0 player. He lost 5 in a row and was knocked out of top 8. Hannes learned that Magic is still just a game.

Proudest Magic Moment

Hannes' first day 2 at a Grand Prix. It was a team GP and they started 1-1-1. Then they kept winning and ended the day 2 at 8-1-1 to make day 2.

Tips for New Players

There's a lot of resources to use. Channel Fireball, Limited Resources, and videos.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

now, draft players prioritize the wrong cards. Intermediate players only play from their perspective. Remember, your opponent is human. They think what you think.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Tournament

Hannes is mostly an MTGO player. He drafts a lot online to prepare for Limited events. He'll do Sealed as well when a Sealed tournament is coming.

Parting Guidance

Play Magic how you wan and have fun. Do it your way.

Magic Resource

Channel Fireball, Limited Resources Podcast, other players

Connect With Hannes Mauch

Hannes 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

Matthew Pope started playing Magic during Scars of Mirrodin and his first Launch Party was Magic 2012. Innistrad was the first pre-release he attended (and ran) at his local game. He was taught by a friend in college (the last 2 years of high school) and has come a long way with 1 Grand Prix Top 8 which was a 2nd place finish at Grand Prix Barcelona 2017. Matthew lives in the United Kingdom.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Matthew Pope when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep202

First Set

Scars of Mirrodin

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Geist of Saint Traft

Early Challenge

Mulligan decisions. Matt noticed that even as he got better at mulligan decisions, he would revert back in high stakes games.

Worst Magic Moment

Matt attended a PPTQ and went 4-0-1. He wins the quarter finals and plays the best player in the room in the semi-finals. In game 3, Matt chokes and he missed the RPTQ invite. It was so close and the burn was real. Matt didn't attack based on a bluff from his opponent. Matt learned to play around what he should and ignore what he can't play around.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at Grand Prix Barcelona 2017.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Playing around cards when it doesn't matter/wont make a difference.
Also, deck selection without enough time to get good at it.

Parting Guidance

Don't let circumstance affect your fundamentals. Mulligan decisions are huge, so practice, practice, practice and don't forget what you've learned.

Connect With Matthew Pope

Twitter:@immagicmatt

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

Matt Severa is a software developer from Madison, WI. He is also a silver level pro and a member of Team Ultra Pro. His magic accomplishments include top 8 at GP Detroit in 2003, top 4 at GP Nashville in 2014, and a GP win at Washington D.C. in 2016.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Matt Severa when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep86

First Set

Revised

Favorite Set

Innistrad set

Favorite Card

Vendilion Clique

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Social aspect.

Early Challenge

Constructed

Deepest Thing About Yourself

Matt can go all in and sometimes lets his emotions carry over from game to game. He reminds himself why he's playing. He's there to have fun and regardless of his results he got to hang out with some great people.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

People don't step back and look at the bigger picture.  Have an overall plan. If you don't know what your deck is trying to do you will lose more often than you should.

Sealed & Draft Tips

Matt attends a draft camp to learn what the limits of the format is. This is how he familiarizes himself with the archetypes in Limited.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Dice

Notepad

Pen

Water

Playmat

Improvement Suggestions

Eat right, sleep well, and stay fit.

Magic Resource

MTG Goldfish

Connect With Matt Severa

Twitter: @MattSevera

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

Ethan Gaieski started to play seriously when he moved to Japan in 2015. He came back to the States and did decently well on the SCG Tour but didn’t get any big results. Just a lot of cash. He finally made his first GP top 8 at Grand Prix Montreal 2017.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Ethan Gaieski when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep208

First Set

Innistrad

Favorite Set

Return to Ravnica

Favorite Card

Sigarda, Host of Herons

Early Challenge

Financially keeping up with Magic was really rough. Also, the mental challenge of thinking everyone is better than him.

Worst Magic Moment

GP Orlando 2017, Ethan did poorly and because he prepared a lot and this was the third bad Gran Prix in a row, he was crushed. Embracing the variance is a lesson Ethan learned.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 Grand Prix Montreal 2017.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Quantitative Reasoning. (Recognizing patterns and Math)

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Ethan knows he can become as good as he can if he doesn't crumple under people's expectations.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

When players got unlucky, they think they couldn't have won. Don't offload the responsibility. Own it and ask what you could have done. Talk to people.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Tournament

Ethan watched the Pro Tour closely and strove to understood best decks. He practiced by playing 10 Leagues on MTGO.

Parting Guidance

Always be looking for ways to improve. There's always something you can do.

Magic Resource

Twitch.tv/alexjchen, MTG Coverage, Ari Lax, Garry Thompson

Connect With Ethan Gaieski

Ethan 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

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

Daniel Ward has 5 Grand Prix top 8’s including 1 win and made Top 8 of a World Magic Cup Qualifier in 2016. Daniel lives in Catskill, NY.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Daniel Ward when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep284

First Set

Ice Age

Favorite Set

Odyssey

Favorite Card

The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale

Early Challenge

Daniel has always been good at sports. When he came into Magic and learned, it was competitive, it was easy to get into the competitive side but hard to put his casual side aside

Worst Magic Moment

Daniel was proclaimed as 'the worst cheater ever' over an incident that wasn't as bad as people made it sound. But it was on camera and people saw. People make mistakes and Daniel is stronger now because he had to go through it.

Proudest Magic Moment

Being selected for team Dex Protection. Being recognized as good enough to play with big names meant a lot to Daniel.

Parting Guidance

Find out why you play Magic. Through that, you'll find fulfillment and enjoyment in the game.

Magic Resource

MTG Goldfish

Connect With Daniel Ward

Twitter:@Bigward28 ‏

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

Patrick Chapin, "The Innovator," is a Hall of Famer, Pro Tour Champion, and 5-time PT 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.

First Set

 The Dark

Favorite Set

 Innistrad (Best designed) /  Khans of Tarkir block

Favorite Card

Jace, the Mind Sculptor

What makes Magic fun for you?

First and foremost the people. The constant iteration.

Early Challenge

Trying to convince people that he was actually good.

Level Up Moment

Realizing that trying to convince people that he was actually good was not as useful as focusing on humbly improving himself.

Proudest Magic Moment

Inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Winning Pro Tour Journey Into Nyx.

Best Format

Standard

Current Standard Deck

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Focusing their energy on convincing people they are good instead of focusing on finding the truth about how they play. Look for mistakes in every match.

Connect with Patrick

Twitter: @thepchapin

Free Resources!

www.nextlevelmagic.com

www.starcitygames.com

www.toplevelpodcast.com

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

Eugene Hwang lives a double life of a mild-mannered data analyst during the week but from Friday to Sunday, he is a Grand Prix grinder and Silver level pro from Los Angeles. He has 2 Grand Prix top 8s, including a win in GP Orlando 2014.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Eugene Hwang when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep104

First Set

Revised

Favorite Set

Khans of Tarkir (Limited)

Favorite Card

Survival of the Fitest

Favorite Art

Terese Nielsen
Rebecca Guay

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Drafting Magic is the most fun game Eugene has played. The community keeps him coming back for more.

Early Challenge

Started drafting and learned the BREAD shortcut but then took this too far. Eugene drafted pretty bad decks until he read an article about mana curve that changed how he drafted. Results quickly followed.

Worst Magic Moment

Day 2 of Grand Prix Providence. Eugene and his team went 10-0 in day one but then got steamed rolled in day 2 by Ari Lax's team. It was here that they realized there was a huge gap between their level and the next level.

They came home, hit it hard, and all three team members (Andrew Brown, Jiachen Tao, Eugene Hwang) have gone on to win Grand Prix's and Pro Tours.

Proudest Magic Moment

Watching 

Best Format

Sealed

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players are afraid to step out of their comfort zone.

While only playing one deck is a good way to start, if ALL you do is play aggro then when the meta shifts you will be out of luck.

Play lots of decks so you can easily pick up different styles based on the meta.

Build two decks that attack on opposing axis so 

Card Evaluation Tips

Compare cards to older versions.

By playing Limited consistently you build mental shortcuts.

Sealed & Draft Tips

Look at rares first. Grab cards that pull you into their colors, cards that you would definitely play in those cards, and cards you will likely play in those colors.

Find the highest quality creatures and removal and make a two color deck around those cards. 

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Play sessions are key. Either online or in person. Talk to each other player. 

Early on you want to identify powerful card interactions. After that you want to play the gauntlet of most likely decks.

Improvement Suggestions

Make friends with players you respect.

Use Cockatrice and proxies.

Playing Magic is the best way to get better at Magic. But playing other strategy games is good as well.

Stay positive.

Magic Resource

Channel Fireball

Star City Games

Allied Strategy podcast

GAM podcast

Connect With Eugene Hwang

Twitter: @deadseashoals

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

Sergio Ferrer made top 16 of his first Pro Tour in Kyoto 2017. He’s also made top 64 at GP Barcelona and dominates his local scene as two-time Amonkhet Game Day Champion and the Theros block league champion of his city. Sergio lives in Valencia, Spain.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Sergio Ferrer when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep237

First Set

Darksteel

Favorite Set

Amonkhet

Favorite Card

Ashiok, Nightmare Weaver

Early Challenge

Sergio struggled to win a Game Day. Sergio would test a lot on MTGO and with friends. Through constant practiced Sergio improved.

Worst Magic Moment

The near misses along the way taught Sergio to enjoy Magic as a game and remove the pressure of doing well.

Proudest Magic Moment

Pro Tour Kyoto 2017 Top 16.

What Have You Learned From Magic

'If you lose today, you can win tomorrow.'

Biggest Mistake Players Make

When players make a mistake they tend to dwell on it and cause a chain reaction of bad decisions. When you make a mistake just tell yourself to move on. Breathe and focus on the situation now.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Practice, practice, practice. Sergio drafted online with a friend a ton! They discussed picks and lines of play.

Parting Guidance

Practice a lot and discuss games with your friends.

Magic Resource

Optimism versus Delusion article on CFB, Show, and Telling of moxes.com, CFB, SCG, Team La Comarca

Connect With Sergio Ferrer

Twitter:@noesmitipo ‏

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

Francesco Giorgio is an Italian Magic player living in England and a member of Team Axion Now. He's at his best with 40 card decks, but also enjoying the Standard format. His achievements include 2 Limited Grand Prix Top 8s and Top 8 at the 2014 World Magic Cup. 

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Francesco Giorgio when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep204

First Set

7th Edition

Favorite Set

Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Birthing pod

Early Challenge

At first, Francesco didn't like the "best decks". Now, he understands that others have done well and he can draw on their knowledge.

Worst Magic Moment

Losing the finals of a GP due to a terrible mistake. He didn't read all the cards.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at 2014 World Magic Cup.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Francesco learned to analyze his mistakes regardless of the outcome.

Shortcomings

Constructed. Focus more on tournament preparation.

Habits

Draft often. (Daily if possible.)

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Francesco loves travelling.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

In Limited, players don't block enough.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Tournament

Practice and discussion. For Limited, each player ranks every card and players discuss the differences.

Parting Guidance

Look back at every game and reflect, regardless of the results.

Magic Resource

Team Axiom Now, MTG Goldfish, www.mtgprotutor.com/giveaways200

Connect With Francesco Giorgio

Twitter:@Sniesk

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

Gabe Carleton-Barnes has played in 13 Pro Tours, with 12 day twos. He has 9 PTQ wins and 1 RPTQ top 4. He just got his first Grand Prix Top 8 in Vancouver 2016. His claims to fame in our Magic: The Gathering Community include founding Draft-PDX, hosting Card Talk: The World’s Greatest MTG Podcast, and Storytelling. Gabe lives in Portland, Oregon.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Gabe Carleton-Barnes when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep82

First Set

 Revised

Favorite Set

 Odyssey

Favorite Card

Psychatog

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Despite taking multiple breaks Gabe has stuck with Magic because he loves games and competition. He feels that playing Magic never gets old because it keeps changing and forces you to continue to learn.

Gabe started going to tournaments early in his career and found that he was making friends with adults who treated him as a peer, not as a kid. He now befriends players of all ages and understands that there is always something to be learned from every player he meets.

Pro Tour & Grand Prix Experience

Gabe made it his goal to qualify for the Pro Tour, so he familiarized himself with the PTQ format. He stayed focused, refined his decks, and was able to regularly get the top spot in PTQs so he could attend the Pro Tour.

However, when the Pro Tour came around he struggled to quickly innovate and craft a deck that would work well at the tournament. He didn’t have a lot of help at first, and the time crunch put a lot of pressure on him to familiarize himself with new cards for the format.

In terms of GPs, Gabe would attend them intermittently and usually make Day 2, but never quite make it into the Top 8. Changing up his sleeping habits and altering his routine helped him follow through on a good start in order to finally make it to the Top 8 at Grand Prix Vancouver.

Heaviest Magic Moment

Gabe’s heaviest Magic moment came after he had played about 10 GPs and made Day 2 at all of them. He hit a Limited match at Grand Prix Boston and had a clever plan for how he was going to beat his opponent. With the game pretty much wrapped up, Gabe tried for a play to finish the match, but his opponent had the perfect counter and won on the next turn.

After the match a friend of Gabe’s who was less experienced pointed out that Gabe had a card in his hand that would have won the game instantly. This led Gabe to realize that even though he thought he was a really good player, he still made mistakes in how he approached the game. He started to keep an open ear when listening to players of various skill levels so that he could learn from as many players as possible.

Proudest Magic Moment

While Top 8ing his first Grand Prix is wonderful, the win that stands out to Gabe is making Top 8 at a specific PTQ held by Card Kingdom in Seattle. He made it into the Top 8 without a rare in his deck, and played against Jiachen Tao, who he beat with a subtle side board card choice. He faced off against Brian Wong for the final, and after an epic first match Gabe went on to win the tournament (and a trophy).

Draft PDX

Gabe founded Draft PDX based on similar groups in New York which were organized by Jon Finkel and other great players. In Portland they’ve formed a group that wants to be competitive, make it to the Pro Tour, and have fun with the game while fostering a healthy community spirit. They travel to events together and look out for one another by buying snacks or coffee for a busy teammate, or even giving them rides home if they miss their flight.

Best Format

Limited

How To Turn Limited From A Weakness To A Strength

Diving headfirst into Limited and playing it as much as possible with good players is one of the keys to mastering Limited.

When Draft PDX meets they start by drafting the best decks that they can, and then they split into two random teams before they build their decks. They discuss with each other what cards they might use and how to play them before coming together to play the other team.

The team that wins the Draft is the team that wins the most matches—this way players get to really learn how their deck performed instead of getting benched after their first loss. With the team setting players are encouraged to play their hardest even after a loss, as their next match matters just as much for the team.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

One of the biggest mistakes Gabe sees players make is when they let their emotions determine the value of their play. He knows that not blaming losses on luck and variance is great advice, but what he finds more valuable is looking back at matches he won to find the mistakes he made. If you only set out to learn from losses then you are missing out on a lot of opportunities to learn, especially since most wins aren’t achieved in the most optimal fashion.

To internalize mistakes you’ve made, realize that you most likely will make the same mistake again. What you can do to prevent that is to care about making the mistake, actively seek to recognize it, and find what mode of thinking led you to that mistake.

What Is The Deepest Thing Magic Has Taught You?

While Gabe sees himself as a competitive, achievement focused individual, Magic has taught him that he is more of a community focused player. His personal goals are important to him, but they aren’t as important as being good to people and his interactions with a healthy, thriving community of players.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Dark Chocolate (for himself and distressed teammates)

Deck Box

Pens

Paper

Dice

Non-Magic Activities That Make You Better At Magic

Gabe plays basketball and finds that aerobic activity measurably affects his mental state and thought processes. Maintaining his physical health helps him from getting exhausted in long tournaments, and he finds that when he feels good he usually plays better. The brain is connected to the body and keeping both in shape is important to performing well in anything.

Final Wisdom

Gabe’s final advice is to make sure you’re always trying to learn. Magic has taught him that he doesn’t know everything, and it has helped him connect and learn from many different people and situations. Never think you have it all figured out. When you win a big tournament use it as an opportunity to say, “This is a big milestone for me and I have a lot more left to learn.”

Magic Resource

Card Talk: The World's Greatest Magic: The Gathering Podcast

Gabe Carleton-Barnes at Back Fence PDX

MTGGOLDFISH

Decision Fatigue (New York Times)

Decision Fatigue (James Clear)

Connect With Gabe Carleton-Barnes

Twitter: @uncle_gcb

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

Lauri Pispa has been playing Magic competitively for 2 years, which comes after a 10-year break from the game. In that time he played other games competitively and even opened a card shop one year ago named Sensei’s Divining Shop. He’s a member of the 2016 Finnish World Magic Cup team and lives in Tampere, Finland.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Lauri Pispa when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep155

First Set

Urza block

Favorite Set

Prophecy, Innistrad

Favorite Card

Tangle wire

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Traveling is a lot of fun. Magic is a good excuse to get out and see the world.

Early Challenge

Lauri wasn't good at taking criticism. He thought he knew it all. But as he lost at GP's he learned that he had a lot to learn. Now he embraces learning from others.

Worst Magic Moment

Pro Tour Madrid 2016, Lauri needed to win 2 of the last 4 games but didn't win a single one. He went out with the team deconstructed the event.

Proudest Magic Moment

World Magic Cup Top 8 2016

Level Up Moment

When Lauri decided he was going to be competitive and when he recognized there is always a better player. He started reading and watching content.

Best Format

Legacy and draft

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Lauri has learned that he enjoys the deep thinking process.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not being open to criticism. Players sometimes don't listen to others.

Mentors

BBD- Brian Braun-Duin (Past guest)

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Extra cards to build decks, Clothes

Improvement Suggestions

Be nice to everybody. Be nice to your opponents and be nice to yourself.

Magic Resource

www.senseisdiviningshop.fi, MTGGoldfish, CFB, SCG

Connect With Lauri Pispa

Twitter:@Telkku

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

Eli Kassis returns to MTG Pro Tutor for the 3rd time as he keeps growing his accomplishments and notoriety. Eli now has 6 Grand Prix top 8s and is the Champion of Grand Prix New Jersey 2018. He has won an SCG Invitational and has 2 Pro Tour top 32’s. Eli lives in Vestal, NY and is a member of team Face to Face Games.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Eli Kassis when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep312

Eli Kassis comes back to MTG Pro Tutor for the 3rd time. He was episode 101 and 206 and now is back on episode 312.

Key To Success

Teams have been Eli's key to success.
Have a thirst for knowledge to find unique lines of play.

Tips To Minimize/Spot Cheating

1. Look at their eyes when they're shuffling your deck.
2. Note how long they are shuffling.
3. Ask for them to end with a cut.
4. Always shuffle their deck and end cut.

Parting Guidance

Pivot and look to others to manage tilt.
There's a lot that can be learned from the experiences of others.

Connect With Eli Kassis

Twitter:@Eli_Kassis

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

Ben Hull played Magic fairly casually for about four years before qualifying for Pro Tour Kaladesh. He made top 8 at Pro Tour Kaladesh and since then, also picked up his first Grand Prix top 8 in Denver. Ben lives in Vancouver, Canada.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Ben Hull when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep166

First Set

Antiquities

Favorite Set

Rise of the Eldrazi

Favorite Card

Overgrown battlement

Early Challenge

When playing control, when do you start a Hacking.

Worst Magic Moment

Being horribly sick before his first Pro Tour.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at GP Denver. This validated Ben's Pro Tour finish.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Learned how to accept bad outcomes.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Card evaluation skils are sub par. To get better, read what others say. Tap into the knowledge of others.

What Tournament Day Tips Can You share

Play one match at a time. Just focus on the here and now.

Advice to Yourself 5 Years Ago

Play Magic! Put more effort in Constructed and have fun.

Success Activities

Watching and listening to Magic content.

Improvement Suggestions

Slow down sometimes and really evaluate your decisions.

Connect With Ben Hull

Twitter:@IbbinMTG

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

Niels Molle is the frontrunner to be the Irish National Champion, he has made multiple cash finishes and has 1 Grand Prix Top 8.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Niels Molle when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep116

First Set

Portal / Stronghold

Favorite Set

Urza’s Saga

Favorite Card

Tarmogoyf

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Fantasy setting, build your own decks.

Competitive outlet.

“How good can I become?” Get to see friends

Play a variety of formats to keep it fun.

Worst Magic Moment

Lost Irish National Champion at last moment. Played a little less Magic.

Played a little less Magic afterwards to cool off.

Proudest Magic Moment

Won first PTQ (Pro Tour RTR)

Biggest Mistake Players Make

In Limited: mistapping mana and not representing combat tricks.

Change One Thing About Magic

Mana issues. Sometimes you get ... screwed at a tournament.

Sometimes you get mana screwed at a tournament.

What’s the Difference between Them and Us?

Experience. They play Magic with players on their same level.

Stepping Up

Find the best player at your LGS. Ask to play and get advice.

Play Magic online. Skill level is high and you can play against the best.

Pro Player You Look Up To

Paul Rietzl, PVDDR, Frank Karsten

Effectively Playtesting

Play a lot and focus on the game

Non-Magic Activity

Time management skills really helps Niels.

Self Improvement

Niels is an emotional player, meaning he plays intuitively, he makes plays that feel right. He’s trying to slow down and think.

Magic Resource

Podcasts – Limited Resources

Articles –

SCG

CFB (deck breakdowns)

Videos

Guidance

Set a long term goal and make it your focus.

Connect With Niels Molle

Twitter: @nielsmolle

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

Felix Tse made top 4 at Grand Prix Montreal 2016 and live in Cananda.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Felix Tse when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep132

Connect With Felix Tse

Facebook: Felix Tse

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

Alex Bianchi is a Silver-level pro from Buffalo, New York with 1 Grand Prix Top 8 and 1 win (GP Pittsburgh 2015). He is also the team captain of Team Dave & Adam's for the 2016-2017 Pro Tour Team Series, and writes articles for ManaDeprived.com.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Alex Bianchi when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep188

First Set

Mirrodin

Favorite Set

Ravnica City of Guilds

Favorite Card

Nahiri, The Harbinger

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

The game is challenging and the people are great.

Early Challenge

Deck selection. It took a while for Alex to realize he should play the best deck.

Worst Magic Moment

Needed 2 points to get the silver; got it, then needed one win to made top 8. He missed it three times in a row.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning GP Pittsburgh. When he made Top 8, he qualified for his Pro Tour and went with two friends.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Networking and traveling.

Best Format

Death Shadow Jund

Magic Mentors

Kai Burnett taught Alex how to grind.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

The social aspect of the game is more important.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Focusing too much on specific formats. You need to be good at many formats.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Alex plays a lot of MTGO competitive leagues.

Shortcomings As a Magic Player

Getting unintentional draws.

Tournament Day Tips

Rest between rounds, drink water.

Magic Resource

Twitch.TV, MTGCoverage.com, SCG, MTG Pulse

Connect With Alex Bianchi

Twitter:@Gemmanite

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

Jonas Friberg is a Swedish Magic: The Gathering player who played his first Grand Prix in 2014 and since then has played in 8 others including GP Barcelona and GP Manchester where he top 8:ed in both!

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Jonas Friberg when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep111

First Set

Coldsnap

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Electrolyze

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Jonas is very creative with his hands and mind. MTG creative in another way. He gets to think and make plays 2 turns ahead

Worst Magic Moment

GP Krakow 2005 – Jonas traveled out of country and it was very expensive.

He went 0-3 drop. Outside of comfort zone.

He learned to practice more and learned to balance playing the best deck vs. one you know better.

Proudest Magic Moment

Won first Game Day. Born of the Gods. Hadn’t been playing long.

Best Format

Standard – Look at the best deck and play a deck that beats them.

GW Tokens – Bad removal, can’t handle PW

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Full of myself. Think I’m better than I am. Over confidence is your worst enemy. Respect your opponent. Beware always. Think about his outs, what you can do to stop it.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Play cards, not opponent. You should play your opponent. Don’t over extend into effects that wreck you.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Theorize about decks and match ups.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Deck, Playmat, Dice, Pen, Life Pod, Clothes, Water bottle

New to Magic?

Look for Tier I budget decks. Play on Cockatrice, use proxies, and borrow the cards you need.

Magic Resource

MTG Top 8

SCG

Connect With Jonas Friberg

Jonas is on Facebook

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

Alex Lloyd has 2 Grand Prix top 8s, with 1 win and numerous Top 16s. He's a 2 time Pro Tour Competitor, Level 1 Judge, and engaged in community development efforts. Alex is from Manchester, NH, USA.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Alex Lloyd when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep263

First Set

Scourge

Favorite Set

Gatecrash

Favorite Card

Toshiro Umezawa

Early Challenge

Money. Alex found that Magic can be expensive, so money was a barrier to entry.

Worst Magic Moment

The length of time between big finishes can be tough. At GP DC (Journey Into Nyx  Limited) Alex gets paired down and losses. He missed top 8 because of it. 

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning GP Atlanta

What Have You Learned From Magic

Networking. How to connect and maintain relationships.

Advice for New Players

Learn to sequence (especially as a control deck).

Magic Milestones

Working at a game store.

Tournament Day Tips

Health and fitness are key at big events.Stay hydrated. Make time for yourself. Have snacks ready to go.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players don't value cards the way they should.

Parting Guidance

Networking is a huge. Connect with others as much as you can.

Magic Resource

5-0 list from MTGO Leagues, MTG Goldfish, CFB, SCG

Connect With Alex Lloyd

Twitter:@AlexLloydOSM ‏

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

Cash Turner has been playing Magic off and on for twenty years. He made Top 16 at Grand Prix Las Vegas in 2015 and Top 8 at Grand Prix Atlanta. He’s just a back room scallywag of ChannelFireball with a squad of ChannelFireball locals who have the heart and grit but not the spotlight. He’s blessed to be surrounded by low tier secret gods.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Cash Turner when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep141

First Set

Mirage

Favorite Set

Return to Ravnica

Favorite Card

Fireblast

Underrated Card

Bastion Mastodon

Early Challenge

Cash was very opinionated and arrogant. He recognizes now that he didn't learn all he could.

Worst Magic Moment

Cash made a terrible attack against Ben Stark at GP Vegas 2015 and missed making Top 8. Learn to focus on what's important. Don't get distracted by big creatures or planeswalkers.

Proudest Magic Moment

Through clever body language Cash defeated an opponent at GP Albuquerque when he had an inferior deck.

Best Format

Limited - Sealed

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Always wanted to figure out life. Magic has taught Cash about who he could be and how he doesn't want to be. He never wants to be a angry jerk.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Play the game how you want to play. Don't copy the styles of others.

Shortcoming

Memorize draft picks.

Daily Rituals

Rejecting the modern draw of constant entertainment. You can't get grit w/o a little bit of boring along the way.

Guidance

Everything is in the fringes. Be polite.

Pro Player You Look Up To

Paul Cheon
Cash's Squad

Magic Resource

Cash plays a lot and doesn't read as much.
Follow Greg Hatch

Connect With Cash Turner

Twitter:@PontifX

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

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Reid Duke has an impressive record of 19 Grand Prix Top Eights with 5 wins and 2 PT Top Eights with 2 additional Top Sixteens. He’s lauded in the Magic community as a boon of positivity and a shining example of kindness. Reid is mentioned by several past guests of the show as a player they look up to. Reid lives in Sugar Loaf New York.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Reid Duke when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep169

First Set

4th Edition Ice Age

Favorite Set

Shards of Alara / Ice Age

Favorite Card

Green sun's zenith

Early Challenge

Reid did poorly at his first several Pro Tour. He was used to PTQ level players when the Pro Tour had much higher caliber players.

Worst Magic Moment

Placing 2nd at World Championship in 2013.
Reid was up 2 games in the finals and then lost 3 games in a row.

Proudest Magic Moment

Doing so well at Worlds 2013 and making it to 2nd place. Also, winning the mocs 2011.

Magic Mentors

LSV

Advice for New Legacy Players

Stick with the same deck.

http://www.channelfireball.com/articles/legacy-guide-part-i-introduction-to-legacy2/
http://www.channelfireball.com/articles/legacy-guide-part-ii-overview-of-legacy/
http://www.channelfireball.com/articles/legacy-guide-part-iii-choosing-your-deck/

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players try to do too much. The more you get into Magic the more time management becomes important.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Reid starts about 3 weeks in advance. Reid will draft as much as possible and play practice games with locals and online

What have You Learned from Magic

Reid has learned, to be honest with himself and these around him. He has learned to not cut corners. 

Shortcomings

Time management and deck building.

Daily Habits

Quality practice over quantity. Reid doesn't 

Improvement Suggestions

Stick with Magic through the good and the bad.multiqueue or listen to music.

Connect With Reid Duke

Twitter:@ReidDuke

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

Kenji Egashira is an enthusiast of 40 card formats, and has been playing Magic since he was 10 years old. Perhaps best known for his Twitch.tv stream where he goes by NumotTheNummy, he is a full-time "internet-preneur" broadcasting his games and entertaining viewers. Kenji lives in Washington.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Kenji when he shared his story on MTG Pro Tutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep41

First Set

Tempest

Favorite Set

Invasion block

Favorite Card

Sliver Queen

**Kenji's first commander was Numot, the Devastator. Which is where he derived his screen name from.**

Numot, the Devastator

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Always changing. New sets and story lines keep the game fresh.

Early Challenge

Not focusing on getting better. Early on Kenji would just play the game and not think about the outcome. He would blame losses to luck. Now he thinks, "what did I do wrong and how can I get better?"

Level Up Moment

When Kenji started streaming he started to improve because he had input from his audience that helped change his perspective.

Proudest Magic Moment

Playing Magic full-time.

Also, 9th at Grand Prix Vancouver.

Best Format

Draft

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Many players play not to lose, instead of playing to win. Keep track of your thought process and note when you fall into this trap. 

Card Evaluation Tips

Kenji looks for synergies between cards and determines if they will be good in draft.

Now Kenji waits until he streams a new set to see the cards. This gives his audience a fresh perspective on the cards. When he does this he has to recognize if a card is good by itself rather than if it fits into a strategy because he doesn't know the synergies yet. He figures that out as he drafts several times.

Sealed & Draft Tips

Sealed: Sort out bombs, then colors and look at how many playables you have. Curve, playables, bombs; the makings of a well managed Sealed deck.

Draft: Once you've drafted the set a few times you can ear mark cards that are worth remembering. Kenji notes the first 5-6 picks in a pack so he has an idea of what other colors will be taken at the table.

How to Effectively Play Test

Repetitions + decompression. Playing a bunch of games in the format you're preparing for and then critically thinking about each game afterwards is a great way to prepare.

Improvement Suggestions

Even when you win you should consider what you could have done better. 

Repack booster packs so you can draft and build sealed pools without buying new product.

Magic Resource

Limited Resources podcast

Constructed Resources podcast

Draft videos 

Magic streams

Connect With Kenji

Twitch.tv/numotthenummy

Twitter: @NumotTheNummy

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.

Mark Litvak has just broken into the upper Magic scene by making his first Grand Prix Top 8 at GP Lyon October 2015. He is constantly seeking to improve himself and is looking forward to his first Pro Tour. He lives among the beautiful hills of Austria.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Mark Litvak when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep49

First Set

Onslaught

Favorite Set

Dragons of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Meddling Mage

Early Challenge

Giving up too soon. Mark learned to stay mentally in the game and play to his outs.

Don't give up the fight.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 of GP Lyon 2015.

Best Format

Limited

Modern (Splinter Twin)

How to Choose a Standard Deck

Look at popular decks and look at the mirror matches and choose a deck that is well positioned against them.

Observe matches using the deck you are considering and monitor how it plays out. This will help you decide if it's the deck you want to play.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

People underestimate the combat. It is very complicated if you want to do it well.

Many people sit back to see "what happens" in combat. You need to put the brain power behind combat and figure it out ahead of time.

Expect your opponent to play well and don't be worried about showing them something you don't think they've seen.

Card Evaluation Tips

Mark doesn't like how the spoiler is released but understands it from a marketing perspective.

Sealed & Draft Tips

Sealed: Separate each color into three piles; cards you want to play, cards you don't want to play, and on the fence cards. Next sort each pile by converted mana cost. Determine your colors by identifying which colors have a clear plan to success.

Draft: Learn something from every game. Make it count by writing down results, talking to opponents, whatever you need to do to get that extra information you need to improve.

Improvement Suggestions

"Don't tilt and always strive for better." ~Mark Litvak

Magic Resource

Follow players you respect and read their articles. (Players usually post when they have an article go live.)

Channel Fireball

Connect With Mark Litvak

Twitter: @LorwyMtG

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

Karl Eyre is a 23 years old freight and logistics manager at a small POS company. He’s a casual, online gamer who started playing Magic in 2008. He started to play at Meta Games in 2009 which was known for having high-level players. Draft and Australian Highlander are his formats of choice. In 2014 he played his first Grand Prix and since then he’s played in 8 GP's with 3rd at Sydney 2017, 9th at Sydney 2014 and a near miss at Melbourne 2016. Karl lives in Melbourne, Australia.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Karl Eyre when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep223

First Set

Lorwyn

Favorite Set

None

Favorite Card

Rith's Charm

Early Challenge

Believing you can do it was a struggle for Karl. He didn't have a large collection but little by little he increased his confidence.

Magic Milestone

First, win at a Highlander tournament. First Grand Prix, Karl mode day.

Worst Magic Moment

When Karl was 17, he didn't understand how intentional draws worked and got disqualified for prize splitting.

Proudest Magic Moment

3rd Place at Grand Prix Sydney.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Critical assessment. Every time you play you should write down all your mistakes.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Karl learns by doing.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players don't make the initiative and see their potential on board.
Players need to learn when they are the aggressor.

Daily Habits

Playing other games helps Karl understand.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Deck box, sleeves, clothes

Tournament Day Tips

Don't stay up all night, network between rounds.

Australian Highlander Tips

Look through old cards. There are gems hidden everywhere.

Parting Guidance

Network. Find the best players and talk with them.

Magic Resource

MTG Top 8, CFB

Connect With Karl Eyre

Karl 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

Florian Koch has been playing Magic since 1994 and played semi-competitively until he got his first Pro Point in 2010. He then won GP Lyon later that year. Since 2010 he’s made the Top 8 of three GPs and is striving for success on the Pro Tour. Florian is from Cologne, Germany.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Florian Koch when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep176

First Set

The Dark (Just before)

Favorite Set

Florian doesn't have a favorite set.

Favorite Card

Lightning bolt

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

At first, it was the interactions between cards. Then it was the competitive scene.

Level Up Moment

Florian watched a friend play who explained that recognizing what matters in a game is the key to winning.

Worst Magic Moment

Florian 9-0 day one of a Grand Prix but flowed out on day two. He learned to prepare for the whole event.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning GP Lyon.

Best Format

Limited

What Have You Learned from Magic

Make your own decisions and decide what matters. You don't have to use the same yardstick as everyone else to measure yourself.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not enjoying yourself. You spend all day at an event, don't make it awful for you or your opponent.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Florian played with the best players he could find and talked with the best players at the event.

Shortcomings

Florian is working on being a better control player.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Deck, Clothes, Hygiene products

Advice From Pro

Florian saw Dirk B. sort cards into tiers for the first time and that help him see Magic differently.

Advice For Aether Revolt Limited

The Improvise mechanic is overvalued at the moment. Aggressive strategies are working. Combat tricks in this format are decent.

Improvement Suggestions

When you go to a Magic tournament, make it fun for you and others. Care for your community.

Magic Resource

CFB, MTG Goldfish

Connect With Florian Koch

Twitter:@Odin_FK

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

James Larsen-Scott is a 20-year-old magic player from Tasmania, Australia who has been playing Magic for 8 years. He is constantly trying to learn and improve his game and recently obtained his first Grand Prix top 8 at GP Brisbane 2017. 

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from James Larsen - Scott when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep191

First Set

Alara Reborn

Favorite Set

Zendikar / Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Jace,The Mind Sculptor

Early Challenge

Learning the difference between the Limited formats.

Magic Breakthrough Moment

When James got his first draft 3-0 and when he got his first Grand Prix day 2.

Worst Magic Moment

James went to a PPTQ and lost 3 win-and-ins because he took a deck he didn't know.

Proudest Magic Moment

First Grand Prix Top 8.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Knowing your role is an allegory for life. Sometimes you need to push hard and make things happen. Other times, you need to sit back, see what happens and react.

Best Format

Limited

Magic Mentors

LSV

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

He can do it if he puts his mind to it.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players don't know why they are playing a card. You should know why every card is in your deck.

Tournament Day Tips

Bring tokens, pen, and paper. It's huge to have friends there to talk to between rounds.

Shortcomings

Losing focusing in a game.

Beginner Limited Advice

Watch tons of Magic Videos.

Parting Guidance

Don't be intimidated when playing big name players.

Magic Resource

CFB, Twitch.TV

Connect With James Larsen-Scott

James 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

Alexander Kreuz is a former PTQ grinder who has 6 Pro Tour appearances. He took a hiatus from Magic and came back in 2017 to finish 10th at GP Amsterdam and recently got his first Grand Prix top 8. Alexander lives in Koblenz, Germany.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Alexander Kreuz when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep280

First Set

6th Edition Starter

Favorite Set

Alara Block / Ravnica Block

Favorite Card

Gifts Ungiven

Early Challenge

Alex struggled with keeping a good mindset when he was grinding. By playing against players who were better than him, Alex was able to train his mind to handle variation better.

Worst Magic Moment

Alex lost in the finals of a PTQ. He knew his opponent's deck and knows he could have done better.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning his first PTQ top 8 ever, defeating some big-name players.

Advice To Players

Play MTGO and play at bigger events every chance you get.

How Was Your Dedication to Magic Impacted Your Life

"I wouldn't be the same person without Magic."
Alex learned and grew so much from playing Magic.

Sportsmanship

Never cheat and don't allow others too. When you lose it's okay to feel disappointed, just don't let it rob your opponent of their victory.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Beginners make different mistakes than advanced players. But generally, players don't mulligan very well. Be more aggressive with your mulligan.

Parting Guidance

If you're actually trying to get better at Magic, find a mentor and watch them play. Make note of everything they do that's different from what you would do.

Magic Resource

MTGO, Magic online decklists

Connect With Alexander Kreuz

Alex 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

Erik Carson spends most of his time as a musician and graphic designer but still makes room for Magic. He has 2 Star City Games Legacy Top 8s and 1 Grand Prix Top 8. He goes through spurts of streaming and is looking to make a run at the Pro Players Club starting with Grand Prix Portland 2016. Erik lives in Roseburg OR.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Erik Carson when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep126

First Set

Zendikar

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Capsize

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

The strategy and brain exercise.

Early Challenge

Deck building. Mono curves weren't at the top of Erik's mind.

Worst Magic Moment

SCG Open in 2012. Erik made Top 8. Lost in quarter finals. Erik made a huge mistake in game 2. He misconducted the game state and lost. Slow down and think through your plays.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at GP Los Angeles, hearing his name over the speakers felt amazing. It was very validating.

Best Format

Legacy

Entry Level Tips For Legacy

Play a deck with Force of Will. Ask to read you opponents card. If you don't understand it, counter it.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Erik chose his deck early, a few months in advance.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Clothes, Deck Box + Deck, Extra Cards, Toothbrush, Trail Mix Legion

Improvement Suggestions

Never be afraid to make mistakes and look foolish. Don't let your dreams be dreams.

Habits That Help You Improve

Playing Music.

Pro You Look Up To

Reid Duke

Connect With Erik Carson

Twitter: @platypusisland

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

Arne Huschenbeth started playing in Khans of Tarkir. He Top 8’d ten out of 12 PPTQs last season, and won 2 of them!! He Top 8’d his fourth Grand Prix in Paris. And made Top 64 at GP Manchester.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Arne Huschenbeth when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep110

First Set

8th Edition

Favorite Set

Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Dragonlord Ojutai

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

It's so fascinating. You can get better at it every day. Magic is the first time Arne really loved doing something.

Worst Magic Moment

Pro Tour Shadows over Innistrad. Arne was crushed in the draft and didn’t make day 2. Sleep well.

He learned you should sleep well before events. He stayed up until 2 am the night before.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 @ GP Paris - He felt a feeling of freedom  He was screaming “You did it!” in his head.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Arne loves to travel and be with friends.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Tapping mana wrong. Untapped mana represents something. Sending messages is part of Magic, make sure you're sending the right messages all the time.

Also, players often think they are the aggressor when they’re not.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Arne traveled every weekend to a tournament somewhere. He consumed Magic content (articles + videos) and played a lot on XMage. This helped him make his GP top 8.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Apples, Bananas, Water, Deck, Back Pack

Activities to Improve

Arne uses visualization techniques to envision winning and what that feels like.

he also draws on his strategy and management skills.

Magic Resource

ChannelFireball

StarCityGames

TCG Player

Twitch

Wizards Coverage

Guidance

Be confident and keep going.

Connect With Arne Huschenbeth

You can find Arne on Facebook

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

Steve Hatto is 34 years old and started playing Magic in Mirage. He played off and on like many do until he came back for good in Scars of Mirrodin. His goal was clear at that point - make it to the most prestigious events that Magic had to offer. There was, however, one problem: at his first FNM there were only 3 players… Steve lives in Luxembourg.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Steve Hatto when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep232

First Set

Mirage

Favorite Set

Urza's Saga

Favorite Card

Cryptic Command

Early Challenge

Finding players to test with. Steve finished in the top 8 of his first PTQ after coming back. Finding players with similar goals was rough. He focused on being polite and making friends at events.

Magic Milestones

First GP top 8 in 2015. Steve learned that mindset is huge to traveling up.
Steve accepted that he's pretty terrible at Magic. He also realized that he focused too much on doing well.

Worst Magic Moment

Travelling to Pro Tour Nashville, Steve's flight was delayed several times and then canceled. He made the best of it by sneaking into the business hugely.

Proudest Magic Moment

Luxembourg doubled its player base and went from 1 store to 3.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Approaching situations with the acceptance that you don't always have total control over the outcome.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Forgetting to lay lands. But beyond that people will follow up a mistake with another mistake out of embarrassment.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

For Modern, Steve knows his deck and can pick it up and go. This is only possible by practicing a lot in between events.

Parting Guidance

Figure out what your goals and then see what's missing to get you there. Play Magic a level you enjoy.

Magic Resource

SCG, CFB

Connect With Steve Hatto

Twitter:@SteveHatto

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

Marcus Hensing is an up and coming Magic star from Copenhagen, Denmark who has recently made his first Grand Prix top 8 in London 2016.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Marcus Hensing when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep143

First Set

4th Edition

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Gifts Ungiven

Underplayed Card

Hunt the Weak

Early Challenge

"I'm a red mage at heart and I like attacking." Marcus had to learn that even though he wanted to attack, some times he had to take the defensive side. Learning to switch between aggressor and defense is an early skill Marcus worked on. 

Level Up Moment

During the return to Ravnica block era, Marcus had two enchantments to deal with a lethal creature. However, he made a mistake by missing a key card in the graveyard. 

How to Learn from Mistakes

In the middle of a tournament, don't go on tilt. After the tournament consider the mistake and what caused it. Did you not fully consider the board state or failed to track information? Look for general lessons.

Worst Magic Moment

At his first Gran Prix Marcus built a WG deck with no removal spells. He could have splashed a removal in his pool but didn't consider it. Marcus learned to take another look at his pool before submitting to see if there are cards (like removal) that are worth splashing. 

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 of Grand Prix London 2016

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Marcus learned critical decision making, when to trust his instincts and when to think things through. 

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Attacking without having a proper game plan. 

Advice

Focus on combat

Magic Resource

Limited Resources
Next Level Podcast 

Guidance

Have a game plan. Why are you making that play ?

Connect With Marcus Hensing

Twitter: @Lobster667

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 Rubin is a Pro Tour old timer who started when he was 15 yrs old. He has 4 Pro Tour top 8s, about 8 Grand Prix top 8s, and has won 2 masters. He’s a member of the Hall of Fame and got there by winning and losing a lot of matches.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Ben Rubin when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep139

First Set

Revised

Favorite Set

Mirrodin Block

Favorite Card

Traverse the Ulvenwald

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Network with really smart people.

Early Challenge

Really wanted to break the format and wouldn't listen to others input.

Level Up Moment

In High School, Ben was very strong relative to the field.

Who have been your mentors

William Jensen
Jon Finkel
Patrick Chapin

Worst Magic Moment

Playing in a Masters competition. Normally Ben left basic mana up to play around wasteland. Ben drew a Pyroblast and couldn't play it because of his hobbit.

Proudest Magic Moment

Very proud of team at Grand Prix Louisville. Accomplishing something great with a team is great.

Best Format

Doesn't have one but enjoys toning decks.

Activities that help you in Magic

Play a lot of Magic.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Ben has an affinity for competition.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not having a long view. People get so hurry up on this game instead of understanding the overall picture.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Building pools leading up to a team sealed event and really discussing choices.

What are your shortcomings

Getting into the new method of preparation.

Magic Resource

Reviewing deck lists

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

Andrea Mengucci is a cultured Italian man who has made it to the Top 16 in one Grand Prix as well as the Top 16 and Top 8 in two Pro Tours. We will definitely see more of him in the years to come.

Click to Tweet: I learned how to mulligan from Andrea Mengucci when he shared his story on MTG Pro Tutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep35

First Set

Champions of Kamigawa

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Bloodbraid Elf

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

You always have changing formats. From tournament to tournament the decks change drastically even though the cards in the set are the same.

Early Challenge

Keeping bad hands was Andrea's early challenge. Just because you have a good spell, if you have one land you can't keep the hand.

Learn how to mulligan to overcome this. In Limited your hand is the main concern in whether you mulligan or not. In Constructed, the match up is the main factor in your mulligan decision.

Level Up Moment

Finding someone who was at the next level and playing with him constantly helped Andrea improve.

He also watched tons of videos and learned from the pros and won a PTQ because of it.

Proudest Magic Moment

Making it to the Top 8 of Pro Tour Atlanta.

Andrea took control of the situation and asked Mike Sigrist if he could room with and practice with him for the Pro Tour. This friendship has helped Andrea grow.

Best Format

Standard.

The best results go to the player who practices the most. Follow the decks every week to stay ahead of what's going on.

How to Choose a Standard Deck

Look at the decks that performed well recently and brainstorm their weaknesses. Consider what deck is best positioned to exploit those weekends.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not knowing when to mulligan.

Showing up with the wrong deck.

Watch your opponent. Do they think a lot during combat? That could mean a combat trick. Likewise, even if you don't have a trick you should take a few seconds before passing priority so your opponent thinks you have a trick.

Card Evaluation Tips

First, lay out your decks and identify which cards can be strictly replaced by new cards. (This applies to all formats; Standard, Modern etc...)

Then identify powerful cards in the new set that are build arounds and build every Standard deck around that card that you can.

Sealed & Draft Tips

Pre-release: At a pre-release play your rares, even if they aren't that amazing, so you can try them out and see what they do. The pre-release is not a big tournament that Andrea says "I need to win". He just wants to test new cards.

Draft: Don't pass a great card just because there are other good cards in that color. In fact, if you do that and that color doesn't come back that means that you know how many other players at the table are in that color.

Take the best card regardless of color but lean more towards the color of your first pick.

How to Effectively Play Test

Know your opponent's deck list and play around what they have. Track deck lists and identify the cards that always appear in a certain archetype and know them cold.

Playing with people in real life is better than playing online. When possible, go to your local game store and draft with real people.

Improvement Suggestions

When you're first getting in, pick a deck and stick with it. As new sets come out just get the pieces you need in your colors. 

Magic Resource

Channel Fireball

Andrea Mengucci's Mana Base Article

Mana Base Article v2.0

Connect With Andrea

Twitter: @Mengu09

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.

Erin Campbell is the creator of two successful Magic: The Gathering podcasts, The Deck Tease and The Girlfriend Bracket, and is currently a co host of the Magic Mics Podcast. She was a 2014 Community Cup team member and day 2’d her first Grand Prix in March 2016. She has her sights set on Wisconsin State Champion. Erin lives in Milwaukee, WI.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Erin Campbell when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep89

First Set

Ice Age

Favorite Set

Tempest

Favorite Card

Ad Nauseam

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

The human interaction. She didn't get as much of this playing video games and appreciated the Magic community for its human interactions.

Level Up Moment

Erin used to play decks she hated because they were "good decks". Now she understands that she can play decks she likes. She knows now she doesn't have to go to every event. She can play the decks she likes at the events she wants and that's okay.

Worst Magic Moment

An AMA on Reddit.

Take away: The less you say after "I'm sorry" the better.

Proudest Magic Moment

Representing the community at the 2014 Community Cup.

Best Format

Modern

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

"I am not my results." 

Erin learned to separate her match results from her self-worth. You can lose at Magic and that doesn't mean you are a terrible person.

Also, learning when good enough is good enough.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Buying into the white noise.

There is SO much content out there that people sometimes forget to form their own opinions about cards and decks. Take in the content you want but don't get lost in the white noise.

Improvement Suggestions

Don't play Rest in Peace.  ;)

Magic Resource

Magic Mics Podcast - Current news in the Magic world

Connect With Erin Campbell

Twitter: @OriginalOestrus

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

Jamie Parke has 3 major top 8s, including Worlds 1999, Worlds 2008 and PT ATL 2014. He also has 4 GP Top 8s and as you can tell by the dates is one of a very small group of players with a top 8 in 3 different decades. He currently lives in Philadelphia and trades equity options.

First Set

Revised

Favorite Set

Tempest block (for its Limited game play)

Favorite Card

Ancestral Recall

What makes Magic fun for you?

The challenge of competing at the highest levels.

Early Challenge

Finding people who wanted to play as much as Jamie did was an early challenge for him.

Level Up Moment

Magic is a game of probabilities. Identifying that there is a correct play based on probability and realizing that you could make the correct play and still lose helped Jamie improve early on. It helped him let go of unnecessary pressure. 

Best Format

Limited

It's so easy to throw together a draft where all people have to do is invest 3 hours of their time.

Current Standard Deck

Hangarback Abzan

Biggest Mistake Players Make

1) Don't go to a big tournament too early. 

Play during the week. Play at FNM. Participate in online trainings like LSVs "What's the play?"

2) Don't give away too much imformation.

Hold cards in hand you don't need to play so your opponent knows as little as possible.

Connect With Jamie

Twitter: @JamieParke

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.

Niklas Dahlquist is a Swedish player who has been playing Magic since 1994. He started playing more competitively in the last year and positioned top 4 in this year's Magic Online Championship. He really likes playing Limited and plays every single night (mostly). He recently started streaming on Twitch and can be found at twitch.tv/smashhallon. Niklas lives in Stockholm, Sweden.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Niklas Dahlquist when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep283

First Set

Revised

Favorite Set

Revised

Favorite Card

All the Dual Lands

Worst Magic Moment

Having nightmares before the 2018 MOCS.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top3 of the 2018 MOCS.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Over/underestimating their opponent. Specifically for Online, if you lose several times, take a break before you queue again.

Sportsmanship

Be friendly and treat each player with kindness.

Parting Guidance

Have fun playing Magic. You get better results when you love the game.

Connect With Niklas Dahlquist

Twitter:@NiklasDahlquist ‏

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

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

Daniel Wong is a San Francisco Bay Area grinder with a top 8 in the Modern portion of Grand Prix Las Vegas 2017. He's an up-and-comer who will be playing in his first Pro Tour in November 2017 at Pro Tour Albuquerque. Daniel lives in Berkeley, CA.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Daniel Wong when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep224

First Set

M13 on Magic Duels

Favorite Set

Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Howling mine

Early Challenge

Side boarding. Daniel doesn't write a side boarding guide ahead of time. He thinks about what his opponent will do and then sides against that.

Worst Magic Moment

Punting on important games. Play a little slower, think a little more.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 GP Vegas 2017.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Expected Value (EV). If I make this decision, how likely am I to get the desired outcome.

Advice For Beginners Modern Player

Play more games. Got to know what they do and how they work.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Controlling emotions. Not allowing yourself to treat others poorly because you feel poorly.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not spending enough time thinking about your turns.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Always consider how to make your deck better, take snacks and water.

Parting Guidance

Keep learning at every game.

Magic Resource

MTG Goldfish

Connect With Daniel Wong

Daniel 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

Eric English has cashed many Grand Prix and has 1 Grand Prix top 8 and a Pro Tour top 32, both in 2016. He’s a Silver Level Pro looking to continue the success he had last year. Eric is from Rochester, New York.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Eric English when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep175

First Set

Onslaught

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Engineered Explosives

Early Challenge

Eric's deck selection skills were sub par. By consuming content Eric was able to get a better feel for the metagame.

Breakthrough Moment

SCG Open in 2014, Eric played a Rabble Red deck and took 2nd.

Worst Magic Moment

At a local invite is the only tournament Eric lost his chance to make top 8 and he tilted really bad. He made a fool of himself. Now he thinks of the game in terms of resource management. Eric views his emotions and mental energy as a resource.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning an SCG Open while visiting a friend in Washington.

What have You Learned from Magic

The practice of thinking through multiple scenarios.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Misunderstanding the flow of the game. Combat this by thinking on your opponent's turn and shortening your gameplay actions.

Shortcoming

Eric loses focus when he's winning.

Improvement Suggestions

Have fun. Play the game. Magic has many forms.

Connect With Eric English

Eric 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

Derek Candelario is a Logistics Coordinator working on site at Google. He currently lives in San Jose, CA and has been playing Magic off and on for the last 20 years with the goal of getting onto the Pro Tour. He has 1 Grand Prix Top 8 from GP Portland 2017. Derek is from San Ramon, CA.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Derek Candelrio when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep264

First Set

Stronghold

Favorite Set

Shards of Alara

Favorite Card

Visara the Dreadful

Early Challenge

Regionals was Derek's first long tournament and his first big challenge.

Worst Magic Moment

Derek has faced frustration and set backs all along the way. He's learned to manage his expectations-both high and low.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at GP Portland 2017.

What Have You Learned From Magic

How to get the most value from situations; resourcefulness; decision-making.

Advice for New Players

Preparation is key. Use Magic Online to practice and get reps in.

Daily Habits

Having a good routine helps you build in the time to get good at something.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Card Evaluation in Limited stumps many player.

Parting Guidance

Magic has been Derek's #1 hobby... the trick is being confident and proud of what you do.

Magic Resource

CFB, Twitch(Gaby, Kenji), talking with other players

Connect With Derek Candelario

Twitter:@Derek8701 ‏

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

Aryeh Wiznitzer is a teacher and Magic grinder from Houston, Texas. After years of near misses, he has recently reached the professional level of play with Top-8 finishes at GP Dallas and GP Atlanta 2015.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Aryeh Wiznitzer when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep62

First Set

Tempest

Favorite Set

Rise of the Eldrazi

Favorite Card

Fire Covenant

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Aryeh loves grinding tournaments. Traveling all over and competing in tournaments is one of Aryeh's favorite parts of Magic. He feels fulfilled when he gets to see the fruits of his labors.

Early Challenge

Aryeh recognizes that sometimes he tries to be too creative. He used to try to play a cool deck and make the cool play instead of playing to win.

Level Up Moment

Winning more and more at his local store is when Aryeh realized that he could hang with the big dogs.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 Grand Prix Dallas 2015

Best Format

Limited (at the moment)

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Constructed: Deck choice and side boarding. People bring in the wrong cards in the wrong match ups and lose a lot of win equity.

Sealed & Draft Tips

Draft: Towards the beginning of a format take the rares and uncommons and see if they are good. Then you'll know which ones are worth getting later on when people know more.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Find others who as invested in the event as you are. If you play with someone who has the same goal as you then you can save hours of play testing, especially if they are better than you.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Deck

Playmat

Pen 

Life pad

Improvement Suggestions

Swiss draft on Magic Online - even if you lose the first round you still have a chance to make back some of your investment.

Borrow cards.

Play aggressive decks. They are usually cheaper.

Magic Resource

Grand Prix Atlanta 2015 - Check out Aryeh's amazing sealed pool. 

Pat's Games in Austin Texas

Adrian Sullivan articles

Sam Black articles

Twitch.tv (Paul Cheon)

Connect With Aryeh Wiznitzer

Twitter: @urafevermodo

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

Adam Van Fleet is a full-time Project Manager who plays Magic in the little spare time he can muster. He was introduced to the game back in 1998, and has played competitively off-and-on since 2012. He Top 25'd Pro Tour Journey Into Nyx, Top 8'd GP Pittsburgh 2017, and Won SCG Philidelphia 2013.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Adam Van Fleet when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep182

First Set

Exodus

Favorite Set

Mirrodin / Theros block

Favorite Card

Arcbound Ravager
Force of Will

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

It started as a way to hang with friends. As time progressed Adam came to the competitive aspect.

How to Top 8 a Grand Prix from Consistent Day 2

You have to really understand the metagame.

Worst Magic Moment

At his first Legacy GP, Adam played Affinity and in round one, his opponent blew him out. #feelbad.
At another event an opponent rules lawyered Adam and he felt bad about the situation.

Proudest Magic Moment

Making it to the Pro Tour for the first time.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Friendships

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Frustrated at inability to control outcomes.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Rushing. A lot of players do thing too quickly without thinking of the consequences.
Ask yourself " Why am I making this play now?"
'The most important decision is keeping your opening hand.'

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Practice at FNM and other weekly local events. Practice Limited on Magic Online. 
Adam will save packs from wins and then practice drafting and building sealed pools.

Parting Guidance

Have fun! At the end of the day, it's a game.

Connect With Adam Van Fleet

Adam 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

Jacob Nagro is a Silver level pro with 2 Grand Prix Top 8s (Denver 2016, Phoenix 2017). His goal is to play on every Pro Tour and to improve along the way. Jacob lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Jacob Nagro when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep260

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players don't think about how they tap their lands. Also, when you play your lands is important.

Tournament Preparation

Jacob familiarizes himself with formats by playing them on MTGO a lot.

Ixalan Draft Tips

BW Vampires has great commons to support it. 

What Have You Learned From Magic

Slowing down when it's time to make a decision.

Parting Guidance

Magic Online is a great tool for improving. Use it and you'll get out of it what you put in.

Connect With Jacob Nagro

Twitter:@JacobNagro 

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 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

Matthew Nickolai has 1 Grand Prix top 8 at GP Toronto 2017 and was a Junior Super Series Super Star. You may recognize him from his twitch stream @ twitch.tv/mattame. Matt lives in Waterford, Michigan.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Matthew Nickolai when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep241

First Set

Mercadian Masques / Invasion

Favorite Set

Ravnica City of Guilds

Favorite Card

Dark Confidant

Early Challenge

Playing his own thing until he saw others playing really good decks. He copied those decks and started doing really well. He learned to embrace the works of others.

Worst Magic Moment

Matt made it to the finals of a big event and would have gone to Nationals if he won. He lost and took a break from Magic. Taking a break isn't always bad.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at GP Toronto 2017.

Ixalan Thoughts

Savage Stomp - green powerhouse
Snapping Sailback
Charging Monstrosaur

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players put cards on their Limited deck that is sub-optimal. Watch others who are better than you and practice a bunch.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

For Limited events, it is very important to be early on evaluating cards. Knowing what's good when others don't take practice but it is worth it.

Parting Guidance

Play more Limited. ;)

Connect With Matthew Nickolai

Twitter:@MatthewNickolai ‏

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

Simon Slutsky has 1 Grand Prix Top 8 and 1 Grand Prix win. He made day 2 at Pro Tour Sydney and is a 5 time PPTQ second place finisher. He’s a Merfolk enthusiast who goes a little deep on Modern and a Nuclear physics researcher when he’s not playing Magic.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Simon Slutsky when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep179

First Set

Revised

Favorite Set

Eldritch Moon

Favorite Card

Phantasmal Image

Early Challenge

Simon struggled with guessing what his opponent level and trying to play around things

Breakthrough Moment

GP Los Angeles 2016

Worst Magic Moment

After practicing with his Merfolk deck, Simon attended a GP and got a terrible pairing in round 1. He got destroyed but learned to take every game one at a time.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning a Grand Prix.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Simon has noticed that life has taught him how to handle Magic and Magic has taught him to keep an ever keel.

Best Format

Modern

Biggest Mistake Players Make

People tend to over think things too much. There's a line between theory crafting and wasting time.

Tournament Day Tips

Drink water, bring healthy snacks, go with friends

Parting Guidance

Have fun. Magic shouldn't be a grind.

Magic Resource

Twitter, Reddit, CFB, MTG Goldfish, Modern Nexus.com

Connect With Simon Slutsky

Twitter:@somesalmon

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

Randy Buehler has 8 Grand Prix top 8’s, including a win and 5 Pro Tour top 16’s, including a win! His professional Magic career was cut short when he took a position at Wizards of the Coast, eventually becoming director of Magic R&D and then Vice-President of Digital Games. He has since moved on from Wizards but has never missed a Pro Tour as he is the voice of the Pro Tour webcast. Randy is a class of 2007 member of the Magic Hall of Fame.

First Set

 Homelands

Favorite Set

 Invasion - First set Randy worked on at Wizards R&D

 Ravnica - First set done with processes and people that Randy put in place and hired. It was awesome seeing a set come together by people he brought on board.

Favorite Card

Necropotence

What makes Magic fun for you?

The competitive aspect of the game keeps Randy engaged. The small puzzles, the overall strategy the challenge of facing off with an opponent is so addicting to those who seek to prove they are the best at something.

Early Challenge

Your circle of players is a huge factor of how good you are. Finding players that are better than you is the BEST way to improve.

Best Format

Vintage - It's really the only format he can play on a semi competitive level because he can't play at premier events. (His wife currently works for Wizards of the Coast so he can't play at events because he's the immediate family member of a Wizards employee.)

Current Standard Deck

Randy plays "all the decks" so he can be familiar with lines of play for coverage. He's excited to look into Turbo Fog and Rally the Ancestors deck.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Obsessing about luck. Instead of turning the focus outward and saying you lost because of bad luck you should turn the focus inward and say "what did I do wrong?" "How could I have played better?"

Connect With Randy

@rbuehler

Eduardo Sajgalik is a multinational traveler based in the UK, though he started playing in France. He got his first Pro Point in 2006. He made Top 8 at Pro Tour Return to Ravnica in 2012, has 4 Grand Prix Top 8s under his belt, and has made Top 8 at 4 Nationals. A fun fact about our guest, he has played on 3 National teams: Canada (2008), UK (2011), England (2013).

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Eduardo Sajgalik when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep87

First Set

Judgment

Favorite Set

Time Spiral

Favorite Card

Riftwing Cloudskate

Early Challenge

Deck Construction

Level Up Moment

His first two Pro Tours really taught Eduardo that there IS "another level", and he dedicated himself to reach it.

How to Choose a Standard Deck

Look at the top 32 decks of recent events.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

People are stuck up in their own ideas. If you are not open to new ideas then it stops your improvement. If 20 people are giving you similar feedback, you should probably listen.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Eduardo wants to be social. Magic lets you make long lasting friendships.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Deck

Deck Box

Dice

Pad

Pen

Water

Cereal Bar

Banana

Trail Mix

Improvement Suggestions

FNM is a perfect experimental format. Try stuff out and have fun.

Look at the top 32 decks of a tournament. Those decks were 1 win away from the top 8. This will give you a better idea of which decks are doing well than just looking at the Top 8 list.

Watch high-level Magic match ups. This will help you internalize the lines of play so they aren't new when they happen to you.

Connect With Eduardo Sajgalik

Twitter: @Walaoumpa

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!)

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Ben Friedman has four Grand Prix top 8s, two Pro Tour top 16s, 5 SCG invitational top 8s, and does it all while rocking a mean cowboy hat! He is a member of the MetaGameGurus on the SCG Tour and the Captain of Mox Box Bowl on the Pro Tour. Ben lives in Baltimore, MD.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from  Ben Friedman when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep197

First Set

Odyssey

Favorite Set

Ravnica

Favorite Card

Snapcaster mage

Early Challenge

Understanding how to attack a metagame.

Breakthrough Moment

JSS Nationals - first cashing a tournament.

Worst Magic Moment

After getting crushed at his first Pro Tour, Ben was really down. He learned he wasn't the hot shot he thought.

Proudest Magic Moment

Qualifying for his first Pro Tour. Next was when Ben made it to the Pro Tour off of a special invite due to rule changes. This PT invite got him the Gold status that year.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Delayed gratification.

Tournament Day Tips

Drink a lot of water, Ben knows that for him fasting makes him more focused.

Advice to New Players

Build your network and share cards. Networks help you make friends, save money and play Magic.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Ben learned his play style is very value oriented.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players don't understand side boarding. They don't consider how their side boarding choices change when they are on the play versus the draw.

Parting Guidance

Think for yourself, learn for yourself and learn how to learn better.

Magic Resource

SCG, CFB, TCG Player

Connect With Ben Friedman

Twitter:@40cardfriedman

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

Rich Hoaen is known for his skill in Limited formats and has one Pro Tour top 8, four Pro Tour 16s, three Grand Prix wins and five other Grand Prix top 8s!! He was also the runner up in the last ever Magic Invitational.

Evaluation Tips

Become intimately familiar with the combat tricks and their casting cost. This is essential for success in Limited play.

Limited Tips

Drafting: Figure out what colors the players to your right are NOT in or figure out what color is open at the table. These two methods are the basics of figuring out what colors you should play.

Team Building

Don't be a jerk and find players that are better than you.

Improvement

Get a commons box and learn card interactions.

Magic Resource

Cockatrice (free tool)

Connect With Rich

@rhoaen

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.

Ross Broxup is the English Nationals 2017 finalist and rounds out the World Magic Cup team that will be representing England this year. Ross lives in Durham, England.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Ross Broxup when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep250

First Set

Duels of the Planeswalkers(2008)

Favorite Set

Dragons of Tarkir/Hours of Devastation

Favorite Card

Master of the Pearl Trident

Early Challenge

Ross had a mental block that whenever he sat across a good player he would lose. He had to get to the point where he understood he had a chance. This came through practice.

Worst Magic Moment

At UK Nationals 2017, Ross picked the wrong strategy in a matchup and lost. The issue was he switched his plan midway through. If you have a plan make sure you have a good reason to switch.

Proudest Magic Moment

Being a finalist at English Nationals 2017.

What Have You Learned From Magic

How to deal with stress.

Shortcomings

Ross is working on his technical gameplay. Sequencing and lines of play.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Playing the opponent instead of the game. Learn to focus on the game regardless of who you're playing against.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Ross felt confident with Limited and focused on Constructed. He considered a few options and settled on Mardu Vehicles. He felt good about Limited because he practiced a lot.

Parting Guidance

Don't be intimidated or underappreciate who you're playing against.

Connect With Ross Broxup

Ross 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

Sergiy Sushalskyy started playing Magic in 1999 with the Urza block. He’s been regularly competing in Grand Prixs since 2012 and has 3 Grand Prix Top 8s, 2 Ukraine National Champion's titles and a recent Magic World Cup Top 8 with team Ukraine. Segiy is from Kiev, Ukraine but lives in Edinborough, Scotland.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Sergiy Sushalskyy when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep158

First Set

Portal 2nd Age

Favorite Set

Zendikar

Favorite Card

Counterspell

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

After a year or two, Magic went from a hobby to a competitive objective. He loves the competitive aspect.

Early Challenge

Deck building is the most difficult aspect of Magic. That and dealing with uncertainty. When playing against an unknown, be more cautious.

Level Up Moment

After Sergiy's first Grand Prix Top 8, he top 8'd another about one month later. He prepared by playing Limited and reading articles.

Worst Magic Moment

Grand Prix Barcelona 2016 - Sergiy was playing to get 59 match points. It was the lost GP of the season and if he won his lost match, he would make Silver-level Pro for the season. Sergiy lost and took a break after come back (as always).

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 with team Ukraine in 2016 World Magic Cup.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Sergiy is easily discouraged and gets frustrated. But he learned that everything is possible.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Losing focus part way through the day of a big tournament. The noise of GP's can be very distracted. Get outside and clear your mind. Get fresh air.

Beginner Limited Advice

Time yourself making decks with a sealed pool.

Improvement Suggestions

What is Magic for you? Is it a casual hobby or are you looking to be competitive? Once you know, dedicate the appropriate time to achieve your goals.

Magic Resource

ChannelFireBall, SCG

Connect With Sergiy Sushalskyy

Sergiy 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

Joel Larsson keeps busy working as a Pro Magic player, writing articles, streaming and traveling. He has 3 Pro Tour top 16s, 1 Pro Tour win, 1 Pro Tour 2nd, 5 Grand Prix Top 8s, and many Grand Prix Top 16s. Joel has been the Swedish Captain 3 times and was on the Nationals Team under the old system. He is 23 years old and lives in Stockholm with his lady, Sandra. 

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Joel Larsson when he shared his story on MTG Pro Tutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep37

First Set

Saviours of Kamigawa

Favorite Set

Time Spiral

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

The social aspect kept Joel around in the early days but now it's the thrill of the competition.

Early Challenge

Joel had to get to the point where he could trust his gut about cards. He only got to that point by putting in a lot of time and playing on MTGO, testing decks and honing his skills.

Level Up Moment

Joel's breakthrough in Paris 2011 took him to the next level

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning Pro Tour Magic Origins

Best Format

Commander (1v1. Not multiplayer.)

Tasigur, the Golden Fang is Joel's Commander.

Check out Joel's article, Competitive EDH is Awesome, on MTG Mint Card.

How to Choose a Standard Deck

Joel follows the progression of the meta game and thinks about what will beat what just did well, and then plays a deck that beat that.

Side boarding: Think of your deck as a 75 card deck. Then take out the 15 cards to be your side board.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Grinding just to grind and losing the fun of Magic. Also, playing with the same people and not reaching out to play with people better than you.

Card Evaluation Tips

The first thing Joel does is compare new cards to cards that are already printed. For example, [card]Ruinous Path[/card] and [card]Heroes Downfall[/card].

Joel will also consider older cards that haven't seen much play and if they are relevant now that a new set is out.

Sealed & Draft Tips

Sealed: Joel looks for removal and what colors give him 14-16 creatures.

Drafting: Draft a lot and form your own ideas about the format. This will help guide your draft. Focus on your curve and prioritize removal.

Tournament Preparation

Look at the last tournament in the format that you will be playing and look online for MTGO results and get a feel for the field. Then build a deck that beats those.

Improvement Suggestions

Proxying cards is a great way to inexpensively practice.

Magic Resource

MTG Mint Card

Twitch.tv/JoelLarsson

Connect With Joel Larsson

Twitter: @JoelLarsson1991

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.

Nils Gutierrez has been playing competitive Magic since he was 16. He's made top 16 at 2 Grand Prix and just made his first top 8 when he got 6th place at GP Brussels 2018. Nils lives in Maià de Montcal, Spain.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Nils Gutierrez when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep302

First Set

Lorwyn

Favorite Set

Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Cabal Therapy

Early Challenge

Nils' first GP was hard because he wasn't used to 9 rounds in one day and he didn't have anyone to give him advice.

Worst Magic Moments

Missing day 2 over and over again after making top 16 of a Grand Prix for the first time. Nils felt like he didn't have what it takes. He kept going to local events as well as competitive.

Proudest Magic Moment

Qualified for Pro Tour 25, Nils was on a team that did really well at an RPTQ.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Nils has learned critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Best Format

Standard

Tips To Get Better

Play Magic Online. It helps you improve because the players online are really good.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players over sideboard. They'll bring in too many cards and ruin their decks' core plan.

Parting Guidance

When going to a Grand Prix look at the metagame first and choose your deck accordingly.

Magic Resource

Magic Online

Connect With Nils Gutierrez

Nils 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

Marshall Sutcliffe is a man who needs little introduction. If you’ve watched any amount of coverage for Magic: The Gathering events you’ve seen him as he does play by play commentary for Wizards of the Coast all over the world. He’s a self proclaimed draft junky and the host of Limited Resources, the number one Magic related podcast. Marshall lives in Washington state.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Marshall Sutcliffe when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep74

First Set

 Tempest

Favorite Set

 Innistrad

Favorite Card

Man-o'-War

Early Challenge

Marshall found that when he first started playing Magic he wasn’t looking for a clear path to victory. He sees it in other players as well. There is a tendency to sit down and play your cards without actually formulating a clear plan that will let you win. He finds that the first step to correcting that behavior is to be aware of it.

Marshall recommends that players imagine pushing a button which stops time, and lets a great Magic player look over their shoulder in the middle of a match and ask the question “What is your plan?”

If you find that you can’t answer that question, then there is an issue that needs to be confronted by assessing the board state and contemplating what needs to be done to keep you in the game.

Level Up Moment

Marshall likes to approach gameplay problems with a scientific mindset, methodically looking at an issue and approaching the solution through a method and process.

He experimented with disregarding the board state in his matches and simply casting as much as he could. This led him to disregarding cards that were only beneficial to his deck 1 out of 5 times, and left him with cards that would actually affect the board and help him formulate a plan to win.

Proudest Magic Moment

For Marshall, being able to commentate the Pro Tour finals is an amazing experience to be a part of. He gets to announce the Top 8 at the tournament, which isn’t a huge deal in and of itself, but being able to see the looks on the player’s faces is an incredible feeling for him.

Knowing that those players have devoted huge chunks of their life to the game makes it all the more special when he gets to be a part of moments like that in their careers.

Heaviest Magic Moment

Like many players, Marshall found himself plateaued at a point where he wasn’t improving. It took him a long time to realize he was at that stage.

There’s nothing wrong with being content with how well you are playing, but if you stop actively trying to improve and don’t progress it can be incredibly frustrating. For Marshall, it took a level up moment where he discovered there was a whole lot more to Magic that he could improve upon, and that he was fully capable of doing so.

Worst Commentating Moment

While there have been moment’s where Marshall accidentally said a low level swear word when he thought he wasn’t on the air, that’s not what affects him the most while commentating.

Making a mistake about an unfolding match is what bothers him the most. Sometimes he will misread a card or forget there is a static effect on the board, and when he slips up people jump on him immediately. While Marshall has accepted that is going to happen, it is still difficult for him, as he wants to do the best he can and offer the best insight into the game.

Personal attacks on him and his ability as a broadcaster is something he continues to work through, even though the majority of the time he has an excellent experience commentating on matches.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Evaluating choices in Magic is something Marshall sees players struggling with. It takes dedication to properly take the time to apply all the factors that go into making a single decision in a match, and even before the game has begun.

Spending time analyzing your decisions helps establish a background of thinking and accrue habits and behaviors that eventually become a player’s Magic intuition. No one calculates out percentages to their full value in the heat of a match, it just comes to players who have spent the time building up the right experience and play habits.

However, building this intuition can be detrimental as well. If a player uses bad logic and improper tools they will repeat mistakes while assuming that they are correct.

Deepest Thing Magic Has Taught You

Marshall never had to work through tilt or the concept of variance in Magic because he had worked through them in playing poker. What Marshall discovered about himself came through his interactions with the Magic community and starting Limited Resources.

Starting the podcast helped open up a side of his personality that he never was able to express in a professional manner. Helping players improve and excel in Magic is one of the most important things in his life now, and he always approaches his show in a way that will best help his listeners.

Final Wisdom

Marshall emphasizes that you shouldn’t be afraid to put in the extra work to truly excel in Magic. Take the time to snap a picture of your board state mid-match and analyze it in depth later. Have a friend sit down with you and look at the board seriously. It doesn’t take long before you’re able to see parts of the game that you had missed before.

Magic Resource

The Third Power Podcast

Limited Resources

Constructed Resources

Connect With Marshall Sutcliffe

Twitter: @Marshall_LR

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.

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Evaluation Tips

In every Limited format there are archetypes. During spoiler season look for archetypes and keywords that support/synergize with those archetypes. However, nothing beats actually playing with the cards.

Limited Tips

Sealed: Look for creatures, cards that kill creatures and card advantage. Stick with two colors if at all possible for a stable mana base. Avoid more than 4 mana sources in a third color. Power level is slightly more important than mana curve but doing something productive every turn is key.

Draft: Take the best card and then identify what the second best card was so you can ear mark what color the next player is. Then know that the color is probably closed and avoid those colors moving forward.

The more you draft a set the more you will recognize synergies between cards.

Spending fewer resources than your opponent (when it comes to tricks) is to your advantage.

Don't commit fully to colors based on your first few picks. Understand you might be moved off those colors.

Beginner Tip: Draft two colors. Take the best card in two colors and stick with those.

Prepping for a Big Event

Healthy living is important. Getting enough sleep is critical. Loading your body with healthy food and avoiding drinking and drugs before the event gives you the best chance possible. You are playing against the best out there and you have to focused and on your game.

Get a team.

Team Building

Friendship and mutual respect come first and foremost. Then look for people with different strengths. If you are a good deck builder, look for a good sideboarder.

Play Testing

Organization and focus are important. Have a plan of action. Define the environment, build decks that represent the environment and then play against those.

Improvement

Find what color(s) resonate with you and just focus on that deck.

Interview Links

Star City Games Articles

Connect With Gary

@GaryWise1

jgarywise1@hotmail.com - email him article ideas for his Star City Games column

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.