Everybody who plays Magic is interested in becoming a better player and today I have a few tips and a story to help you along on your quest to become the best planeswalker in history (corny yes, I know). I recently attended PTQ Columbus, but before you moan and click the "back" button this article isn't exactly about the PTQ or block constructed for that matter. It's about what we can learn from an intresting match in the top 8 of the PTQ. Personnally, I went 3-3 drop in the Swiss, but decided to stick around and watch the last round of the swiss and the first round of the top 8. This is Tip 1: If you scrub out in a tournament, stay and watch the feature matches because you can learn alot just by watching people who are better than you. In fact, they can be a good source of tips and information, so if you can, make an aquaintance at your local store with one of the best players there. It will go a long way for you on your journey to become a better card-slinger. The two people that I learn the most from are Justin George and Cedric Phillips, both of whom are very good players and both qualified for nationals this year (where Cedric did quite well). Every time I get a chance, I watch their matches and I learn alot about how good players, play the game.

The top 8 started, and I obviously decided to watch Cedric's match against GRW Predator, which, I believe, made up exactly one half of the top 8. He was playing Mono-Blue Pickles with Urborg and Damnation coming out of the sideboard. His opponent seemed nice enough but Cedric was having none of it. He barely said two words to the guy and just focused on the game. Early in game 2 when the predator player went to cast Edge of Autumn he tapped mana for it and went to put it into his graveyard when he realized that he had five lands. Akward. He tries to take it back (I mean after all, he hasn't put the card down in his graveyard yet), but again Ced was having none of it; he quickly said "it resolves" and then asks to read the card just to make sure. The predator player goofs up again later in the match when Cedric has Teferi in play and forgets he can't play spells as instants and tries to cast Stonecloaker to save one of his creatures. Cedric points to teferi and says "you have three mana floating". The predator player takes the Stonecloaker back, and appeals to the judge about the floating mana issue. The judge lets him untap his mana saying that tapping lands is an action that can be undone. The reason for the predator players mistakes could be attributed to three reasons 1.) There was almost twenty people watching the game which could have made him nervous, 2.)He was playing for a plane ticket to Spain and an invite to the PT which could have made him nervous, 3.) He could have been nervous because of Cedric's unfriendly attitude. This brings us to tips number two and three. Tip 2: You can't be nervous you have to remain calm no matter what the stakes are. If you need a minute to calm yourself down, take it (if you're in the swiss make it more like 30 seconds). If you are nervous and jittery, you are going to make mistakes believe me, I know. Tip 3: In high profile matches were you are playing for high stakes, take no prisoners. Don't wuss out and let your opponent take back his Edge when he casts it with five lands in play. Don't be a jerk about it, but don't let him take it back (some people would say you can't do that without being a jerk, but I beg to differ; you can do it by politely but forcefully saying "I'm sorry but you already cast it and I am going to let it resolve"). You don't have room to be a "nice guy" when you are playing for a plane ticket that regularly costs somewhere around the quadruple digits (not to mention the PT).

This brings us to our fateful game 3, which could easily be one of the best games ever played. Cedric keeps a hand of Damnation two islands, two Dreadship Reefs, and two morphs. This hand is a keeper every time. Cedric decides to talk his opponent up and see if he can get him to overload the board. The predator player starts out not too forcefully, but lays a few threats and starts beating with them. Cedric however, fails to draw another land for the first 9 turns or some high number like that even though his deck has a whopping 27 lands! When he fails to draw lands for the first three turns, Cedric realizes that the only way he is going to win is to convince his opponent that his hand is the worst so he will overload the board, so he starts to push his agenda by talking his opponent up even more. He is hoping for anything at or above a 3 for 1 with his Damnation. It is actually quite comical the way he is getting inside his opponent's head. As sorry as I feel for the predator player (because Cedric's evil scheme is working) I have to laugh multiple times at what Cedric is saying. "Have fun at the PT man" he says as he continues to miss land drops. He shouts "charge 'em ups!" at the end of every one of his opponents turns as he puts more and more counters on his Dreadship Reefs. Then finnally, he casts Damnation clearing the board when he topdecks another one. Another land shows up in the form of Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth. He continues to complain about his hand being bad trying to convince his opponnent to overload the board again but his opponnent still only plays a few creatures and is content to bash with them. Vesuvan Shapeshifter morphs up to trade with Serra Avenger a turn after Ced casts Damnation number two. Predator plays his namesake and a Riftsweeper. Cedric, still stuck on only a few lands draws Venser, Shaper Savant, and then casts it during his opponnents upkeep yelling "Ambush!!!!". He then asks his opponent "See how I ambushed your guy?". After predator replays his 'guy', Cedric casts Damnation number three. Predator player then plays Serra Avenger with Ced sitting at three life. Uh-oh! At this point Cedric has no outs, save one....HIMSELF!!! He morphs down two Brine Elementals and sits back looking smug and confident that he is not going to die this turn. IT WORKED!! The predator player plays Fiery Justice to clear his morphs which buys Cedric some time. Lets analyze this decision to see if his play was the correct one to make.

Possible good outcomes from the play: 1.) He guesses the right morph to put three damage on (hopefully the Shapeshifter gets three damage and the other one is just a different morph).

Possible bad outcomes: 1.) He guesses the wrong morph and only puts two damage on the Shapeshifter and Cedric morphs it up copying the Serra Avenger 2.) Both morphs are just bluffs and you buy Cedric some time to find outs. 3.) Both morphs are shapeshifters.

Let's examine the probabilities. The possibilites are:

1. One of the morphs is a shapeshifter (16%= good outcome 16%=bad outcomes)

2. Both of the morphs are a bluff (33% of a semi-bad outcome)

3. Both of the morphs are shapeshifters (33% of a bad outcome)

So the ending results are: Bad outcomes: 50%, Semi-bad: 33%, Good Outcome: 16%. Even if you see the semi-bad as a good outcome (which I dont see how you could), we can still see that this is the wrong play. This brings up tips four and five. Tip 4: When bluffing act your part, but don't overact, Cedric played his part perfectly by pretending that he wanted his opponent to play into the trade with his shapeshifter. Tip 5: In match-breaking decisions (like this one), make sure you weigh the pros and cons before you make you make your decision. Don't make your decision quickly just because the match has already been long and grueling. We see that if the predator player had weighed the pros and cons he would have made the right play.

Now lets examine the possibilties if he simply attacks without casting Fiery Justice:

1. One of the morphs is a shapeshifter and he trades (33% of even outcome)

2. Both of the morphs are bluffs (33% of a great outcome)

3. Both of the morphs are shapeshifters (33% of even outcome)

So here we see a 66% percent chance of him having an even outcome. I consider this to be an even outcome because he trades with the Shapeshifter, saves his Fiery Justice, and does not give Cedric even more life to fight back with. The chances of taking the match right there were 33%. Attacking with the avenger is obviously the right play as there really is not an extremely bad outcome.

After the predator player makes his mistake of playing the fiery justice, he attacks with the Avenger and passes the turn. The next turn he asks how many Damnation do you have in your graveyard? Cedric replies that he has three, and the predator player confidently casts Tarmagoyf. Cedric untaps and says "This would be Wrath-m-a God number four". They both draw lands for a while, but the predator player finds and plays another Serra Avenger. Cedric's luck continues as he topdecks Triskelavus and says "I will play your good friend and mine...Triskelavus!". Unfortunately the Predator player then continued to draw lands while Cedric drew (I believe in this order) Academy Ruins, Vesuvan Shapesifter and Rifwing Cloudskate. He hardcasts the shapeshifter copying the Triskelavus getting him even more flying, pinging tokens. At this point Cedric would have to make a concerted effort to lose the game. The predator player scoops it up which brings to a close the best game of Magic I have ever witnessed. Just for reference here are the tips again:

Tip 1: If you scrub out in a tournament, stay and watch the feature matches because you can learn alot just by watching people who are better than you. In fact they can be a good source of tips and information, if you can just make an aquaintance at your local store with the best player there, it will go a long way for you on your journey to become a better card-slinger.

Tip 2: You can't be nervous you have to remain calm no matter what the stakes are. If you need a minute to calm yourself down, take it. If you are nervous and jittery you are going to make mistakes believe me, I know.

Tip 3: In high profile matches were you are playing for high stakes, take no prisoners. Don't wuss out and let your opponent take back his Edge when he casts it with five lands in play. Don't be a jerk about it but don't let him take it back (some people would say you can't do that without being a jerk, but I beg to differ; you can do it by politely but forcefully saying "I'm sorry but you already cast it and I am going to let it resolve"). You don't have room to be a "nice guy" when you are playing for a plane ticket that regularly costs somewhere in the quadruple digits (not to mention the PT).

Tip 4: When bluffing act your part, but don't overact, Cedric played his part perfectly by pretending that he wanted his opponent to play into the trade with his shapeshifter.

Tip 5: In match-breaking decisions, make sure you weigh the pros and cons before you make you make your decision. Don't make your decision quickly just because the match has already been long and grueling. We see that if the predator player had weighed the pros and cons he would have made the right play.

Signing off,

Tom Klenotic