Posted by ndeed on January 06, 1998 at 00:04:37:
I often read the dojo to see what has been winning in different parts of the country, meta-game help, and articles. Every so often, I will read the message board, mostly out of bordom. I usually can not find much of interest for a pro tour player here as most of the people who post have the same problems that I have worked hard to eliminate in my own game. Here is a little advise I hope will do some of you some good as you strive to become a competitor in this sport.
1. You do not know anything. You are wrong 80% of the time. That is why you are not in the pro tour circle. Most posts bravely state that this sucks or that this is the next deck ect... To become great, you must learn from the people who are on top. Stay late at the tournement and watch the people in the top 8. Stand behind one of the players and do not go over and look at their opponents hand. Watch what cards they play. Guess what you would play and when they play something different, as yourself why. See how patient they are, how they study everything, probing the possibilities, remembering what they have seen in the past, what they may have. This will teach you how to play.
2. If you want to win a tournament, you must make decks out of the cards that fit the deck, not the cards that you have. I understand that cards are expensive but there are alternatives to purchasing singles. The best is to make a team that can lend cards to each other to make the decks that you need. Teams are also good for play testing. Build your decks as a team and get group input. Be open and listning for remember, you are wrong 80%.
3. If you are not already a dominating player, you probably should not make "improvements" to the champion type decks you see on the Dojo. Your improvements will almost always make the deck worse.
4. Learn the finer points of the rules and play by them. Almost any idiot can play this game but to understand the finest points take hard work and studying. When play testing, don't take stuff back. When you tap your mana, you must use it. Don't allow yourself to untap it for any pro level opponent wouldn't let you. Don't let you opponenet take moves back for no pro tour player would allow this.
5. To become great, the game will become less fun in the way you play right now. You will have to get you kicks by winning for the work it takes to be great takes alot of the fun out of the game. You must study and test and build decks to test against. If you don't want this, stay a casual player and keep the game fun for yourself.