Hmm… Article number two. I want to write about something people will read, but I don’t think I can ever finish an article about becoming a better Magic player. I think the hardest part about writing an article of this nature is finding a good starting point. Currently, this is the 3rd time I have deleted everything I wrote, and started over. I chose a pretty complex subject, but what the hell, what ever it takes to help my fellow Magic players. I finally came to the conclusion that I believe there are 3 different categories to becoming a better player: Your Skill, your Attitude towards the game and finally The Cards.
First, you skill is what I think has the greatest outcome on the game. If you started playing magic since the beginning, odds are likely you have better skill then someone who just started, but like every rule, there are exceptions. When I say skill, I think one major concern, is do you know how to play the game? Hand a deck to some kid that doesn’t even understand the game, but likes the pictures, and have him play a pro. Who’s going to win? Another key point is to know the cards in the environment. I can’t seem to explain this one. Just get a feel for what cards are out there, and what they do. With skill, come many things, ranging from being able to build a hard core deck that wins a lot, to being able to bluff your opponent into not playing things. I can’t explain everything to do with skill, because it takes time and experience to allow your skill to grow.
Next on the agenda is your attitude towards the game. Are you a competitive magic player, or are you the guy that just sits back and plays it because you get a kick out of it? Are you pessimistic, thinking you will never win, or are you on the opposing side of a beating with the optimistic attitude, that you got the game, and you can’t lose? Every time I play magic, whether it be competitive to the bone, or casual with my buddy’s I got the positive attitude. If I think I am going to top deck, I am more likely then thinking, that one cards is on the bottom, and I stand no chance in this game. I put this before cards, because I SERIOUSLY, to the end of my days think that your attitude affects your playing. Obviously if you’re doing better you’ll be cheerful; however, if you’re losing, you can’t lose that same attitude. This is a pretty big OPINION of mine, but could it hurt you to try it? I would like to here some feedback, to whether people have this same mind set, and do better because of it. So, when you start playing, no matter what the odds, just chill. You can pull stuff out of that dark space in your body, and that’s no kidding.
Finally, honestly, I think this makes the least bit of difference, but this is the cards. Obviously it is a CCG, so you need them to play. But how good is a good card, as compared to a bad card, in the hands of a good player. I have seen the best players win with garbage, and I have seen the under par players beat the best players with just skill alone. I don’t’ even want to go into luck and chances of drawing a card, because 3 games in a row, I saw a keeper player with an opening hand with a lotus and an Ancestral Recall.
Well, this is the end of my 2nd article. I am just here to try and help you guys out, and if anyone has any ideas for how to improve my next article about being a better player, email me the ideas to head13@bolt.com. I’d be much obliged. Well, I’m out, thanks for reading this.
-Doug-