AUSTIN, TX--After months of painstaking research, University of Texas faculty member Stephen Logsdon has come forth claiming to have developed a mathematical equation enabling him to optimally design and tune Magic: The Gathering decks.

"Months of hard work and missed showers has finally paid off. Although it was a difficult ordeal, I have successfully reduced the entire game of Magic to a set of complex differential equations, eigenfunctions, and matrices. This enables me to derive the optimal deck and sideboard in any format simply by plugging all available cards' characteristics into the equations."

Logsdon, the current Robert F. Hewlett Professor of Statistics and Discrete Mathematics at the university's Austin campus, is renowned in his field for his advancements in game theory and four dimensional imaginary spaces. A member of MENSA since the age of 14, Logsdon was interviewed recently while participating in a tournament at Austin's Dragon's Den card shop.

"It only took a matter of hours to input the spoilers for Invasion, Planeshift, Apocalypse, 7th Edition, Odyssey, and Torment into my set of equations," Logsdon said triumphantly. "That enabled me to devise this deck that I am wielding here today." Logsdon then triumphantly took 7 damage from the two Elephant tokens and the Llanowar Elf that were attacking him as he sat idly with two plains in play.

"Clearly, luck is still a fundamental part of the game, but my equations also factor in luck of the draw and other such elements and thusly minimize the impact of poor mana draws," said Logsdon later as his face was being impacted by two kicked Phyrexian Scutas and a Pyre Zombie.

As the tournament came to a close, Logsdon sat at the final table in the 0-3 bracket. His hard work seemed to be paying off as he was but a turn from victory when his opponent peeled Upheaval and cast Psychatog for the win.

"As with any great theory, there will be naysayers and the truth will come only with hardships unforeseen," he said as he accepted the store's "booby prize" for finishing last in the FNM tournament, a Foil Soltari Priest.

"That guy is pretty crappy," said UT Sophomore Brandon Lloyd. ":I had him for Math 30A, and he gave me a C. Plus, he plays Magic pretty badly for a guy who, to my knowledge, doesn't speak Italian."

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AUSTIN, TX--After months of painstaking research, University of Texas faculty member Stephen Logsdon has come forth claiming to have developed a mathematical equation enabling him to optimally design and tune Magic: The Gathering decks.

"Months of hard work and missed showers has finally paid off. Although it was a difficult ordeal, I have successfully reduced the entire game of Magic to a set of complex differential equations, eigenfunctions, and matrices. This enables me to derive the optimal deck and sideboard in any format simply by plugging all available cards' characteristics into the equations."

Logsdon, the current Robert F. Hewlett Professor of Statistics and Discrete Mathematics at the university's Austin campus, is renowned in his field for his advancements in game theory and four dimensional imaginary spaces. A member of MENSA since the age of 14, Logsdon was interviewed recently while participating in a tournament at Austin's Dragon's Den card shop.

"It only took a matter of hours to input the spoilers for Invasion, Planeshift, Apocalypse, 7th Edition, Odyssey, and Torment into my set of equations," Logsdon said triumphantly. "That enabled me to devise this deck that I am wielding here today." Logsdon then triumphantly took 7 damage from the two Elephant tokens and the Llanowar Elf that were attacking him as he sat idly with two plains in play.

"Clearly, luck is still a fundamental part of the game, but my equations also factor in luck of the draw and other such elements and thusly minimize the impact of poor mana draws," said Logsdon later as his face was being impacted by two kicked Phyrexian Scutas and a Pyre Zombie.

As the tournament came to a close, Logsdon sat at the final table in the 0-3 bracket. His hard work seemed to be paying off as he was but a turn from victory when his opponent peeled Upheaval and cast Psychatog for the win.

"As with any great theory, there will be naysayers and the truth will come only with hardships unforeseen," he said as he accepted the store's "booby prize" for finishing last in the FNM tournament, a Foil Soltari Priest.

"That guy is pretty crappy," said UT Sophomore Brandon Lloyd. ":I had him for Math 30A, and he gave me a C. Plus, he plays Magic pretty badly for a guy who, to my knowledge, doesn't speak Italian."

Discuss this article in the Magic: the Gathering Forums!