Special props to Scott Johns for linking last week’s Week in Review on Magic Digested. I didn’t discover your site until a few weeks ago, but I found it extremely useful and will be sad to see it go. Anyway, here’s the latest:

Rose Wins Invitational, Gets to Design Own Magic Card

A dream came true last weekend for longtime Magic enthusiast Bill Rose, who dealt the final points of damage to Charlie Catino to become champion of the Wizards of the Coast Invitational. With the victory, Rose earned the age-old right afforded only to Invitational champions: the chance to immortalize himself forever in the annals of the game with his very own Magic card.

“This is truly overwhelming,” an emotional Rose said at a press conference. “I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would get the chance to become apart of the very creation of the game that I love. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity; I just hope that I do the game proud.”

Rose has already outlined several possible ideas for his unique card submission. “Obviously, I want the card to be powerful, but not broken, not necessarily dominant but certainly something memorable. It’s not every day that one gets a chance to be involved in Magic at its most fundamental level. I would also like to take this time to thank all of my fans who voted for me in the balloting.”

Added Rose, “Hey [Rose’s coworker Mark] Rosewater, I specifically asked for no sugar in my coffee. Christ, can’t I even get a decent cup of coffee in here? Jesus.”

In related news, Rose was recently edged out by Richard Garfield and Mike Elliott in step 4 of You Make the Card: You Choose the Designer Who Will Do It For You, part of Wizards new customer input initiative that began with the 8th Edition layout. Step 5, You Choose the Playtest Team That Will Balance the Card With More Discipline Than You Will Ever Have, is set to take place next week.

Matthew Cory Tries His Best, Has Fun

Amateur player Matt Cory has been quite the buzz in the Magic community in the past weeks, after finishing 2nd at GP Boston despite never before playing in a sanctioned limited event. Last week, Cory finally posted his much anticipated tournament report on Team Academy, which outlines his weekend of exciting competition in which, despite his loss to Brian Kibler, he tried his best and had fun.

“I know I may not have won the big tourney,” Cory wrote, “but that doesn’t mean I’m going to hang my head low. Before the tourney my mom told me that I should just go out there and give it my best shot – and I did, so no matter what I still came out a big winner.” Cory also noted that with his Top 8 performance came a special plaque that he described as “so shiny.”

Tournament organizers are applauding Cory’s positive attitude. “This young man is a tremendous example of the way tournament Magic should be played,” said Rob Dougherty. “It isn’t important whether you win or lose, just that you give it your best and have a good time. That’s probably the best advice I could give to any new player.”

Cory added some final thoughts. “I’m not at all disappointed that Mr. Kibler ended up getting the big trophy, or that I made a few mistakes. My daddy always told me its not about who mises the most or serves up the most tings, all that matters is that I did my bestest and made lots of new friends in the process. No matter what, I will always remember this as a very special tournament.”

Write Your Own Trey/Eisel Joke

Trey Van Cleave and Nick Eisel got the boot last week, getting bans of two and three years, respectively. Readers are encouraged to take a minute to think of their own Trey or Eisel joke to get it out of your system, such as “Sooooo, looks like ThatsBanBoys derf derf.” Cavedan would like to urge readers to keep these jokes to themselves, as there has already been enough suffering.

Area Player Builds Optimal Draft Deck

Local player Shaz Iqbal demonstrated his superior understanding of the limited format by constructing his draft deck in its optimal configuration for a recent tournament at Dreamers card shop in St. Louis Park, MN. Fellow competitors were “very impressed” by Iqbal’s ability to maximize the effectiveness of each of the cards in his b/w clerics deck, a skill often overlooked in the focus on the draft itself.

Iqbal was kind enough to comment on some of his choices. “The core of the deck is the Rotlung Reanimator backed up by twelve Clerics, which has nice synergy with my Doomed Necromancer and Cabal Archon,” Iqbal explained. “Two Swats and a Smother serve as removal, while my Improvised Armor is a nice combo with this Bane of the Living. Finally, if the game drags out, my Jareth, Leonine Titan can punch through for the final points.”

After finalizing his decklist, Iqbal then selected the necessary rares from his trade binder and waited for his mom to get home from work so she could take him to the draft, where he posted a 3-1 finish. After the tournament, Iqbal announced that he hopes to build the deck “even better” in time for next week’s draft, and will be running it in the standard portion of an upcoming JSS challenge.

4-3-2-2 Prize Payout Protects Newbies From Sharks, Improvement

The March update to Magic Online brought several exciting changes that already have the online gaming community in a buzz. In addition to introducing the exciting new Legions set on online play, the update ushers in a new prize payout designed to make the game’s most popular limited format more accessible to casual players, protecting them from “draft sharks” as well as any possibility of improvement.

“The new distribution offers an extreme disincentive to ‘sharks’ who prey on new and inexperienced players,” explained Aaron Forsythe. “The new system takes away the possibility of turning a big profit that is the main draw for sharks, providing new players with an environment in which they can have fun without ever having to increase their meager skills. This is truly an exciting time to be awful at Magic.”

While the changes have been well-received by most players of modest rating, some still maintain that Wizards has not done enough to protect them from getting any better at the game to which they devote so much of their lives. “While I appreciate Wizards’ efforts, the new prize schedule just isn’t enough,” said one frequent Magic Online drafter, pausing to enchant his Heedless One with a Crown of Vigor. “I’ve seen several players with ratings well above 1700 in the new rooms; frankly, unless Wizards makes a 1650 and under room then I will simply not be able to draft.”

His sentiments are echoed by numerous other terrible players. “And that is why you will always be bad,” commented Noah Weil, of Hall of Champions fame. “It’s the name of the game kids; you can’t hang, you’d best not play.”

Wizards of the Coast would like to remind players that Magic Online Booster Packs, Theme Decks, and Event Tickets can be purchased at the touch of a button from the Magic Online Store.

Play of the Week

Playing in the Legions prerelease, Josh Day’s black/green deck had its back against the wall and was forced to clear the board with Infest, leaving Day with no action. His opponent, however, had plenty of gas and brought out a monstrous Havoc Demon. Day, being the lucky miser he is, summoned his freshly topdecked Brontotherium and passed the turn. Undeterred, his opponent went for the jugular, crushing with the Demon for five to the face. He then turned up the heat even further, emptying his hand to play three face-down creatures. Observer Gerry Thompson was heard to exclaim “Josh is so lucky! I don’t believe this shit…” before walking away in disgust. Day went on to win the game and the match.

Have a Play of the Week that Shvartsman rejected, or just feel like making something up? Send a private message to cavedan or email me at cavedan199@yahoo.com. Swear to God, if you don’t send me anything this is the kind of stuff you are going to get.

Retro: A Tournament Report by Chris Warren

Many pros have been quite vocal in their dislike of the current limited format, complaining about the overabundance of ridiculous bomb rares that take the skill out of the format. Of course, this is not the first time that a limited block has drawn such laments; players have been complaining about “sealed luck” since practically the beginning of time. With that said, this classic from Chris Warren should provide some perspective for you to think about the next time you are getting your face smashed by that 12-year-old with the Skirk Prospector and Rorix Bladewing.

Discuss this article in the Magic: the Gathering Forums!

Special props to Scott Johns for linking last week’s Week in Review on Magic Digested. I didn’t discover your site until a few weeks ago, but I found it extremely useful and will be sad to see it go. Anyway, here’s the latest:

Rose Wins Invitational, Gets to Design Own Magic Card

A dream came true last weekend for longtime Magic enthusiast Bill Rose, who dealt the final points of damage to Charlie Catino to become champion of the Wizards of the Coast Invitational. With the victory, Rose earned the age-old right afforded only to Invitational champions: the chance to immortalize himself forever in the annals of the game with his very own Magic card.

“This is truly overwhelming,” an emotional Rose said at a press conference. “I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would get the chance to become apart of the very creation of the game that I love. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity; I just hope that I do the game proud.”

Rose has already outlined several possible ideas for his unique card submission. “Obviously, I want the card to be powerful, but not broken, not necessarily dominant but certainly something memorable. It’s not every day that one gets a chance to be involved in Magic at its most fundamental level. I would also like to take this time to thank all of my fans who voted for me in the balloting.”

Added Rose, “Hey [Rose’s coworker Mark] Rosewater, I specifically asked for no sugar in my coffee. Christ, can’t I even get a decent cup of coffee in here? Jesus.”

In related news, Rose was recently edged out by Richard Garfield and Mike Elliott in step 4 of You Make the Card: You Choose the Designer Who Will Do It For You, part of Wizards new customer input initiative that began with the 8th Edition layout. Step 5, You Choose the Playtest Team That Will Balance the Card With More Discipline Than You Will Ever Have, is set to take place next week.

Matthew Cory Tries His Best, Has Fun

Amateur player Matt Cory has been quite the buzz in the Magic community in the past weeks, after finishing 2nd at GP Boston despite never before playing in a sanctioned limited event. Last week, Cory finally posted his much anticipated tournament report on Team Academy, which outlines his weekend of exciting competition in which, despite his loss to Brian Kibler, he tried his best and had fun.

“I know I may not have won the big tourney,” Cory wrote, “but that doesn’t mean I’m going to hang my head low. Before the tourney my mom told me that I should just go out there and give it my best shot – and I did, so no matter what I still came out a big winner.” Cory also noted that with his Top 8 performance came a special plaque that he described as “so shiny.”

Tournament organizers are applauding Cory’s positive attitude. “This young man is a tremendous example of the way tournament Magic should be played,” said Rob Dougherty. “It isn’t important whether you win or lose, just that you give it your best and have a good time. That’s probably the best advice I could give to any new player.”

Cory added some final thoughts. “I’m not at all disappointed that Mr. Kibler ended up getting the big trophy, or that I made a few mistakes. My daddy always told me its not about who mises the most or serves up the most tings, all that matters is that I did my bestest and made lots of new friends in the process. No matter what, I will always remember this as a very special tournament.”

Write Your Own Trey/Eisel Joke

Trey Van Cleave and Nick Eisel got the boot last week, getting bans of two and three years, respectively. Readers are encouraged to take a minute to think of their own Trey or Eisel joke to get it out of your system, such as “Sooooo, looks like ThatsBanBoys derf derf.” Cavedan would like to urge readers to keep these jokes to themselves, as there has already been enough suffering.

Area Player Builds Optimal Draft Deck

Local player Shaz Iqbal demonstrated his superior understanding of the limited format by constructing his draft deck in its optimal configuration for a recent tournament at Dreamers card shop in St. Louis Park, MN. Fellow competitors were “very impressed” by Iqbal’s ability to maximize the effectiveness of each of the cards in his b/w clerics deck, a skill often overlooked in the focus on the draft itself.

Iqbal was kind enough to comment on some of his choices. “The core of the deck is the Rotlung Reanimator backed up by twelve Clerics, which has nice synergy with my Doomed Necromancer and Cabal Archon,” Iqbal explained. “Two Swats and a Smother serve as removal, while my Improvised Armor is a nice combo with this Bane of the Living. Finally, if the game drags out, my Jareth, Leonine Titan can punch through for the final points.”

After finalizing his decklist, Iqbal then selected the necessary rares from his trade binder and waited for his mom to get home from work so she could take him to the draft, where he posted a 3-1 finish. After the tournament, Iqbal announced that he hopes to build the deck “even better” in time for next week’s draft, and will be running it in the standard portion of an upcoming JSS challenge.

4-3-2-2 Prize Payout Protects Newbies From Sharks, Improvement

The March update to Magic Online brought several exciting changes that already have the online gaming community in a buzz. In addition to introducing the exciting new Legions set on online play, the update ushers in a new prize payout designed to make the game’s most popular limited format more accessible to casual players, protecting them from “draft sharks” as well as any possibility of improvement.

“The new distribution offers an extreme disincentive to ‘sharks’ who prey on new and inexperienced players,” explained Aaron Forsythe. “The new system takes away the possibility of turning a big profit that is the main draw for sharks, providing new players with an environment in which they can have fun without ever having to increase their meager skills. This is truly an exciting time to be awful at Magic.”

While the changes have been well-received by most players of modest rating, some still maintain that Wizards has not done enough to protect them from getting any better at the game to which they devote so much of their lives. “While I appreciate Wizards’ efforts, the new prize schedule just isn’t enough,” said one frequent Magic Online drafter, pausing to enchant his Heedless One with a Crown of Vigor. “I’ve seen several players with ratings well above 1700 in the new rooms; frankly, unless Wizards makes a 1650 and under room then I will simply not be able to draft.”

His sentiments are echoed by numerous other terrible players. “And that is why you will always be bad,” commented Noah Weil, of Hall of Champions fame. “It’s the name of the game kids; you can’t hang, you’d best not play.”

Wizards of the Coast would like to remind players that Magic Online Booster Packs, Theme Decks, and Event Tickets can be purchased at the touch of a button from the Magic Online Store.

Play of the Week

Playing in the Legions prerelease, Josh Day’s black/green deck had its back against the wall and was forced to clear the board with Infest, leaving Day with no action. His opponent, however, had plenty of gas and brought out a monstrous Havoc Demon. Day, being the lucky miser he is, summoned his freshly topdecked Brontotherium and passed the turn. Undeterred, his opponent went for the jugular, crushing with the Demon for five to the face. He then turned up the heat even further, emptying his hand to play three face-down creatures. Observer Gerry Thompson was heard to exclaim “Josh is so lucky! I don’t believe this shit…” before walking away in disgust. Day went on to win the game and the match.

Have a Play of the Week that Shvartsman rejected, or just feel like making something up? Send a private message to cavedan or email me at cavedan199@yahoo.com. Swear to God, if you don’t send me anything this is the kind of stuff you are going to get.

Retro: A Tournament Report by Chris Warren

Many pros have been quite vocal in their dislike of the current limited format, complaining about the overabundance of ridiculous bomb rares that take the skill out of the format. Of course, this is not the first time that a limited block has drawn such laments; players have been complaining about “sealed luck” since practically the beginning of time. With that said, this classic from Chris Warren should provide some perspective for you to think about the next time you are getting your face smashed by that 12-year-old with the Skirk Prospector and Rorix Bladewing.

Discuss this article in the Magic: the Gathering Forums!