After I surveyed the battlefield and possible upcoming threats that my opponent may play, I ended my turn with a significant amount of untapped mana available. He had a [card]Geralf’s Messenger[/card] on board with an [card]Obzedat, Ghost Council[/card] that would be returning from exile. I expected him to sacrifice his Messenger to my [card]Desecration Demon[/card] to swing with his Council which was best for me anyways because I would be able to deal with the Council this turn and then finish off the Messenger with [card]Mutilate[/card] once I untapped. All I had to do was stay alive and then play my own Obzedat. Things looked to be turning around in game three of the mirror match.

Once I passed priority, my opponent flashed in a [card]Restoration Angel[/card] targeting the Messenger as predicted. He then followed that up by untapping and playing another two Messenegers. Oh, so that’s how that feels.

Needless to say, the match didn’t end favourably for me. At 2-2, my contention for top 8 at the Mana Deprived Super Series Ottawa was all but over. I ended up winning the next two rounds but when standings were posted before the final round, no X-2’s would make the cut. At least the player I lost to in the mirror ended up finishing 2nd so the deck was well represented!

The Mana Deprived Super Series Ottawa

The tournament I was describing was the MDSS Ottawa which took place last weekend. It’s one of the larger events that our nation’s capital has to offer throughout the year and one that I really enjoyed being a part of.

The majority of people I was paired up with made the drive from Montreal while one opponent actually took a bus trip from Timmins. I almost felt a little guilty telling them I lived within walking distance. With so many people travelling to compete, it shows how worthwhile these kinds of events are to play in.

Once you’re a FNM regular, you will undoubtedly hear other players talking about higher end tournaments taking place in your area. I highly recommend getting involved in these events which leads to this Getting Competitive’s topic.

This week, I want to look into the preparation that goes into playing on a more competitive stage than FNM. Even if you don’t do well at a larger tournament, going through the steps of preparing for one and actually playing one can help you improve in a lot of areas as a competitor.

These steps are basic and easy to follow, yet are incredibly important and often overlooked when it comes to getting ready for an event.

Choosing a Deck

Although it sounds like it should be pretty straightforward, deciding on a deck to play for a larger tournament requires a lot more choices and consideration than just choosing a 75 that you have fun playing. Here are a few of the things you should think about when deciding what weapon you’re going to take into battle:

1) What’s the meta game expected to look like?

If you are a newer FNM player you will probably have noticed there is an abundance of similar decks at your local store. This is your local metagame. Usually, if you have trouble with a deck that’s prominent in your meta, you’re going to have a tough time finding the top of the standings. Same goes for larger tournaments, but with these events you have to look a little further than your store.

For example, I can’t seem to get through three rounds of magic at my FNM without playing against Jund at least once but I wasn’t paired up against it at all and not a single Jund list was in the top 8.

Checking out various websites with tournament results should give you a good idea of what people out there are playing.

2) How do you plan to face the expected meta?

There are a few different options concerning the meta that you should take into account when figuring out a plan against it. First, if you are positive that you will see a vast amount of the same deck, don’t play something that’s weak to it.

On the other hand, don’t go out of your way to beat said deck when making your decision. This will leave you weak in other areas and can ruin your tournament if you aren’t careful. Basically, just be mindful of how the deck goes up against the top decks.

If you plan on playing a deck that you expect to see in abundance because it’s simply too powerful to pass up, then make sure you have a plan for the mirror in mind. This can even go beyond a few select cards in the sideboard. If you can fit something into your maindeck that will give you a major advantage in game one of mirror matches, yet doesn’t leave you with dead draws the rest of the time, then don’t hesitate! It can be a delicate balancing act, but if you get it right you could pave your way into the top 8.

3) Don’t neglect the sideboard!

Once you have your main 60 cards figured out, it’s time to dissect it and figure out its weaknesses. Generally, I try to give a few different cards to the various match ups I expect to see while leaving a couple for cards that can slide into any role if I find myself in an oddball match up.

It’s fairly straightforward but it requires decent knowledge of your deck to execute properly. If you’re playing a popular deck, you should be able to find a lot of different sideboards and tailor them to your needs. Just make sure you understand why those cards are in there and when you should use them.

Test, Rinse, Repeat

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is picking up a deck cold and bringing it to an event. The last thing you want to be doing is learning the intricacies of a list during the tournament. I’d suggest running the deck in at least a couple of tournaments to work out the kinks and fit it to your play style.

When play testing, here are a few things you should be watching out for:

1) A game is worth 1000 words.

If you have the chance to give the deck a go in a couple of tournaments, you will hopefully allow your deck to be put into certain situations on multiple occasions. This lets you key in on what the best plays are, leaving you with less decisions to make at the event. It can also help you understand why certain plays are bad so that you don’t make the same mistake again when it counts. Actually playing games will prepare you a lot better for the real deal than reading an article on the deck and its functions. This knowledge of your deck will be invaluable over the course of a long tournament!

2) The Final Cut.

Testing will also give you a better sense as to what you should run as a final list. You may find that a singleton card you had added was actually just sitting in your hand most of the time or a sideboard choice wasn’t working out as planned. Nothing helps refine your list more than running it in a couple of tournaments.

3) Magic players hate surprises.

Finally, if you’re new to a deck, testing will probably make you come across some in-game interactions that you didn’t anticipate. Maybe you misunderstood certain rules or card text regarding your deck. The last thing you want is a nasty surprise during an event that leads to a game loss.

When giving your deck a test run, don’t let bad results make you automatically audible back to another choice. Look through your matches and see why the games went the way they did. Chances are your list is fine but it just wasn’t your night. I’ve top 8’d with a deck and then had a horrible FNM with it the following week. It’s just the way it goes.

Now, that being said, if you were trying something off the wall and it just didn’t work, don’t try and push it. That will probably lead to a frustrating event where you wish you had brought another list.

Be Mentally and Physically Prepared

There are some pretty basic things that you should do before a tournament that a lot of us underestimate the importance of. Following these rules will have you on your best form from the first round to the last.

1) Get a good night’s sleep.

Don’t just say “yes mom”, actually do it. Staying up all hours of the night testing or watching videos will just leave you confused and unfocused. Not only will neglecting your body sleep leave you less mentally present and alert, the testing and research that you stayed up for won’t be as useful as you would hope. It’s like cramming for a test, your mind doesn’t have the time to process all of the information, leaving you without a clear plan of action during certain situations.

2) Bring snacks and water.

When heading to an event, you can’t really predict what will be readily available to you. The venue may not have anything ready and if you don’t know the area, there may not be a store to pick anything up. Even if you are familiar with the location, your rounds may go long, not leaving any time to grab a quick bite or drink. The last thing you want is to be feeling dehydrated or starving right before a match starts because your attention will be elsewhere.

3) Know where you’re going.

This is especially important for anyone travelling to an event that’s out of town. Knowing your exact route can save you from the headache of find the venue. Even if you’re staying in your city, knowing the best streets or public transportation to take is something you should have well planned. Showing up to a tournament moments before it starts will leave you feeling rushed and less focused for the first round. I always like to get there early to get settled in. Taking a walk around the area, grabbing a coffee, or just hanging out with friends before the event starts will ensure you aren’t scatterbrained going into round one.

Using These Guidelines Going Forward

Hopefully this article has helped you get into the right mindset heading into your next, or first, big tournament. These steps may seem simple and automatic but they can easily be forgotten when preparing for an event. Following these guidelines will give you a better chance at finding success and anything that gives an edge when trying to make the cut to top 8 is a welcomed advantage. Are there any steps or things you like to do when preparing for something larger than FNM?

Next week I will be back in action with the deck I’ve simply called “The Getting Competitive Deck”. Hopefully, I can win some more store credit heading into rotation.

As always, thanks for reading!