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MTG Pro Tutor - Insights, Tips & Advice from Magic: The Gathering Pros

MTG Pro Tutor is a top rated Magic: The Gathering podcast and here's why: professional Magic players and community notables share their origin stories twice a week (Tue & Fri) and impart actionable tips you can use the next time you sit down to play. Learn from the wealth of experience they've built through hours of practice and playing against hundreds of opponents and start seeing improvements in your own skill right away. Don't you hate feeling like you play and play and don’t improve? Surrounding yourself with better players is the best way to level up and the MTG Pro Tutor podcast is your way of doing that. Subscribe if you want to take your Magic: The Gathering skills to the next level while hearing cool stories and getting actionable advice from the biggest names in the Multiverse.
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Now displaying: June, 2015
Jun 30, 2015

Andrew Brown is a dedicated control player who loves sleeving islands and punishing forests. He won GP Denver 2015 and is on the map for up coming Pro Tours. He manages Hi De Ho Comics in Santa Monica CA where Magic is his life.

First Set

96px-ChampionsKamigawa_expsym.svg Champions of Kamigawa

Favorite Set

rise eldrazi Rise of the Eldrazi

 

Favorite Card

Jorubai Murklurker

What makes Magic fun for you?

It's not just a hobby. It's a career and a way of life.

Early Challenge

Beat the guy who ran the events at his local game store when Andrew first started.

Level Up Moment

Realizing that tier 1 decks are tier 1 for a reason. Piloting a good deck instead of making up your own allows you to capture all the effort put into the deck by others.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning GP Denver 2015

Best Format

Limited - Draft

Current Standard Deck

Blue Black control

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Big mistake at big tournaments: Some players focus on the bad beat stories and generate negativity; this does nothing for you. BE POSITIVE!

Small mistakes at small tournaments: People focus on the money aspect of Magic at the local store too much. When you show up to play at an FNM focus on playing.

Jun 24, 2015

Jon Finkel's prolific talents and sterling resume earned him the nickname "Jonny Magic" long ago. After a substantial hiatus, Jon Finkel returned to the Pro Tour and immediately demonstrated why he's widely considered the greatest player of all time by winning PT Kuala Lampur in 2008 and Top 8'ing PT Avacyn Restored and PT Dark Ascension in 2012.

Evaluation Tips

Rather than opening up the spoiler every week to see what's new, Jon gets the best grasp on a new set simple by drafting it.

Limited Tips

In Sealed you'll get powerful bombs that you really want to play but your deck will be less stream lined than in draft.
If there are two good black cards don't take a slightly worse red card because you "don't want to fight for black". Just pick the best card.

Team Building

Having a team is critical to improving. Find the best players you can but make sure you get along with them personally because you'll be spending a lot of time with them.

Improvement

Take advantage of draft simulators. Rebuild packs with friends so you can draft. Beg, borrow and use proxies if you're on a budget and need to test deck ideas.
Be critical of your plays so you can improve

Interview Links

MTG Salvation Spoilers

Connect with Jon

Twitter: @Jonnymagic00

Jun 23, 2015

Jon Finkel's prolific talents and sterling resume earned him the nickname "Jonny Magic" long ago. After a substantial hiatus, Jon Finkel returned to the Pro Tour and immediately demonstrated why he's widely considered the greatest player of all time by winning PT Kuala Lampur in 2008 and Top 8'ing PT Avacyn Restored and PT Dark Ascension in 2012.

 

First Set

Antiquties Antiquities (1994)

 

Favorite Set

272px-Innistrad_expansion_symbol.svg Innistrad (2011) - "Was the pinnacle of Limted set design."

 

Favorite Card

Desperate Ravings

What makes Magic fun for you?

The depth of the game and the ability to add on to the basic framework through the expansions is what keeps Jon engaged.

Early Challenge

Not running enough lands in control decks and not playing 60 card decks.

Level Up Moment

Realizing that playing other decks outside your comfort zone can lead to growth and improvement as a player, not to mention better results.

Proudest Magic Moment

Making first Pro Tour Top 8 at Chicago in 1997

Best Format

Draft

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not being open to playing the best deck. Not playing Magic with the intention to improve. You need to be conscious of what you play and how you play so you can improve.

Connect with Jon Finkel

Twitter: @Jonnymagic00

 

Jun 17, 2015

Patrick Chapin, "The Innovator," is a Hall of Famer, Pro Tour Champion, and 5-time PT Top 8 competitor. Author of Next Level Magic and Next Level Deckbuilding, his articles can be found on StarCityGames.com and podcast at TopLevelPodcast.com.

Evaluation Tips

Look at every card and ask: "Why was this card printed? Who is it for? HOW can I use this card?"

Limited Tips

Sealed is often slower but more powerful (compared to draft) because you have six booster packs instead of three. This leads to bomb centric decks.

Focus on the key cards you passed, not every card in the pack.

Team Building

Use message groups and in person meetings to collaborate with your team. You will only improve to the level of the best player in your group. Bring your group up and/or find more talent if you're the best in your group.

Play Testing

Constant communication with teammate as well as taking the two weeks before a Pro Tour off to play test with the team has been a working formula for Patrick.

Improvement

Identify what you want to improve first: your collection, win ratio, deck building skills, etc... and focus just on that

Magic Resource

Next Level Magic

Next Level Deck Building

Connect with Patrick

Twitter: @thepchapin

Interview Links

www.starcitygames.com

www.toplevelmagic.com

Jun 17, 2015

Welcome to the MTG Pro Tutor podcast!

I'm Shaun Penrod and I am excited to share this journey with you. Here's what you'll get out of the podcast.

Each week two of Magic: The Gathering's best players will be highlighted. The episodes are released on Tuesday and Friday, so be sure to subscribe to the show so you don't ever miss one.

I ask similar questions to each guest so you can get different perspectives on the same topic. I also look for things that are unique about each guest and dive in on those a little more.

We'll talk about their history with the game as well as actionable tips you can use the next time you sit down to play.

Learn from the mistakes and successes of our community's most notable players and enjoy the stories they have to share.

Visit www.mtgprotutor.com/shownotes for links to all the episodes.

Cheers!

Jun 17, 2015

Patrick Chapin, "The Innovator," is a Hall of Famer, Pro Tour Champion, and 5-time PT Top 8 competitor. Author of Next Level Magic and Next Level Deckbuilding, his articles can be found on StarCityGames.com and podcast at TopLevelPodcast.com.

First Set

The_Dark_symbol The Dark

 

Favorite Set

272px-Innistrad_expansion_symbol.svg Innistrad (Best designed) / KTK Khans of Tarkir block

Favorite Card

Jace, the Mind Sculptor

What makes Magic fun for you?

First and foremost the people. The constant iteration.

Early Challenge

Trying to convince people that he was actually good.

Level Up Moment

Realizing that trying to convince people that he was actually good was not as useful as focusing on humbly improving himself.

Proudest Magic Moment

Inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Winning Pro Tour Journey Into Nyx.

Best Format

Standard

Current Standard Deck

clans_abzan[1]

 

 

 

 

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Focusing their energy on convincing people they are good instead of focusing on finding the truth about how they play. Look for mistakes in every match.

Connect with Patrick

Twitter: @thepchapin

Free Resources!

www.nextlevelmagic.com

www.starcitygames.com

www.toplevelpodcast.com

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