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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: August, 2016
Aug 30, 2016

Erik Carson spends most of his time as a musician and graphic designer but still makes room for Magic. He has 2 Star City Games Legacy Top 8s and 1 Grand Prix Top 8. He goes through spurts of streaming and is looking to make a run at the Pro Players Club starting with Grand Prix Portland 2016. Erik lives in Roseburg OR.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Erik Carson when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep126

First Set

Zendikar

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Capsize

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

The strategy and brain exercise.

Early Challenge

Deck building. Mono curves weren't at the top of Erik's mind.

Worst Magic Moment

SCG Open in 2012. Erik made Top 8. Lost in quarter finals. Erik made a huge mistake in game 2. He misconducted the game state and lost. Slow down and think through your plays.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at GP Los Angeles, hearing his name over the speakers felt amazing. It was very validating.

Best Format

Legacy

Entry Level Tips For Legacy

Play a deck with Force of Will. Ask to read you opponents card. If you don't understand it, counter it.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Erik chose his deck early, a few months in advance.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Clothes, Deck Box + Deck, Extra Cards, Toothbrush, Trail Mix Legion

Improvement Suggestions

Never be afraid to make mistakes and look foolish. Don't let your dreams be dreams.

Habits That Help You Improve

Playing Music.

Pro You Look Up To

Reid Duke

Connect With Erik Carson

Twitter: @platypusisland

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

 

Sponsors

Patreon milestone 2

Aug 26, 2016

Robert Lombardi has a Degree in Mechatronics Engineering, he'’s married and has a 6 month old son. He has been playing Magic since Visions, took a break in Odyssey and got back in during Zendikar. He'’s the Champion of Grand Prix Toronto and made Top 8 of Grand Prix Montreal. He'’s much better at Limited than Constructed and is actively trying to be less hyperbolic.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Robert Lombardi when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep125

First Set

4th Edition

Favorite Set

Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Lightning Bolt

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Deck building

Worst Magic Moment

Losing to an "unplayable" card. Sub per cards when used correctly have a place. Expand your range.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning GP Toronto.

Conversation with Yourself 10 Years Ago

Don't get out of the game. Go straight to university.

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

He was a poor looser.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Restricting themselves to archetypes in draft. You need to be able to draft a good deck regardless of what you open.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

A lot of free time leading up to the Grand Prix. 6 hours a day playing against the best decks (the gauntlet).

Daily Rituals

Draft daily.

Mentors

John Buden, Patrick Chapin

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Binder of Rares, Dragon Shield Sleeves, 10 of each land

Improvement Suggestions

Consume, content; articles, streams/videos; more friends & share cards. Focus on learning instead of winning during play testing. Treat your opponent with more respect.

Magic Resource

LSV, Patrick Chapin, Huey, Owen, Reid Duke

Connect With Robert Lombardi

Twitter: @RobertLombardi0

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

 

Sponsors

Patreon milestone 2

Aug 23, 2016

Philippe Gareau has been playing Magic: The Gathering for 18 years and made his first Grand Prix top 8 at GP Montreal which qualified him for Pro Tour Kaladesh in Hawaii. Philippe lives in Quebec City, Canada.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Philippe Gareau when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep124

First Set

Tempest / Stronghold

Favorite Set

Time Spiral

Favorite Card

Life from the Loam

Early Challenge

Learning the stack. Understanding the stack helped Philippe get to the competitive level.

Worst Magic Moment

GP Ottowa 2014 - Khans Limited - Philippe had multiple Secret Plans in play with a mandatory draw clause. He was disqualified because he missed the draw trigger.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at GP Montreal 2016 and qualifying for the Pro Tour.

Favorite Format

Cube

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players don't trust in their own instincts. Too many players copy the 75 cards of an online deck. To get ahead, look at the strategies and tweak to address them.

What's in Your Tournament Bag

  • Deck
  • Playset of commons
  • Clothes

Ravnica Guild

Golgari

Non-Magic Activity

Talking with people about cards and match ups.

Improvement Suggestions

Try to play for a limited time. Never be afraid to experiment. The best way to win at Magic is to lose at Magic.

Magic Resource

Connect With Philippe Gareau

Find Philippe on Facebook

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

 

Sponsors

Patreon milestone 2

Aug 19, 2016

Jonathan Melamed is a husband and father and has a PhD in Neuropsychopharmacology. He’s a long time Magic player, a Level 1 Judge, a Tournament Organizer AND store owner from Brasilia, Brazil. He has 2 Grand Prix Top 8s and 1 Pro Tour Top 16.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Jonathan Melamed when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep123

First Set

Ice Age

Favorite Set

New Phyrexia

Favorite Card

Island/ Oath of Druids/ Tropical Island

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

The challenge of Magic drew Jonathan in at the beginning. All these years later the game is still challenging.

Early Challenge

Learning when/how to attack. As a control player attacking didn't come easy to Jonathan. Playing a lot of limited helped him learn.

Worst Magic Moment

Feature match in a Pro Tour in 2009. Playing a UG Landfall deck. Jonathan won but a well-respected player looked at him and said "you play so awful". This hit Jonathan hard. Jonathan focused on learning everytime, even if he wins. Pay a lot of attention to the game.

Proudest Magic Moment

National Top 8 in 2011 (first major top 8) made Jonathan realize he could do it.

Best Format

  • Modern
  • Learn the deck you are playing. Learn it inside and out.
  • Learn the other decks as well. Get to know their game plan

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Be positive. No matter what. Jonathan struggles with this sometimes but knows how important it is.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not communicating well during a game. If you communicate well the entire game then mistakes come across as honest instead of cheating.

Non-Magic Activity

Neuroscience articles help Jonathan improve his focus.

 

What's in Your Tournament Bag

  • Coat
  • Food
  • Water
  • Playmat
  • Notepad
  • Dice

Improvement Suggestions

Have fun.

Connect With Jonathan Melamed

Twitter: @InsideMTG

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

 

Sponsors

Patreon milestone 2

Aug 16, 2016

Andrew Sullano is a Pro Tour veteran who has attended Pro Tour Avacyn Restored, Return to Ravnica, and Oath of the Gatewatch. He made top 4 at Grand Prix Oklahoma City. Andrew lives in Dallas, Texas.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Andrew Sullano when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep122

First Set

Betrayers of Kamigawa

Favorite Set

Shadowmoor

Favorite Card

Wild Nactl

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

At first, Andrew liked the lore. Then, because when he gets into things he like to do them well, he started getting more competitive. Now, Magic is a social component of his life and he likes the people he can surround himself with when he plays.

Early Challenge

Andrew lost a lot during team drafts when he started and while this was disheartening he learned to ask for help. By getting guidance from better players he slowly improved his win percentage.

Worst Magic Moment

At Grand Prix Pittsburgh Andrew was salty most the day because he needed 2 points to get Silver level as a pro player and even after two byes he found himself 6-3. His core group wasn't with him on this trip so things just seemed bad. Thankfully, another friend scooped to him and he was able to carry on but Andrew learned that the people you surround yourself with are very important.

Proudest Magic Moment

Making top 4 at GP Oklahoma City.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players are quick to clean up and move to the next game after losing. Andrew takes his time and reviews the entire game in his head (especially if he lost). He will analyze hands, land drops and spell sequencing to see what he could have done better.

Non-Magic Activity

Exercise

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Deck

Clothes

Toiletries

Improvement Suggestions

Draft at least once a week (if you're new to the game).

Set a long-term goal (like making Day 2 or Top 8 of a Grand Prix) and then actively work towards it.

Magic Resource

Star City Games

Channel Fireball

MTG Top 8

Friends

Connect With Andrew Sullano

Twitter: @panicking92

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

Sponsors

Patreon milestone 2

Aug 12, 2016

Matteo Moure has been playing Magic since he was 12 and has only been playing competitively for about one year. He made the finals at both Grand Prix London 2015 and Grand Prix Stockholm 2016. In addition to a few other minor Grand Prix placings he placed in the money at Pro Tour Milwaukee. Matteo lives in Rome, Italy.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Matteo Moure when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep121

First Set

Odyssey

Favorite Set

Onslaught

Favorite Card

Jace, The Mind Sculptor

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

A lot of friends play and Matteo gets to travel.

Worst Magic Moment

Matteo had to stop playing Magic for a while due to work and this was his worst moment with the game.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8 at Grand Prix London

Best Format

Limited

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Matteo learned how much of a social animal he is. He loves having fun with friends and Magic gives him that opportunity. (Futbol does as well.)

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players underestimate their opponent too often.

Players also play their resources too early in the game and don't have answers to real problems later on.

Improvement Suggestions

Draft when you can and trade your cards for what you need.

Connect With Matteo Moure

FB: Matteo Moure

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

 

Sponsors

Patreon milestone 2

Aug 9, 2016

Matt Tumavitch recently graduated college with a degree in sports and recreation management. He’s a front end leader at a grocery store during weekdays and a ski instructor in the winter. He’s an aspiring Magic pro with one Grand Prix Top 8 and 2 Star City Games Open Top 8s. Matt lives just outside Scranton, PA.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Matt Tumavitch when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep#120

First Set

Return to Ravnica

(Matt would be in the Gruul Guild)

Favorite Set

Gatecrash / Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Domri Rade

Worst Magic Moment

Matt's first Standard Grand Prix was tough because he started out 10-0 and then bombed. He felt like he was coming up short of his potential.

If you feel the same way Matt says: "You're good enough. Don't give up."

Best Format

Standard

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Matt learned he can achieve his goals and succeed if he applies himself. He always tried hard in sports but was never a starter or varsity member. Through Magic Matt know he can get the results he desires.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Showing too much emotions.

Players let it show when they draw a bad card and it gives a lot of information away.

Control your emotions.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Play 10 games of each match up.

Improvement Suggestions

Borrow cards and build budget decks.

Always ask for advice.

Non Magic Activity

Sports help build drive.

Being a skiing instructor taught Matt to ask for advice.

Magic Resource

Star City Games

Channel Fireball

TCG Player

MTGO Decklists

Seth Manfield videos and articles

Connect With Matt Tumavitch

Twitter: @MattTumavitch13

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

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Sponsors

Patreon milestone 2

Aug 5, 2016

 

Luis Salvatto has 1 Super Sunday Series win, 1 Grand Prix top 8 and 1 Pro tour top 8.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Luis Salvatto when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep119

First Set

Invasion

Favorite Set

Morningtide

Favorite Card

Reveillark

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Luis played all kinds of games and saw that Magic had infinite possibilities. Now he loves to draft and play constructed. Just trying all the formats is exciting to him.

Early Challenge

Losing a lot of win-and-ins to the top 8 was hard early in Luis' career. To overcome that and finally make it into the top 8 he focused on minimizing mistakes. Don't justify mistakes, address them head on and admit that you are the problem.

Luis was motivated by seeing a team he wanted to join and learn from.

Pro Player Model

Thiago Saporito

Willy Edel

Worst Magic Moment

Under the old PTQ system, Luis reached the finals and lost. Then he reached another final and lost again by making a huge mistake.

He learned that he is a good player and you have to stay prepared so when luck strikes you can seize it.

Proudest Magic Moment

Making top 32 of his first Grand Prix.

Winning a Super Sunday Series.

Making it to the Super Sunday Series final.

Making Top 8 of a Pro Tour.

Best Format

Draft

Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself

Luis learned how to lose. When you lose to someone you think is worse than you, you learn a lot about yourself.

"If you play angry or you play sad, you don't play your best game."

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not seeing the game unfolding. Not having a plan. You should always be able to answer, "How are you going to win this game?"

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

Find a good deck and play it a bunch.

Improvement Suggestions

Start with a cheap deck and make friends.

Magic Resource

Channel Fireball

Star City Games

Connect With Luis Salvatto

Twitter: @LUISLUJAN77

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

 

Sponsors

Patreon milestone 2

Aug 2, 2016

Julien Henry started playing Magic in Shards of Alara but has been playing competitively for only 2 years. He made it to the Finals of Grand Prix Manchester and qualified for Sydney which is going to be his 2nd Pro Tour. He’s a member of MTG Mintcard and he lives in Paris.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Julien Henry when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep118

First Set

Shards of Alara

Favorite Set

Shards of Alara

Favorite Card

Nissa, Vastwood Seer

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

Trying to find interactions between cards.

Winning is also very fun and keeps Julien going.

How to have Fun and be Competitive

Focusing on improving keeps Magic fun.

Level Up

Won a RPTQ for Pro Tour Atlanta. Julien played a lot with the same deck in preparation for the event and it paid off.

Worst Magic Moment

Modern Grand Prix in Madrid. Julien played a TON and fine-tuned his deck. He even gave his list to friends who also tweaked it slightly and took it to the GP. His friends did really well but he didn't make day 2. To practice so hard and then fall short is very frustrating.

You have to practice so when luck hits you can grab it.

Proudest Magic Moment

Grand Prix Manchester 2016. Julien had a huge win streak and made Silver pro when he made Top 8.

Best Format

Standard

Players You Respect

Pierre Dagen

Louis DelTour

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

What's in Your Tournament Bag

Deck

Spare cards

Improvement Suggestions

Wait until the Pro Tour to invest in a Standard deck (if you're new). They'll do all the heavy lifting for you.

Magic Resource

Star City Games

ChannelFireball

MTG Goldfish

MTG Top 8

Connect With Julien Henry

Twitter: @Lyserg42

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

 

Sponsors

Patreon milestone 2

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