Are you ready?

Hello everyone,

I’m currently doing some last minute tweaking of the deck I’m going to run for Gold Rush. Needless to say I am still not sure if I have the right 75, or maybe I need to register a 61 card main deck for a solid 76.

Here’s my Top 10 things you need to remember for the gold rush tomorrow!

1. Always have Water.

Keep yourself hydrated as matches can be long and you may not have the time to eat. But always make sure you got your bottle or canteen ready!

2. Bring Pen and Paper.

Not sure if the REL is competitive but it’s best to use old school ink and paper to track life totals, revealed cards, notes and whatnot instead of dices. We don’t want decisions made on wrong life total assumptions do we?

3. Bring Tokens and Counters.

I have lost (and won) many games because people used coins, flipped cards and empty sleeves as counters and tokens. Make sure you bring the right tokens especially if you’re playing RB Tokens.

4. Prepare your Decklists.

We all hate getting a match loss because we miscounted our lands or wrote a card we actually pulled out last minute. Check your deck, take a picture, print your list way in advance.

5. Eat a heavy Breakfast.

It might be the last meal you eat until the end of the Gold Rush. If you can’t prepare breakfast or may not have the time to take one, bring some snacks like chips, cookies, or energy bars to keep you satiated.

6. Reload your binders.

If you wish to make a quick buck especially for those who plan to play Modern on Day 2, make sure your binders are stocked and full of tradables and sellables.  Refresh yourself on the prices online so you don’t get bamboozled by a smacker or avoid being seen as one.

7. Be sportsman-like, win or lose.

Win or lose, we all love the same cardboard crack. If you won, don’t shove your victory down your opponent’s throat. If you lose, don’t act salty (even if your entire game was). We will have our good days and bad, we just need to roll with the punches and do our best the next game. As Reid Duke once said, treat each match as if it’s a win-and-in. This mentality got him from a 0-3 start to a top 17th finish in a GP. Remain focus, and play your best game of Magic every single turn. Shake hands if you’re offered one, that helps.

8. Be a Gentleman around Lady Planeswalkers

We are seeing a slow rise of female magic players and that is very good for the community. Not only because they offer some fresh perspective, but they also provide the much needed diversity this game needs. Whether they are new players or regular grinders, treat them well and welcome them to the game. Magic is always about the Gathering.

9. Don’t be a Douche.

If you see two people still playing an intense game of magic, don’t talk about lines of plays with your friends while you spectate, it’s distracting. If you see someone shuffling and a card drops to the floor, let him or her know so they avoid getting DQ’ed or play with an incomplete deck.  See a person running out of paper for life totals, tear one from your notebook if you have plenty more pages. Let’s pay things forward, it’s for everybody’s good.

10. Come and say ‘Hi’!

I don’t bite. I really want to get to know more people especially if you follow the blog. If you want to talk about your deck ideas in between rounds, I’m up for that! Who knows, we might just have the same idea and we can explore card choices together!

That’s it for now! Time to sleeve up and shut down! See you all tomorrow!

Ciao,
Vanson