In my progression as a Magic player I have experienced several Oh!

moments, in which a
concept others have been trying to teach me suddenly made sense. These could be anything rom a
high level game theory concept rom the best writers in the game, to a riend trying to convince me
I!m undervaluing a common in drat. Oten I didn!t even realise there was an issue, I thought I
already understood, but in truth was missing the point. Other times I "ust ailed to see that there was
value to be gleaned. #owever, in all o these moments, I was let with a proound sense o instant
comprehension. I!m let eeling silly because the inormation has been right in ront o me the entire
time. Maybe I lac$ed an understanding o a crucial core concept, or I needed to loo$ at the problem
rom a dierent angle. %ither way, i I could go bac$ in time and tell &' year old me he doesn!t
$now as much as he thin$s he does, then point him in the right direction my (uest to become the
best player I can would be greatly accelerated. Today I aim to outline some o the more important
concepts I thin$ are the dierence between a player who pea$s top)ing a ew *T+s and a player
who is $eeps getting better and better. #opeully I can recreate that Oh! moment that I personally
spent many ill advised years waiting to stumble upon.
,- mista$e is any play that is not the optimal play.,
The most important ability that Magic has prompted me to develop is the ability to
ob"ectively and critically analyse data. It!s the last round o a .*, you!re behind in game / and the
winner o this match will end the day undeeated, you!re deinitely starting to eel the pressure. It!s
one set o s$ills to put aside the pressure during the game and ma$e the best play. It!s (uite another
to miss your out, lose, and maintain the same emotionless rational approach that you applied during
the game. The games over now, you can!t change the result and the universe "ust handed you the
perect excuse to eel sorry or yoursel. 0eep down everyone eels that they deserve to win more
than their opponent. 1ou!ve wor$ed harder, tested more and "ust plain want it more than whoever!s
sitting across rom you, so what gave them to right to beat you2 !I they hadn!t ripped that spell on
the last possible turn you would have won!.
3hile this may be true you need to understand this $ind o thin$ing is detrimental to
yoursel as a player. 3hile blaming luc$ may ma$e you eel better about losing, it prevents you
rom considering the other choices you could have made. Maybe i you had saved that removal
spell you played on his 4 drop or his bomb you would have won. Maybe you could have blued a
tric$ on turn / gotten in some damage which would have made all the dierence. Maybe you played
perectly and had no possible outs. The point is5 unless you ta$e the time to consider the
possibilities you!ll never $now.
-nytime someone ma$es a decision they will naturally ma$e the choice that beneits them
the most. I you!re goal is to become the best player you can be the important thing to realise is, that
every game you play is a potential source o data. 6sing it eectively will improve your play. 7y
succumbing to the base emotional desire o deending your ego and blaming luc$, you are costing
yoursel uture %8. %very choice you ma$e in Magic should be giving you the best odds to win, the
tric$ is to not orget that this applies ater a game "ust as much as during. %verything is potentially a
useul source o inormation, why cut yoursel o rom hal o it "ust to have a bad beat story no9
one but you is listening to anyway.

-s a player loo$ing or advice on how they can get better at Magic one piece o advice you
will read a lot is ta$e each game in a tournament one game at a time. *ersonally I initially elt li$e
this was a bit o a platitude said by pro players who couldn!t thin$ o a better answer to the (uestion5
3hat advice would you give to an aspiring pro player2. -s my I developed my critical aculties
urther I realised how wrong I was. :irstly this advice is gaining something or nothing. 3hile
playing a game you only have so much inormation that you short term memory can hold. 3hile
spending some o it thin$ing to yoursel that i you win the next two matches you!ll be in the top )
may ta$e up a comparatively small raction o your ocus it!s still brainpower you are exerting
during a game that in no way eects your ability to win the match.
I you play a .ri;;ly 7ears on the play turn 4 and your opponent plays <ampant .rowth do
you attac$ or 42 O course you do you!re gaining 4 damage or nothing, maybe it wont end up
mattering but maybe it will. The same applies to using &==> o your brain!s power on winning the
game. 3hy give up a potential advantage i it!s ree2
3hile this is a very small advantage in any given game the lesson it teaches is invaluable.
?ever give up an edge or no reason. 1ou can ind advantages everywhere in and outside o a
match. Thin$ laterally and don!t thin$ o any detail as too small. @eep yoursel open to every
possible advantage and watch your luc$ change.
Magicis an incredibly complex and vast game that at the end o the day has an element o
randomness to it. 1ou can!t always how chance impacts a game but you sure as hell can do
something about how the game eects you. Mindset and attitude are more important in a game o
Magic than the average player realises. I you understand this concept and are truly committed to
improving as a player, staying calm and thin$ing rationally comes easily. The edges you gain main
seem miniscule but all they really are is methods or teaching your brain to thin$ about problems in
a dierent way. I you teach yoursel to thin$ about magic in this critical all encompassing way
you!ll gain much more than the small > increases outlined here.