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martino89
01-08-2013, 12:32 AM
How will I know when I'm ready to play in a PTQ?

Phoenix Ignition
01-08-2013, 01:20 AM
Broad question...

Do you really mean ready to "play" in one? As long as you have a legal deck (minimum 60 cards, all within the legal sets for modern, and 0 or 15 card sideboard also with legal sets for modern) and enjoy playing magic regardless of the outcome of your games, then you're ready.

If you mean "How will I know when I'm ready to win a PTQ" it would depend on your preparation. Too broad of a question to answer without any information.

Esper3k
01-08-2013, 09:13 AM
When you come to grips with the fact that Vader -is- your father...

DragoFireheart
01-08-2013, 09:44 AM
Go in not caring whether you win or lose.

hi-val
01-08-2013, 10:09 AM
I'd say you're ready when:

-You know your 75-card deck and can write it down without looking at it

-You know the most common decks you'll face and how you will beat them

-You've got sideboard plans for decks and you've written them down so you can tell whether you have underused cards in your sideboard

-You can take care of yourself at an event by packing good food, sleeping the night before, and drinking plenty of water

-You know the rules pretty well

Julian23
01-08-2013, 04:07 PM
Walk up to the Tournament Organizer and sign up. When the judge comes along during seatings, hand him your decklist.

Afterwards, just have fun. 20% of people at a PTQ are what one could refer to as "newbies" with regards to tournament play.

HammerAndSickled
01-08-2013, 04:38 PM
I'd say you're ready when:

-You know your 75-card deck and can write it down without looking at it
Patently wrong. Blindly adhering to a list can blind you from seeing the last-minute changes that might win you the whole thing. Making an audible to a deck you're less familiar with, but that is more powerful in the abstract/the meta, is a common occurrence.


-You know the most common decks you'll face and how you will beat them
Definitely the biggest part. Know the DTB in the format, definitely. Know as many of the tier 2 strategies as you can as well. Read up on sites to try to see what their "new tech" might be, so you can at least be aware of it.


-You've got sideboard plans for decks and you've written them down so you can tell whether you have underused cards in your sideboard
Also not necessary. When you're constructing a deck from scratch, sure. Every sideboard card needs a justification for its inclusion when you're making a list. However, given that most players netdeck or are given their entire 75 these days, a sideboard plan isn't necessary. The work's already been done for you by the person who actually made the deck, it should be relatively obvious. Especially since we're talking about PTQs, which are mostly smaller formats with clearly defined interactions.


-You can take care of yourself at an event by packing good food, sleeping the night before, and drinking plenty of water

-You know the rules pretty well
Both of these are important. Keeping yourself mentally and physically healthy and in high performance during the event is an edge you will have over lots of players in the later rounds. As far as the rules go, learn the interactions common to the format and the top cards in it. Also try to learn as much as you can about the tournament rules, such as the appeals process for judge calls.

Anusien
01-10-2013, 12:39 PM
Also not necessary. When you're constructing a deck from scratch, sure. Every sideboard card needs a justification for its inclusion when you're making a list. However, given that most players netdeck or are given their entire 75 these days, a sideboard plan isn't necessary. The work's already been done for you by the person who actually made the deck, it should be relatively obvious. Especially since we're talking about PTQs, which are mostly smaller formats with clearly defined interactions.
If you netdeck, you should still know how to sideboard the deck.

hi-val
01-11-2013, 01:56 PM
Patently wrong. Blindly adhering to a list can blind you from seeing the last-minute changes that might win you the whole thing. Making an audible to a deck you're less familiar with, but that is more powerful in the abstract/the meta, is a common occurrence.



Audible to a deck you're less familiar with, but still know your 75. This is simple. It's knowing whether you've got any more green shocklands to fetch with a Verdant Catacombs. I'm all for the awful bad-idea audible the night before something, but you gotta spend that time memorizing the list, too. This stuff matters and it's cavalier to say that a person need not prepare by knowing their whole list. Screwing up on fetchlands is notoriously common in Modern.

This also prevents stupid decklist registration errors that cost games.




Also not necessary. When you're constructing a deck from scratch, sure. Every sideboard card needs a justification for its inclusion when you're making a list. However, given that most players netdeck or are given their entire 75 these days, a sideboard plan isn't necessary. The work's already been done for you by the person who actually made the deck, it should be relatively obvious. Especially since we're talking about PTQs, which are mostly smaller formats with clearly defined interactions.


I mean, it's like me telling you "sugar butter eggs flour baking powder salt, now you know how to make cookies." Sideboard plan means "you know what to take out and put in." Even pros who write articles on CFB and SCG are notoriously bad about actually telling you how to sideboard. I went with a friend to the SCG Open in Columbus last weekend and coached him on sideboarding after round 2, since he was just not getting it right. If I had two hours to prep for an event, I'd pick a deck that looked fun to play, memorize the list, and then start doing the reasoning and math on what comes in and what goes out. I'd ask if there are things I want on the play that I don't want on the draw (Daze in Legacy comes to mind). I think you and I are saying different and probably complimentary things here. I don't think it's often worth overhauling a sideboard when there's an established one, but you definitely gotta know what comes in and goes out in matches, too.

JACO
01-14-2013, 09:31 PM
You'll know you're ready when you don't have to ask.