Tournament preparations?

[Tyon]

Hey guys,

how do you prepare yourself for a big tournaments with 6+ rounds?
It seems that I always suck at these because after round 3 I loose my concentration and tend to make alot of misplays which leads to a sad result.

Greetings
Tyon

[MMogg]

I bring a bucket of KY for all the people who are gonna get ****ed in the ***.

On to a serious response:

Food is a must. Make sure you've brought enough snacks/food/liquids to keep going through the rounds. Try not to fill up on junk food and pack some fruit and hearty sandwiches or something.

If you have the time and the play group, you could practice playing long hours and see if you get used to it.

Maybe bring an iPod or something, especially maybe something with video to get your mind off of Magic for the down time between rounds.

Lastly, concentrate. I know that sounds stupid, but force yourself to think over each move before you make it, particularly if you feel tired. What I mean is don't go into auto-pilot and not think things through because you may miss a trigger or a play option.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head.

[Nelis]

I have exactly the same. I try to get enough sleep the night before. That's what usually works best.

[(nameless one)]

I have exactly the same. I try to get enough sleep the night before. That's what usually works best.

This. Although some folks here at the Source find their A-game when they're hungover.

I usually bring ample amounts of food, water and cash. The best food would be granola bars and nuts. My head feels better when I eat those between rounds.

As for pretournament rituals, I never playtest my deck on the day of the tournament. Some people do it right before the tournament starts. I instead would playtest other decks that I have been working on.

[DownSyndromeKarl]

food and drinks is a broad statement, but some people are clarifying well. Water, not soda. Fruits and granola, not chips and fast food. Some people also resort to performance enhancers.

[EssKay]

food and drinks is a broad statement, but some people are clarifying well. Water, not soda. Fruits and granola, not chips and fast food. Some people also resort to performance enhancers.

I'll admit that I've been known to pop a couple Viagra during long tournaments.

[Nelis]

I'll admit that I've been known to pop a couple Viagra during long tournaments.

That's not good for me. I dont want to flip over the table.

[death]

Hey guys,

It seems that I always suck alot which is to sad.

Greetings
Tyon

Try playing 10 hours a day each day for 30 days against meta decks having lunch as your only break, come tournament time you won't fall short of your goal. Cheers!

[psu42]

I wish more people in preparation took showers...

[(nameless one)]

I wish more people in preparation took showers...

I actually try to look my best as part of my preparation, because you will never know when Sunny Lane is going to show up.

Plus, I look like a champ even if I didn't make top 8.

[Anusien]

Fruit. Carrots are a great tournament snack. And water.

Also, type out your decklist, double check it the day before. Have a friend check it. Arrive at the site early. Have new sleeves.

I wrote an article on tournament operations here: Game Losses are Optional (http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/misc/15596_Unlocking_Legacy_Game_Losses_Are_Optional.html)

[paK0]

If you decide to not shower, than you might as well go all out and stop showering 3 days before the event, might give you an edge.

On topic:
Pack your stuff the night before, so you don't forget anything and make sure to get a decent amount of sleep.

[ryO!]

most of the time,i am hungover ...it works just fine, only that i often forget most of the cards i wanna side (so i have to loan once i got at the tour). . .

[dahcmai]

I tell people to bring food mainly because do you guys remember how bad the $18 hamburger was at Gran Prix Chicago? Frigging really? I later on had to get the oh-so-much better $8 hot dog combo. Food is a must though.

I bring a small thermos and leave it in the room filled with lunch meats and drinks. I'll bring some stuff with me if we have no one that is playing a severely fast deck to make the food runs.

[anonymos]

At Star City's Indy event I had a box of granola bars and a couple water bottles in my bag. I ended up sending a friend for another bottle of water after he scrubbed out. When Columbus comes around, I have a feeling that I'm going to have to double that for day 1 and hopefully day 2 also.

[rockout]

The main thing is hydration. Sugary shit is just going to make you crash mid tourney and that's the last thing you want. I usually go with water, gum, and some type of filling bar of some kind like granola or trail mix. Best thing to do, drive/fly in the day before a large tourney and relax and sleep ftw. A hungover opponent is the best kind of opponent.

yes the food at GP chicago was god awful. The water coolers they put up were never restocked during the day so they were gone within the first round.

[The Pharmacist]

I wish more people in preparation took showers...

Yes please take a shower!!!!!! It not hard at all, I can shower in under 10min.

[Getsickanddie]

Aspirin, or your pain reliever of choice is a must.

[Nidd]

We always drive to Nuremberg at saturday, so preparations usually start at friday.

First, we check how many people we are, decide which decks we bring etc.
If someone needs to loan cards, we announce it.
Then, I go home, pack the stuff I need (cards) and look through my deck again.
I normally only sleep like 6-4 hours, I somehow can concentrate better when I don't get that much sleep.
In the morning, it's time for a cold shower, good breakfast (eggs, bacon, or my selfmade granola) and coffee. Not too much though, an overdose and you can say goodbye to your concentration.
I check my stuff again and goldfish my list 2-3 times.
Then I get 2-3 bottles of water, prepare a small lunch and stuff all of that into my rucksack, then walk off to the train station.
There we meet, buy tickets and off we are.

We normally arrive 1hour before the tournament starts and scout a bit, tune our lists etc. Then we hand in our decklists and I justify the name of my deck (Tentacle Rape, mind you, I play ANT).

Oh, and don't forget some deodorant. Smelling sucks.

[Atwa]

Aspirin, or you your pain reliever of choice is a must.

I have to second this.

At GP:Madrid I started the tournament with a small headache which grew stronger over time. At some point I send my girlfriend to a local phacmacy to get me some painkillers. Too bad they took about 30 minutes to kick in, I was 3-0 at the time and was paired against an ANT player with 3 byes. I'm pretty sure the headache caused me to play that round sloppy and made me lose the 4th round.

Now I always bring some painkillers with me. Not that I have used them since, but it's good to have some in case you need them.

[Nelis]

I have to second this.

At GP:Madrid I started the tournament with a small headache which grew stronger over time. At some point I send my girlfriend to a local phacmacy to get me some painkillers. Too bad they took about 30 minutes to kick in, I was 3-0 at the time and was paired against an ANT player with 3 byes. I'm pretty sure the headache caused me to play that round sloppy and made me lose the 4th round.

Now I always bring some painkillers with me. Not that I have used them since, but it's good to have some in case you need them.

If Aspirin doesn't work as is the case with me get Ibuprofen (Advil, Brufen, Dolofin, Ibruphar, Motrin, Nuprin en Nurofen). Works like a charm.

[clavio]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51QhP88gxyL._SL160_AA160_.jpg

The key though is to relax. I use to get really tense when I played and make alot of fuck ups.

[Vacrix]

I have to agree about the painkillers. I get mad headaches at big tournaments. I'm not sure if its just stress or what but those headaches really suck.

[dorsch]

Should they start doing doping tests at Magic tournaments?

[Malchar]

It's all mental. Just don't freak yourself out worrying about everything. Don't change your schedule or habits too much either. If you normally have soda and junk food during, then stick with whatever is natural for you. Just pretend like it's a normal 3 round weekly tournament or something. It can also help if you do a lot of things other than Magic, so you'll be less likely to get bored of the game.

[Wargoos]

The most important thing is that you can go and take a dump before an event.

[kiwi]

These are my advice for playing a tournament.

1- Write your decklist in a paper in your house before of the tournament, its usual to take a game lost for dont write correctly your decklist.

2- Sleeping 7-8 hours the night before of the tournament and of course dont drink alcohol this night.

3- Taking a shower before the tournament.

[anonymos]

Make sure you have directions to the event location. We're driving 3ish hours to a GPT today and found out that the route from google maps and mapquest both have us taking a closed road. I'm glad I called ahead.

[Purgatory]

Drinking the night before, my best Magic comes to me when I'm hung over, for some reason. If that fails, sleeping at least 8 hours and eating a solid breakfast helps me a lot too.

[jazzykat]

Think about it like you would an all day trip where you need to be active. I.e. I prepare for a long tournament like it would be a day of hiking or sailing, just make sure you are prepared and then you can just have fun. Honestly, I play my best magic when I'm having fun. When I stress for some reason something either goes wrong or I miss the obvious play going for some convoluted corner case line.

This is supposed to be fun. Unless you make your living at it, then don't stress to much and enjoy your time with friends.

[DownSyndromeKarl]

I have to agree about the painkillers. I get mad headaches at big tournaments. I'm not sure if its just stress or what but those headaches really suck.

It's most likely dehydration. I know that at big events I'm so caught up in playing, that i forget to eat or drink. One of the first signs of dehydration is a headache, followed by weakness and a tenderness in the eyes.

[Vacrix]

It's most likely dehydration. I know that at big events I'm so caught up in playing, that i forget to eat or drink. One of the first signs of dehydration is a headache, followed by weakness and a tenderness in the eyes.
Wow yeah. I definitely was dehydrated. Actually I drink water and tea all the time at home, but don't at all at tournaments. Now I'l bring a water bottle or something.

[RexFTW]

To seriously prepare for a tourney you need to do the following:

1) start by finding another strong LEGACY player to help you test (note that there are alot of players who are strong at other formats and novices at legacy)

2) build all the decks to beat (real cards or proxies)

3) play 10 games each AGAINST your deck with the other decks. Then play 10 games with your own deck. Obviously you dont need to play both decks in the mirror.

4) repeat (3) with sideboard for each deck.

[jrsthethird]

These are my advice for playing a tournament.

1- Write your decklist in a paper in your house before of the tournament, its usual to take a game lost for dont write correctly your decklist.

2- Sleeping 7-8 hours the night before of the tournament and of course dont drink alcohol this night.

3- Taking a shower before the tournament.

I always forget to do 1, but it helps to have sideboard notes and stuff. I realized that after not doing it for the Philly Open.
I can never do 2 since I play FNM and then have to get up to drive on Saturday, and on top of that I get anxious for the tournament so I can't sleep.
3 should be a requirement for entry.

[IsThisACatInAHat?]

If you're tired after just 3 rounds, get in better physical shape. Just looking around the room at an SCG, it looks like a lot of people don't get out too much. You don't need to be in seriously good shape, but a few miles run every other day and an hour or so of lifting on the off days will vastly improve your endurance both mentally and physically so a few rounds at a tournament feels like nothing. You'll also just feel better and have more energy in general, which is a huge plus.

It really doesn't take that much effort (an hour a day if you're just a casual exerciser), but it does require diligence. It's easy to quit and can be difficult to start again once you've stopped. Combined with good eating habits (over time, not just before the event) and sleep (not necessarily the night before; I usually can't sleep because I'm excited, but it's never a problem because good conditioning makes lots of sleep unnecessary), you'll find that playing in long tournaments gets fairly easy.

[Penguinizer]

I've found that going to the tournament with a few friends makes it easier to not be as nervous. It also means you have a few extra pairs of eyes to scout out what others are playing so you know what's coming.

Otherwise: I usually just try to sleep well the night before. I try to wake up early enough to take a long shower to relax and get a good breakfast. As for food, I usually buy some sort of meat pastry type thing and some soda or ice tea.


I also recommend taking some aspirin with you just in case.

[emidln]

Should they start doing doping tests at Magic tournaments?

No, or at least this would exclude me.

Tournament stuff:

Find a deck, sleeves, a quarter ounce, a decklist, a pen, and some paper.
Take a shower.
Eat something.
Find a large container of water and bring it.
Go to the event.
Have a great time.

[Ozymandias]

I would suggest writing out sideboarding plans versus popular archetypes if you're playing a complex-to-SB deck like Tendrils or Dredge.

[Forbiddian]

I have to agree about the painkillers. I get mad headaches at big tournaments. I'm not sure if its just stress or what but those headaches really suck.

I used to get these. It's about drinking water/relaxing.

[Vacrix]

I used to get these. It's about drinking water/relaxing.
Interestingly enough this only happens when I play combo. :P

[Plague Sliver]

I would suggest writing out sideboarding plans versus popular archetypes if you're playing a complex-to-SB deck like Tendrils or Dredge.

Seconded and thirded. I do this for all decks I build, it saves a lot of time. Sometimes you deviate from the SB plan a little, but I'm a firm believer in preparation.

You'll also find as you go through this exercise that you can optimize your decklist. There WILL be cards that you either cut or put into the maindeck.

Another piece of advice: know your limits. If you aren't familiar with your deck or you think you'll make frequent mistakes with a particular deck (looking at you, combo), don't chance it. Play something you're familiar with even if it's not the top deck in the format, especially in a long tourney.