Hey peeps. This topic came up in my mind and decided to write about it because I’ve noticed in our area that there are a lot of new Magic players who are afraid of joining our weekly tournaments. Yeah, I know they are still new to the game. I’ve been there too. That’s why maybe they’re afraid of losing or committing mistakes or something like that.

Here are the five things or reminders I came up with that I think can clarify to the newbies, or what we call in gaming terms as noob, why they shouldn’t be afraid.

Experience is the best teacher – I think everybody will agree on this one. You won’t grow in Magic if you can’t experience the actual tournament, how the matchup goes, etc. Just learn every new thing or play scenarios you encounter in every game. You will commit mistakes of course. Everybody does. But the experience will tell you that you’ll be prepared for it the next time.

It is okay to commit mistakes – As I’ve said earlier, it’s natural for newbies to commit mistakes. The reasons could be wrong decisions, intimidation from the pro opponents, wrong understanding of the rules, and much more. But you just have to embrace it. Embrace your mistakes because it’s a part of the learning process.

If you don’t know it, call a judge – This one should be remembered always when you encounter complicated game states or card effects. Another thing is that don’t ask your opponent. Remember that he is not a judge and he might explain things that will be in his favor. It’s better to ask stupid questions than to commit stupid mistakes.

Don’t get intimidated – Intimidation is one big factor or reason why they don’t join. So what if he’s the Champ of last week’s tournament? Can he dodge a bullet? I think not. (Sorry I couldn’t think of any other examples. Lol) Just think that he’s just another player in the room and you will be able to beat him. Positive thinking helps I tell you.

Have fun and enjoy – This is the thing I think most players forgot when they are in big tournaments. You would say you are playing to win. Of course, I agree with that but don’t forget the fun side. Magic is a game of tactics and strategies for building effective decks but the creativity and fun part is another factor. Don’t frown if you lost because he outraced you before your Dominus Clouted Stream Hopper beat him to zero. At least you had fun.

To sum it up, actual Magic tournament games give much more and far better learning than casual ones. I hope these five reminders help or rather convince you now to join the Magic tournaments in your area. If you have any reactions (I hope it won’t be violent), feel free to leave me a message below.

Until next time…

(This is a repost. Original post is dated January 22, 2009 at Death-mark.blogspot.com)