Thanks for writing something like this. Head games is a very important (and often difficult) part of playing Magic.. If I'm good on land and only have one or two cards in my hand and haven't been doing much, you can sue as hell bet that that's an Island I'm holding onto. I need to work on the organization of lands and feigning playing stuff more. I think I might make a follow up about head games in multiplayer since you didn't cover that and I don't play MTGO either.

smash10101- Please do! I think the poker of Magic is a crucial and often overlooked aspect of the game, since there is so much else that goes into playing the game.

Wow, this is something new that i haven't rid about in along time! thanks for putting in the time for writing it. also, a tip is to not get distracted by the T.V. it will lead to 1~2 misplays that might cost you the game.

I personally disagree with the "don't cut your opponent's deck" advice. I've played against people who were pretty clearly trying to stack their deck, and a simple cut can end that plan pretty thoroughly.

I'm not saying you should shuffle their whole deck like you would at a PTQ, but a simple cut is a quick way to minimize the effect of any weird foul play. Trust is good, but assurance can be better. And because cutting the deck is the norm, it won't make you come off as a dick.

You should never shuffle someone else's deck, the rules state you to cut it, never shuffle it.

You should always offer for your deck to be cut in a tournament settings, then the opponent can choose whether or not they care to.

And please don't waste time every turn shuffling your hand, and pretending to make plays then changing your mind like this "gentlemen" suggests, it's very boring to watch, and makes the games last longer which could force a draw. Think when you need to think, if not, pass the turn.

Out of curiosity, what is the thought process behind not cutting an opponent's deck and setting your cards down during an opponents turn?

Overall, interesting and informing read, and many of the aspects sound applicable for multiplayer gameplay (which is what I usually participate in).

Darkness1835, one nitpick about the public information but about hand, graveyard, and library counts. They are PUBLIC information so they don't have to respond at all other than showing you their hand or gesturing you towards their graveyard. You can ask that they tell you but they are just required to fan out their hand or let you look through their graveyard. Most players will tell you this information because it makes it faster but there is no requirement that they say a word to you about public information.

@iBryguy- People can be intimidated by confidence. Both of these things are simply mannerisms that can throw off an opponent, even if only slightly. Not cutting the deck is a minor thing, and practically inconsequential. But the bit about setting your cards down shows your opponent you are confident in your play and know your deck, which can be unnerving.

@Ohthenoises - Interesting. I didn't know that rule. I've never seen someone withhold that information, so I just assumed it was required. Thanks!

It's not withheld. It's public information but neither player is actually required to SPEAK. You can just show them your hand or graveyard and let them count.

Here are the rules about public knowledge items:

401.3. Any player may count the number of cards remaining in any players library at any time
402.3. A player may arrange his or her hand in any convenient fashion and look at it as much as he or she wishes. A player cant look at the cards in another players hand but may count those cards at any time.
404.2. Each graveyard is kept in a single face-up pile. A player can examine the cards in any graveyard at any time but normally cant change their order. Additional rules applying to sanctioned tournaments may allow a player to change the order of cards in his or her graveyard.

As you can see, none of these rules say that YOU have to tell anyone anything. They can count them at any time but you don't have to say a word. If they miscount that's on them. THAT BEING SAID, if they miscount your hand because you hid a card on them that's another matter. This also slows the game down because you know how many cards are in your hand at all times so it's easy for you to rattle it off.

Schuesseled: In tournaments, it is common to shuffle your opponent's library rather than cutting it. The rules do allow you to do so, so long as neither you nor your opponent can see any of the cards as you shuffle (just like when you shuffle your own deck). In a casual setting I often don't cut my opponent's deck to save time, though we usually do present for cutting, especially after I cast Beacon of Tomorrows like 5 times (in EDH). I'm always more careful to get a good shuffle in when it really matters (like with beacon or if something was tucked).

Yup. If your opponent does a full shuffle on your deck you are actually allowed to cut your own deck afterwards. Good times.

Schuesseled I'll back Smash up on this one. You are allowed, and even required, to randomize the opponents deck when they present it.

"3.9 Card ShufflingDecks must be randomized at the start of every game and whenever an instruction requires it. Randomization is defined as bringing the deck to a state where no player can have any information regarding the order or position of cards in any portion of the deck. Pile shuffling alone is not sufficiently random.

Once the deck is randomized, it must be presented to an opponent. By this action, players state that their decks are legal and randomized. The opponent may then shuffle it additionally. Cards and sleeves must not be in danger of being damaged during this process. If the opponent does not believe the player made a reasonable effort to randomize his or her deck, the opponent must notify a judge. Players may request to have a judge shuffle their cards rather than the opponent; this request will be honored only at a judges discretion.

If a player has had the opportunity to see any of the card faces of the deck being shuffled, the deck is no longer considered randomized and must be randomized again.

At Competitive and Professional REL tournaments, players are required to shuffle their opponents decks after their owners have shuffled them. The Head Judge can require this at Regular REL tournaments as well"

With that said, good article Darkness1835. I have actually considered making one like this for the last few days, great minds think alike?

I will point out that you need to be sure that you are not in danger of being called on "slow play". A quick glance at your island in hand when they cast something, and a glance at the card on the stack before you allow it to resolve is just as good, if not a better, bluff than staring at your island for 20 seconds acting like you are reading it, then debating for another 10 to 20 seconds on weather you are going to counter the thing. If a judge catches you doing that, they will likely give you a warning about it. You are allowed to do things as long as it doesn't interrupt the flow of the game unnecessarily. If a judge can look at the board-state for 20 seconds and clearly see the best, or only play, and you are not making it, they are trained to nudge you along.

@Mpz5- Of course. I'm not suggesting one take that long to make their bluff. Subtlety is key.

@NobodyPicksBulbasaur - I would like to see that rule quoted. I'm pretty sure that is incorrect. You used to be allowed to cut your deck after an opponent shuffled, but I'm sure that it is no longer allowed because you could cut to cards that you've marked or remember certain bends/markings on a specific card and/or sleeve.

103.1. At the start of a game, each player shuffles his or her deck so that the cards are in a random order. Each player may then shuffle or cut his or her opponents decks. The players decks become their libraries.

Says nothing about "must be cut" so you won't. That being said if they don't cut it you can still shuffle before drawing your cards I suppose.

@Darkness1835: I'm actually a huge advocate of bluffing. There are certain instances where it won't help you at all, like if it's their last ditch effort to win, they are sure that they have it in the bag, etc. However, I won a number of games in my younger years when I knew that I couldn't actually fully combo out of by simply asking if I had to go through the motions (always say "yes" if asked, don't get Mike Long-ed), mainly back when I myself ran ProsBloom. As an older and wiser Fluffybunnypants, I probably wouldn't have done that now. Also, the one thing you learn when playing control is always present your mana like you have a counter and never just let a spell resolve when you have a few cards in hand, even if you don't actually have a counter. Pretend to think about it and go "hmmmmm, sure, okay" as opposed to just letting it happen.

I also personally like not fidgeting with my cards at the table and just looking at my opponent. By all means, feel free to talk and have a good time, but a lot of players are highly unnerved when you just look at them while not Kibler-ing it up with your hand.

Tells are huge. There's one kid I used to play with a while back who had a tell for Azorius Charm , a different tell for counterspells, and another for Supreme Verdict . I tried to help him out with it, but he didn't believe me until I sat down and played out a game with him for nothing and told him when he had the cards in question in his hand and went six for six on tells as he drew them.

Advanced tactic for supreme mind****: pretend that you have a tell.

Another thing I noticed is obvious instant speed plays. I once played against a guy who was playing unexpected results, and with an island and a mountain, he shocked Steam Vents and then passed his turn. I dropped my weaker creatures before the better creatures I could cast until he got rid of his obvious Dissolve . This is an awesome article, and I will probably screw with a lot of people's minds with this. Thanks!

However, I've seen Stanislav Cifka bluff an untapped shock on camera.

@flyguy

I bluff with shocks a lot actually. Many times, I'll shock a land in that would give me double blue and colorless, even though I am only actually holding one about half the time. They always assume that you are holding a counter at that point and usually refuse to play that domri. I draw one a turn or two later, and actually nab the thing when they try to drop it after finally deciding that I was bluffing. By then, it's often too late for them and you can bet that I don't let that crap resolve.

@fluffybunnypants

I give fake tells all the time. It's one of the best ways to bluff. Everyone has a tell or two... EVERYONE. The trick is, learning your own tells, and doing it all the time intentionally to make them think you are holding something they you are not, or not holding something that you are. After a while, the opponents will stop trusting their instincts about the tells that they thought you were giving away. That's why I personally feel that poker faces are not the best way to hide information. You can try to give nothing away, but even the movements of your eyes, or your body language are tells if the opponent is good enough at reading people. In my experience, the best hides of a tell are to always give away conflicting information and keep forcing thoughts in your opponents head. Keep them guessing if you are actually bluffing or not.

@ Mpz5: Exactly. I try to give false info about my hand all the time via posture, etc.

What would be some examples of a tell? It's something I never thought about, but I'm thinking I should try to learn more on. Is it just a specific "twitch", action, or facial change that someone does in certain events?

Anything from a twitch, a way they shuffle cards, a facial expression.

Another favorite of mine is a guy I play modern with who starts Kibler-ing when he has no answers in hand. As long as he has a wrath, a bolt or something, he doesn't Kibler, as soon as he doesn't have removal anymore he is the most incessant hand shuffler I know. This, however, doesn't apply to counters, as I found out when I was testing my theory something like a month ago.

@iBryguy, a tell is different for every person, but it all comes down to (usually subtle) changes in motions or posture.

Some people get really twitchy if they are holding a counterspell, as if they are getting ready to pounce on a spell as they counter it. If you notice that your opponent is at the edge of his seat with RBB open, maybe you don't want to play into his Counterflux

Some people are usually twitchy, but get more relaxed if they have answers in their hand. If they were playing tight and careful all game, and suddenly seem pretty comfortable, then they might have just topdecked a wrath or counterspell.

Some people just make a face like they want to disown their deck every time they topdeck a land. If you see a moment of hate in their eyes as they draw for the turn, they probably didn't get anything terribly good.

Figuring out a tell is all about intuition and attention to detail.

One tell that your opponents may have is if they make an obviously bad attack, they probably have a combat trick or something to remove whatever you block with. This might seem obvious but I've been able to trick far too many people with relatively obvious bad attacks followed by tricks to get good trades off.

In draft, I'm notorious about attacking without a trick in hand. They look suspiciously at me because generally I don't make bad attacks, then 9 times out of 10, they take the damage because they are sure that I have the trick in hand. I have pushed through soooo much damage that way that it's quite frankly ridiculous.

Honestly, A bluff is just as good as holding the card you are bluffing most of the time.

iBryguy, The biggest tell is how people leave mana untapped. If they are consistently leaving a specific color open, they likely have an instant spell in that color and that CMC in hand. Another big tell is when they glance at something on the field when they draw a card; chances are, they are looking for valid targets or wordings on a card. A pause when they draw is a sign that they probably drew something valid. They draw the card, and the split second pause is them processing the different options available to them because of the card that they drew. If it was a land, it would go straight to the hand, and surprisingly enough, often right onto the field without hiding that that was what they drew. Nearly everyone has a few OCD tendencies. If they draw a card, and put it in a specific place in their hand, it's likely a copy of something in hand, or at least a similar card playing the same role in the deck. Eye movements are big as well. If they start looking around faster than normal, or more frantically, at the board and their hand, they are probably worried because they don't have an answer and they are looking for an out. There are many many more, but those are some of the more subtly obvious ones.

Another head game: never tell your opponent how many Nivix Cyclops are in your deck . . . until you beat them.

:-P

@Kravian I never tell people how many Nivix Cyclops are in my Golgari deck... they're always surprised when I show them 8 after the match...

Oh god, this reminds me of the last draft debate.

I agree with 1-3.

2 is great advice. Preview caused this to get really large. I decided not to change it to emphasis how much I advocate holding lands late.

Stalling is painful.

I hate it when people don't cut my deck. It feels disrespectful.

Dem hashtags, brah.

Nice article, but seriously, you are better off spending your time playing a tight game and avoiding mistakes than trying to play head games. There is a place and time for them, but can't be forced in my opinion.

Your 1 - that's not head game, that's tight play. Keeping track of known information is a part of being a good player. If you exile an opponent card, and they flip it upside down, you should ask them not to, as they are hiding info at this point.

-2 - Again, tight play. Not giving additional information to your opponent that you don't need to is good.

-3 - Playing an instant speed spell is the right play more often than people realize. "9/10 times it was the wrong play" is not right in my opinion.

... Not cutting.... I take the other route... in FNM, most just cut. When I pick up their deck to shuffle it (especially when I feel they have set their deck up, you know the 2 spells one land stack) it throws them off a little. :-)

... setting your hand down... I love that... I do that a lot. Sometimes it's because I have nothing going on and won't be responding. Sometimes I'm simply tapped out, and other times I have an answer but want to show I have nothing. They always look surprised when I pick up my cards after they play a spell and I say "in response"

... chat/stay quiet... I can see that working. I'm a chatter and it does bug me a bit when my opponent is completely quiet.. haha.

Honestly my favorite thing to do to freak out my opponent is to sleeve my RDW deck with green mana sleeves. Also I have 2 competitive modern decks, so I will switch the deck boxes and/or sleeves they are in just to screw with my LGS. Most people only have one deck they play, but they never know what I am playing until my first spell >:3

The vast majority of the time, I don't think this kind of stuff helps all that much - in fact focusing on it too much could hurt your game. At the lower levels your opponent is just as likely to not play around or not recognize it and at the upper levels the game becomes less about such mind games, the phrase "force them to have it" comes up a lot. That doesn't mean it's a bad idea to chase a few percentage points here and there, but honestly we should still all be working on playing more technically proficient and perfect games - which is going to win you a lot more games than head games will. Once you start routinely Top 8-ing major events, then you can start fretting about tells and such

However, there are two I would advocate at some level though.

Sort of similar to what was suggested. Say you're playing RTR limited with your UW draft deck and you just tapped out to play a spell sans a single mana. Keeping white or blue open could indicate the possibility of Swift Justice or Dispel and you should take the moment to consider which could put your opponent in a more awkward spot. This doesn't involve any needlessly complicated bluffing tactics, just getting pure upside from the mana you have left.

The pen trick. I'm actually surprised this didn't come up considering it's so common. The idea is simply if you're using pen and paper to track life totals that picking up your pen and moving towards the life pad is indication of lacking effects before damage. The hope is to force out say a bloodrush card while your holding a instant speed removal spell.

@Slycne when you said "pen trick" my head went immediately to my NCO board for the ARMY where one of the board members will take a pen and lightly tap it on the desk. It's incredibly annoying and I've seen people do it with MTG stuff instead of playing with their hand they set it down and tap their pen incessantly.

I know this article is a couple of weeks old, but as a judge there are some rules I would like to clarify.

@Ohthenoises The number of cards in any zone is derived information as defined by the Tournament Rules. At Regular REL, all derived information is considered to be free information. Players are required to answer completely and honestly all questions pertaining free information. So at Regular REL, if some one asks "Cards in hand?" you MUST answer truthfully. At Competitive and Professional REL, you may allow your opponent to count the cards in your hand themselves if you wish.

@Mpz5 At Regular REL, you are not required to randomize your opponent's deck. Your opponent must present their deck to you, but you have a choice as to whether you shuffle/cut or not. At Competitive and Professional REL, you MUST shuffle your opponent's deck.

In addition, it is the Tournament Rules that contain the relevant rules - they can be found here.