First GP, any advice?
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Posted on Nov. 18, 2015, 8:24 a.m. by Jay
GP Pittsburgh this Friday. This is gonna be my first large tournament (never been to one with above 40-50 players), so any general advice? Dunno if this impacts what you'll say but I am a minor (17, scarcely 2 months from freedom). I'll be going with my younger brother and a small group of friends. Gonna be playing Grishoalbrand in the main event. I'm obviously not counting on winning or anything, just to have fun and enjoy the vendors and what not. Does anyone have advice for a first time tournament-goer?
DarkAurora7 says... #3
Make sure not to leave anything unattended. You don't want to be one of those people who posts about having their binder/deck stolen on Reddit.
November 18, 2015 9:43 a.m.
mathimus55 says... #4
Emphasis on the "don't leave anything out of sight". Some TO's have started doing a wristband system where you get a matching wristband for you and your pack and if your own band doesn't match you pack you don't leave with it, which is a great but not perfect system. If they're not doing that at this GP keep your backpack on at all times unless you're playing. I have a hiking backpack that I use for cards so I latch my pack wrapped around my legs and to the chair.
But before all else: have fun! GP's are a blast. If you have a chance to do any side events the 2HG sealed are always incredibly fun so if you and your brother have a chance of highly recommend it.
November 18, 2015 10:26 a.m.
elementalheroflamewingman says... #6
Bring food, especially if you don't have byes. You will probably not have time to grab food if you play for the whole day. Also, remember to sign the parent's consent for minors. I've seen a few players not being able to play because of that.
Be prepared for rule sharks, especially at this level.Drawing extra/ at the wrong time is a big no no, so make sure to always clarify the steps with your opponent, and declare your moves clearly. Something as simple as entering combat, and moving to attack step should always be declared. Also, don't rush through your games, as you may miss interactions you may not have thought of yet (Made the mistake of letting my opponent Keranos my signal pest when i could have redirected it to spellskite, cost me M3 of my deciding game for day 2 :/)
November 18, 2015 11:25 a.m.
Hey man! I attended GP Buenos Aires this year as a first big competitive tournament, with my mind set on spending time playing and enjoying. Ended up in a day-2 out of 700 players, earning 300 US$ cash.
Just relax and enjoy. Make sure you have your decklist complete by Thursday, ready to give out when judges call, with all your cards, dice and tokens. Remember pen and sheets of paper!
Take as less baggage as you can, so you can concentrate in the match, and not in your card's folder, or your backpack, or your jacket, or other things.
Keep yourself hydrated. Have a good breakfast and be punctual.
Greet your opponent! 90% people there will be in the same situation as you: to have a good time and meet new people. Shake hands, be respectful, smile, and be clear with your plays. Differenciate between a mistake and loss and a good game. Congratulate your opponent. You'll end up with more acquaintances than when you started that day.
Have fun. Don't get mad about last match, be focused on the one beginning. Get over it quickly so you can be prepared for what's ahead.
November 18, 2015 11:29 a.m.
Servo_Token says... #8
Because you're playing a janky combo deck, go slowly. Don't slow play, but don't just go "Turn three, Drop this guy, flip this, activiate, swing, play this, swing, GG". Be clear and concise in your play. And don't let people give you crap either, call a judge if you have to. My first tourney, I was playing Burn and some guy thought he could get away with putting creatures that he exiled back into his yard to keep fueling Deathrite Shaman. I wasn't having any of that. If you don't understand something, call a judge. If you think the opponent isn't playing fair, call a judge. Don't be a dick to other people and don't let anyone be a dick to you.
November 18, 2015 11:33 a.m.
Neko069, you said to have my list by Thursday; is there a reason for this? Will they not hand out decklist registration forms before the tournament? Should I print one out and have it ready to go?
November 18, 2015 2:02 p.m.
Jay Definitely. Doing it and checking it one day before assures you there will be no mistakes.
You won't be the only one in the tournament. Everybody will be running in all directions getting the cards they are lacking at the last moment, everybody will be making final choices and preparations 10 min before, everybody has the same idea that "there will be plenty, I'll do it later".
Was if there's no enough pens for everyone? What if your pen doesn't work? You'll have to ask for one, when everybody is using it. What if you transport gets delayed? What if you mistake a Bloodstained Mire (from KTK) for a Bloodfell Caves? The look the same, they sound the same, yet they're not the same. I've seen tons of friends getting a game loss after a deckcheck because of pressure and doing things in a rush.
Remember: one little mistake, ony tiny error, and you get a game loss. Those are the rules. Then a game loss may lead to a match loss, into an awful experience.
The idea is to minimize issues and always be ahead of your own game. Better safe than sorry.
November 18, 2015 8:28 p.m.
Okay, that sounds like a solid idea. Do you happen to know if there's a place for me to print out an official deck registration form? Appreciate your advice!
November 18, 2015 8:38 p.m.
Jay Yeah you can print one at Wizard's official site :D
November 18, 2015 8:41 p.m.
PS: I'd like to point out something.
YES, there will be registration forms at the site. But we're trying to check and have everything already set, to minimize errors :)
November 18, 2015 8:43 p.m.
PS2: ...and a personal
Don't talk, play, check lists on internet, or do anything regarding Magic on Thrusday (the day before), and go to sleep early. Your head will be already worn out if you keep late at night checking strategies or new interactions or possibilities.
A GP is the biggest event possible for non-pro players like us. You're supposed to know your deck and it is assumed you played tons of times with it. You won't 'discover America' (as we say here in my country) 24hs before. Go to sleep, rest, and relax.
Competitive Magic demands a lot of thinking. If you're daydreaming and sleepy while your opponent is casting a Treasure Cruise with no graveyard, then you're going to have a bad time :)
EmblemMan says... #2
You kind of already have the mindset of my answer but dont worry too much about how you do in the main event and enjoy everything else about the GP. Get your stuff signed browse vendors trade with people do some side events do as much stuff as possible because they are fun and GPs for most people dont come around too often. Also if possible get your gp mat signed by the artist if you are into that its a nice momento.
November 18, 2015 8:27 a.m.