Lab Notes!

  You Can’t Beat Me Unless You Kill Me (Because We Aren’t Playing the Same Game) Let me start with a disclaimer. I’m not saying I’m good at Magic. I missed more triggers tonight, playing a precon, than I’d like to admit. I’m not writing this because I’ve figured the game out. I’m writing it because I think I’ve figured out something about why I enjoy it , and I think a lot of players are quietly losing that. The Game Inside the Game I play Commander for fun. That’s the whole strategy. And I think it’s why I feel like I’m winning more, but I don’t mean games. When I say winning, I mean walking away from the table happy, whether my commander took the game or got boarded out on turn six. A good night is one where I enjoyed the people, the plays and the chaos. By that measure, I win almost every time I sit down. Meanwhile, I watch other players hold cards back, waiting for the perfect game-winning play. Then someone disrupts it, and the table goes sour. If the only thing that cou...

  Be the Threat? Let’s Talk About That A while back I clicked on a Commander video, and within seconds my gut said “no.” The message was that every player at every table should be the threat.  I’ve thought about it since, and I still say no. Here’s why, and what I’d do instead. Credit where it’s due. Passive Magic is a real problem. Sitting on a hand of cards and waiting for the perfect moment makes for a long, flat game. If that’s what he’s pushing against, I’m with him. But “be the threat” isn’t “do something.” It’s “be the one everyone has to deal with.” A threat vs. the threat Being a threat means developing your board, having a plan, and staying relevant. That’s good advice at any table. Being the threat means pulling every opponent’s attention onto you. In a four-player game, that can mean three players’ removal and attacks landing on you before you’ve done anything. And if everyone follows the rule, nobody is the threat anymore. You’ve just invented a race. ...