Michael Kundegraber has been playing since 2000, back when rules consisted of semi-educated guesses and were always changed depending on whose parents’ kitchen table MtG was played at. Lately, he’s had some top results with a second place finish at Grand Prix Turin 2018 and a follow-up Top 16 performance at his first Pro Tour later that year. Michael lives in Vienna, Austria. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Michael Kundegraber when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep318 First Set Planeshift Favorite Set Mirrodin Favorite Card Tahngarth, Talruum Hero Early Challenge Understanding the game at first was hard. Archetype matchups and other big-picture topics eluded Michael. He improved by playing matchups of the best decks with friends. Worst Magic Moment Playing for the top 4 at Austrian Nationals, Michael approached the match-up too confidently and played cautiously (even though he was favored to win). He lost and learned that you need to have a coping strategy. Find what works for you. Proudest Magic Moment Getting 2nd at Grand Prix Turin 2018. Biggest Mistake Players Make Overthinking. Players sometimes try to wrap their mind around too much of the game at once. Break down the situation into smaller chunks and address them separately. Parting Guidance Keep having fun while playing Magic. Magic Resource CFB, SCG, Magic Podcasts, Jim Davis Stream Connect With Michael Kundegraber Michael can be found in the MTG Pro Tutor Facebook group. Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

MTG Pro Tutor - Insights, Tips & Advice from Magic: The Gathering Pros

318: HUGE Announcement + Stop Over-Thinking with Michael Kundegraber (15th at Pro Tour Guilds of Ravnica)

Zach Allen is a member of Team RIW from Farmington Hills, Michigan. He Co-hosts the podcast Turn One Thoughtseize and has 2 Grand Prix top 8s, a Pro Tour top 16, and 1 SCG top 8 in his record. He's a dedicated control player and Snapcaster Mage enthusiast. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Zach Allen when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep317 First Set Urza Block Favorite Set Khans of Tarkir Favorite Card Snapcaster Mage Early Challenge Not being able to beat the best guy at his local store. This constant, ever-present challenge pushed Zach to improve. Worst Magic Moment Getting 9th at PPTQ's 6 times in a row. Zach learned that the results of tournaments are not indicative of your actual skill. Proudest Magic Moment Making top 16 of Pro Tour Guilds of Ravnica. What Have You Learned From Magic Making the play that sets you up for a win later. Make the best decision at the time with the information you have, but make a decision. Biggest Mistake Players Make Getting out of the moment. Players need to focus on just the game in front of them.  Parting Guidance The people in Magic are what's most important. Relationships and friends are priceless. Magic Resource CFB, SCG, Cool Stuff Inc. Connect With Zach Allen Twitter:@A22en Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

317: The Priceless Part of Magic with Zach Allen (13th at Pro Tour Guilds of Ravnica)

Andrew Elenbogen has 3.5 Grand Prix top 8s. He recently won Pro Tour Guilds of Ravnica and still doesn't believe it. Andrew is a return guest to the show and lives in Ann Arbor, MI. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Andrew Elenbogen when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep316 Catching Up Andrew plays about 15 Grand Prix a year! Reflection Andrew notices that in the last year he's played better than he ever has. He's stayed dedicated and has practiced extensively for each Grand Prix. MTGO Preparation When playing on Magic Online, Andrew plays in Leagues and sets. He uses Leagues as a way to get a broad view of the metagame. He'll develop a question and uses teammates and sets to answer specific questions. Pro Tour Preparation Andrew has cultivated a network of friends that he's able to reach out to and practice with. Parting Guidance Thank You! Andrew wants to say thank you to the Magic community. Connect With Andrew Elenbogen Twitter:@Ajelenbogen ‏ Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

316: Pro Tour Champion Andrew Elenbogen - Strength Through Humility (1st Pro Tour Guilds of Ravnica)

Kasper Nielsen has 2 Grand Prix top 8s and 1 Pro Tour top 8. He's also won 5 Prereleases. Kasper is from Denmark and is a returning guest to the podcast. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Kasper Nielsen when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep315 Kasper has been doing well in Magic and he attributes many things to that. He joined Hareruya Hopes and also has a more balanced life. Pro Tour Preparation Kasper started playing Limited as soon as Guilds of Ravnica came out. He learned a lot in those first few weeks. He decided to let "the machines" solve Standard while he developed a Limited strategy. What Have You Learned From The Pro Tour Kasper felt he made good choices this Pro Tour. His advice is to enjoy your preparation. Parting Guidance  It is important to focus and work hard at Magic, but if it becomes an obsession rather than a passion then beware and maybe take a step back. Guidance Part 2 Have fun no matter where you are or what your goods are. Magic Resource Article about Dustin Wade Roberson Connect With Kasper Nielsen Twitter:@ks_nielsen Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

315: Passion vs. Obsession with Kasper Nielsen (7th PT Guilds of Ravnica)

Zac Turgeon is a New England MTG grinder, who has top 8ed 1 Grand Prix and won an SCG Legacy Classic. He also enjoys cooking, music, writing and hopes to one day open an Ice Cream Shop. Zac lives in Dracut MA. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Zac Turgeon when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep314 First Set Ice Age Favorite Set Khans of Tarkir Favorite Card Trinisphere Early Challenge Not sure what he was good at. Zac started to critically analyze his own games to learn what he was good at. Worst Magic Moment Zac struggled for an entire Standard season. He realized he was misevaluating the meta and kept losing to cards he thought was bad. Proudest Magic Moment Making top 8 for the first time at Grand Prix New Jersey. What Have You Learned From Magic Zac has learned to try and be very accepting of others. Biggest Mistake Players Make Not being critical enough of your own games. Players sometimes think they're favored when they're not.  Parting Guidance Be kind to people. You feel better and the people around you feel better. It eventually circles back and keeps growing. Magic Resource SCG, CFB, TCG Players, Twitch.tv Connect With Zac Turgeon Twitter:@The_Amazing_Zac ‏ Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

314: Try Your Best to Be Your Best with Zac Turgeon (5th GP New Jersey)

  William Courson has been to 5 Grand Prix and has made top 64 twice, top 8 once and 1st place once when he became the champion of Grand Prix Detroit. He also has multiple top 64 finishes at SCG open events and has made day 2 of every invitational he's attended. William lives in Jacksonville, FL. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from William Courson when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep313 First Set M11 Favorite Set Innistrad Favorite Card Cabal Therapy Early Challenge William had to overcome his own arrogance. He eventually realized he wasn't the best and he learned to take input from others. Worst Magic Moment Playing for a top 8 position at an SCG open event and William lost after his opponent mulligan to 4 cards. Will learned mulligan more. Proudest Magic Moment Winning GP Detroit 2018 with his teammates. What Have You Learned From Magic Conceal your information as long as possible. This also helps in certain life situations (like Sales). Biggest Mistake Players Make Players commit to lines that play them into a hole. Give yourself another draw step whenever your back against the wall. Parting Guidance Get sleep! Before events make sure you sleep. And eats good breakfast! Magic Resource Friends within Magic community. Connect With William Courson Twitter:@Willcourson94 Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

313: Don't Commit To Dead End Lines with GP Champion William Courson (1st GP Detroit 2018)

Eli Kassis returns to MTG Pro Tutor for the 3rd time as he keeps growing his accomplishments and notoriety. Eli now has 6 Grand Prix top 8s and is the Champion of Grand Prix New Jersey 2018. He has won an SCG Invitational and has 2 Pro Tour top 32’s. Eli lives in Vestal, NY and is a member of team Face to Face Games. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Eli Kassis when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep312 Eli Kassis comes back to MTG Pro Tutor for the 3rd time. He was episode 101 and 206 and now is back on episode 312. Key To Success Teams have been Eli's key to success. Have a thirst for knowledge to find unique lines of play. Tips To Minimize/Spot Cheating Look at their eyes when they're shuffling your deck. Note how long they are shuffling. Ask for them to end with a cut. Always shuffle their deck and end cut. Parting Guidance Pivot and look to others to manage tilt. There's a lot that can be learned from the experiences of others. Connect With Eli Kassis Twitter:@Eli_Kassis Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

312: GP Champion Eli Kassis on How to Spot Magic: The Gathering Cheating (1st GP New Jersey 2018)

Kellen Pastore is a 3 time Grand Prix Top 8 Competitor, a full-time grad student, and a noted enthusiast of linear aggro decks. Kellen lives in MAPLE GLEN, Pennsylvania. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Kellen Pastore when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep311 First Set Carrion Ants Favorite Set Zendikar Favorite Card Bellows Lizard Early Challenge Getting used to the inconsistency of Magic because Kellen came from a game that was more consistent. Worst Gaming Moment Before Kellen got into Magic, he lost a miniature game and really lost his cool. Since then, he has gotten better at regulating his emotions by reminding himself that his opponent is trying, just like he is. Proudest Magic Moment When Kaladesh was released, Kellen created a Red-Black Zombie deck that ended up impacting the metagame at that time. What Have You Learned From Magic Meeting and making friends. Biggest Mistakes of Players Ever committing into sweepers. Playing too many creatures when the opponent has a board wipe. Tournament Preparation Kellen practiced a lot with his deck leading up to events. He looks to make sure that his deck holds up against the top decks. Parting Guidance Never play a deck you don't like to play. Magic Resource Misplaced Ginger (twitch.tv) for Standard; MTG Goldfish Connect With Kellen Pastore @TheOddEngineer ‏ Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

311: Never Play a Deck You Don't Like with Kellen Pastore (4th place GP New Jersey 2018)

Giordano Fagiolo is a rising star in competitive Magic and made it to the finals at his first Grand Prix ever! (GP Bruxelles 2018) Giordano lives in Albano Laziale, Rome, Italy. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Giordano Fagiolo when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep310 Favorite Set Battle for Zendikar Favorite Card Insult // Injury Early Challenge At a Standard and PPTQ, Giordano felt upset and nervous, but when he sat down to play it all went away. Worst Magic Moment Giordano lost in a final at a PPTQ and learned you can't win every time. Proudest Magic Moment Making it to the final match of his first Grand Prix ever. What Have You Learned From Magic Thinking ahead. Planning. Worst Mistake He Makes Playing fewer lands than they should. Giordano takes a deck and replaces the worst card wit a land. Tournament Preparation Giordano picked his deck the day before the GP. He found an article by Brad Nelson and changed 1 card. Parting Guidance Ask Brad Nelson. Magic Resource SCG Premium, CFB, Playing with teammates/friends in person. Connect With Giordano Fagiolo Gordano can be found in the MTG Pro Tutor Facebook group. Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

310: Play More Lands and Make Good Friends to Succeed with Giordano Fagiolo (2nd place GP Brussels 2018)

Max Margolis has been playing Magic competitively for 22 years. He has multiple Grand Prix day 2s with close cash finishes. Richmond 2018 was his first deep run to attempt to qualify for the Pro Tour. He barely missed qualifying for Cleveland by one win - but he did get 19th place. His biggest finish was at GP Denver where his team got top 4. He's had multiple top 8s in PPTQs and IQs. He's primarily a midrange player who has been playing since Urza's block was legal in Extended. Max lives in Maryland, USA. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Max Margolis when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep309 First Set Fallen Empires Favorite Set Ravnica: City of Guilds Favorite Card Pernicious Deed Early Challenge Max faced tilt early on and learned how to manage wins and losses. Worst Magic Moment Wanting to quit Magic because of bullying in the community. Proudest Magic Moment At Grand Prix Denver, Max and his team made it to the top 4. Best Format Modern Parting Guidance Never judge a book by its cover. Magic Resource "Have a Plan" episode on Limited Resources. Connect With Max Margolis Twitter:@maximummagic87 Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

309: Never Judge a Book by its Cover with Max Margolis

Luis Salvatto is currently tied in the Player of Year race (with Seth Manfield) and is the Pro Tour Rivals of Ixalan champion. He has 7 Grand Prix top 8s which include 2 wins and was also the Sunday Super Series champion in 2014. Luis lives in Argentina. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Luis Salvatto when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep308 Luis is a past guest of the show and you can find his origin story in episode 119. World Travel Luis spent 50 days traveling around the world. He spent 7 weeks in 7 different places. His secret was to travel Light. He had a modern deck and some clothes. That's pretty much it. Pro Tour RIX Luis friend approached him and suggested he play Lantern Control. After asking other friends what they think he went for it. After a rocky start, Luis got his steam and went all the way to take the championship. Biggest Mistake Players Make Players don't play to win. They play to survive. Also, players don't bluff enough. Parting Guidance The best part of Magic is the people you play the game with. Surround yourself with good friends and soar. Connect With Luis Salvatto Twitter:@LuisSalvatto ‏ Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

308: Pro Tour Champion Luis Salvatto Returns to Talk Winning, Surviving, and Bluffing (Pro Tour Rivals of Ixalan Champion)

Quinton Lip made top 8 at GP Hong Kong 2018. Quinton lives in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Quinton Lip when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep307 First Set Morning Tide Favorite Set Innistrad Favorite Card Snapcaster Mage Early Challenge Quinton qualified for UK Nationals and quickly learned that he struggled with the draft. He went home and started drafting on Magic Online. Worst Magic Moment At Malaysia Nationals, Quinton made it to the finals and lost. He learned it doesn't matter what got you to the top 8, you have to play well all the way.  He also learned you need to have fun playing Magic. Proudest Magic Moment Qualifying for the Pro Tour Kyoto through the RPTQ System. What Have You Learned From Magic Hard work pays off. Preparation For Modern Quinton expected creature heavy aggro decks based on the results of previous events. So he tested and found a deck that was well positioned. The key is to study the format and test. Biggest Mistake Players Make Going into autopilot. When players go into autopilot, they don't think about the game or the lines of play. Parting Guidance Magic is a hobby, so have fun. The more fun you have the better you'll do at competitive. Connect With Quinton Lip Quinton can be found in the MTG Pro Tutor Facebook group. Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

307: How Autopilot Kills Your Game with Quinton Lip (4th GP Hong Kong 2018)

Arseniy Egorov is a Level 2 judge who got 8th place at Grand Prix Orlando 2018. Arseniy lives in Moscow, Russia. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Arseniy Egorov when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep306 First Set Scars of Mirrodin Favorite Set Kamigawa (block) Favorite Card Shahrazad Early Challenge Finding and playing in really competitive tournaments. Arseniy is from a small city that didn't have a big game store. Arseniy started traveling to bigger cities to get into more competitive tournaments. Worst Magic Moment Arseniy made day 2 at GP Madrid but didn't sleep in and missed the main event!  He learned to tell his friends he made day 2 and to set more alarms. Proudest Magic Moment As a judge, Arseniy is proud he got accepted to judge Japanese GPs. As a player, Arseniy made top 8 at GP Orlando. Advice From A Judge As a judge, Arseniy has been lots of situations.  His advice to players is to explain your situation and don't be afraid to appeal. Always be respectful though. ;) Parting Guidance Play Magic and use it to travel and learn new cultures. Connect With Arseniy Egorov Twitter:@cid_randall ‏ Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

306: Judge the Game. See the World. Arseniy Egorov (8th GP Orlando 2018)

Ricardo Sanchez has been playing since 2006 and has been competitive since 2013. Pro Tour Atlanta 2018 will be his 4th Pro Tour. His best result was making Top 4 at GP Lille 2014 playing Legacy. For him, the best thing about MTG is traveling around the world and meeting so many awesome people. Ricardo lives in Madrid, Spain. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Ricardo Sanchez when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep305 First Set Time Spiral Favorite Set Shadows Over Innistrad Favorite Card Tireless Tracker Early Challenge Traveling to events. Ricardo's Mom was very careful about letting him go. But as she met his friends and realized he could get a lot of good life experiences, she let him go. Worst Magic Moment When Ricardo started going to Grand Prix, he went to 9 in a year and didn't make day 2 a single one. He learned he doesn't have to go to every event. Proudest Magic Moment Top 4 of GP Lille 2018. What Have You Learned From Magic How to travel. Event Preparation MTG Goldfish and see what's doing well in the format. Ricardo will then practice with a few decks to see how they play out with him as the pilot. Biggest Mistake Players Make Before you say "keep" and decide to keep your hand, you should have a plan on what you're going to do.  Parting Guidance Enjoy Magic. There's something enjoyable in each phase of Magic. Find it and have fun. Remember Magic is a game. Magic Resource Mana Traders, MTG Goldfish, CFB, SCG, MTG Mint Card, Book: Playing to Win Connect With Ricardo Sanchez Twitter:@_mRichi_  Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

305: How to Test for Modern with Ricardo Sanchez

Jessica Estephan is the first woman to win a Grand Prix and made Magic: The Gathering history when her team took first at Grand Prix Sydney 2018. She's a podcaster who loves creating content and she enjoys most competitive formats, with a preference for standard and modern. Though she does have a soft spot for a well-powered cube. Jessica lives in Sydney, Australia. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Jessica Estephan when she shared her story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep304 First Set Born of the Gods Favorite Set Innistrad Favorite Card Back to Basics Early Challenge Not understanding what it meant to be competitive. The Australian scene is very different than the States and it was hard for Jess to get started. Worst Magic Moment Jessica learned by observation that you "needed" to be a rules lawyer to succeed. She realized that that's not the case. Proudest Magic Moment Winning Grand Prix Sydney 2018 (Team Unified Modern). What Have You Learned From Magic Jessica now plays poker on a serious. Grand Prix Preparation The thing that helped the most was having a good team chemistry. Biggest Mistake Players Make Newbie mistakes include sleeving your deck wrong.  Parting Guidance Spend your Magic time having fun and creating positive memories for yourself and others. Magic Resource Limited Resources, CFB, SCG, YouTube, The V Clique Podcast Connect With Jessica Estephan Twitter:@jesstephan Check Out Magic Story Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community. Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com  

304: Grand Prix Champion Jessica Estephan Makes World History (Champion GP Sydney 2018)

MTG Pro Tutor is a top rated Magic: The Gathering podcast and here's why: professional Magic players and community notables share their origin stories twice a week (Tue & Fri) and impart actionable tips you can use the next time you sit down to play. Learn from the wealth of experience they've built through hours of practice and playing against hundreds of opponents and start seeing improvements in your own skill right away. Don't you hate feeling like you play and play and don’t improve? Surrounding yourself with better players is the best way to level up and the MTG Pro Tutor podcast is your way of doing that. Subscribe if you want to take your Magic: The Gathering skills to the next level while hearing cool stories and getting actionable advice from the biggest names in the Multiverse.

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MTG Pro Tutor - Insights, Tips & Advice from Magic: The Gath...

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