187: How to Prepare Like a True Magic Professional with Jon Stern

Jon Stern has been playing competitive Magic off an on for a long time but started to really take it seriously in 2012. He has 7 Grand Prix Top 8s including wins in Atlantic City 2013 and Atlanta 2014. He hasn’t broken through for a Pro Tour Top 8 yet but has a Top 16 and a couple Top 20 finishes. Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Jon Stern when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep187 First Set Revised Favorite Set Invasion block Favorite Card Aquamoeba Standstill What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you? You're rewarded based on the decisions you make. Early Challenge Knowing how to prepare for tournaments. Joining a team and preparing in a professional manner. Worst Magic Moment Forgetting to write down two cards in deck registry led to a game loss. Proudest Magic Moment Qualifying for his first Grand Prix Top 8. Winning his first Grand Prix. What Have You Learned From Magic Planning ahead, making decisions. Advice from Magic Mentors Understand there is variance. Magic is a number game. Trust yourself. Shortcomings Deck building in a new format. Deepest Thing You've Learned About Yourself You're not going to win every time but that doesn't mean you're on the wrong track.                                                                                                                                               Biggest Mistake Players Make Having an unlearning attitude. There is a learning curve in Magic and you can move up by talking, listening, asking and learning. How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event Jon focuses on time management. He looks at how much time he has to prepare and chooses his activities accordingly (Main board, side board, play testing). Best Format Constructed Beginner Standard Advice Realize that a lot of people are going to play one of the top 2 decks, card for card. This is exploitable. Parting Guidance Test with a purpose. Don't kill yourself over deck selection. Magic Resource MTG Goldfish, MTG Top 8, Magic Online League results Connect With Jon Stern Twitter:@Gemmanite 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   Sponsors