How to win a PTQ?

[LSK]

I don't know how many people here have experience in winning PTQs, but I figured the question was worth fielding. What advice and article links can you give me?

[chaostheory]

make the most of your pool. I have seen many people open bombs that would sway a lot of ppl to play them, but if you subjectively look at the pool and see that it cannot be supported with the rest of the colours, dont worry about it.

Dont take it too "seriously". As soon as you start thinking, OMG I am 2 games away from the finals etc, that is when you start to rush/panic maybe and play silly and can give away games.

Get lucky and have a stupid deck fall into your hands (not that that will guarentee wins I may add!)

[froffenhoffer]

Make the best deck out of your pool, NEVER think ahead unless its "can i ID" related.

And you need a stupid amount of luck to win a PTQ, just like any extremely large event.

[LSK]

Originally Posted by froffenhoffer

Make the best deck out of your pool, NEVER think ahead unless its "can i ID" related.

ID?

[Neon-chan]

Intentional Draw

[Fatguy Poolshark]

umm. PLAY... thats the best advice I can give anyone... play lots of magic and pay for a SCG premium.


Also this article is my fav. by far for winning PTQs.

Flores Friday - How to Win a PTQ

[Houndofkonda]

Take your time and play tight.

[moogie]

know every interaction that might be relevant. Know all the tricks and removal. Know when you can afford to call bluffs and when you can't. Winning a sealed PTQ is more about playing well than opening well.

[armlx]

Open a bomb or 2, draw them, and don't punt. Then once you top 8 realize you need a 3-0 deck, and be able to draft your way to that result, whether via forcing or noticing the right signals. Then don't punt some more.

[Draxen]

i think the key is, on top of the stuff quoted before, to mulligan well

[messels]

Originally Posted by Fatguy Poolshark

umm. PLAY... thats the best advice I can give anyone... play lots of magic and pay for a SCG premium.


Also this article is my fav. by far for winning PTQs.

Flores Friday - How to Win a PTQ

that flores article is pretty good. i like the focus on mental outlook. the last two ptq's i played in i really didn't have the mental preparation and that hurt in the long run--i was also stupid enough to get greedy and stretch the mana base even though i've advocated (on this very forum) to not stretch the mana base like that.

a positive mental outlook is def' the most important thing to have in life--whether playing magic, trying to get ahead at work or even getting a chick.

thanks for sharing!

[jott]

Play well and build the deck well(don't play the bad cards-lush growth, guardians of akrasa etc.) Ofcourse it is usually needed that you have a bomb or two and have a good manabase.

actually, to think about it, I haven't won a sealed ptq, so I might not know what I am talking about. But I have been second, I think 3 times.

[Neon-chan]

lush growth, guardians of akrasa

Lol oO Guardians and Lush Growth on the same lvl? It's like "eat something good - not like used dipers or a bread"

[bateleur]

Originally Posted by messels

a positive mental outlook is def' the most important thing to have in life--whether playing magic, trying to get ahead at work or even getting a chick.

Possibly for playing Magic, but in the case of the other two "most important thing" is a massive exaggeration.

If you want to get ahead at work, try being good at your job. Actually getting stuff done helps too.

If you want to "get" a "chick", I'd recommend a different verb and a different noun. Unless you're after the sort of young lady who's too dim to work at Wal*Mart and isn't expected to stay for breakfast.

[messels]

Originally Posted by bateleur

Possibly for playing Magic, but in the case of the other two "most important thing" is a massive exaggeration.

If you want to get ahead at work, try being good at your job. Actually getting stuff done helps too.

If you want to "get" a "chick", I'd recommend a different verb and a different noun. Unless you're after the sort of young lady who's too dim to work at Wal*Mart and isn't expected to stay for breakfast.

LAMO. i posted on this article tip (above) but noticed you'd commented.

can't get work done if you don't believe you can do it. when you get things done, you feel empowered, fueling you to get MORE done. this will lead to further success. this leads to an even more positive mental outlook. but it all started with a firm belief in your (my, etc) ability to complete the task on hand. if we don't have that mental outlook, we won't ever begin.

for women: no woman--NO woman--will ever talk with you unless you believe you're worth it. that's what i meant by positive mental outlook. if you think, "wow. that girl's so hot...but she'll never be into me." you're right. thinking stuff like that is poison. it doesn't matter if she's dim witted, mensa, or tenured professor with nobel-award-winning work. if you think you're a loser, you're a loser. confidence goes a long way (but so does being open minded about how to improve).

kinda like why all the douche bags seem to get everything they want. there's even a book titled "*******; how i went from dweeb to winner in a year" (rough title...can't remember it exactly). (there's also the "no ******* rule" which is by a guy named sutter out of stanford which would sorta contradict the "*******" rule except the authors are talking about different subjects.)

anyway, i disagree. mental outlook first. everything else follows.