Sorry about the stupid Title - at least now I know I can post here (I got confused with the 48 hour limit on the other boards).

Anyway, to my little article...

Dear All,

It's been two weeks since my first PTQ experience (up to this point, I've only ever played in Friday Night Magic tourneys - and never won a single game) and I thought I'd share my viewpoint as a relative newcommer to this game.

I've only being playing magic since the day before the Nemesis pre-release. The night before this tourney, I brow-beat an experienced player to teach me the basics, and then accompanied them to the tournament only to be belwildered by the sheer scope of this game. Sure, I'd heard of it for years, but it was one of those hobbies that I ardently protested against joining; at the time I was too into Poker in the UK. My subsequent move to rural Wisconsin and the lack of card-playing casinos had me fishing for a new passtime, so I turned to magic - the six-monthly pilgramidge to Vegas just wasn't enough.

Anyway, back on track - my first PTQ. I attended the Madison PTQ run by The Legion (defo Hi! to Steve and Marci who did an excellent job of running the whole show). This was a very last-mintue decision, and I had only one deck to play - a variant of the RoShamBo that has now become popular but with, I thought, some interesting twists to make it a bit more fun. To say I was staggered by the number of players is an understatement, and looking around and watching some of them, I just knew I might as well throw my $20 entry fee into the air and then go home - at least I wouldn't have memories of being beaten senless in my first real tourney

As I sat down for my first round match, I was shaking like a leaf - I couldn't shuffle, I couldn't even remember my own name. I do remember the head judge asking if there were any general rules questions before we began, and I was temped to put up my and and ask "How do you play this game again?"

I wonder what my opponent's reaction would've been if I had. Probably about the same as when his super-fast Black merc deck showed me how little I know about this game. Timing tricks, plenty of beatdown and a smattering of removal for my lowly DPO'd burst ended probably the quickest match I have ever played - I'd hazzard a guess to say he won the first match in about three mintues.

Bewildered to the extreme, I sideboarded in some cards (root cage mainly) in the hope of drawing one - only to make a terrible mistake. Fourth turn, I tap two forests, a swamp and a Horn to play a Blastoderm, but in my haste I pull a burst from my hand and lay it. He says nothing, but then I notice my own mistake and being the honest person I am, I 'fess up and put in the graveyard. Someone behind me mutters "At last - an honest player," and I feel vindicated, but not before he pummels me again, shakes my hand and wispers something to his friend. No doubt what a dumbass I was.

If you're wondering if this is going anywhere; it is - I'm just leading up to the point. A new player like myself starting in this game is way, WAY of an underdog, even in the most simple games. My excrusion to the PTQ was for expericence in tourney play. I can remember playing four poker tournaments a week for just under a year and never reaching the "money seats". Then I won my first one and it was all downhill from there. Magic, it seems to me, is very simillar, apart from one crucial point.

I have never experienced a hobby where highly experienced players, or just those who have been in the game for a long time have a worse attidtude to newcommers than in Magic. Sure, I had fun in my own way, but the prevailing feeling from other people was "Why did you bother?" I enjoy this game very much and I will be attending the next PTQ in Green Bay just out of sheer stubborness, but I'd like to see more experienced players helping us low-lifes out. This game needs new blood like myself if it's going to keep growing, and I myself look forward to teaching my fiance', a few friends and my dog how to play - if you're experienced and a great player, why don't you do the same. Find that kid down the card store who's having trouble figuring out Magic and sit down with him or her. Show them a few of your desk - let them play with them a bit. Show them the Dojo or the other net magic sites out there. Encourage them to play, no matter what their level.

If anyone here is gonna be at Gencon and wants to say Hi, let me know

But I do have simpathy for you, I see newbies come in every week to our tournies only to be pummelled by the more experienced players. I do too but what I try to do is make them learn from every game, teach them what would happen if they did 'such' and how it can be played better. Or the consequences of a particular play. A bit much in a game but they do have to learn, and nurturing a competitive enviroment is better for the game and its enjoyment!

I actually didn't go to the last PTQ because of illness, but I'm hoping to be better for next week's PTQ. After that, I will have to content myself with FNM tourneys until October.

I'll update everyone then Be sure to check ut my Gencon report and post there too