Greetings fellow MOTLer and welcome to the first installment of GogettaEX's monthly article evaluating the Standard Enviorment's top decks. Included in this deck guide is deckbuilding tips, how-to guide for playing the deck, plus suggestions for various match-ups. This month's deck feature is the Magpie deck.

Deck Overview: Magpie
Here is a standard deck list for Magpie.

Creatures:
4x Thieving Magpie
3x Masticore
2x Morphling

Spells:
4x Counterspell
4x Miscalculation
4x Accumulated Knowledge
3x Thwart
3x Annul
4x Seal of Removal

Artifacts:
4x Powder Keg

Lands:
3x Blasted Landscape
3x Dustbowl
4x Rishadan Port
16x Island

Sideboard:
4x Submerge
2x Somnophore
3x Daze (Alternate: 3x Chill)
1x Annul
3x Treachery
2x Misdirection

The Magpie deck is a spin-off of the standard blue control. It uses the amazing card-drawing engine of Thieving Magpie to draw all the counterspells, and game enders such as Morphling, it could ever need.
In addition to the Thieving Magpie this deck also uses four Accumulated Knowledges. Together the Knowledges can net you a total of 10 cards. 10 cards for 4 is a very good deal.

How to Play Magpie:
The Magpie deck is my deck of choice, not only because it beats the tournament favorite Replenish consistantly, but because it is very possible to come back for a win while dangling at one life.
In order to play Magpie effectivly you must change your strategy based on the deck you are against. However, the first game of a round can generally be played the same way. Here is an example of a match-up.

1st Turn: Island

2nd Turn: Island. If your opponent played an elf, cat, dog, or a mana bird then it is wise to cast a powder keg now. Otherwise, keep it in your hand.

Opponents Turn: If he casts any important spell or a dangerous creature then counter it. If there is nothing important then play Accumulated Knowledge at the end of his turn.

3rd Turn: This turn is pretty much the same as the last. If you have Thwarts in your hand then you are better off playing an Island. Otherwise, feel free to cast some nonbasic lands.

4th Turn: This is a very important turn. You will usually play a Magpie now. Evaluate the board. Is your opponent playing speed green/stompy/hermit? Playing Replenish and some how has dangerous enchantments in his graveyard? Does he have an Avatar of Woe out? If the awnser to any of these questions is yes you might consider holding on to your Magpie until you can back it up with counterspells.

From here you will pretty much have control of the game due to the Magpie's ability. You should deny your opponent anything that might help him out until you get the Morphling out to finish him off.

Sideboarding and Deck Match-Ups:

*Versus Replenish:
Sideboard In: 1 Annul. Sideboard Out: 1 Masticore
There are four spells you need to watch out for against Replenish. Two of which you must stop at all costs. Replenish is a must stop spell. Casting this will win them the game most of the time. The other must-stop spell is an early Parallax Tide. It will deny you mana, thus denying counters, thus you losing the game. The other two spells you need to stop are Attunment and Opalesence.

*Versus Suicide Black:
Sideboard In: 2 Somnophores 3 Trechery. Sideboard Out: 3 Annul 2 Thwart
This is going to be a rough game. If they get a quick start using Dark Rituals then the only thing that is going to save you is Seal of Removal or a timely powder keg. The only thing I can say is hang in there until the very end. You never know when a Treachery might come along. Once it reaches late game you have a signifigant advantage. Never give up!

*Versus Speed/Stompy Green:
Sideboard in: 3 Treachery 4 Submerge 2 Somnophore. Sideboard Out: 3 Annul 4 Miscalculations 2 Thwart
This is pretty much the same as against Suicide Black. Use your Dustbowls / Rishadan Ports to stop Treetop Villages. Counter Blastoderms and Tangle Wires. Submerges give you a signifigant advantage. They slow creatures and your opponents card drawing, plus they can be used to 'counter' Rancors. Be warned; you get rid of lots of counters to make way for creature elimination and bounce. Remember that.

*Versus Trinity Green:
Sideboard In: 2 Somnophore 1 Annul Sideboard Out: 3 Miscalculation
Keep at least one Powder Keg at 0 to knock out Squirrels. Your gonna need to counter the Hermits, Blastoderms, Tangle Wires, and Mishra's Helix. Beware their superior mana pool. Remember, Kegs are for Elves and Squirrels!

*Versus Bargain:
Sideboard In: Annul Sideboard Out: Thwart
Stop their combo elements (Skirge Familiar and Yawgmoth's Bargain) and you'll be all set. Save one blue mana open at all times so you can annul a Bargain. Defense Grid is an iffy counter. If you can't counter for a few turns because of it you should stop it. Otherwise, let it go and save your annul for the Bargain.

*Versus Ponza:
Sideboard In: 2 Misdirection 2 Daze Sideboard Out: 4 Seal of Removal
Rishadan Ports will lock down one of your lands until the all important turn of three. From then on land destruction will deny you your much needed mana. Try to counter as much LD (Land Destruction) as possible, especially Avalanche Riders. Save one Powder Keg to take out Ghitu Encampments. This is a match up I really hate so I added 3 Chill to my sideboard. Some people even add Quash to it is possible to get rid of Hammer of Bogardan.

*Against Tap Out Red:
Sideboard In: 1 Annul 2 Somnophore 3 Daze Sideboard Out: 3 Maticore 3 Thwart
Make sure you counter Citadel of Pain, those hurt a lot. Powder Kegs will help you tremendously. Make sure you leave at lesat 1 land untapped at all times so you don't get smacked around by Brawlers. Morphlings are a game winner. This is a pretty easy match-up.

*Against Magpie:
Sideboard In: 2 Misdirection Sideboard Out: 2 Masticore
This is a tough match. Make sure you stop other Magpies. Remember they have counters too. Be prepared to "recalculate" and "rethink" your own spells. Play carefully and you can almost always pull of a win.

*Against Rebels:
Sideboard In: 2 Somnophores 1 Annul Sideboard Out: 2 Miscalculation 1 Thwart
Masticores, Seal of Removal, and Powder Keg are your only way to stop first turn Ramosian Seargents. Cherish your Masticore, but don't play them until you can counter/regenerate. Annul Pariahs, Worhsip, and Masticores. Remember you can regenerate Masticores after Disenchant/Seal of Cleansing.

*Against Accelerated Blue:
Sideboard in: 1 Annul 2 Misdirection Sideboard Out: 3 Seal of Removal
Unless you stop Grim Monolith with Annuls they'll have a great mana advantage over your. If you get your Magpie out you'll be able to draw more counters then they can. Remember they can Treachery your things. Counter their Morphlings and Palinchrons or you'll be hard pressed to stop them later.

General Tips:

*Hold on to your Masticores until you have a Magpie out or you abseloutly need them. I've killed myself by casting an unneeded Masticore.

*Beware multiple Powder Kegs. Remember they can kill each other.

*Play only 2 Magpies at a time maximum. Almost every color has mass-removal now.

Thats all for this month folks! Be sure to check out next month's article featuring Trinity Green! Plus Rabid Elves!
~GogettaEX
Send all questions/comments/concerns/hatemail to GogettaEX@hotmail.com

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You can counter Derms, the ability only works of the Derm hits the table, which it doesn't...

Just clearing things up.

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Refs:My Refs

Creatures:
3 Pergine Drakes
4 Cloud of Faries
3 Palicrons
3 Thieving Magpies
2 Morphling

Enchantments:
4 Coastal Piracy
4 Seal of Removal

Instants:
4 Snap
4 Counterspell
4 foil
2 Thran Foundry
4 Accumalated knowledge

Lands:
3 Farie Conclave
4 Rishadan Port
2 Dustbowl
11 island

Sideboard:
2 Hibernation
4 Annul
3 withdraw
2 Defense grid
4 hoodwink

That is the deck. It uses "free" spells to play them all the same turn i draw them. The ports help shut them down early game, A. Knowledges help me draw the cards i need for defense, and the Farie conclaves as my last defense or my first offense. I found myself decking myself by 8th or 9th turn, to counter the effect of "decking myself" the foundrys let me go thourgh my deck and let me reuse counterspells. As a defense against core and other destrution spells, i use snap and seal to let my creatures get through or save them from certain destruction. It almost never loses except maybe against a green deck with those blasted blastys. that is where my side board against them. Other than that, i usually can beat replenish, bargain, angry hermit, tinker, and other tournemnt favorites.

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