I played an updated version of my Junk Reanimator list last weekend in the SCG Classic Series in Knoxville, TN. Not only did I get to play nine rounds of Magic, but I also got to watch a lot of Magic on the day. While the exact lists aren't the same, players were still playing the same kinds of decks they have been playing for a long time now: U/W/R Flash, Jund Midrange, G/R "Beats by 'Maw", Bant Hexproof, you name it. Some cards have changed, but the game is still the same.

This meant that a lot of players were also making the same kinds of mistakes that have been made time and time again with these decks. Many mistakes that I see and commit myself over the course of a Magic tournament can simply be attributed to carelessness or a temporary lapse in judgment. This is something that happens to everyone. It's easy to fall into tunnel vision, or miss a minor detail, or simply forget a card your opponent might have.

Those aren't the kinds of mistakes I'm interested in, at least for the purpose of this article. There's also a number of other mistakes that I see happen frequently at events. These mistakes can't be classified as a careless error. These are not the mistakes where the player in question slaps themselves in the head afterward and says "I can't believe I did that."

These are the kinds of mistakes that are thought to be the correct play. These are the kinds of mistakes that are second nature to the player. These are the kinds of mistakes that don't get noticed because most players don't actually realize they did anything wrong.

In the same vein as the TV show 1,000 Ways To Die, I'd like to point out some of the more common and often fatal mistakes I see made on a daily basis.

These days at a tournament you're just as likely to find me behind a computer as on the floor giving rulings. That's because in addition to being a Level 3 Judge I am also a Level 5 Scorekeeper. Okay, there aren't actually any Level distinctions for Scorekeepers (SK for short), but I'm one of the Top 5 in the world in my own humble opinion. As I was SKing Grand Prix Calgary, I made the following Tweet:

It got an interesting range of responses, and it brought to light that SK issues don't get addressed as much in the community and they especially don't get written about. This is understandable because most players do not have as many interactions with SKs as they do with judges. However, those interactions can be very important for running smooth, efficient events.

The Scorekeeper is the most important person for running the tournament. Yes, even more than the Head Judge. (The Tournament Organizer is a separate issue. He or she is integral for making the event happen, but once the tournament starts, they are often a VIP spectator.) If a Head Judge suffers some kind of mishap that doesn't allow him or her to continue with their duties, there is probably a Floor Judge who can step up and fill that spot. While the HJ of the event has most likely been chosen for their expertise and is the best qualified person for the job, most large tournaments should have an adequate replacement. Technically, if you have a staff of ten Floor Judges, you have ten potential replacements for your Head Judge down the line of succession.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I experimented with creating video logs each day during playtesting and competition in the Magic World Championships in Amsterdam. Here’s the result. Let me know what you think. These are all unedited and some are pretty low quality, but I figured I’d rather include them than not. Even if the thumbnails are all of me making completely ridiculous facial expressions.

All week long here on DailyMTG we have been celebrating the 20th anniversary of Magic: The Gathering with Top 20 lists of everything from format-defining draft picks to the best flavor texts in the history of the game. Today, I am going to look back at the history of the game through the lens of video coverage at some of the most memorable moments. I am presenting these highlights in chronological order (you should feel encouraged to tweet your order at me at @Top8Games) nor am I constraining myself to a hard twenty. If you have ever heard me rattle off a Top 5 list you likely already know that I am not able to keep these things reined in.

Pull up a chair. You might just learn something.

The task of choosing the twenty greatest Magic: The Gathering strategy articles OF ALL TIME is quite simply impossible, even for someone with an exhaustive familiarity with the landmarks, lines in the sand, and legendary lore of the genre—something even I don't have. There are wings of Magic writing, whether for their loose language or (in 2013) suspect subject matter that might have been vital and important once upon a time... but might raise more eyebrows than IQs today. And, certainly, there are more than twenty articles worthy of note, even during 20th Anniversary Week.

Anyway, I decided to choose only nineteen strategy articles, and with good reason.

The zeroeth one is a doozie.

This is my next community project. Welcome, and I’m happy to have you checking out the Vorthos timeline. All events, actions, issues, quagmires, and more will be listed below in time, in an archival source.

What should be included here are significant events and things that an art, flavor, or storyline player will care about: the canon of sorts that you argue about—that riles you up and elicits an emotion, for good or ill.

I absolutely hate searching for information and being simply unable to find it online. I’ve had more than my share of concussions, and exact details are sometimes fuzzy. My wife finds it frustrating but keeps it comical more often than not, keeping me honest. I write Post-it Notes because they force me to remember it and resolve it immediately. (Also, 3M is a Minnesota company!)

This is a work in progress; it is not complete, obviously, and that’s very much intentional. Not every set is mentioned because, while I think Omar Rayyan is a master artist and basically defined the Lorwyn/Shadowmoor feel, each setting isn’t significant long-term. I strongly encourage you to share your Vorthos moments in the comments below— ideally with links and citations! FILL IN THE HOLES. YES. To those who gave me the info already, I thank you. Let’s make it interesting: First person to name ten applicable things unlisted earns both Jedit comics, sent by me.