Manila’s modern World Magic Cup Qualifiers (modern WMCQ) is set on 5 September 2015. Our beloved Neutral Grounds will host this event and will take place at Glorietta V’s ground level. Sweet news for every modern player. A chance to put his name and be part of the 2015 Team Philippines Worlds.

Philippine modern meta is full of combo decks. Ad Nauseam, Bloom Titan, Collected Company variants, Twin variants and Infect are the decks they say are the most rampant in the field right now. When asked for agro decks, they responded with: Red Deck Wins variants, Affinity, Delver Variants, Merfolk and Jund/Junk. And as for control decks, Tron variant, Grixis and UW were their answers.

“I never thought I’ll be facing <deck>.”

“I told you. <Name of the side board card> is a must in this kind of event.”

“Alas! I boarded the wrong card. I never thought he’d take those away for game three.”

“My side board card didn’t reach me in time, thus I lose.”

“I have dedicated <number of side board cards> for Boogles deck. I didn’t face one.”

“Most of my side boards are meant for combo decks, I faced none.”

These are just some of the reasoning you will hear from the players usually after a round.

Side board/ side boarding is a very important part/ aspect of our game. Let us talk about it.

In an article penned by Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa, he suggested that side board slot should be expanded from 15 to 20 cards.  Personally, I like this idea. Just imagine the possibilities of what we can do with it; playing in a Grand Prix Modern with 20 cards as your side board. Who wouldn’t like that? Unfortunately, as long as Wizard of the Coast (WOTC) does not change the number of our sideboard cards, we are left with no choice but to enlist 15 and maximize its usage to the fullest. And speaking of maximizing it to its fullest, Reid Duke confers it in his work. He said it in this wise, “Your card choices are made based on what you intend to do during side boarding, and what you do during side boarding fits with your card choices.”

In order to help us on how to improve our side boarding, I asked some players if they can share their secret/ tips on how they do it.

Juancho Fabregas: It is important to know your deck’s weaknesses. From there, commit some slots on the side board.

Arrian Ordoñez: I normally check first the archetypes that are my bad match up. Then play test those decks to help me understand more. And lastly after games of playing against them, decide how many side board cards I will allot to help me improve my winning percentage.

Jason Baes: I side board to negate their side boards.

Paul Licarte: I do not like my sixty to be diluted with the side boards. So most of my fifteen has one-off with Blood Moon and Stony Silence as exception.

Ricardo Nisperos Jr: It is important also to know what to remove from your sixty.

Rami Hourani: If I am on a tried and tested deck, and is on everyone’s radar, I’ll probably need more devastating cards to help me counter their preparedness.

Richmond Tan: I looked at the possible meta and adjust my side boards accordingly.

Lizzie Dee: Gauntlet play testing with possible side board cards in the deck is how we do things. In this way, we can fully assess if those cards are really needed especially against bad match ups. And I also read materials relevant to the format I intend to participate.

Allan Oca: I’ll check for any recent tournaments and check the content of their side boards. And will try to analyze why they have such. From there, I will try to improve my side board line up. Meta reading is also a must.

Jackson Azarcon: Most of my side boards are for my bad match ups, namely Tron and combo decks.

Carlos Callangan: In usually adopt the list of the recently most successful deck. Then adjust his side board list a little in order for it to perfectly suit in our meta.

Martin Marcelo: I want my side board option to be very good against something in the meta instead of being just decent against many deck. 

Hezekiah Dealca: I usually have the one-off card. Take my side board plan versus Twin for example. I use Choke as one of them.  Choke is very good versus blue decks. But playing with two Choke in a meta so diverse, I don’t think it is a good idea because chances of facing that many blue decks is slim. That’s why I prefer the one-offs for there are cards that are good against not just one but against another as well.

Philipp Schonegger: My fifteen complements my sixty.

Eugenio Araño: When side boarding, remember these questions: (i) How did I lose/win? (ii)Are there cards in my hand/ battlefield that did little or no impact?

There you have it guys. 

I hope you remember the tips they shared. 

Good luck in your preparation for modern WMCQ!

- Paeng

Hello, my name is ....

27 July 2016

Hello everyone! Welcome to my page, Dear Tiyo Paeng!

My name is Paeng from Manila, Philippines. This page will contain mostly my Magic: The Gathering (MTG) opinion, thought and tournament experiences. Other topics that I will post here are food, travel and some daily experiences.

Going back to MTG, eternal is the format that I relish the most; more specifically legacy and modern. The Epic Storm (TES), Belcher, AnT, Burn and Five Peso Mono Green Stumpy are my legecy decks. As for modern, I have the following: UR Storm, Burn, URw Delver Tempo and Goblins.

It was the year 1996 when two of my classmate then introduced me this game. They thought me how to use fire, black-blue magic, and white sorcery. But what really interest me then was the brute strength that mono green team has to offer. My MTG playing days was cut short when Weatherlight (1997) came out primarily because I got addicted with other hobbies. 2007 when the game reintroduce itself again. I was passing by Synergy then when I saw a bunch of guys sitting across and beside each other, with poker faces on and holding a number of cards. And ever since rediscovering it, it becomes my primary hobby.

I do not have that much to gascon in my resume as a player. And if I am to write down my answer on 'what are your greatest accomplishments in MTG', I would probably write these down: ( i ) owning chiefly Paeng Cup Eternal Tournaments, ( ii ) playing the game and seeing the world because of it; ( iii ) winning every legacy and modern tournaments, regardless of its population size, or even just by making it to the top 8 of a big eternal event; and lastly ( iv ) meeting new individuals.

And there it is, my brief introductory about myself. And since 5 September 2015 is fast approaching, which means modern WMCQ, most probably my next post will be with that format.

Until then folks! Thanks for reading!

-Paeng