Magic the Gathering players have NO idea how important it is to eat their breakfast in the morning. And when they don’t, they wonder why they lose so much.
Take this scenario.
You’re in a Legacy tournament. You haven’t eaten and your blood sugar is low. Your eyes start to get a little blurry. You feel like you’re getting ready to pass out. You know you’re playing against combo and your opponent is just about ready to go off.
They cast their final spell in order to put the nail in your coffin.
You reach for your Force of Will and some other blue card to pitch it. But your eyes are getting more and more blurry. You can’t quite see straight. You reach for a blue card but instead pull out an Aether Vial and pitch that. Your opponent calls you on it. You take it back. You can’t find the blue card.
And then … you collapse in your seat.
All because you didn’t EAT YOUR BREAKFAST.
Okay, all kidding aside now. Magic the Gathering is a very intense game. The amount of concentration at the highest level is mind boggling. The slightest mistake can cost you the game and maybe even the match. You want your head to be clear at ALL times.
Well, that’s NOT going to happen if you don’t EAT YOUR BREAKFAST.
And if you’re playing an afternoon event (this Saturday is a 1 PM GP Trial in Fords, NJ) then you probably want to make sure that you have a good lunch before you go.
Why?
If you make it all the way to the end of Swiss (usually 5 rounds) you’re looking at about 5 PM. Now for me, that’s already dinner time. But what if you make it INTO the top 8? Wow, that’s at least another hour even if you lose in the quarter finals. That means you’re not leaving until about 6 PM.
I don’t know about you but if I haven’t eaten since 8 in the morning, I’m going to be darn good and hungry by 6 PM.
And shudder the thought if you ever make it to top 4 or top 2. Now you’re looking at 7 PM or even 8 PM finish. That is already getting too late for me even if I DID eat my lunch. Come to think of it, I’m not sure I want to MAKE the top 8.
People minimize the importance of a good meal, especially when they’re young. Hey, I remember what it was like to be a kid. Funny thing is, unlike today, I was ALWAYS hungry. So I don’t know HOW you kids do it. I could NEVER go a whole day without eating, especially if I was playing in some event.
Make no mistake about it. Magic is an event. It can really stress your brain, especially if you’re playing a control deck. In fact, that is one deck I am NOT bringing with me this Saturday. No need to make things harder for myself than they have to be.
Anyway, please take my advice and eat something before you go to play.
You’ll play a lot better and your results will be a lot better.
To YOUR Magic the Gathering Enjoyment,
Steve “Land Boy” Wagenheim
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