MTG Pro Tutor - Insights, Tips & Advice from Magic: The Gathering Pros

Luis Salvatto is currently tied in the Player of Year race (with Seth Manfield) and is the Pro Tour Rivals of Ixalan champion. He has 7 Grand Prix top 8s which include 2 wins and was also the Sunday Super Series champion in 2014. Luis lives in Argentina.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Luis Salvatto when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep308

Luis is a past guest of the show and you can find his origin story in episode 119.

World Travel

Luis spent 50 days traveling around the world. He spent 7 weeks in 7 different places. His secret was to travel Light. He had a modern deck and some clothes. That's pretty much it.

Pro Tour RIX

Luis friend approached him and suggested he play Lantern Control. After asking other friends what they think he went for it. After a rocky start, Luis got his steam and went all the way to take the championship.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players don't play to win. They play to survive. Also, players don't bluff enough.

Parting Guidance

The best part of Magic is the people you play the game with. Surround yourself with good friends and soar.

Connect With Luis Salvatto

Twitter:@LuisSalvatto ‏

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

Quinton Lip made top 8 at GP Hong Kong 2018. Quinton lives in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Quinton Lip when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep307

First Set

Morning Tide

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Snapcaster Mage

Early Challenge

Quinton qualified for UK Nationals and quickly learned that he struggled with the draft. He went home and started drafting on Magic Online.

Worst Magic Moment

At Malaysia Nationals, Quinton made it to the finals and lost. He learned it doesn't matter what got you to the top 8, you have to play well all the way. He also learned you need to have fun playing Magic.

Proudest Magic Moment

Qualifying for the Pro Tour Kyoto through the RPTQ System.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Hard work pays off.

Preparation For Modern

Quinton expected creature heavy aggro decks based on the results of previous events. So he tested and found a deck that was well positioned. The key is to study the format and test.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Going into autopilot. When players go into autopilot, they don't think about the game or the lines of play.

Parting Guidance

Magic is a hobby, so have fun. The more fun you have the better you'll do at competitive.

Connect With Quinton Lip

Quinton can be found in the MTG Pro Tutor Facebook group.

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

Arseniy Egorov is a Level 2 judge who got 8th place at Grand Prix Orlando 2018. Arseniy lives in Moscow, Russia.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Arseniy Egorov when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep306

First Set

Scars of Mirrodin

Favorite Set

Kamigawa (block)

Favorite Card

Shahrazad

Early Challenge

Finding and playing in really competitive tournaments. Arseniy is from a small city that didn't have a big game store. Arseniy started traveling to bigger cities to get into more competitive tournaments.

Worst Magic Moment

Arseniy made day 2 at GP Madrid but didn't sleep in and missed the main event! He learned to tell his friends he made day 2 and to set more alarms.

Proudest Magic Moment

As a judge, Arseniy is proud he got accepted to judge Japanese GPs. As a player, Arseniy made top 8 at GP Orlando.

Advice From A Judge

As a judge, Arseniy has been lots of situations. His advice to players is to explain your situation and don't be afraid to appeal. Always be respectful though. ;)

Parting Guidance

Play Magic and use it to travel and learn new cultures.

Connect With Arseniy Egorov

Twitter:@cid_randall ‏

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

Ricardo Sanchez has been playing since 2006 and has been competitive since 2013. Pro Tour Atlanta 2018 will be his 4th Pro Tour. His best result was making Top 4 at GP Lille 2014 playing Legacy. For him, the best thing about MTG is traveling around the world and meeting so many awesome people. Ricardo lives in Madrid, Spain.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Ricardo Sanchez when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep305

First Set

Time Spiral

Favorite Set

Shadows Over Innistrad

Favorite Card

Tireless Tracker

Early Challenge

Traveling to events. Ricardo's Mom was very careful about letting him go. But as she met his friends and realized he could get a lot of good life experiences, she let him go.

Worst Magic Moment

When Ricardo started going to Grand Prix, he went to 9 in a year and didn't make day 2 a single one. He learned he doesn't have to go to every event.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 4 of GP Lille 2018.

What Have You Learned From Magic

How to travel.

Event Preparation

MTG Goldfish and see what's doing well in the format. Ricardo will then practice with a few decks to see how they play out with him as the pilot.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Before you say "keep" and decide to keep your hand, you should have a plan on what you're going to do.

Parting Guidance

Enjoy Magic. There's something enjoyable in each phase of Magic. Find it and have fun. Remember Magic is a game.

Magic Resource

Mana Traders, MTG Goldfish, CFB, SCG, MTG Mint Card, Book: Playing to Win

Connect With Ricardo Sanchez

Twitter:@_mRichi_

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

Jessica Estephan is the first woman to win a Grand Prix and made Magic: The Gathering history when her team took first at Grand Prix Sydney 2018. She's a podcaster who loves creating content and she enjoys most competitive formats, with a preference for standard and modern. Though she does have a soft spot for a well-powered cube. Jessica lives in Sydney, Australia.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Jessica Estephan when she shared her story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep304

First Set

Born of the Gods

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Back to Basics

Early Challenge

Not understanding what it meant to be competitive. The Australian scene is very different than the States and it was hard for Jess to get started.

Worst Magic Moment

Jessica learned by observation that you "needed" to be a rules lawyer to succeed. She realized that that's not the case.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning Grand Prix Sydney 2018 (Team Unified Modern).

What Have You Learned From Magic

Jessica now plays poker on a serious.

Grand Prix Preparation

The thing that helped the most was having a good team chemistry.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Newbie mistakes include sleeving your deck wrong.

Parting Guidance

Spend your Magic time having fun and creating positive memories for yourself and others.

Magic Resource

Limited Resources, CFB, SCG, YouTube, The V Clique Podcast

Connect With Jessica Estephan

Twitter:@jesstephan

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

Josh Collier is headed off to his first Pro Tour after qualifying through the RPTQ system. Fun fact, he's a proud owner of a foil pauper cube. Josh lives in Davenport, Iowa.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Josh Collier when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep303

First Set

Gatecrash

Favorite Set

Kaladesh

Favorite Card

Ongoing Investigation

Early Challenge

Josh picked one standard deck and would play it the whole season. He learned that in standard, what worked for him, was playing the best deck.

Worst Magic Moment

At an Eternal Masters sealed event, Josh was playing in the finals and missed a line of play. He learned to know the rules better.

Proudest Magic Moment

Qualifying for his first Pro Tour via an RPTQ.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Be persistent. Results take time.

Deck Selection

Josh reviewed the best decks and chose one similar to a play style he knew from a previous season.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players put cards in the sideboard or in their decks and they don't know why.

Parting Guidance

Conscious beating.

Magic Resource

Constructive Criticism, LR Cast, GAM Podcast

Connect With Josh Collier

Twitter:@agent_of_blight

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

Nils Gutierrez has been playing competitive Magic since he was 16. He's made top 16 at 2 Grand Prix and just made his first top 8 when he got 6th place at GP Brussels 2018. Nils lives in Maià de Montcal, Spain.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Nils Gutierrez when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep302

First Set

Lorwyn

Favorite Set

Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Cabal Therapy

Early Challenge

Nils' first GP was hard because he wasn't used to 9 rounds in one day and he didn't have anyone to give him advice.

Worst Magic Moments

Missing day 2 over and over again after making top 16 of a Grand Prix for the first time. Nils felt like he didn't have what it takes. He kept going to local events as well as competitive.

Proudest Magic Moment

Qualified for Pro Tour 25, Nils was on a team that did really well at an RPTQ.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Nils has learned critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Best Format

Standard

Tips To Get Better

Play Magic Online. It helps you improve because the players online are really good.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players over sideboard. They'll bring in too many cards and ruin their decks' core plan.

Parting Guidance

When going to a Grand Prix look at the metagame first and choose your deck accordingly.

Magic Resource

Magic Online

Connect With Nils Gutierrez

Nils can be found in the MTG Pro Tutor Facebook group.

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

Gabriel Joglar is the Champion of Grand Prix Orlando 2018! Gabriel lives in Houston TX.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Gabriel Joglar when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep301

First Set

M13

Favorite Set

Return to Ravnica

Favorite Card

Thragtusk

Early Challenge

Gabriel always felt the need to brew. He struggled with the balance between wanting to plan his own crazy stuff and proven competitive.

Worst Magic Moment

Gabriel had a string of losses at big events that was tough.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning GP Orlando 2018 / Going to his first Pro Tour in Japan.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Magic has helped Gabriel handle losses.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Controlling tilt. Handling your mistakes is hard but necessary.

Parting Guidance

Handle your salt. It's okay to be upset when you lose or don't do well, but its how you choose to act that matters.

Magic Resource

SCG, CFB, MTG Goldfish

Connect With Gabriel Joglar

Twitter:@GabrielJoglar ‏

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

Greg Sokol is an MTG streamer and tutor, he's an MTGO PTQ winner (Dominaria sealed), got 5th place at Grand Prix Orlando 2018, and is self-taught from grinding on MTGO. (rating as low as 12-1300!) Greg lives in Mexico City, Mexico.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Greg Sokol when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep300

First Set

Judgment

Favorite Set

Dominaria/Khans of Tarkir

Favorite Card

Wellwisher

Early Challenge

Greg didn't have a game store close by so he played a lot on MTGO. Greg also struggled with understanding and coping with variance.

Worst Magic Moment

Greg was playing a win-and-in for top 8 and his opponent was clearly not as good as he was. When his opponent won, Greg was really upset. From that, Greg learned to remember that Magic is a game.

Proudest Magic Moment

Finally qualifying for the Pro Tour. Greg was traveling and took time to do an online event and made it to the end and qualified.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Knowing when to think is the biggest skill you can have in Magic.

Grand Prix Preparation

The thing that helped the most was having a friend to play with and doubling down on wanting a specific match up to be amazing.

Parting Guidance

Magic is a game. Enjoy it and treat your opponent with respect.

Connect With Greg Sokol

Twitter:@GMANSokol

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com

Kyle Cooper made his first Grand Prix top 8 at GP Orlando 2018 and is excited to share with others who are on the path to the Pro Tour. Kyle lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Kyle Cooper when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep299

First Set

Innistrad

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Sensei's Divining Top

Early Challenge

Doing well at FNMs. But Kyle stuck with Magic when he started planning more during the week he started to get better.

Proudest Magic Moment

Top 8ing his first Grand Prix.

What Have You Learned From Magic

Patience. Kyle recognizes he plays fast and Magic has helped him learn patience with others. Also, he learned to respect.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Players foreshadow what they are going to do. Think before you play so you don't give away information.

Parting Guidance

Do what you want with Magic. Magic fits many styles. Competitive, casual, EDH, whatever. Just play what and how you want.

Connect With Kyle Cooper

Kyle can be found in the MTG Pro Tutor Facebook group.

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com