It's an emergency episode of The Princes of Pauper! Rich has ended his damnable streak, defeating Mike at League... and wants everybody to know about it! Dimir is the best, Mike is the worst. As Mike has found an all-new way to lose (this time with the Wall Spy combo deck) we've added a classic episode, a la Ancestral Recall to this very special episode.

"Elves is terrible!" says the Light Prince*. "Another 1-2!" agrees the Dark Prince**. Such The Princes of Pauper has become a hotbed of Elves slander. Yet... Elves is one of the most popular decks in League play, recently won a Large SCGCon event, etc. Might Rich and Mike be missing something good about the Little Green Men? So we enlist absolute Elves assassin Bill Ellis!! for a deep dive on one of the most powerful and popular decks in Pauper (just one that hasn't served us quite yet). * Listen to the podcast! ** See the above note.

Mike takes a victory lap after his first-place finish at The NYCIS Heavy Play Championship (which, was, in fact, one-third Pauper; Mike played Dimir Terror). This episode scratches the surface of the Pauper Elves experience from both Mike's perspective and Rich's, updates and innovations to decksandthecity.org (shout out to Mike Evans) and is mostly an avalanche of love and admiration for the NYC Pauper community. Did we mention Mike won the big one though?

In the vein of Ancestral Recall Mike starts out with the ancient mother ship article "UB Trippin'" and then challenges Rich to apply it to contemporary Pauper. How does the 1997 "Xerox" strategy innovated by Hall of Famer Alan Comer inform not just Dimir Terror... But so many great decks in Pauper? Find out, and how not to cast an Arms of Hadar in our latest podcast.

So Rich lent Mike his Mono-Blue Terror deck for a recent League tournament... To great result. Mike is hooked on playing Brainstorm and Counterspell again (not to mention casting "cantrip Black Lotuses") in one of the Pauper format's most popular decks. Check out this deep dive, Rich's recent innovations (goodbye Delver of Secrets) and Mike's unhinged plan for the mirror match.

Sometimes-professional Magic: The Gathering player Mike Flores joins professional game designer Rich Bucey on an adventure into "the people's format" ... Pauper! Join Mike and Rich as they battle week in and week out in one of Magic's best formats, armed with commons. What makes people love Pauper? We think this episode might tell you. Or at least why we love it!

Mike wins a Premodern meetup with the popular Control strategy. Learn all about this important deck, from Magic's bestest format.

Sam Black's new white control deck splashing red has taken Mike's heart! Learn all about the best grinding deck in Standard.

It's a Red Deck.

Mike makes Mythic!

RCQ preparation.

Who is the best deck designer in the world? The answer may surprise you.

Examples of how patient play can help win more games; and how impatient play is disproportionately punished and predictable.