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47: Javier Dominguez Suggests You Play Your Deck a Ton to Know it Inside and Out

47: Javier Dominguez Suggests You Play Your Deck a Ton to Know it Inside and Out

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


47: Javier Dominguez Suggests You Play Your Deck a Ton to Know it Inside and Out

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

ratings:
Length:
62 minutes
Released:
Nov 27, 2015
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

Javier Dominguez is the Champion of Grand Prix Paris 2014 (Legacy) and took 2nd place at another Grand Prix. He also has 3 Pro Tour Top 16s (one Worlds). He likes making decks and playing Legacy. Javier lives in Spain.
Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from Javier Dominguez when he shared his story on #MTG Pro Tutor today! Click here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep47
First Set

Odyssey
Favorite Set

Mirrodin
Favorite Card
Eternal WitnessMeloku the Clouded Mirror
What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?
The people Javier has met has made Magic really fun and sustainable.
Early Challenge
Drafting. To overcome this weakness, Javier would write down his picks and then ask people if  they would make the same ones. That post-game discussion and feedback really helped him improve.
Level Up Moment
When Javier started playing regularly (daily) with his friends and playing all decks against all deck he noticed he really started to improve.
Proudest Magic Moment
Building a Legacy deck and then seeing several team members perform so well in a Pro Tour really meant a lot to Javier.
Javier's Commander
Tasigur, the Golden Fang
Best Format
Legacy
Breaking Into Legacy
Play blue. From there you can identify your style and move from there.
How to Choose a Standard Deck
Consider what has been doing well, pick a deck, then play it a lot so you know it backwards and forwards.
Biggest Mistake Players Make
Not talking to people enough about the game. Also, keep your mind focused. If you are there to win then focus on winning 100% of the time. It's okay that you miss a land drop or make a misplay, just recalibrate and keep your mind on winning.
You can train yourself to focus by playing against someone while visualizing you are playing for the Top 8 of a Grand Prix. Practice focusing and you'll get better at focusing.
Card Evaluation Tips
Javier looks for enablers when a set is released. He will compare new cards to ones that he's used to. This gives him a baseline.
Sealed & Draft Tips
Sealed: Make three piles: Wow cards, solid fillers, all the rest. Remember, anything not in your deck is your sideboard.
Draft: When there are two cards that are close, take the bigger one because they are generally better.Know color combinations and archetypes for the set you're drafting.
How to Effectively Play Test
Link up with other players (find a good group at your local FNM) and practice with them.
It's important to have someone to talk about the meta game with and make critical decisions with.
What's Inside? (Tournament Bag)
Cereal BarNutsWater
Eat and drink at least every 2 hours. If you are hungry or thirsty then you've waited too long.

Improvement Suggestions
To break into the competitive scene there is always a cheap deck. (Usually red.) Start with this deck.
No matter what you choose, make sure you stick with it and practice a lot.
Magic Resource
Frank Karsten articles (on Channel Fireball)
Connect With Javier
Twitter: @Thalaiet
Like What You Hear?
If you like the show, head on over to iTunes and leave an honest Rating & Review.
Let me know what you like and what I can do better so I can make the show the best it can be and continue bringing you valuable content.
I read every single one and look forward to your feedback.

Sponsors
Released:
Nov 27, 2015
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

MTG Pro Tutor is a top rated Magic: The Gathering podcast and here's why: professional Magic players and community notables share their origin stories twice a week (Tue & Fri) and impart actionable tips you can use the next time you sit down to play. Learn from the wealth of experience they've built through hours of practice and playing against hundreds of opponents and start seeing improvements in your own skill right away. Don't you hate feeling like you play and play and don’t improve? Surrounding yourself with better players is the best way to level up and the MTG Pro Tutor podcast is your way of doing that. Subscribe if you want to take your Magic: The Gathering skills to the next level while hearing cool stories and getting actionable advice from the biggest names in the Multiverse.