Onward Mr Young!
Tell the readers a bit about yourself.I would like to think I am friendly and kind of Happy-Go-Lucky when it comes to Magic.
Yes I play to win, but I have fun while doing it. If I lose, I take that and learn from it so that I can possibly win in the future. Everything can be a learning experience if you take it the right way.
Magic is a great game that has introduced me to many new people who are all great individuals.
There has never been a Magic event where I have not enjoyed myself, no matter what the role I played was be it TO, Judge or Player.
For how long have you been playing Magic the Gathering?
I have been playing magic for 16 years (Since 1996) with quite a few large breaks in that time. Interestingly though, no one told me about the competitive side of things till last year when I finally got myself a DCI number and started playing in sanctioned tournaments.
What is your favourite Magic the Gathering card of all time?
Funnily enough, Vapor Snag. The additional damage you can deal while bouncing a creature was great and often the difference between a win and a loss.
Next would be Genesis Wave. Announcing X=7 often brought a look of horror to the face of my opponents.
What is your favourite Magic the Gathering deck of all time?
I quite enjoy playing Cephalid Breakfast in Legacy. I know that it is not the most consistent deck and that there are many ways to stop in in the format, but when I can go off and win, the look on my opponents face that does not know the deck, when I mill myself on turn 2, is priceless!
What is your proudest achievement in your Magic the Gathering career?
It is a bit of a toss up between winning a 32 player FNM in Pretoria while qualifying for the Invitational or when I finally passed my Level 1 Judge exam.
What was your initial reaction when you heard of the Blowfish Invitational?
I was quite excited as it was another event in which we could play high level magic as players.
Yes, we had lost nationals but this was an alternative to having nothing else happen during the year apart from PTQ's. I knew I was going to try and qualify and am glad that I did.
The meta-game in Standard - at the moment - is very much still in flux, what types of decks are you preparing to play against at the Invitational?
I think that there are going to be quite a few Jund decks as well and UW control and BANT control.
Having recently moved out of Johannesburg, has me at a slight disadvantage as I have no idea what is being played in Johannesburg, but that is the fun of Magic.
How have you gone about preparing yourself for the Invitational?
I have built two decks that I think will do well in the event, 1 is a rogue deck and the other I know is competitive but I expect that there will be a few of those decks there as well as sideboard tech against the deck. I have not had a chance to test as much as I would like so the FNM before the event will decide my deck for me.
Which four players do you reckon have the best chance of winning the inaugural Invitational?
Tough question as everyone who is going wants to win, including myself. But if I had to name names, in no particular order they are: Enrico Guarneri; John Wood; Harris Fong; and Nic Chrysochou.
When your opponent sits down across from you, what do you think their initial impression is of you?
[Mark laughs] I honesty have no idea, nor does it bother me. I think we both know why we are there and that we are there to win. That does not mean I do not have fun while playing though.
Which deck are you seriously thinking about playing at the Invitational?
[Mark laughts again] I'm not telling, you will have to wait and see. Like I said earlier, there are two decks I am stuck between at the moment... Possibly three now that I think of it, but I can tell you that I will not be playing Green, and pretty sure not White either so I am playing Red, Blue and Black between the two decks.
And now the slightly off-centre Mr Fong... Mr Fong?
 |
| Yes? |
Tell
the readers a bit about yourself.
I’m Canadian, but have been living in Pretoria for the past
12 years where I'm currently studying music.
For
how long have you been playing Magic the Gathering?
I started in Odyssey and played for a bit before stopping
and starting up again in Zendikar.
What
is your favourite Magic the Gathering card of all time?
What
is your favourite Magic the Gathering deck of all time?
Too many to decide. From a brewing standpoint, I’d say
Caw-Blade. There has never been a bigger deck to beat.
What
is your proudest achievement in your Magic the Gathering career?
I went 0-3 in a draft last week.
What
was your initial reaction when you heard of the Blowfish Invitational?
I was pleased.A big thanks is owed to Blowfish for taking
the initiative to host this tournament.
The
meta-game in Standard - at the moment - is very much still in flux, what types
of decks are you preparing to play against at the Invitational?
GB/RB/Jund Zombies, Bant/American Control, UW/Bant/GW Aggro,
Jund/Naya Midrange, Reanimator.
How
have you gone about preparing yourself for the Invitational?
I've tried to draft as often as possible. I've also done
some testing (paper and online) and tried to keep up with as many articles as
possible.
Which
four players do you reckon have the best chance of winning the inaugural
Invitational?
Nic, Enrico, James or Morne, based solely on the fact that
they played overseas this year. Or maybe John Wood, because everyone has been
saying that he'll win.
Which
deck are you seriously thinking about playing at the Invitational?
Merfolk: Master of the Pearl Trident, Merfolk of the Pearl Trident, Augur of Bolas, Scroll Thief and Talrand, Sky Summoner.
"Hedron Crab" - lol
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