Anthony Palmerio
About Anthony Palmerio
Anthony Palmerio is a PTQ level player who has been creating Magic multimedia for years, most recently including The Proffessors for the last 2 years. His opinion leans towards the Melvin and Spike aspects of Magic.
In this episode of Practice in Theory we look at a specific,
simple example in which you can simply choose to block or not to block
an opponent's creature. You are presented with five relatively simple
outcomes, but which do you choose in the current situation, how do you
adjust the choice according to your position, and why? Why audible to
the obvious decision when there may be other, more optimal ones to mull
over.
It is debatable whether Magic is a game of luck, or a game
of skill. From experience, I see most who quit and move to Chess state
that Magic is a game of only luck. Most who continue to play the game
view Magic as majorly skill, yet has enough luck that you can get
screwed over enough times to miss Top 8. However, optimistic players
who really want to improve their game like to view Magic as a game of
pure strategy; a game of untarnishable, statistic calculations...and
yet...
Overly elaborate Gandhi metaphor analysis: Current
government/regular choice=obvious thing to do, God/Heaven=right choice,
any odd choice: faith
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Nicely done article on the roles of luck and skill in magic. I really enjoy these little posts on minor things that don't normally have the time within a larger article or video.
For those that TL:DR-
Board position 1st.
Cards in hand and mana open 2nd.
Nice Matrix reference
I agree with Ducat that I'm liking these little tid-bit videos. The production was exceptionally smooth in this video as well.
The point made in the video is a solid one and I think it illustrates the math that's going on (or should be going on) in the heads of each player every time a decision has to be made during the match. Personally I agree that luck is a small factor that can lead to enough to screw you but I prefer to really dig in and let it carry me, particularly in a draft or sealed event. I like to go with the John 117 approach and just jump in and ride it out. I'll always take the chance and pitch the card and see if they were just holding a land or not. Most of the time this super aggressive style is enough to keep an opponent off pace and then there's that small percentage of the time where they have a response and I've lost advantage, but hey, everyone rolls snake eye's sometime. :)
Good stuff.
There is a lot of skill but luck can and will keep you from top 8 or first place. I have been playing since 1995 from all sorts of formats and that statement is 100% true to this day. It will never change, I just accept that fact and move on. "Statistic calculation" is nothing more than a scientific way of saying luck, it is like determining strong or weak poker hands.
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