[Editor's Note: I don't have enough time to beat up on Bleiweiss and/or confuse my readers with specious arguments this week, so I had to tag in a heavy hitter. In this case, I was able to co-opt former Canadian National Champion Josh Rider into covering for me.

Aside from his championship, Josh also finished in the top 8 at GP: London last year, and 21st this past weekend at GP: New Jersey, finishing Day 1 undefeated while playing a U/R Control deck that nearly everyone considered to be pure sh** before the tournament. (If he had won his last match, he would have replaced Jan Holland in the top 8.) In addition to his Magical accomplishments, JoshR is well-known on the Pro Tour for his cartoonish good looks and for being one of the most likeable guys around. In short, he's more than qualified to fill my shoes, and I demand that you show him nothing but love. - Knut]

With Ted Knutson busy this week, the job of making Ben Bleiwess look bad has fallen to me. In spite of my nice guy looks, I'm confident that I'll be able to get the job done.

With the possible exception of last week, Wizards has been doing a pretty good job of putting up good cards against bad cards in the Selecting 9th Edition votes. This week is no different. I may be a literary lightweight when compared to the likes of Ben Bleiweiss (insert smartass remark from editor here), but I've got a monstrous matchup advantage. He actually has to defend Blackmail this week. Blackmail. That card you used to get thirteenth back when you drafted Onslaught. That card that never went anywhere other than your sideboard. Finding nice things to say about Viashino Cutthroat is easy. Finding nice things to say about Blackmail... Best of luck to him.

Addle, on the other hand, actually has a special place in my heart. I've only won one PTQ in all of the years I've played Magic, but that deck was packing four Addles in the sideboard. I was awful then - even worse than I am now. There were tons of better players there, but every time I came up against one of them, Addle would rip him apart. Good players love to play control. Nothing makes them happier than casting a counterspell. A single Addle and the control player had a tough time winning. When I cast a second Addle, the control players actually just crumbled into dust. Blackmail will snag a land or a spell that your opponent doesn't really need. Addle will tear him apart. Just cast it and say"Blue." Trust me.

I sat for a while this afternoon trying to figure out what argument Ben would make in favor of Blackmail. I racked my brain for hours on end trying to come up with a reasonable situation where Blackmail would be close to as good as Addle. There's just nothing positive to say about Blackmail. As a result, I fully expect Ben to try to steer the focus away from"why Blackmail is a good card" and onto"why Addle is a bad card." You're too smart for that. You won't be fooled.

He may tell you that Addle is risky, sometimes you won't even make your opponent discard. (Don't fall for it. That just means your opponent isn't holding anything that matters). He may tell you that Addle is bad in a format full of artifacts. That it can't grab a Arcbound Ravager or a Mindslaver. (Don't be led astray. He'll forget to tell you how great it is when you make your opponent pitch a Rewind or a Wrath of God, and he'll conveniently neglect to mention that Mirrodin Block and 9th Edition will only overlap for a couple of months). He may also tell you that casting Addle will give you the clap. That's just crazy. Remember he's desperate. Might as well ask him how he caught mono, or something ludicrous like that.

What it basically comes down to is this: Blackmail is atrocious. No matter what sort of spin Ben puts on things, he won't be able to escape that. Addle actually serves a function. You're too well educated to fall for his cheap tricks.

Finally, I'd just like to point out a few things that should seal the deal. Let's consider the sources:

I've made thousands of dollars playing Magic. I've had some measure of success at international events. I've been a champion of an entire country.

Ben Bleiweiss has a history of being wrong. Ben Bleiwess was once so wrong that he had to write 18,000 words as penance. Eighteen thousand.

You'll make the right choice.

JoshR