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Results For "Mike Flores" at StarCityGames.com | ||
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Ask The Drama - Curse You, Mike Flores! More Questions on The Rock by Jeroen Remie, originally published on 2007-01-31 After fielding a multitude of questions on The Rock, Jeroen "Rock Master" Remie happily thought the subject was done... Then Mike Flores produced the powerful "Flores Rocks" Rock deck for Extended, and the questions began anew. Today's Ask The Drama looks at the Flores Rock deck, and Jeroen answers many questions regarding its viability in the exciting Extended metagame. Submit your questions to jeroenremie@gmail.com, but please... lay off The Rock questions. The vein in Jeroen's temple is throbbing, fit to burst. It's only a matter of time before he turns green and goes all "Remie Smash" on us... Thank You, Mike Flores! A Team Constructed PTQ Report *Winner* by James Wright, originally published on 2006-04-10 On Friday, Mike Flores wrote of his successful attempt to qualify for PT Charleston on ranking with his new G/W deck. James was another pilot of the fresh creation, at the very same PTQ, and he ended up atop the whole hill of beans! How did he, and his team, do it? Read on to find out... Last week, Mike Flores asked Could Dave Price Be Wrong? Ryan Soh was the original forumite who spurred Mike to ask such a question. In this enlightening article, he clarifies and expands his original statements, with insight into choosing decks in an evolving Constructed metagame. All this, and some of the worst puns known to man... Mr Michael Flores has picked up the popular vote for the Resident Genius category, and as such he is invited to attend the Magic Invitational Tournament 2006. Congratulations, Mike! This week, Wizards of the Coast are holding their Resident Genius voting ballot for the 2006 Magic Invitational tournament. On the shortlist: one Mike Flores. From Right Field: I am Not Mike Flores, but I’ve Played Him on T.V. by Chris Romeo, originally published on 2006-01-09 One night, just a couple of weeks or so ago, I'm talking with some of the Magic gang about building a mono-Green beatdown deck for Standard. "It can't be done," someone says. "Why not?" I ask. "All the tools are there. You CAN Play Type I #149 - The Interactivity War (Oscar Forces Interaction With Mike Flores) by Oscar Tan, originally published on 2005-06-02 After graduating Law School, Oscar Tan is back with his theoretical thoughts on the Theory of Interactivity (or something). In fact, Oscar and Stephen Menendian go head to head on this subject today in dueling theory articles, both designed to answer Master Magic Theorist Mike Flores. Peep both articles for yourselves and tell us who got the better of the debate in the forums! Did Mike Flores Lie to Us? What's Wrong with Mono Blue Control? by Frank Guevara, originally published on 2004-12-09 You can follow the theory trail from Osyp Lebedowicz's Unspeakable deck to Jim Ferraiolo's U/W board control deck, to Mike Flores' great articles about MUC. As I learned more and more about the "savage" deck that is Mono Blue by reading about it from Mike Flores, Knut, and company, I became more interested... so much so that I soon traded a wad of rares for Extended that I had been saving up for the long winter of Goblins and Combo and Reanimator and Madness and *sigh* Affinity. I didn't care though, I was enamored with the prospect of beating people's heads in with my Italian Keiga. Then I started testing... Mixed kNuts: Mike Flores is a Big, Fat Idiot plus Revisiting the Writers' Hall of Fame by Ted Knutson, originally published on 2004-08-13 Mike Flores is a buffoon. I can say this because I know him better than most of you, and nearly anyone who hangs out with or talks to Flores for an extended period of time will come to this realization. Oh, don't get me wrong... Flores is brilliant. But he also has innumerable flaws, many of which I will detail here in this very article. DERANGED DAD #76: Interview With Bad Boy (Or Is It Bad Player?) Mike Flores by Sean Erik Ponce, originally published on 2001-03-19 | ||
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Mike’s Flores Friday takes us through his preparations thus far for States... yeah, that’s right: STATES. He shares two Standard decklists pulled deep from his well of creativity, both without a Ravnica card to their name, and walks us through some sample games. How does he fare? Well, the second offering is christened “Unbeatable.dec,” so you figure it out...
"One of your best articles ever Flores. I have bookmarked this article for re-reading before every tournament." - JWakefield
"Amazing stuff Flores. I really feel as if I bettered myself by reading this article. Premium just paid for itself for the 2,341st time." - misterorange
"This is one of the classics folks." - cupofjoe
Assignment #1 As always, if you are captured, StarCityGames.com will disavow any knowledge of you or your mission. We wish you the best of luck, now get cracking.
How could I?
But, like I said, it was with Schools of Magic that Rob originally made his name.
I asked Jon to talk about his different play style from Derek Rank's in those ancient days of the Frenetic Efreet, back when Invested cards like Browse were good, for a reason. Though I will stand by the fact that there is One Right Play on any stack (or any of those non-stack moments when you can play or tap land or whatever), that is not to say that there is necessarily one right Plan. Probably you are scratching your head right now. What do you mean one right Plan? What is a Plan?
At that point, I did not understand what a mistake was, so I necessarily disagreed. The next game, Jon opened up with a strong anti-Angry Hermit draw of Dark Ritual, Skittering Horror, and was presented with any number of options for turn 2. I said"Why don't you play Skittering Skirge to make this a three-turn clock [instead of a five-turn clock]?"
How can I say this? Madness is... unkind. I haven't played a Madness deck since Regionals 2001 when Brian Kibler handed me one, and even though Rabbit made Top 8 with it, I can't conscience ever playing the Madness again. Every time I have this sort of deck, my opening hand is two lands, a Wonder, an Arrogant Wurm, two Circular Logics, and a Deep Analysis or some such. In the rare games that I get to draw a Wild Mongrel, it is invariably Smothered on turn 2, if not the victim of a Force Spike.
U/G Threshold, especially if no one is expecting it, is a much more forgiving version of the same concept (undercosted guys who fly). | ||
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Star-Spangled Slaughter by Mike Flores, originally published on 2013-05-17 Mike Flores took All-American Auras through ten rounds of Magic Online. Read about his astounding results and prepare for the SCG Standard Open in Nashville. Aggro Aggro by Mike Flores, originally published on 2013-05-03 Read about how Mike Flores playtested on Magic Online with two different beatdown decks to decide on a list to run in Standard this weekend at #SCGNJ. Applied Conservation Of Willpower by Mike Flores, originally published on 2013-04-19 Mike Flores explains what decision fatigue is, why it may be affecting you in long Magic tournaments, and what you can do to combat it and win more games of Magic. Conscientious Johnny's Guide To Avoiding Violations by Mike Flores, originally published on 2013-04-05 Deckbuilding guru Mike Flores shows you how most deck evaluation can be distilled into three-and-a-half questions. A must-read for anyone aspiring to become a better deckbuilder! The Many Fathers Of Gruul Ramp by Mike Flores, originally published on 2013-03-22 Championship deckbuilder Mike Flores tells you what inspired him to brew G/R Ramp and shows you why you should consider it for SCG Standard Open: Kansas City. Domri Obliterator Matchups With Videos! by Mike Flores, originally published on 2013-03-08 Using Domri Rade to Phyrexian Obliterate somebody might be one of those rare things in Magic that turn you to the Dark Side. Watch Mike Flores as he plays a few rounds and explains sideboarding. Sealed Deck Principles For Grand Prix Charlotte by Mike Flores, originally published on 2013-02-22 Mike Flores, author of The Official Miser's Guide, has some Sealed Deck tips for you just in time for this weekend's Gatecrash Limited Grand Prix in Charlotte! Part Two: A Failure Of Planning by Mike Flores, originally published on 2013-02-15 Mike Flores spins the tale of a deck, specifically U/R Delver in Legacy. He ran it in Edison last weekend and cashed, but how could he have planned better? Shiny New Thing + Sideboarding by Mike Flores, originally published on 2013-02-08 Mike Flores shows how he constructed a "perfect sideboard" for a Selesnya Ramp deck for the Open in Edison this weekend. Shockingly! The Mind Twist Factor by Mike Flores, originally published on 2013-01-25 Deckbuilding guru Mike Flores decided to see if old Extended favorite All-In Red could be an effective strategy in Modern. Read on to find out! Dealing With Challenging Mana Bases by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-12-28 Championship deckbuilder Mike Flores talks tuning mana bases while revealing the Standard deck he's been working on for Grand Prix Atlantic City. The Naughty List by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-12-21 Mike Flores, author of The Official Miser's Guide, lists seven naughty sideboarding mistakes players commonly make and how to avoid them. Playing, Fast And Slow by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-12-07 Magic theory pioneer Mike Flores provides you with some important things to think about when dictating your pace of play in games of Magic. SCG Open Series Preview: Las Vegas by Glenn Jones, originally published on 2012-12-06 The Open Series stops in Las Vegas this weekend on its way to Los Angeles for the Invitational. Tune in to @SCGLive with commentators Mike Flores and Patrick Sullivan! Beat Their Best Thing: Cheap Solutions To 5 Common Patterns by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-11-23 Deckbuilding guru Mike Flores identifies five common patterns and problems in Standard and shares cheap solutions that can give you an edge at your next SCG Standard Open. Video: Door Number One In Standard by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-11-15 See what happens when Magic theorist Mike Flores takes his Door to Nothingness combo deck from his article last Friday for a spin on Magic Online. Growing Up Combo by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-11-09 What's behind Door Number One? Renowned deck designer Mike Flores tells you why people play combo decks and reveals his latest combo creation in Standard featuring Door to Nothingness. The Funnest Deck In Standard by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-10-26 While it might not be quite ready for this weekend's SCG Standard Open in New Orleans, cutting-edge deckbuilder Mike Flores has a new deck creation that you won't want to miss! The Problem With Desecration Demon by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-09-21 Check out the Desecration Demon sketches legendary deckbuilder Mike Flores has come up with for Return to Ravnica Standard. The Power Of Two by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-09-07 Find out which Return to Ravnica two-drops iconic Magic writer Mike Flores is most excited about thus far and how he thinks they might affect deck design in the coming months. Destroy All Monsters Redux (AKA Brewing Bonfires) by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-08-24 Want to beat up on all the creature-based decks at SCG Standard Open: Denver? Then check out the R/G Post deck championship deckbuilder Mike Flores has been working on to prey upon the current metagame. Four Things I Learned In Our Nation's Capital Last Weekend by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-08-10 Mike Flores shares four things that he learned while commentating during the Standard and Legacy Opens at SCG Open Series: Washington, DC on @SCGLive last weekend. Video: BUG Battle Squashes by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-08-03 Watch Mike Flores play with his BUG Battle deck that he went over in detail in his article yesterday. Gear up for Standard at this weekend's SCG Open Series: Washington, DC! SCG Open Series Preview: Summer In Washington, DC by Glenn Jones, originally published on 2012-08-02 Get ready for this weekend's SCG Open Series in Washington, DC! Glenn Jones provides you with all the pertinent info, from the venue to the artists to this weekend's @SCGLive commentators: Joey Pasco and Mike Flores! Squash! Splat! BUG Battle by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-08-02 Take a look at Mike Flores' latest brew, BUG Battle, to see if you should try to out-Battle of Wits your opponents at the SCG Standard Open in Washington, DC this weekend. 2-3-4: The Philosophy Of Fire And The High-Water Mark by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-07-27 This week, Mike Flores revisits two fundamental Magic theories that every player should know: The Philosophy of Fire and the high-water mark. A Modern Monster Mashup + Videos by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-07-20 Mike Flores has made an echo of the deck from his previous article "How to Make a Mashup" for Modern. He explains the concept behind Modern Mashup and provides videos so you can see the deck in action. Reprint 13: When Can They Shine? by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-07-06 Iconic Magic author Mike Flores takes a different look at ten reprints in M13: he highlights the cards in successful decks from the past and tries to imagine situations where these cards can be difference-makers in Standard today. How You Can Stop Being So Stupid (Okay Maybe You Aren't) by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-06-29 Mike Flores tells you why he thinks you probably have a better chance to do well with his Mono-Black Control deck than a Delver deck in the current Standard environment. He also highlights a few interesting M13 cards. All Your Dreams Are About to Come True by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-06-22 Legendary deckbuilder Mike Flores has a thought experiment, a deck he thinks is capable of winning big tournaments in the current Standard metagame, and a promise to trolls that all of their dreams are about to come true. Video: U/R Delver Matchups by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-06-04 Mike Flores wrote about his U/R Delver in last week's article, and now he demonstrates how the matches play out in this set of videos. Consider picking up the deck for SCG Open: Worcester this weekend! More Many Fathers (Standard U/R Delver) by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-06-01 Want to play a different version of Delver at the SCG Standard Open in Columbus at the Origins Game Fair? Then check out the U/R Delver list that iconic deckbuilder Mike Flores plans on playing with this weekend. Big And Little (Miraculous) Things by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-05-25 Itching to play miracles in Standard at SCG Open Series: Nashville this weekend? Then check out Mike Flores' All-American Miracles deck, which he's been smashing with on Magic Online. How To Invent That Feeling Of Dread by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-05-18 "How important is a nail?" Mike Flores sets up some context in order to respond to those that disagree with his admonition from last week's article to "never" play The Rock. Controlling The Strike Zone by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-05-04 Inspired by Moneyball, Mike Flores teaches you to identify and later control the "strike zone" in your tournament Magic interactions. Learn how to give your opponent heretofore unknown opportunities to screw up for SCG Open Series: Providence. Mistakes And Opportunities With 10.5 Commonly Played Cards by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-04-27 Ever made a misplay that made you *facepalm* immediately? Legendary Magic author Mike Flores goes over some of the mistakes he's seen (and made!) most often with cards commonly played in today's Standard. Stage-Skipping Standard by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-04-20 Championship deckbuilder Mike Flores goes back to one of his old articles that newer players may not have seen yet: "The Breakdown of Theory." He explains what Stage Theory is and applies it to Magic as we know it today. SCG Open Series Preview: Bring It, Birmingham! by Glenn Jones, originally published on 2012-04-20 Join @SCGLive for #SCGAL this weekend, alongside commentators Joey Pasco and Mike Flores! Pondering Cabal Therapy by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-04-13 Find out why iconic Magic theorist Mike Flores thinks Cabal Therapy is the most superlative but also the most mislaid and misunderstood card in the history of Magic. Get ready for Legacy at SCG Open Series: Phoenix! SWOT With Innovator Breakfast by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-04-06 Since so many asked, Mike Flores goes in-depth over the Cephalid Breakfast deck he played in Legacy at SCG Open Series: Baltimore featuring the Invitational. Find out what changes he'd make to it for SCG Open Series: Des Moines. Citizen And Sir by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-03-30 Check out a different type of tournament report: Mike Flores goes over what he could've done differently this past weekend at SCG Open Series: Baltimore featuring the Invitational. Get ready for GP Salt Lake City! Gitaxian Probe And The Answer To Everything by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-03-23 This week Mike Flores takes a look at how to win incremental games. He also goes over why Gitaxian Probe is his favorite card from New Phyrexia and why he'll be playing it at SCG Open Series: Baltimore featuring the Invitational. Eight Core Principles Of "Who's The Beatdown?" by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-03-16 Lauren Lee suggested that Mike Flores rewrite the iconic "Who's the Beatdown?" using modern Standard examples. Discover how Mike revisits his article's ageless wisdom and applies it to the game today. Lies Your Teacher Told You; Truths Mine Told Me by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-03-14 How did Mike Flores convince Jon Finkel to "write" his column this week? Check out four insightful takeaways that Mike took from a conversation he had with the Magic All-Star. Big, Bigger, Biggest by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-03-02 Mike Flores talks about a new decklist he's been working with in Standard that he calls Four-Color Big-Big. Should you try it out this weekend at StarCityGames.com Open: Tampa? Harnessing Uncertainty: A Case For Strategically Loose Play by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-02-24 Aspiring tournament players are often told: "Play tight and play the best deck." But is playing tight always the right tactic? Mike Flores explains why playing loose can, in certain circumstances, lead to victory. Numbers by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-02-17 There are many roads to the Pro Tour—but statistically, which of these players tend to do the best? Is it the Hall of Famers? The GP grinders? How did the Planeswalker Points crew do overall? Mike Flores crunches the numbers. Practical Leveled Thinking (And Other Topics) by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-02-10 Mike Flores discusses multi-leveled gaming and reacting to your opponent based on what level you think he thinks you think he's on. If that made sense. Street Fighter analogies, Q&A, and rock-paper-scissors metagames. All here! Springboard 22 by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-02-03 Mike Flores strays from his usual Top 10 list into a Top 22 list for Dark Ascension. These cards are the best for launching new decks, shaping the metagame, and providing food for thought. *Audio* Unless You Happen To Be The Greatest Deck Of All Time by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-01-23 If you want to take Mike Flores with you on your iPod or listen to a StarCityGames.com article while working, now you can! This is the audio version of last week's Flores Friday, voiced by Mike Flores himself! Unless You Happen To Be The Greatest Deck Of All Time by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-01-20 Mike Flores delves into exactly what makes one card better than another card. Compare Incinerate and Volcanic Hammer, or Spark Elemental and Wild Nacatl. What's a mana worth? If you love bball, theory, or Magic, this article's for you! Flores Friday - Top 11, Top 12 by Mike Flores, originally published on 2012-01-06 Mike Flores sets a few goals for himself in 2012 and then lists twelve Magic articles that have shaped his writing and continue to influence him today. Some of the best the game has ever seen! Flores Friday - Delver Of Secrets Is The BestWorst Card In This Deck by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-12-30 Mike Flores reveals a truly interesting mono-blue deck for Modern. It's got some really spicy numbers like Delver of Secrets, Vedalken Shackles, and Remand. Fun! Why Cheating Sucks (Also Free Decklists!) by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-12-16 Mike Flores reveals two decklists he thinks has potential: a Mulch brew and Mono-Blue Infect. He also gives you the real reason why cheating sucks in Magic. Flores Friday - What I Would Play This Weekend by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-12-09 Mike Flores changes the equation with his U/B Control deck designed with a single purpose in mind: kill all the things! Try it this weekend at the Invitational. Flores Friday - Surprise! The Masterpiece And Breaking All The Rules by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-11-11 Solar Flare has diminished in popularity since the beginning of the format, but perhaps all it needs is a bump from Mike Flores. He takes Solar Flare to an entirely new plane with green mana, acceleration, and Garruks. Flores Friday - Picture This by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-10-28 It's 2011, and Cool Things Are Still Dangerous. Mike Flores uses modern examples to demonstrate how you can shape your endgame to where you want to be and why you shouldn't be distracted by shiny things on the way. Designing Decks For States by Sean McKeown, originally published on 2011-10-21 It all started with Sean telling Mike Flores to play Druidic Satchel, and now the new "Jace Beleren" substitute is providing incremental value in control decks everywhere. See what Sean's got up his sleeve for Baltimore this weekend. Five With Flores Friday - Come Again? by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-10-21 Mike Flores discusses the impact of cards like Druidic Satchel, Brimstone Volley, and Dungrove Elder on the metagame. He includes a massive sideboarding guide for people looking to sling some U/R Satchel this weekend. Flores by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-10-18 Mike Flores made some waves at New York States with his Druidic Satchel Control deck. Check out the list he would recommend for this week's Baltimore Open. Gain some life, put some lands into play, maybe make a dude! Flores Friday - Probable Weapon Of Choice by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-10-14 Mike Flores has his probable decklist for battling States tomorrow, a U/R Control deck with light splashes for flashback. In it, he has some old favorites like Frost Titan as well as new favorite, Brimstone Volley. Your Burning Questions About Past In Flames (And Other Innistrad Innovations) by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-09-23 Mike Flores sent out the Twitter bell for Innistrad questions, and these are his answers. He talks about the Human tribe, what to play at States, Reanimator decks, the viability of draw-go, and more! Cards, "Facts," Mentors, Multipliers, And Using Every Part Of The Buffalo by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-09-16 Mike Flores continues his crusade to get you out of your comfort zone, to get you to realize that maybe your preconceptions are wrong and that your deck's matchup isn't actually unbeatable and that card advantage is not the end all. Five With Flores Friday Special Edition - Five Stuffs by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-08-12 With so many options in Standard, why is it so hard to pick one of them? Mike Flores is having trouble finding a deck for this weekend. Are we sure that banning Stoneforge and Jace was the right thing to do? The Heroism Of Basic Plains by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-08-05 Plains is where it's at! Mike Flores will be slamming Sun Titans, Emeria lands, and of course Pilgrim's Eyes and Jens this weekend. This deck has great inevitability in the form of poison / Emeria / planeswalkers. Try it out. Flores Friday - What Makes The Rainmaker The Mightiest At Red Deck? by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-07-29 Mike Flores discusses the importance of Technology: what is it and how does it interact with our resources? How do we stay on top of the curve? Flores Friday - Homicides And Drive-bys by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-07-22 Mike Flores commits murder with his 187-filled G/W Birthing Pod deck. You get value when things come in and when things go out. Try it out after reading this primer and watching his videos, and consider it for SCG Open: Seattle. MTGO Video With G/W Pod by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-07-21 In characteristically charismatic fashion, Mike Flores, deckbuilding extraordinaire, illustrates these Magic Online video matches of him playing G/W Pod against a variety of archetypes. Don't miss his article follow-up on Friday! Flores Friday - The Great White Gap by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-07-15 Puresteel Paladin decks are picking up steam in Standard. Caleb Durward made 2nd place in a PTQ with a U/W list. Here's Mike Flores's take on the archetype! Twelve Must-Play M12 Cards + Some M12 Theme Decks by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-07-08 This article by deckbuilder extraordinaire and acclaimed Magic writer Mike Flores is about building decks based on an idea or theme, as well as the perils of doing so. Use this roadmap to build some of your own theme decks! Flores Friday - Seven Techniques For Unbeatable Sideboarding by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-07-04 Revisit this Mike Flores article from May 13, now on Select! Happy July 4th! Flores Friday -Pobody's Nerfect by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-07-01 Sometimes you just have to remind yourself: pobody's nerfect. Read these scenarios from Magic's history recounted by Mike Flores, and see why it's okay to make mistakes. The real question is what you do about it. Five With Flores Friday - The Rules by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-06-24 Mike Flores provides decklists and sideboarding information for all his favorite decks (without Jace, the Mind Sculptor)—including Mono-White Control, Exarch Twin, Pyromancer Ascension, U/W, and more. Ten [More] Things To Do With Your Spellskite by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-06-17 Mike Flores is the most contrarian person that Patrick Chapin knows. So to fit into that role, Mike is here to tell you why Spellskite is awesome now versus before, when it sucked. It's all because of Twinblade, which headlined the Invitational. Flores by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-05-26 Mike Flores won the TCGPlayer Open this past weekend with U/R Twin. No black mana, no Pyromancer Ascension, pure and simple. Is the reign of Caw-Blade at an end? Flores Friday - The Awkward (And Hawkward) Further Adventures Of Deceiver Twin by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-05-20 Mike Flores has his own version of Deceiver Twin that he's been working on ever since the spoiling of New Phyrexia. It's straight U/R! Try this clean and consistent version at Louisville this weekend. Flores Friday - Seven Techniques For Unbeatable Sideboarding by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-05-13 These methods are unconventional, but Mike Flores has never been about following the dotted lines. What matters is results. Mike suggests the following ways to get them through these 7 sideboarding techniques. Flores Friday - Other People's White Decks by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-04-29 Friday, April 29 - Mike Flores is having more fun playing Magic now than he has in months--and Jace is nowhere to be seen. He continues to take Mono White in Standard to new heights and has videos to demonstrate its power! Flores Friday - Triple Crown by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-04-22 Friday, April 22 - Mike Flores has 3 potential decks for Standard, including U/G Wave, Mono-White Eldrazi, and U/B Tezzeret Infect. With videos to back 'em up, try one of these sweet brews yourself at SCG Open: Boston this weekend! You Lika The Juice? Eldrazi Green/White For Regionals by Bennie Smith, originally published on 2011-04-15 Friday, April 15 - Regionals is this weekend, much to the surprise of one Mike Flores; if you're in that predicament, maybe you should check out Bennie's G/W aggro deck with Eldrazi Monument, built to crush Jace! Flores Friday - Nice Job, Idiot by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-04-15 Friday, April 15 - Mike Flores brings you both MTGO video goodness and a new champion decklist for today's Standard metagame - this is how you beat Jace without Jace. Flores Friday - Baker's Dozen: The Thirteen Labors Of Steven Sadin by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-03-25 Friday, March 25 - Do you miss the old days of Magic writing? Mike Flores brings you back with some of his timeless classics - articles you don't want to miss! Flores Friday - Two by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-03-11 Friday, March 11 - Mike Flores has approached Legacy, an umfamiliar format, with his years of experience and inherent understanding and has found a deck he worth running this weekend at the SCG Open in Memphis: Cephalid Life. Flores Tuesday - Part One by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-03-08 Tuesday, March 8 - Mike Flores, acclaimed deckbuilder, Magic theorist, and human being, attended the StarCityGames.com Open in Edison last weekend - enjoy Part One (just Part One) of his adventures. Live Coverage of StarCityGames.com Open Series: Edison, NJ by StarCityGames.com Event Coverage, originally published on 2011-03-04
Flores Friday - Ten Things I Learned About Legacy And Bant Videos! by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-03-04 Friday, March 4 - Mike Flores has a grabbag of goodies for you, including lessons for Legacy amateurs and Extended MTGO videos featuring Bant with Stoneforge Mystic. Prepare for both SCG Open: Edison this weekend and your next PTQ! Five With Flores Friday - DI Re-Buy by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-02-18 Friday, February 18 - Mike Flores, author of Deckade, gives you the answers you wanted to know: how he evaluates cards, why Lotus Cobra has fallen in rank, what you should play this weekend for Extended, and more. Flores Friday - One Rule: What Makes a Deck? by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-02-11 Friday, February 11 - Mike Flores, respected Magic writer and theorist, breaks down the art of customizing a stock deck to the point it becomes something else entirely - while fooling your opponents in those first crucial turns. Flores Friday Video: R/U/G In Action! by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-01-21 Friday, January 21st - Mike Flores (with a little help from an unexpectedly adorable partner) narrates four high-res Magic Online videos with R/U/G! Flores by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-01-19 Wednesday, January 19th - Mike Flores has been designing Magic decks since the beginning of time. Okay, maybe a little less. His years of experience culminate in this ultimate deckbuilding strategy - try it out! Playtesting the U/W Mashup by Mike Flores, originally published on 2011-01-07 Friday, January 7th - Following his incredible return to StarCityGames.com, Mike Flores brings you three playtesting videos with his new U/W Mashup. Includes a special guest appearance from Bella Flores! *Required Reading* Magic: The Intangibles by Mike Flores, originally published on 2010-12-14 Tuesday, December 14th - Some articles are so good that they should be required reading for Magic players, no matter what era. Mike Flores, Magic's most influential writer and deckbuilder, has many such articles. This is one of his best. The Secret Lair - Cash, Cobras, and the Upper Price Limit by Craig Jones, originally published on 2009-09-25 
Friday, September 25th - Last week I voiced some concerns over the Mythic status of a couple of the forthcoming cards from Zendikar. Then, in between me writing that article and it actually going up on this website, Mike Flores previews the most egregious offender of them all. Right on the main Magic: the Gathering site, of all places. Down And Dirty - Mob Munchies & Zendikar Begins by Kyle Sanchez, originally published on 2009-09-16 
Wednesday, September 16th - Zendikar spoilers continue to roll out at a snail’s pace, and everyone has their opinions on their strengths and weaknesses. Today, Kyle Sanchez discusses a much-debated one-drop that Mike Flores claims will be a Standard staple, and offers to devour a foil copy if this is the case! He also shares his thoughts on a collection of cards he feels will rock the New Standard casbah… Flow of Ideas - Reassigning Your Role by Gavin Verhey, originally published on 2009-07-16 
Thursday, July 16th - Over ten years ago, Mike Flores mounted the flag on the world of Magic theory when he wrote “Who’s the Beatdown” and made the claim that “misassumption of role = game loss.” As Magic has evolved over time more conceptual variation on these concepts have arisen, but the core idea remains the same. Deconstructing Constructed - Your Deck Sucks by Josh Silvestri, originally published on 2009-03-13 
Friday, March 13th - This week’s article will be on Standard and how all of your favorite decks suck, much in the vein of Mike Flores article on the subject from years ago. This means the article will be basically half sarcastic and mocking and generally mean, even though a lot of it is tongue-in-cheek. So I expect maybe 30% of you to read this and not flame me about the tone Deep Analysis - R/G Haterator in Extended by Richard Feldman, originally published on 2009-01-07 
Wednesday, January 7th - Packing considerable hate for the main strategies in a given metagame has been a noble tradition in Extended formats past. Mike Flores brought us Green/White Haterator, Zac Hill created Green/Red Terraforce… and now Richard Feldman brings us an exciting amalgam of the two! Could this be the next big thing in Extended? Read on to find out! Deep Analysis - SWOT Analysis of the New Extended by Richard Feldman, originally published on 2008-12-17
Wednesday, December 17th - With both Pro Tour: Berlin and the World Championships now in the books, and the upcoming PTQ season concentrating on Extended, it’s time to examine the format and figure the metagame. Borrowing from Mike Flores and his SWOT analysis, Richard Feldman takes us through the runners and riders… Deep Analysis - Taking "Who's The Beatdown" Two Steps Further by Richard Feldman, originally published on 2008-12-04 
Thursday, December 4th - "Who’s The Beatdown?" by Mike Flores is perhaps the most influential and important piece of Magic theory ever written. Today’s Deep Analysis attempts to expand on the fine theories presented in Mike’s masterpiece with a few of Feldman’s own ideas and inspirations… The Magic Show #120 - Halloween Special by Evan Erwin, originally published on 2008-10-31 
Friday, October 31st - Hello everybody, and welcome to another edition of the Magic Show. This week is Halloween and we’ve got a ghastly and ghoul-y show for you this week. We’re going to take a look at the frightening Standard environment as we approach States in just two weeks, take a look at the Wizards Play Network, Mike Flores’ latest video venture, and check out the Magic Halloween Top 5 Countdown. Let’s go! Sullivan Library - The Strategic Moment by Adrian Sullivan, originally published on 2008-09-12 
Friday, September 12th - Mike Flores, in his famous "Who’s The Beatdown?" article, told us that "Misassignment of Role = Game Loss." However, words such as "Role" can be notoriously nebulous… Role is not Archetype. Today, Adrian Sullivan talks us through the principle of the Strategic Moment, and shows us that even the most counter-heavy decks can have their day in the aggro sun… Flores Friday - A Wealth of Information by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-08-22 
Friday, August 22nd - The study of Economics, and how it relates to Magic, is something that’s been touched upon in countless articles down the years. Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike in inspired form, looking at the value inherent in certain strategies, and investigating the very nature of the battles we should be looking to fight, above the battles we are actually fighting. Flores Friday - Two for Torrent by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-08-15
Friday, August 15th - Red, Red, Red... it seems the color is omnipresent across a number of formats. Standard is awash with flame, and Demigod of Revenge is making a charge on the Block Constructed metagame. Today, Mike looks at Red in both Block and Standard, and shares his thoughts on the winning deck from Italian Nationals... Feature Article - Five-Color Fae in Block Constructed by Gerry Thompson, originally published on 2008-07-25 
Friday, July 25th - With Mike Flores taking a well-earned week off, today we have Constructed master Gerry Thompson, and a tale of a double-header PTQ weekend in which he came close, but not close enough. His weapon of choice for the two-day Magic extravaganza? Five-Color Fae. He brings us intricate match recaps and deck analysis, alongside an Eventide-friendly list he plans on playing at his next Block Constructed PTQ… Flores Friday - Constructed Sketches by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-07-18
Friday, July 18th - With Eventide knowledge now in the public domain, our attentions turn to the various Constructed formats. Today’s Flores Friday sees perennial deckbuilder Mike Flores share a number of interesting deck sketches that include some of the fresh goodies on offer. Standard, Block Constructed, Extended... whatever your Constructed poison, Mike has the ideas for you! Flores Friday - Everything You Could Possibly Want to Know About Eventide by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-07-11
Friday, July 11th - Is it possible that this article actually contains Everything You Could Ever Want to Know About Eventide? Probably not! But it does review just about every officially spoiled card from the upcoming set. Includes free deck lists! Warning: Contains Spoilers. Flores Friday - G/W Wins! by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-07-04
Friday, July 4th - You read that right, folks... in the Faerie-heavy Block Constructed metagame, Mike Flores’s Little Kid Green/White deck took home a Blue Envelope! Sadly for Mike, the envelope in question wasn’t addressed to him, but the deck has earned its wings nonetheless. Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike update the build for future battles, and the PTQ-winning pilot weighs in with his thoughts on the metagame... Flores Friday - On Losing by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-06-20
Friday, June 20th - Losing... as Magic players, losing games and matches must surely come as second nature. After all, even the best players in the world lose a third of their matches. When we face defeat, what matters most is that we learn from our position... and that we’ve done our best. Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike investigate his own philosophy of loss, while offering sage advice to those who struggle in defeat. Flores Friday - I Guess I Learned My Lesson: A Regionals Report by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-06-13
Friday, June 13th - Going into Regionals, Mike was at a loss for what to play. So, faced with a surfeit of appealing options, he did the one thing guaranteed to serve up the goods: he looked towards Japan for innovation. While he won’t be gracing the stage of U.S. Nationals this year, his Regionals report is full of strategy, focus, and fun... and he does indeed learn a valuable lesson about the game we all love. Flores Friday - A Case for Scissors, and Building the Anti-Deck by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-05-23
Friday, May 23rd - In a follow-up to last week’s incredible “The Basic Test of Metagame Competence,” Mike sets out his case for avoiding decks that auto-lose to the most powerful deck in a metagame, even if they do crush the rest of the field. He also expands the theory of the Anti-Deck, and outlines some of the pleasures and pitfalls involved in running such a strategy. Flores Friday - The Basic Test of Metagaming Competence by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-05-16
Friday, May 16th - Come join Mike in the madcap mathematical adventure that we call metagaming. Why is The Basic Test of Metagaming Competence the most useful article in modeling metagaming that you will ever read? Because just one paragraph in you may realize that everything you ever thought about metagaming was a lie... Or at least a gross series of very sad misunderstandings. And we can prove it. A must read. Flores Friday - Revisiting The Schools of Magic by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-05-09
Friday, May 9th - Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike hop into his Wayback Machine to revisit some of the classic strategic modeling from some of the top players and thinkers in the game. He casts his modernist eye over the various Schools of Magic, and updates them with a nod toward their importance in the current metagames. What can the strategies of the past teach us about the formats of the future? Flores Friday - What we as Wizards Can Learn from the Wizards: Sideboarding in Action by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-05-02
Friday, May 2nd - The power of a deck’s sideboard is something that is often difficult to quantify. Sure, we may fill our fifteen with cards that should impact the match in Games 2 and 3, but sometimes our meddling does little but dilute our core strategy. Today’s Flores Friday draws on the current Basketball Playoffs to investigate just how we can work to our strengths… Flores Friday - Burn Brew versus Monster Island: Flame in the Standard Metagame by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-04-25
Friday, April 25th - One of the stronger fringe strategies from Extended, Mono-Red Burn, has a number of excellent cards in the current Standard environment. Could it be a contender today? Mike runs the Shadowmoor-friendly burn deck against two of the more creature-packed powerhouses in the modern metagame: Merfolk, and the all-conquering Faeries. Do Mountains hold the key to success in these interesting times? Flores Friday - Snap Judgments Continued... Now with Free Deck Lists! by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-04-18
Friday, April 18th - Earlier this week, Mike Flores took us through some of his initial thoughts on the exciting Constructed cards on offer in Shadowmoor. Today, he continues where he left off, and spices things up with a few preliminary deck lists and ideas. If you’re looking for an edge in Shadowmoor Standard, here’s the perfect place to start! Michaelj Monday - Shadowmoor Snap Judgments by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-04-14
Monday, April 14th - Shadowmoor is coming, and the world is readying itself for the New Cards. Over on
MagictheGathering.com, official previews have littered the sight for a number of days. Today, Mike looks at each of them and
examines how they might fit into Constructed. If you’re looking for those sleeper hits before they come alive, look no further! Innovations - Moving from Good to Great with Zvi Mowshowitz by Patrick Chapin, originally published on 2008-04-11 
Friday, April 11th - Of late, there has been an influx of psychology-themed articles, each offering tangible reasons to explain why we lose. Today’s Innovations sees Patrick Chapin and Zvi Mowshowitz, two of the game’s undeniable greats, chewing the fat on the topic in an illuminating interview… [Editor’s Note – Mike Flores will be running on Monday!] Flores Friday - Boom, Bust, Bitterblossom, Blowout by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-04-04
Friday, April 4th - Standard is still proving a tricky nut to crack. Of course, that doesn’t stop Mike trying! Today he updates us on his exciting Mishra strategy, shares his thoughts on a powerful anti-aggro way to wield Bitterblossom, and throws his hat into the Constructed Warrior arena... Flores Friday - Work in Progress: Mishra Again by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-03-28
Friday, March 28th - With Extended now behind us (more or less), Constructed maestro Mike Flores turns his eyes back to the most popular 60-card format: Standard! Today’s Flores Friday see him try his hand with his beloved Mishra strategy against a number of the top-ranked decks in the modern metagame. Is he on to something? Flores Friday - A Curious Turn at Grand Prix: Philly... by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-03-21
Friday, March 21st - Grand Prix: Philadelphia saw Mike Flores pilot the perennial Blue/Green Combo favorite Heartbeat of Spring into the heat of battle. Sadly, things didn’t go according to plan on the day... today’s Flores Friday examines the reasons why. Mike shares one particular turn in which he feels the wheels may have fallen off the wagon... Flores Friday - Modeling Grand Prix Excellence by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-03-14
Friday, March 14th - This weekend, thousands of players will descend upon the Grand Prix halls in Philadelphia and Vienna. Only eight will survive to the final table of each, and of those eight, only one will triumph. What skills, exactly, do you need to make it all the way to the GP top? Mike investigates that today, with input from some of the greats (Dan OMS, Mikey P, Osyp to name but three). If you’re looking to elevate yourself to the next level, here’s the place to start! Flores Friday - Never Settle by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-03-07
Friday, March 7th - This week, Mike turns away from the vagaries of the seemingly endless Extended season. Instead of thrashing out metagame data, he turns to deeper theory. He tackles the concept of "never settling," a fine adjunct to his popular article How To Win A PTQ. After that, he moves into practical tips on how to improve one’s mental and mechanical game, offering sage advice on a number of interesting topics... MichaelJ Monday - Extended Mid-Season SWOT, Part 1 by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-03-03
Monday, March 3rd - In this rare Monday outing, Mike Flores performs an exhaustive SWOT analysis on a whopping twelve of the strongest Extended decks in the current metagame. He breaks down each archetype into Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, providing invaluable insight into the inner workings of these powerful builds. For anyone serious about the current PTQ season, this article is unmissable. Flores Friday - To The Dome: Burning Face in Extended by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-02-22
Friday, February 22nd - In case you’re unaware, Mike Flores is a fan of the mid-range strategy. However, at his last PTQ he found himself falling prey to the sin of merely playing cards. Determined to kick up a stink at this weekend’s Grand Prix, he turned away from his mid-range roots to pursue an altogether more flamboyant strategy... Flores Friday - Utilizing a 52-Card Skillset in Magic by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-02-15
Friday, February 15th - We’re all trying to improve our game in a myriad of different ways. Magic is a game of inches, and improvement comes in tiny increments. Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike turn from the world’s best 60-card game to the tables of a popular 52-card game, to see if there are lessons to be learned that transfer to the realm of the spellslinger. Deep Analysis - Is the Field of Battle the Real Deal? by Richard Feldman, originally published on 2008-02-14
Thursday, February 14th - Last Friday, Mike Flores wrote an article on Dictating the Field of Battle. Towards the end, he stated that dictating the Field of Battle was the "Holy Grail of Magic." Richard Feldman disagrees. In today’s Deep Analysis, he suggests that there are other potent approaches which must be considered when building your deck for a PTQ… Flores Friday - Dictating the Field of Battle by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-02-08
Dueling in Magic can be described in countless ways. One of the more enduring metaphors sees our glorious game shrouded in the imagery of war. When setting up on the field of battle, it makes sense that, as generals, we choose to fight on our own terms. In this enlightening article, Mike waxes poetic on ways in which we can dictate the field of battle. If you’re looking for a subtle edge at your next tournament, let Mike lead the way! Feature Article - Those New Set Tribal Blues by John F. Rizzo, originally published on 2008-01-25 
There’s a new set in town… Morningtide is here to rock our socks and set our Tribal / Class juices flowing. Some people, however, are not so enamored of the current Tribal direction in which the game is headed. John Friggin’ Rizzo takes a sledgehammer to the Tribal theme in a provocative article crammed with his usual verve and passion. Do you agree with his assessment?
[Editor’s Note – Mike Flores will be appearing on Monday, folks… watch this space!] Flores Friday - Three Ways to Skin a Cat by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-01-18
With Extended PTQs continuing apace, it seems that Doran and pals are forcing the metagame to fight in the mid-game. How can we win this fight? Mike presents three ways in which to battle the latest incarnation of the ever-popular Rock decks. If you’re looking for an edge for your next PTQ, especially in the mirror match, this is the article for you! Peebles Primers - Off The Extended Path by Benjamin Peebles-Mundy, originally published on 2008-01-16 
Extended, it seems, is a format in which innovation is possible. Mike Flores, for example, ran a deck that killed with Rith’s Charm and Biorhythm. With so much mana-fixing available, and powerful cards across all colors, the sky is the limit. Beware, however… because that sky could be filled with the harsh glare of a Blood Moon… Can your PTQ weapon of choice weather a plethora of nonbasic land hatred? Innovations - Martyr of Sands in Extended by Patrick Chapin, originally published on 2008-01-14
Today’s Innovations sees Patrick Chapin investigate the latest exciting build from the brainpan of Mike Flores: Rith’s Charm Combo. Of course, being the Innovator does have its duties, so Patrick expands upon the work Mike has done thus far, conceding that Mike was right… and then showing him how to do it better. Flores Friday - A Rith's Charm Combo Deck in Extended by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-01-11
Mike narrowly missed Top 8 this week with a deck that you simply have to see to believe. There is really nothing else to say, or can be said, than that. Flores Friday - The Penalty of Failure, an Article About Extended by Mike Flores, originally published on 2008-01-04
It’s nearly the weekend, folks, and that means one thing... Extended PTQs! Mike weighs in with advice, featuring The Most Important Question You Will Have to Answer Tomorrow, Why Linear Sucks, Four-and-Two-Halves Rounds with the Prodigy, Two Ways to Get Free Wins, and More! Happy New Year! Flores Friday - Problems and Solutions in Extended by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-12-28
Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike dissect the pertinent problems in the modern Extended environment, and offer some proactive thinking in order to combat them. It’s safe to say that, at the beginning of this fresh and exciting metagame, the more successful players will be those that’ve identified a hole in the format and attempted to drive a Buick through it. Let Mike show you how! Flores Friday - Ours is the Fury by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-12-21
Today’s Flores Friday follows hot on the heels of Michaelj Monday’s "The Breakdown of Theory" article. Mike fleshes out his fresh and exciting Phases of Magic concept, looking back at various dominant strategies in an attempt to contextualize their success. What exactly where these meta-warping behemoths doing right? And can we recreate their success on the battlefield today? Michaelj Monday - The Breakdown of Theory by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-12-17
Last week, Flores Friday made way for the return of Zvi Mowshowitz. In this Michaelj Monday, Flores presents a bold new framework to redefining and understanding Magic theory. Is everything we've read and learned to this point wrong? It's not the Grand Unified Theory of Magic: The Gathering, but it's the closest thing we've got. Flores Friday - The Top 8 Ways to Cleaner Play by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-12-07
Everyone makes mistakes. Even at the top level of play, people tap the wrong mana, make bad attacks, play too aggressively, or too timidly. Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike share his top eight tips to clean up our play. While playing the perfect game of Magic may be a pipe dream, producing a polished performance is of paramount importance to players that plan to place highly in the PTQs. Let Mike show you how! Flores Friday - Principles for Modeling the Best Deck by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-11-30
Most of us know that we want, in the abstract, “to play the best deck” ... But what exactly does that mean? What is the definition of the best deck? Is it mathematical? Is it philosophical? Does such a thing really exist? Mike has an idea... and shares his thoughts on the subject through quotes from some of the greatest minds in the game! Flores Friday - Top-down Gold in Extended by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-11-23
A Standard Pro Tour looms in the New Year, and who wouldn’t want a trip to Hollywood? In order to qualify, one must triumph at an Extended PTQ. The season kicks off in January... but Mike likes to be prepared. Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike share an interesting multi-colored deck based around powerful Lorwyn cards and overlooked mana-fixing. If you’re serious about qualifying for PT: Showbiz, you can’t miss this! Flores Friday - The Top 8 Things I Get Out Of Testing by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-11-16
Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike sharing his intimate playtesting procedures. However, instead of focusing on the minutiae the process, he deals in specific ways in which he gains insight into his deck, the metagame, and his own personal growth as a player. By breaking down the Top 8 ways in which he improves through testing, he shows us the ways in which we too can learn from playing our wonderful game... Innovations - Thermodynamics in Magic by Patrick Chapin, originally published on 2007-11-12
One of the most important questions players are forced to answer during a game of Magic is “What is my role?” Mike Flores tells us that Misassignment of Role = Game Loss, and while that is certainly true, there is more to the theory behind that statement than meets the eye. Today, in a contender for Article of the Year, Patrick “The Innovator” Chapin explores the novel concept of Thermodynamics in Magic. One deck is warm, the other is cool… just where do the boundaries lie? Flores Friday - How to Win a PTQ by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-11-09
The elusive Blue Envelope... the Holy Grail for which every PTQ player pines. How, exactly, can we put ourselves in the proper mindset to achieve a PTQ win? Is it about practice, belief, luck... all of these things? Today’s Flores Friday examines the qualities you need to step up and reach your true potential. Another master class from Mike – you don’t want to miss this! Feature Article - Aggro Flow in the New Extended by Andre Coimbra, originally published on 2007-11-05
In preparation for Pro Tour: Valencia, Portugal’s Andre Coimbra joined forces with Steve Sadin, Mike Flores, Brian David-Marshall, and more. Together, they looked to demolish the blossoming metagame with a mixture of strategies both old and new. In his first article for StarCityGames.com, Andre shares the development of the deck he played at the PT, updates it for Lorwyn, and reveals his sideboarding strategies. Welcome aboard Andre! Flores Friday - Win the War by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-11-02
Last weekend, Mike took to the field of battle with a deck that should look familiar. Unfortunately, a few play mistakes saw him out of contention early. Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike in a reflective mood, examining these mistakes in order to analyse what they signify in the grand scheme of self improvement. We all make mistakes... but learning from them is what makes us better players. Can YOU learn from Mike’s mistakes? Read on to find out! Flores Friday – Spotlight on States: Mono-Green and Rakdos in Standard by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-10-26 
Defending New York State Champion Mike Flores has not yet settled on a final 75. That’s understandable — the man changes decks more often than he changes socks. Today’s Flores Friday sees two distinct and original deck ideas that are high on his list of options. HE also looks back at his performances at States down the years, to see if there are lessons to be learnt... Still Wondering What to Play at States? by Pete Hoefling, originally published on 2007-10-22
Still unsure what to play at States? Here are a few suggestions from our StarCityGames.com Premium staff...
Spotlight on States: The Ghosts of States Past (Mono-Green and Rakdos in Standard) by Mike Flores
The Beautiful Struggle - The Mockvitational: Conclusion, and What it Means for Standard by Mark Young, originally published on 2007-10-18 
So, when last we met I was 2-5 in the Mockvitational and about to play four rounds of Standard. The interesting thing is that three of my remaining four opponents — Christian Calcano, Asher Hecht, and Gabe Carlton-Barnes — were 1-2-3 in the standings at that point. So much like baseball’s Washington Nationals, I would get a chance to spoil the dreams of some New Yorkers in October. Calcano was even wearing a Mets jersey, it was just too perfect. I would also have to play Mike Flores, who was my main competition for the ignominious last-place finish... Flores Friday - The Mockvitational Bandwagon by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-10-05
Lorwyn Standard is, at present, a mystery. Are the tribes strong enough to impact on the format? How bad is the loss of the Ravnica dual lands? With tomorrow’s Mockvitational in his sights, Mike Flores attempts to crack a few of these mysteries and brings us a B/U Control deck that’s packed with fresh meat! Cryptic Command, Guile... will they cut it in the upcoming metagame? Flores Friday - Dredge and the Numbers by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-09-28
Mike is not a particular fan of the Dredge strategy. However, with the Extended format shaping up to be a graveyard-dominated metagame, today’s Flores Friday sees Mike explain why fumbling around in our trash piles may actually be a winning formula. He also updates Zvi Mowshowitz’s excellent Numbers strategy, and asks a few questions of the decks that you’re looking to play... Flores Friday - Taking Another SWOT by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-09-21
Last week, Mike took a long look at some of the contenders in the current Extended metagame, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This week, he delivers more of the same: a cavalcade of Extended goodness, and the metagame laid bare. If you’re serious about cracking this format for the Pro Tour, or even for the PTQ season that looms large, this article is an invaluable stepping stone. Flores Friday — Extended Overview by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-09-14
With the Pro Tour looming large, it seems that all the cool kids are playing Extended. Today, Mike turns his eye to the format as a whole, and dissects the major archetypes that will be making a splash in Valencia. Each deck is laid bare, with both strengths and weaknesses writ large for all to see. Deep Analysis — Public Service Announcement by Richard Feldman, originally published on 2007-09-13
Richard is on a mission. For the past few weeks, Mike Flores has been lending his support to the "four and one" school of deckbuilding: this theory explains why having any number of a particular card in your deck other than "four" and "one" is inherently flawed. Richard disagrees. In today’s Deep Analysis, he attempts to set the record straight with what we in England call "fightin’ talk." Let battle commence! Flores Friday — Extended: Finding a Baseline by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-09-07
Pro Tour: Valencia is just around the corner, and Mike is getting back into the Extended swing. Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike throw out three novel and exciting Extended decks, and run us through some games on Magic Online. While, in their current incarnations, they may not be PT winners, they’re certainly decks to watch. And with Nike’s deckbuilding pedigree, who knows? Maybe one will make a Sunday slot after all... Flores Friday - The Lesson: Two-and-a Half Decks for Post-Lorwyn Standard... Almost by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-08-31
[Editor's Note: This article was a little late on Friday, so we're running it again today in case you missed it.]
Mike’s Flores Friday takes us through his preparations thus far for States... yeah, that’s right: STATES. He shares two Standard decklists pulled deep from his well of creativity, both without a Ravnica card to their name, and walks us through some sample games. How does he fare? Well, the second offering is christened “Unbeatable.dec,” so you figure it out... Flores Friday - Popularity Contests by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-08-24 
It’s August, Lorwyn is just around the corner, and eyes have turned to the upcoming inauguration of the third class of Magic’s Hall of Fame. It’s safe to say that, of this year’s illustrious nominees, there are one or two locks for inclusion. Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike share his opinion on the class of 2007, with a rundown of his final five picks. Flores Friday - Sideboarding with the Once and Future #1 Apprentices by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-08-17
Last weekend, Mike Flores helped two of his self-appointed "apprentices" make Top 8 at a Time Spiral Block Constructed PTQ. Asher Hecht came third, and Josh Ravitz won the whole thing. This was due, in no small part, to excellent deck choice and playskill... but also because of the excellent sideboarding strategy. Mike brings us the low-down today, plus an exhaustive response to Adrian Sullivan’s claims regarding the 4/1 "dogma" of card numbers in deck construction. Flores Friday - Fulfilling Expectations: How To Build A Sideboard That Isn’t Embarrassing by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-08-10
Today’s edition of Flores Friday sees Mike deconstruct the myths behind the creation of an exquisite sideboard. So many of our final fifteens are assembled as an apology rather than as a weapon. By looking at the math behind the process, and examining the true goals of sideboard design, Mike shows us ways to improve our deckbuilding skills in an article that’s destined to become a classic. Flores Friday - Two Formats, Three Decks by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-08-03
It's the weekend, so that means one thing: Flores Friday. Today's offering from Mike showcases a plethora of practical information on the relevant formats, from the front lines. He shares his U.S. Grinders decklist, and Osyp's Nationals deck, before bringing us what he claims to be the best deck in Time Spiral Block Constructed by far... and he didn't design it! Intrigued? Then read on... Flores Friday - On the Couch, in the Brain by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-07-27
In preparation for U.S. Nationals, and for the meatgrinders in particular, this week's Flores Friday sees Mike bring us a selection of fun and powerful Standard decks across a number of popular archetypes. Looking for the best of Gruul beatdown? Or something more mid-range and controlling? How about a Green/White deck with plenty of trickery? Mike's got all the bases covered... Flores Friday - Delta Ex by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-07-20
Nationals is fast approaching, and the deadline for Tenth Edition's Standard debut is actually today... so, what can we expect of the new metagame? Mike takes a timely look at all the major players pre-rotation, and places them in the Winners or Losers enclosure. Some decks gain, while some fall from grace. If you're looking to form a picture of the evolving metagame before it officially arrives, this article is invaluable. The Beautiful Struggle - Westside by Mark Young, originally published on 2007-07-19
Lots of people got excited about the four- and five-color strategy with the reprinting of Whispers of the Muse and Gaea’s Blessing in Time Spiral, but it didn’t quite work out; during our testing at the Time Spiral prerelease, Mike Flores was concerned about tapping low for a Whispers and having the opponent respond with Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir. However, Block Constructed has shown the way... Flores Friday - Vorosh.dec... No, Really by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-07-13
Today's Flores Friday sees Mike update his four-color U/B/r/g Control list for the current Block Constructed metagame. He talks us through his journey to the current seventy-five, and shares his highs and lows from a recent PTQ... including one self-proclaimed "bonehead" play that Mike believes is the worst he's made in eleven years. Intrigued? Then read on! Flores Friday - X, (+), (-) by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-07-06
Today's Flores Friday sees Mike take a fine-tooth comb through the gains and losses coming in Tenth Edition. What cards will we miss, and what cards will we banish with a cheery wave? What are the cards that will make the biggest impact on U/S. Nationals Standard, and what cards are the dead ducks? Plus Mike's take on a popular Time Spiral Block Constructed control strategy... what more could you possible want? Flores Friday - Work in Progress: Vorosh.dec by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-06-29 Another Flores Friday, another kick-ass deck... this time, a spicy looking G/U/B build for Block Constructed (As you've probably guessed by the deck name above). Harnessing the power of a number of strong synergies, does this deck have what it takes to propel its pilot to the Pro Tour? And does the deck actually include the rubbish dragon from Planar Chaos? Read on to find out! Flores Friday - Repositioning by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-06-22 
This week's Flores Friday sees Mike answer his critics with a detailed explanation of his recent Vectors argument. By fighting a Magical battle on the expected front, a player puts himself in the unenviable position to be outclassed come games 2 and 3. However, with a little canny repositioning, the numbers can be dragged back into the winning column. If you're serious about improving your chances at your next Constructed tournament, you can't afford to miss this. Tact or Friction — PS: Bits and Pieces by Talen Lee, originally published on 2007-06-19 
Talen's column has moved from Thursday to Tuesday, and this has caused a little upheaval in the Lee household. Today's offering is a selection of seemingly random thoughts and rants on a number of Magical subjects. Prismatic, R&D, Magic novels, Mike Flores, crap rares... Talen reveals all. Flores Friday - The Legends of Team CMU by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-06-15 
Mike Flores rocked up to Regionals with yet another powerful deck of his own design, this time admirably aided by a host of innovative others. As usual, he marched his way to the top tables, making Top 8 with relative ease. And, as usual, he punted at the final hurdle. Today's Flores Friday sees Mike take us through the design and theory behind the deck, and gives us a blow-by-blow of the tournament itself. Flores Friday — Road to Regionals: Dodgeball, or "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Vore?" by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-06-08 
It's the Friday before Regionals, and Mike Flores reveals the deck with which he'll be battling in the weekend trenches. So, what'll it be? Go-sis? Blue/White? Hell, something with Nessian Courser (this season's Critical Mass)? Nope, is none of those... Alongside his starting seventy-five, Mike shares an intriguing concept: Vector Magic. As for his Regionals deck... well, you'll have to read on to find out! Magical Hack — Road to Regionals: The Road-Map to Regionals by Sean McKeown, originally published on 2007-06-08
Regionals is always an interesting challenge, as the role of the savvy player or designer is to accurately estimate the upcoming metagame and position themselves either to dodge the brunt of the incoming attack or to pick at the weak flank that is left revealed with a surprise assault. This is the distilled essence of everything fellow Friday writer Mike Flores believes in, when it comes to picking a deck for a tournament, saving you several thousand words to bring the essential lesson: know your enemy, so that you may better defeat them. Feature Article — Road to Regionals: Heezy Looks At Gruul by Mark Herberholz, originally published on 2007-06-08
In yet another Road to Regionals offering, Mark "Heezy" Herberholz — king of the Red/Green beatdown — shares his thoughts on the aggro deck du jour, with special reference to his recent ten-game set versus Mike Flores and the much-discussed Dredge deck. Aggressive strategies are an excellent choice for a diverse Regionals field, so get the top tech from the best in the game!Visit StarCityGames.com at This Saturday's North Carolina and Georgia MtG Regionals!
A StarCityGames.com Discussion from 2007-06-01
This Saturday, StarCityGames.com will be attending both the North Carolina and Atlanta MtG Regionals! Whether you're looking to buy, sell or trade, our team will be happy to assist you. In the meantime, our StarCityGames.com Premium staff is here to hook you up with their thoughts on the new Standard format!
Road to Regionals: Dodgeball, or "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Vore?" by Mike Flores Yawgmoth’s Whimsy #180 - Green is Dumb, Blue is Stretchy by Peter Jahn, originally published on 2007-05-29 
Green is like chicken pox. You know it won’t help, but it is so hard to resist scratching. Those little sores are an irritation that you just can’t ignore. Even knowing that scratching actually makes things worse, nothing short of boxing gloves could make me leave them alone. So, because Mike Flores and Bennie Smith were talking about Green recently - scratch, scratch, scratch. Flores Friday - Go-Sis and Draw-Go by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-05-25
Mike continues his exploration of the B/U/R Control deck in Standard, and reveals that this is the deck he is currently planning to take to Regionals. Today's Flores Friday sees Mike throw the deck against the format's behemoth, Dragonstorm. Ten games, ten results, and a favorable matchup overall. If that's not enough, he also brings us a powerful Mono-Blue Control build, both with and without Future Sight! Flores Friday - The Obvious and Difficult Combinations by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-05-18
With Regionals just around the corner, Mike ups the ante... with not one, not two, but three Standard decks packed with Future Sight cards! Each deck has a controlling feel, and there's copious input from Patrick "The Innovator" Chapin, who "fixes" one of Mike's deck (much to the Resident Genius's delight). Mike's creations constantly warp the Constructed metagame, and these decks are no exception. If you're looking for an edge in the coming Standard environment, look no further! Feature Article - What’s The Beatdown? by Dan Paskins, originally published on 2007-05-14 This is a companion article to the classic article "Who’s The Beatdown?" by Mike Flores. It explores the different ways to play aggressive decks, and the ways to win more while doing so. It was inspired by Mike’s recent comment that there was no more strategy worth writing about for beatdown or burn decks. It is suitable for players and Goblins of all ages, though those with Elvish sympathies may find some scenes distressing. Spotlight on Future Sight — A Look at Constructed by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-05-04 Rounding out our Spotlight on Future Site series, we have Mike Flores! As usual for Flores Friday, Mike will be dwelling on cards specifically for Constructed formats... and today’s article looks at the twenty most promising cards to come from the new set. In addition, Mike dismantles a lot of the myths regarding some of the more over-hyped cards in the set. You can be sure that Pact of Negation will make the Top 20 list... but Bound in Silence? And where does Mike stand on the Edge of Autumn debate? Read on to find out! Flores Friday - The Innovator versus Resident Genius Dilemma: Resident Genius! by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-04-27 Yesterday’s Feature Article — to be found below today’s From The Lab — saw Patrick “The Innovator” Chapin don his Inquisitive Hat in order to grill Mike Flores about All Things Magical. Today’s Flores Friday sees the boot, or rather the Hat, on the other... erm... foot. Mike asks the questions, and Patrick reveals all! Who’s the greatest deck designer in the world? What’s the best card in Block? Do the Future Sight rare lands deserve our attention, and which is the strongest? If you liked Patrick’s article, you’ll love this... Feature Article - Interview with the Resident Genius, Michael J. Flores by Patrick Chapin, originally published on 2007-04-26 In the StarCityGames.com 2006 Awards article, Mike Flores was voted Writer of the Year... but running him a close second was Patrick “The Innovator” Chapin. Today’s Feature Article sees Patrick pick up the microphone and pose the questions to the man that many love to hate... the Resident Genius himself! Mike tells us of his favorite Flores decks, his favorite Magic writers, and reveals why PTQ players struggle to make it to the next level... The Innovator Leaks The Real Block Decks by Patrick Chapin, originally published on 2007-03-30 With Mike Flores taking a mini-break until Monday, we’ve got the next best thing (if you believe the results from our 2006 Awards article)... Patrick “The Innovator” Chapin! Today, his mercurial eye turns to the Time Spiral Block Constructed format, and he presents four decks for our consumption. Some are new twists on old favorites, while some are new offerings. Enjoy! Flores Friday - Rebuttal: An Alternate Rule of Engagement by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-03-02 Earlier this week, Richard Feldman offered his “Rules of Engagement” for the current complex Extended format. While his argument held weight, Mike Flores respectfully disagrees with his assertions. Indeed, Mike believes that the current Extended format, far from being an ornery bramble-patch of treachery, is actually one of the more simplistic formats we’ve ever faced. Intrigued? Then read on... Flores Friday - Get in Touch With Your Inner 4/4: Beats.dec by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-02-16 Mike Flores, Breaker of Metagames, brings us a fresh Extended deck that took him to within an inch of success of his last PTQ. Harnessing the heady power of 4/4 monsters — a trait that would make Jamie Wakefield proud — has Mike finally achieved his seasonal goal and broken the format? You’d better be prepared to face this deck, because folk will run it come PTQ time. Flores Friday - The Impact of Planar Chaos: Standard (32 Flavors) by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-02-09  We've had Eisel on Limited. We've had Feldman on Extended. We've had Remie answering questions, and Chan sharing a pro perspective. Today we have Mike Flores looking at the impact that Planar Chaos will have on the coming Standard environment. The cards to watch, and the cards to avoid. The strategies that'll work, and the strategies that'll die. The best writers, and the best players, only at StarCityGames.com! Ask The Drama - Curse You, Mike Flores! More Questions on The Rock by Jeroen Remie, originally published on 2007-01-31 After fielding a multitude of questions on The Rock, Jeroen "Rock Master" Remie happily thought the subject was done... Then Mike Flores produced the powerful "Flores Rocks" Rock deck for Extended, and the questions began anew. Today's Ask The Drama looks at the Flores Rock deck, and Jeroen answers many questions regarding its viability in the exciting Extended metagame. Submit your questions to jeroenremie@gmail.com, but please... lay off The Rock questions. The vein in Jeroen's temple is throbbing, fit to burst. It's only a matter of time before he turns green and goes all "Remie Smash" on us... Flores Friday - Re-positioning Linear Designs and Hybridizing Strategies: Two Ways to Cheat by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-01-26 The Extended metagame rumbles on, and many of us are looking for that elusive edge for our next PTQ tournament. As usual, Mike Flores may have the answers we seek. Today's Flores Friday examines a fascinating tactic available to us, a tactic that could inform our deck-choices come Tournament Day. Is an exploration of linear card design the key to building a format-warping deck? Mike constantly redefines the metagame... maybe this view of Magic deck-building and design could see us do the same. Barriers and Opportunities - Ten (or so) Standard Challenges and Rediscoveries, Care of Planar Chaos by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-01-22 In the first of this week's extra Premium articles, Mike Flores takes us through his preliminary thoughts on the impact of Planar Chaos in Constructed. What does the metagame gain from a fresh 165, and how will the dominant strategies compare when the new cards go live in tournament play? The color pie is truly smashed: White has pinpoint removal, Green draws cards, and Black has Wrath of God. This excellent article is the first step towards exploring a Brave New World... Alternate Paradigms 2: G/W Beatdown at the Top8Magic Mock Extended Tournament by Mike Flores, originally published on 2007-01-05 As we all know, Mike Flores is a veritable fountain of decklists. Be they Standard or Extended, Mr Flores can be relied upon to shape the Constructed metagame with each article written. Today's offering is no different - Green/White Aggro in Extended. With fantastic matchups against both Boros Deck Wins and TEPS, this decklist is one no serious PTQ player can ignore... is it the deck for you? Champs Tech from the StarCityGames.com Premium Staff! by Pete Hoefling, originally published on 2006-10-27 
While the rest of the community wonders what to play at Champs, StarCityGames.com Premium members are getting their deck ideas from some of the greatest minds in the game!
Sixteen - A Time Spiral Standard Tournament Experiment by Mike Flores
Give yourself an edge over the competition... become a StarCityGames.com Premium member today! Sixteen - A Time Spiral Standard Tournament Experiment by Mike Flores, originally published on 2006-10-26
The Standard Champs articles keep on coming! Mike Flores (the metagame messiah) brings us a mock sixteen-man Time Spiral Standard tournament, pitching all the major players head-to-head in one mighty fight to the finish! Each game and matchup is examined in detail, and the winner... let's just say you may be surprised at the outcome. The metagame is now slowly taking shape. Make sure you're prepared! You Make the Call by Mike Flores, originally published on 2006-10-24
We all know that the tiniest mistakes can lose the game... But what kinds of mistakes might lose you that Top 8 slot at Champs? Mike Flores walks you through four sample Standard scenarios where subtle details make the difference between the right play and the wrong play. Want to know what sorts of things the pros look for when they're deciding how to respond? Look no further! Testing for the New Standard: U/G Versus Solar Flare! by Josh Ravitz, originally published on 2006-10-20  While I’ve devoted most of my free time to testing for Pro Tour: Kobe, I had the opportunity this past weekend to play some Constructed against Mike Flores. I took Mike's U/G Beatdown deck and took it for a spin against U/G/W Solar Flare. Mike predicted it would be 7-3 in my favor - but I'll tell you how it really played out, how to play the deck, and what kind of a matchup you can expect. And Now For Somebody Completely Different... by Mike Flores, originally published on 2006-10-19
Mike Flores does not create his decks in a vacuum; he tests his decks with the help of his friends at Neutral Ground and Top8Magic, and they do not always agree with the mighty Mike! So rather than just giving you his opinion on Champs, Mike interviews his teammates to ask them what they think the best deck for States is going to be. (And as an extra-special bonus, Mike Flores interviews... Mike Flores!) Japanese Deck-Testing - From the Other Side of the Table by Josh Ravitz, originally published on 2006-09-01 With RGD Sealed entering its dying days, Josh turns his eye to the decks from the Japanese Nationals. His article research led him into duel after duel with Mike Flores, throwing the Top 8 decks against the strong 8StoneRain.dec. While Mike makes some bold claims for the metagame, Josh's agreement isn't absolute. Read on to find out how the matches progressed... Best Deck, Unfair Deck, and The Solution by Jeff Stewart, originally published on 2006-08-21 I’ve recently been thinking about Magic theory with the uneasy thought that I really did not understand what was going on. “The Philosophy of Fire” and “Who’s the Beatdown” by Mike Flores, and almost everything written by Zvi, hit on the big issues... but something was missing, and so I started to run the thought process to ground. There is the adage “Combo beats Aggro beats Control,” but that understanding just didn’t seem as though it were enough. I needed more. What I realized next changed the way I understand Magic. Ravnica Block Constructed: The R/G vs. G/W Matchup 2 by Steve Sadin, originally published on 2006-06-16 In a complementary article to Mike Flores, Steve looks at the G/W versus R/G matchup from the Gruul perspective. While the results were the same, and the strength of the Elephants was paramount, the R/G beatdown staple is one deck that can simply destroy anything. Block Constructed promises to be a fun and varied format... but when the dust settles, with the beatdown machine remain triumphant? Ravnica Block Constructed: The R/G vs. G/W Matchup 1 by Mike Flores, originally published on 2006-06-16 Pro Tour Charleston kicks off today, and teams of eager players prepare to slam their Ravnica Block decks head-to-head against all comers. Today, Mike Flores and Steve Sadin share their testing results and decklists for the popular R/G Aggro archetype, and a G/W Glare deck that routinely wins on the back of Three Stupid Elephants. These articles break the back of this matchup, and are perfect preparation for the weekend ahead! Four Color Masterpiece - Taking Regionals By Storm! *2nd* by Anton Goldblatt, originally published on 2006-05-26 As most of you by now know, Mike Flores had discussed this deck at length in his latest article for MagictheGathering.com. It was actually during a conversation with Mike that he proposed I write a tournament report, to help followers of the deck understand certain complexities.
So, well... here I am! Regionals - Reporting on Dissension by Mike Flores, originally published on 2006-05-26 Mike Flores describes the deck he and apprentice Julian Levin use to a combined 12-2-2 Swiss record at Southern New England Regionals. This mysterious deck - which plays essentially no Guildpact or Dissension spells - was passed over for States when they finished first and second in New York... but was reappropriated for a tournament with two more sets added. The answers to all your questions and the round-by-round blow-by-blows are contained within! The Road to Regionals - Battling Flores: Ghost Husk and Heartbeat by Steve Sadin, originally published on 2006-05-19 
For our final Premium article before Regionals, Steve Sadin shares the matchup data behind his recent testing session with Mike Flores. Piloting both Heartbeat and Ghost Husk, he faced off against Annex Wildfire, with remarkably stable results. Are you planning to run with one of the best two decks in the current Standard? Be prepared - Read Steve today! The Road to Regionals - Like Signets in Vore: A Three-way Dance by Mike Flores, originally published on 2006-05-19
Regionals is tomorrow, and today we have five Premium articles devoted to the subject! The first is Mike Flores, who recently pitted his wits, and Annex Wildfire, against a pair of decks piloted by Steve Sadin. Steve's take on the matchups is presented below... How did Flores fare? Is the unheralded Annex Wildfire a contender for the coming metagame? Can it cope with with Heartbeat and Ghost Husk? Click here to find out! Remie's Review: Dissension Constructed and Limited - White/Azorius by Jeroen Remie, originally published on 2006-05-01 
Each day this week, we have Jeroen Remie's thoughts on the new Dissension cards. Today's article concerns the White and Azorius cards. Are you preparing for Pro Tour Prague? Are you looking for a head-start on the new Limited? Do you want to see if he agrees or disagrees with Mike Flores? Then read on... Deckade: A Review by Tim Gillam, originally published on 2006-04-14 Tim presents his review of Deckade, by the one and only Mike Flores. Thinking of buying this book? Get the low-down here... Thank You, Mike Flores! A Team Constructed PTQ Report *Winner* by James Wright, originally published on 2006-04-10 On Friday, Mike Flores wrote of his successful attempt to qualify for PT Charleston on ranking with his new G/W deck. James was another pilot of the fresh creation, at the very same PTQ, and he ended up atop the whole hill of beans! How did he, and his team, do it? Read on to find out... The Black Perspective: PT Honolulu Report *5th* by Osyp Lebedowicz, originally published on 2006-03-21 
Joe Black stormed to a Hawaiian Sunday slot, courtesy of a fine U/R Izzetron deck tweaked by Mike Flores. Would you like detailed matchup data and analysis? Have you ever wondered what it's like to test with Mike? Or are you simply here for the jokes? Read on for a comprehensive and entertaining report, from one of the funniest Pro Players on the tour. Spotlight on Standard - Gruul Aggro Fat by Terry Soh, originally published on 2006-03-03 It seems a large majority of the Pro community are excited by the Gruul cards for Standard play... We've had Ted Knutson, and his overview of Gruul and Zoo decks in the coming metagame. Then there's Mike Flores, concentrating on the "mono-Red" Gruul Deck Wins. Terry takes a slightly different slant, attempting to merge all the possible Gruul strategies into one aggressive goliath. He claims it is the strongest deck for the coming Pro Tour... read all about it here! Food For Thought: Ride The Lightning - Red Deck Wins in Standard by Evan Erwin, originally published on 2006-02-22 In today's Control heavy environment, where players love to gather lands, have lots of permanents, and either throw out some fat 4/4's or 5/5 Flying Legendary Dragon Spirits, it's not unusual for other players to take a... different approach. Some call this the wrong approach. They would, of course, be wrong themselves. What I'm talking about is Red Deck Wins. This article is a direct response to Mike Flores' piece about the Red Guildpact cards. To put it bluntly, Flores got Leyline of Lightning 100% wrong. Proactive and Reactive: A Response to Mike Flores by Ryan Soh, originally published on 2006-02-21 Last week, Mike Flores asked Could Dave Price Be Wrong? Ryan Soh was the original forumite who spurred Mike to ask such a question. In this enlightening article, he clarifies and expands his original statements, with insight into choosing decks in an evolving Constructed metagame. All this, and some of the worst puns known to man... Building Clocks out of Rock Blocks II - The Guildpact Release by Caldwell Van Der Snoot, originally published on 2006-02-17 Around the release of Ravnica, I invented (in the Mike Flores sense of the word) a Standard Reanimator deck that included, amongst others, Grozoth, Nullstone Gargoyle, Vigor Mortis, and Compulsive Research. In fact, I wrote about it. You can imagine my shock and surprise when I opened my Ravnica Tournament pack on February 2nd and saw not only Grozoth, but Nullstone Gargoyle as my rares. As I flipped through the rest of the pack, Vigor Mortis showed up, followed by Compulsive Research. It was a Sealed Deck made in Caldwell heaven. Vote Mike Flores for the Invitational! by Craig Stevenson, originally published on 2006-02-06 This week, Wizards of the Coast are holding their Resident Genius voting ballot for the 2006 Magic Invitational tournament. On the shortlist: one Mike Flores. Guildpact Limited Review Part I: Orzhov by Julien Nuijten, originally published on 2006-02-06 
Last week, we rounded out our Constructed review of the Guildpact cards, penned by our Resident Genius Mike Flores. This week, Limited magic gets a chance to shine. Julien takes the helm, giving an in-depth review of Guildpact for Limited play. Today? The Black and White barnstormers of the Orzhov Guild. Guildpact Constructed Set Review Part VI: Gold Cards by Mike Flores, originally published on 2006-01-31
The moment we've all been waiting for, folks... Mike Flores tackles the Gold Cards of Guildpact. What are the strong cards? What are the weak? Are there any true Constructed contenders? With his usual wit and clarity, Mike spills a considerable amount of beans, and upsets a fair few applecarts.
SCG Daily - Breaking Benjamin by John F. Rizzo, originally published on 2006-01-31 Today I will break the art of deckbuilding wide open, just like Mike Flores, though I won’t be so egotistical... I’ll be worse. Let the ideas contained within be your guide to understanding...everything. Now that I have firmly ensconced myself in the upper echelon of advanced and highly-respected format-breaking Magic theorists, I thought it time to give something back to the little people. Bearing A Grudge by Mike Flores, originally published on 2006-01-13 You think you've seen it all from Mike Flores. Brilliant theory. Fantastic decks. More hype than a Don King promoted boxer. But you have not seen this! Deck Fundamentals: Picking the Right Deck by Mike Flores, originally published on 2005-12-16 Mike Flores has never been more on top of his game as a deck designer. For the last two years he has produced deck after deck that has turned in great results for Pros and PTQ players alike. In the tradition of Mike's legendary "Building Broken Decks" series, today Master Flores delivers the first installment in a new series where he reveals to you the secrets of his success. Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part VIII: Lands, Selected Cycles, and Wrapup by Mike Flores, originally published on 2005-10-06 
This is it, folks. The final installment for this monster review of what could be Magic's best set yet. Today the legendary michaelj covers the Lands, Cycles (including the very powerful Hunted creatures), and the mechanics of Ravnica, detailing everything you need to know about Ravnica for Constructed. If you missed out on the earlier installments we've linked them all below for easy accessability.
Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part VII: Guild Mana and Artifacts by Mike Flores, originally published on 2005-10-05
There are two sorts of multicolored cards in Ravnica. Yesterday we looked at the "traditional" two-color cards, where R&D forces us to choose both Red and White, both Black and Green. Today's Guild mana is the opposite: though the cards are multicolored, both Green and White for a Selesnya card, let's say, you can pick either color of mana to pay the cost. Guild mana is a completely new thing to Magic, but the question is: Are any of the new cards any good?
Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part VI: Multicolored Cards by Mike Flores, originally published on 2005-10-04
StarCityGames.com is proud to have one of the hottest deckbuilders around and best Magic writers in history give you the lowdown on every card in Ravnica. There's Gold in them thar hills! A bounty of beautiful Gold cards this pretty hasn't been seen since the days of IPA, but which ones will make the cut in Constructed decks? Mike Flores knows...
Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part V: Green Cards by Mike Flores, originally published on 2005-10-03
StarCityGames.com is proud to have one of the hottest deckbuilders around and best Magic writers in history give you the lowdown on every card in Ravnica. Today michaelj finishes the normal colored part of the review with the one he says is the clear winner in Ravnica: Green. We all know Birds of Paradise are great, but what other Green goodies does Ravnica have in store?
[Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part II: Blue Cards] [Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part III: Black Cards] [Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part IV: Red Cards] Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part IV: Red Cards by Mike Flores, originally published on 2005-09-29
StarCityGames.com is proud to have one of the hottest deckbuilders around and best Magic writers in history give you the lowdown on every card in Ravnica. Flores's task today is to discover whether there are any goodies in Red besides Char and Hunted Dragon, and just how far you will have to sink in order to find playable one and two-drops for your aggro decks.
[Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part II: Blue Cards] [Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part III: Black Cards] Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part III: Black Cards by Mike Flores, originally published on 2005-09-28
StarCityGames.com is proud to have one of the hottest deckbuilders around and best Magic writers in history give you the lowdown on every card in Ravnica. Today michaelj tackles the awesome power of Black, where some very saucy dishes are just waiting to be broken.[Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part II: Blue Cards] Ravnica Constructed Set Review Part II: Blue Cards by Mike Flores, originally published on 2005-09-27
StarCityGames.com is proud to have one of the hottest deckbuilders around and best Magic writers in history give you the lowdown on every card in Ravnica. What goodies has Wizards left for us in the Blue cards? Flores hops in with both feet to find out whether or not there are treats lurking that lack guild stamps.
Stream of Rife by Mike Flores, originally published on 2005-09-02 "Look over the past ten years of Pro Tours, and you will see mono green in the final 8 significantly less than any other mono color. Mono Green will be a very distant fifth." - Jamie Wakefield "Let's look at the history of Green decks on the Pro Tour in order to show the viability, and even the dominance, of straight Green over the past five years." - Mike Flores, who also adds a quick section on which decks win and lose from the September bannings. Crazy Red Mage Storms English Nationals by Dan Paskins, originally published on 2005-08-10 I’ve always loved the National Championships. My favorite of all was six years ago, when I finished second with the first version of Red Deck Wins. That tournament qualified me for the World Championships in Yokohama, which was simply great in spite of the fact that I ended up losing more than I won, and the report I wrote afterwards got chosen by Mike Flores as the first Editor’s Choice on the Magic Dojo. I never thought, particularly recently, that I’d play in another Nationals which could match that. Parliament of Beatdown by Mike Flores, originally published on 2005-07-29 It's Friday! Another awesome Flores article. How surprising! This time it's on maximizing your plays and options when you are the beatdown or the control. In other words, it's yet another Mike Flores article that will go a long way toward making you a much better Magic player, whether you are a newbie or just made the Top 8 at a Pro Tour. Velocity and Inertia: A Study in Magic Theory
by Nathan J. Xaxson, originally published on 2005-07-07 Recently, Mike Flores used the term “velocity” to describe a certain type of deck behavior. In that article, however, he merely noted it as a conceptual notion, without offering any theoretical context or application. He attempted to demonstrate its presence, but in this author’s opinion and others, he did not accurately describe his observation in terms that have useful application. While what he describes is not deniable, his descriptions are ex post facto observations, and not a theory to be applied in a logistical matter to deck construction or play skill. This article will attempt to define velocity in terms that are more in line with other concrete Magic theories, and identify its application. 
Still trying to decide what to play at Regionals? Recently, StarCityGames.com Premium writers introduced three decks that have had quite an influence on the metagame, and one of them might be just right for you! Read the articles that introduced these decks to the community, and get ready for U.S. Regionals![Troll and Nail] Troll and Nail by Terry Soh - Everything you need to know about the unconventional Tooth and Nail deck that catapulted Terry Soh to the title of 2005 Magic Invitational Champion! [Control Red] Philosophy of Fire 2K5: Kuroda-Style Big Red for the LCQ and Standard by Mike Flores - Get the 411 on the deck that Pro Tour Champion, Osyp Lebedowicz, opted to run at the 2005 Magic Invitational! [Joshie Green] Joshie Green and the Online Metagame by Jamie Wakefield - Since Jamie revealed Joshie Green, many players have begun using it to catch opponents off-guard and rack up the wins. Could this be the deck for you? Only one way to find out...
You CAN Play Type I #149 - The Interactivity War (Oscar Forces Interaction With Mike Flores) by Oscar Tan, originally published on 2005-06-02 After graduating Law School, Oscar Tan is back with his theoretical thoughts on the Theory of Interactivity (or something). In fact, Oscar and Stephen Menendian go head to head on this subject today in dueling theory articles, both designed to answer Master Magic Theorist Mike Flores. Peep both articles for yourselves and tell us who got the better of the debate in the forums! SCG Daily - Interactivity in Vintage by Stephen Menendian, originally published on 2005-06-02 Probably the most interesting article I've read all year is Mike Flores' article on Interactivity. WARNING! ALERT! WARNING! I'd like to talk about Interactivity and Vintage. That means boring Magic theory to those of you who couldn't care less. For those that do care, let's parse what Master Flores has had to say on the subject and see how that applies to Vintage as a whole. SCG Daily #4: True Reweaver by Mark Young, originally published on 2005-05-26 Unlike previous entries in the Grand Reweave Experiment, I love this deck. It possesses a ton of what Mike Flores has called Velocity; although you are not gaining card advantage per se, every card in your deck accomplishes more and more, until late in the game it seems like each draw step just breaks the opponent. It's not uncommon for a Reweave that you draw in the opening hand to still be working your opponent over well into the late game, transforming Meloku tokens into Yosei over and over until you end the game with The Unspeakable. Pro Tour: Philadelphia by Zvi Mowshowitz, originally published on 2005-05-10 Today Zvi reviews everything that happened at Philly, including his own performance at breaking down the format (one that Randy Buehler and Mike Flores said he nailed in the coverage), plus he discusses the payout structure, the surprise decks, and the two topics that had everyone at the site buzzing all weekend: The Players Hall of Fame and the Pro Tour Players Club! Setting the Stage for Standard: Mono-Blue for a New Standard, Part Two by Kyle Boddy, originally published on 2005-04-04 StarCityGames.com writer Mike Flores pioneered the current renditions of Mono-Blue Control decks in Standard, and Gabriel Nassif recently took the deck in a slightly different direction at French Regionals. What does Kyle think about Nassif's new version and how has MUC been faring in his testing of the new metagame, particularly against the supposedly problematic Tooth and Nail matchup? The Boddy knows... Sullivan Library: Grinder Times - Standing Out in an Information Rich Time
by Adrian Sullivan, originally published on 2005-03-14 As I write this, people all over the world are looking at all of the available decklists from this weekend (and previous weekends) that are available at Wizards of the Coast's website. Whether by stick or carrot, Wizards has managed (at least in theory) to get all of the tournament organizers out there to provide their Top 8 lists. As Mike Flores has already said, we haven't seen this kind of depth of information available since the days of the Dojo. But really, it is much more than that. We're living in the middle of the longest Grinder of all time. Both Mike Flores and Chad Ellis are in agreement - Aether Vial is too powerful and should be banned in Extended. Chad argues that the existance of Aether Vial invalidates any sort of control strategy in Extended. Mike argues that Aether Vial is extremely overpowered and has avoided notice because it flew under the radar for nearly a year - it is showing up in increasing numbers in virtually any deck that can run creatures, and it is clearly too good to stay unbanned.
Are these two respected members of the Magic community crying wolf, or are they prophets of the future Extended banned list? Is Aether Vial ban-worthy? Discuss! The Magic Jerk - Interactivity and the Common Man by Michael Clair, originally published on 2005-02-11 Mike Flores and I spent the weekend losing at Magic, but I'll spare you the boring details of that sad tale and instead focus on a discussion we had after the tournament was over. What came up on the car ride home wasn't how to beat the combo decks that ran rampant in Boston, but why our Red decks were suddenly incapable of winning. There were two decks in the Top 16 that tried to win with Red men and burn - the rest of the Top 16 is filled with combo, combo and more combo, until you reach the Top 2 where you find a deck that combines two combo decks in one! So why can't Red decks keep up? It's a thing we termed Interaction. 10 Extended Decks in 10 Days - The Beautiful Struggle: Storm Riders by Mark Young, originally published on 2005-02-01 Masashi Oiso piloted a Black version of Mind's Desire to a Top 8 finish at Pro Tour: Columbus, but is that the version that most players will want to run for the PTQ season? Mark Young isn't so sure, and in this comprehensive look at Mind's Desire he examines the pros and the cons of the deck and its variations for PTQ players everywhere. Mark's article is the second in our full-blown Extended event where the best Constructed writers and deckbuilders in the world - including Mark, Jim Ferraiolo, Brian David-Marshall, Chad Ellis, and Mike Flores among others - give you the inside scoop on the new PTQ format for two whole weeks! SCG Daily - The Golden Age #11: Flanking by Adam Grydehoj, originally published on 2005-01-17 Flanking, unlike Rampage, is conceptually and theoretically simple. In Mirage Block, there were 17 creatures with Flanking, 13 of which were Knights and two of which were Legendary Creatures that were Knights at heart. As Mike Flores has noted, the majority of flankers are three-mana 2/2s; they're even more concentrated at a single casting cost than the common Bushido creatures in Champions of Kamigawa. A side effect of this is that it's difficult to build a Flanking-centric deck without burdening yourself with more three-drops than are attributed to the landlord's daughter. If, however, Flanking and Bushido creatures are seen together, things become interesting. Extended - Which Version of Red Deck Wins Is Best... and Why?
A StarCityGames.com Discussion from 2004-12-22 
In today's article, Mike Flores discussed the many faces of Red Deck Wins. While Mike continues his attempt at optimizing the deck, StarCityGames.com wants to hear from you! Which version of Red Deck Wins do you think is best, and why? Did Mike Flores Lie to Us? What's Wrong with Mono Blue Control? by Frank Guevara, originally published on 2004-12-09 You can follow the theory trail from Osyp Lebedowicz's Unspeakable deck to Jim Ferraiolo's U/W board control deck, to Mike Flores' great articles about MUC. As I learned more and more about the "savage" deck that is Mono Blue by reading about it from Mike Flores, Knut, and company, I became more interested... so much so that I soon traded a wad of rares for Extended that I had been saving up for the long winter of Goblins and Combo and Reanimator and Madness and *sigh* Affinity. I didn't care though, I was enamored with the prospect of beating people's heads in with my Italian Keiga. Then I started testing... Nailing that Sexy Witness (A different take on Tooth and Nail) by Robert Henson, originally published on 2004-12-08 After looking through all the decklists from Champs (the day after), I found that there were very few U/G versions of Tooth and Nail in Top 8, and even fewer that ran Condescend. Whether this is because people piloting the decks didn’t have the skill (or luck) to reach Top 8, or whether it was just that nobody played the deck, I cannot tell. I’m nigh-certain that it’s not because the deck is bad (janky as it may look). I am absolutely sure that it’s better than the version Mike Flores posted in his article a while back. Type One Skills by Stephen Menendian, originally published on 2004-11-29 Mike Flores wrote an interesting article on degree of difficulty. I found the Flores' article interesting not because I strongly disagree with him - but because I think the real issue is worth exploring: what skills does Type One test? Vintage is clearly unlike any other format. Nick Eisel once described some in-game analysis contained in one of my articles as "bizarro world." Rather than compare Type One on a better or worse scale, this article will explore and explain what I think are the critical skills Vintage players must have to be successful. Your Life Is A Pile Of Chips, And You Bet With It Each Round: Racing Effectively For The Win by Michael Clair, originally published on 2004-11-19 As an editor, you know that you should probably take a serious look at a writer when Mike Flores calls you up at home and says, "You have got to hire this guy. He's great." You may not have heard his name before, but Michael Clair is the New York State Champion, a Regionals Top 8 finisher, a PTQ and PCQ finalist, a man with a 1920 Limited rating... And he's also our latest Featured Writer. Today, Michael discusses racing and combat math, showing how to utilize your life totals for maximum gain. Ask the Editor. 11/10/2004
by Ted Knutson, originally published on 2004-11-10 My question pertains to something that Mike Flores wrote in his article concluding the U/W deck challenge. He mentioned that when he playtested his Mono Blue deck vs. your Tooth build he devised some tech that was able to win the matchup for his deck a good amount of time. What was that tech that he would not mention? He said that you would update us. This week we presented you with no less than five new U/W decks for the States metagame, developed by some of the best players and writers in the game. While Mike Flores gives his own take on the decks in his article today, we want to know what you think. Feel free to rate the decks on style, originality, playability, and overall power. Out of Flores Mono-Blue, Osyp's Unspeakable deck, Jim Ferraiolo's Old School U/W, BDM's Splicachron Scepter, or Josh Rider's Control Salvagers, which deck did you like best, and which of those decks do you think will have the best performances at the State and Provincial Championships? The 2004 Championship Deck Challenge - The Unspeakable? by Osyp Lebedowicz, originally published on 2004-10-04 On Friday, Mike Flores kicked off our Deck Challenge with his Mono-Blue control deck, but today is Osyp's turn. Like michaelj, Osyp has made a control deck heavy on the Blue cards and light on the White, but unlike Flores, Joe Black's deck includes... The Unspeakable? This is an Osyp article, so he must be kidding, right? There's only one way to find out folks, as we continue to bring you the best new decks from some of the best deckbuilders on the planet - only at StarCityGames.com. Breaking the Format Three Times Over by Mike Flores, originally published on 2004-09-24 What do Mike Flores and StarCityGames.com have in store for you in the weeks leading up to States? How can you get Mike to buy you a beer and introduce you to hot chicks? Is there anything on earth cuter than Flores's baby? I'm not sure if he answers all these questions inside or not, but you don't want to miss what we have planned for you and the site in the coming weeks! Blog Fanatic: My Interview With Jamie Wakefield (Part 1 of 3) by Ben Bleiweiss, originally published on 2004-09-06 Years ago, Jamie Wakefield was the most popular Magic writer anywhere. His books still go for $100 on eBay, and and when Mike Flores pretended to be Jamie on April Fool's Day, we were flooded with emails from disappointed fans who thought that the King of Fatties himself had returned. Well, this is the real deal! Ben Bleiweiss has finally tracked Jamie down. Find out what Jamie has been doing for the past five years, and hear his thoughts what he thinks about Green these days! Plus, an update on the lovely Mare! CHK It Out! Collaborate and Listen by Pugg Fuggly, originally published on 2004-09-03 Blue is back with a brand new invention! |*_*| No, I'm not starry-eyed because of Mike Flores' boyish good looks; I'm genuinely impressed by the card. Shooting Back: Why Gray Ogre is Better than Survival of the Fittest by Chad Ellis, originally published on 2004-08-17 It's pretty rare that Mike Flores and I disagree about Magical things. The last serious disagreement I can recall was at a Neutral Ground PTQ, where we disagreed over whether I should smash all the Neutral Ground faces and take the slot home to Your Move Games. Mike was understandably bitter about that one for a while. So when I read in the front-page blurb of his recent article that Mike disagreed with me - this time about the correct build for Flea Market - I had to step up. Mixed kNuts: Mike Flores is a Big, Fat Idiot plus Revisiting the Writers' Hall of Fame by Ted Knutson, originally published on 2004-08-13 Mike Flores is a buffoon. I can say this because I know him better than most of you, and nearly anyone who hangs out with or talks to Flores for an extended period of time will come to this realization. Oh, don't get me wrong... Flores is brilliant. But he also has innumerable flaws, many of which I will detail here in this very article. Tempo IS Interesting by Stephen Menendian, originally published on 2004-07-09 Mike Flores speaking about tempo wrote “[m]uch as you would like, you can't quite put your finger on it... but you sure know it when you see it.” Mike is more perceptive than he probably realizes. The difficulty in identifying tempo is that it has an effect that is different from what it is. How Michael J Flores stole Mark Rosewater's Virtual Crack by Ray Powers, originally published on 2004-06-14 I am an avid fan of Flores. When a new Flores article comes out, I read it with great anticipation. This is the man who introduced me to Ani DiFranco after all! This is the man that explained Control Black. This is the man who defined who was the beatdown for me. This man’s work is gospel! So imagine how horribly my illusions were shattered when I read Mike Flores’s article: The “Issues” Issue and realized that large portions were simply uninformed or scarily inaccurate. The Magic University: I See Dumb People by Ted Knutson, originally published on 2004-02-06 So I was talking to Mike Flores the other day, and Mike told me,"You know, the great thing about writing Magic Theory is that it immediately rules out all the dumb people from reading your articles." I replied,"Well, Mike, the fact that they can't talk never seems to hinder their ability to type 'STFU n00b!' in response to my theory articles." Finding The Tinker Deck In Onslaught-Mirrodin Standard by M. W. Gribbin, originally published on 2004-01-20 On the list of all-time most important Magic articles to read, Mike Flores's Finding the Tinker Deck. Mike Flores is the Magic historian. If you're going to discover anything about the past that might possibly be useful (or even interesting), there's probably a link to Mike. Since I'm such a fan of the article, I figured I'd take Mike's method and apply it to the current Type 2 metagame, and see if I could find today's Tinker deck. How Many People Get It? The Over/Under Is Five. by Jon Becker, originally published on 2003-08-21 Becker goes off on his usual mixture of strategy, issues, and flat-out tirades, discussing Wolfgang Eder's mistakes at Worlds, why good decks don't have two-ofs in them, the ethics of concessions, a surprise discussion of Mike Flores' hidden talents - and, of course, the mandatory Jay-bashing! Tried In Court: Two Lawyers Debate Scourge Blue! by Elliot Fertik and Jon Becker, originally published on 2003-06-10 A Scourge Limited review... And so much more, with digressions on whether Snarling Undorak or Wirewood Savage is the better pick now, why Temporal Fissure could never have been an instant, Mike Flores confusing people with branch efficiency, why you should never be concerned about missing a good card with Erratic Explosion, and links to cute models whenever Jon can't think of anything intelligent to say. Mining The Crystal Quarry: Who's The Beatdown In Multiplayer? by John Liu, originally published on 2003-05-28 A long time ago, Mike Flores wrote what is, perhaps, one of the most influential articles ever written -"Who's the Beatdown?" where Mike said that all decks played either Beatdown or Control, and if you assign your deck the wrong role in a match, you will lose. Multiplayer is a different environment, so I tried to look at multiplayer from a Beatdown and Control angle and see how it applied. As it turned out, there's Beatdown, Control... And a third, equally important, role your deck must learn to play. Psychatog, The Complete Breakdown, Part II: The Minor Builds by Jon Blevins, originally published on 2003-04-04 ...and the Psychatog matchups continue, going deep into the Tier 2 with Reanimator, Canu Opposition, The Graveborn Identity, Mike Flores' U/G Threshold, Punisher, and Jose Argao's U/W Windborn Opposition deck! The Magic Open Coverage: Interviews And Decklists by Rob Dougherty, originally published on 2003-02-20 Discussions, decklists, tales of Mike Flores' most inexplicable game loss, and interviews with the runner-up and the winner give you the lowdown on the biggest local money tourney in New England! Overmaster Sligh
by Bennie Smith, originally published on 2002-03-27 Mike Flores forgot about Millikin Sligh - a deck that's making a splash at foreign Regionals. Can Bennie find a way to make it more efficient? | ||
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Mike rounds out his Mockvitational experience, sharing his Bring Your Own Block deck and personal performance, before diving deep into the coming Standard Champs metagame with a couple of interesting decks powered by the new Lorwyn cards. Everyone is attempting to lash Green with White to abuse Gaddock Teeg... but what are the other aggro strategies available to us? Read on to find out!
This past weekend, Mike had the rare chance to put his States deck to the test in an actual Ravnica-legal Standard tournament packed with Neutral Ground regulars. In today's article, Mike discusses what he learned by playing in that tournament, and shares the decklist he'll be playing in this weekend's State Championship!
Hot on the heels of Terry Soh's Troll and Nail sideboard revolution, michaelj goes into some detail about those extra fifteen cards you get to play with in up to 66% of your games. What's the difference between a sideboard Flores likes and one that gets the boot? The answers are inside.
To better prepare our readers for Champs, StarCityGames.com hired some of the best Constructed deckbuilders and writers in the world to explore the new Standard format, and according to the feedback we received on this project, it was one of our most successful ideas ever. Today Mike looks back on everything that he learned from designing and testing decks for the Challenge and shares with you ten lessons that will help you rise above the competition tomorrow and secure a spot in the top 8.
