Luis Scott-Vargas
Power 9 Pro is ecstatic to have LSV on board to coach some top-notch workshops in December. As one of the best Magic players of all time, we can hardly wait for his juicy nuggets of wisdom. Don't miss out on this rare opportunity to get your questions answered first-hand by LSV!
Luis Scott-Vargas finished 2nd in the Player of the Year race in 2008, due to an impressive end of the year run. His win at Pro Tour Berlin was followed by a win at Grand Prix Atlanta and top 16 finishes at Grand Prix Auckland and the World Championships. Kicking off the 2009 season with a win at the very first Grand Prix (Los Angeles) and a second place finish at Pro Tour Kyoto has continued his hot streak. His other accomplishments include 3rd at US Nationals 2006, 1st at Nationals 2007, 1st at Grand Prix San Francisco 2007 and 4th at Grand Prix Philadelphia 2008.
Check out LSV's workshop topics now!
Ben Lundquist
Leading our first term of Power 9 Pro workshops was Ben Lundquist. He most recently placed second at GP Seattle. Since his first appearance on the Pro Tour, Ben Lundquist has had a ticket on the gravy train from consistently solid performances at Nationals, Grand Prix accross North America and on the Pro Tour itself.
Download Lundquist's live session recordings now - topics include Deck Building, Guaging the Meta, and In-Game Tips
- 2nd, Grand Prix Madison - 2006
- 2nd, Grand Prix Vancouver - 2008
- Piloting a U/G Tron deck, he defeated long time friend Zak Hall who was playing the same 75 card build
- 2nd, Grand Prix Seattle - 2009
- 2nd, Nationals - 2006
- 3rd/4th, Grand Prix Massachussettes - 2007
- Top-16, Grand Prix Montreal - 2007
- Piloting his U/G Tarmogoyf deck
- 18th, Pro Tour Kyoto - 2009
- 21st, Pro Tour Honolulu - 2006
- 31st, Worlds 2008
Ben Lundquist's career history in Magic is formidable, easily making him one of the best players in the world. With a reputation of innovation and a cool-headed demeanor, no competitor is safe from Ben. He'll crush you, so watch yourself! Power 9 Pro is elated to be partnered with Ben Lundquist.
Check out Lundquist's
Pro Workshop Videos.
Gerard Fabiano
Gerard Fabiano is one of the most legendary Pro Players in the game and has over 200 pro points to back it up. His Career started in 2001 and since then Gerard has put up numerous GP top8s and a team Pro Tour top4 appearance with team “Slay, Pillage, Gerard”. Gerard took his career to the next level by winning (at the time) North America’s largest Grand Prix in Philadelphia of 2008. Gerard has been known to give back to the community through writing articles, bringing players together, and telling legendary stories. Recently Gerard proved he still has what it takes by making top8 of the 2010 USA National Championships.
About Power 9 Pro Online MTG Workshops
Power 9 Pro online MtG workshops are your chance to work with world famous Pro Magic the Gathering Players such as Luis Scott-Vargas (LSV), Ben Lundquist and more to be announced! These in depth MtG online workshops aren't just for competitive magic players. Whether you prefer to play Standard, Legacy, EDH or just casual Magic, there are valuable mtg tips for everyone. Use the insider tips to build better decks, make better decisions in drafting and play better while in the midsts of intense Magic matches! This Magic: the Gathering (MTG) strategy is truly going to improve your magic the gathering skills.
Improve Your MTG Game
Power 9 Pro asks each of its MtG Instructors to focus their coaching on tips that will stand the test of time. In addition to mtg workshop experience of getting coached online and discussing mtg with a Pro player, Power 9 Pro provides a digital recording to each participant. This means all workshop attendees can review the winning mtg tips time and time again. The small workshop size means you will get coached and discuss magic strategy and techniques by some of the best pro mtg players. Pro Tour level coaching is hard to come by so don't miss this opportunity to get Magic the Gathering advice that is guaranteed to improve your game. Get ready to improve your DCI Ranking as you start playing better at your next Pro Tour Qualifier (PTQ), Grand Prix Trial (GPT) or Friday Night Magic (FNM)!
Win More Magic the Gathering
Find out the best picks for Zendikar (and Worldwake) drafts based on hours and hours of game play (and winning!) you just don't have. You may know Jund is dominating Zendikar-M10-Shards of Alara Type 2 but have you evaluated all your options, such as White Winnie or G/W Eldrazi? Maybe you've played Extended Zoo decks with great success but are you over looking the potential of Hypergensis or Sword of the Meek - Thopter Foundry? Only one way to find out!
About Magic: the Gathering
Magic the Gathering (MTG) is the brain child of Richard Garfield who through Wizards of the Coast published the first set of Magic cards in 1993. That set was titled Alpha, followed shortly by Beta and then Unlimited. The most recently printed set is titled Zendikar and in 2010 Worldwake and Rise of the Eldarzi are slated for print. Magic to this day is a favorite pass-time for people of all ages, played worldwide. There is even a Pro Tour with four large events, aptly called "Magic: the Gathering Pro Tour," as well as a series of Grand Prix. The events are distributed through out the world. In 2009 alone, Magic the Gathering had Pro Tour and Grand Prix stops in Kyoto Japan, Honolulu USA, Rome Italy, Sao Palo Brazil and many, many more! 2010 brings Magic players just as exciting a year, with events from Pro Tour San Diego to Grand Prix Oakland--the backyard of world-reknowned player Luis Scott-Vargas, or LSV for short--to Grand Prix Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Here's the full 2010 Grand Prix Schedule. Some of the Pro Players from Magic's Pro Tours include Ben Lundquist, Luis Scott-Vargas (LSV), Gerry Thompson, Patrick Chapin, John Finkle, and Shuhei Nakamura.
The Most Popular CCG of All
MTG cards are not just for playing a game. Magic: the Gathering is technically called a collectible card game--or CCG or TCG (Trading Card Game). This means Magic cards carry individual values, ranging from a few cents a piece to in some cases, over $1000 each. There is one group of cards with especially high value--much of this is the result of Wizards of the Coast promising to never reprint the cards; this means they're extremely scarce. These cards are called the "Power 9." They are Black Lotus, Mox Pearl, Mox Sapphire, Mox Jet, Mox Ruby, Mox Emerald, Ancestral Recall, Time Walk and Timetwister. In addition to being very rare, the Power 9 each possess very powerful effects within the Magic game. These are not the only powerful and valuable cards. Cards from Arabian Nights, the first expansion set to the "Core Set" (Alpha, Beta, and Unlimited), are also especially valuable due to their limited print runs.
Magic the Gathering Accessories
Players very frequently carry their cards in binders – called "Trade binders" by mtg players. Magic players often keep very valuable cards in their tradebinders to trade cards with other players, in hopes of filling in their collections. Because Wizards of the Coast (WotC) has published approximately 10,000 individual cards, trading is a very frequent occurance, seen at all Magic the Gathering events, whether that be upcoming Pro Tour San Juan or a local Friday Night Magic (FNM). A list of notable and recent cards include Tarmogoyf (Future Sight), Bitterblossom (Lorwyn), Cryptic Command (Lorwyn), Baneslayer Angel (Magic 2010 or M10), and new 'enmey fetchlands' such as Arid Mesa, Marsh Flats, Misty Rainforest, Scalding Tarn and Verdant Catacombs (Zendikar).
Due to the high value of Magic the Gathering cards, many players carry their cards in cardboard boxes, plastic boxes (often called deck boxes), while also putting each individual card in a plastic sleeve. Here's a full list of accessories for Magic the Gathering players: Deck Boxes, Sleeves, Playmats, Dice, Counters, Tradebinder, and scorecards. In 2009, Power 9 Pro released the Dragon's Egg, a bag designed specifically to keep Magic cards safe, making it the newest addition to a number of Magic related accessories. Power 9 Pro also released the N-Dexers, a patent-pending product for indexing boxes of cards (by type, color, rarity, etc.) in all industry standard storage boxes.
