Seeking mentor (vintage teacher)

[Bone]

I play magic alot and have played in over 10 years. My goals are to place top 8 frequently in small tournaments and to be able to place top 8 in big tournaments (most likely Bazaar of Moxen IV). Right now I am far from this as my play, rules understanding and deckbuilding/sideboarding are not pro-level. I need someone who can guide me to be a better magic player.

The person I am seeking has a good understanding of rules (at least rules advisor). He has played Vintage competively for years and still plays. Understand different metagames and probably have some experience with fish decks (played it himself or played alot against it).

If someone are interrested in this please send me an PM and we can probably work something out

[wethepeople]

Just read. That's what we all did.

[Lurker101]

I think Smemmen offers vintage lessons if you PM him. At least that's what his sig says. I've taken him up on the offer but he hasn't responded yet. Also reading is great idea too.

[Yare]

Just read and practice. That's really the only way to do it. Having fun while doing it helps a lot.

[Bone]

I have ALOT of experience from chess improvement.

Player a) Plays alot of chess.

Player b) Study opening theory, study endgames, study tactics, plays in big tournaments, small tournaments. Plays blitz. Fisherrandom. Have perhaps a program (seven circles) for tactical improvement. And have someone to guide him and follow up his improvement.

So clearly player b has the best improvement. I think that magic is the same way. Just playing alot + reading alot on forums is not enough to be the best your talent allows. I want be more focused on how to improve. But since I'm such a unlearned magic player (compared to chess) I need a mentor.

I think Smemmen offers vintage lessons if you PM him.

Thanks

[Grand Inquisitor]

Yeah, ignore the above, your point (b) is just as valid in magic as it is in chess.  Basically that while investing time in reading strategy, etc is great, it's having exposure to people with experience that will lend perspective and deeper understanding to what you're trying to do.  I.e., reading particle physics won't get you there.

Since stuff is picked up easier first hand, where do you live?  Maybe there's a group of seasoned T1 vets right around the corner.

[Smmenen]

It's interesting that this subject comes up.   I'm surprised that no one in the professional Magic community has (to my knowledge) offered formal, one-on-one Magic lessons.   In music (piano, voice, etc), martial arts, and in other strategy games (like Chess), lessons are readily available.  

I started offering Vintage lessons as a way of helping players improve their game.   With the few lessons I've instructed so far, it's been incredible how much I've been able to help students out, by identifying particular areas of the game that they need to work on.  For example, some players struggle most with role assignment, others with timing or tutor targets, and others with things like mana management.   The game is so rich and so deep.   I like to use decks as stress tests to try and help students understand more vividly what role assignment means, switching from combo to control to aggro so that they more vividly understand how decks must select very different roles depending on the matchup, and what that means for their tactical options.  

I wouldn't discount reading.  I wouldn't write about Vintage if I didn't think that articles help players get better.   However, articles don't *by themselves* help you get better.   They simply provide more information so that you are aware of more options and have more informed decision trees.  

The absolute best way to get better at Vintage, and Magic in general, is to play against better players.   Tournaments are excellent for this, but often frustrating, as you will get batted down by the best players for a while before you level up enough to compete.