FOW Vintage Series 1 - 11/5 - Mox Sapphire - Scranton, PA

[minusblindfold]

Full of Win Games in Clarks Summit, PA will be holding their first vintage tournament. Hope to see everyone there.

Format: Vintage

        Time: 12:00 (Registration @ 11:00 AM)
        Entry Fee: $25
        Swiss Rounds to Top 8 @ 50 min rounds
        
       10 proxies allowed for free. You can purchase up to five more proxies at $1 each.
        Decklists will be required (and published).

        The Prizes: (guaranteed)
        Prizes: 1st Place- Unlimited Mox Sapphire + Custom Playmat
        2nd Place- Revisied Underground Sea
        3rd & 4th- $40 Case Credit
        5th - 8th- $20 Case Credit

        There will be a prize of a From the Vault Legends for the highest placing person with no proxies.

Location:
        Full of Win Games
        320 S. State Street
        Clarks Summit, Pa 18411

       We are 1 hour from Bloomsburg, 2 hours from Blue Bell, 3 hours from Selden.
       I hope some of the regulars can make it out.

        
We will be submitting the results to the New Vintage Points system developed by Prospero.

If anyone has any questions or needs directions let me know.

We also have plenty of Off-Street Parking behind the building you are allowed to park @ bunnels hardware as well.
We are directly down the stairs after walking through the front door.

[XxtSundaybxX]

This sounds like an awesome tournament, I mean who wouldn't want a mox sapphire and a custom playmat? However I'm not trying to rain on your parade but with everyone all of a sudden wanting to run vintage tourneys it's actually hurting the community rather than help it. There are only 4 weekends in a month. And between the usual staple TOs events and the new ones joining the group there just isnt enough time for all of these tournaments. For example, this past weekend in NY we got 17 guys, including the TO and the dealer and the judge playing. The month before that in NY we got 31 guys, for guaranteed 2 pieces of BLUE power. Last bluebell was 33? Not positive on this one. There are just so many events that it's really altering the attendance of these tournaments. Some of this is coming from the GPs and PTs and such but not all of it. Like I said I'm not trying to rain on your parade but it's just something to think about.

[V is for Vintage]

Hey Allen,

  There's actually a few reasons that we've decided to hold vintage tournaments in NEPA.


1- we regularly bring 6-10 people to events, and it would be nice to not travel

2- we have many regulars at our local store who are budding into vintage, but don't want to travel yet. It's a good foot in the door to get a local grassroots movement going

3- we believe that more Magic is good for everyone. The more people we can get into the format, the more it helps the overall community. I understand your view, and believe me I know better than most that there's a vintage event every weekend nowadays, but that shouldn't be something frowned upon, that's awesome! There was a point where once a MONTH was a decent amount of vintageI don't see events as obligations, I see them as a fun time. So if you've got the day off, come down and have some fun.

[XxtSundaybxX]

Hey Vito,

Yes, one would think that the more vintage the better. As you stated there is usually a vintage tourney every weekend nowadays, and alot of people view that as a bonus. But looking at it from the other perspective, the TOs that worked so hard to build the community you are referring to are now feeling the effects of this "the more the merrier" logic. People are now just blowing off tournaments because there are so many to choose from.

[Slayn001]

Allen,

   It is unreasonable to think that because they were here first that they should be allowed a monopoly on tournament organization. This seems to be a case of let the market decide. Honestly, i keep going back to Blue Bell events because Nick puts on a hell of a tournament, just like how i am going to make the trip to NJ when his store opens. Not for any other reason. Similarly, i did not go to NYSE this past weekend because with my school schedule it was too far and would have taken too much of my weekend.  If Shawn had not had a vintage event in Bloom, then i most likely would not have played magic at all. If TOs are concerned that Vito is going to pull business away from them, then they need to give people more of an incentive to skip his event and go to theirs. What do you propose, no other vintage events until someone retires or closes ?

[rpf5029]

Hey Vito,

Yes, one would think that the more vintage the better. As you stated there is usually a vintage tourney every weekend nowadays, and alot of people view that as a bonus. But looking at it from the other perspective, the TOs that worked so hard to build the community you are referring to are now feeling the effects of this "the more the merrier" logic. People are now just blowing off tournaments because there are so many to choose from.

It's a shame that NYSE got such a low turn out, but I've spoken with Nick D. before, and it's just too far for me -- and the rest of the Penn State crew -- to go to most of the time.  It's practically a whole other world. Even going from home in the Scranton area to NY is a bit of a chore, and it's why we don't make it out there as often.  Now, I'm not saying that Vito's tournaments might interfere with Top Deck Games' events or The Council Open(s), but time will tell on that.  Maybe it'll only be local crowds -- if so, it's probably not stealing players from anybody else. 

[RaleighNCTourneys]

Hi... are these prizes guaranteed regardless of attendance? Thanks.

[minusblindfold]

Yes, prizes are guaranteed.

[Prospero]

I wanted to weigh in on this thread and say a few things.

First up, Allen, your support is appreciated more than you know.  I don't take out of state players who attend my events for granted.  It meant a lot to me that you came out on Saturday – I know that Bloomsburg is closer for you.  I hope that you had as good a time there as I did.  And Hannah did...

So that everyone else is aware, Vito reached out to me and told me that he and his locals were looking to set up a tournament scene close to them.  He asked me to keep in touch with him and to let him know as soon my dates were set so that he wouldn't conflict with my events. 

That meant a lot to me.  Vintage, as we've said ad nauseum, is a community.  I can count some of my closest friends whenever I show up to a Vintage tournament.  I've met some great people because of Vintage.  The T/O's in the East have looked out for one another – I'd like to keep it this way. 

Yes, there are only so many dates that are available at any point in a given month.  And yes, I have run events longer than most of the other T/O's.  Still, in the grand scheme of things, that doesn't really mean anything.  Libertarian that I am, I look at this as I look at most things and see a market.  I'd like to think that I offer a good product (the N.Y.S.E. tournament series.)  Still, I take nothing for granted: I don't expect people to come to my events because I'm a nice guy, or because I asked them to.  I expect people to come because the service that I offer is a good one and they find value in it.  I expect them to come because they enjoy my events and because my events are good events (the prize support, as a percentage of entry fees, is worthwhile, the staff is supportive, the venue is a good one, the judge knows what he's doing, and the T/O isn't a tool.) 

I was very upset about the turnout that I've had the last two events.  I had a guaranteed two pieces of blue power that I gave away for first and second for N.Y.S.E. XVI.  The guaranteed Beta Mox Jet for N.Y.S.E. XVII was, in my opinion, also very good prize support.  Still, there are other factors.  Yes, there was an event in Pennsylvania that day, and no, that didn't help me.  But what did it really cost me?  Five players?  Ten?  Even if that's what it did cost me, that's not so significant that it doesn't evidence other problems with the event. 

Mostly I am upset with myself.  I did not do enough work, locally.  I did not properly promote the event.  I could have done much more than I did to build the hype around the event.  I didn't.  I was punished for it.  This is, I believe, a rational way to look at this, even if I am being harsh on myself.

If I am going to get back to having successful N.Y.S.E. events, then I'm going to have to get my hands dirty and go back to doing what I had been doing.  I need to reach out to as many people as humanly possible and I need to ensure that the people that I have brought into the format are getting out of it what they want.  It's a heavy mantle at times, but it's the one that I've chosen to bear.  My choice, my responsibility.

And, what is the product of this, really?  If Vito and the Scranton crew is capable of putting together a small scene, all the better.  More people playing Vintage is a good thing.  If there are more events, it means that the players have more of an opportunity to play with their cards.  I have a friend who recently quit playing Magic because the cost/benefit analysis said he should – the amount of enjoyment that he was able to derive from playing wasn't sufficient to the amount of money that he expended in keeping together a collection that allowed him to play competitive decks.  If the players have events (small events, medium size events, big events, huge events) then I think they're more likely to stay in.  People try things in the weekly events that I run that they would never try in the bigger events – because the smaller events are essentially glorified playtesting sessions.  You pay $10 or $15 and you get to spend a day seeing how your deck performs, what it's strengths are, weaknesses are, etc.  It's worth it.  And if you win, more power to you – there's a cool prize at the end of the day. 

Maybe this means that instead of getting 50-60 guys on a semi regular basis that I'm more likely to have 40-50 guys (if I can build the community back up.)  That's fine.  Because I think that it leads to us having bigger events in the end.  I think that Waterbury could be bigger (wouldn't it be great to see a return of the 200+ player Waterbury events?)  I think that the Grudge Match could get bigger.  We have now completed one full cycle of Grudge Match events – NE, NY, PA.  The attendance totals are impressive: 72, 90, 88.  Don't, for an instant, think that I'm not looking at that 90 player tournament that I ran and thinking to myself “how do I beat that attendance?”

Either way, to put it succinctly: I think that the last N.Y.S.E. Event failed because I failed in my responsibilities as a T/O and community builder.  I think that more events is a good thing – because it means more players in the end.  And while I don't want to see my tournament attendance dwindle, I do accept that this is a market.  If people prefer what others offer to what I offer, if the market believes that I am an inefficiency to be rooted out, then so be it.  I readily cede my position to anyone capable of doing a better job than I have done.  At the very least, I encourage everyone interested to try to best me, not for personal gain or for the satisfaction of my ego, but for the benefits that the format and the community will reap.

[cvarosky80]

I'm in!

[Teps]

I'll be there.

[mr.grim]

I wish you guys a great turn out !

[Cunningbeaver]

I wish you guys a great turn out !

Your not coming?   Man.!>!?

[V is for Vintage]

FOW Vintage Series 1, THIS SATURDAY! Get there!

[Greolin]

i'll be there Vito with as many people as i can cram into my clown car

[Kameli0n]

Vito, if you come pick me up, I'll be in!!

[V is for Vintage]

If anybody has trouble finding the place you can contact me at 570-780-8468

[cvarosky80]

Well run tournament, guys! Hope you keep them going.

[voltron00x]

Sorry I couldn't make it - any preliminary info, how many players etc?  Did Landstill win another event?

[V is for Vintage]

Hey Guys!

34 Players Amazing Turnout!

John Jones (GR BEATZ)

defeats

Paul Mastriano (Meandeck Landstill)


Conratulations to our first winner John Jones

[voltron00x]

Hey Guys!

34 Players Amazing Turnout!

John Jones (GR BEATZ)

defeats

Paul Mastriano (Meandeck Landstill)


Conratulations to our first winner John Jones

Meandeck Landstill? Meandeck Landstill?!?

WHAT ARE THE TWO CARDS YOU GUYS CHANGED, I MUST KNOW, TELL ME!!!!!

<ahem>

Congrats on the turnout, that's fantastic!  And, RG Beats?  I love you, John Jones.

[Mr. Type 4]

I dont have to say it myself...

From John Jones' Tournament report:

Round 3 – Finals - Paul mastriano – Meandeck Landstill
We Split the Mox and Sea and then play for the playmat. For the record, I think his deck is significantly
different from other landstill decks in that it runs snapcaster and tinker. It doesn’t run null rod or gorilla
shaman and only runs one crucible. It actually plays a little differently as its not as focused on mana
denial.

For the record John Jones' deck showed up in that finals and got me pretty good.  That playmat was pretty sick - i wanted that.  Spirit Guides can actually be pretty fast.  Congratulations to him on good win and for bravely taking it down with a deck that most people would pan.

Anyways, I had a lot of fun and I had a good time playing here.  The turnout was high because of good local support-, so really nice work by the TOs.