tournaments | Quiet Speculation https://www.quietspeculation.com Play More, Win More, Pay Less Tue, 26 Oct 2021 16:21:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.quietspeculation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/favicon.png tournaments | Quiet Speculation https://www.quietspeculation.com 32 32 The Return of Modern: How Competitive Play Is Good for All https://www.quietspeculation.com/2021/10/the-return-of-modern-how-competitive-play-is-good-for-all/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2021/10/the-return-of-modern-how-competitive-play-is-good-for-all/#respond Tue, 26 Oct 2021 16:21:50 +0000 https://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=100927

With Modern coming back in full force, Kai examines how the return of large events and the shift in metagame has affected the market

The post The Return of Modern: How Competitive Play Is Good for All first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2021/10/the-return-of-modern-how-competitive-play-is-good-for-all/feed/ 0 Counterspell and Sanctum Prelate in Horizons 2 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2021/05/counterspell-sanctum-prelate-horizons-2/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2021/05/counterspell-sanctum-prelate-horizons-2/#respond Tue, 11 May 2021 16:00:09 +0000 https://quietspeculation.com/?p=22952

It would seem that Wizards is growing impatient. The stated beginning of Modern Horizons 2 previews was next week. However, as part of their announcement of the "Summer of Legend" (which trips my marketing gag reflex), Wizards gave us some early spoilers. Clearly intended to whet player appetites for what is to come, the spoilers were […]

The post Counterspell and Sanctum Prelate in Horizons 2 first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2021/05/counterspell-sanctum-prelate-horizons-2/feed/ 0 Preparing for a Paper Future with Double Masters https://www.quietspeculation.com/2020/09/preparing-for-a-paper-future-with-double-masters/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2020/09/preparing-for-a-paper-future-with-double-masters/#comments Wed, 16 Sep 2020 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=96006

Paper Magic is going to come back someday and people are going to start wanting paper copies of cards featured in competitive decks again. Joe takes a look at his top choices from Double Masters for players looking to pick up cheap, competitive reprints before paper tournaments begin again in earnest.

The post Preparing for a Paper Future with Double Masters first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2020/09/preparing-for-a-paper-future-with-double-masters/feed/ 2 Grave Matters: GP Birmingham Analysis https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/08/grave-matters-gp-birmingham-analysis/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/08/grave-matters-gp-birmingham-analysis/#respond Tue, 20 Aug 2019 16:00:01 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=20554

Another event-filled weekend, another data dump, another chance for Modern to adapt and contain the arisen menace. It may not be likely, but as someone locked into making the trip to GP Las Vegas, I feel the need to hope. Barring a sudden abandonment of Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis in Birmingham, I was also hoping against […]

The post Grave Matters: GP Birmingham Analysis first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/08/grave-matters-gp-birmingham-analysis/feed/ 0 Grave Concerns: GP Minneapolis Analysis https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/08/grave-concerns-gp-minneapolis-analysis/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/08/grave-concerns-gp-minneapolis-analysis/#comments Tue, 13 Aug 2019 16:00:25 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=20521 With another GP in the books, it's time once again to dig into the data. When I last did so right after the big MC weekend, the picture was muddied by contradictory results. Half indicated that Hogaak was a dominant force in the metagame. The other half indicated that it was just another deck. Its […]

The post Grave Concerns: GP Minneapolis Analysis first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/08/grave-concerns-gp-minneapolis-analysis/feed/ 4 That Which is Not Dead: MC Weekend https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/07/that-which-is-not-dead-mc-weekend/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/07/that-which-is-not-dead-mc-weekend/#comments Tue, 30 Jul 2019 16:00:56 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=20447 For the first time in quite a while, I have a massive data dump to analyze! The past weekend contained a Modern GP, an SCG Open, and the Mythic Championship. With all the shocks finally wearing off, we can start to get a handle on the new metagame. But not without first noting that this […]

The post That Which is Not Dead: MC Weekend first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/07/that-which-is-not-dead-mc-weekend/feed/ 1 The Metagame Experience: MCQ Report https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/07/metagame-experience-mcq-report/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/07/metagame-experience-mcq-report/#comments Tue, 23 Jul 2019 16:00:21 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=20420

This is an odd feeling for me. For all its flaws, the PPTQ system meant that grinders like me always had competitive level events to grind and keep our skills sharp. The MCQ system is functionally the same as the old PTQ system, which means very few events and very spread out. Since I'm a […]

The post The Metagame Experience: MCQ Report first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/07/metagame-experience-mcq-report/feed/ 2 MTG Metagame Finance #25 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/12/mtg-metagame-finance-25/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/12/mtg-metagame-finance-25/#respond Tue, 25 Dec 2018 17:44:01 +0000 https://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=90930

The holidays are in full swing and the new year is right around the corner. And as some of you may know, the stock market has been a bit shaky in the last month or so. But it seems Magic is still doing pretty well during this slightly volatile time. I think a good portion […]

The post MTG Metagame Finance #25 first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/12/mtg-metagame-finance-25/feed/ 0 Office Hours #2 – Christopher Martin & Edward Eng https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/11/office-hours-2-christopher-martin-edward-eng/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/11/office-hours-2-christopher-martin-edward-eng/#respond Wed, 07 Nov 2018 18:51:44 +0000 https://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=90294

In case you missed the latest Office Hours with Eddie and Christopher, Eddie lays out a recap of the major topics.

The post Office Hours #2 – Christopher Martin & Edward Eng first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/11/office-hours-2-christopher-martin-edward-eng/feed/ 0 Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #16 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/10/hold-em-fold-em-16/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/10/hold-em-fold-em-16/#comments Thu, 25 Oct 2018 12:08:51 +0000 https://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=90134

The SCG Dallas Open showcased some interesting developments in several formats. Eddie takes stock of new technology and logs the changes to his portfolio in response.

The post Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #16 first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/10/hold-em-fold-em-16/feed/ 4 Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #15 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/10/hold-em-fold-em-15/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/10/hold-em-fold-em-15/#comments Thu, 18 Oct 2018 21:04:39 +0000 https://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=90031

Another week of Guilds of Ravnica, another set of recommendations. Eddie provides the latest moves in his portfolio, including some Modern breakouts and a few odd foils.

The post Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #15 first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/10/hold-em-fold-em-15/feed/ 2 Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #12 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/09/hold-em-fold-em-12/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/09/hold-em-fold-em-12/#respond Thu, 27 Sep 2018 18:41:01 +0000 https://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=89698

Eddie weighs in on the latest developments in the finance world, from Guilds of Ravnica, to Worlds, to an odd new combo deck in Modern featuring Runaway Steam-Kin.

The post Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #12 first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/09/hold-em-fold-em-12/feed/ 0 Prepping for GP Detroit with Antiquities War Affinity https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/09/prepping-gp-detroit-antiquities-war-affinity/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/09/prepping-gp-detroit-antiquities-war-affinity/#comments Thu, 06 Sep 2018 16:35:46 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=18642 By Max Magnuson. In his first article for Modern Nexus, Max shares some Affinity tech that provides a massive boost to the archetype: The Antiquities War.

The post Prepping for GP Detroit with Antiquities War Affinity first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/09/prepping-gp-detroit-antiquities-war-affinity/feed/ 2 Return to the PPTQ Grind: Week 3 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/08/return-pptq-grind-week-3/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/08/return-pptq-grind-week-3/#comments Tue, 21 Aug 2018 16:00:41 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=18557 And now, back to the grind. I skipped last week due to the travel distance involved, but I wasn't about to miss this week. That said, I want to call out that both PPTQ's last week were at stores that I didn't know existed, and one was in a town that as far as I […]

The post Return to the PPTQ Grind: Week 3 first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/08/return-pptq-grind-week-3/feed/ 4 Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #5 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/08/hold-em-fold-em-5/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/08/hold-em-fold-em-5/#comments Sat, 11 Aug 2018 20:08:53 +0000 https://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=88907

Edward covers the latest shifts in the wake of Pro Tour 25th Anniversary, including a new section that highlights major targets he missed in earlier articles.

The post Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #5 first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/08/hold-em-fold-em-5/feed/ 4 Return to the PPTQ Grind: Week 2 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/08/return-pptq-grind-week-2/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/08/return-pptq-grind-week-2/#comments Tue, 07 Aug 2018 16:00:28 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=18488 After a week off, it's time to get back on the grind. While there were PPTQ's last week, they were well outside my willingness to travel. I instead used that time to refine my decks and  get a feel for where the metagame was going. I intended to hit both Modern PPTQ's this weekend, but […]

The post Return to the PPTQ Grind: Week 2 first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/08/return-pptq-grind-week-2/feed/ 4 Return to the PPTQ Grind: Week 1 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/07/return-pptq-grind-week-1/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/07/return-pptq-grind-week-1/#comments Tue, 24 Jul 2018 16:00:15 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=18394 Another PPTQ season, another few months trying to claw my way back to the Pro Tour. Or another opportunity to really analyze my game and try to find new areas to improve upon. I've been grinding a long time, and have come to adjust my expectations while maintaining ambition. Usually, PPTQ seasons begin in central […]

The post Return to the PPTQ Grind: Week 1 first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/07/return-pptq-grind-week-1/feed/ 6 Return to the PPTQ Grind: Week 0 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/07/return-to-the-pptq-grind-week-0/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/07/return-to-the-pptq-grind-week-0/#comments Tue, 17 Jul 2018 16:00:45 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=18356 The Modern PPTQ season starts this weekend for me. Just like last year, I will be documenting my grind for the RPTQ invite, with all the lessons learned and deck tweaks that entails. Hopefully this edition doesn't go the whole season, but that's Magic. In this kick-off article, I will be examining the metagame with an […]

The post Return to the PPTQ Grind: Week 0 first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/07/return-to-the-pptq-grind-week-0/feed/ 9 Dynamic Equilibrium: SCG Minneapolis https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/05/dynamic-equilibrium-scg-minneapolis/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/05/dynamic-equilibrium-scg-minneapolis/#comments Tue, 29 May 2018 16:00:52 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=18075

With hard metagame data being increasingly hard to come by, having several events in a row is a relief. Rather than extrapolation and conjecture, data and fact can guide my recommendations. This string of Star City events will provide an excellent guide for those heading to GP Las Vegas, and preparation and information are the […]

The post Dynamic Equilibrium: SCG Minneapolis first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/05/dynamic-equilibrium-scg-minneapolis/feed/ 16 It Was Foretold: Jeskai Control’s Return https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/05/it-was-foretold-jeskai-controls-return/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/05/it-was-foretold-jeskai-controls-return/#comments Tue, 22 May 2018 17:40:13 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=18039 I've been doing a lot of theoretical work over the past few months. With Dominaria's release there was plenty of need—and opportunity—to explore and brew. During this process I was constantly underwhelmed by Modern's ostensible top deck, Humans. It was a fine deck, but it didn't really shine. As I explained last week, this left me perplexed about […]

The post It Was Foretold: Jeskai Control’s Return first appeared on Quiet Speculation.

]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/05/it-was-foretold-jeskai-controls-return/feed/ 28