The MTG Community - When & How You Learned Magic [Edward Eng - Battlemage, Level 42]
I can't believe Magic has been around for more than 20 years. I never thought I'd be playing Magic in 2016. As a matter of fact, I stopped playing Magic cold in 2000 (I played a few tournaments in 2002 and one in 2003). I never thought I would come back to play the game. Ever. But in 2009, I found an old teammate on Facebook. And in 2010, I started playing Magic again. I haven't really stopped since. And I don't play on stopping ever again.
But today, I'd like to quickly look back on how I got started with Magic. And I want to hear your stories about how you got into the game that we all love. The main reason I want to do this is to inspire more people to fall in love with the game that brings us all together. Because if the game doesn't grow, we don't grow.
It might be a bit fuzzy for some of you like it is for me. But I vaguely remember coming across Magic at this church I used to hang out at in 1994. The game looked super weird to me so I thought nothing of it. But the game kept growing more and more popular to the point where I started to become interested. Then eventually I went up to one of the counselors at the church and asked if he could teach me how to play. I'll never forget when James Lee helped me build the infamous RG Aggro deck that many of us learned to play Magic with. Nothing like good 'ol Kird Apes and Blood Lusts until you run into the person with Counterspells, Swords to Plowshares, and Serra Angels. Man, the good 'ol days.
I took me a couple of years to stumble upon the competitive Magic scene as I played my first sanctioned tournament in 1997. I'll never forget that tournament. It was a Pro Tour Qualifier for Paris, France. I played Turbo Stasis and went 1-3 drop. That was rough. But I was hooked. The very next tournament I played in was Midwest Regionals. I played Sligh and made top 16 but lost by one turn to qualify for Nationals. That was ROUGH! I was devastated. But I was even more HOOKED. I ended up playing till 2000 then stopped to focus on school. And if there's one regret that I have in life, it's that I stopped playing Magic for 10 years. But I'm glad to be back. And now that I'm back and the game is larger than it's ever been, larger than I ever imagined it would ever be back in 2000, I want to hear your stories about when and how you got into Magic.
1. When did you start playing Magic?
2. How did you find out about the game?
3. Who taught you how to play?
4. When was your first sanctioned tournament?
5. What did you play?
6. How did you do?
7. What do you love most about Magic?
Really looking forward to all your stories.
Peace, love, and have fun…
Eddie
Additional Reading
1. Brewer's Paradise - Dredge Swarm in Modern [Edward Eng - Battlemage, Level 42]
2. The MTG Community - Quick Hits...Pro Tour & SCG [Edward Eng - Battlemage, Level 42]
3. MTG Reporter - PPTQ Sydney, 1st Place [Jared Tomlinson - Battlemage, Level 41]
A Little Bit about Eddie
He started playing Magic around December of 1994, then hit the sanctioned competitive tournament scene in 1997. He played till about 2000 and was on the cusp of making the Pro Tour but stopped to focus on school. He found his old teammate on Facebook in 2009 and got back into the game in 2010. Since then he's played in two Nationals, top 16ed an SCG Invitational, and day 2ed multiple Grand Prix.
Edward Eng
Galactic Treasures
