174: Grand Prix Champion John Asbach Reveals How to Get to GP Top 8 from Day Two - a podcast by Shaun Penrod talks tips and stories with professional Magic: The Gathering

from 2017-02-14T09:00

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John Asbach is 25 years old and an active duty military member. He graduated from the United States Military Academy (Westpoint) Class of 2013 and is originally from Buffalo, NY. He loves theater, coffee, and hockey and is the Champion of Grand Prix San Jose 2017.

Click to Tweet: I got a ton of value from John Asbach when he shared his story on #MTGProTutor! Listen here: http://bit.ly/mtgprotutor-ep174

First Set

9th / 10th

Favorite Set

Innistrad

Favorite Card

Dark Intimations

What makes Magic: The Gathering fun for you?

It's different everytime you play.

Early Challenge

Constructed. Choosing the right deck. Getting advice from knowledgeable players helps John share this up.

Breakthrough Moment

Grand Prix San Jose validated John's effort.

Worst Magic Moment

GP Portland. John went to time against a grindy Bant company deck. He ended up playing the draw bracket and doing poorly.

Proudest Magic Moment

Winning Grand Prix San Jose 2017.

How to Get from Day 2 to Top 8

Focus on the things you can control. Play, card evaluation (Limited), deck building.
Ask yourself " how does my deck win?"

What Have You Learned from Magic

Thinking ahead and solving problems.

Biggest Mistake Players Make

Not giving enough attention to your mana base in Limited.

How to Effectively Prepare for a Big Event

For a new set, go to the Pre-Release and draft as much as possible before the Grand Prix.

Tournament Day Tips

Water, granola bars, the days are long. Take it one match at a time.

Improvement Suggestions

Be your mentality flexible. Find what works for you and talk to others.

Connect With John Asbach

John can be found in the MTG Pro Tutor Facebook group.

Check Out Magic Story

Magic Story brings the lore of the Multiverse to life in an audio presentation never before heard in the Magic community.

Listen to Episode 1 here or on www.magicthestory.com