by Anthony Francisco

Created on: April 12, 2009   Last Updated: April 24, 2009

When it comes to Magic the Gathering, the ability to draft a good deck is what separates the best players from the recreational enthusiasts. During a draft, players are only allowed to play the cards they choose from a set of three packs (per player). So, each player's final deck will consist of what that player has drafted for that particular tournament. Compared to the standard format where each player arrives with a premade deck, witch that player has spent hours tweaking and play testing. Because of this simple fact, the drafting scene is dominated by the most skilled and innovative players of the game.

What is a draft?

During a draft, each participating player will be given three Magic the Gathering booster packs. By rolling a die, players will be positioned around a table and then instructed to open one booster pack. The players will be given a set time to choose one card and then pass the remainder of the pack either to the left or right person, which is once again determined by the roll of a die. Once each player passes his or her pack, they will get the opportunity to choose another card from the new pack. This process is repeated until every card has been chosen from all three booster packs. During this phase of the draft, each pick can either be focused on increasing the power of the player's deck, or "hate" drafting against an opponent by taking cards that may be used against you during play.

Deck construction

During this phase, each player will be allotted time to build their decks with the cards taken during the draft. If a player failed to take powerful cards, or did not draft enough of a certain color, then that player's deck will suffer enormously in the during the phase and onto tournament play. Even the most strategically sound players will lose because of weak drafts. Once again, the ability to draft and draft effectively will payoff during this phase. Players that made good decisions during the draft will have little trouble putting together a competitive deck.

Putting it together

Finally, after building your deck out of nothing, players will be matched up and the tournament will begin. The player with the best deck following the draft, will immediately have the upper hand once the games begin, thus, reemphasizing the importance of the draft. In this limited format, each card can make a difference, and even the best players in world can be defeated by a well drafted deck. Fortunately, drafts are the most sought out tournaments in Magic, providing players with ample opportunities to test their wits against opposing spell casters.

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