"Why do I play Magic?"

"Why do I play magic?"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.

     It was almost a lifetime ago that fateful day when one of my friends Kris brought a bunch of cards during lunch in one of our classes in Med school. As a game of Magic was played during the break  , I was asked a couple of questions about it because I think everyone just assumed that I was playing it , I was able to answer them surprisingly without having played a single game. It was I believe one of those things in life that you were actually built for and were destined to do. I believe that when you are meant to do things , things come naturally to you and the universe contrives to usher in this desire. A couple of weeks later I was researching for cards and decks online. I was able to track down concepts that were being written all over the internet and I was able to look back at cards since the beginning of the game in 1993. Not Surprisingly when the game became popular here in 1995 I was one of the first people who were exposed to it and I remember scoffing at the art of the only Black Lotus that I ever touched. Even then it was considered to be valuable and the one I held was in a sealed plastic case. I was offered some of these cards but for some reason I just was not into them.

     Forward in time to that day in Med school where a spark ignited in me , like a planeswalker discovering the power to traverse the planes. During that time Onslaught was the current block. I had scoured all of the shops in Greenhills to build a Mono Red Goblin deck first to fight with my friends and later when I introduced the game to my brother  , epic battles with him ensued. Techniques and cards escalated and I was given a set of Goblin Grenades that I still treasure to this day from my friend Cesar. Thus an affair with the Red Deck was born , and with this passion I started learning more and more.

     The first pack I ever bought contained a Blistering Firecat , the hottest Aggressive creature of that time. People were trying to buy it from my brother and me but I just can't let it go and is still featured in one of  my red EDH decks. Onslaught was my firm handshake with magic but the Introduction of the new Mirrodin block was my all out Love affair with magic. My brother and I even bought a box of the new 8th edition. Little did we know that Mirrodin and 8th edition would be a defining point in Magic History. These sets would define the boundaries for the Modern format that people are enjoying today because of the new template that was used for the cards.

     So why do I play magic? Because it is purely fun. There is a lot of gain from it and there are many things that you would look at in certain perspectives once you learn it. You learn to look at patterns , you learn about timing , you learn about making decisions. Math is involved  obviously because its creator was a mathematician. Probability and chance always play a part in the games. The more you play it the more you realize that you would never progress without a little math prowess.

     Magic is also a social game and you are given chances to interact with people who are of the same mind as you. You would realize that you form strong bonds of friendship and rivalry as you go along and that even though you face each other on the battlefield you are still friends afterwards. There are prizes to be won and competitions to be in and they are all a lot better when you have your closest allies with you. Team Virulence has been my team from the very beginning and will be my last team as well. They are both my family and my friends and I know that they will always be there. I will keep on playing Magic. It simply is just a part of me.