"Magic Shuffle Profiles:All in the Shuffle"

"Magic Shuffle Profiles:All in the Shuffle"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr. 

The game of magic has a lot of nuances and there are things that you might be able to pick up if you are really observant. 

Now one of the first things that opponents do when you are paired up is to shuffle his or her deck. If you have been playing the game of magic for awhile now you tend to see that there are some shuffles that are fun to watch while others are take so long that you always think that things would end up in a draw. 

During the last GP Manila (and I hope they bring it back soon to our neck of the woods because I don't want that GP to be my first and last) there were more than a 1000 shuffling players with different style that was on display for all to see.

Even in a persons shuffle we could glean some knowledge and here are the three that I have observed so far...

#1 - The Fast Shuffler

You would know the fast shuffler in an instant because it seems that they are done with their shuffling in an instant. There you are just separating your deck into piles and here he or she is asking you to already cut this deck. Instant. Fast.

Now what can we gain from this? Fast Shufflers often have cards that they might not gain access to because the cards may not have been shuffled correctly , the other thing that we might see is that these are some people who are impatient in starting the game. Impatience can cost you a lot in magic. In the games I played some of the fast shuffler turn out to be those that make mistakes because they are in a hurry to kill you , burn your creatures or to just say "done" and pass the turn to you because they think that they have nothing else to do. Often times they miss things when they shouldn't have.

So when you see a fast shuffler , observe how fast he or she says done. Chances are they would be too quick to decide on things. And that could be to your advantage.

#2 - The Deliberate shuffler.

Now there are some players who have elevated shuffling to some sort of art form. Some shuffles are sooo beautiful to behold. Some are just a test of your patience. The thoroughness that some players do when they shuffle gets on your nerves and I believe that some of them do tend to do that for that very purpose. Don't let them win even before you draw the first card by being as patient as they are.

Now if they are deliberate enough in their shuffles you can be sure that they are as deliberate in their decision making as well. In my experience with the high level players they seem to be intent in game play that they are 3 or 4 moves away the moment they draw their hands. 

Expect an answer to a threat or a cool head even when they are being overwhelmed. You beat them with creatures but they don't flinch , they don't say anything to give a clue as to what they really in their hands. 

So when you see a Deliberate shuffler , expect a hard time , expect a long drawn out game. Steeling yourself after the fact means that you are ready for his or her tactics. You expected them from the get go.

#3 - The Rogue Shuffler

Simply put Rogue Shufflers cannot be profiled. They are the type of players who shuffle like some drunken maniac then control the game to the very point of your death. They are the one's who shuffle deliberately and then blitzkrieg you to death in the next 4 turns.

This is the kind of player who can be beaten in the 2nd game when your sideboard and your knowledge of him or her will be maximized.  

Hard to predict these shufflers but then again there are other ways to know what they are. Experience. If you have played with them once you would know and then you could read them.

The best way know other players is to simply go to your local store/ Community and play. Shuffling profiles aside there are a lot fun things that you could discover that could spark you to make your own deck or improve your own tactics but when you meet someone for the first time remember this , FDR. Fast/ Deliberate/ Rogue. Chances are they will fall in one of the three and you could adjust accordingly.