Connections Across the Multiverse

There are nine rounds for Day One competition, which means nine different opponents and nine different personalities. Each of them have a different way to play the game and an interesting way to communicate with their opponent. The only constant factor is you. I get to hear all of these different stories or just have a friendly talk with some people. Other times, I just flick the cards back in forth in my hand waiting for my opponent to attempt something.

Boredom does kick in, and the timer is a testament to how strenuous some opponents can be. I would rather play a fifty minute match against someone who has a story than a 10 minute game with those who only care about the game itself. People like to remain entirely focused and adversed in what is occurring during the time limit. Others tell their story, they inform you of personal information that interests you more than the game itself.

Taking a job offer because your girlfriend recommended you pushes you in a spot to accept the offer, even if you don’t want to. But in the pornography business, the job offer just seems fun. Go for it. One guy did so, even when he realized that guys in the Erotic Film Industry get paid less than the girls.

“Do you spend a lot of time on the internet? Well, then you must have heard of Brazzers. I used to work for them, even when I got paid less than most of the girls I worked with.”

That is the last thing I expected to hear this at a tournament for Magic: The Gathering, even if it took place in New Jersey.

An opponent for round 5, gassed with the smell of tar and cigarettes, but held a friendly face nonetheless. My opponent sat down 3 minutes after the clock began for the round, so I got a free win. The rule stands that if your opponent doesn’t make it before the round timer begins, then the first game is automatically lost. I wasn’t excited about this since I would rather play to prove who deserves the win, but a game is a game when playing for top spots. Explaining why he was late, my opponent named Samuel Blabbergunnington, was referring to his job history and how people get really interested to hear what his history is. Just that phrase caught my attention: turns out, he worked in porn after being recommended by his girlfriend.

That wasn't all that interesting compared to some stories people tell just by sitting across from them during a competitive best out of three match, or in the line for vendors and artists while standing in the same spot for a good hour or so.

Grand Prix New Jersey (Grand Prix Edison) took place during November, the weekend of the 14th. A three day event with more than four thousand people signed up for the main event, but more people showed up for everything else. Artist, vendors, side events, and friends. One person planned an entire week with his family just to find time to attend this tournament, for one day. Guess that goes to show how important this is for people; family comes first…except when there is a Magic: the Gathering tournament.

“What kind of deck is that? Are you sure you’re playing Legacy?”

There are a multitude formats in the game. Each format has a limited card pool, where some have more cards legal in that format than others. Legacy is the most competitive format with the largest amount of legal cards in the format. I decided to play a Modern deck in this tournament since I don’t plan on spending the amount a car costs just for one game. My deck cost a fraction of what other people’s did, and they were shocked that I played such a weird deck. I explained to people what my deck was, after the match so I wouldn't reveal any new or helpful information. Their looks were condescending, to say the less. An opponent was angered that I played the deck I did, and I just let it go. His anger only made my game better than his.

“This is a Legacy tournament, go play Modern at a side event or something. Thanks for the free win, but not the competition.”

I still won, letting my opponent soak up his words and feel like crap afterwards anyways. After our match, he packed up his stuff as fast as he could and floundered his way away from the table. Guess some people can’t stand to lose to skill and luck rather than having a deck that costs more than anything I own at the moment.

I only won five out of the nine matches over the course of the entire tournament, but that is pretty awesome for how large this entire event was. Some good opponents, some people that just played it out, and some that were sore losers.

Around the ninth round, I was awarded a bye. Which means that I get a break from playing for the time being and have a free win. But technology is a pretty nifty thing, especially when mistakes are made. I think the word “awarded” was used incorrectly here. I was called up to the main event stage where I had an opponent show up last minute. The specialists working the computer system placed the opponent as a drop from the event, when the slip stated that he just received a lost from last round. So I played, and won. But the idea of an award is an item or object given in placement of a prize and cost. When I get my Awarded Bye taken from me, a simple punch in the face would have been a little bit nicer. I laughed it off, even when I was exhausted from the overall day.

The opponent was pretty relaxed about the entire thing. He got to play instead of dropping the entire event and it was fun to play against him. I got the win way too easily, taking up about 5 minutes of my time. I got my 45 minute break in the end. Just like a bye in the end. The person still had a smile on his face the whole time; from time in the round beginning to where he lost.

Over the long haul of the day, I spent about three hundred minutes across the table from different people. I played against Magic Judges who were off duty from their job. I played against people who questioned each little thing that was established. I played against people that were just happy to play, whether they did well or not. The day came to an end, and I didn't make it to the next part of the competition: Where the top players are determined to continue to. I shrugged it off and passioned forward to the Sunday stage since artists and side events still existed.

This time, I was mostly in line waiting for artists to sign. Sometimes, they just can’t say no to offers or commissions. They lines were horrendously long, and an hour passed where I barely moved in inch. The line would just be at a standstill. So, people decided to talk to each other. A fantastic way to pass the time. We talked about what we were expecting for the event itself, what we wanted from the artists and where we were from. I was even behind one of my previous opponents from the day before.

I think the way to just power through the ability of communication between people is to create communication. Each story and connection made affects new degrees of success, whether personal or labor-based. This tournament, communication led to the success of a well run event where people were able to merrily be pleased with each aspect of the entire Grand Prix setting.

“Communication — the human connection — is the key to personal and career success.”