The Pre-Game Podcast by WZKD-

Higher from Playing With Power joins Craig Mack for Episode 24 of The Pregame Podcast!We talk competitive Commander, the Commander Format Panel, learning a new playstyle with Elsha, and why the people at the table matter as much as the game. From punk bands and social work to tournament judging and a burrito challenge, this conversation goes well beyond the cards.Plus, we break down Yapsgiving and Mulligan’s Drafting Duals, including the winning decks and Top 16 results. And a cool Pregame connection: three of Yapsgiving’s Top 4 have been guests on the show!🏆 Winning decklistsYapsgiving 10K: Zach Adler’s Rograkh and Silas Rennhttps://topdeck.gg/deck/yapsgiving-10k/frReLXG6lFWgI4xSGcUeTZuvh7k2Mulligan’s Drafting Duals: Ben Brenner’s Ishai and Rograkhhttps://topdeck.gg/deck/mulligans-5k-cedh-tournament-november-guaranteed/nAelLkYd2eTlVFwNCdIcdBuknmD2🎙️ Find Higher and Playing With PowerPlaying With Power on YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/PlayingWithPowerMTGHigher’s links: https://linktr.ee/highermtgInstagram: https://instagram.com/highermtgTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@highermtgX: https://x.com/highermtgMoxfield: https://www.moxfield.com/users/Higher🎲 Connect with WZKD GamesShop: https://wzkdgames.com/Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/WZKDGAMESDiscord: https://discord.gg/c5cCuSPtdYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wzkdgamesTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@craig.mackmtgX: https://x.com/craig_mackFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wzkdgamesTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wzkdgmzAll our links: https://linktr.ee/CraigmackWhat would you change about tournament cEDH? Let us know in the comments, and subscribe for more interviews, tournament reports, and Magic conversations!#MTG #cEDH #Commander #ThePregamePodcast #PlayingWithPower

Gavin Verhey says Rograkh is a card the Magic design team wouldn’t make today. So what has the team learned about Commander, and what makes a card worth banning?The Wizards of the Coast Principal Game Designer joins Craig Mack on The Pregame Podcast to talk Commander bans, cEDH, and cards he might approach differently today. From Najeela’s last-minute change to the power of a free creature in the command zone, Gavin takes us behind the decisions that shape the game.In this episode:How play patterns and widespread use factor into Commander bansWhere cEDH fits into the wider Commander conversationNajeela’s last-minute toughness changeWhat Rograkh taught the team about free creatures in the command zoneCommander playtesting and designing for different kinds of playersGavin’s love of CubeAn early Star Trek design for Q that didn’t make it to printHow a childhood love of Magic became a career designing the gameWhich Magic card would you ask Gavin about? Let us know in the comments, and subscribe for more Pregame conversations!FOLLOW & SUPPORTAll our links: https://linktr.ee/CraigmackPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/WZKDGAMESShop WZKD Games: https://wzkdgames.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wzkdgamesSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033E7AXjmAiXFdsCgQ0iVMDiscord: https://discord.gg/c5cCuSPtdYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wzkdgamesTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@craig.mackmtgX: https://x.com/craig_mackFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wzkdgamesTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wzkdgmz#MagicTheGathering #Commander #cEDH

Star Trek has arrived in Magic: The Gathering, but which cards might make the jump to cEDH?Join Craig Mack on The Pregame Podcast for a competitive look at the Star Trek set. We’re breaking down potential commanders, interesting cards for the 99, and the interactions that could earn these cards a place at the table.From Captain Janeway and Jean-Luc Picard to Scotty, Quark, and Deep Space 9, we’ll look at what these cards do, where they might fit, and what questions they need to answer before we call them competitive. Some look promising. Others might need a little more testing before we beam them into a deck.IN THIS REVIEW🚀 Potential commanders: Captain Janeway, Endgame; Jean-Luc Picard, Luminary; and Voq, Torchbearer🖖 Cards for the 99: Khan, Ezri Dax, Kurn, Deep Space 9, Mr. Spock, Quark, Scotty, and Brazen Bluff🃏 Deck ideas, potential interactions, and the trade-offs that matter in cEDHWhich Star Trek card are you most excited to test? Did we miss one that deserves a closer look? Let us know in the comments!If you enjoy cEDH, Commander, and Magic set reviews, like the video and subscribe to The Pregame Podcast for more.FOLLOW & SUPPORTAll our links: https://linktr.ee/CraigmackPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/WZKDGAMESShop WZKD Games: https://wzkdgames.com/Table Ready Cards: https://tablereadycards.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wzkdgamesSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033E7AXjmAiXFdsCgQ0iVMDiscord: https://discord.gg/c5cCuSPtdYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wzkdgamesTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@craig.mackmtgX: https://x.com/craig_mackFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wzkdgamesTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wzkdgmz#MTG #StarTrekMTG #cEDH #Commander #MagicTheGathering

You know your deck. But do you know what the other three players are telling you? Zach “the Snack” Adler from Bite Sized MTG joins Craig Mack to talk about reading a cEDH table, figuring out who should spend the counterspell, and recognizing your window to win.We get into the information you can collect before the first land comes down, how table talk changes a game, and why sometimes you have to create your own opening. Plus, Zach shares the story behind Bite Sized, his dream finals pod, and why making competitive Commander more welcoming and affordable matters.IN EPISODE 22Getting to know Zach and the people behind Bite Sized MTGReading opponents before the game beginsThreat assessment and who should spend the interactionPolitical capital and useful table talkFinding and creating windows to winProxies, accessibility and Gilded GobletZach’s dream Top 4 podThis week’s Tournament ReportDID WE FEATURE YOUR DECK?If we talk about your deck in the Tournament Report, reach out! We’d love to have you on for a short segment to hear what worked, what surprised you, and which card everybody told you to cut. Find us through the links below.PUSH TO 10K GIVEAWAYWe’re celebrating the push to 10,000 subscribers!Grand prize: a Scrubland.Second prize: a card alter painted by Craig Mack.To enter, subscribe to WZKD Games and leave a comment on this video. Already subscribed? Just leave your comment! No purchase or Patreon membership is necessary. We’ll randomly select the winners from eligible comments and announce them when the channel reaches 10,000 subscribers.What’s one thing you pay attention to when you’re reading a cEDH table? Tell us below.SUPPORT PREGAME ON PATREONEnjoy the interviews, tournament coverage and deck discussions? Help support the show and what we’re building at WZKD Games:https://www.patreon.com/c/WZKDGAMESZACH ADLER & BITE SIZED MTGYouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@Bite-Sized-MTGBite Sized Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/cw/BiteSizedMTGGilded Goblet:https://gildedgoblet.com/CONNECT WITH PREGAME & WZKD GAMESAll our links: https://linktr.ee/CraigmackWZKD Games: https://wzkdgames.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wzkdgamesSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033E7AXjmAiXFdsCgQ0iVMDiscord: https://discord.gg/c5cCuSPtdYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wzkdgamesTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@craig.mackmtgX: https://x.com/craig_mackFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wzkdgamesTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wzkdgmzcEDH coaching with Andrei Blanton:[email protected] READY CARDShttps://tablereadycards.com/Like the episode, share it with your playgroup, and subscribe for more good people and good Magic.#cEDH #MTG #Commander

Sam Black joins the Pregame Podcast to talk cEDH deckbuilding, the brewer’s edge, and how Rograkh and Thrasios keeps evolving. Can an unfamiliar deck outperform the established best deck? And what does your list do when three opponents shut down Plan A?SUPPORT PREGAME ON PATREONEnjoy the interviews, tournament coverage, and deck discussions? Help support the show and what we’re building at WZKD Games:https://www.patreon.com/c/WZKDGAMESIN EPISODE 21Sam’s approach to finding overlooked cards and building through interaction.How a viewer’s Oboro Breezecaller suggestion changed Rograkh and Thrasios.Tournament draws, seat order, incentives, and the community trust that makes competitive Commander work.Sam’s case against fetchlands, plus an unforgettable childhood Ancestral Recall trade.Duncan Gilchrist winning MBG Commanderpalooza #3 and Harley Anderson winning the Cian Colony Memorial Tournament 4, both on Blue Farm.Two different approaches to Tymna and Kraum, plus The Wandering Minstrel’s third-place finish.Upcoming cEDH events: Rocket City Liftoff and Yapsgiving.If you enjoy the episode, hit like, subscribe, and tell us: what overlooked card deserves another look in cEDH?PUSH TO 10KWe’re kicking off our Push to 10K giveaway next week. Full details are coming in the announcement. Stay tuned!SAM’S TABLE — SAM BLACK ON YOUTUBEhttps://www.youtube.com/@samuelhblackEVENTS YOU SHOULD BE ATRocket City Liftoff — Huntsville, AlabamaNovember 7 weekend; two-day cEDH schedule. Prize payouts scale with attendance.https://topdeck.gg/event/rocket-city-liftoffYapsgiving cEDH 10K — Provo, UtahNovember 7–8, 2026. Saturday at Utah Valley Convention Center; Sunday’s cut moves to Riftgate.https://topdeck.gg/event/yapsgiving-10kCheck the organizer listings for current registration, schedules, prize structures, and proxy requirements.CONNECT WITH PREGAME & WZKD GAMESAll our links: https://linktr.ee/CraigmackPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/WZKDGAMESWZKD Games: https://wzkdgames.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wzkdgamesDiscord: https://discord.gg/c5cCuSPtdYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wzkdgamesTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@craig.mackmtgX: https://x.com/craig_mackFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/wzkdgamesTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/wzkdgmzcEDH coaching with Andrei: [email protected]#cEDH #SamBlack #MTG

What does solving a tough Magic problem have in common with figuring out your next move in life?Adam Holmes of F6 Supplies joins Craig Mack for Episode 20 of the Pregame Podcast for a conversation about problem-solving in Magic: The Gathering, business, and life beyond the table.We talk Magic, cEDH, and the story behind F6, one of my favorite stops at any tournament. From the lightbox to the playmats and accessories, Adam brings a lot to this community. And those charging banks? I own two. My phone gets more backup plans than my deck does.Plus, we break down the weekend’s cEDH results from Pamplona and Fort Wayne, with Arcum Dagsson and Krark/Thrasios taking home the wins. Then it’s Tournaments You Should Be At, featuring Houston, Yapsgiving, Decatur, and Tacoma.What’s one lesson from Magic you’ve actually used outside the game? Let us know in the comments.Like, subscribe, and share this episode with your tournament travel buddy. Your support helps us keep bringing great people and great conversations to the Pregame.F6 SUPPLIEShttps://shopf6.com/TABLE READY CARDShttps://tablereadycards.com/SUPPORT THE SHOWWZKD Games Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/c/WZKDGAMESALL OUR LINKSCraig Mack’s socials, content, and more:https://linktr.ee/CraigmackWZKD Games:https://wzkdgames.com/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@WZKDGAMEScEDH coaching with Andrei Blanton:[email protected] RESULTS & WINNING DECKLISTSCEDH Norte: Pamplonahttps://topdeck.gg/event/cedh-norte-bilbao-zaragoza-pamplonaSendoa Cardiel’s Arcum Dagsson:https://topdeck.gg/deck/cedh-norte-bilbao-zaragoza-pamplona/egYwSEzhLIhHbw0OZnZg9kx0dBj2Perfect Storm: Tabernacle 10Khttps://topdeck.gg/event/perfect-storm-comins-games-tabernacle-10kEthan / Pickle_poltergeist’s Krark & Thrasios:https://topdeck.gg/deck/perfect-storm-comins-games-tabernacle-10k/F7oWrpk8MANUVKbpgzidjrj3Ia93TOURNAMENTS YOU SHOULD BE ATHouston CCS Qualifier | October 24–25, 2026https://topdeck.gg/event/css-20000-cedh-invitational-qualifier-6Yapsgiving | November 7–8, 2026https://topdeck.gg/event/yapsgiving-10kDecatur Deathmatch | November 7–8, 2026https://topdeck.gg/event/the-decatur-deathmatchBrainstorm, Tacoma | November 21–22, 2026https://topdeck.gg/event/brainstorm-tacomas-cedh-open-10kCheck each organizer’s current registration, venue, prize details, and proxy policy before making plans.#cEDH #MTG #Commander

We have Storm-Kiln Artist at home. Apparently, we also have tournament wins.I recently won a LandGO Qualifier with Vraska, Soul of Stone—and in this Pregame Podcast deck tech, I’m breaking down the list, the mulligans, and how all those Treasures turn into wins.From the top down, it looks like Rog/Ishai. Behind the wheel, it’s a midrange control deck that builds draw engines, fights over the stack, and saves up for an explosive turn.We’re covering:🍔 Why Vraska is our “Storm-Kiln Artist at home”💰 Treasure engines, haste enablers, Academy Manufactor, and Xorn🤫 Silence effects and choosing your window to win🔥 Underworld Breach and the secret Magda plan🐉 Niv-Mizzet, Hullbreaker Horror, and alternate finishes🃏 Draw engines, clones, and what makes an opening hand worth keepingAnd yes—we’re talking about the game where I tutor-chained into a Breach line DURING a stack battle with Niv-Mizzet already on the battlefield.You should have seen their faces. Priceless.📋 FULL DECKLIST:https://moxfield.com/decks/iLagAXcOXnScboVvDDLv5QWould you sleeve up Vraska? Drop your questions and card suggestions in the comments, and subscribe to The Pregame Podcast for more cEDH deck techs, tournament talk, and interviews.Clown on the commander if you want. You’re about to Vraska ’round and find out.#cEDH #MTG #Vraska

What separates a great cEDH player from someone with a powerful deck? Jordan and Lily Drake of Drake Academy and Team Monolith join Craig Mack and Andrei to talk coaching, tournament preparation, threat assessment, and the future of competitive Commander.Also: what happens when the person standing between you and the top cut is the person you married?On Episode 19 of the Pregame Podcast, we get into the decisions, practice habits, and honest feedback that help players improve—and why being competitive doesn’t mean making everyone at the table miserable.IN THIS EPISODE:• The mistakes Jordan and Lily see when coaching cEDH players• Mulligans, threat assessment, and trusting your decisions• How Team Monolith practices, reviews games, and develops players• Competing against your spouse—and surviving the ride home• Teamwork, tournament integrity, and the line between preparation and collusion• What cEDH needs from tournament rules, qualification, and championship events• The weekend’s tournament report and Events You Should Be AtAnd yes, Craig may need professional help learning to win before turn eight. Fortunately, this time we mean coaching.👇 What’s holding YOUR cEDH game back: mulligans, threat assessment, table politics, or knowing when to go for the win? Tell us in the comments.Subscribe to the Pregame Podcast for cEDH interviews, tournament reports, deck discussions, and more Magic: The Gathering.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━SUPPORT & FOLLOW THE PREGAME━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WZKD Games Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/WZKDGAMESCraig Mack — all socials, content & links:https://linktr.ee/CraigmackWZKD Games:https://wzkdgames.com━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━cEDH COACHING WITH ANDREI BLANTON━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Want help tuning your deck, improving your decisions, or preparing for your next tournament?Coaching inquiries: [email protected]━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━TABLE READY CARDS━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Check out Table Ready Cards:https://tablereadycards.com/password━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━DRAKE ACADEMY — JORDAN & LILY━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Watch Drake Academy on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlFNc9TrgcEInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/drakeacademymtg/X:https://x.com/DrakeAcademyMTGDiscord:https://discord.gg/F8DsU3UUsUJordan’s Moxfield:https://moxfield.com/users/JordanDrakeAcademyLily’s Moxfield:https://moxfield.com/users/HellaLily━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━TEAM MONOLITH━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Website:https://monolithmtg.gg/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@MonolithMTGX:https://x.com/Monolith_MTG━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━PRISMARI DECKLIST━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━View the Prismari deck on Moxfield:https://moxfield.com/decks/zC5McfdD0EWpvKa8agS9bA#cEDH #MTG #Commander

Six mana. One commander. Anybody have a response?Dack Fayden, Helping Hand brings BIG DACK ENERGY to cEDH—a mono-white combo deck built to turn its commander into a game-ending chain of creature loops and dungeon triggers.This is the deck Etali, Ang, and Gyruda wish they could be. With the combo pieces available and the loop protected, we’re skipping the suspense and getting straight to your opponents picking up their cards.🔗 DECKLIST ON MOXFIELD:https://moxfield.com/decks/1QmhAfnYGnurqbK_6yKB7w🔗 ALL OUR LINKS — SOCIALS, CONTENT & WAYS TO SUPPORT:https://linktr.ee/CraigmackIn this Pregame Podcast deck tech, we break down:• How Dack’s creature package builds the winning loop• Fast mana and explosive turn-one and turn-two possibilities• Setting up a turn-three win attempt• Stax pieces and creature removal that buy you time• Silence effects and protecting your combo• Which opening hands to keep—and when to mulligan• The counters, bounce spells, and disruption you need to respectMono-white. An extremely direct game plan. The confidence of a guy blasting Creed in a modified Camaro.Would you bring Dack to a tournament—or are you already holding up interaction? Tell us below.Subscribe to Pregame Podcast for more cEDH deck techs, tournament reports, and competitive Commander conversations.#cEDH #MTG #DackFayden

Is your deck holding you back—or is it how you’re playing it? Logan from CriticalEDH joins Craig Mack to talk cEDH strategy, threat assessment, better practice, and turning tournament experience into better decisions.Welcome to Episode 18 of the Pregame Podcast! We’re getting into competitive Commander, the community that keeps us coming back, and why “just get more reps” isn’t the whole answer.I played 141 games of cEDH in one month. That’s a number you say proudly to your playgroup—and very quietly to your wife.Logan and I discuss how the Crit League helped get me hooked, what players can learn from established meta decks, and when loyalty to your favorite commander becomes staying together for the sleeves.IN THIS EPISODE:• Meaningful practice, online leagues, and improving at cEDH• Threat assessment, table politics, and when to spend interaction• Mastering one deck versus learning multiple strategies• Off-meta brewing and understanding why the best decks work• Logan’s Even Flow Krark–Thrasios brew• Welcoming new players and growing the cEDH community• Tournament standards, transparency, and honest prize support• Baked Ziti 4 and Mulligan Championship Series tournament reports• BIG DACK ENERGY: our Dack Fayden deck tech• Sunshine Showdown: last call for October 10–11, 2026Logan has opinions. I have follow-up questions. Neither of us knows how to leave it at “yeah, fair enough.”👇 What improved YOUR game the most: mastering one deck, trying different decks, coaching, or reviewing your mistakes?PREGAME PODCAST — FOLLOW & SUPPORTAll our links, socials, and content:https://linktr.ee/CraigmackSupport us on Patreon:https://patreon.com/WZKDGAMESCRITICAL EDH — FOLLOW, PLAY & SUPPORTOfficial links, YouTube, socials, and league information:https://linktr.ee/CriticalEDHJoin the CriticalEDH Discord:https://discord.gg/rkrJsqy8HDCriticalEDH Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/CriticalEDHAd Naus — cEDH community discussions:https://adnaus.ggcEDH coaching directory:https://pregame.ggBIG DACK ENERGY — DACK FAYDEN cEDH DECK TECHWatch the full deck tech:https://youtu.be/nanBy6ZBnv4My decklist on Moxfield:https://moxfield.com/decks/1QmhAfnYGnurqbK_6yKB7wTOURNAMENT REPORTSBaked Ziti 4:https://edhtop16.com/tournament/baked-ziti-4-goldsabertooths-ny-cedhMulligan Championship Series:https://edhtop16.com/tournament/mulligan-championship-series-october-w-guaranteedEVENTS YOU SHOULD BE ATSunshine Showdown — October 10–11, 2026Coconut Creek, FloridaEvent details and registration:https://topdeck.gg/event/sunshine-showdown-cedh-tournamentSubscribe to Pregame Podcast for cEDH interviews, tournament reports, deck techs, and conversations about the future of competitive Commander.#cEDH #MTG #Commander