How to Play Magic: The Gathering (Standard Format) – A Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide

How to Play Magic: The Gathering (Standard Format) – A Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide

Magic: The Gathering (MTG) is a hugely popular trading card game created by Richard Garfield and first released in 1993​. It’s considered the first modern collectible card game and boasts tens of millions of players worldwide​. In MTG, two or more players battle as powerful wizards (called “Planeswalkers”) using decks of cards that represent magical spells, creatures, and fantastical artifacts. This guide will walk you through the basics of playing Magic: The Gathering in the Standard format, step by step. We’ll cover what MTG is, how to win, the different card types, how to set up a Standard game, turn structure, common mechanics, beginner strategy tips, deck-building advice, and answer a few frequently asked questions. By the end, you’ll be ready to shuffle up and start dueling!

Introduction to MTG

Magic: The Gathering combines strategic gameplay with rich fantasy themes, making it one of the most successful card games ever. Players build personalized decks from a pool of over 20,000 unique cards released over the game’s long history​. The game’s popularity has grown immensely – estimates put the player base at over 20 million players globally​(with some sources citing even higher numbers in recent years​). Part of MTG’s appeal is its variety of ways to play, known as formats. Formats range from casual kitchen-table games to highly competitive tournament styles. For example, Commander is a popular casual format where each player uses a single copy of cards led by a legendary “commander,” while Modern and Pioneer let you use cards from many past sets.

Standard, the focus of this guide, is one of the most prominent constructed formats. It uses a 60-card deck minimum and allows cards from the most recent MTG sets (the exact sets legal in Standard rotate over time as new expansions release)​. Standard is widely played and is considered a great starting point for new players because it uses current cards and has a smaller, more manageable card pool​. It’s almost always played one-on-one (“duels”) and is often featured at Friday Night Magic events and tournaments. In the sections below, we’ll use Standard format rules for deck building and gameplay as we learn MTG’s fundamentals. (Want to pick up some Standard decks or booster packs? You can find the latest Magic: The Gathering products at Tako Games & Collectibles, along with events to test your new skills!)

Objective of the Game

In Magic: The Gathering, each player starts at 20 life points (usually tracked with a 20-sided die or pen and paper)​. The primary objective is to reduce your opponent’s life total from 20 to 0 through strategic plays and combat damage. When a player’s life total hits zero (or below), they lose the game. You can deal damage to your opponent by attacking with creature cards or by casting spells that inflict damage directly.

Aside from life points, there are a few other ways a game can end:

• Deck Exhaustion (Milling Out): Each player has a deck (called a library) that they draw cards from. If you need to draw a card and your library is empty, you lose the game​. In other words, you can win by outlasting your opponent until they have no cards left to draw.
• Special Card Effects: Some cards have unique conditions that can win or lose the game (for example, a card that says “you win the game if...”). These are less common and more advanced, so as a beginner you don’t need to worry about them immediately.

For most Standard games, winning happens by dealing damage and managing resources better than your opponent. You’ll summon creatures to attack your rival and cast spells to aid your strategy or disrupt your opponent’s plans. Each player tries to balance offense and defense – you want to reduce your opponent’s life while also protecting your own. If you can bring your opponent to 0 life (or make them run out of cards), you win! Conversely, if your life hits 0 or you can’t draw a card when required, you lose. With the objective in mind, let’s learn about the tools you’ll use to achieve victory: the cards themselves.

Understanding Card Types

One of the first things to grasp in MTG is that there are different types of cards, each with a specific role. Every Magic deck is composed of a mix of these card types. In Standard (and most formats), your deck can include any number of basic lands and up to four copies of any other card (by name). Here are the main card types you’ll encounter and how they function in gameplay:

• Land: Lands represent locations or sources of energy (mana). They are the resource cards that allow you to cast your other cards. Lands aren’t cast like other spells – you can play one land from your hand per turn (during your main phase). Once in play (on the “battlefield”), you can tap a land (turn it sideways) to produce mana of a specific color. This mana is then used to pay for casting spells and creatures. There are five basic land types (Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, Forest), each producing one of the five colors of mana (white, blue, black, red, green). Lands stay on the battlefield indefinitely (they are permanents) and do not go to the graveyard when used. They also don’t cost any mana to play, but you’re limited to one land drop per turn​. A healthy Standard deck typically contains around 24 lands to ensure you draw enough mana sources.
• Creature: Creatures are the bread and butter of combat. Creature cards summon beings (like warriors, dragons, or elves) that can attack your opponent and block your opponent’s attacks. Each creature has power (how much damage it deals in combat) and toughness (how much damage it can take before dying) noted as two numbers in the card’s bottom-right corner (e.g. a 3/2 creature has 3 power and 2 toughness). Creatures enter the battlefield and usually can’t attack the turn they come into play (a drawback called “summoning sickness”) unless they have a special ability like Haste. They remain on the battlefield as permanents and can attack during your turn or block during your opponent’s turn. When creatures fight, they deal damage equal to their power and if a creature takes damage equal to or greater than its toughness in a single turn, it dies (is put into the graveyard). Creatures are your primary way to reduce the opponent’s life total through combat damage​.
• Sorcery: A sorcery represents a one-time magical spell. Sorceries can only be cast during your own main phase (more on phases below) and only when the stack is empty (i.e., when no other spells or abilities are waiting to resolve). They typically have powerful or wide-ranging effects, like dealing damage to multiple targets, destroying creatures, or drawing you extra cards. Once a sorcery’s effect happens, the card is put into the graveyard (your discard pile). You cannot cast sorceries on your opponent’s turn or at instant speed – they are slower, more deliberate spells. Think of sorceries as major actions you take on your turn, like casting a big fireball or summoning a rain of healing.
• Instant: Instants are spells like sorceries – one-shot magical effects – but with the key difference that instants can be played at almost any time, even on your opponent’s turn or during combat. Instants are the speedy tricks and reactions of MTG. For example, you can cast an instant to boost a creature’s strength in the middle of a battle or to counter (cancel) another spell as it’s being cast. After an instant’s effect resolves, the card goes to the graveyard (just like a sorcery). Because instants can be used in response to other actions, they add a layer of interactivity and surprise to the game. Many decks include combat tricks (instants that affect combat) or removal spells (instants that destroy a creature or spell) to keep opponents on their toes.
• Enchantment: Enchantments are permanent spells that represent lasting magical effects or conditions. When you cast an enchantment, it enters the battlefield and stays in play, continuously affecting the game until it’s removed by some effect. Enchantments often provide bonuses or penalties – for instance, an enchantment might make all your creatures stronger, or it could weaken an opponent’s creatures. Some enchantments are Auras, which specifically attach to another card (like a creature) to modify it. For example, an Aura enchantment might give a creature +2/+2 (increasing its power and toughness) or make it unable to attack. If the card an Aura is attached to leaves the battlefield, the Aura goes to the graveyard. Enchantments not only help advance your strategy but can also force opponents to find ways to deal with these persistent effects​.
• Artifact: Artifacts are items, equipment, or constructs represented as permanents. They are often colorless (requiring generic mana to cast) and can represent anything from weapons and armor to futuristic machines or magical trinkets. Like enchantments, artifacts remain on the battlefield once played. Many artifacts have abilities you can activate, or static effects that benefit you. Some artifacts are Equipment, which can be attached to creatures to give them bonuses (for example, a Sword that gives a creature +3 attack). To use an Equipment, you pay its equip cost to attach it to a creature you control, and if that creature dies, the equipment stays on the battlefield ready to be re-equipped to another creature. Artifacts can also be creature-like (e.g., artifact creatures or vehicles that become creatures). Being colorless, artifacts can fit into any deck, and they often provide utility or support to your overall game plan​.
• Planeswalker: Planeswalker cards are a special type of permanent that represent powerful characters (other Planeswalkers) who can assist you in battle. They were introduced later in the game’s history and have a unique set of rules. A Planeswalker isn’t a creature, but it can be attacked by creatures similar to how players can be attacked​. Each planeswalker card enters the battlefield with a certain number of loyalty counters on it. You can activate one loyalty ability per turn from one of its options (printed on the card), which will either add or remove loyalty counters. These abilities often mimic spell effects – for example, dealing damage, drawing cards, or summoning creature tokens. If a planeswalker’s loyalty counters drop to zero (or below), the planeswalker is put into the graveyard (meaning it’s been defeated). Planeswalkers operate almost like a second player on your side: they provide extra actions and threats the opponent must deal with. Because they’re so powerful, your opponent can choose to attack your planeswalker instead of you to try to remove it. Only one planeswalker of the same name can be on your side at a time (they are unique characters). Utilizing a planeswalker effectively can heavily swing a game in your favor with their strong abilities​.

These are the core card types in MTG. (There are a few others – e.g. “Battle” cards – but as a beginner, you can focus on the main ones above.) Each card type has a distinct frame design and color on the card face, so you can tell at a glance if a card is a land, creature, etc. Most beginner decks (and Standard decks) will include a mix of creatures, lands, and other spell types to give you ways to deal with different situations.

Understanding what each type of card does is essential because a big part of MTG is deciding which cards to play and when. For instance, you’ll learn to cast creatures when you need attackers or blockers, play sorceries/instants for timely effects, and put down enchantments or artifacts to gain long-term advantages. As you continue, you’ll also encounter keywords on cards (like “flying” or “trample”) – we’ll cover some common keywords and abilities in a later section. Next, let’s see how to start a game of Magic, especially in the Standard format.

Setting Up a Game

Before you start playing, you need to prepare your deck and play area. Here’s how to set up a Standard MTG game:

• Deck Construction (Standard Format): In Standard, players construct their own decks ahead of time using cards from the recent Magic sets. A Standard deck must have a minimum of 60 cards in the main deck, and you can have a sideboard of up to 15 cards (used for swapping in between games in a match). You can include at most four copies of any individual card (by card name) in your deck, except for basic land cards which you can use in any quantity​. Standard decks are typically exactly 60 cards (which gives the best chance to draw your key cards). The deck usually has around 24 lands (for a balanced mana supply) and 36 non-land cards (creatures, spells, etc.), though this can vary with your strategy. Ensure your deck is thoroughly shuffled; a good shuffle is important so that your cards are in random order (no clumping of lands or spells). In official play, players often present their deck to the opponent to cut or shuffle as well, to verify it’s randomized.
• Choosing Who Goes First: At the start of a game, randomly determine who will play first. You can flip a coin, roll a die, or any fair method of choice. In casual play, sometimes the loser of the previous game decides who goes first in the next game. The player who goes first (the starting player) will play first but does not draw a card on their first turn​. The second player will get to draw a card on their first turn. (This is to balance out the advantage of going first.)
• Drawing an Opening Hand: Each player draws seven cards from the top of their deck to form their starting hand. Take a moment to review your opening hand. If you are unhappy with your hand (for example, you have too few or too many lands, or it doesn’t have any low-cost cards to play early), you have the option to mulligan.
• Mulligan Rules: Mulliganing allows a player to shuffle their hand back into their deck and draw a new hand, at the cost of having one fewer card. Magic uses the London Mulligan rule​. This works as follows: If you decide to mulligan, you shuffle your entire hand back into your library and draw a new hand of seven cards. After drawing the new hand, you then put one card from your hand on the bottom of your deck for each time you’ve mulliganed. For example, if you mulligan once, you draw seven, then choose one card from those seven to put on the bottom of your deck, leaving you with six cards in hand (because you took one mulligan)​. If you had to mulligan twice, you would draw seven again, then bottom two cards, ending up with five, and so on. You can repeat this process as many times as needed (each time drawing seven and bottoming an extra card) until you have an opening hand you’re satisfied with – but remember, each mulligan means you start with one fewer card. All players decide mulligans before the game starts, and mulligans are done simultaneously. After mulligans are resolved, each player proceeds with their starting hand.
• Setup Your Play Area: Both players should have their library (deck) placed face-down in front of them. You may also have a designated area for a graveyard (discard pile for used cards) and a “exile” zone (for cards that are removed from the game by certain effects). Leave space for a battlefield area where you will play lands, creatures, and other permanents. Also keep some way to track life totals nearby (20-sided dice are common, or apps/paper). Each player begins at 20 life. Once both players have kept an opening hand (after mulligans if any) and are ready, the game can begin!

Game Start: The starting player does not draw a card on their first turn (in a duel). That player proceeds with the first turn’s phases (detailed in the next section). After the first player’s turn, the second player will take their turn (and they will draw on their first turn). From there, turns alternate. Remember that in Standard (and most formats) there is no difference in deck rules during gameplay – both players abide by the same turn structure and rules. Now that we’re set up, let’s walk through the flow of a turn and how gameplay works.

Turn Structure and Gameplay

Magic: The Gathering games progress in turns, with players alternating taking turns. Each turn is broken down into a sequence of phases and steps that always occur in the same order​. Understanding the turn structure is crucial, as it dictates when you can play cards and when combat happens. Here are the phases of a turn in order:

 

A multiplayer game in progress. Players take turns moving through phases: untapping cards, drawing, playing lands and spells, and attacking with creatures. In this Standard game, multiple creatures and lands are on the battlefield, and each player uses dice and tokens to track game stats.

1. Beginning Phase: This phase has three parts:
• Untap Step: At the very start of your turn, you untap all your tapped cards. Tapping is a mechanism to indicate a card has been used (e.g., lands tap for mana, creatures tap to attack). During the untap step, you simply ready everything by turning them back upright. You don’t make any actions in this step – it’s automatic.
• Upkeep Step: Some cards have abilities that say “at the beginning of your upkeep...” which would trigger now. If any of those are present, you can decide the order they resolve if you have multiple. If not, upkeep is usually just a formality. Players can cast instants or activate abilities in this step if they want (though usually nothing happens unless a card effect is waiting).
• Draw Step: You draw one card from your library and add it to your hand at the start of this step (except the very first turn of the player who goes first, as noted). The player whose turn it is draws a card now. After drawing, this is a moment where players can again play instants or abilities before moving to the main phase.
2. Main Phase (Pre-Combat): After the draw, you enter your first main phase. This is one of the most important parts of the turn, where you can play most of your cards. During your main phase, you may:
• Play a Land: You can put one land card from your hand onto the battlefield (once per turn). This doesn’t use the stack and can only be done on your turn during a main phase when you have priority.
• Cast Spells: You can cast creature spells, sorceries, enchantments, artifacts, or planeswalkers by paying their mana costs. When you cast a spell, you tap the required lands to produce the mana needed. The spell then goes on the stack (a game zone where spells wait to resolve). Your opponent has a chance to respond (for instance, with instants) before it resolves. If they don’t respond, the spell resolves and takes effect (creatures/artifacts/enchantments enter the battlefield, sorcery/instant effects happen then the card goes to graveyard, etc.).
• Activate Abilities: You can also activate abilities of cards that are already on the battlefield during this phase (as long as any timing conditions are met). For example, an artifact might have an ability that says “{2}, {T}: Draw a card.” You could pay 2 mana and tap it now to use that ability.

There is no limit to the number of spells you can cast or abilities you can activate in your main phase, as long as you have the resources (mana, etc.) to do so. However, you do have a limit of one land play per turn as mentioned. This phase is often when you’ll summon new creatures or set up your board for combat. Once you’re ready, you proceed to the combat phase.

3. Combat Phase: Combat is where you get to attack with creatures and potentially deal damage to your opponent. The combat phase is broken down into steps:
• Beginning of Combat: A quick step where certain effects may trigger at “beginning of combat.” Usually nothing for beginners to actively do here, but this is the last moment you could cast a spell before attackers are declared.
• Declare Attackers: You, as the attacking player (on your turn), choose which of your creatures will attack, and who or what they are attacking. In a one-on-one game, you’ll be attacking the opposing player (or their planeswalker if they have one and you choose to target it). To attack, a creature must be untapped and not affected by summoning sickness (so it must have been under your control since the start of your turn, unless it has Haste). You tap each creature as you declare it as an attacker. Once attackers are declared, the defending player can cast instants or activate abilities (like tapping a creature down before it attacks, etc.) but assuming no changes, we move on.
• Declare Blockers: Now the defending player gets to choose which of their creatures (if any) will block each attacking creature​. Blocking does not tap the creature; blockers just need to be untapped and not otherwise prevented from blocking. The defender can assign one blocker per attacking creature (though some cards have abilities like “can block an additional creature” or “block any number of creatures,” but those are exceptions). You can also choose not to block certain attackers. If an attacker isn’t blocked, it will hit the defending player (or planeswalker) directly. After blockers are declared, both players get another opportunity to cast instants or abilities (for example, maybe the attacker plays a pump spell to boost a creature’s power, or the defender plays a spell to weaken an attacker) before damage.
• Combat Damage: Now damage is dealt. Creatures that are blocked will fight the creatures blocking them. Each deals damage equal to its power to the opposing creature(s). Creatures that are unblocked deal damage directly to the defending player (or planeswalker). All damage in combat is considered to happen simultaneously by default​(with one exception: creatures with First Strike or Double Strike, explained later, can deal their damage in an earlier step before normal damage). After damage is dealt, any creatures that took lethal damage (damage >= their toughness) are destroyed and go to the graveyard. For example, if your 3/3 creature (3 power, 3 toughness) is blocked by a 2/2 creature, your creature deals 3 damage to the 2/2, and the 2/2 deals 2 damage to yours. The 2/2 only has 2 toughness and takes 3 damage, so it dies; your 3/3 has 3 toughness and took 2 damage, it survives (but carries that 2 damage until end of turn). If that 3/3 had been blocked by a 4/4, they’d kill each other (3 damage to the 4/4 isn’t enough to kill it outright, but 4 damage to your 3/3 is lethal to yours; and then at end of turn the 4/4 would still have 3 damage marked on it which is less than its 4 toughness, so the 4/4 lives). Combat can result in many creatures dying or none at all, depending on matchups. After damage is done, there is a combat damage step for first-strike damage (if applicable) and a normal damage step. Beginners can generally think of it as one step unless first strike is in play.
• End of Combat: A wrap-up step; any effects lasting “until end of combat” wear off. Players usually don’t need to do anything here.

Once combat is over, you proceed out of the combat phase. Remember, you don’t have to attack every turn – sometimes you may choose not to attack at all if it would put you at a disadvantage (for example, attacking would leave you with no blockers on your opponent’s next turn). Combat is often the most exciting part of MTG, involving lots of tactical decisions for both attacker and defender.

4. Main Phase (Post-Combat): After combat, you get a second main phase. This post-combat main phase functions just like the first main phase. You can cast more spells, play a land (if you didn’t play one earlier in your first main phase), activate abilities, etc. Often, players will cast additional creatures or spells in this phase after seeing how combat turned out. For instance, if some of your creatures died in combat, you might play new ones now. Or you might have held back a sorcery to cast in second main in case your plans changed during combat. Keep in mind you still only get one land play per turn total – so if you already dropped a land in the first main, you can’t play another in the second main.
5. End Phase: The turn closes with the end phase, which includes:
• End Step: This is the last call for any effects or instants before the turn ends. Some cards say “at the beginning of your end step, do X” which would trigger now. Players can cast instants in this step as well (for example, you might play a spell now so that you don’t have to discard it).
• Cleanup Step: A few housekeeping things happen here automatically. If you have more than seven cards in your hand, you must discard down to seven cards (choose and put extras into your graveyard). Also, all damage is removed from creatures at this point and any “until end of turn” effects wear off​. Normally, players can’t cast spells or activate things in cleanup unless something unusual happens (like a trigger during cleanup, which is rare).

After the end phase, your turn is over and now it’s your opponent’s turn, starting again at their untap. Players go back and forth taking turns until someone wins.

Throughout each phase, the concept of priority and the stack govern how spells and abilities are used, but a simplified way to look at it is: on your turn, during main phases you cast your sorceries/creatures/etc., and during either player’s turn you both can respond with instants or abilities at appropriate times (usually before moving to the next step). If both players have no further actions in a phase, the game proceeds to the next phase.

A few additional gameplay rules to keep in mind:

• You can attack only with creatures you control, and they all attack simultaneously during the declare attackers step. Creatures that come under your control this turn (unless they have Haste) cannot attack because of summoning sickness.
• You can block only with creatures you control, and a creature can block at most one attacker (unless a card says otherwise). Blocking doesn’t tap the creature.
• Creatures normally heal at the end of the turn. Any damage dealt to creatures wears off in the cleanup step, so they start each turn fresh (unless they took lethal damage and died).
• You gain mana by tapping lands, but any unused mana vanishes at the end of each phase (mana burn is no longer a rule; unused mana just empties from your pool with no damage).
• If multiple things happen at once or triggers occur, they go on the stack (order is usually active player’s triggers first, then opponent’s, etc.). As a beginner, you can resolve things in a first-in, last-out manner. Don’t worry – with basic cards, you won’t encounter too many complex interactions initially.

The turn structure might seem complicated at first, but after a few rounds it becomes second nature. A common beginner tip: announce your phases (“Go to combat?”, “Second main phase now...”) so both you and your opponent stay clear on the turn progression. This also gives your opponent a chance to say “Before you go to combat, I’ll cast X” if they want. Communication is key.

With the basics of turn flow understood, let’s explore some common mechanics and keywords that appear on cards, and a few fundamental strategy tips to help you make good decisions during those phases.

Common Mechanics and Strategies

As you start playing, you’ll notice many cards have keywords – short terms that indicate special abilities. These mechanics add depth to gameplay. Here are a few of the most common keyword abilities you’ll see in beginner-level Standard play, and what they mean:

• Flying: A creature with flying is airborne. Flying creatures can’t be blocked except by other creatures with flying or creatures with “reach” (reach is an ability usually on spider or archer creatures that lets them block as though they had flying)​. This means flying creatures often evade ground creatures entirely when attacking. If your opponent has no flying or reach creatures, a creature with flying will sail over for damage unopposed. Flying is very common on blue and white creatures (like angels, dragons, birds). Example: Wind Drake (a creature with Flying) can only be blocked by creatures that also have flying or reach.
• Trample: A creature with trample is excellent at punching through defenses. When a creature with trample attacks and is blocked, if it has more than enough power to destroy all its blockers, any excess damage can “trample” over to the defending player​. In other words, trample lets an attacker deal damage to the blocker and still hurt the opponent if the creature’s damage exceeds the blocker’s toughness. For example, a 6/6 creature with trample blocked by a 2/2 can deal 2 damage to kill the 2/2, and the remaining 4 damage hits the defending player. Trample is common on big green creatures like beasts and giants, ensuring their high power isn’t wasted on small chump blockers.
• First Strike: A creature with first strike has the advantage of speed in combat. It will deal its combat damage before creatures without first strike are able to deal theirs​. Combat normally is simultaneous, but first strike creates an additional step. If a first strike creature can deal lethal damage to its blocker in the first strike damage step, the opposing creature will be destroyed before it ever swings back. For instance, if your 2/2 first strike creature is blocked by a 3/2 normal creature, your creature deals 2 damage first (in the first strike step) and kills the 3/2 (3 toughness) before it can hit back. Your creature survives unharmed. First strike is often seen on knights or warriors (usually in white or red). Double strike is a related ability – it means the creature deals damage in first strike step and again in the normal damage step, essentially dealing damage twice!
• Vigilance: A creature with vigilance does not need to tap when attacking. Normally, attacking causes a creature to tap (making it unavailable to block on the next turn). But vigilance lets a creature attack without tapping, meaning it can attack and still stay untapped to block on your opponent’s turn. This is a very useful ability because it lets you be aggressive without leaving yourself open. Vigilance is commonly found in white creatures (like many angels and soldiers). Example: Serra Angel is a 4/4 with flying and vigilance – she can attack in the air and remain untapped, ready to intercept enemy attackers on the next turn.
• Lifelink: A creature (or spell) with lifelink causes you to gain life whenever it deals damage. Specifically, when a creature with lifelink deals damage to any target (creature or player), its controller gains that much life. For example, if your lifelink creature deals 3 damage in combat, you gain 3 life. Lifelink is a powerful way to swing races (situations where both players are racing to deal damage). It’s often seen in white and black. Example: Vampire Sovereign with lifelink hitting an opponent for 4 will gain you 4 life, extending your survivability.

These are just a few of the many abilities in MTG (others you’ll encounter include Haste (can attack the turn it comes out), Deathtouch (any amount of damage it deals to a creature is lethal), Hexproof (can’t be targeted by opponents’ spells), and so on). Whenever you see a keyword on a card, don’t hesitate to ask or look up what it means – the basic rulebook or a keyword glossary can quickly tell you the definition​.

Beyond keywords, here are some basic strategy tips and concepts for beginners:

• Resource Management: Lands and mana are your resources. Ensure your opening hand has a good balance of lands and spells. A common beginner mistake is keeping a hand with 0 or 1 land – you usually want around 2–3 lands in your starting hand to cast things smoothly. Similarly, include enough lands in your deck (about 40% land is a good rule of thumb, e.g., ~24 lands in 60 cards) so you don’t get “mana screwed” (stuck without enough mana) or “mana flooded” (drawing too many lands and not enough action).
• Deck Focus (Color and Theme): When building and playing a deck, try to focus on a cohesive strategy or theme. MTG’s five colors each have strengths and weaknesses. As a beginner, it’s often best to stick to one or two colors in your deck for consistency. Each color combination can support different strategies (e.g., white weenie creature rush, red direct damage burn, blue control with counterspells, green big creatures, black removal and life drain, etc.). Decide how you want to win: combat damage with creatures? Slowing the game and winning with a big spell? Swarming with many small creatures? Choose cards that support that plan and colors that work well together. This concept is sometimes called choosing a “color identity” or archetype for your deck.
• Balance Your Cards: A good deck has a mix of card types to handle various situations. Generally, you’ll want a healthy number of creatures (to attack and defend), some spells that can remove opponent’s threats (cards often called “removal” like destroying a creature or artifact), and possibly some utility or combat tricks. Removal spells are very important – for instance, include cards that can deal with opposing creatures (like Pacifism or Murder or Lightning Strike, depending on your colors). If your deck is all creatures and no removal, you might struggle against an opponent’s powerful creature you can’t otherwise stop. Conversely, a deck with all spells and few creatures might have trouble actually closing out the game. Striking a balance is key.
• Mana Curve: Pay attention to your deck’s mana curve, which is the distribution of card costs. You want to be able to play something useful almost every turn. Include a good number of low-cost cards (1-mana, 2-mana, 3-mana) so that you have plays in the early turns, some mid-cost cards (4–5 mana) for the midgame, and only a few expensive bombs (6+ mana) for later, since games might be decided before you ever reach 10 mana for that super expensive spell. New players often overfill their deck with very costly cards and not enough cheap ones, leading to slow starts. Avoid over-prioritizing expensive spells at the expense of a smooth curve – high-cost cards can be powerful, but they won’t matter if you’re overwhelmed before you can cast them​. A simple tip: try to include plenty of 2-drops and 3-drops (cards that cost 2 or 3 mana) as those will be your core plays in many games.
• Card Advantage: This is a more advanced concept, but keep in mind the idea of card advantage – gaining more resources than your opponent. For example, if you use one card that makes your opponent discard two cards, you gained card advantage. Similarly, drawing extra cards or using one removal spell to kill multiple enemy creatures yields card advantage. While as a beginner you don’t need to focus heavily on this, just remember that having more cards (and options) than the opponent tends to lead to winning. Don’t throw away cards needlessly and try to get good value from your plays when possible.
• Life as a Resource: Your life total is a resource too. Don’t panic if you take some damage. Especially in the early game, it’s often okay to let an attack through if the damage is not too high and you’d rather keep a creature alive for a better block later. New players sometimes chump block (blocking an attacker with a creature that will definitely die just to prevent a small amount of damage) too often. Only block if it meaningfully saves your life total or preserves more important pieces. If you’re at 15 life and an attacker is coming for 3 damage, you might choose to take the hit and stay at 12 rather than throw a weak creature in front of it and go to 15 but lose your creature. Knowing when to block or take damage comes with experience.
• Timing and Patience: Because you can cast instants on your opponent’s turn, sometimes it’s best to wait and react. For example, instead of using a removal spell on a mediocre enemy creature during your turn, you might pass with that spell in hand and mana open. This way, you can see if your opponent casts an even bigger threat – if they do, you can use your removal on that instead. If they don’t, you could still use the removal on the smaller creature at the last moment or even use a different instant. This concept is often referred to as playing at “instant speed” or saying “go” (passing turn) with mana open to keep your options flexible.
• Know Your Deck: If you built your deck, take time to familiarize yourself with each card. It’s easy to forget abilities (like a creature that has an activated ability sitting on the board). Practice a goldfish (playing alone) to see how the deck flows. When you know what’s in your deck, you’ll make better decisions, such as when to mulligan or which cards to search for in a pinch.

By keeping these tips in mind, you’ll avoid many common newbie pitfalls. In summary: play enough lands, balance your deck with a variety of costed cards, make use of key creature abilities, and always plan a few moves ahead. Magic has a saying: “think on the stack” – meaning try to anticipate how your opponent might respond and how you’ll counter that. It’s like chess with cards and fantasy creatures. But as a beginner, focus on learning the interactions and enjoying the experience – the strategic depth will come naturally as you play more.

Now that you understand how to play and some basic strategy, you might be wondering how to build a good Standard deck from scratch. Let’s go over some deck-building tips specific to Standard format and even look at an example beginner-friendly decklist.

Deck-Building Tips for Standard Format

Building your own deck is one of the most rewarding aspects of Magic: The Gathering. In Standard, deck-building also comes with the challenge (and benefit) of having a limited card pool (only the most recent sets are legal). Here are some tips to guide you in creating a solid Standard deck:

• Choose a Theme or Win Condition: Decide how you want your deck to win. Do you want to swarm the opponent with lots of small creatures (aggro strategy)? Do you want to control the game by removing threats and then play a big finisher (control strategy)? Maybe something in between (midrange creatures that outclass the opponent’s over time)? You might also build around a tribal theme (e.g., all your creatures are Zombies or Elves that buff each other) or a combo of cards that work exceptionally well together. Having a clear plan or theme helps you choose cards that synergize. For a beginner, mono-colored decks or two-color decks are easiest to build and play. For example, a green deck might focus on ramping (getting extra mana) and casting large creatures, whereas a red deck might focus on quick, aggressive creatures and direct burn spells to hit the opponent’s life total.
• Pick Your Colors Wisely: In Standard, most decks use one or two colors, though some competitive decks use three or more (with the help of special lands). As a new deck-builder, start with at most two colors to minimize mana problems. Each color has staple effects – for instance, white has efficient creatures and life gain, blue has card draw and counterspells, black has creature removal and life drain, red has direct damage (burn) and haste creatures, green has mana acceleration and big creatures. Pick colors that support your strategy. If you love attacking with creatures, red/white or green/white might be good. If you like spell-heavy control, blue/black or blue/white could be effective. Also consider the mana “fixing” available – Standard sets often have dual lands (lands that can produce two colors) to help multicolor decks. Include those if you run multiple colors to smooth out your mana.
• Aim for 60 Cards & the Right Ratios: It’s generally best to stick to the minimum deck size (60 cards) in Constructed formats like Standard. A smaller deck means a higher chance of drawing your best cards. As mentioned, roughly 24 lands is a starting point for a balanced deck (this can vary; fast low-curve decks might go down to 22, and slower control decks might use 26). That leaves about 36 slots for creatures and other spells. Depending on your strategy, decide the mix. An aggro deck might run something like 30 creatures and 6 burn spells. A control deck might run 10 creatures (or even none!) and 26 spells for removal/card draw, plus a few big win-condition creatures or planeswalkers. Always include some way to deal with enemy threats (spells or big creatures of your own). Also, remember the 4-copy rule – if there’s a key card your deck is built around, you can include up to four copies for consistency. If a card is crucial to your strategy, run 3-4 copies of it; if it’s situational or higher cost, maybe 1-2 copies.
• Use Your Sideboard (in Best-of-Three): In Standard matches (especially in tournaments), you often play best-of-three games. A sideboard is a set of up to 15 cards you can swap into your deck between games to adjust to your opponent. For beginners playing casual one-off games, sideboards aren’t usually needed. But if you do use one, fill it with cards that counter specific strategies (e.g., extra artifact removal if opponent has many artifacts, cards to hate on graveyard if opponent uses graveyard heavily, etc.). For learning purposes, you can set sideboarding aside until you’re comfortable.
• Test and Iterate: After building your deck, test it out! Goldfish it (play a mock game by yourself) to see if you consistently get enough lands and playable cards each turn. Then play against friends or online in MTG Arena. Notice if any cards underperform or if you often find yourself wishing for a certain effect. Don’t be afraid to tweak your deck – deck-building is an iterative process. Maybe you realize you need more removal spells to handle opposing creatures, or perhaps you have too many high-cost cards clogging your hand. Adjust the numbers, try swapping in different cards from your collection, and see how it improves. Even top players constantly refine their decks.

To solidify these ideas, let’s look at an example of a beginner-friendly Standard decklist. One straightforward strategy for new players is Mono-Red Aggro, sometimes jokingly called “red deck wins,” which focuses on red’s strength: fast damage. Below is a sample 60-card Standard deck (mono-red) that is aggressive and relatively easy to pilot. It uses a curve of creatures and burn spells to quickly pressure the opponent’s life total:

• Lands (24): 24 × Mountain – Basic red mana sources to cast all your spells.
• Creatures (20): 4 × Phoenix Chick (a small 1/1 Flying with haste that can chip in early damage), 4 × Kumano Faces Kakkazan (a cheap Saga that boosts creatures and turns into a creature itself), 4 × Reinforced Ronin (2/2 with haste that bounces back to hand, keeping pressure on), 4 × Bloodthirsty Adversary (2/2 haste that can pump mana into recasting spells from graveyard later), 4 × Thundering Raiju (a 4-drop creature that grows other attackers and deals extra damage when it attacks).
• Spells (16): 4 × Play with Fire (1 mana instant – deals 2 damage to any target and can scry 1 if it hits a player), 4 × Lightning Strike (2 mana instant – 3 damage to any target​, a bread-and-butter burn spell), 4 × Shock (1 mana instant – 2 damage to any target; similar role to Play with Fire without the scry), 4 × Roil Eruption (2 mana sorcery – 3 damage, or can be kicked with more mana for 5 damage; good for finishing off opponents or big creatures).

Strategy: This deck aims to curve out fast – play a 1-drop creature on turn 1 (Phoenix Chick or Kumano saga), a 2-drop on turn 2 (perhaps cast Kumano’s creature form or Reinforced Ronin + replay it), then keep applying pressure. The burn spells (Play with Fire, Lightning Strike, Shock, etc.) can be used to remove any blockers that the opponent plays or just thrown at the opponent’s face to reduce their life. Thundering Raiju on turn 4 comes in as a strong top-end threat that can add damage even if the opponent has creatures to block. All creatures have haste or some immediate value, meaning they can attack right away or impact the board fast. This sample decklist is relatively budget and features commons/uncommons from recent sets that a new player might have or can acquire easily. It embodies a simple game plan: attack early and often, finish with burn spells. As you improve the deck, you might include rarer cards like efficient one-drops or a powerful planeswalker, but even this basic list can steal games quickly if the opponent stumbles.

Note: You don’t have to use this exact list – build whatever excites you! Maybe you prefer green stompy (big creatures) or white weenie (lots of small creatures with maybe a lifelink theme) or a blue-red spells deck. The key is to follow the principles: keep your deck streamlined around a plan, balance your mana curve, and include enough lands and removal.

Finally, let’s answer a few frequently asked questions new players often have when learning MTG.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are some common beginner mistakes to avoid?
A: A few pitfalls tend to snag new MTG players. One is playing too passively – for instance, “Not Attacking Enough” is cited as the number one mistake of newer players​. If you have creatures and a potential opening to attack safely, take advantage of it! Another mistake is chump blocking too much – throwing your creatures in front of every incoming attack. Sometimes it’s better to take a bit of damage rather than lose a creature needlessly, especially if your life total is not in immediate danger. Additionally, new players often overvalue expensive spells and put too many high-cost cards in their deck; this can lead to clunky hands where you can’t play anything early​. Focus on a good mana curve and don’t be afraid to cut that 9-mana creature that you never seem to actually cast. Missing opportunities is another issue – for example, forgetting to use a creature’s ability or not realizing you could cast an instant at a key moment. This just takes practice and familiarity with your cards. Finally, mana management is critical: avoid keeping one-land hands (most of the time, mulligan those) and conversely don’t keep a hand with only high-cost cards even if you have lands. With experience, you’ll get a feel for what hands and plays are good. Take your time to think through turns – “If I attack with everything, can I still survive the counter-attack? Should I cast this spell now, or hold it for later?” Asking these questions will help you sidestep many beginner mistakes.

Q: How can I improve my gameplay and get better at MTG?
A: The best way to improve is to play lots of games! There’s no substitute for experience. Try to play regularly, whether with friends, at local game stores, or online via platforms like MTG Arena. MTG Arena (the digital version of Magic) is a fantastic tool for new players – it has a built-in tutorial and matchmaking, so you can practice against AI and real opponents at your convenience. Each game you play, take note of what worked and what didn’t. Don’t hesitate to ask more experienced players for advice – most Magic communities are happy to help newcomers with tips or deck suggestions. You can also watch strategy content to improve: there are plenty of YouTube videos, streams, and articles where skilled players discuss their plays and thought processes. Watching a draft or Standard match with commentary can teach you new tactics. Another tip is to learn from your losses: when you lose a game, think about why. Did you get unlucky (it happens), or was there a decision you could have made differently? Maybe you realize you should have mulliganed a poor hand, or saved a removal spell for a bigger threat. Magic has a learning curve, but that’s part of the fun – you’ll keep discovering new interactions and improving your foresight. Finally, familiarize yourself with popular decks and cards in Standard (by browsing decklists on sites or the MTG Arena meta). Knowing what your opponent might do helps you plan better. Over time, things will “click” more often and you’ll start feeling in control of games. Be patient with yourself; even pro players started at square one. Every match, win or lose, is experience gained.

Q: Where can I find resources and communities to help me?
A: There’s a wealth of resources out there for MTG players. For rules questions, the official Magic: The Gathering website has a rules section and a comprehensive rulebook, plus a keyword glossary for abilities. Community-wise, your local game store (LGS) is often the best starting point. They likely host Friday Night Magic (FNM) events weekly​ which are casual tournaments or meetups for Standard and other formats – a great place to meet other players and play in a friendly setting. Many stores also run beginner-friendly leagues or learn-to-play sessions. Online, the Magic community is massive: you can join the /r/magicTCG subreddit, which is a forum full of players discussing tips, asking questions, and sharing cool plays. There are also format-specific subreddits (like r/mtgStandard) and countless Discord servers where you can chat in real-time with other players. Watching streamers on Twitch or videos on YouTube (such as match replays or channels like “Tolarian Community College” that do beginner guides) can both entertain and educate you. Additionally, websites like MTG Arena Zone, MTGGoldfish, and TCGplayer Infinite regularly post articles and budget deck ideas, which can be very useful for Standard. Since you’re reading this on Tako’s site – be sure to check out other articles and guides here on TakoGNC.com! We provide strategy tips, set release info, and deck techs geared toward helping players of all levels, and our community is growing. Whether in person or online, don’t hesitate to engage with fellow Magic fans – ask questions, share your deck brew for feedback, and maybe even find a mentor. Magic is as much a community as it is a game; other players will be one of your best resources for getting better and staying enthusiastic.

Next Steps for New Players

Starting out in Magic: The Gathering is an exciting journey – there’s always more to explore. Once you’ve got the basics down and have played a few kitchen-table games or matches on Arena, here are some suggestions for where to go next:

• Expand Your Collection: You’ll likely want to try new cards and strategies as you improve. You can acquire cards in a few ways. If playing paper Magic, consider buying some booster packs or a Starter Kit. Wizards of the Coast releases Starter Kits that contain two pre-made decks designed for new players to duel each other, which can be a fantastic learning tool. You can also buy preconstructed Standard decks (sometimes called Challenger Decks) which are ready-to-play decks for Standard that you can use out of the box and then modify. Check out the selection at your local game store or retailers like Tako Games & Collectibles – for example, TakoGNC offers a variety of MTG products, from the latest Standard boosters and bundles to ready-made decks, all of which can bolster your arsenal. If you’re on MTG Arena, you can earn cards through gameplay or purchase gems to draft or buy packs. As you expand, you might pull a rare card that inspires you to build a new deck around it!
• Join Events and Play with Others: Magic is ultimately a social game. Friday Night Magic (FNM) at local stores is a welcoming event for newer players – it’s usually low stakes, and people are there to have fun and improve. Don’t worry if your deck isn’t top-tier; FNMs often have a mix of casual and competitive players. Playing against different opponents in person will rapidly improve your skills and rules knowledge. Stores also host Prerelease events whenever a new set comes out (these are sealed deck events where everyone opens new packs and builds decks on the spot – very beginner friendly and a level playing field because everyone is using fresh cards). If you get comfortable, you can try larger tournaments or Magic Arena ranked play, but there’s no rush. Casual playgroups are perfectly fine too – maybe you have friends who also want to learn MTG, so you can meet regularly for casual Standard games or even dip into fun multiplayer formats like Commander once you have more cards. The key is to keep playing regularly so you retain what you learn and continue discovering new card interactions.
• Try Different Formats: While Standard is a great starting format (due to its rotation of newer cards and balanced power level), Magic has many other ways to play. Don’t hesitate to try a Draft or Sealed Deck event (collectively called Limited formats). Limited is fantastic for beginners because it puts everyone on equal footing building decks from a limited card pool, and it teaches fundamentals of card evaluation and deckbuilding. It’s also a cost-effective way to get new cards. You might also hear about Commander (EDH) – a popular casual format with 100-card singleton decks and multiplayer games. Commander is tons of fun and has a more social, less competitive vibe, although the decks use older cards (not Standard-legal specifically). As you grow your collection, building a Commander deck can be a rewarding project. Other constructed formats like Modern or Pioneer are more expensive and complex, so maybe save those for later if they interest you. MTG Arena offers formats like Historic (non-rotating digital format) and even quirky events that impose deck-building rules. Exploring different formats will make you a more well-rounded player and keep the game fresh.
• Continue Learning: Magic is a deep game – even players with decades of experience still learn new tricks or nuances. Keep an eye on new set releases (Standard rotates roughly yearly, and new expansions come out quarterly). New sets introduce new mechanics, and part of the fun is figuring out how those work with existing cards. Reading articles or watching set reviews can help you pick up new cards that might improve your Standard deck. You can also refine your skills by reading up on more advanced strategy – for instance, concepts like “tempo” (the pace of the game), “card advantage” (as mentioned), threat assessment in multiplayer, drafting signals, etc. There are lots of free resources online (YouTube channels like Limited Resources for drafting, or articles on sites like StarCityGames, ChannelFireball, TCGplayer). If you find yourself really loving MTG, consider picking up the comprehensive rules or a beginner’s guide book – but note, experience is the best teacher. Every match you play, reflect a bit on it afterwards: “What was the turning point? What could I do better next time?”
• Enjoy the Community and Lore: Magic isn’t just about the games themselves but also the rich lore and community around it. If you enjoy the flavor and story, check out the MTG story articles or novels related to the current sets. It adds another layer of enjoyment when you know who the characters on your cards are (like understanding why two Planeswalkers might be rivals in the story). Also, engage with the community: participate in forums, go to conventions or large MagicFests if possible, and share your excitement. MTG players love discussing cool moments from games – like that time you top-decked the exact card you needed to win, or how you built a fun rogue deck that took everyone by surprise. By immersing yourself, you’ll make friends and memories along the way.

Lastly, remember to have fun! Magic: The Gathering is a game, and while it has competitive aspects, at its heart it’s about having an enjoyable experience with others. You won’t win every game (in fact, expect to lose a lot early on while learning – even the best players have losing streaks), but as long as you’re learning and having a good time, you’re doing it right. Celebrate your improvements, no matter how small – maybe today you remembered to set a stop on Arena to cast an instant at the perfect time, or you correctly calculated lethal damage a turn in advance. Those little victories add up.

We hope this beginner’s guide has given you a solid foundation in how to play Magic: The Gathering in the Standard format. You now know the basics of setting up a game, the turn structure, the types of cards and some key abilities, and even how to start building your own Standard deck. Now it’s time to put that knowledge into practice. Shuffle up, draw seven cards, and enjoy the game! Who knows – today it’s kitchen table Standard, tomorrow you might be competing at Friday Night Magic or climbing the ranks in MTG Arena. Good luck, and welcome to the Magic community!

If you found this guide helpful, feel free to share it with fellow new players. For more articles, deck techs, and the latest MTG news (plus all your card shopping needs), visit TakoGNC.com – we’re here to support your Magic journey every step of the way.