Magic the gathering sideboard

If you play Magic: The Gathering sideboards wrong, you’re throwing away games before you even draw your first card. I’ve seen it a hundred times. People overthink, they panic, they cut the wrong cards, they copy paste some “15 card genius list” off reddit and then wonder why they can’t win round 2. Sideboarding is the part of MTG control decks and midrange decks where skill really shows, and honestly it’s where most players lose their damn mind.

The Basics of MTG Sideboarding

First thing to get in your head – sideboarding is not about finding perfect silver bullets. It’s about tuning your machine so it runs smoother against the exact opponent in front of you,. That’s it. Not magic tricks. Not galaxy brain swaps. Just tuning..

I still remember reading this random StarCityGames sideboarding guide from 2014 that hit harder than most modern content. The core idea hasn’t changed. Your maindeck is built to cover the room. Your sideboard is built to cover the holes.

What To Do (Do This Stuff)

• Have a plan before the match
  If you sit down and then start thinking what to board, you’re already behind. Write a little sideboard guide, even if it’s just scribbles on paper.
• Board by role, not just by card
  Think: am I becoming the beatdown or am I still control? Adjust cards accordingly. Sometimes you leave in a bad removal spell cause your role demands it.
• Practice with your board
  Don’t just goldfish your maindeck. Run sideboarded games in testing. Half of your tournament matches will be post-board anyway.
• Respect your opponent’s plan
  If they’re on aggro, assume they’re boarding to punish your lifegain. If they’re combo, assume they’re bringing in hate. Don’t be surprised.

What Not To Do (Seriously Don’t)

• Don’t cut all your win conditions
  Sounds obvious but people do it. They panic, cut threats for answers, and suddenly they can’t actually win. Don’t neuter yourself.
• Don’t board in “cool” cards just cause you like them
  If that tech card isn’t solving this matchup, it stays in the box.
• Don’t chase perfection
  You won’t have the exact card for every situation. Stop trying. Focus on tilting percentages in your favor, not on creating a fantasy 100% win rate.
• Don’t forget the clock
  If you’re control and you side into grindy grindy nonsense, make sure you can still close before time gets called.

Why Sideboarding Is Where You Win Real Games

I’ll ramble a bit here cause this is where I get fired up. Sideboarding is like wiring a fusebox – it looks like just swapping a few lines, but if you connect the wrong thing you blow the whole damn circuit. People underestimate how much a tiny swap shifts your whole role. When you nail it though, when you bring in just the right 2 cards and suddenly the matchup flips in your favour, it feels like cheating but fair. That’s the buzz.

So don’t lose your head. Sideboarding isn’t sorcery. It’s planning, discipline, and not cutting your damn wincons. Next time you sleeve up your Magic the Gathering sideboard, write down a plan, stick to it, and remember — the goal isn’t to win harder, it’s just to make the matchup winnable.

Liam O’Connell