Back to the Library
Your First FNM
Share this piece
The Art of the Mulligan
Chapin's canonical treatment of when to keep, when to mull, and why. The article that made the mulligan a skill instead of a reflex.
Curator's Note
Chapin wrote this in 2010 and it's still cited in 2026 pro-level discussions. He treats the mulligan as a mini-game you can train for, with a framework every beginner needs before their first tournament.
Share this piece
Related reading
Series
Language: EN10 min read
Level One: Mulligans
Reid Duke · Wizards of the Coast · 2015The Level One chapter on mulligans: the "Two to Five Lands" default, when linear decks break that rule, and how to stop feel-drafting opening hands.
Mulligans & Sequencing
Series
Language: EN12 min read
Level One: Sequencing
Reid Duke · Wizards of the Coast · 2015How to order spells and land drops to minimize dead turns, maximize mana use, and avoid free losses from bad sequencing.
Mulligans & Sequencing
Article
Language: EN61 Cards — Magic Russian Roulette
Patrick Chapin · StarCityGames · 2013Chapin on why cutting your deck to 60 cards is a harder decision than it looks — decision theory applied to a problem every deckbuilder faces.
Deckbuilding & Archetypes