"About a year ago, I reached out to Surf City for Commander coaching because I just wasn't winning games. I was playing against some strong, veteran players, and I knew I was missing something—not just in my gameplay, but in how I was building and thinking about my decks.

Our first session focused on my Scarab God deck. We didn't just go over card choices—Surf walked me through what actually makes a deck function. We talked a lot about synergy, building around key effects, and how to use tools like Moxfield and Scryfall more effectively. That part alone was huge. Most people just copy someone else's list and make a few small changes, but that can really limit your understanding of the deck. When you build it yourself, you learn what you're tutoring for, how your lines play out, and you become way more comfortable piloting the deck. It also makes future upgrades or swaps much easier, because you actually understand how each piece fits into the bigger picture.

We also worked through mulligans, and Surf quickly noticed I was a very reactive player—I'd keep super defensive hands, wait for other people to overextend, and then plan to wipe the board. But that kind of play can backfire, especially when the game doesn't go the way you expect. Surf helped me shift toward being more proactive and taking early plays that push my board forward. For example, instead of saving a Vampiric Tutor to grab a board wipe later, it might be better to just grab a Sol Ring turn one and get ahead. That mindset change really helped me understand the value of a good start. Honestly, one of the most valuable things from that session were the Moxfield and Scryfall search tips. I used to just copy someone else's list and swap a few cards, but Surf showed me how to actually find the right cards based on synergy, curve, and role. That alone made building decks feel way more manageable and way more fun.

About six months later, I went back for another session. I had been playing more regularly—like twice a week instead of once—and watching more Magic content online. I had also made my own deckbuilding template and used it to put together a new Ureni deck. The idea was solid, but during the session, Surf pointed out some holes in it. I had kind of over-generalized things—like always running X card draw spells, Y removal, 36 lands, etc. That kind of framework helps early on, but not every deck fits into that mold. Some decks need fewer lands, or more synergistic card draw, or lower curves—and that's something I hadn't fully considered until we talked it through.

We also went over more mulligans. There were a few hands where Surf stopped me and asked, 'Why would you keep this?' Having to actually explain my reasoning made it clear that I was still being too passive and not thinking deeply enough about my early game. One example was a hand with Seagate Restoration and two fetch lands. My initial plan was to just play the land side of Seagate, not really thinking it through. But Surf paused and asked, 'Why play Seagate now when you have two fetches? You could surveil into more land drops or find a ramp spell instead.' That clicked. Seagate is a powerful spell later in the game, and playing it as a land too early could cost you real value when you're in a tight spot later. We ended up talking more about how to sequence your early plays in a way that sets up your mid-to-late game, and this example really showed how even small decisions—like what lands you fetch—can have a big impact on how the game plays out.

Overall, the coaching has helped me so much—not just in winning more, but in really understanding what I'm doing. Magic is super deep, and every little decision matters. Surf helped me see that, and the feedback was always honest, clear, and helpful. It's also just nice having someone to talk about the game with and get real critique—something that's hard to get from your usual playgroup.

I've definitely become a better player and deckbuilder thanks to Surf's coaching, and I'll keep going back when I want to level up more. If you're serious about improving, I'd totally recommend working with him."