Team Application - Scott Schauf

Name: Scott Schauf
Age: 22

How did you find out about Team Unknown Stars?
Ben Wienburg was crashing at my place the night before his most recent PTQ win, and told me about this forum.

Your Magic Accomplishments
- I won the first PTQ for Yokohama with RGb Aggro Loam.
- I've made the Top 8 of 2 other PTQs:

• The EXT season before that, with MadTog2020. I finished 5th-8th, due to general bad play in the quarters. I was pretty bad at this point in my magical career.
  
  
• This most recent EXT season, with Goblin Bidding. I lost in the finals to Akil Steele. My ringleaders averaged about 1.5 after I mulliganed a bunch in both games, and his draws were good enough.

- Beyond that, my local team and I have won numerous cash/dual land events.

The Last 3 Major Magic Tournaments I've Attended

• PTQ Louisville: 1-2
  - I played Elementals, lost to Faeries twice. I didn't get to play a game of magic in either match.
  
  
• KY Open: 6-2 (14th)
  - Armed with RDW, I lost in round 3 to MBC. I made a judgment call that resulted in his victory. Then, in round 7, I got paired against ramp, which is an AWFUL matchup that I had managed to dodge all day. A friend playing the same 75 split the event with Gabe Walls, having not played against ramp all day.
  
  
• PTQ Nashville: 5-2-1
  - The draw was in the last round, to guarantee us prize. I offered as I was way behind in game 3, and the guy accepted for some reason unknown to me.
  
  - I was armed with Faeries, with 2 Harbingers and 1 Oona main. Since this event, I've been trying to get people to listen to me about this technology, and no one will.

A Link to Your DCI Rating Page
Here
- My IRL ratings are pretty low. In recent months, I tend to play joke decks at the local store. Everyone is pretty bad, and I previously didn't have any real reason to care about my rating. I just want it to be known that these ratings shouldn't necessarily be indicative of my playskill, merely my previous apathy towards these numbers.
- I play drafts on MODO semi-regularly (Four to the Facehole), and my limited rating there hovers around 1850 generally.

Why Do You Play Competitive Magic?
This could be an essay in and of itself. Beyond the general "I'm a competitive person, and this game is fun", I enjoy the creative outlet behind deck building. The friendships this game has given to me are irreplaceable, and I believe I'm just on the cusp of that aspect of the game. This game has let me travel to Japan, which was one of my dreams for as long as I can remember, and for that, I'm grateful. In conclusion, competitive Magic is far more than a game, its an experience, and its one that cannot be rivaled.

What Are Your Main Reasons For Wanting To Join The Team?
I believe that you can only get so far, as a player, without a strong network of talented players. I believe I am approaching that plateau, so when Ben informed me that there was such a network accepting applications, I knew that I needed to be apart of it.

What Do You Think You Would Bring To The Team?
- I am a VERY organized person, and I try to keep records on as many things as I can.
- I love playing magic, and am always ready to do some battling. It should be noted, however, that I don't enjoy playing on MWS that often, but I'm always glad to help do some playtesting.
- I am online everyday, almost without exception. I'm always willing to talk shop. In addition, I read many magic forums, so I'm very rarely surprised at a tournament, and I believe I can help others with this.

Your Strengths As A Player
- I believe I have a pretty good poker face, and that I give very little information away.
- As mention, I'm very organized. This leads me to always being well-prepared for a given event.
- I'm willing to play any type of deck, assuming it is correct for the perceived metagame. I've battled with Jackal Pup, Heartbeat of Spring, and Wrath of God, all with a smile on my face.
- I occasionally lose my head, and make a dumb play. We all do. I pride myself, however, on keeping my cool in these situations and focus on what is important: winning the game.

Your Weaknesses As A Player
- I'm prone to being very indecisive when it comes time to actually settle on a deck.
- I'm pretty awful at evaluating new cards and decks.
- I don't get the opportunity to playtest enough for my liking.
- I try and brew new decks, but generally get distracted or bored and lose focus.

What Are the Main Formats You Play/Focus On?
I will play any format, anytime. For instance, I'm playing in a Highlander tournament soon, and play Vintage on the Saturdays when there aren't real tournaments to attend. Obviously Cube Drafting is the best!

Which Format Do You Think You're Most Proficient In?
Considering all of my PTQ Top 8s are in Extended, I'd have to say Extended. However, this past season, I had trouble cracking the format. With so many viable decks, it was just hard to get an edge with your deck.

In conclusion, I'd just like to say thanks for the opportunity, and I hope to be working with all of you guys real soon.

After careful consideration, you have been accepted to the team. Thank you for your application and interest, and see you on the team forums.

Sincerely,

Gavin Verhey