Some advice for those new to Magic.

I disagree.  It depends on what deck you are using.  I wouldn't advise having a "small" deck if you are using the blue and green deck...you could end up running yourself out of cards.  Sure, if you have a full deck you could encounter mana runs but it isn't always so.  You never know what card you will be drawing next.  Sometimes, the best way to play is to run your opponent out of cards.  That can be a risky game if your deck is small.  Some decks I keep heavy and others I keep small.  I don't think it's good advise overall to keep your deck at 60 cards in either MTG game.  I do wish that we could set the mana ratio though.  That could make a very big difference with some decks.

Ninja is absolutely right.  If you are not playing 60 cards you are not playing the "Best" version of the deck -period.  This is the general consensus of all the pro-level players. It is mentioned in a countless number of articles.  

I will occasionally run 61 cards, for spice but I realize it's not the "best" version of the deck statistically.

I do think it's funny that after EVERYONE cried about the deck editing last game, people aren't really utilizing it correctly.

When I first started playing Magic I had a friend that always preached time after time keep it at sixty-five cards. Then I got to thinking I have so many good cards why must I limit myself to the same mundane predictable strategy for every game. I showed up a week later with an eighty-something card deck and smashed him three or four games in a row. The way I see it; as long as the mana to spell ratio is right it shouldn't matter how many cards are in the deck. The only real threat is the mana run, and that's a threat no matter how many cards are in your deck. I don't think it's right to tell everyone to play the same way, different things work for different people. It's like a racing game, you simply cannot win them all.

Not telling anyone how to play,  If eighty something card decks is what you like, then by all means.   But that deck will not be as good as a 60 card deck!  Why?  Because of Math.   Every deck has a Best Card, a 2nd best card, third best card, and so on.   The less cards you play, they higher the chances of getting your "Best" cards.  It doesn't matter if you have more than 60 good cards.  Your 61st  card is always a lot worst than your best card.  

This is not just the opinion of some players,  This is a proven mathematical principal and is something that EVERY Pro Magic player agrees on. All you have to do is Google the results of ANY major Magic tournament, and look at the decklists.  Try to find one list in ANY top8  that has more than 60 cards. Then ask yourself why that is, especially when decks run odd numbers of certain cards.  

All top decks run a certain "win condition".

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This could be a combo, control, burn, creature, deck, or even a combination.

Each top deck utilises its win cards and accounts for other decks by adding cards that will slow, stop them.

Best way to win is to increase your chance of getting the win and sopping your opponent.

Although there are indeed 1,000's of great magic cards, no one plays more than 60 in PRO TOURS.

Just one more card over the minimum ruins your chances of drawing the prefered card at the right time.

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Different formats of magic run different cards, but for the most part all run 60.

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Singletons (100 single cards no rares) is one format that differs.

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Poo is right maths speaks volumes.

Take a pack of playing cards and presume ace is the best.

You have 4 chances in 52 of drawing one.

Now add the jokers (not as good as an ace in this instance) and all of a sudden you chance of drawing that ace is 4 in 54.

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All cards are important in the right situation, but the need to maximise your chances of "luck" is most important.

Of course not makng mistakes when you play is paramount, but all players need to understand and accept the 60 card start rule for better play.

or you can be like tezzeret's original duels deck and run 59 cards ;)

Definitely one of the biggest factors that will make you win more. Also, I would add to make sure you take out the cards such as Dragon's Claw, Golem's Heart, etc.

I have to respectfully disagree with EvilRon on both accounts. Any experienced MtG player will tell you to always keep your decks at 60 cards. You absolutely need to run 60 cards in the UG deck. What would you rather draw, Ulamog, or one of those 3 Living Destiny you should have taken out? Trying to mill your opponent with the UG deck is also a bad idea. To be frank, if hoping your opponent will run out of cards before you is EVER your strategy when using that deck (or any other deck in this game.. Hell, even the mill deck in the first game was terrible at it and that's what it was made to do), you're not playing it right.

i just played 5 games straight, different deck every time and defeated all of them.  they were playing 60+ card decks and i was playing 60 cards.  skill and luck has something to do with it but make your deck 60 cards and your "luck" is optimized.  

btw, i am currently playing steam only and it doesn't show the deck the opponent is playing.  silly xbox

I never said to have all the cards in the deck (some cards are deffinately disposable).  Don't take my words out of context.  I'm not playing right?  Wow.  I don't seem to have any problem winning matches.  Some of you people here are very arrogant.  I could think of alot of things to tell newbies that would be much better advice than keeping your deck at 60 cards.  Keeping your deck at 60 cards is a matter of preference and opinion that many of you have based on stats and not real facts.  Like any card game, you are at the mercy of a random deal and random draws.  The cards that you select and put into your deck is more important than the number of cards in it.  <br><br>I do know alot of pro players (I live 4 blocks from a card shop that fills the parking lot every Friday night for magic players).  Many of them agree with me that the number of cards in you deck depends on the type of deck you are using.  To speak for all "pro magic players", as many of you have done, is pretty arrogant.

"Like any card game, you are at the mercy of a random deal and random draws."

Right, but having fewer cards means statistcally less randomness.  If you have one copy of your best card, 1 out of 60 is a higher percentage of drawing it that 1 out of (anything larger than 60).  As a former tournament player, this really is good advice.  That is not to say playing with more than 60 is "wrong" - it is just not the mathematically best way to insure you are drawing the best possible cards each turn.