It’s tough to write about a guy like Eric Wood. A nice kid from Seattle, Washington, Wood is just your normal good guy. He’s smarter than most, but not an evil genius. Athletic, but not scholarship athletic. Well spoken, but he times his words. He says what needs to be said, but won’t pointlessly waste his breath. What’s a writer to do?

I mean, at least he could have some disability or a sordid past for God’s sake. Some might suggest I make him run through the halls here screaming “ROLEPLAYERS SUCK,” maybe in facial make up, maybe nude. Anything for an angle. . . please.

The sad truth is, if Wood were to make this kind of about-face, it would be completed after I’ve retired to my bed at home back in Toronto, having worked 73 hours in a three day weekend here at GenCon. It’ll be too late. Keep your shirt on, Eric. Truth be told, I’m not writing this for flair, I’m writing it because Wood can flat-out play. In the short history of this game, Wood’s shown up at three $10K tournaments. Come the Top 8, he was still around in two of them. In San Diego, his one miss, he still managed to go 5-3.

The fact is, the numbers may not do him justice. More than once, when I’ve asked attendees who the best player in the game is, they’ve called out his name, spinning in circles, following it with “Glory, Hallelujah!” Of course, when asked about this supposed superiority of skill, Eric just shrugs it off. “It’s already getting harder to have the edge. In Philly, our team had Big Brotherhood when no one else did. The information’s spreading so fast now that everyone’s pretty much on par.”

His team, VSUniverse, started innocently enough, with Eric and Jason Dawson (the primary builder of Big Brotherhood) deciding to give Vs. System a try when the Pro Circuit announcement was made. Soon, Dawson’s friend Chris Price had been brought on board, and the three headed to Philly with Big Brotherhood and high hopes. Dawson finished third, and Wood sixth. They took flight, agreeing to a larger team-up with Columbus $10K Champion Bill Hodack, Chedy Hampson, and Andrew Yip.

Now, Eric writes for Chedy and is enjoying his newfound semi-fame in a game he sees himself playing for a long time. “I’m not experienced enough with TCG competition to be the best,” he says, “but I think I have a chance to beat anyone.” With a strong team and his feet firmly on the ground, it says here he’s right.    

What percentage of the game is made up of skill, luck, and knowledge/preparation?