mtg made up most of my gradeschool, highschool and part of my college life, tho i didn't really start entering the competitive scene til mirage. i loved the rush to getting enough points to reach nationals, the challenge of figuring out new card chemistry, the travel to different cities in search of different cards that maybe hard to find in your area, and of course the scent of a newly opened booster pack during pre release tourneys and rochester drafts. my first real decks were a classic red green land destruction deck similar to the one posted earlier and a turbo stasis deck but it wasn't until i started building standard decks that i truly enjoyed the game.
i played alot on my necropotence deck (strip mines, hypnotic specters, hymn to tourachs) and prosperous bloom (second/third turn kill deck with drainlife)even tho i hated the very concept of them, just to win tourneys. my favorite decks were difference variance of splash survival of the fittest decks with tradewind riders, sneak attack/oath of druid decks, and tolarian academy/mind over matter loaded with 0 casting cost artifact decks.
i also loved gunslinging on grand prix tourneys where you get to challenge dci judges and win booster packs if you beat them and if they beat you, they get to pick a card from your deck (mostly just a basic land card or the cheapest card they could find), have you sign it and display it on their trophy section. i became inactive sometime after the urza block due to other more important priorities...
...half life, counter-strike beta 4, diablo 2 and quake 3 ~