1. Do I cast spells on curve?
A hand does not need perfect colors, but it should let you spend mana in the early turns instead of passing with nothing relevant to do.
Strategy
Mulligan and opening hand: the game starts before the first draw
A strong opening hand is not the one with the highest ceiling, but the one that actually starts. This page gives you a simple method to judge resources, colors, curve and plan before the match slips away.
Keep or mulliganColor checkTurn-two plan
Question
Can this hand execute a believable early-game script rather than an optimistic fantasy?
Trap
Powerful spells without color alignment or sequencing support often sell false confidence.
Payoff
Cleaner opening decisions often improve outcomes more than tiny list tweaks.
2. Do my lands match my spells?
Two lands are acceptable only if they already produce the colors that make your hand functional, not merely hopeful.
3. Do I have a role?
Know whether the hand is racing, stabilizing or setting up value. A hand without a role often becomes a slow draw with no pressure.
4. What happens if I miss turn-three land?
Imagine the bad case. If the hand completely collapses after one missed land drop, it may be too fragile to keep.
5. Does this hand line up against the matchup?
On the play and on the draw, the same seven cards can feel very different. Context matters as much as raw card quality.
Signals that support a keep
Balanced mana
Enough lands to operate, but not so many that the first turns are empty.
Early action
A hand should usually affect the board, your mana or card selection before turn three.
Plan clarity
You should know what a “good draw” looks like and how that hand wins or survives.
When you go to six
After a mulligan, value consistency over ceiling. Six functional cards beat seven speculative cards surprisingly often.
Prioritize the hand that makes your first two turns automatic. Lower-card games punish hesitation even more.
If you keep six, plan your scry or first draw immediately: what card solves the next bottleneck?
From mulligan to match plan
The opening-hand decision only makes sense if you know where you want the game to go. After this guide, study turn rhythm and use the deck builder to understand how many truly “operational” hands your list produces.
Related Path
Other guides to sharpen early decisions
After the opening hand, most edges come from keywords, priority and understanding the board.
Beginner Guide
6 min read•Setup, turns, combat
How to play Magic
Setup, turn structure, mana and combat explained as a practical guide you can keep beside the table.
Glossary
5 min read•Zones, keywords, reminders
Keyword glossary
An operational glossary for fast doubt resolution, with clear definitions, quick examples and a bridge to official wording.
Decision Making
8 min read•Timing, stack, end step
Turn rhythm and priority
Decisive windows, open mana and clean sequencing patterns so you do not give away tempo and value.