Back to Sweden

Introduction

Although there have always been “flashback” events, like some booster drafts with old packs, I think it is reasonable to say that the first popular Old Frame format was invented in Sweden, which ended up being called 93/94 Old School, or “93/94 Old School: Swedish”, as so many variations of this original idea appeared. On their website, I see they invented it as early as 2007, although it did not become very popular until a few years later.

Sweden was again, in 2012, the place where an Old Frame format was invented, which is probably the most popular nowadays: Premodern.

So I guess it is not a coincidence that the Nordic country is where a group of 93/94 Old School regulars have tried our main format, Old Frame Vintage. However, they decided to make several changes, essentially creating a new format, which we have called Old Frame Vintage: Lindström Style, in honour of its creator, Martin Lindström.

Changes

What is different about Old Frame Vintage: Lindström Style? In general terms, they let you play 4 copies of many cards that are restricted in Old Frame Vintage.

These are the cards that are restricted in Old Frame Vintage but are not in Old Frame Vintage: Lindström Style:

Lion’s Eye Diamond. Old Frame Vintage: Lindström Style is the place where you can play the mythical Burning Long deck.

Also, these are the cards that they do not allow but we do:

  • Every Portal, Portal Second Age, Portal Three Kingdoms and Starter 1999 cards. In practice, the only cards that have seen play from those sets are Imperial Seal and Grim Tutor.
  • Time Vault.

Both formats allow cards played from Alpha to Scourge, the whole Old Frame era, except for the “starter” sets mentioned before, but Old Frame Vintage: Lindström Style seems to be a much more dangerous place, as so many powerful cards are unrestricted.

Some of them seem especially problematic, like Flash, which is very strong together with Academy Rector, letting you bring a Yawgmoth’s Bargain into play for just 1U at instant speed. Or Gush, which dominated the Type 1 scene in Gro-a-tog decks in 2003 before it was restricted. Lion’s Eye Diamond also became a key card in Burning Long decks those days, together with a playset of Burning Wish.

It will be very interesting to see how that format develops. And it is an honour that it is being played by some of the creators of the first Old Frame format, 93/94 Old School.

If you want to try the format in person, there is a tournament in Gothenburg in less than a month.