7 by 9

## **Numerical Deckbuilding Templates**

7x9, 8x8, and 9x7 are flexible deckbuilding templates designed to assist in the creation of a brand new Commander deck. Each theory identifies a specific number of tactical components or categories, then asks the deckbuilder to add a corresponding number of cards into each of those categories. The remaining slots in the deck are then filled by lands, and of course, the commander card itself.
The goal is to provide a robust enough redundancy of similar effects for the deck to achieve its goals during gameplay, rather than leaving the deckbuilder with too few cards that serve a function the deck needs to thrive.
**7x9** has the deckbuilder select 7 categories, then add 9 cards to each of those categories. 7 x 9 = 63, which leaves 1 commander card and 36 lands to reach 100 total cards. This option focuses on a higher density of effects by providing a slightly smaller number of categories.
**8x8** has the deckbuilder select 8 categories, then add 8 cards to each of those categories. 8 x 8 = 64, which leaves 1 commander card and 35 lands to reach 100 total cards.
**9x7** has the deckbuilder select 9 categories, then add 7 cards to each of those categories. 9 x 7 = 63, which leaves 1 commander card and 36 lands to reach 100 total cards. This option focuses on a higher diversity of effects by providing a slightly larger number of categories.
Importantly, these templates are intended as a tool for building a deck from scratch, especially for beginning players, and are not prescriptive or rigid. As deckbuilders play and learn about their decks, they may discover that they require a higher number of effects in one category than another, or may choose a different number of card categories altogether. These templates are a stepping stone to help players begin to identify the facets of their commander, and to determine the density of cards required for them to find a specific type of effect in their deck during gameplay.
### Adjusting Category Size

When determining how many cards should go into a category, a useful rule of thumb is to figure out how often you want to draw a card from that category. While the actual number of cards you draw can change from game to game it is loosely accurate to say that:

**10 cards** will probably give you **2 cards in a given game** from that category, and a good chance to **start with 1** in your opening hand. Critical categories for your deck may require a similar or larger number than this, depending on expected levels of Counterspells or Removal.
**5 cards** will probably give you **1 card per game** of that category. Cards you don't want to overload on but still want access to (*board wipes in a tokens deck for instance*) may want a similar figure to this... Going smaller than this number makes receiving a card of this category very unlikely without Tutors or some other Toolbox approach.
*1-4 cards* will probably only have a small chance of giving you a card of that category unless there are mitigating factors. Reasons to include categories this small are: Having Win Conditions you don't want to occur often, having a small number of effects you might be able to rely on others also having (*Board-wipes are quite common, and Removal is quite common in cEDH*), having reliable access to tutors (*which can therefore be used* As If *they were a member of this category by retrieving from it*) or mitigating factors such as large amounts of Card Draw / Card Selection such as might be found in Sythis, Harvest's Hand, Arjun, the Shifting Flame, or Eligeth, Crossroads Augur + Siani, Eye of the Storm or other decks focused heavily on wheels.
## **Types of Categories**

Selecting categories is an entirely flexible process, and deckbuilders are free to choose any categories they would like. They are merely meant as groupings to help describe a group of cards that each serve a similar function. There are some general Deck Considerations, but see below for a common categories to consider:
* Card Draw
* Ramp
* Board Wipes
* Spot Removal
* Protection
* Reanimation Spells
* Tutors
* Haste Enablers
* Counterspells
* Buffs
* Blink Spells
* Token Makers
* Lifegain
* Lifegain Payoffs
* Graveyard Hate
* Pet Cards
* Miscellaneous

Categories are extremely flexible and will largely depend upon the deckbuilder's personal taste. Categories will be specific to each individual commander, and some will have more relevance or applicability for one commander than they do for another.
*For more potential categories, see: Deck Building Categories*

## **Alternatives**

The Command Zone Template is less structured, but may provide more realistic information about adjusting the size of the most common deck categories

**References**

* Neale Talbot, Building DePietro DePauper, 2011

* Bruce Richard, The Theory of Nine, 2016

* GoblinTinkering, The 8x8, 2017