chump block

English

Alternative forms

• chump-block

Verb

chump block (third-person singular simple present chump blocks, present participle chump blocking, simple past and past participle chump blocked)

1. (collectible card games, intransitive) To block an attack from a powerful attacker with a weak defender that will neither survive the attack nor destroy the attacker.
   • 1998 September 17, Mark Justice with Beth Moursund, Magic: The Gathering Advanced Strategy Guide: The Color-Illustrated Guide to Expert Magic, New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, →ISBN, page 49:

     This is a bad Pacifism, as it allows the creature to stay around and at least chump block for a turn.

   • 2001 June 14, Julian Lighton, “Re: [FIST] Netherworld 2: Spoiler and Commentary - Part 3 (Long)”, in rec.games.trading-cards.misc‎^[1] (Usenet), message-ID <oiUV6.66$9d.31806@newshog.newsread.com>:

     And, in the mid-late game, random 1-2 fighting guys get chucked out there just to get them out of hand and to chump block.

   • 2004 March 22, Peter Oh, “Re: Toreador Anti - Legion Deck”, in rec.games.trading-cards.jyhad‎^[2] (Usenet), message-ID <aGG7c.2598$ze2.677@nwrddc01.gnilink.net>:

     The problem is that if you don't get your Bum's Rush in at stealth or before I manage to create a few chump block babies, then one of them blocks, goes to torpor, and then I just create two more next turn.

   • 2006, Michael J. Flores, Deckade: 10 years of decks, thoughts, and theory!, To Be Continued LLC, →ISBN, page 121:

     He puts out a Suq'ata Firewalker the next turn, perhaps to advance his own strategy or just to chump-block.

   • 2012 August 22, Steve Sadin, “Chump Blocking”, in Magic: The Gathering‎^[3], retrieved 2014-05-17:

     There are times when you simply have to chump block, since that's the only play that will allow you to survive an incoming attack. Then there are times when chump blocking is a foolish choice that will see you sacrifice a potentially crucial resource (a creature) to protect a resource that you have no shortage of (your life total).

Derived terms

• chump blocker