The Winning Point

Turn 'em Sideways

🎙️ The Winning Point is a podcast about Riftbound and the world of competitive card games. Hosted by seasoned casters and players, we dive into gameplay mechanics, community stories, and what it means to grow a new TCG from the ground up. Whether you’re a pro, a casual, or just card-curious, join us as we explore Riot’s newest card game and everything around it.

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S1 · E60
August 21 · 50 min
Kennen is 40% of Every Top Cut So Far. Is Barcelona ALREADY Over?
So many Riftbound showdowns from this past weekend - what does that mean for us? Statistics. Lots and lots of statistics. In Episode 60 of the Winning Point, we cover decks and legends seen from Convergence #2, Riftbound Showdown in Speyer, 10K Showdown in Auckland, Ottawa Showdown, and Gen.G LA Showdown (did we catch them all?). We also delve into what goes into streaming these tournaments, and include a snippet of an interview we did with Tayfun from Battle Bear, who ran the Riftbound Showdown in Speyer. If you're watching/listening to this upon release, we're also at Barcelona, so come and say hi if you see any of us! We have new playmats available for preorder! https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/🃏 SPONSOR: VEGAS SINGLESOur partner for the whole month of August. Singles, trade-ins and a buy list worth actually reading. Use code **TURN5** for 5% off your singles order, free tracking on every package, free US shipping over $50.→ https://vegas.singles/collections/riftbound-singles?bg_ref=lOW1wb5iTD
S1 · E59
August 14 · 54 min
Nobody Knows How to Build KENNEN Yet | Riftbound Vendetta Meta Discussion | The Winning Point Ep 59
Riftbound Showdown Ottawa gave us the first real look at the Vendetta metagame, and Prismaticism took the whole thing down on Rengar with a 25-1-1 record in games before telling everyone not to play the deck at their RQ. Kennen was the most represented legend in the room, Rek'Sai put three copies in the Top 8, Master Yi is still posting an absurd win rate with no Best-Of on the line, and Diana is stuck at 51% while everyone keeps calling Blue Purple the boogeyman.Blevins, Casanova, Charmer and Pastry break down the Ottawa Top 8 and the win rates, argue about what a stock Kennen list is even supposed to look like, make the case that somebody is about to crack Mel, then recap Dual Queue, the 2v2 tournament we ran on this channel, where Helm of Suppression turned out to be format warping and one Otterpus denied three points in the grand final. Plus the updated RQ prizing with the Jayce champion promo, the Wuhan Regional exhibition between the English and Chinese scenes, and the mailbag returns with a Crash Out Corner about sets designed for draft. ⏱️ Timestamps0:00 Intro 1:15 Announcements 4:10 Ottawa Showdown 32:27 2v2 Magma Chamber 41:43 Updated RQ Prizing 46:45 Wuhan Riftbound Regional Exhibition 48:28 Mailbag🎮 WATCH THIS WEEKENDRift Atlas Convergence #2: Saturday August 15, $5,000 prize pool, 256 players, sold out with a waitlist. Streaming right here.Dual Queue, the Magma Chamber 2v2 tournament, is already up on the channel if you missed it.🃏 SPONSOR: VEGAS SINGLESOur partner for the whole month of August. Singles, trade-ins and a buy list worth actually reading. Use code **TURN5** for 5% off your singles order, free tracking on every package, free US shipping over $50.→ https://vegas.singles/collections/riftbound-singles?bg_ref=lOW1wb5iTD📊 Best-of decklists, tier list & event coverage: https://turnemsideways.gg/🛒 Playmats, dice & merch: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/
August 7 · 1 hr 3 min
Bank Your Byes NOW: The Last Riftbound Skirmish Season | The Winning Point Ep 58
Riot dropped the August 2026 State of the Game plus five more articles in a single week, and between them they rewrite competitive Riftbound: Summoner Skirmish is retiring into the Riftbound Challenge Series, RQs become Riftbound Regionals with 16 in 2027, Regional Championships become Continentals with a Friday last chance qualifier, and a Riftbound World Championship finally lands next year.Blevins, Cas and Charmer go through all of it: Legacy being the first set designed for draft, The Minion and the illegal deck problem it fixes, the Ekko reveal from Radiance, the Cho'Gath movie monster posters coming in Reckoning, the trigger arrow and grey targeting backing that should finally make Riftbound cards read the way they work, the plated Legends that may never be awarded, and why Vendetta season is the last one where you can bank byes.⏱️ CHAPTERS0:00 Kennen should be banned3:09 Dual Queue, Convergence 2 and our new partner Vegas Singles7:48 State of the Game: no more double Legend packs12:39 The trigger arrow, and why reading the card doesn't explain the card19:22 Legacy is the first set designed for draft, and The Minion29:04 Ekko revealed, and the Cho'Gath movie monster posters43:39 Stuttgart, Convergence Fest and the plated Legends nobody may earn53:39 2027: Summoner Skirmish retires and Worlds arrives📰 EVERY ARTICLE WE COVEREDState of the Game, August 2026: https://playriftbound.com/en-us/news/organizedplay/august-2026-state-of-play/Products and Sets: https://playriftbound.com/en-us/news/announcements/products-and-sets-into-2027/August and Onward Roadmap: https://playriftbound.com/en-us/news/announcements/august-2026-roadmap/Creators and Riftbound: https://playriftbound.com/en-us/news/announcements/riftbounds-creators-in-2027/Regional Championship Info: https://playriftbound.com/en-us/news/organizedplay/2026-regional-championship-info/🎮 WATCH US LIVE THIS WEEKENDDual Queue, the Magma Chamber 2v2 tournament: Sunday August 9, 11am EDT, $500 prize pool, Vendetta legal. Streaming right here.Convergence 2 with Rift Atlas: August 15, $5,000, 256 player cap. Sign up while there are still spots.🃏 SPONSOR: VEGAS SINGLESSingles, trade-ins and a buy list worth actually reading. Code TURN5 for 5% off your singles order, tracking on every package, free US shipping over $50.https://vegas.singles https://vegas.singles/collections/riftbound-singles?bg_ref=lOW1wb5iTD📊 Best-of decklists, tier list & event coverage: https://turnemsideways.gg/🛒 Playmats, dice & merch: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/======= SOCIALS =======Follow us for more competitive Riftbound content:🎥 YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@TurnemSideways?sub_confirmation=1🐦 Twitter – https://x.com/TurnThemSide⏲️ TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@turnemsideways📸 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/turnemsideways/🎧 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/0qFsptquUddq21pGXu9Thx🍎 Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-winning-point/id1847709608🎮 Discord – https://discord.gg/MNFCaxFGpZ🩵 Bluesky – https://bsky.app/profile/turnthemside.bsky.social📝 Threads – https://www.threads.com/@turnemsideways
S1 · E57
July 31 · 46 min
Riftbound's First Vendetta Event Was Won by a POROBOT
We caught a glimpse of Riftbound's first Vendetta metagame at our CN vs. the World event, and the winning deck was a Diana running Swain, Visionary, and Patched Porobot. In this episode, we're breaking down every piece of the combo, the missed Promising Future in Game 3 of the Grand Finals, and discuss whether or not Lux deserved an emergency ban. Also hot topics for this episode are: results of the Pre-Rifts, where Ambessa is in the current format, how Orange might be the best color, and whether or not our Vendetta predictions came true so far.
S1 · E56
July 24 · 45 min
Is Ekko Riftbound’s Next Banned Card?
Riftbound dropped a ban announcement ahead of Vendetta, removing Aspirant’s Climb and Arena’s Greatest from competitive play. We break down why these battlefields had become nearly mandatory, what their removal means for the game, and whether cards like Star-Crossed, Ferrous Forerunner, Aurora and Ekko should have been targeted instead. We also discuss the move to 10-card sideboards, the possibility of best-of-five tournament matches, our most anticipated Vendetta prerelease legends, and the cards that could define the new Limited environment. With Vendetta fully revealed, competitive Riftbound is about to look very different. Let us know: Did Riot ban the right cards—and is Ekko eventually next?
S1 · E55
July 17 · 1 hr 7 min
The Cursed Vendetta Episode
Vendetta spoiler season is nearly complete, and the new Riftbound legends have given us plenty to argue about. In Episode 55 of The Winning Point, the crew shares their first impressions of Mel, Ambessa, Nasus, Shen and Jayce, discusses the cards that could define their decks, and attempts to determine which new Epic might be the worst in the entire set. We also break down Riftbound’s massive Las Vegas Regional Championship announcement, the return of Best Of promos, and why overnumbered versions could create both an unbelievable prize pool and a serious competitive-integrity challenge.Which Vendetta legend impressed you the most, and which one are you staying far away from?
S1 · E54
July 10 · 59 min
Riftbound's First Order Chaos Legend looks INSANE
Riftbound’s Vendetta spoiler season is moving fast, and the first big story is already here: a card is getting banned before players even get to use it. This week on The Winning Point, we talk through the Stealthy Pursuer infinite combo, why the ban happened, and what it says about Riftbound’s future.Then we get into the real chaos: Kennen and Lightning Rush, Akali’s action-speed tricks, Renekton sacrificing resources for explosive turns, Zed’s shadow clone package, new sideboard-style cards, and the T1 collaboration with serialized cards. Spoiler season is here, and Vendetta already looks wild.LAST CALL TO SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE TOURNAMENT➡️ https://topdeck.gg/event/sideways-showdown-cn-vs-world-qualifiers
S1 · E53
July 3 · 54 min
A Riftbound Card Just Sold for $115,000
Vendetta spoiler season is upon us, the price of an Ahri card, and Korea entering the Rift(bound). All that and more in Episode 53 of the Winning Point! Be sure to check out our stuff: Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Merch: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/
S1 · E52
June 26 · 56 min
We Owe Master Yi an Apology
Stories from Hartford, Top 8 Recap, and 2v2 discussions -- is there actually something wrong with the 2v2 format or does it get a bad rap? Also, an unexpected Cas crashout.
S1 · E51
June 19 · 56 min
The Wildest Top 8 in Riftbound History
Welcome to episode 51 of The Winning Point! This week's episode may be one of the most action-packed ones yet. Eight different legends in the top 8, the results of Lux Loop, and drama around the best-of Kai'Sa? There's so much to recap and so little time.
S1 · E50
June 12 · 57 min
How to win by turn 5 in Riftbound
Episode 50 (holy crap) of the Winning Point features discussions around the infinite combo that took the internet (and the current meta) by storm and the effects it has on the predictions we might see from Utrecht. Thanks for being a part of our journey -- here's to at least 50 more episodes. 🥰 If you're interested in tracking your favorite players at RQs, you can visit: https://turnemsideways.gg/trackerDon't forget to pre-order your playmat(s)! https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/
S1 · E49
June 5 · 59 min
Rengar COULD HAVE Won RQ Vancouver
Another RQ has come and gone, and with it comes a little recap of the tournament and their first-hand experience at the event. Recap includes discussions around strategies, misplays that may have cost competitors the game, and venue experiences. The team also goes through some of the spoilers for Vendetta and Radiance that have been released so far and share what they're excited to see. Please note: there are some audio issues in this episode. We have noted them for you, just in case25:31 Audio Distortion47:30 Cas Mic Gain Dips 51:13 Audio Lag Best-ofs for Vancouver are in! We've updated them on our website: https://turnemsideways.gg/bestofsDon't forget to pre-order your playmat(s)! https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/
S1 · E48
May 29 · 49 min
WORST Domain in Unleashed?
Welcome to episode 48 of The Winning Point! This week, the crew talks about the FAQ article for the Regional Championships (which may have left us with more questions than answers), the release of French Riftbound cards, the results from the Regional Open in Xi'An and their predictions on what the Vancouver RQ this weekend may present. Don't forget to check out our stuff!Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/
S1 · E47
May 22 · 58 min
Upside Down Cards in the RQ Down Under
It's time for Episode 47 of The Winning Point! Sydney delivered one of the wildest Riftbound tournaments we’ve seen so far, and The Winning Point is here to break it all down. From the first English Unleashed-format Regional Qualifier to the evolving Aurora meta, Teemo Top 8 runs, LeBlanc tech, and the future of competitive Riftbound, there’s a LOT to unpack this week.Blevins, Casanova, Pastrytime, and Charmer dive into everything that happened at the Sydney Regional Qualifier, including behind-the-scenes stories from the event, meta takeaways, production discussion, and why the current format may be the most open Riftbound has seen yet.Don't forget to check out our stuff - our tierlist got updated!Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/
S1 · E46
May 14 · 1 hr 3 min
Major Rules Change before Sydney RQ - is this ok?
It's time for Episode 46 of The Winning Point! RQ Sydney is finally here — and with it comes one of the most interesting Riftbound metas we’ve seen so far. In this episode of The Winning Point, we break down our full Sydney tier list predictions, including which decks we expect to dominate the event, what strategies are flying under the radar, and whether Aurora is beginning to warp the format around itself.We dive into the rise of Aurora variants, LeBlanc experimentation, Diana hype, Ezreal positioning, and the decks we think could realistically make a deep run this weekend. With Western and Chinese major events happening at nearly the same time for the first time, this tournament could completely reshape how players approach the early Unleashed meta moving forward.Don't forget to check out our stuff - our tierlist got updated!Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/
S1 · E45
May 8 · 51 min
Should Aurora be Banned?
Welcome to episode 45 of The Winning Point! We're beginning to welcome in the Unleashed set, and what stories do we have to tell you about our pre-Rift experiences. There have been a few decks taking an early lead in the Unleashed meta we've spotted so far -- did any of the ones mentioned surprise you? And, as always: Aurora. Discourse has returned...but has it ever really left? Don't forget to check out our stuff! Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/
S1 · E44
May 1 · 51 min
The Best Finals in RQ History... So Far
Welcome to Episode 44 of The Winning Point! Atlanta RQ was definitely one for the books - it brought to us probably the best grand finals so far. As we say goodbye to the Spiritforged set and hello to Unleashed, the crew goes over the Atlanta RQ recap and talks about their own experience from this past weekend. Be sure to check out our stuff! Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/
S1 · E43
April 24 · 49 min
Riftbound, Your Emperor Has Risen
Welcome to Episode 43 of the Winning Point! Some of the crew just came back from Lille, and they're here to talk about their experience at the RQ. We go through the Top 8 decks, as well as make some predictions about the Atlanta RQ, sprinkled in with a little Azir deck talk. Don't forget to check out our stuff! Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/ (the team is traveling so no pretty thumbnail for this week's episode. if you see us in atlanta, come say hi!)
S1 · E42
April 17 · 53 min
These Decks Will WIN Lille
Welcome to Episode 42 of the Winning Point! It's the Lille preview episode! The crew talks about their predictions for the RQ and how different their prep time looks from then to now. It's also a much needed therapy session for Cas. Don't forget to check out our stuff! Website: https://turnemsideways.gg/Shop: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/
S1 · E41
April 10 · 48 min
Is the Meta Cured?
Playmats are still available at: https://shop.turnemsideways.gg/ The Post Ban Tier List is here: https://turnemsideways.gg/tierlist It's the Spiritforged 2.0 episode! Welcome to episode 41 of The Winning Point! This week, we talk about the pre-rift kits revealed in China, go over the New Zealand 10k results, and discuss whether or not the meta is cured. What are your thoughts on the meta with all the updates? Let us know in the comments below!

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