First of all, I stress that this is a strategy game, and not a role-playing game. This prevents the next question: "Oh - it's like D&D?"

Than i usually say that the cards divide to resources, creatures and spells. You use resources to create an army and fight your opponent. Resources are acquired gradually, and let you cast more powerful spells or just more spells each turn. That's about it. If he is still interested he is welcome to look at ongiong matches.

What I hate about people asking about the game is how they somehow all compare it to Pokémon. You should at least tell them that this game has been around for decades. Also the strategy game part is good. Also, i would recommend not mentioning the "you are a wizard with spells, etc." part, because that would make it too nerdy / roleplaying. Haha.

To me one of the biggest things that sets MtG apart from other games, at least at the beginner level, is the 5-color mana system. Before I started playing, people who described the game to me talked a lot about that.

yes the fantasy part is neat for flavor but irelevent for newbies unless they are excitable children. You don't introduce someone to chess by talking about how you are the tactician for a kingdom's army.

i usally say its a strategy game with cards, something between D&D poker and chess, with a fantasy theme.

I also agree if they ask that it is like pokemon or Yu-Gi-Oh though I mention that it is older and better and more complex.

by the way, I have this issue with how popular and familiar Yu-Gi-Oh is because I read the original manga where the card game was introduced and it was very clearly an homage to MTG. It was called Wizards (wizards of the coast) and Magic, I just don't understand how japanese buisnessmen managed to cash in on this version of the came without being royally sued and I don't like how their success made Yu-Gi-Oh the number 1 trading card game in sales. Damn their multimedia marketing with the show and comic and merchendizing! its not a bad game though ;)

I've been working on a pair of beginner's decks: No artifacts, no enchantments, no instants, no activated abilities, no deck searching, no counters, no tokens, and as few keywords or other complications as I can manage. The turn steps, definitions of keywords in the deck, and any other rules that might come up are spelled out in a couple of printed pages.

That lets me teach combat and spellcasting without timing issues or other difficult decision points, without having to spring new rules on them throughout the game. For some players, it even helps to play with hands revealed, at least for a game or two. With more familiarity, other concepts can be introduced gradually.