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I've played MtG (Magic the Gathering) for over a decade now.
Recent rules changes involving combat have puzzled me.
Three important aspects about combat were impacted by the rules changes.
Unfortunately, I only picked up on one of the three...until recently.

To be upfront about my feelings certain changes Wizards of the Coast (WotC)has made about the rules have hurt my feelings. Call me too sensitive. A long time ago in MtG time WotC decided to alter how "Triggered Effects" resolved.
In my opinion this was one of the most exciting aspects of constructing a fun an interesting deck. Prior to the rules changes involving the mysterious abstract "stack" only the first sorcery spell (if one initiated a stack) followed by spells and activated abilities placed on the stack resolved in "LIFO" order - last in-first out (first to resolve) order. and players had to be aware of the "Priority" rule which passed bewtween players at the start of each phases of the turn. The player whose turn it was always had priority to start a stack of effects and spells until he or she passed priority to their opponent. This required communication and good manners (sportsmanship) between players because many players, unfortunately, liked to skip their main phase and proceed to combat. Players would tap their attacking creatures without announcing that they had entered the combat phase. The defending player whose turn it was not frequently had to back their opponent up to the main phase in order to cast a spell (interrupt (sorry we don't have interrupts any more but in the old days we did LOL) or instant) or to use an effect -tapping creatures prior to combat. Imagine playing the white spell "Silence" to prevent an attacking creature from being pumped up with "Giant Growth" or being given "Trample". Beyond this need for positive communication which continues today in a duel between players the original thought I was discussing was the "triggered" effect. In the old days a triggered effect never went on or created a stack. When the event occured that triggered the effect a player simply resolved the effect right then even if it occured in the middle of other spells and effects that had resolved and waiting to resolve on a stack. I never found it difficult to understand this rule - resolving triggered effects immediately versus a stack of spells and effects initiated by player's decisions (choices) versus an event a player may or may not have control over. But today triggered effects when the event occurs that triggers them exist are now placed on top of the current stack of spells that have not resolved yet or even creates its own stack that players can now respond to (add to). Some creatures have comes into play effects that trigger a stack - bouncing something, dealing damage, destroying something, etc. The triggered effects that seemed to confuse shop keepers of small trading card shops who were called upon to resolve disputes were effects triggered when a creature was placed in a graveyard and even when to place a creature in the graveyard when sacrificed, destroyed, receiving lethal damage, having its defense reduced to 0, and so forth. These triggered effects had an uncanny way of removing "targets" that had been selected when spells had been cast or activated effects were used and many new players simply did not understand that 1) the spell fizzled if its target was no longer available when the spell tried to resolve and 2) that they did not get a second opportunity to choose a different target. Evidently shopkeepers could not grasp the idea that new targets could not be selected and that the spell simply fizzled - had no impact. In a sense triggered effects and other responses that removed a target acted like a "counter spell". This was one of the most fun aspects of MtG - to be able to surprise an opposing Wizard by removing targets by employing triggered effects, etc. I refer to small shops because I ran into this issue there frequently. Abysal Gatekeeper is an example of a card that triggered effects when it went to the graveyard. At larger sanctioned events with certified WotC DCI judges getting a proper ruling would not be an issue. Perhaps the judges themselves were complaining to the DCI and WotC that resolving triggered effects disputes at tournaments for players was the most frequent dispute they resolved between players. I really do not know what prompted WotC & the DCI to change this aspect of the rules. Rarely does WotC fully explain itself to the players and MtG community which purchases its products.

Sorry to be so long winded, but I wanted to explain how rules changes can disrupt how decks are built. So back to discussing the more recent combat rules changes. Keep in mind that WotC and the DCI have never fully explained themselves for making these changes. But I will put forth a hypothesis or theory of my own. The Scars of Mirrodin block re-introduced poison and added "infect damage". I believe that when WotC made the changes requiring the attacking player to order blockers in the order in which they are dealt damage and to assign lethal damage to the first creature before damage can be assigned to the second, third, etc. blocking creatures it knew that "infect damage" was about to be released by the card designers.

So this is what I learned online about the new combat rules changes. I attacked with the Tangle Angler equipped with the artifact Silverskin Armor. Tangle Angler was a +2/+5 creature as a result of the equipment's bonus. Prior to attacking I activated Tangle Angler's ability twice (paid 2 green mana) to require my opponet to block with his two infect creatures- Priests of Norn, that were both in defense (untapped) mode. These were the only creatures my opponent had available to block with. So after the each Priests of Norn card was assigned as a blocker I anticipated placing one damage on one of the Priests of Norm and one damage on the other Priests of Norm. the point of such a strategy is that each Priests of Norm would have a -1/-1 infect counter which would remove them as an offense "infect" threat. In otherwords I wouldn't have to worry about blocking them. this was my "answer" to my opponent's threat. Only because of the new combat rules changes my strategy failed and cost me dearly in the game. I was required to order the Priests of Norn cards (does it matter - they are the same?), but the next part did matter. The combat rules required that I assign all my damage to the creature ordered first until lethal damage is assigned before I can assign any damage to any of the other blocking creatures in the blocking order I selected. In otherwords only one of the two Priests of Norn received infect counters - made it a 0/2 and the other remained at +1/+4. So now I am fully acquainted with this key rule change and will employ it when constructing decks where I am able to and will rember the expensive lesson I was taught online so I don't have to go back to summer school.

Two players sitting next to me at a FNM standard event also taught me a new trick regarding the combat rules. The older dog in the duel was playing a Caw-Blade style deck. He had two Squadron Hawks in play and one of the ominous Swords (Artifact-Equipment) in play. When he declared combat his opponent tapped the Squadron hawk equipped with the sword. In the past this backed a player out of the combat phase and into their first main phase of the turn again. So he went to re-equip the sword to his other Sqandron Hawk. BONG BONG BONG His opponent pointed out that equipping is done at sorcery speed and can only be done in a main phase and also not in response to a stack that has been started either. He said; "we are back in the main phase". His opponent politely explained the new rule change. Players now have to announce their Combat Phase and each player has an opportunity to start a stack by casting a spell (instants only) or activating an instant ability after the announcement, but prior to declaring any attackers by tapping them, etc (vigilance). He explained that he believed WotC introduced this rules change to prevent players from moving equipment easily between creatures if they knew it would be tapped. WotC thought this was fair due to all of the powerful equiment it has created for the collectable card game recently. Of course it is annoying enough that they can can re-equip to another creature after combat in the second main phase of the turn for defensive purposes and to conserve mana for the next turn. And of course they have the broken sword which untaps all the players lands helping players attack with nonbasic "man lands" without a mana penalty.
It is frustrating to decide which threat(s) to target in the Caw-Blade decks - multiple flying creatures, swords, planeswalkers, manlands, or Day of Judgement- and usually each player adds an additional threat one can't prepare for like Baneslayer Angel or Sun Titan, etc., when building a deck other than Caw-Blade to duel against it with.

The other rule change does not allow either player to start a stack by casting an instant or activating an instant ability once combat damage by creatures has been assigned - the last chance to cast instants and to use activated abilities is immediately after blockers are declared. If you play online and plan on reacting immediately after a step in combat be sure to set the computer to stop or it will skip to the next step and it does not allow you to go back either. So make sure you plan, and if not sure, then set it to stop until you click OK with your mouse or use the F2 key on your keyboard. In the old days of MtG instant spells referred to as "bounce" spells allowed a player to save a creature - a sort of "magical" play. but this part of the magic of the MtG game has been removed by WotC. It clearly impacted old players like myself who built decks that kept you alive by blacking and then bouncing it back to your hand of spells- allowing you to recast the creature if you so decided when it was your turn again during of the two main phases. this strategy was all about maintaining card advantage or card parity. Decks with haste can gain an unfair card advantage by attacking immediately- forcing you to block and lose your smaller creatures. With poison having been re-introduced the need to block is critical if you aren't packing a deck full of removal spells or Pacifisms*. *But enchantments fail to haste since cast as a sorcery.

Summary of the three key Combat Rules Changes: 1) the step added between Declaration of the Combat phase and declaring attackers has created an "at the beginning of Combat" which allows instants and activated abilities to be used only without backing up into the first Main Phase, 2) the requirement for the attacker to order multiple blockers of the same creature and to assign lethal damage in the order established before damage can be assigned to an additional blocker, and 3) the removal of allowing either player to cast instant spells or activate abilities once combat damage has been assigned (neither player has priority). Only triggered abilities can create a stack. (players cannot add to this stack) Dissipation Field, the rare blue Global Enchantment from Scars of Mirrodin- in the standard block when I wrote this, triggers after damage is dealt for example.