Nessaja
06-26-2010, 12:25 PM
I played my first tourney in a year again. The Utrecht Open Championship, a national tournament that spans over 2 days. Today was the first day and it wasn't too busy... only 10 people showed up, but the meta was still strong:
2* Merfolk
2* New Horizons
1* Zoo
1* Bant Survival
1* ANT
1* Goblins
1* Tempo Thresh
1* Elves
Strong meta, but also a good meta for Elves. Lots of green and not a lot of black, exactly how it should be. Doesn't mean a cakewalk as there are certainly some rough matchups in there.
My deck
// Lands
14 Forest
4 Wasteland
2 Gaea's Cradle
// Creatures
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Elvish Archdruid
4 Priest of Titania
4 Elvish Champion
4 Imperious Perfect
4 Sylvan Messenger
4 Wolf-Skull Shaman
3 Quirion Ranger
1 Progenitus
1 Tribal Forcemage
// Spells
4 Natural Order
// Sideboard
2 Tormod's Crypt
4 Krosan Grip
1 Terastodon
2 Ravenous Trap
1 Faerie Macabre
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
2 Nature's Resurgence
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Relic of Progenitus
Round 1 - David, Zoo
Game 1
I lose the die roll and I need to mulligan, good start. He starts off with a turn 1 Grim Lavamancer, which I don't like much. I got a slower start ( I mulled ). He then follows up with a Quasali Pridemage and I still need to start. Eventually I get a Priest of Titania to stick and two Wolf-Skull Shamans from which 1 eats removal while the other is making Wolves. Eventually I get a Sylvan Messenger and lots of lords. He only draws removal and no additional creatures but can't keep up with the constant stream of cards and tokens.
Game two I didn't actually board anything in. He drops down 2* Tarmogoyf a Pridemage and a Nacatl. I got 2 priests from which 1 sticks and a llanowar elf. I resolve an NO and things are looking a bit more grim for him. A turn later I also drop a lord and a Wolf-Skull Shaman. I'm at 5 life from previous attacks and he attacks with everything when he's at 9. I block a goyf with Progenitus, kill the Nacatl with WSS, kill the Pridemage with Imperious Perfect and chump the other Goyf with my Llanowar Elves. He extends his hand, showing a Fireblast, just needed one more damage there.
1-0-0
Round 2 Jos with New Horizons
Because I finished my game early I could scout around a bit and saw two New Horizons decks. I don't blame them, the deck is good has a really good game against Zoo where tempo threshold kind of fails (IMO, anyway). I knew what I was up against.
I lose the dieroll, and I need to mull, again and keep a hand with two wastelands a llanowar elf and some lords. He fetches basics and drops a KotR and a Terravore. I drop my lords which receive a counter or a STP. Knight of the Reliquary fetches Wastelands to kill my Wastelands and his Terravore grows to about 10/10 in size. He then drops another Terravore and another KotR. I managed to resolve a Priest of Titania in between and a Messenger. But it's not enough to deal with two 12/12's and humongous/humongous trample.
Game two I board in two Tormod's Crypt, a Relic of Progenitus. In this game I have a turn 1 llanowar followed up by a turn 2 Archdruid, which received a plow, thena turn 3 Champion which also receives a plow. He taps out to play a KotR and I take my chance casting an NO with 1 mana floating. It resolves and I got a turn 4 Progenitus. I still have a Relic of Progenitus in my hand but decide not to cast it so I got a surprise for the last game.
Game three we both keep, he starts off with Forest -> Waste, I have Forest -> Quirion then Wasteland as well. We exchange wastelands and he drops another wasteland. I do the same. We stay on low land count for a while and then I get a llanowar elves, which allows me to play lords. I play a champion which catches a FoW. I play another champion and another. He has a 5/5 Terravore but that won't kill me fast enough.
Round 3 Mattias with ANT
Mattias has been one of the best dutch players, ending the highest in Madrid. He always does it with the Rock though. So, I was surprised to see an Undergound Sea as the first card.. Long story short. I lost this. It wasn't even close. I was under the impression Mystical Tutor was banned already but it wouldn't have mattered, I dropped the combo MU a long time ago.
Round 4 Gijs with Bant Survival (+ Iona Retainers combo)
Gijs was boasting about how he eats all aggro decks and that he already beat merfolk and goblins. He didn't seem impressed by Elves, that's his good right. I told him I'd love to play him next round and that's what happened.
Game 1 wasn't looking hot for me. I lose the die roll, and I mull to 6 (see a pattern?). He started with a turn 1 hierarch while I started with a Llanowar Elves. He went on casting a Goyf while keeping my board relatively clear. Then he drops a Rox Warmonk and starts eating my life while I try to get my deck together. When things start looking better and I'm gaining the upperhand he drops a Survival, into iona, into retainers. Exalted Iona finishes it off.
I see Gijs boarding in a lot against me, I only board in Krosan Grips. He mulls. This game was a total blowout. I get a Llanowar, a Priest, a Quirion Ranger into messenger, into lords and another messenger. Turn 3 I attack for 6. Wasting 1 of his two lands while I got 6 elves on the board. He scoops.
Game 3; I mull into a good hand. 2 Llanowar/Fyndhorn and a Priest. He FoW's the priest, I got 2 NO's in hand. He plays a dueling grounds on his turn while he has a Pridemage and a Goyf in play. My turn, I drop a NO with 1 mana floating and he can't counter it. Progenitus is kind of the king of dueling grounds.
So I'm assured of top 4. It's me, the ANT player, the TT player and Jos with New Horizons.
Top 4 Jos with New Horizons
Jos did good and so I play him again. I'm happy with my matchup as it's by far the easiest for me. Even though it's not a blowout. I lose the dieroll and I mull to 5 (!!!) but I keep an amazing hand with 2 lands, llanowar elves elvish archdruid and a Sylvan Messenger. For my turn I draw a Natural Order and proceed as normal. He plays two goyfs. On my turn, just when I'm about to order he casts a Clique, sending my Order back downwards. I draw a Quirion Ranger, cast the Messenger into 3 lands and another Messenger. I cast the other Messenger into Tribal Forcemage and Elvish Champion which I both cast.
I'm on 8 life from previous Goyf attacks and he attacks with everything. I take 7 damage from 1 Goyf and 1 Clique and my Llanowar dies. With 1 life left I got the following on the board: Forcemage morphed, Archdruid, Champion, Quirion Ranger and a Messenger, and he's on 17 life. I start my turn, my opponent still seems confident so I start with Morphing the Forcemage. He shows me a stifle and stifles the trigger. Unfortunate. I'd be able to do 3+3+3+3+4= 16, which is not enough. I slam myself on the head for not double blocking but I still have a Messenger in my hand. The messenger reveals a Champion and a Fyndhorn. I untap my archdruid, tap him to cast both and attack with Sylvan Messenger (5) , Quirion Ranger (4), Elvish Champion (4) and Tribal Forcemage (4) = 17. Phew, clutch.
Game 2 I didn't need to mull in oblivion. I play a crypt which he gets rid off with EE. I got a Llanowar Elf in play and a Priest + Quirion Ranger which he thinks about but lets resolve. Next two turns he casts a Terravore and a KotR, which is only 2/2 and 4/4. My turn I cast a Tribal Forcemage and a Lord. I got 2 mana open still so I decide to attack with the Quirion Ranger. He see my morphed Forcemage bu he decides to trade it with KotR anyway. Next turn I draw a Progenitus with an NO in my hand, I cast my NO and put a Messenger in play. It gets another Messenger and 3 lands. I cast the other Messenger and get 3 lords out of it. His turn, he draws an Engineered Explosives, he taps 3 mana to cast it for 3. I waste his last land which forces him to use the mana to blow up both his Terravore and my 1 lord. With 3 lords left in hand and no creatures on his side, he decides that he can't win this one.
Tempo Thresh won against ANT. But we're both tired so decide to split. So 1st/2nd place
I could name as a slop that I had to mull a lot but the agressive mulling was also probably the reason why I did so good in the first place. I have a strong dislike for going second every game though. Oh well, good finish.
2* Merfolk
2* New Horizons
1* Zoo
1* Bant Survival
1* ANT
1* Goblins
1* Tempo Thresh
1* Elves
Strong meta, but also a good meta for Elves. Lots of green and not a lot of black, exactly how it should be. Doesn't mean a cakewalk as there are certainly some rough matchups in there.
My deck
// Lands
14 Forest
4 Wasteland
2 Gaea's Cradle
// Creatures
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Elvish Archdruid
4 Priest of Titania
4 Elvish Champion
4 Imperious Perfect
4 Sylvan Messenger
4 Wolf-Skull Shaman
3 Quirion Ranger
1 Progenitus
1 Tribal Forcemage
// Spells
4 Natural Order
// Sideboard
2 Tormod's Crypt
4 Krosan Grip
1 Terastodon
2 Ravenous Trap
1 Faerie Macabre
1 Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre
2 Nature's Resurgence
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Relic of Progenitus
Round 1 - David, Zoo
Game 1
I lose the die roll and I need to mulligan, good start. He starts off with a turn 1 Grim Lavamancer, which I don't like much. I got a slower start ( I mulled ). He then follows up with a Quasali Pridemage and I still need to start. Eventually I get a Priest of Titania to stick and two Wolf-Skull Shamans from which 1 eats removal while the other is making Wolves. Eventually I get a Sylvan Messenger and lots of lords. He only draws removal and no additional creatures but can't keep up with the constant stream of cards and tokens.
Game two I didn't actually board anything in. He drops down 2* Tarmogoyf a Pridemage and a Nacatl. I got 2 priests from which 1 sticks and a llanowar elf. I resolve an NO and things are looking a bit more grim for him. A turn later I also drop a lord and a Wolf-Skull Shaman. I'm at 5 life from previous attacks and he attacks with everything when he's at 9. I block a goyf with Progenitus, kill the Nacatl with WSS, kill the Pridemage with Imperious Perfect and chump the other Goyf with my Llanowar Elves. He extends his hand, showing a Fireblast, just needed one more damage there.
1-0-0
Round 2 Jos with New Horizons
Because I finished my game early I could scout around a bit and saw two New Horizons decks. I don't blame them, the deck is good has a really good game against Zoo where tempo threshold kind of fails (IMO, anyway). I knew what I was up against.
I lose the dieroll, and I need to mull, again and keep a hand with two wastelands a llanowar elf and some lords. He fetches basics and drops a KotR and a Terravore. I drop my lords which receive a counter or a STP. Knight of the Reliquary fetches Wastelands to kill my Wastelands and his Terravore grows to about 10/10 in size. He then drops another Terravore and another KotR. I managed to resolve a Priest of Titania in between and a Messenger. But it's not enough to deal with two 12/12's and humongous/humongous trample.
Game two I board in two Tormod's Crypt, a Relic of Progenitus. In this game I have a turn 1 llanowar followed up by a turn 2 Archdruid, which received a plow, thena turn 3 Champion which also receives a plow. He taps out to play a KotR and I take my chance casting an NO with 1 mana floating. It resolves and I got a turn 4 Progenitus. I still have a Relic of Progenitus in my hand but decide not to cast it so I got a surprise for the last game.
Game three we both keep, he starts off with Forest -> Waste, I have Forest -> Quirion then Wasteland as well. We exchange wastelands and he drops another wasteland. I do the same. We stay on low land count for a while and then I get a llanowar elves, which allows me to play lords. I play a champion which catches a FoW. I play another champion and another. He has a 5/5 Terravore but that won't kill me fast enough.
Round 3 Mattias with ANT
Mattias has been one of the best dutch players, ending the highest in Madrid. He always does it with the Rock though. So, I was surprised to see an Undergound Sea as the first card.. Long story short. I lost this. It wasn't even close. I was under the impression Mystical Tutor was banned already but it wouldn't have mattered, I dropped the combo MU a long time ago.
Round 4 Gijs with Bant Survival (+ Iona Retainers combo)
Gijs was boasting about how he eats all aggro decks and that he already beat merfolk and goblins. He didn't seem impressed by Elves, that's his good right. I told him I'd love to play him next round and that's what happened.
Game 1 wasn't looking hot for me. I lose the die roll, and I mull to 6 (see a pattern?). He started with a turn 1 hierarch while I started with a Llanowar Elves. He went on casting a Goyf while keeping my board relatively clear. Then he drops a Rox Warmonk and starts eating my life while I try to get my deck together. When things start looking better and I'm gaining the upperhand he drops a Survival, into iona, into retainers. Exalted Iona finishes it off.
I see Gijs boarding in a lot against me, I only board in Krosan Grips. He mulls. This game was a total blowout. I get a Llanowar, a Priest, a Quirion Ranger into messenger, into lords and another messenger. Turn 3 I attack for 6. Wasting 1 of his two lands while I got 6 elves on the board. He scoops.
Game 3; I mull into a good hand. 2 Llanowar/Fyndhorn and a Priest. He FoW's the priest, I got 2 NO's in hand. He plays a dueling grounds on his turn while he has a Pridemage and a Goyf in play. My turn, I drop a NO with 1 mana floating and he can't counter it. Progenitus is kind of the king of dueling grounds.
So I'm assured of top 4. It's me, the ANT player, the TT player and Jos with New Horizons.
Top 4 Jos with New Horizons
Jos did good and so I play him again. I'm happy with my matchup as it's by far the easiest for me. Even though it's not a blowout. I lose the dieroll and I mull to 5 (!!!) but I keep an amazing hand with 2 lands, llanowar elves elvish archdruid and a Sylvan Messenger. For my turn I draw a Natural Order and proceed as normal. He plays two goyfs. On my turn, just when I'm about to order he casts a Clique, sending my Order back downwards. I draw a Quirion Ranger, cast the Messenger into 3 lands and another Messenger. I cast the other Messenger into Tribal Forcemage and Elvish Champion which I both cast.
I'm on 8 life from previous Goyf attacks and he attacks with everything. I take 7 damage from 1 Goyf and 1 Clique and my Llanowar dies. With 1 life left I got the following on the board: Forcemage morphed, Archdruid, Champion, Quirion Ranger and a Messenger, and he's on 17 life. I start my turn, my opponent still seems confident so I start with Morphing the Forcemage. He shows me a stifle and stifles the trigger. Unfortunate. I'd be able to do 3+3+3+3+4= 16, which is not enough. I slam myself on the head for not double blocking but I still have a Messenger in my hand. The messenger reveals a Champion and a Fyndhorn. I untap my archdruid, tap him to cast both and attack with Sylvan Messenger (5) , Quirion Ranger (4), Elvish Champion (4) and Tribal Forcemage (4) = 17. Phew, clutch.
Game 2 I didn't need to mull in oblivion. I play a crypt which he gets rid off with EE. I got a Llanowar Elf in play and a Priest + Quirion Ranger which he thinks about but lets resolve. Next two turns he casts a Terravore and a KotR, which is only 2/2 and 4/4. My turn I cast a Tribal Forcemage and a Lord. I got 2 mana open still so I decide to attack with the Quirion Ranger. He see my morphed Forcemage bu he decides to trade it with KotR anyway. Next turn I draw a Progenitus with an NO in my hand, I cast my NO and put a Messenger in play. It gets another Messenger and 3 lands. I cast the other Messenger and get 3 lords out of it. His turn, he draws an Engineered Explosives, he taps 3 mana to cast it for 3. I waste his last land which forces him to use the mana to blow up both his Terravore and my 1 lord. With 3 lords left in hand and no creatures on his side, he decides that he can't win this one.
Tempo Thresh won against ANT. But we're both tired so decide to split. So 1st/2nd place
I could name as a slop that I had to mull a lot but the agressive mulling was also probably the reason why I did so good in the first place. I have a strong dislike for going second every game though. Oh well, good finish.