Michael Keller
07-26-2010, 01:10 AM
http://www.halloweenmegavente.com/Images/AnimatedPumpkin.gifhttp://www.halloweenmegavente.com/Images/AnimatedPumpkin.gifhttp://www.halloweenmegavente.com/Images/AnimatedPumpkin.gif
+The Gate Takes Third at Jupiter Games' Two Year Anniversary Extravaganza+
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/6786/128010391629629.jpg
"I hope it's true that every snowflake is unique, because I never want to see one like this again.
Now clean up that body."
—Thangbrand Gyrdsson, Kjeldoran patrol
Preview.
For the last few months or so, I've taken a particular interest in the (Legacy) format's glaring strengths and weaknesses, respectively. Aside from the power of combo (which was recently neutered due to the ridding of Mystical Tutor), the overwhelming popularity of Zoo variants, and the resurgence of Aggro-Control, I decided to create a simple yet effective answer to many of these decks' prominent features by creating a deck that functions somewhat differently compared to the traditional Mono-Black decks of the past. This is where plans for a deck entitled "The Gate" were laid into effect. As it turns out, this deck is far more powerful in today's format than was previously given credit for.
Last week, I decided to take a weekend and take the trip with my wife up to Jupiter Games' Two Year Anniversary Extravaganza, where the prizes were to be absolutely spectacular. I had already decided a long time before this event took place what I was going to play, as I had already placed high in several large events with the deck up to that point in time. I had been doing extensive testing on Magic Workstation running the typical statistical analysis and play-testing against competent opponents whenever possible (this was essentially for "brushing up" purposes; I had already tested the deck extensively after the banning of Mystical Tutor but wanted to make sure everything was as accurate and effective as possible). For reference, the thread for this deck can be found here (http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?16885-[Deck).
The Event.
After making the trek to Binghamton, my wife and I got there and I was already in a rush to meet the rest of my team members, as they were the ones who actually had my deck. Upon their arrival, I pick up my deck, borrowed a few cards from the guys (a big thank you, again), and began filling out my list. I was feeling confident about the whole thing. After all, I approach every event the same way: I believe from the very beginning I will win the whole thing. And, if I don't, at least I tried the best I could. This was no different than any other big tournament I've played in and I was well prepared and greatly experienced; there was very little to be worried about.
Here is the final list I settled on for the event:
The Gate (as of 24JUL10)
[4x] Abyssal Persecutor
[4x] Gatekeeper of Malakir
[4x] Dark Confidant
[4x] Vampire Nighthawk
[2x] Faerie Macabre
[4x] Duress
[4x] Innocent Blood
[3x] Deathmark
[3x] Cabal Therapy
[3x] Hymn to Tourach
[3x] Bitterblossom*
[2x] Umezawa's Jitte
[16x] Swamp
[4x] Wasteland
//Sideboard
[4x] Spinning Darkness
[3x] Dystopia
[3x] Nevinyrral's Disk
[2x] Soul Spike
[2x] Relic of Progenitus
[1x] Deathmark
*The one thing I wanted to have in place of the third Bitterblossom was a third Umezawa's Jitte, but I could not obtain one before the event began.
I begin looking through my deck to make sure the sideboard was appropriately distinguishable from the main deck, made certain my list was sixty cards, and double-checked to ensure each card was accounted for. All of this checked out and I was ready to go. I'm a little fuzzy as to what I sided in and out, so I will just explain the best I can what I ended up siding in so that we can gauge the effectiveness of what it was that either worked or did not work.
Eli announces a total of seventy players for the event, which is a little less than I expected. However, it was a turnout saturated with talented players and I knew this would be a long and difficult road to the Top Eight. I hang out with the wife for a little while before going off to play in the first round against a very familiar foe...
Round One versus Bryant Cook (with N.L.T.E.S.).
Game One: Bryant signals me over and informs me we have to play each other the very first round. I am a little upset about this, as I had tested my combo match extensively and found that while Hymn to Tourach was outstanding, it is the cantrips that continually give me trouble as I cannot stop them from digging up answers. This is why I included Soul Spike in my sideboard, which in testing turned out to be an absolute stunner in many instances where a game seemed to be out of reach. I know this could be bad though, as Bryant and I always have tough matches and this would be no different.
I open the game up with some discard effects: Duress and Cabal Therapy. I take all of his relevant cards (Infernal Tutors and Burning Wish), leaving him nothing but land. I eventually land an Abyssal Persecutor and beat him down for the win in successive turns by flashing back the Therapy. Of course, he drew nothing but lands to fill his hand, which in itself is a statistical improbability. None the less, a win is a win.
Game Two: Bryant is on the play and opens with the nuts (sort of). He tries goldfishing me turn two by depleting his hand and going for Ad Nauseam. He sees business off of the Ad Nauseam but no "Ritual" effects or artifact acceleration. He gets himself down to three life and subsequently stops. He then proceeds to cast Duress on me, and in response, I remove two black cards in my hand from the game and kill him with a Soul Spike. Bryant cannot believe it, and frankly neither can I. Being on the draw against combo can be horrific for any singular-colored deck, which is why a black, free-of-cost instant that deals four damage was way too hard to pass up against any deck sporting Ad Nauseam and typically going down as low as four or three life. It did what it was supposed to do and put me in the winning bracket.
1-0, [2-0-0]
Round Two versus Eva Green.
Game One: I get settled in and have a small conversation with my opponent on how how he fared last round. We then proceed to get down to business. He begins seeing removal in the form of Deathmark and Innocent Blood that keep him off Tarmogoyf and Dark Confidant, respectively. I eventually land a Dark Confidant of my own, which he cannot stop with the Snuff Out he was holding in his hand (which I had seen from a previous Duress). Eventually, Vampire Nighthawk and Umezawa's Jitte just drive him too deep into a hole to escape from and I pick up the victory by pumping it +4/+4 each turn.
Game Two: After trading a small amount of discard, I eventually Deathmark several Tarmogoyfs. He then proceeds to land a Tombstalker, while I trump with an Abyssal Persecutor. I stave-off his attack and then play a "kicked" Gatekeeper of Malakir and proceed to start beating him down. He draws into nothing but lands and I double up with a Jitte and equipping of the Persecutor. I eventually win through a flash-backed Cabal Therapy. He extends his hand and we wish each other luck the rest of the way.
There wasn't really a whole lot of siding in for this match; I already had his Tarmogoyfs in check with Deathmark and the other sideboard cards (particularly in this match) just seemed to scream "win more".
2-0, [4-0-0]
Round Three versus Zoo.
Game One: My opponent is a pretty cool guy and we shake hands and I wish him luck. He starts off with what I remember to be a Figure of Destiny. I fire back with the now instant-classic play of "Swamp, Deathmark". Innocent Blood continues to disrupt his plans by knocking off his creatures one at a time and eventually he just runs out of steam. He does, however, continue to knock off my creatures just as fast as I can churn them out. He eventually stabilizes his board position for a short period of time by playing a Tarmogoyf and Nacatl, but I end up kicking a Gatekeeper and eventually drop an Abyssal Persecutor. I continue to remove his threats by plucking into removal after removal. He asks me if I'm done with my turn, and I politely respond, "No." I then equip the untapped Faerie Macabre so I have a creature with an active Jitte to stave-off any tricks. I then pass the turn. I eventually bury him under an inescapable amount of pressure and he cannot recover.
Game Two: He leads off on the play with what I remember to be a Steppe Lynx, which ends up meeting a Deathmark. After I knock out his hand a bit with some discard, he tries playing creatures that end up meeting their fate to Innocent Blood and a kicked Gatekeeper of Malakir. I eventually put him on a clock with Vampire Nighthawk and Umezawa's Jitte, but he is soon to respond by knocking out the Nighthawk with some burn. I then proceed to drop a Persecutor and equip it with the Jitte, and he scoops once he hits a negative life total. It didn't matter, however, as I had a Cabal Therapy in my graveyard ready to flashback for the win.
After the match, he shows some interest in the deck and politely asks me for the list and how to play it, which I end up helping him with for a short time. It was a very flattering experience.
3-0, [6-0-0]
Round Four versus Sneak Attack with Show and Tell.
Game One: Earlier in the event, a teammate pointed out to me that a deck sporting Sneak Attack was floating around (which in essence was an understatement; there happened to be several other variants from other sources I had spoken to). It just so happened I ended up drawing the number of the opponent my teammate played the previous round. I end up starting the game off with some discard and some early beaters. I'm still at this point uncertain what he is playing (as I knocked out Show and Tell from his opening grip while he still had Emrakul, the Aeons Torn in his hand). He eventually lands a Sneak Attack with some acceleration and subsequently sneaks Emrakul into play. I have exactly six permanents in play, and go to five life. I have land in my hand, and an Innocent Blood, but it is not enough when he has the ability to sneak in another big guy for the win.
Game Two: Now that I know what he is playing, I immediately proceed to substitute the three Deathmarks for the three Nevinyrral's Disk in my sideboard. This was a strategy I had tested against decks utilizing Show and Tell, so that I can take the next turn to untap and destroy any major threats pending. It didn't end up happening in this match, but there was little he could do anyways. He winds up mulling and I rip apart his hand with Cabal Therapy. I then start beating him down with two Vampire Nighthawks, one of which making moves with a Jitte equipped to it. I end up beating him down to a dangerously low life total while putting myself to a ridiculous life total (in the thirties someplace). With lethal on board, he drops a Sneak Attack and sneaks in a Progenitus and Emrakul. He tries swinging for twenty-five damage, which doesn't kill me at all. I wind up sacrificing six Swamps and he scoops in the process.
Game Three: In a do-or-die situation, I have to face it that he just might land a big creature early with acceleration before I can handle it. He mulligans to five cards while I take a brisk six. He plays a fetch and passes. I Duress out a Show and Tell, which he was going to drop Emrakul the following turn. I slow him down and begin dropping threats of my own (Persecutor and Bitterblossom, respectively). I continue to annihilate his hand (no pun intended) while beating him down. I deprive him of creatures in his hand by discarding them, thus putting him on tilt. He can't recover and I am victorious against combo yet again.
He was a really nice guy and I felt bad because of his mulligan in the third game, but again: A win is a win.
4-0, [8-1-0]
Round Five versus Survival-Bant.
Game One: I cordially greet my opponent and we talk for a bit while checking our sideboards to make sure everything is good to go. He wins the die roll and leads off with a Noble Hierarch. I try to deny him mana resources with Wasteland and Deathmark (on Hierarch), but he is able to recover in a hurry. He drops a Survival of the Fittest and begins to go to town. I try to slow him down with discard and knocking off his threats, but he is able to "Survival up" Iona, Shield of Emeria and a Loyal Retainers to boot. This was one of the main reasons I included Faerie Macabre in my main build; I had outs to keep me in the game but could not locate them in time. I wound up with a Bitterblossom and Jitte combination on the board to temporarily foil his (eventual) Iona, but he wound up "Survivaling" for a Qasali Pridemage to seal the deal.
Game Two: This game was rather one-sided. I wind up knocking off an early Hierarch, which turned out to be a crippling shot to his mana capabilities. I then Wasteland his Tundra, leaving him nothing but a basic Forest. He cannot find any land in time as I beat him down with multiple threats on board. He tried Forcing several threats to be fair, but it was just too little, too late for him to recover.
Game Three: I suppose in every large tournament someone does well in, there is a defining moment to be told that ultimately catapults you into immediate contention and changes the entire face of your tournament existence. This was that game for me.
I wind up on the draw, mulling to five. He decided to keep his opening seven (that's some pretty bad news for me). My opening hand is pretty savage however for five cards (depending on his opening grip):
Swamp
Deathmark
Deathmark
Innocent Blood
Abyssal Persecutor
I wind up knocking out his Meddling Mage with an Innocent Blood, which funny enough he had named "Deathmark" with. I wind up taking out all of his threats and he does the same to me. Eventually, he winds up with some serious board action with three Tarmogoyfs, a Qasali Pridemage, and a Noble Hierarch. He faces down an Abyssal Persecutor with an Umezawa's Jitte equipped to it. He winds up taking out the Jitte with a Pridemage, and takes six none the less. I wind up dropping some chump-blockers, but not before Deathmarking one of his Tarmogoyfs. He can't draw into any answers and I have the slight advantage in life totals to keep me alive to survive at least one more assault. I attack and he blocks with a 2/2 flyer at three life. He drops to a negative one life total, and I flashback a Therapy for the win.
Unbelievable.
I couldn't believe that I managed to pull that out of my ass, but I did. It really is just a testament to what the deck is capable of doing. The draws were strong enough on their own merit to keep me in the game long enough to pull out the victory. It is really just a testament to the strength of the cards I chose to play. I wound up missing a land-drop on my turn two, and because I ran Deathmark and Innocent Blood, I had enough firepower to slow him down enough to let me pick up those lands and eventually stabilize. I needed some luck and focus to pull me through and that is exactly what happened.
The win shot me into first place overall in the entire event.
5-0, [8-2-0]
I decide to take a breather in between the next few rounds and grab some food with my wife. I spend some time with the team and talk for a while about matches and the sort. At this point, I can just draw in the rest of the way and secure my spot in the Top Eight.
Round Six: I.D.
5-0-1, [8-2-1]
Round Seven: I.D.
5-0-2, [8-2-2]
After viewing the final standings, I am the number one overall seed and go in to the Top Eight having to (ironically) play against a familiar foe from Round Four...
Top Eight versus Sneak Attack with Show and Tell.
View the match in its entirety here! (http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8490746)
I wound up taking this down in relatively short order and made my way into Top Four. My opponent was very gracious in defeat and I was surprised to have seen a Sneak Attack-based deck claim a coveted spot in a field of this caliber. I was more focused, however, on taking the whole thing down. I moved out of the "Feature Match" area and proceeded with Mrs. Hollywood and friends to the game area to prepare for what would (ultimately) be my final match of the evening - but not before going out in one final, epic encounter.
6-0-2, [10-2-2]
Top Four versus Zoo.
Game One: I had just seen my opponent come back in a tight third game with a Zoo variant to win over a "CounterTop" soft-lock. I felt my chances were incredibly good going into this match-up, as my deck was tailored to roll over Zoo. This version was a little different than most other variants I've seen; it ran cards such as Reckless Charge and Goblin Guide (which I hadn't seen and didn't expect at all). I knew I was in store for a tight match, and boy, was I right.
He winds up starting the game with some early one-drops (such as Wild Nacatl and Goblin Guide), which are knocked off one at a time with Deathmarks and Innocent Bloods. He winds up tossing some burn spells at my creatures, effectively putting the game at a temporary stalemate. After a few short turns, he re-stabilizes and begins accumulating threats. I eventually race down board with a giant Abyssal Persecutor. He makes a wise-crack about me having to kill it in order to win. With a good dozen people watching the bout, I proceed to slowly gesture toward my graveyard and reveal a Cabal Therapy, while everyone begins laughing (I found it amusing as well). He just can't get there in time and I deal enough to run him into the negatives, out-gun his threats, and kill him with "state-based effects".
Game Two: This game made me feel a little more comfortable with Spinning Darkness, which really wound up shining. I unfortunately did not side in Dystopia, which would have helped immensely against his threats and Sylvan Library. He winds up dropping a bunch of red dudes and assaults me down to a low life total. I knock off his threats one at a time with Gatekeeper of Malakir and Deathmark, but he continues the rush. I land a Vampire Nighthawk, which gets the proverbial "axe to the forehead". I did wind up landing a Spinning Darkness early, but it wasn't enough as I eventually ran out of gas and ultimately succumbed to burn and a plethora of side-winding damage (Grim Lavamancer). I lose in pretty heartbreaking fashion; a close battle that came down to a few life points off-set by his advantage of playing burn.
Game Three: In one last encounter, I had an opportunity to make the Finals of this event. We start off trading shots back and forth; I was dishing out discard and removal and he kept dropping creatures and burning mine. He eventually lands a Sylvan Library (which I could not deal with because of the inherent lack of Dystopia that I forgot to side in). He takes a total of eight damage off the Library to net himself a few extra cards in subsequent turns. I continue to hold him at bay with discard and removal, most of which I still had in my hand because he had nothing left on the board anyways. I eventually land an Abyssal Persecutor to go in for the kill. He casts Reckless Charge on a Steppe Lynx with a fetch on board. He attacks, and I have to block (which I wind up doing and allowing my Persecutor to die). I even tried to Spinning Darkness one of his Goblin Guides, which he Lightning Bolts to prevent the life gain (curiously, but effective none the less).
The board is then reset, and he has no cards in hand. I am holding removal, but I can't hit his Grim Lavamancer which gets me low on life. I Hymn to Tourach him, which forces him to Fireblast me in response, leaving him one land (which I end up Wasting). He attacks me and puts me to one life, while he is sitting at four life. I then proceed to Innocent Blood and knock-out his Lavamancer. I then play a Dark Confidant at one life. I needed to finish him off and I couldn't let him sit there and dig for burn with the Library on the table. He goes to his turn and finds nothing but land.
I have a chance with one life; I just need to flip a land.
I make a scene in front of everyone about the top card of my deck. I end the suspense and flip...a Cabal Therapy. I wind up dying but really felt I had no choice at the time. I needed to end the game before he could find the win, and I still had outs in my deck. I wound up Wasting three of his lands total that game, but unfortunately for me he ended up getting a good portion of his lands earlier and "Libraried" into business later on. I believe it was the right play, but my boarding strategy wound up costing me the match.
It was undoubtedly the best experience I've ever had at a Magic tournament ever; good friends, good times, and my new wife there to help see me to the very end. I wound up taking cash over credit and was very pleased with the entire experience (like usual). It was nice meeting new people and sharing my ideas with people who wanted my input on deck-building strategies, especially for the Grand Prix. That is pretty humbling, to be honest. I really had a great time and am glad to have cemented my place in this tournament with an interesting take on "Mono Black" that does, in fact, main-deck Deathmark.
I wouldn't have it any other way; to play something completely labeled "preposterous" and then do extraordinarily well. My M.O. But in the end, I wound up going the distance and taking the cash and a lot of other players didn't. This is another third place overall finish by me in a large Jupiter Games event. I also grabbed four qualifying points for the North American Legacy Championship Tournament Series (http://jupitergames.net/legacy_tournament_series/) hosted by Jupiter Games. Very cool.
"M.V.P." Card of the Event
http://www.mtgmintcard.com/images/products/171/MAGIC-THE-GATHERING-10TH-EDITION-X-EDITION-DEATHMARK-XTHU023.jpg
Believe it. It really was.
Props
- My wife: She is the coolest and most awesome chick I know and I fucking love her to death. She really saw me through this event and supported me playing. It's kind of like Adrian coming out of her coma and telling Rocky to win; there was just no way I wasn't going to.
- Jupiter Games: For hosting another outstanding event. I was really happy with everything and the staff with team member T-ORGANIZER (Eli) really put up another great outing. This is one of the greatest venues for card-playing in the nation, I have no doubt about it.
- The Gate: There is no doubt in my mind that this deck has been "Established" and is a force in the current, overall Legacy meta. I steamrolled combo (albeit some luck) and dismantled more aggressive decks. It has consistency in powerful, effective draws that make up for mid-game meltdowns by most other stereotypical black decks. It handles very smoothly and doesn't require explosive, tempo-neutering starts to be effective. Results are results; take from it what you will.
- Team Left Field: It was awesome seeing you guys again! I really wanted to hang out and shoot some cards with everyone again; it was really awesome. Thanks for lending me some of the cards I needed!
- My Opponents: Most all of you were very cordial and professional in your play. I appreciated the experience and only bettered my game and deck because of you.
- Me: For making it happen yet again.
Slops
- Team Left Field: I know "munkie" (Alex Artese) nearly made Top Eight, but what the hell happened with everyone else?
- Driving: Not really a big fan of it too much anymore, but Eli's events are always worth it.
- The Heat: What the hell is going on with it being so damn hot this summer? Damn.
I had a really great time and am very pleased with my performance. I look forward to hearing everyone's comments, questions, and concerns.
+Hollywood+ :cool:
+The Gate Takes Third at Jupiter Games' Two Year Anniversary Extravaganza+
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/6786/128010391629629.jpg
"I hope it's true that every snowflake is unique, because I never want to see one like this again.
Now clean up that body."
—Thangbrand Gyrdsson, Kjeldoran patrol
Preview.
For the last few months or so, I've taken a particular interest in the (Legacy) format's glaring strengths and weaknesses, respectively. Aside from the power of combo (which was recently neutered due to the ridding of Mystical Tutor), the overwhelming popularity of Zoo variants, and the resurgence of Aggro-Control, I decided to create a simple yet effective answer to many of these decks' prominent features by creating a deck that functions somewhat differently compared to the traditional Mono-Black decks of the past. This is where plans for a deck entitled "The Gate" were laid into effect. As it turns out, this deck is far more powerful in today's format than was previously given credit for.
Last week, I decided to take a weekend and take the trip with my wife up to Jupiter Games' Two Year Anniversary Extravaganza, where the prizes were to be absolutely spectacular. I had already decided a long time before this event took place what I was going to play, as I had already placed high in several large events with the deck up to that point in time. I had been doing extensive testing on Magic Workstation running the typical statistical analysis and play-testing against competent opponents whenever possible (this was essentially for "brushing up" purposes; I had already tested the deck extensively after the banning of Mystical Tutor but wanted to make sure everything was as accurate and effective as possible). For reference, the thread for this deck can be found here (http://www.mtgthesource.com/forums/showthread.php?16885-[Deck).
The Event.
After making the trek to Binghamton, my wife and I got there and I was already in a rush to meet the rest of my team members, as they were the ones who actually had my deck. Upon their arrival, I pick up my deck, borrowed a few cards from the guys (a big thank you, again), and began filling out my list. I was feeling confident about the whole thing. After all, I approach every event the same way: I believe from the very beginning I will win the whole thing. And, if I don't, at least I tried the best I could. This was no different than any other big tournament I've played in and I was well prepared and greatly experienced; there was very little to be worried about.
Here is the final list I settled on for the event:
The Gate (as of 24JUL10)
[4x] Abyssal Persecutor
[4x] Gatekeeper of Malakir
[4x] Dark Confidant
[4x] Vampire Nighthawk
[2x] Faerie Macabre
[4x] Duress
[4x] Innocent Blood
[3x] Deathmark
[3x] Cabal Therapy
[3x] Hymn to Tourach
[3x] Bitterblossom*
[2x] Umezawa's Jitte
[16x] Swamp
[4x] Wasteland
//Sideboard
[4x] Spinning Darkness
[3x] Dystopia
[3x] Nevinyrral's Disk
[2x] Soul Spike
[2x] Relic of Progenitus
[1x] Deathmark
*The one thing I wanted to have in place of the third Bitterblossom was a third Umezawa's Jitte, but I could not obtain one before the event began.
I begin looking through my deck to make sure the sideboard was appropriately distinguishable from the main deck, made certain my list was sixty cards, and double-checked to ensure each card was accounted for. All of this checked out and I was ready to go. I'm a little fuzzy as to what I sided in and out, so I will just explain the best I can what I ended up siding in so that we can gauge the effectiveness of what it was that either worked or did not work.
Eli announces a total of seventy players for the event, which is a little less than I expected. However, it was a turnout saturated with talented players and I knew this would be a long and difficult road to the Top Eight. I hang out with the wife for a little while before going off to play in the first round against a very familiar foe...
Round One versus Bryant Cook (with N.L.T.E.S.).
Game One: Bryant signals me over and informs me we have to play each other the very first round. I am a little upset about this, as I had tested my combo match extensively and found that while Hymn to Tourach was outstanding, it is the cantrips that continually give me trouble as I cannot stop them from digging up answers. This is why I included Soul Spike in my sideboard, which in testing turned out to be an absolute stunner in many instances where a game seemed to be out of reach. I know this could be bad though, as Bryant and I always have tough matches and this would be no different.
I open the game up with some discard effects: Duress and Cabal Therapy. I take all of his relevant cards (Infernal Tutors and Burning Wish), leaving him nothing but land. I eventually land an Abyssal Persecutor and beat him down for the win in successive turns by flashing back the Therapy. Of course, he drew nothing but lands to fill his hand, which in itself is a statistical improbability. None the less, a win is a win.
Game Two: Bryant is on the play and opens with the nuts (sort of). He tries goldfishing me turn two by depleting his hand and going for Ad Nauseam. He sees business off of the Ad Nauseam but no "Ritual" effects or artifact acceleration. He gets himself down to three life and subsequently stops. He then proceeds to cast Duress on me, and in response, I remove two black cards in my hand from the game and kill him with a Soul Spike. Bryant cannot believe it, and frankly neither can I. Being on the draw against combo can be horrific for any singular-colored deck, which is why a black, free-of-cost instant that deals four damage was way too hard to pass up against any deck sporting Ad Nauseam and typically going down as low as four or three life. It did what it was supposed to do and put me in the winning bracket.
1-0, [2-0-0]
Round Two versus Eva Green.
Game One: I get settled in and have a small conversation with my opponent on how how he fared last round. We then proceed to get down to business. He begins seeing removal in the form of Deathmark and Innocent Blood that keep him off Tarmogoyf and Dark Confidant, respectively. I eventually land a Dark Confidant of my own, which he cannot stop with the Snuff Out he was holding in his hand (which I had seen from a previous Duress). Eventually, Vampire Nighthawk and Umezawa's Jitte just drive him too deep into a hole to escape from and I pick up the victory by pumping it +4/+4 each turn.
Game Two: After trading a small amount of discard, I eventually Deathmark several Tarmogoyfs. He then proceeds to land a Tombstalker, while I trump with an Abyssal Persecutor. I stave-off his attack and then play a "kicked" Gatekeeper of Malakir and proceed to start beating him down. He draws into nothing but lands and I double up with a Jitte and equipping of the Persecutor. I eventually win through a flash-backed Cabal Therapy. He extends his hand and we wish each other luck the rest of the way.
There wasn't really a whole lot of siding in for this match; I already had his Tarmogoyfs in check with Deathmark and the other sideboard cards (particularly in this match) just seemed to scream "win more".
2-0, [4-0-0]
Round Three versus Zoo.
Game One: My opponent is a pretty cool guy and we shake hands and I wish him luck. He starts off with what I remember to be a Figure of Destiny. I fire back with the now instant-classic play of "Swamp, Deathmark". Innocent Blood continues to disrupt his plans by knocking off his creatures one at a time and eventually he just runs out of steam. He does, however, continue to knock off my creatures just as fast as I can churn them out. He eventually stabilizes his board position for a short period of time by playing a Tarmogoyf and Nacatl, but I end up kicking a Gatekeeper and eventually drop an Abyssal Persecutor. I continue to remove his threats by plucking into removal after removal. He asks me if I'm done with my turn, and I politely respond, "No." I then equip the untapped Faerie Macabre so I have a creature with an active Jitte to stave-off any tricks. I then pass the turn. I eventually bury him under an inescapable amount of pressure and he cannot recover.
Game Two: He leads off on the play with what I remember to be a Steppe Lynx, which ends up meeting a Deathmark. After I knock out his hand a bit with some discard, he tries playing creatures that end up meeting their fate to Innocent Blood and a kicked Gatekeeper of Malakir. I eventually put him on a clock with Vampire Nighthawk and Umezawa's Jitte, but he is soon to respond by knocking out the Nighthawk with some burn. I then proceed to drop a Persecutor and equip it with the Jitte, and he scoops once he hits a negative life total. It didn't matter, however, as I had a Cabal Therapy in my graveyard ready to flashback for the win.
After the match, he shows some interest in the deck and politely asks me for the list and how to play it, which I end up helping him with for a short time. It was a very flattering experience.
3-0, [6-0-0]
Round Four versus Sneak Attack with Show and Tell.
Game One: Earlier in the event, a teammate pointed out to me that a deck sporting Sneak Attack was floating around (which in essence was an understatement; there happened to be several other variants from other sources I had spoken to). It just so happened I ended up drawing the number of the opponent my teammate played the previous round. I end up starting the game off with some discard and some early beaters. I'm still at this point uncertain what he is playing (as I knocked out Show and Tell from his opening grip while he still had Emrakul, the Aeons Torn in his hand). He eventually lands a Sneak Attack with some acceleration and subsequently sneaks Emrakul into play. I have exactly six permanents in play, and go to five life. I have land in my hand, and an Innocent Blood, but it is not enough when he has the ability to sneak in another big guy for the win.
Game Two: Now that I know what he is playing, I immediately proceed to substitute the three Deathmarks for the three Nevinyrral's Disk in my sideboard. This was a strategy I had tested against decks utilizing Show and Tell, so that I can take the next turn to untap and destroy any major threats pending. It didn't end up happening in this match, but there was little he could do anyways. He winds up mulling and I rip apart his hand with Cabal Therapy. I then start beating him down with two Vampire Nighthawks, one of which making moves with a Jitte equipped to it. I end up beating him down to a dangerously low life total while putting myself to a ridiculous life total (in the thirties someplace). With lethal on board, he drops a Sneak Attack and sneaks in a Progenitus and Emrakul. He tries swinging for twenty-five damage, which doesn't kill me at all. I wind up sacrificing six Swamps and he scoops in the process.
Game Three: In a do-or-die situation, I have to face it that he just might land a big creature early with acceleration before I can handle it. He mulligans to five cards while I take a brisk six. He plays a fetch and passes. I Duress out a Show and Tell, which he was going to drop Emrakul the following turn. I slow him down and begin dropping threats of my own (Persecutor and Bitterblossom, respectively). I continue to annihilate his hand (no pun intended) while beating him down. I deprive him of creatures in his hand by discarding them, thus putting him on tilt. He can't recover and I am victorious against combo yet again.
He was a really nice guy and I felt bad because of his mulligan in the third game, but again: A win is a win.
4-0, [8-1-0]
Round Five versus Survival-Bant.
Game One: I cordially greet my opponent and we talk for a bit while checking our sideboards to make sure everything is good to go. He wins the die roll and leads off with a Noble Hierarch. I try to deny him mana resources with Wasteland and Deathmark (on Hierarch), but he is able to recover in a hurry. He drops a Survival of the Fittest and begins to go to town. I try to slow him down with discard and knocking off his threats, but he is able to "Survival up" Iona, Shield of Emeria and a Loyal Retainers to boot. This was one of the main reasons I included Faerie Macabre in my main build; I had outs to keep me in the game but could not locate them in time. I wound up with a Bitterblossom and Jitte combination on the board to temporarily foil his (eventual) Iona, but he wound up "Survivaling" for a Qasali Pridemage to seal the deal.
Game Two: This game was rather one-sided. I wind up knocking off an early Hierarch, which turned out to be a crippling shot to his mana capabilities. I then Wasteland his Tundra, leaving him nothing but a basic Forest. He cannot find any land in time as I beat him down with multiple threats on board. He tried Forcing several threats to be fair, but it was just too little, too late for him to recover.
Game Three: I suppose in every large tournament someone does well in, there is a defining moment to be told that ultimately catapults you into immediate contention and changes the entire face of your tournament existence. This was that game for me.
I wind up on the draw, mulling to five. He decided to keep his opening seven (that's some pretty bad news for me). My opening hand is pretty savage however for five cards (depending on his opening grip):
Swamp
Deathmark
Deathmark
Innocent Blood
Abyssal Persecutor
I wind up knocking out his Meddling Mage with an Innocent Blood, which funny enough he had named "Deathmark" with. I wind up taking out all of his threats and he does the same to me. Eventually, he winds up with some serious board action with three Tarmogoyfs, a Qasali Pridemage, and a Noble Hierarch. He faces down an Abyssal Persecutor with an Umezawa's Jitte equipped to it. He winds up taking out the Jitte with a Pridemage, and takes six none the less. I wind up dropping some chump-blockers, but not before Deathmarking one of his Tarmogoyfs. He can't draw into any answers and I have the slight advantage in life totals to keep me alive to survive at least one more assault. I attack and he blocks with a 2/2 flyer at three life. He drops to a negative one life total, and I flashback a Therapy for the win.
Unbelievable.
I couldn't believe that I managed to pull that out of my ass, but I did. It really is just a testament to what the deck is capable of doing. The draws were strong enough on their own merit to keep me in the game long enough to pull out the victory. It is really just a testament to the strength of the cards I chose to play. I wound up missing a land-drop on my turn two, and because I ran Deathmark and Innocent Blood, I had enough firepower to slow him down enough to let me pick up those lands and eventually stabilize. I needed some luck and focus to pull me through and that is exactly what happened.
The win shot me into first place overall in the entire event.
5-0, [8-2-0]
I decide to take a breather in between the next few rounds and grab some food with my wife. I spend some time with the team and talk for a while about matches and the sort. At this point, I can just draw in the rest of the way and secure my spot in the Top Eight.
Round Six: I.D.
5-0-1, [8-2-1]
Round Seven: I.D.
5-0-2, [8-2-2]
After viewing the final standings, I am the number one overall seed and go in to the Top Eight having to (ironically) play against a familiar foe from Round Four...
Top Eight versus Sneak Attack with Show and Tell.
View the match in its entirety here! (http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8490746)
I wound up taking this down in relatively short order and made my way into Top Four. My opponent was very gracious in defeat and I was surprised to have seen a Sneak Attack-based deck claim a coveted spot in a field of this caliber. I was more focused, however, on taking the whole thing down. I moved out of the "Feature Match" area and proceeded with Mrs. Hollywood and friends to the game area to prepare for what would (ultimately) be my final match of the evening - but not before going out in one final, epic encounter.
6-0-2, [10-2-2]
Top Four versus Zoo.
Game One: I had just seen my opponent come back in a tight third game with a Zoo variant to win over a "CounterTop" soft-lock. I felt my chances were incredibly good going into this match-up, as my deck was tailored to roll over Zoo. This version was a little different than most other variants I've seen; it ran cards such as Reckless Charge and Goblin Guide (which I hadn't seen and didn't expect at all). I knew I was in store for a tight match, and boy, was I right.
He winds up starting the game with some early one-drops (such as Wild Nacatl and Goblin Guide), which are knocked off one at a time with Deathmarks and Innocent Bloods. He winds up tossing some burn spells at my creatures, effectively putting the game at a temporary stalemate. After a few short turns, he re-stabilizes and begins accumulating threats. I eventually race down board with a giant Abyssal Persecutor. He makes a wise-crack about me having to kill it in order to win. With a good dozen people watching the bout, I proceed to slowly gesture toward my graveyard and reveal a Cabal Therapy, while everyone begins laughing (I found it amusing as well). He just can't get there in time and I deal enough to run him into the negatives, out-gun his threats, and kill him with "state-based effects".
Game Two: This game made me feel a little more comfortable with Spinning Darkness, which really wound up shining. I unfortunately did not side in Dystopia, which would have helped immensely against his threats and Sylvan Library. He winds up dropping a bunch of red dudes and assaults me down to a low life total. I knock off his threats one at a time with Gatekeeper of Malakir and Deathmark, but he continues the rush. I land a Vampire Nighthawk, which gets the proverbial "axe to the forehead". I did wind up landing a Spinning Darkness early, but it wasn't enough as I eventually ran out of gas and ultimately succumbed to burn and a plethora of side-winding damage (Grim Lavamancer). I lose in pretty heartbreaking fashion; a close battle that came down to a few life points off-set by his advantage of playing burn.
Game Three: In one last encounter, I had an opportunity to make the Finals of this event. We start off trading shots back and forth; I was dishing out discard and removal and he kept dropping creatures and burning mine. He eventually lands a Sylvan Library (which I could not deal with because of the inherent lack of Dystopia that I forgot to side in). He takes a total of eight damage off the Library to net himself a few extra cards in subsequent turns. I continue to hold him at bay with discard and removal, most of which I still had in my hand because he had nothing left on the board anyways. I eventually land an Abyssal Persecutor to go in for the kill. He casts Reckless Charge on a Steppe Lynx with a fetch on board. He attacks, and I have to block (which I wind up doing and allowing my Persecutor to die). I even tried to Spinning Darkness one of his Goblin Guides, which he Lightning Bolts to prevent the life gain (curiously, but effective none the less).
The board is then reset, and he has no cards in hand. I am holding removal, but I can't hit his Grim Lavamancer which gets me low on life. I Hymn to Tourach him, which forces him to Fireblast me in response, leaving him one land (which I end up Wasting). He attacks me and puts me to one life, while he is sitting at four life. I then proceed to Innocent Blood and knock-out his Lavamancer. I then play a Dark Confidant at one life. I needed to finish him off and I couldn't let him sit there and dig for burn with the Library on the table. He goes to his turn and finds nothing but land.
I have a chance with one life; I just need to flip a land.
I make a scene in front of everyone about the top card of my deck. I end the suspense and flip...a Cabal Therapy. I wind up dying but really felt I had no choice at the time. I needed to end the game before he could find the win, and I still had outs in my deck. I wound up Wasting three of his lands total that game, but unfortunately for me he ended up getting a good portion of his lands earlier and "Libraried" into business later on. I believe it was the right play, but my boarding strategy wound up costing me the match.
It was undoubtedly the best experience I've ever had at a Magic tournament ever; good friends, good times, and my new wife there to help see me to the very end. I wound up taking cash over credit and was very pleased with the entire experience (like usual). It was nice meeting new people and sharing my ideas with people who wanted my input on deck-building strategies, especially for the Grand Prix. That is pretty humbling, to be honest. I really had a great time and am glad to have cemented my place in this tournament with an interesting take on "Mono Black" that does, in fact, main-deck Deathmark.
I wouldn't have it any other way; to play something completely labeled "preposterous" and then do extraordinarily well. My M.O. But in the end, I wound up going the distance and taking the cash and a lot of other players didn't. This is another third place overall finish by me in a large Jupiter Games event. I also grabbed four qualifying points for the North American Legacy Championship Tournament Series (http://jupitergames.net/legacy_tournament_series/) hosted by Jupiter Games. Very cool.
"M.V.P." Card of the Event
http://www.mtgmintcard.com/images/products/171/MAGIC-THE-GATHERING-10TH-EDITION-X-EDITION-DEATHMARK-XTHU023.jpg
Believe it. It really was.
Props
- My wife: She is the coolest and most awesome chick I know and I fucking love her to death. She really saw me through this event and supported me playing. It's kind of like Adrian coming out of her coma and telling Rocky to win; there was just no way I wasn't going to.
- Jupiter Games: For hosting another outstanding event. I was really happy with everything and the staff with team member T-ORGANIZER (Eli) really put up another great outing. This is one of the greatest venues for card-playing in the nation, I have no doubt about it.
- The Gate: There is no doubt in my mind that this deck has been "Established" and is a force in the current, overall Legacy meta. I steamrolled combo (albeit some luck) and dismantled more aggressive decks. It has consistency in powerful, effective draws that make up for mid-game meltdowns by most other stereotypical black decks. It handles very smoothly and doesn't require explosive, tempo-neutering starts to be effective. Results are results; take from it what you will.
- Team Left Field: It was awesome seeing you guys again! I really wanted to hang out and shoot some cards with everyone again; it was really awesome. Thanks for lending me some of the cards I needed!
- My Opponents: Most all of you were very cordial and professional in your play. I appreciated the experience and only bettered my game and deck because of you.
- Me: For making it happen yet again.
Slops
- Team Left Field: I know "munkie" (Alex Artese) nearly made Top Eight, but what the hell happened with everyone else?
- Driving: Not really a big fan of it too much anymore, but Eli's events are always worth it.
- The Heat: What the hell is going on with it being so damn hot this summer? Damn.
I had a really great time and am very pleased with my performance. I look forward to hearing everyone's comments, questions, and concerns.
+Hollywood+ :cool: