Bluffing in the Dark...What is Scarier? Island - Go, or Island, Sensei - Go?

[MDB]

Island - Go. This used to be the scariest opening, right? Is this still the case or do you find Island, Sensei - Go more intimidating in today's meta?

I'm testing a SenseiSensei deck, and generally I play an Island on the first turn, and on the second turn a City of Traitors/Ancient Tomb + a Helm of Awakening/Etherium Sculptor + xxx.

So while I could play Sensei's Divining Top on the first turn, it would cost me nothing on the second turn, assuming the Helm/Sculptor gets through, which is priority nr 1. I'm quite happy to have my Sensei FoW-ed, though with Daze, I obviously feel a bit of a dushbag.

As I am playing combo, without any FoW's or protection mind you, my intend is to scare the opponent into slowing down a bit, so I can go off in time. While I do like to pose as a Counterbalance player , what is the correct turn 1 play? Play the Sensei or not?

Would you speed up and play the Goyf before "Zee Counterbalance gets there" or would you start pondering for a Spell Snare? That kinda thing. I'm particularly interested in the combo players. Would staring at a Sensei affect your 1st/2nd turn strategy at all?

[Vacrix]

Or you could through CB in as protection, considering you already need SDT to win.

[SpikeyMikey]

Depends on what I'm playing, whether I'm on P or D and what my hand looks like.

[Jeff Kruchkow]

Don't try and bluff being a CB player. Itll have the opposite effect you want. G1 if zoo or combo thinks youre CB they will go as fast as possible to kill you before you lock them. In fact, most decks in legacy without aether vial will do that to you, so if your goal is to trick them into going slower, T2 top is the way to go.

[Nihil Credo]

In general, you want to feed the blue player as little information as possible before asking him a question. In general, play the Top on turn one.

(Nonblue aggro will act the same in either case. And against black decks, you REALLY don't want to get your Top discarded.)

[Offler]

Retraced image

This card i am considering to play as cheap Mox diamond or chrome mox. in your situation it still holds the power of one blue mana to scare... but adds another blue land in addition...

[MDB]

Don't try and bluff being a CB player. Itll have the opposite effect you want. G1 if zoo or combo thinks youre CB they will go as fast as possible to kill you before you lock them. In fact, most decks in legacy without aether vial will do that to you, so if your goal is to trick them into going slower, T2 top is the way to go.

Thx.
I agree with you on the Aggro part. Playing Sensei is an accelerator. But aggro ought not to be the troublesome matchup.

For me, the important one is how a combo player would react, as my deck is slower than the top dogs, and with the general Counterbalance woops combo's ass perception and all. Thought there might be something to it. Perhaps players slowing down to beef up on protection, tutoring expensive stuff outside the curve and the like. I don't know.

What about control? Is the sensei as a must-counter for them, or are they gonna prepare for what comes after that...

[MDB]

In general, you want to feed the blue player as little information as possible before asking him a question. In general, play the Top on turn one.

(Nonblue aggro will act the same in either case. And against black decks, you REALLY don't want to get your Top discarded.)

So vs Blue and Midrange a yes.

Vs Combo and Aggro a no.

I guess It's a no then, at least in the dark.

But I'm thinking Yes on the Play and No on the Draw.

If he has discard, I would've know it by then, and I won't run into Daze. And let's be honest, shooting in the dark you'd better expect either FoW or Thoughtseize. What do you guys think?