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Thread: (SCG San Jose 3rd place) Junk - VERY HUGE Tournament Report (I don't remember A LOT)

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    (SCG San Jose 3rd place) Junk - VERY HUGE Tournament Report (I don't remember A LOT)

    DISCLAIMER: Very HUGE, almost incoherent post ahead. I also don't remember much of substance...


    Here's the actual list.

    Creatures: 12
    4x Tarmogoyf
    4x Dark Confidant
    4x Knight of the Reliquary

    Other: 25
    3x Mox Diamond
    4x Thoughtseize
    4x Swords to Plowshares
    3x Sensei's Divining Top
    2x Inquisition of Kozilek
    4x Hymn to Tourach
    3x Vindicate
    2x Pernicious Deed

    Lands: 23
    4x Wasteland
    4x Verdant Catacombs
    4x Marsh Flats
    3x Scrubland
    2x Bayou
    1x Horizon Canopy
    1x Maze of Ith
    1x Karakas
    1x Plains
    1x Forest
    1x Swamp

    Sideboard: 15
    3x Engineered Plague
    2x Gerrard's Verdict
    2x Nihil Spellbomb
    2x Diabolic Edict
    1x Elspeth, Knight-errant
    1x Pernicious Deed
    1x Tormod's Crypt
    1x Bojuka Bog
    1x Duress
    1x Perish


    Main Deck:
    I've always respected Elspeth as a finisher in Legacy and I had Elspeth main. I deliberated in my head about the last slot or two, whether to be a third or fourth Vindicate, second Deed, an Elspeth or what. I wanted the second Pernicious Deed. It's just awesome or useful against so many decks; aggro, control, combo. It has its uses everywhere and is game-breaking a lot of the time, just like Elspeth, but it can get me out of a losing position more than Elspeth can, imo. Vindicate takes care of planeswalkers, helps against aggro and control. It just doesn't finish up the game like Elspeth does, but I don't want to hope I get that extra white or fourth mana source sometimes and it makes the land destruction plan more consistent if I decide to use another Vindicate. So going with more early game consistency and being able to answer threats easier, I went with three Vindicates and two Deeds and put Elspeth in the side for the control matchups and any other deck that I might need some raw power or extra attrition for.

    I prefer the Inquisitions to the Gerrard's Verdicts main. A lot of the time people just discard irrelevant stuff instead of discarding that key card in their hand. It also gives me another turn one play which doesn't have me rely on Mox Diamond for that.

    The triple basic lands are probably unneeded. It was brought about by me facing Dragon Stompy or Thresh type of decks a lot and those have put a fear in me, but 1-2 swamps and 1 plains, with Moxes should be enough. All day there were times I was wishing that forest was a swamp or Bayou, which I'll most likely switch to. The basics you really need are for your disruption and removal.

    I have a love/hate relationship with Mox Diamonds. Sometimes they're fabulous and other times they're worse than a basic land. But they're needed with goblins getting so popular, and to a lesser extent merfolk.

    Sideboard:
    Engineered Plagues were a nod to not wanting to chance the goblins matchup. I also had a desire for me to try it against merfolk but was still hesitant to do something different not knowing what to expect in such a large tournament.

    Gerrard's Verdicts and Duress were for the control and combo matchups and the off chance I'd meet a burn deck.

    I went with Nihil Spellbombs since they are Relics for black decks. Along with the usual suspects of Dredge or other graveyard based suspects, they also have applications against Stax for Crucible as well as Smokestack, Show and Tell Emrakul Annihilator to draw a card or remove the graveyard they would recycle.

    Deed, Perish, Diabolic Edicts were to supplement the anti-aggro package which might be there. Deed is just the versatile all-star that it always has been, Diabolic Edicts were general removal that also worked against Sneaky Emrakul and Progenitus being instant. Perish stacked with Diabolic Edict against the mentioned Progenitus and could help with Elves along with all the other popular green creatures such as Knight, Tarmogoyf, Hierarch, or other dudes.


    ----------------------------
    ----------------------------


    Friday, I went over to Kevin Koga's place to then start picking up the guys one by one, but we had some time so I tested against his Show/Sneak deck. He suggested I try Karakas, and I added more Vindicates to see how they play compared to Pulses. Karakas main completely changes this matchup's dynamic. Show and Telling into Emrakul became a hindrance because I could drop Knight of the Reliquary or Karakas to completely undo the SNT or worse, and it limited Emrakul to being only Sneakable and relegated Progenitus, as underpowered as it is(lawl), to be the main finisher. Saved me once during the day, and if I payed attention it could have saved me more than that. Vindicates were also fan-basic-raping-tastic.

    Saturday I had to trade and borrow for all the cards(3-4 Vindicates, Karakas, 3 Mox Diamonds, 2-3 Diabolic Edicts) or I wouldn't play. I got most and decided to enter the 5pm side event. Did terribly due to very awkward hands and draws. Infinite 3 Mox Diamonds all tournament. I was convinced by my tired friends to drop so I scoop my opponent into fourth round so he could possibly win a pack then headed back to the hotel room with my bros.

    The morning of, on the way to the tournament, my carpool buddies were driving to the tournament joking how a religious friend, Caleb Neufeld(Ozymandias), always does well at tournaments because the Big Man's on his side. Also joking that they should convert to Judaism so they get some of the love.

    When we get there I tried to figure out my final few slots in my main and side and filled out a decklist. Borrowed some Plagues, that Alex convinced me were good against merfolk and I wanted them against goblins anyway, and Edicts for the side from friends. One of which was Caleb. He just happened to bring Teffilin to the tournament site and asked me if I'd like to put Teffilin on and I said "yeah, sure, can't hurt".

    I walk around the area hoping to find this fabled Taco Bell I hear so much about, get dejected because I don't find it and worry about my being at the player meeting/round 1 on time so I walk back. (3 Chewy bars, breakfast of champions!) But I find the kid from yesterday who I scooped to and am delighted to find out he got the pack. (SUCCESS!baby.jpg)

    During my figuring out my mb/sb 10 minutes before 10am I ask Phil(socal judge that's here to help out) if I can just clump the card names together instead of having to put them in their sections(creatures/planeswalker, etc) and he says something along the lines of "well, it's there so it's easier for judges to figure out what the deck is, so if you don't think you'll do well don't section it out." I laugh. Nice jab, nice jab. Jerk. ;) lol

    The player meeting seating gets posted and I head to my table. I'm waiting for everyone to get to their seats, seeing who's walking by, and I see Luis Scott-Vargas walking by the table and I think "cool" and then see him walk right up in front of me and sit down right across. Then I think "maybe I'll play him in the tournament" and I tell him "Honor to meet you!" and shake his hand, like the platonic groupie I apparently am. (Strong foreshadowing, and 100% true. Seriously.)

    Round 1(Storm):
    I played against Storm(mainstream, not sure which one, I just group them together mentally) 1st round, losing 2-0. The first game, after initial discard, I drew a bunch of lands and Moxes off Confidant and he beat me easily. The second not sure. I think he beat me quickly after one Thoughtseize or something. We played some practice games afterward in which I had to Gerrard's Verdict myself to discard a land to gain life to fight his Warren tokens. He gave me advice during the games, nice guy.

    Sideboarding:
    -4 Swords to Plowshares
    +2 Gerrard's Verdict
    +1 Duress
    +1 Pernicious Deed
    Probably should have put in a couple of Engineered Plagues.

    Round 2(Goblins, maybe):
    I think the 2nd round was against Goblins. He kept a good hand but my double Thoughtseize on his good goblins while I drew a second swamp for my two Hymns to finish his hand off took care of the game. The second game had me Thoughtseize away something while he sacrificed a Lackey to Cabal Therapy for a Stp instead of an Engineered Plague, when I had no white mana, only a swamp and wasteland, while he has a wasteland in his hand. I play my Wasteland and he Wastes it which I then take out his Badlands with(he might have had a mountain on the field too). I end up drawing 2 lands over the course of 2-3 turns while he draws more Lackeys and Mogg War Marshal and then I drop the Plague and quickly win from there. He said afterward that he got rid of the StP because I just needed one specific land instead of 2 for the Plague since he had his Waste and that he was hoping to draw relevant creatures to use Lackey with while I was stumbling.

    Sideboarding:
    -2 Inquisition of Kozilek (-1 and -1 Vindicate maybe, to help curve)
    -4 Hymn to Tourach
    +3 Engineered Plague
    +1 Pernicious Deed
    +2 Diabolic Edict

    Round 3(Show and Tell/Natural Order):
    Third round was against a friend of a friend I carpooled with. He was running a build of his own of Show and Tell/Natural Order type of deck. I think the first game I got first turn Confidant(I think) while he got a second turn Emrakul and I had Knight to drop but only a Horizon Canopy and a swamp(maybe) so I couldn't search for Karakas. But, seeing as how I'm a master of masters, I rip Karakas, send Emrakul to his owner's hand and attack for 5. (Which is a mistake, since if he was able to build a Sneak Attack turn, it would have wrecked me. I realize this when I activated and announced the Karakas ability.) After a while of stuff I can't remember he drops a Progenitus, but at that point he's so low on life he can't attack me because I kill him with a huge Knight. (Where I note that I would have lost if I didn't attack for 5 earlier because of bouncing the eldrazi) I later draw a Diabolic Edict and win. The second game I made him discard cards but he topdecked a Natural Order for Progenitus and won shortly after. I tried to look for Diabolic Edict, fetched, and saw they were both on the top of my library. Fail. The third game I was a bit color screwed with a swamp, waste and Top, but I had started with 2 Thoughtseizes and a Diabolic Edict, drew the second one shortly, along with lands to play spells and won a bit later somehow. Two 8/8 Knights of the Reliquary I think. Guess I run Progenitus too.

    Sideboard:
    -4 Swords to Plowshares
    -2 Pernicious Deed
    +2 Gerrard's Verdict
    +1 Duress
    +1 Perish
    +2 Diabolic Edict

    Round 4(UW Countertop or Landstill, maybe):
    The fourth round. Thinking...thinking... I think it was some weird UW(/xx?) Countertop or Landstill with Peacekeeper and Trinket Mage. Don't remember anything but asking him why he mained Peacekeeper and if he had Trinket Mages(which he had but I didn't see). I beat him.

    Sideboarding:
    Probably (I remember keeping 1 swords in for his Peacekeeper or a surprise Dreadnaught for quicker removal just in case)
    -3 Swords to Plowshares
    -1 Something else
    +2 Gerrard's Verdict
    +1 Duress
    +1 Pernicious Deed


    Round 5(WUR Bomberman I think it's called):
    Fifth round was against one of my carpool buddies, Alex(PanderAlexander), with his WUR Painter and the 2/4 guy w/ LED for infinite mana and other shenanigans deck. So many socal bros I know played against other socal bros during the day. Pretty shitty considering we're a small group. We roll two six-sided dice, with me getting a 9 and him getting an 8. Shuffle up, present, and a judge decides to deck check us. He has infinite Asian cards and I guess they were thorough checking the sleeves because they gave me a warning on them pointing out a few sleeves in the sideboard that weren't fit for play, so it was 10-15 minutes before they came back. Unfortunately, he forgot the results of the dice roll. After a minute of trying to convince him I won the roll, he lets up since we're friends. I end up winning the first game but it takes a while. During sideboarding I take a little extra time because I had just thought of an unorthodox way for me to sideboard and I don't think well under pressure so I keep counting and looking at what cards I can take out or put in. He thinks I'm stalling/Saitoing. We get the second game under way and finish close to our extended time getting called. I don't remember the games except very vague card situation mental photographs. Big props to PanderAlexander for trusting me, I wish we could have a video of that moment so it would erase that 1%+ of doubt that is probably on his mind.

    Sideboarding:
    Don't remember much. I cut a bunch of creatures and other stuff to overload on disruption.
    I know I added Edicts and Deed and took out a couple Goyfs or more. Did other stuff too, swapped 7 cards... Hard to remember.

    Round 6(Goblins):
    Next round is either against another goblins deck or a GWb Green and Taxes deck. Let's go with goblins. I don't remember the first game, I think I got a quick start removing his 1st-turn Lackey with Stp and then got some beats going, winning the game shortly. The second game he gets screwed on one mountain for most of the game, I Deed away some goblins and his Vials so he gets stuck on 1 mountain, 2 wastes, 2 ports while I have plenty of lands and a Mox. He can only play 1 goblin per turn so he's really slowed down. I think I Seize a Ringleader, he whiffs on another, then gets good on a third when it's late. I think I win by slowly attacking and leaving blockers with a Knight, a Goyf, a Confidant, and a Maze. Keep in mind there's a strong possibility I'm combining all the goblins games from both matches. Though I know one thing for sure, I never drew Engineered Plague against him.

    Sideboarding:
    -2 Inquisition of Kozilek (-1 and -1 Vindicate maybe, to help curve)
    -4 Hymn to Tourach
    +3 Engineered Plague
    +1 Pernicious Deed
    +2 Diabolic Edict

    Round 7(Green and Taxes /black):
    The seventh was against the aforementioned GWb Green and Taxes deck. He was splashing for Dark Confidant and maybe Edicts and other stuff in the side. He beats me the first game with Mother protection on Teeg and Pride Mages with Dark Confidant card advantage. The second I beat him with Deed clearing I think. The third game I(or his deck) whittle him down to two Vials and infinite lands, but he draws Mangara into Sword F/I then Teeg but I somehow slow him down and then beat him with other stuff. I make a major mistake here that could have really cost me the game which I'll speak about later. But yeah, bad memory is bad.

    Round 8(Supreme Blue Countertop):
    Before standings come, our local Math Planeswalkers(get it, Math Wizard? Math Planeswalker? Yeah, I just typed that) figure out due to my likely crappy tiebreakers that I'll have to play it out. The standings go up and 'lo and behold, I have to face and beat one of the best. You can read about that on SCG.com.

    Sideboard:
    -4 Swords to Plowshares
    +2 Gerrard's Verdict
    +1 Duress
    +1 Pernicious Deed

    Top 8 Quarter Finals(UWb Mystic Merfolk):
    Can't remember much(it's my theme).

    Sideboard:
    -4 Hymn to Tourach
    +2 Diabolic Edict
    +1 Pernicious Deed
    +1 Engineered Plague
    Not sure where I stand on Plague against Merfolk, didn't do much. Need to tes with multiples.

    Top 8 Semi Finals(Supreme Blue Countertop):
    You can also read this round on SCG.com

    Sideboard:
    -4 Swords to Plowshares
    +2 Gerrard's Verdict
    +1 Duress
    +1 Pernicious Deed



    These were the names of my opponents, I don't know what deck they belong to except Alex, here's a try:
    Justin Kame (Storm, round 1)
    Robert Lloyd (Goblins I think, round 2)
    Try(?) (UG Show/Tell/Natural Order, round 3) - not sure on the name
    Joshua (UW Control, round 4)
    Alex (WUR Bomberman, round 5)
    Phillip Yam (Goblins I think, round 6)
    Allen Brett (WGb Green and Taxes I think, round 7)
    Luis Scott-Vargas (Supreme Blue Countertop, round 8)
    Michael Hetrick (UWb Merfolk, quarterfinals top8)
    Gerry Thompson (Supreme Blue Counterbalance, semifinals top8)

    I probably got the rounds wrong and for that matter the names of the earlier white opponents that I faced mixed up. They were the earlier Goblins, the UW control, and the Green and Taxes dudes.






    I made a good amount of mistakes on the day, after the games were tilting in my favor I would become a bit careless or in bad situations I would just plain miss something.

    In one instance, I was facing a Green and Taxes splash black list with Teeg and Mangara. In other words, did you know Karakas has an ability that sends legends back to its owner's hand? That's what a judge(Phil) working the tournament that judges the events in socal said to me after I beat LSV. I looked at him and laughed misinterpreting the joke, because he has that kind of sense of humor. He then proceeds to explain my idiocy. I laugh out loud at myself.

    In another I'm facing goblins, I think the latter goblins round, I run Mox Diamond out, discard a land, and then play and crack Pernicious Deed. Keep it down, don't laugh so hard! It's 1:30am here.

    In the last round and first game against Gerry in the top 8, facing 2 Goyfs, Clique, JaceMS, a few cards in his hand against my Goyf and maybe Bob and/or Top with lands and another Bob in hand and at low life I scoop, and right when I do I realize my semi-out. Pernicious Deed. I look at the top of my library before I sideboard, and guess what fucking card is there? Pros don't even think to scoop when you have an out in your deck. Next-level play. In the words of a religious man I know; fuck my life.

    The second game, the turn I scooped I played a Deed I drew last turn. An old acquaintance that lent me a couple Vindicates for the tournament told me that I should have baited out the Counterspell in Gerry's hand so I'd have time and a chance of resolving another if I happen to draw it. Very good advice, I was just thinking of trying to get hand disruption but completely blocked out the fact that CounterTop takes care of anything I could do in that regard. Come to think of it, I think the board position in the last paragraph is actually from the second game.

    Sideboarding against Luis and Gerry was wrong, and that UW Control deck too. I should have done:
    -3 Mox Diamond
    -1 Swords to Plowshares
    +2 Gerrard's Verdict
    +1 Duress
    +1 Pernicious Deed

    I don't need the acceleration against these decks and they won't destroy or generally screw my manabase up. Extra removal, despite Counterbalance frailty, would have been better than any Mox. Maybe take two more StPs out for Nihil Spellbomb just to cantrip into more relevant spells.


    In my defense, I had only 4 McChickens and 4 Chewy bars to eat along with a little water throughout Saturday and Sunday until after the top 8. (3 Chewies on Sunday) Yeah, really loose excuse.

    My 90-100% self would have slapped me HARD after seeing these mistakes. Taking away from this ridiculousness, I would say I definitely need to take a few extra seconds to think situations and plays out more and eat consistently(not empty calories) for energy. Oh, and don't scoop, don't ever scoop. I've said that to many people and should have taken my own advice. There's no point in scooping unless you're low on time and need it. If it's going to end in a turn or two might as well take the extra 1-2 minutes and give your opponent a chance to make a mistake or for you to realize you have a solution to the problem.

    Another thing that really rang true throughout the day and coincides with my past experiences is that you really should focus on one game/one match at a time. My first major tournament, a regionals, I joined "just to have fun" after a friend offered a WB Tokens deck when I had no actual experience with it but kept up with Standard happenings. I didn't really care about results and I ended up going 6-2-1 getting 22nd(out of 200+ people) going one game at a time, where if I had more experience I might have been able to beat the 5cc control that beat me, having heard that it's supposed to be a good matchup, to be able to get a chance for top 8 with 2 swiss rounds left. SCG Tournament day I was continuously consciously pushing myself to "just focus on the current game" even after I lost my first round and it did wonders. (I even did a Saito slap)


    Props:
    All the dudes that came from Socal. Some of you guys made top 32, awesome.
    Kevin Koga
    Alexander Kwan (PanderAlexander)
    Todd Idashkin
    Caleb Neufeld (Ozymandias) (Got 14th this time, and 12th in SCG Los Angeles last year)
    Jacob Kory (rukcus)

    Meeting Luis Scott-Vargas
    Beating Luis Scott-Vargas


    Slops:
    My horrible mistakes
    Socal guys battling socal guys left and right.
    Not name dropping our favorite Los Angeles area store Knight-Ware. SUCH FAIL. I even planned it right before the top 8 started but then totally blanked on it.
    The ratings dip that all my opponents that I beat got. Really sorry about that.


    Wow, I was out of control with this post. Sorry to those who started at age 25 turned 40 after having finished reading it. Was just going to do a very basic summary of my matchups and no report, so much for that thought.


    P.S.
    If any guys I know or guys I played against see this and see errors(as I'm sure there are), please post or pm and correct me.

  2. #2
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    Re: (SCG San Jose 3rd place) Junk - VERY HUGE Tournament Report (I don't remember A L

    Congratulations and thanks for writing this. Your SB strategies are definitely helpful even if you don't remember much.

  3. #3
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    Re: (SCG San Jose 3rd place) Junk - VERY HUGE Tournament Report (I don't remember A L

    Congrats Shai!

    I told you it was a good mitzvah that you put on tefillin. Looks like it worked out well :)
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    Re: (SCG San Jose 3rd place) Junk - VERY HUGE Tournament Report (I don't remember A L

    You stayed composed the whole tournament, congrats man on the great result man!
    Quote Originally Posted by everythingitouchdies
    We dont let drug laden fiends and swine come marching in and take our shit. We send them home with the memory of the monsters and vigilantes that curb stomped their dreams and threatened to animate their dead grandmother for a black and a colorless. No fucking around in LA.

  5. #5

    Re: (SCG San Jose 3rd place) Junk - VERY HUGE Tournament Report (I don't remember A L

    Congrats Shai. Knew you had it in you.

    P.S. I need my Plagues back at some point. :-)

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    Re: (SCG San Jose 3rd place) Junk - VERY HUGE Tournament Report (I don't remember A L

    What was going on in round 2 or 3 where you and your opponent were making the judges randomize eachother's decks? I was sitting nearby and was wondering what was up.

    Congrats on your finish!

  7. #7
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    Re: (SCG San Jose 3rd place) Junk - VERY HUGE Tournament Report (I don't remember A L

    Must've been an amazing experience for you overall. Congrats on your finish, Shai!

  8. #8
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    Re: (SCG San Jose 3rd place) Junk - VERY HUGE Tournament Report (I don't remember A L

    Quote Originally Posted by sclabman View Post
    What was going on in round 2 or 3 where you and your opponent were making the judges randomize eachother's decks? I was sitting nearby and was wondering what was up.

    Congrats on your finish!
    Oh, he wanted to "sufficiently randomize" every time, but I didn't like how rough he was shuffling(or how rough it looked) so I asked him to be gentler or change his shuffling technique, but he refused. I called a judge so he could shuffle my deck instead. He then decided to call a judge each time I shuffled and presented my deck. It was funny and a little silly, but we were jovial to each other. No butts were hurt in the making of this match.

    Thanks everyone!


    Caleb, I'll be at All-Star tonight, maybe you can make it.

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