The "What is The Correct Play?" Thread

[Elfrago]

Hi, guys!
I'd like to hear your thoughts on this situation that appened while playing with MWS.
I'm playing BHWC Landstill, while he's playing Red Thresh.

http://www.spaghettifile.com/viewtrack.php?id=169757

As you can see he's completely colorscrewed, thanks to a wasteland of mine and a fetchland-into-stifle mistake on his part (It was a mistake since he did'nt use the fetchland while I was tapped out).
My draw for the turn was Standstill.
The question is: Should I play Standstill?
If I cast it, I'm surely going to draw 3 cards, but if he draws a fetchland he can use it, and I can't Stifle.
If I don't, he could draw a basic/dual land and my stifle would be useless.
What would you have done?
Thx for your time.:smile:
And feel free to post other interesting situations.:wink:

[FredMaster]

I'd ask myself how much hardcounter he will have. You can stifle as much as you want, if he just counters it.
Depends on how much he has already played, i guess.

[Nihil Credo]

Do you know if he has any other lands in hand? If he doesn't, it means he would need to topdeck the fetchland (or any land for that matter), so I'd definitely play Standstill. Since he's tapped out, he can't play Spell Snare so it's a good time to cast the enchantment.

If he could have the fetch in hand, then I'm not sure about it. How many Tombstalker/Decree of Justice/Monastery/etc. did you play? It's a close call anyway, but I'd feel better about my chances of killing him fast if I have more creatures in the deck.

EDIT: Another important thing: he can just Wasteland your Factory and get a LOT of time if you play Standstill. So, if you know that he can have more lands in hand, I would probably hold back Standstill.

[goobafish]

If he has missed a land drop, there is no question in my mind that I would drop the Standstill. If he did not, I might wait a turn.

[jazzykat]

IMO, play standstill.

You, have only 1 card that would be relevant under standstill (the stifle), and the STP requires that a target be on the board which requires breaking standstill.

Furthermore, the only relevant counter he could have is FOW and you are going 2 for 1, instead of a more desirable 3 for 1 but it is still good.

If he has nothing relevant in hand, and doesn't break standstill then you build up cards and/or lands. All of which play into your strategy.

Don't forget, wasteland can be stifled too to save your factory.

Lastly, he has 5 turns to do something otherwise he is dead. Put pressure on your opponent to make decisions. Standstill is just another one.

IMO you have this game close to wrapped up.

[klaus]

I've been playing LS for quite some time now.
And I'd say: As long as he's doesn't play manlands (o0) I'd play that Standstill.

Let's check the worst case scenario:

1.) He plays wasteland on Factory
2.) You don't draw any manlands for some time
3.) Both you hands fill up to 7
4.) He plays BS eot, letting you discard you Standstill bonus.

At that point your hand should be just about perfect to deal with anything he comes up with:
1.) Your mana base will be untouchable
1.1) Daze is by now a dead card for sure
2.) You are holding a nice combination of answers (sweepers, counters etc..)
2.2) You are very likely to draw manlands and Decrees now
3.) While he cannot over extend due to several massdestruction spells in your hand. Resluting in a scenario like:
Him: Tarmo
You: Counter
Him: CS/FOW
You: let it resolve (or counter it like I'd do if I were holding enough counters)
-
Your turn:
- STP on goyf (with counter backup)
- play Standstill/ Deed/ Shackles/ and win from then on

The only event that might throw you out of balance before would be:
Him somehowe resolving a CB plus topdecking all the right manacosts from then on.

---
Also:
What if he topdecks a basic forest on his turn - and plays Plays Goyf with counterbackup for STP?

[Pinder]

I was going to say all that, but Klaus beat me to it.

I would definitely play the Standstill here.

[Maveric78f]

I know very well this situation as my pet deck is this one:
http://mtgthesource.com/forums/showpost.php?p=248323&postcount=36
with 12 mana denial including 8 lands and 4 stifles.

My case is even more problematic in the sense that I play only 2 manlands and I know that if I get the one that is operating wasted, I may have to wait for ages for the second. But actually, red thresh playing 2 islands never plays wastelands (but probably magus of the moon). The right play is definitely to play standstill for the following reasons:
- a lot of people still think that standstill is an automatic draw3 and are afraid to go to late game
- mana denial when your threshold opponent has already 2 untouchable lands into play is flawless
- I don't know which fetches your opponent played, but except a fetch on a forest, you have absolutely nothing to fear, since you can waste every non basic land.
- since when the strategy of landstill against threshold is to mana deny him? I mean, you can't lose this MU except on a quick start from your opponent, a resolved magus or several mongeese that you can't deal with. the only thing you have to prevent is the mongeese and the magus, for which standstill is the perfect play.

[Anusien]

It's unlikely that he has a land, but it's reasonable that he has counter + guy, which would put you in a world of hate. The best case for you is that you draw any counter off the Standstill. Remember unless he fetches out a basic Forest or something (unlikely), he gets one spell out of the fetch anyway and then you Waste it.

Since he's not under a lot of pressure, I don't think he'd play the spell unless he knows it would resolve. Standstill feels like more pressure and may induce a mistake.

[JACO]

It depends what version of BHWC 4C Landstill you're playing, and what is in your opponent's deck, and what's been played thus far in the game.

If you don't drop Landstill here, can your opponent topdeck Counterbalance or Sensei's Divining Top and drop it in play? Are you playing Engineered Explosives? Does your opponent play Blood Moon? Do you care? What kind of threats can they muster versus your hand, which doesn't have a counterspell of any sort?

I would probably drop the Standstill and fuel some card drawing if you know it's going to resolve. Looking at your hand, you want to be digging at this point in the game for spells that matter. If your opponent simply draws a dual land they can immediately cast whatever threat they might have in their hand, negating your Stifle any way. It's probably much better to simply draw cards and dig for counterspells and Deeds at this point.

[Wallace]

I've been playing LS for quite some time now.
And I'd say: As long as he's doesn't play manlands (o0) I'd play that Standstill.

Let's check the worst case scenario:

1.) He plays wasteland on Factory
2.) You don't draw any manlands for some time
3.) Both you hands fill up to 7
4.) He plays BS eot, letting you discard you Standstill bonus.

At that point your hand should be just about perfect to deal with anything he comes up with:
1.) Your mana base will be untouchable
1.1) Daze is by now a dead card for sure
2.) You are holding a nice combination of answers (sweepers, counters etc..)
2.2) You are very likely to draw manlands and Decrees now
3.) While he cannot over extend due to several massdestruction spells in your hand. Resluting in a scenario like:
Him: Tarmo
You: Counter
Him: CS/FOW
You: let it resolve (or counter it like I'd do if I were holding enough counters)
-
Your turn:
- STP on goyf (with counter backup)
- play Standstill/ Deed/ Shackles/ and win from then on

The only event that might throw you out of balance before would be:
Him somehowe resolving a CB plus topdecking all the right manacosts from then on.

---
Also:
What if he topdecks a basic forest on his turn - and plays Plays Goyf with counterbackup for STP?

Agreed. Play it...

[Madmaniac21]

Landstill is a mid/late game deck.

Playing draw-go against Thresh with a SS on the table should give you a huge boner.

Play it.