Regular Standard Tournament - Jun 28, 2008

No excuses. I pretty much just sucked last Saturday and went 0-2-1, before dropping from the tournament. Here was my decklist:



// Lands
4 [LRW] Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 [10E] Llanowar Wastes
4 [MOR] Mutavault
1 [PLC] Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 [TSB] Pendelhaven
4 [10E] Treetop Village
3 [10E] Forest
2 [10E] Swamp

// Creatures
4 [10E] Llanowar Elves
1 [CS] Boreal Druid
4 [LRW] Wren's Run Vanquisher
3 [FUT] Tarmogoyf
4 [10E] Civic Wayfinder
4 [LRW] Imperious Perfect
3 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus

// Spells
3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker
4 [10E] Terror
3 [LRW] Profane Command
4 [LRW] Thoughtseize

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 1 [TSP] Squall Line
SB: 2 [SHM] Incremental Blight
SB: 2 [FUT] Slaughter Pact
SB: 2 [SHM] Faerie Macabre
SB: 3 [LRW] Primal Command
SB: 1 [SHM] Kitchen Finks


Round 1: vs. Mono B Demigod (lost)

My first opponent was a newbie. He was even asking me about the tournament format, how many rounds, how many games we had to play, etc. I graciously answered all his questions... but deep inside, I was actually really happy that I would get a free win in round 1..... or so I thought.

I kept a hand that had 2 Treetops, a Llanowar Elf, and a couple of Perfects and Civic Wayfinders. Not too bad. But guess what, my elf druid died to a Cruel Edict on turn 2. And lucky me, by the time I drew a third land, my opponent was already swinging with 2 Demigods of Revenge.

For the second game, I boarded out all my Terrors, in favor of Primal Commands and Cloudthreshers (let's see those Demigods get past this). Things actually started off nicely, with me being able to cast an early Colossus. My opponent had a Demigod. I thought to myself, 8 damage against 5... I'll win the race. But guess what, a Corrupt for 6 at my face changes all of that. And after that, he even cast a second Demigod. WTF.

Game standing: 0-2
Match standing: 0-1


Round 2: vs. Zvi Mowshowitz's RG Burn-Fatty deck (draw)

The first game takes forever, but I eventually win the game at 21 life (he had Grove of Burnwillows). The second game also takes a real long time, with a creature stall -- my opponent at 7 life, with 2 Deus of Calamity, 1 Shivan Dragon (yes, old school baby!), and a Colossus; and me at 24 life, and a ton of critters -- we finally hit the last 5 turns mark. Every turn, I do the math, and I could only get him down at 1 life even with an alpha strike. On the 5th and final turn, my opponent draws his card takes a peek... and laughs his ass off. It was a Firespout. GG.

Game standing: 1-3
Match standing: 0-1-1


Round 3: vs. BG Mana Ramp (lost)

This was the laugher round that made me pack my bags to go home. I made misplay after misplay after misplay. At one point I even cast a Profane, and then say "-4/-4 this, then search my library". My opponent gets baffled. WTF? I mixed it up with Primal. OMG. I lost the first game with my opponent at 24 life. I lost the second game with him at 20 life. Nuff said.

Game standing: 1-5
Match standing: 0-2-1


Lesson learned: Get enough sleep before the tournament. Period.

Regular Standard Tournament - Jun 8, 2008

Having joined two consecutive Block tourneys in a row (and failing miserable on both occasions), I devised a "game plan" for my next one, and had originally planned to join the Block tourney last Sunday. However, I was not able to get a certain sideboard card in time for the tourney, so instead of again joining unprepared for the Block metagame, I instead just joined the Standard tourney, with the good old BG Elves deck.



// Lands
4 [LRW] Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 [10E] Llanowar Wastes
1 [SHM] Reflecting Pool
2 [MOR] Mutavault
1 [PLC] Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 [TSB] Pendelhaven
4 [10E] Treetop Village
3 [UNH] Forest
3 [UNH] Swamp

// Creatures
4 [10E] Llanowar Elves
2 [CS] Boreal Druid
4 [LRW] Wren's Run Vanquisher
4 [FUT] Tarmogoyf
4 [10E] Civic Wayfinder
4 [LRW] Imperious Perfect

// Spells
3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker
4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
4 [10E] Terror
4 [LRW] Profane Command

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 1 [TSP] Squall Line
SB: 3 [LRW] Primal Command
SB: 3 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
SB: 2 [SHM] Murderous Redcap
SB: 2 [PLC] Damnation


Round 1: vs. UW Reveillark Combo (won)

I thought this deck was dead, with the huge amounts of Faerie decks (the undisputed best deck of the format) roaming around, but apparently, today was going to be Reveillark day. I was up against the original UW build of the deck, and things didn't start out so well. The first game took a looong time to finish, and ended with what we both learned to be an illegal play. With Mirror Entity, Reveillark and a bunch of bounce creatures in the graveyard, my opponent evoked a Body Double -- yes, a Body Double -- to supposedly finish me off with the combo. I was safely at 14 life then, and he was at 3 life, so it was especially painful to remember that HUGE mistake. In game 2 though, I quickly beat my opponent unscathed. And the same in game 3, when my opponent conceded. ;)

Game standing: 2-1
Match standing: 1-0


Round 2: vs. UWr Reveilark Control (lost)

I was up against the "Neo-Reveillark deck", which had a red splash for Greater Gargadon -- using it as the combo tool instead of Mirror Entity. My opponent was not able to combo though, but he beat me in 2 games via a barrage of Sower of Temptations. He told me later on that he had 4 of those MD.

Game standing: 2-3
Match standing: 1-1


Round 3: vs. UB Faeries (won)

Finally, a Faerie deck. Surprisingly, I easily won this match in 2 games. I think my opponent is fairly new to the deck and I noticed a few misplays on his part during the match.

Game standing: 4-3
Match standing: 2-1


Round 4: vs. UWr Reveilark Control (lost)

Here we go... another Reveillark deck. This was a real joke match. I lost real bad in 2 games, to the point that I think my opponent was playing around with me on our second game. There was even a time when he had a Vesuvan Shapeshifter, with a persist counter (because it originally copied a Kitchen Finks), copying my Imperious Perfect. And thanks to a Reflecting Pool and a Vivid land in play, he started making elf tokens for himself. That play was just nasty.

Game standing: 4-5
Match standing: 2-2


Round 5: vs. UWr Reveilark Control (lost)

But wait... there's more! Another Reveillark deck in my last round. In the first game, I actually had an opportunity to win, but of course being me, I once again made a crucial misplay at the end game. With my opponent having only 2 lands untapped, I cast a suppossedly game-winning Profane. He then casts Rune Snag. I say, "Hindi pwede, wala kang blue." But of course he had blue mana -- what I thought was an untapped Battlefield Forge was apparently a Reflecting Pool. Damn! In game 2, I once again had my opponent in the ropes, but at 5 life and on his last turn (he was going to lose on my turn), he topdecks a Reveillark for the combo win.

Game standing: 4-7
Match standing: 2-3

Grand Prix Manila Trial II - Jun 1, 2008

I modified last week's BG elves deck a bit (-1 liege, +1 garruk, -4 shield of oversoul, +4 bitterblossom), and used the following deck in yesterday's GPT:



// Lands
4 [LRW] Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 [MOR] Murmuring Bosk
1 [SHM] Reflecting Pool
2 [MOR] Mutavault
1 [LRW] Vivid Grove
1 [LRW] Vivid Marsh
7 [UNH] Forest
3 [UNH] Swamp

// Creatures
4 [SHM] Devoted Druid
4 [LRW] Wren's Run Vanquisher
4 [LRW] Imperious Perfect
4 [SHM] Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers
4 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus
2 [SHM] Wilt-Leaf Liege
4 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker

// Spells
4 [LRW] Nameless Inversion
3 [LRW] Profane Command
4 [MOR] Bitterblossom

// Sideboard
SB: 4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
SB: 4 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 4 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
SB: 2 [LRW] Primal Command
SB: 1 [LRW] Final Revels


Round 1: vs. UGbrw control (lost)

I won game 1 easily behind an early Bitterblossom. For game 2, I had my opponent at 3 life, and then he cast 3 consecutive Cryptic Commands -- all while gaining life with Kitchen Finks, which recurred again and again, via Turn to Mist. He went back all the way to 22 life, and I lost to a Shriekmaw. In game 3, I had no answer to his Chameleon Colossus and lost in a one-sided game.

Game standing: 1-2
Match standing: 0-1


Round 2: vs. UW control (lost)

In game 1, I forgot to use Garruk's ability in a critical point, which could have won me the game. He then swept my army with Austere Command and proceeded to beat me with a Heartmender and a Kitchen Finks. In game 2, it was pretty much the same, with my army getting erased by a single Austere Command, and then him retaliating with Kitchen Finks. Too bad I couldn't draw any of my Profanes with him at just 1 life.

Game standing: 1-3
Match standing: 0-2


Round 3: vs. BG treefolk-elves (won)

This was my first game (and hopefully not the last) against a prominent Magic player (clue: he used to be a basketball commentator). Anyway, I was getting beat in game 1 by his Doran and some elves, and he had me at 8 life and him still at 19. But then, I was able to cast a Liege and Garruk overrun at the same turn ftw. In game 2, I pretty much had board control for the whole game, and won easily.

Game standing: 3-3
Match standing: 1-2


Round 4: vs. WGb Doran (lost)

Game 1 was close, with big creatures on both sides of the board. His creatures proved to be larger though (Doran + Liege = huge treefolk) and won the first game. Game 2 was one-sided and I lost to his aggressive WG elves.

Game standing: 3-5
Match standing: 1-3


Round 5: vs. BG elves (won)

I was up against another woman Magic player. Wow. There's really a lot of them nowadays. Anyway, I literally got ambushed on the first game, losing to a surprise Gilt-Leaf Ambush, and with her winning the ensuing Clash, I lost my 2 attacking creatures (I think it was a Liege and a Cavalier). In game 2, I won via a Garruk overrun. In game 3, I had board control the whole game and won.

Game standing: 5-6
Match standing: 2-3


Round 6: vs. RG warriors (won)

My opponent went off to a blazing start with Maniacs, Paragons and Vanquishers, and had me all the way down to 4 life. And then I was able to set up my large blockers and his little creatures died one by one, until I was able to get back to win the game. In the second game, it was more of the same, and he was even to conspire a Giantbaiting, with a Paragon in play -- giving me 10 damage in one swing. I was still able to get back though via a Primal Command, and I took out his creautures one by one via Profane Command and then finally Garruk ftw.

Game standing: 7-6
Match standing: 3-3


Round 7: vs. UB faeries (lost)

The thing about faeries is that they are RESILIENT. In game 1, I had my opponent at 4 life, and then I still lost. In game 2, he was at 5 life, and I still lost. My opponent is thanking this new Shadowmoor card for my loss -- Consign to Dream.

Game standing: 7-8
Match standing: 3-4


Round 8: vs. BG elves (lost)

In game 1, my opponent had some crazy plays via Obsidian Battle-Axe. For example -- with Paragon in play, cast Perfect, attach Axe, make a token, attach Axe, then swing with 4/3 token. I still lost though despite keeping it a close game. In game 2, there was a trampling Colossus (thanks to a Paragon counter) in my opponent's side, which I kept on thinking on how to take care of. I decided to pass the turn and eventually lost to the ensuing attack. After the game, my opponent told me that I could have Profaned the Paragon to remove the Trample ability (he knew I had one due to an early Thoughtseize). Damn! Why didn't I think of that?

Game standing: 7-10
Match standing: 3-5