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