Nationals Qualifier - Aug 3, 2008

I had mixed emotions coming in to yesterday's Nats Qualifier tourney. I was partly scared, because a lot of players who barely made it to Nats, but think they deserve to be qualified, will be playing. On the other hand, I was also partly relieved that none of the top players would be playing, because, well, they're already qualified for Nats.

Anyway, I once again joined the tourney with, more or less, the same BG Elves deck:



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

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

// Spells
3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker
4 [LRW] Nameless Inversion
3 [LRW] Profane Command
4 [LRW] Thoughtseize

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


Round 1: vs. Red Deck Wins (lost)

On the first game, my opponent easily overran me with a barrage of red creatures -- Magus of the Scroll, to Figure of Destiny, to Ashenmoor Gouger, and finally curving up to Demigod of Revenge. On the second game, I tried to hold fort, but my opponent just burned my blockers and he still managed to push through with his Gougers ftw.

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


Round 2: vs. UWb Quick n Toast (lost)

After that really quick first round, I thought I was going to have a long game in the second round, when my opponent's first two land drops were Plains and Swamp. What's this, Turbo Fog? But then again, my opponent's deck unravelled, and it apparently was some kind of UWb control deck. I lost a really tight game, when my opponent put down Oona, Queen of the Fae on the board. On the second game, my opponent never had a chance when I put down creature after creature, and he quickly lost. On the third game, he was able to manage my army with some removal via Shriekmaw and Murderous Redcap, and I lost a long, but one-sided game.

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


Round 3: vs. a 75-card deck (won)

Things were not looking good. And the day was shaping up to be one of those 0-3 or 0-4 drop days. That was until I met my round 3 opponent. It began really weird, while shuffling, when I noticed that he had a really thick deck. I figured it must just be some new sleeves or something. But then again, after shuffling, when I offered a die roll, he instead said that I could just go first. I asked him if he was sure, and he said he was. Fine. I played first.

It was then that I knew that he was a new player. He played spells like Arena, Wheel of Fate, Sudden Impact (which actually took me down to 7 life), and creatures like Deep Slumber Titan and Juggernaut. Nuff said. I won very easily in two games.

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


Round 4: vs. Red Deck Wins (won)

After finally getting a break in the tourney, it was time to start winning on my own. I was up against another RDW, pretty much like my first round, and I think he actually had an identical deck. On the first game, we were racing in life and trading attacks up until he was at 11, and I was at 12, and it was his turn. He thought for a second, and swung with everything. I then thought for a second, and after everything resolved, I went down to 2 life. When it was my turn, I swung with all my creatures, and he was baffled. He apparently forgot about my man lands, and lost.

In game 2, it wasn't even close. I was able to draw my sideboards, and the expression on his face was priceless, when I Primal'd for 7 life and searched for a Kitchen Finks. And I had the second Finks in hand.

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


Round 5: vs. WW Kithkins (lost)

I was up against a really irritating opponent who I think wanted to finish all his rounds in 15 minutes. He played extremely fast and rolled his eyes each time I stopped to think for a second. I don't even want to bother with details, but basically, he won in 2 games, both close though, and both won via f!@#$ Mirrorweave.

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


Round 6: vs. Mono-G Treefolk (won)

I initialy thought that it was going to be a mirror match, when my opponent did a first turn Llanowar Elf. When he tapped 2 lands and the elf in the second turn, I was already bracing for a Perfect, when he instead put down... a Battlewand Oak. Whoa. Treefolk. Right then and there, I knew what to do. I had to race him. However, things didn't turn out good when he was able to put down a 12/12 trampling indestructible Dauntless Dourbark. What do you do in these situations? You wait for your opponent to make a mistake. LOL. Down to 5 life, my opponent attacked with his Dourbark, and I immediately went down from 20 to 8 life. On my turn, I thought for a second, and swung with everything. Much like my round 4 opponent, he also forgot about my man lands and lost.

In round 2, I had really awesome draws, by getting 3 Vanquishers and a Perfect early, and he never recovered from my quick beats.

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


Round 7: vs. BGw Doran (won)

This was the closest to a mirror match that I had all day. I'm proud to say that I simply outplayed my opponent in this round, and I beat him in 2 close games, despite him boarding in a ton of life gain in the second game. All I can say is... Doran is awesome, but Profane Command is better. :)

Game standing: 9-5
Match standing: 4-3


Round 8: vs. UWr Tricolark (won)

Uh oh. Reveillark. I have a really bad record against this deck, and things didn't start very well, when my opponent beat me with a Gargadon-Reveillark-Redcap combo in the first game. On the second game, I beat him with a quick Garruk overrun, putting him down to 4 life. Luckily, he didn't draw any life gain, and he quickly lost afterwards. On game 3 though, he DID draw his life gain, and went up to 26 life thanks to some Kitchen Finks and Aven Riftwatchers. However, I was more lucky and I was able to once again drop him to 9 life via another Garruk overrun. I eventually finished him off and won the third and deciding game.

Game standing: 11-5
Match standing: 5-3


Round 9: vs. UW Reveillark Control (lost)

It was already 9:00 pm, but despite being extremely tired, a little hungry, and having a bit of a headache, I felt pretty good in the tournament. And that hadn't happened in a loooong time.

For my last round, I was up against another Reveillark deck. He had the original UW build, and I actually hanged in there quite well, but my fatigue caught up with me, and I made some costly mistakes (like not casting a Thoughtseize that I had in my hand. Duh.) to eventually lose in 2 close games.

Final game standing: 11-7
Final match standing: 5-4


For most players, this would have been a disappointing finish. But for me, in my current DCI level, I'd be happy to get 5-3's or 5-4's any day. :-) I just want to get back to 1600. ;-)