I used the same Doran Assassins deck that I used in the GPT, but put all the Firespouts on the main deck, and the 2 Crib Swaps in the board (for those pesky Demigods of Revenge). I also lowered the land count to 24, as I felt that I got mana flooded too often. Finally, I put a singleton Wickerbough Elder in the SB for those game-breaking Runed Halos set to Doran and/or Colossus:
// Lands
4 [MOR] Murmuring Bosk
4 [LRW] Gilt-Leaf Palace
2 [EVE] Twilight Mire
1 [SHM] Reflecting Pool
1 [EVE] Fetid Heath
4 [LRW] Vivid Grove
4 [LRW] Vivid Marsh
2 [UNH] Forest
2 [UNH] Swamp
// Creatures
4 [LRW] Treefolk Harbinger
4 [LRW] Wren's Run Vanquisher
4 [MOR] Scarblade Elite
4 [LRW] Doran, the Siege Tower
4 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus
3 [LRW] Cloudthresher
// Spells
4 [LRW] Nameless Inversion
2 [LRW] Crib Swap
4 [LRW] Profane Command
3 [SHM] Firespout
// Sideboard
SB: 1 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 2 [LRW] Crib Swap
SB: 4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
SB: 4 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
SB: 3 [SHM] Faerie Macabre
SB: 1 [EVE] Wickerbough Elder
Round 1: vs. Kithkins (won)
I went to a very good start in the Grand Prix as I was able to do my "pro moves" of Harbinger-Harbinger-Doran in the first game. My opponent was chump blocking all game, and I killed off any remaining creatures to win it easily.
My deck was built against creature-based decks like Kithkin, having 3 MD Firespouts (as mentioned earlier) and the whole suite of Nameless Inversions, Scarblade Elites and 2 Crib Swaps. Therefore, my sideboard strategy for Kithkin is -- none.
In the second game, I mulled to a 1-land, 5-card hand, and lost with my opponent at 30 life (thanks to a couple of Knight of Meadowgrains). In the third game, my opponent and I were in a life race, with all-in attacks and no blocks. Unfortunately for him, Kithkin decks have no "burn" cards, while mine had a Profane Command ftw.
Game standing: 2-1
Match standing: 1-0
Round 2: vs. Kithkins (lost)
Winning the die roll and on the play, I made a crucial mistake in the first game by keeping a 2-land hand, with 2 Colossus and a Firespout. I didn't know my opponent's deck and paid the price for it -- losing quickly in the first game. In the second game, I thought for a while but still kept a hand that included 1 Colossus, 1 Nameless Inversion, 1 Firespout and 2 lands. I once again paid the price for keeping a bad hand, as I drew 2 more Colossus in the ensuing turns, as my second round ended in record time -- just at around 10 or 15 mins into the round.
Game standing: 2-3
Match standing: 1-1
At this point, I had some time to kill in the tournament, so I decided to have our Chameleon Colossus, Makeshift Mannequins and Dusk Urchins signed by artist Darrell Riche. :)
Round 3: vs. Kithkins (won)
I was up against the wife of a famous Magic player/entrepreneur... and her deck -- Kithkins again. Same as the first round, I was able to do my "pro moves" again, and easily won game 1. In game 2, my opponent and I traded damages for a while, up until when I was at 7 life, and she attacked with 3 Spirit tokens, and then Mirrorweaved my Vanquisher ftw. In game 3, I did a semi-pro move of just Harbinger to Doran, but it was enough to once again win against the Kithkin deck.
Game standing: 4-4
Match standing: 2-1
Round 4: vs. UG Merfolk (won)
Finally, a non-Kithkin opponent. In game 1, I won behind the back of just one Vanquisher, while removing all creatures that he was casting with Nameless Inversions and Crib Swaps.
SB: +3 Thoughtseize, -3 Cloudthresher
In game 2, I made a mistake in my SB (see above) by taking out the Threshers. I ran out of removal and lost to a crucial Sower of Temptation on my Colossus.
SB: +3 Cloudthresher, -3 Thoughtseize
Game 3 was so one-sided (I removed practically everything that my opponent cast), that my opponent was obviously pissed off at the end of the round, he didn't even want to talk to me while signing the result slip. Oh well, I was just happy I won. :)
Game standing: 6-5
Match standing: 3-1
Round 5: vs. Archon Toast (lost)
In game 1, my opponent cast some early Kitchen Finks, but after he used up both counters on his Vivid Meadow to counter some spells of mine, he practically became mana screwed, and he couldn't do anything and eventually lost the game.
SB: +4 Thoughtseize, -3 Firespout, -1 Scarblade Elite
In game 2, I went for the "pro move" but my first 2 Harbingers died to a Firespout. He then cast Runed Halo naming Doran, and I pretty much got nullified at that point. He proceeded in the game by digging up Oona, Queen of the Fae via Oona's Grace ftw.
Before game 3, having basically lost due to the card advantage generated by Oona's Grace, I did some serious thinking of putting in Faerie Macabres. However, after remembering that my opponent has never cast a single Makeshift Mannequin, I decided against it.
Game 3 was a classic -- easily one of the best sanctioned games I've ever played, period. It started with me attempting another "pro move". Unfortunately, my opponent had the Broken Ambitions in hand (he obviously didn't side it out) to counter my Doran. Afterwards, it was a blood bath. I would do some beats, then he would cast a Kitchen Finks. He would Oblivion Ring my Doran. He would Runed Halo for Chameleon Colossus. I would destroy the Runed Halo, but he would bounce it with Cryptic Command... and counter it when I attempt to cast it again. He would eventually win the game behind two cards -- Makeshift Mannequins (which he only cast on the third game), and Oona's Grace (once again). I knew I should have sided-in those Macabres...
Game standing: 7-7
Match standing: 3-2
Round 6: vs. Doran Shamans (lost)
The round didn't start so well, with me once again mulling to 5, with 1-land. I of course lost the first game very quickly. I was still quite confident with my deck on the mirror match though, as I was playing the Assassins version, which I believe was better than the Shaman version (featuring Leaf Crowned Elder and Wolf Skull Shaman). I just had to get a decent draw.
SB: -3 Cloudthresher, +2 Crib Swap, +1 Wickerbough Elder
Game 2 was, as expected, very close. At the end, here's what happened: with me at 12 life and him at 9 life, he attacked with a Colossus (with 7 mana open), with a Harbinger left behind as blocker. I also had a Colossus, and also had 7 mana open. He was probably expecting me to trade Colossi, but he was surprised when I didn't block. He pumped the colossus, putting me at 4 life. At EOT, I Nameless inversion his Harbinger. He was shocked. If I could just draw 1 land (to double pump the Colossus), or a Profane (I could pump the Colossus, and Profane for 1), I would win. I slowly peeked at my draw... and it was a land. :) Despite just being on the second game, my opponent had to shake my hand in congratulations. We were now at 1-1.
Game 3 was even better than the previous game. It started with me playing a Doran. My opponent then cast another Doran, to kill it off. On my turn, I played a second Doran. Guess what -- my opponent also cast a second Doran to kill it off. Eventually, my opponent was able put me down to 6 with various other beats and Profanes. Then, I stabilized and eventually got a Colossus online and put him down to 4 life -- when he finally Crib Swapped my Colossus. The shapeshifter was able to put him down two more points to put him at 2 life. Then, it was his turn to use a Colossus. Fortunately, I had a Crib Swap in hand, and he had to attack me with his Shapeshifter. We were both in top deck mode, as the changeling put me to 5... then 4... then 3... then 2... then 1. On the last draw, I once again slowly peeked at my draw... praying and wishing that something similar to game 2 would happen. In a way, I got what I wished for, as I drew just another land. I smiled and congratulated my opponent. :) See you in October in Bangkok! ;)
Game standing: 8-9
Match standing: 3-3
After the match, I had to drop out of the tournament, because we had a concert to watch. :)
All in all, the Grand Prix was a big success -- that one annual leave was definitely worth it. ;) I got to see some of the pros -- Levy, Saito, and Nakamura -- I was even able to see an actual Saito match (he didn't slap himself though), I got our Colossi and Mannequins signed, I played a really decent game of Magic the whole day (aside from that one round against the Kithkin, I actually had a shot at winning all the other rounds) -- and most of all, I had fun. :) I do hope that the Grand Prix, or even better, the Pro Tour, would come back here in Manila in the following years. :)
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