The format for this year was different. Instead of the usual Standard Constructed format for the Gold Rush (which I would have preferred), NG opted to organize a multiformat tournament a la Nationals. Basically, it's 3 rounds of Standard, followed by 3 rounds of Shards of Alara booster draft, then another 3 rounds of Shards booster draft in new pods (only 1 round on the first day, the 2 remaining rounds on day 2), then finished off in a final 3 rounds of Standard. The top 8 players would have a Standard playoff.
Not unexpectedly, I used the same BG Elves deck as the one I used the night before on FNM, but with the Shriekmaw MD, instead of the singleton Cloudthresher. I was also able to get a hold of a fourth Infest on the tourney area a few minutes before, so I could have a better chance against those Kithkin decks which I expected to swarm the tournament.
// Lands
4 [LRW] Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 [10E] Llanowar Wastes
2 [EVE] Twilight Mire
4 [MOR] Mutavault
4 [10E] Treetop Village
3 [UNH] Forest
3 [UNH] Swamp
// Creatures
4 [10E] Llanowar Elves
4 [LRW] Wren's Run Vanquisher
4 [10E] Troll Ascetic
2 [10E] Civic Wayfinder
4 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus
1 [LRW] Shriekmaw
// Spells
1 [10E] Loxodon Warhammer
3 [MOR] Bitterblossom
3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker
3 [LRW] Nameless Inversion
2 [LRW] Eyeblight's Ending
3 [LRW] Profane Command
2 [LRW] Primal Command
// Sideboard
SB: 4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
SB: 4 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 4 [ALA] Infest
SB: 1 [MOR] Mind Shatter
SB: 2 [10E] Mind Rot
Round 1: vs. BR Tokens (lost)
I was happy not to have my round 1 jinx this time, as instead of having to face a Nationals player, I was paired with a famous card trader. However, after the match, I wished differently, as he still demolished me in two games. In game 1, I made the mistake of trying to race him in life. It worked for a while, up until I made a calculation mistake and forgot about the damage of the Mogg Fanatic. In game 2, I had no chance whatsoever to win the game, as he put up a Goblin Assault and 2 Grave Pacts.
Game standing: 0-2
Match standing: 0-1
Round 2: vs. UB Faeries (won)
At last, a good matchup. This time, it was my turn to demolish my opponent as I easily beat the deck of the little blue flyers in 2 games -- the first one via an early Garruk overrun, and the second one thanks to a pair of Troll Ascetics.
Game standing: 2-2
Match standing: 1-1
Round 3: vs. 5-color Control (lost)
I was winning the first game, up until a timely Jund Charm wiped out my army of manlands during my attack phase. Afterwards, there was no recovery from a semi-Armageddon. In game 2, I came back via a Garruk overrun. In game 3, I had no chance against The Queen of the Fae.
Game standing: 3-4
Match standing: 1-2
At this point, we were seated in our first draft pods. Suddenly, the TOs announced that there were random prizes to be given away from the vault, literally -- From the Vault: Dragons. I was one of the lucky players to be selected, and I was randomly given Form of the Dragon:
Then it was off to the draft. It seems that our table was rare drafting as I saw no bombs whatsoever in the first pack. I was getting passed a lot of nice Esper utility cards though, so I went ahead and drafted it. Here was my deck:
// Lands
1 [ALA] Grixis Panorama
6 [ALA] Swamp
5 [ALA] Island
5 [ALA] Plains
// Creatures
2cc:
1 [ALA] Metallurgeon
1 [ALA] Tidehollow Strix
2 [ALA] Tidehollow Sculler
3cc:
2 [ALA] Kathari Screecher
2 [ALA] Shore Snapper
1 [ALA] Windwright Mage
5cc or more:
2 [ALA] Dreg Reaver
1 [ALA] Steelclad Serpent
1 [ALA] Yoked Plowbeast
// Spells
2 [ALA] Obelisk of Esper
1 [ALA] Executioner's Capsule
1 [ALA] Hindering Light
2 [ALA] Agony Warp
1 [ALA] Oblivion Ring
1 [ALA] Resounding Wave
1 [ALA] Esper Charm
1 [ALA] Kiss of the Amesha
Round 4: vs. Bant Exalted (draw)
Things didn't start off well, as I my opponent took me to draft school and won game 1 unscathed. I had no chance against a barrage of exalted dudes. In game 2, I won a long close game (I was at 2 life when I won) thanks to my islandwalking Shore Snapper. In game 3, I was saved by the bell -- I pulled off a draw thanks to time running out, despite me being at 5 life, and my opponent still at perfect life.
Game standing: 4-5-1
Match standing: 1-2-1
Things went even more downhill from there...
Round 5: vs. Jund (lost)
I got stuck at 2 lands in the first game and easily lost. In the second game, I found a Broodmate Dragon in my opponent's hand (thanks to my Sculler), but I had to remove his Resounding Thunder. I was able to delay his dragon by discarding his other cards via Esper Charm, and stabilized against his threats while I was at 1 life. At that point, I slowly got back at the game by gaining life thanks to my Windwright Mage, and got back to 9 life. However, the inevitable happened and I wasn't able to kill him when he got his 6th land. GG.
Game standing: 4-7-1
Match standing: 1-3-1
Round 6: vs. Naya (lost)
All I remember from this match was that pesky Drumhunter which gave my opponent crazy card advantage. I was already at 1 card in hand, and my opponent never had less than 5 cards in hand. Crazy. I lost in 2 games.
Game standing: 4-9-1
Match standing: 1-4-1
At this point, I just wanted to rare draft in the second pod and go home (it was almost 9:30 pm, and we still had a draft AND a round of Magic to play). My packs did not disappoint, as I opened a Stoic Angel in the first pack, and a Tezzeret in the third pack. Yeah! At least I got back part of my entrance fee. :) I still tried to draft Bant though to utilize the angel and build a relatively nice playable deck:
// Lands
1 [ALA] Esper Panorama
6 [ALA] Forest
6 [ALA] Plains
4 [ALA] Island
// Creatures
1cc:
1 [ALA] Wild Nacatl
2cc:
1 [ALA] Sigiled Paladin
1 [ALA] Deft Duelist
1 [ALA] Jhessian Infiltrator
2 [ALA] Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
4cc:
1 [ALA] Outrider of Jhess
1 [ALA] Rhox Charger
1 [ALA] Stoic Angel
5cc or more:
2 [ALA] Cloudheath Drake
1 [ALA] Welkin Guide
1 [ALA] Waveskimmer Aven
1 [ALA] Jungle Weaver
// Spells
1 [ALA] Obelisk of Bant
1 [ALA] Gift of the Gargantuan
3 [ALA] Excommunicate
2 [ALA] Sigil Blessing
2 [ALA] Resounding Roar
Round 7: vs. Jund (lost)
It was all about the fun at this point, and me and my opponent had 2 nice fun games. I, of course, lost both. Haha.
I dropped from the tournament, so I didn't have to come on the second day.
Final game standing: 4-11-1
Final match standing: 1-5-1
In keeping with the my tradition of losing and listing learning points, here are the learning points from the Gold Rush:
1. I should draft more. Or actually, I should draft, period. LOL.
2. Shards limited is all about the bombs. I thought I had a pretty decent deck in the first pod, I just needed that 1 or 2 bombs that would make me win in the late game.
3. I should playtest... and FNM's don't count. I lost the 1st and 3rd rounds because of my unfamiliarity with my opponents' decks (I forgot all about that instant Pyroclasm-thing of the Jund Charm).
4. The best players play a lot. Since I don't have the luxury of time, with work and all, maybe I should try playing in MWS again.
5. Multiformat tourneys are fun, but are VERY tiring.
Happy new year everyone! :)
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