Alara Standard Inaugurals - Nov 8, 2008

The Elf deck has been playing out well for me recently, so I decided to give it another go at the Alara Standard Inaugurals at Galleria yesterday.



// 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
3 [10E] Civic Wayfinder
4 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus
3 [LRW] Cloudthresher

// Spells
4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
4 [LRW] Nameless Inversion
2 [LRW] Eyeblight's Ending
4 [LRW] Profane Command

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [10E] Loxodon Warhammer
SB: 4 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
SB: 1 [MOR] Mind Shatter
SB: 2 [10E] Mind Rot
SB: 3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker
SB: 1 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 3 [ALA] Infest


Round 1: vs. UB Faeries (won)

I have a pretty good matchup against Faeries, having 3 MD Cloudthreshers, so I was glad to have faced the deck early. In fact, my SB strategy for it was to just remove 1 Nameless Inversion, in favor of a 4th Cloudthresher. My theory proved right in the first round, as I "relatively easily" won 2-0 against my opponent (it's never easy to win against Faeries, as they are probably the most resilient deck in Standard right now) thanks to some crucial evoking of Cloudthreshers, in response to his Mistbind Cliques.

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


Round 2: vs. WW Kithkins (lost)

My opponent and I were joking before the game that we were in the "feature match" area, as we were sitting in Table 1. :) After shuffling though, things quickly turned serious, especially for me, as I was getting beat up very quickly by Cenn and Ajani-pumped Kithkins. I eventually lost the game and went to my sideboards:

SB: +3 Infest, +1 Finks, -4 Thoughtseize

In game 2, bad luck fell upon me and I just couldn't draw any of my 13 removal spells (all creatures!) and my opponent's massive Kithkin horde was just too many for my Cloudthresher and Colossus.

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


Round 3: vs. WW Kithkins (won)

Having just lost pretty badly to a Kithkin deck, I was pumped to face another one -- I wanted revenge. Haha. And revenge I got, as I won two easy games behind the back of early Colossi.

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


Round 4: vs. UB Faeries (lost)

I got matched up against the guy who placed 3rd in the 2008 Philippine Nationals. Good luck to me! He was playing Faeries though, so I knew I had an inside chance of winning. In game 1, I took a chance and played a 1-land (Treetop Village) hand that had a Llanowar Elf, a Vanquisher, and a Cloudthresher. It proved to be wrong though, and once my opponent saw that I didn't have a second land, he quickly Agony Warped my mana elf, and I was just too far back behind and didn't stand a chance.

In game 2, things went the other way around, and I easily won the game with just a Llanowar Elf and a Civic Wayfinder. I knew he would counter any other spells I played, so I baited him to tap out and I won with a Profane ftw.

Game 3 was a close one, with both of us at 10 life at one point... until my opponent played his Mistbind Clique. He then put a Warhammer onto the huge Faerie, and with a single swing, the game changed a lot and he was suddenly at 17 and me at 3 life. I had an answer though for the Clique (Eyeblight's Ending) but had no answer to his other Faeries (a Conclave and a Bitterblossom token). I then decided to play a mind game with him. With a Colossus for defense, I separated my mana into 3 piles -- 4 mana (for pumping), 3 mana & 2 mana -- bluffing to have 2 removal spells. I then passed the turn. He thought for a long while -- what could I be holding??? -- but eventually decided to go for it. He activated the Conclave and swung. I shook his hand and showed the lone Eyeblight's Ending in my hand. :) He was all smiles. GG.

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


Round 5: vs. WW Kithkins (won)

It was apparently Kithkins and Faeries Day, as I once again got paired against the little white men. In game 1, I made a crucial misplay by not killing one of my opponent's 3 creatures before combat, so he was able to play a crucial Unmake behind his Windbrisk Heights. I lost the game. In game 2, it was my turn to beat him, and he had no answer against the tandem of Colossus and Ascetic. In game 3, my opponent did the misplaying this time, and tried to Unmake my Colossus. Pro black baby! I, of course, won that game. :)

Game standing: 7-5
Match standing: 3-2


Round 6: vs. 5-color Elementals (won)

I was happy to face a non-Kithkin, non-Faerie opponent in round 6. I was not happy to face my opponent though. He was just drop dead serious in playing, and he played extremely fast. And worst of all, he was a sore loser... frequenting a loud "Tsk!" each time I did something that was not good for him. What was important was that I beat him easily in 2 games. I didn't even sideboard anything for game 2. Haha. Take that.

Game standing: 9-5
Match standing: 4-2


Round 7: vs. WW Kithkins (lost)

After 6 rounds, I was at 21st place (in a tournament of around 100 players), and prizes were going to be given to the top 24 players. Basically, it was a do-or-die match. Win, and I go home with a couple of packs. Lose, and I go home. Period. Unfortunately, I knew my opponent and I knew he was a very good Kithkin player, having piloted the deck to a couple of decent finishes and top 8's. All that I had going for me, was that I had already beaten him before in a Block Constructed tourney, while using that same deck.

I couldn't remember much of the match though. Probably selective amnesia or something. Haha. All I can remember was that I lost both times to a Mirrorweave. God, I hate that card. LOL.

Game standing: 9-7
Match standing: 4-3


I went home empty-handed, but still quite satisfied with my finish. At least, I had an outside chance to win -- I just didn't deliver when it counted the most. But like Joven said, at least I'm now a Blind-Spot Giant. :)

FNM - Nov 7, 2008

After a decent finish in last week's FNM, I used the same BG Elves deck again last Friday. However, noticing that a good amount of Red decks were being played in my local store, I decided to main deck Kitchen Finks instead of Cloudthreshers.



// 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
3 [10E] Civic Wayfinder
3 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
4 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus

// Spells
4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
4 [LRW] Nameless Inversion
2 [LRW] Eyeblight's Ending
4 [LRW] Profane Command

// Sideboard
SB: 3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker
SB: 1 [MOR] Mind Shatter
SB: 2 [10E] Mind Rot
SB: 1 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
SB: 4 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 3 [ALA] Infest
SB: 1 [10E] Loxodon Warhammer


Round 1: vs. Cruel Control (won)

My "lucky" tendency for awesome round 1's continued that day, when I got paired up with the best player in the room - a regular Nats player whose surname and team name are almost synonymous with Filipino Magic. Good luck to me!

In game 1, things went to a great start as I was able to early Thoughtseize a Wrath away, and he couldn't keep up to my early beats of Vanquishers, and I beat him with a Profane to the face.

SB: +1 Mind Shatter, +2 Mind Rot, +3 Garruk, -3 Finks, -2 Nameless, -1 Profane

In game 2, I basically got Cruel Ultimatum'd twice, and lost. In game 3, I once again got lucky with my early Thoughtseize, and took out a crucial Remove Soul. I afterwards squeaked in a Mind Rot after an evoked Mulldrifter on his side, and he just got too far back, and lost to a Warhammer'd Ascetic. GG!

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


Round 2: Mono Red Aggro (won)

In game 1, we were just racing life, but apparently, you almost always never win that way against a Red deck, and I lost to a Demigod and an Incinerate to the face.

SB: +1 Warhammer, +1 Finks, +2 Mind Rot, -4 Thoughtseize

In game 2, my opponent didn't stand a chance against 2 Colossi. In game 3, my Kitchen Finks army went online, which is just not fair for the Red deck. ;)

Game standing: 4-2
Match standing: 2-0


Round 3: WW Kithkins (lost)

I basically got demolished in this round. Losing game 1 with my opponent at 43 life (thanks to two Knight of Meadowgrains with multiple Ajani counters), and losing game 2 via Mirrorweave with him still at perfect life.

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


Round 4: Fellowship of the Ring (won)

This was, unexpectedly, the most difficult, but still the most fun game I had all day. My opponent was using something similar to the decklist that popped up on the PT Berlin LCQ, with 14 Planeswalkers and utilizing their synergy with Rings of Brighthearth. My opponent always had 2 to 3 Planeswalkers online all the time, and I was basically just attacking every turn so that they wouldn't be able to use their super abilities.

My opponent would, for example, make 2 Soldier tokens from Elspeth, AND lock down my 2 Mutavaults with Ajani Vengeant, AND deal me 2 damage with Chandra ALL ON THE SAME TURN. Take note: all those abilities gave the respective planeswalkers +1 loyalty. I was just very lucky that my opponent didn't draw ANY of his 4 Wraths, so my Troll Ascetics eventually did their job and cleaned his board away of any remaining planeswalkers (thanks to some crucial Fear abilities via Profane). By the time I beat him on our first game though, time was already up, and I gladly won the round. :)

Game standing: 5-4
Match standing: 3-1


In the end, my 3-1 finish was apparently good enough for 3rd place (some pairings ended up in draws, which went in my favor), and I won 1 Alara pack (Battlegrace Angel), 1 Shadowmoor pack (Deep-Slumber Titan) and an Isochron Scepter FNM card -- my very first FNM card won via standings (and not just given away for free :) )



Good times. :)

FNM - Oct 31, 2008

For the first time in how-long-I-can't-remember, The Company, er, Organization I work for (haha feeling Prison Break) had a holiday on a day when everyone else was going to work. That wouldn't stop me from playing at the FNM though, and I braved the heavy traffic on a nearby cemetery to get to Ongkeco's Hobby Shop at University Mall.

I used the new BG Elves build in the new Standard of 10E-LOR-SHM-ALA, but used Troll Ascetic in the slot where most decks put Kitchen Finks. I figured that was the way to go, because based on my previous FNM there, the FNM was always won by control deck variants. Anyway, here's the deck:



// 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
3 [10E] Civic Wayfinder
4 [MOR] Chameleon Colossus
3 [LRW] Cloudthresher

// Spells
4 [LRW] Thoughtseize
4 [LRW] Profane Command
4 [LRW] Nameless Inversion
2 [LRW] Eyeblight's Ending

// Sideboard
SB: 1 [LRW] Cloudthresher
SB: 1 [10E] Loxodon Warhammer
SB: 3 [ALA] Infest
SB: 3 [10E] Mind Rot
SB: 3 [LRW] Garruk Wildspeaker
SB: 2 [SHM] Kitchen Finks
SB: 2 [SHM] Faerie Macabre


Round 1: vs. Mono Red Aggro (won)

I kept a hand of 3 Colossi and no early drops, and felt bad when my opponent played a first turn Mogg Fanatic -- this was going to end quickly. Luckily though, I drew a second turn Vanquisher to help fight off an onslaught of more Fanatics, Maniacs, and even a conspired Giantbaiting. In the end though, my opponent had no answer to 2 Colossi and a Troll Ascetic and I won the first game.

SB: +1 Lox Warhammer, +2 Finks, +3 Mind Rot, -4 Thoughtseize, -2 Cloudthresher

In the second game, it was more of the same, and in the final turn of the game, my opponent thought for a loooong time before finally deciding to concede against my army of Vanquishers and manlands.

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


Round 2: vs. BG Elves (won)

I was up against the guy who was watching behind my back when Joven and I were playtesting right before the FNM. Oh no. The guy knows every single card in my deck. Imagine my surprise when his first play of the game was to put down a Treetop Village -- it was a mirror match! Eventually, I found out that he was using the build that had Bitterblossom, after a first turn Thoughtseize for me. Bye bye Bitter. However, he had answers for all my creatures, while I had none against his, and I died against his army of Kitchen Finks and Vanquishers.

SB: +3 Garruk, -3 Cloudthresher

My plan was to outrace him, and outrace I did. He was matching my every single move, doing a Thoughtseize after mine, playing a Vanquisher after mine, and a Wayfinder after mine. However, I had my ace in the hole -- Garruk Wildspeaker. In the end, he couldn't find a way out against my Beast army and lost the second game.

In the third game, Garruk didn't come online, so we were just racing in the beginning. I eventually got board position though, and he was just defending against my attack every turn. I won in the end via a Profane on his defender and on the dome. (I eventually found out that I could have won a turn earlier via the fear + lose life modes. Oh well. ;-) )

Game standing: 4-1
Match standing: 2-0


Round 3: vs. Mono Red Aggro (lost)

I played against an irritating opponent in the third round. First off, he arrived late in our game (he was outside talking on the phone, while everyone else but us were already playing). Then, he kept on talking on his two phones while we were playing. And finally, he was just too damn lucky. Basically, I lost game 1 on poor draws, and I lost game 2 because I mulliganed to 4.

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


Round 4: vs. BG Land D (won)

In the first game, my bad luck from the previous game appeared to have stretched to this round, as I once again mulliganed to 4. Tough luck. I was all set to go home at 2-2, when I looked at my 4-card hand and saw 1 Wayfinder, 1 Forest, 1 Swamp and 1 Thoughtseize. Oh well, at least I get to reduce his hand by 1. Imagine my surprise when I saw 2 lands and a chock-full of Land Destruction spells in his hand -- Rain of Tears, Drain the Well, Poison the Well, Creeping Mold, and Fulminator Mage! I took the Rain of Tears out, and proceeded with the game. My opponent played his first land and passed.

On turn two, I drew and played a Vanquisher. Lucky number 1. :) My opponent played his second land and passed.

On turn 3, I drew another Thoughtseize. I got out his Fulminator Mage and found 2 Primal Commands in his hand. I attacked with the Vanquisher, 20-17. My opponent passed. No third land! Lucky number 2. :)

On turn 4, I drew a third land. Lucky number 3! I attacked with my Vanquisher again, 20-14, and played the Wayfinder.

You get the picture. :) My opponent didn't find his third land (a CIP Treetop Village) until it was too late, and I won (against a Land D deck) despite mulliganing to 4. Priceless. :)

SB: +3 Garruk, -3 Cloudthresher

Oh, what the heck. I couldn't remember anything about the second game -- except that I won. I was too ecstatic about the first game win. :)

Game standing: 6-3
Match standing: 3-1

Good enough for a 5th place finish, and a Shards of Alara booster pack as prize. Unfortunately, the pack contained crap -- Crucible of Fire crap -- but the night was still fun though, because of that mull-to-4-win. :)

Magic is fun. :)