Sunday, September 12, 2010

11/09/10 Cube Winston Draft

I think the draft was slightly marred by a shuffling problem that saw almost all the blue cards appear right at the bottom of the pile - consequently both of us thought the other was Blue. I tried for a WB Toughness / Pestilence deck, but though I got Pestilence + Crypt Rats + Evincar's Justice, I didn't have enough black cards.

I built a pretty awful WBg control deck that Matt beat twice, and then changed round to a WRg aggressive deck that was a lot better and won the majority of the rest of the games. (Though Matt's deck still looks better to me).

Matt
Cloud of Faeries 1U
Gemhide Sliver 1G
Sakura-Tribe Elder 1G
Thought Courier 1U
Spiketail Hatchling 1U
Thalakos Seer UU
Civic Wayfinder 2G
Yavimaya Elder 2GG
Snapping Drake 3U
Flametongue Kavu 3R
Thieving Magpie 2UU
Waterspout Djinn 2UU
Wickerbough Elder 2G
Indrik Stomphowler 3GG
Gerrard's Irregular 4G
Krosan Tusker 5GG
Lightning Bolt R
Symbiosis 1G
Pyroclasm 1G
Compulsion 1U
Arcane Teachings 2R
Coastal Piracy 2UU
Overrun 2GGG
Repeal XU
8 Forests
6 Islands
2 Mountains
Crosis Catacombs

Simon
Goblin Patrol R
Basking Rootwalla G
Mother of Runes W
Hearth Kami 1R
Goblin Skycutter 1R
Soltari Monk WW
Soltari Crusader 2W
Defender en-Vec 3W
Hunted Wumpus 3G
Squallmonger 3G
Angel of Mercy
Staunch Defenders 3WW
Elephant Guide 2G
Moldervine Cloak 2G
Arc Lightning 2R
Rhystic Lightning 2R
Threaten 2R
Bound in Silence 2W
Akroma's Blessing 2W
Whispersilk Cloak 3
Grab the Reins 3R
Rod of Ruin 4
Rolling Thunder XRR
Darksteel Ingot
7 Plains
6 Mountains
4 Forests
Rith's Grove

Wednesday, September 01, 2010

31/08/10 Cube Winston Draft

One key in Winston drafting is that you will usually end up in three colours, so cards that are only require a single coloured mana are much better than those that require two.

I was a relatively sensible UGr, Matt never really settled his colours and ended up Wgru. Neither of played any black - most of the black cards were BB.

Despite Matt's Fireball AND Rolling Thunder (!) I won the majority of the games (something like 5-2). Having multiple Giant Growths helped a lot.

Simon:
Fireslinger 1R
Waterfront Bouncer 1U
Spiketail Hatchling 1U
Stingscourger 1R
Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch 1U
Man-o-War 2U
Spiketail Hatchling 1UU
Simian Grunt 2G
Hunted Wumpus 3G
Cudgel Troll 2GG
Briarhorn 3G
Wickerbough Elder 3G
Pendrell Drake 3U
Avalanche Riders 3R
Ancient Hydra 4R
Crashing Boars 3GG
Giant Growth G
Remove Soul 1U
Lash Out 1R
Rampant Growth 1G
Invigorate 2G
Compulsive Research 2U
Terramorphic Expanse
Treva's Ruin
Izzet Boilerworks
7 Forest
6 Island
2 Mountain

Matt:
Defiant Falcon 1W
Youthful Knight 1W
Whipcorder WW
Gemhide Sliver 1G
Nightwind Glider 2W
Thermal Glider 2W
Cradle Guard 1GG
Gloomwidow 2G
Voice of All 2WW
Stuanch Defenders 3WW
Roar of the Wurm 6G
Errant Erphemeron 6U
Shelter 1W
Pacifism 1W
Kor Chant 2W
Radiant's Judgment 2W
Fireshrieker 3
Demolish 3R
Tower Above
2/G 2/G 2/G
Repeal xU
Fireball xR
Rolling Thunder xRR
Darksteel Ingot 3
Dromar's Cavern
8 Plains
5 Forest
2 Mountain
1 Island

Sunday, August 15, 2010

14/08/2010 M11 Games Day (2nd)

I played White Weenie at the M11 Games Day in Southampton (or you might call it Boros or Wr Landfall though the only red cards were in the sideboard). The format was three rounds of Swiss followed by a Top 8.

Round 1: Beat Grixis Control (UBR) 2-0.
Game 1 he can't beat a White Knight with an Adventuring Gear as I leave Terramorphics untapped to play around Lightning Bolt. After boarding I have Kor Firewalkers AND White Knights and I win pretty easily again.

Round 2: Beat UW Control 2-1
I get a free win as he has a Deck Registration error and we are playing at Competitive level. He takes game 2 as I have a mediocre draw that doesn't include an answer for his Baneslayer. I have an aggressive start on the play in Game 3, and can Path his Wall of Reverence and still have a Brave The Elements to attack past his Baneslayer for lethal.

Round 3: Lost 2-1 to Mono-Black
I manage to win game 1 with a White Knight (at one point he attacks his Nantuko Shade into it mistakenly and has to let it die as he can't afford the BB to save it), but I manaflood slightly in games 2 and 3 (only four spells in game 3) and lose. Abyssal Persecutor is pretty good against my deck and I never saw a White Knight after game 1.

Top 8: Beat UG Turboland 2-0.
Basically he didn't do much and I pretty quickly goldfished him in both games as my pressure includes either Steppe Lynx or Adventuring Gear plus plenty of Evolving Wilds. As the match took about 15 minutes we play a third game for fun which basically goes the same way, then a fourth which he finally manages to win. I still have lethal on the board despite his Obstinate Baloth, Primeval Titan and Jace TMS when he casts Emrakul.

Top 4: Beat UW Control 2-1.
Game 1 I a get an Adventuring Gear on the table early and so am able to attack through his Walls of Omen. He struggles to find answers, but eventually has Day of Judgement. I resolve a Kor Duelist, protect it from Condemn with Brave The Elements (he has Mana Leak but I can just pay 3) and attack for over 10 damage for the win.
Game 2 I get a weaker draw, but have removal in hand for his assumed Baneslayers / Jace. Sadly he kills me with two Sphinx of Jar Isle.
Game 3 I have a good draw with several aggressive 1-drops (he can't Mana Leak them all) and Sejiri Steppes to attack past his wall. He is able to Day of Judgement when on 2, and has a Wall for my one creature, but when he taps out for Baneslayer I play Kor Skfisher to bounce a Steppe and attack for the final 2 damage.

Final: Lose 2-0 to Bant.
Game 1 I mulligan down to five, and game 2 I keep a sketchy 7 on the play. In both games I get overwhelmed by Fauna Shaman, Knight of the Reliquary, Vengevine and Sovereign of Lost Alara (he never plays a non-rare card other than some basic land).
I should have mulliganed game 2 - didn't draw my sideboarded Pyroclasm which would have been really good as he does things like using Fauna Shaman to get Noble Heirach for more mana or my sideboarded Relic of Progenitus (which lets Pyroclasm kill Knight of the Reliquary as well as taking out Vengevines).
The only incident of note in the match occurs when he attacks with a 5/5 Knight of the Reliquary and I block with a 3/3 Student and a White Knight. He does nothing except say something like 'ok' or 'sure' and then I point out I have 5 points of first strike. He says he wants to Path to Exile so I call for the Judge (got to give him something to do) as we are at competitive level and I think he definitely passed and want to be sure the Knight dies.


Despite a disappointing end, 2nd was a pretty satisfying result for a tournament full of considerably more powerful decks than my usual local FNMs. As well as the Top 8 Foil Mitotic Slime I won an Intro Pack and six assorted Gateway / Prerelease foils.

Decklist: White Weenie
4 Steppe Lynx
3 Student of Warfare
1 Kor Duelist
1 Kitesail Apprentice
4 White Knight
4 Kor Skyfisher
3 Ranger of Eos
2 Emeria Angel

4 Adventuring Gear
1 Sigil of Distinction
1 Sword of Vengeance
1 Path to Exile
3 Brave the Elements
2 Oblivion Ring

11 Plains
4 Sejiri Steppe
1 Mountain
1 Smoldering Spires
1 Arid Mesa
4 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Evolving Wilds

Sideboard
3 Kor Firewalker
3 Honor the Pure
3 Pyroclasm
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Manabarbs
1 Combust
1 Act of Treason


PS. Thanks for @saintjw for the loan of a couple of Students and an Arid Mesa.

Thursday, August 05, 2010

02/08/10 Cube winston draft

After streamlining the no-rares cube I had a Winston draft against Matt on Tuesday evening. I beat him 7-5.

Simon: UWr
Spiketail Hatchling 1U
Mistmeadow Skulk 1W
Soltari Priest WW
Rishadan Airship 2U
Nightwing Glider 2W
Phantom Warrior 1UU
Knight of Dawn 1WW
Killer Whale 3UU
Ancestors Chosen 5WW
Sigil of Sleep U
Condemn W
Rushing River 2U
Capsize 1UU
Circular Logic 2U
Thirst for Knowledge 2U
Foil 2UU
Fact or Fiction 3U
Concentrate 2UU
Rod of Ruin 4
Swell of Courage 3WW
Repeal XU
Fireball XR
Izzet Signet 2
Darksteel Ingot 3
Terramorphic Expanse
8 Islands
7 Plains
1 Mountain
(Sideboard: Ray of Distortion)


Matt: RB
Kris Mage R
Martyr of Ashes R
Sickle Ripper 1B
Mogg Flunkies 1R
Foul Imp BB
Boneknitter 1B
Vulshok Sorceror 1RR
Vampire Hounds 2B
Flametongue Kavu 3R
Talrum Mintoaur 2RR
Cateran Kidnappers 2BB
Gravedigger 3B
Hulking Cyclops 3RR
Scoria Cat 3RR
Boldwyr Intimidator 5RR
Vendetta B
Seal of Fire R
Incinerate 1R
Diabolic Edict 1B
Hymn to Tourach BB
Rift Bolt 2R
Smash 2R
Snuff Out 3B
Pestilence 2BB
Evincaar's Justice 2BB
9 Mountains
8 Swamps
(Sideboard: Demolish)