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.

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)