Why would you prefer the BANT version over the UBWG version with Fastbond, Y-Will and the black tutors (as the list Stephen Menendian used @ the last 
Eudemonia)?
I have not been playing lately but I can't find any good reason for this.
Especially now that COTV is restricted.

Could one of you give some insight on this subject?

Thanks in advance,

I use when not playing with red the following:
4x Steel Sabotage
4x Hurky's Recall

After boarding in any storm deck (must say I have also 4 FOW) and that worked even with chalice unrestricted.

This should be even stronger at this moment due to cotv.

Thank you for your answer, but at that time, is Geae's Blessing not strictly better?
No mana involved, can't be countered (ok stifle, but that sees hardly play) and when in your hand, it accomplish the same and draws a card.

The only downsite is that it is not blue.

A question:
Why is Memory's Journey in this deck, I can not understand the purpose of it.
- Infinit turns with 3 cards in your library means nothing.
- This deck has not the ability to Combo out in one turn as the old Tyrant Oath decks

Is it pure there for the reason that you can suffle 3 cards that where milled during oathing back into your deck (mainly this would be Time Walk, Vault and Key and Y-Will).

If it is only for this purpose the card is in the deck, is there not a better card that does something on its own...
Or is the above mentioned reason of that importance, that the fact it is dead 90% of the time you draw it something you take for granted?

Thank you inadvance for your thoughts behind this cards inclusion,

Greetz Arjan

Just want to show you guys what I am working with.
This is not the classic approach of Dooms Day, but it original concept dates from the second Gush Era, when Eric Becker introduced Tropical storm (http://www.themanadrain.com/index.php?topic=35130.0), he included 1 Doomsday as Tutor/Combo piece, later Justin "Negator 13" focused the deck more to Doomsday with NLD-Next Level Doomsday (http://www.themanadrain.com/index.php?topic=35655.0). This deck never took off because it was released just before the re-restriction of GUSH.

The beauty of this list is, that is capable to execute 3 different route equally efficient.
1.   Gush Bond
2.   Y-Will
3.   Doomsday

It is Pact with Draw, Disruption and Combo pieces and the only card that you could consider death, are the 2 win conditions.

Some unconventional card choices explained:
DTG – This replaces the Merchant Scrolls from the old NLD list and is easy to feed with all the draw and cheap disruption. This helps allot when going the Gush Bond route or setting up for the Y-will route mid-late game.
3x Dark Ritual -  You really don’t need the fourth, mainly because you have the Gush Engine, you are able to produce sufficient Black mana when going off.
Fastbond – This card on itself opens a new route to victory, therefore it is too strong to omit it.

Below is my current decklist. The Main deck is close to perfect, but the Sideboard could use some extra attention. If you guys have any comments on the Maindeck or SB I am eager to hear them.

Main deck:   
4   Misty Rainforest
4   Polluted Delta
3   Underground Sea
2   Island
1   Tropical Island
   
1   Black Lotus
3   Dark Ritual
1   Lotus Petal
1   Mox Emerald
1   Mox Jet
1   Mox Sapphire
   
1   Ancestral Recall
1   Brainstorm
1   Ponder
1   Gitaxian Probe
4   Preordain
4   Gush
   
1   Fastbond
1   Mystical Tutor
1   Merchant Scroll
2   Dig Through Time
1   Vampiric Tutor
1   Demonic Tutor
1   Yawgmoth's Will
2   Doomsday
   
4   Force of Will
3   Mental Misstep
2   Flusterstorm
1   Misdirection
2   Duress
1   Thoughtseize
1   Hurkyl's Recall
   
1   Laboratory Maniac
1   Tendrils Of Agony

Sideboard:      
SB:   4   Steel Sabotage
SB:   2   Hurkyl's Recall
SB:   1   Island
SB:   1   Mana Crypt
SB:   1   Sol Ring
SB:   3   Grafdigger's Cage
SB:   2   Extirpate
SB:   1   Toxic Deluge

Greetz Zieby

Thank you, although I made top 8, i do not think this was the optimal build.
I believe Gifts Ungiven does not fit in this deck and should be DTT.
I also learned why Peach plays 2 maindeck Abrubt Decay, it solves allot of difficult situations.

But, Almost Blue is certainly a strategy that has his pro's in this Metagame.

@ Rich, thank you for the welcome back, although I do not believe I will attent a tournament in the comming month's due to the fact I am becomming a father for the third time.
And this time it's a boy (after 2 girls), so in about 14 years I will be playing MTG all over again.

It is, and as mentioned above, with some minor adjustments I think it will be well suited for the current Metagame. Jean Baptiste Aymes was maybe the first who used the Brain Freeze Combo in Vintage, but this deck is in its core a Gush deck, and he played the deck in the era of a restricted Gush.

@ Hero,
Always nice to see at a tournament, maybe I contact you next time for a deck.... 

It was a realy nice day, and I know why I loved this game so much, thank you all....

We had a blast, GG.

Hi all,

It's been a long time I was here, but today I had my first tournament in over 2 years.
After contacting Peach and browsing the interweb I settled on this variation of Almost Blue.
One restricting I had, I did not own a single card what caused for some cards missing I would normally play (Cages)

Main deck:
7   Any Blue Fetch
3   Island
3   Underground Sea
1   Tropical Island
1   Snow-Covered Island
    
1   Black Lotus
1   Mana Crypt
1   Mox Emerald (Proxie)
1   Mox Jet (Proxie)
1   Mox Pearl (Proxie)
1   Mox Ruby (Proxie)
1   Mox Sapphire (Proxie)
    
2   Snapcaster Mage
    
1   Ancestral Recall
1   Brainstorm
1   Ponder
1   Time Walk
2   Preordain
4   Gush
    
1   Vampiric Tutor
1   Demonic Tutor
1   Yawgmoth's Will
1   Mystical Tutor
1   Merchant Scroll
2   Brain Freeze
2   Gifts Ungiven (1x Proxie)
1   Noxious Revival (Proxie)
1   Fastbond
    
4   Force of Will
3   Mental Misstep
2   Flusterstorm (Proxie)
2   Mana Drain
2   Repeal
1   Hurkyl's Recall
1   Tormod's Crypt

Sideboard:
SB:   4   Steel Sabotage
SB:   1   Blightsteel Colossus
SB:   2   Hurkyl's Recall
SB:   1   Island
SB:   1   Mindbreak Trap
SB:   2   Ravenous Trap
SB:   1   Tendrils of Agony
SB:   1   Tinker
SB:   1   Tormod's Crypt
SB:   1   Toxic Deluge (Proxie)

I will write a short report with the highlitghs from memory, because i did not make any notes.

Round 1: Show & Oath
Game 1: He mulls 2 five but he has a second turn Oath with back up. I manage to pull a Brain Freeze for 21 cards, but he still has 1 win con in his deck, this brings him the game.
Game 2 and3 are much of the same. I draw some cards, at a point he resolves Oath but did not have orchard, this gives me time to combo with ToA (I missed the cages)

W-D-L
1-0-0

Round 2: Forgemaster Shops
Game 1: he lock me out and I have no game.
Game 2 and 3: are much of the same again, I control his board with Counters and bounce and could tinker for BSC both games with bounce as back up for copy effects.

2-0-0

Round 3: Show & Oath
Game 1: We have a counter war over his first Oath, he wins and that brings him the game.
Game 2: I have a little luck by having my 4 Fow's in the first 20 cards, this assures me to lead and that results in a tendrils for lethal.
Game 3: This game is a bit strange because we both are starved on mana, but at one point I am able to combo with Will and can double Brain Freeze him to death.

3-0-0

Round 4: RUG Young Pyro Mancer with Quirion Dryad
Game 1: He has a first turn pyro mancer and rides him to victory.
Game 2: I am starved on mana and although his game did not went smooth, I give him the time to land a pyromancer and ride him to victory.

3-0-1

I am amazed by the fact I have a shot on top 8, but then I need to win the next game and that after 2 years living under the rocks (as someone told us that morning)

Round 5: Doomsday
Game 1: We go draw go for like 5 turns before something really big happens. I had a hand with counters Ancestral, fastbond and some counters. He plays duress, I misstep and it is my turn.
Then I am able to combo off, but he had play Laboratory Maniac in his previous turn.
In digging for some storm and extra mana I use my 2 repeals for bouncing my artifacts, This leaves me with no Out on the Labman except blocking him. I am forced to ship the turn with 2 life, but with snapcaster in hand.
He cannot withstand the temptation and attacks me. Flash snapcaster and block the lapman.
Ok I can win this, but now I have to combo with no Y-will, No gushes but only 2 brain freezes.
First i BF for 18 cards by playing some spells and the BF, but I need to keep mana open to counter his ToA i he would draw him.
Next turn I am able to freeze him for al crads but 2, and then played snapcaster on BF.
This won me the game, and we played for 47 minutes. 3 minutes left, but DD can win easy on turn 2 so he wants to play game 2.
Game 2: I Open my hand with Fow, Fluster, Manadrain and Misstep, we go to turns and I win the match.

4-0-1

So I can draw in for top 8 after not playing a single game in 2 years, funny fact is that Marius (Marske on TMD) also sneaked into top 8 at the bottom seat.

Top 8: RUG from round 4
Nice, paired against my only loss
Game 1: I can hold him off for some time, but the counters are too much.
At one point I am 1 storm short of decking him before he is able to kill me.
Game 2: We go back and forward with draw and counters, i stop 1 young pyro, but the second I let resolve so I can go for tinker. I resolve tinker but he has also a quirion, that results in a sort of stand off. Then i can snapcaster Time walk so i try to go for the kill, but he has the counter, otherwise he would have killed me the next turn, so he did.
That gave me a price of 75 euro,-. in 7th seat.

Big thanks for Tom Hens, the organizer and owner of the deck.
Maybe I see you all again in the future,

Greezt Arjan

Yes indeed, I should read read the card a little better.
As mentioned, it is been a while that I have played a game and I made the comment from memmory (its over 2 years that i have played a game or where active on this site).

Thats been a long time i was here, but I really would like to mention the following cards.

Balance - Clears the board and when played correct, can give you a pseudo Mind Twist and Armagedon.
Old man of the Sea - The cards for taking over Monk where mentioned in the beginning of this topic, but this one was missing. A old favorit of mine when surging for these solutions (played it in Almost Bleu against Fish)

Greetz

Really good to see the announcement, I hope I can make it this time, was there during BOM II and it was really good.
Prices look as always very good.

Attendance on these events Legacy + 600 and Vintage +300 players if I recall it correctly.

@ Shockwave: Planning on going this time?
@ Peach: We need to discuss Almost Blue again

I hope the trend isn't going to be 50% of shops in a tournament, that is not healty or even fun.

But, gratz to the ones who made top 8.


Edit some grammer,

I will scoop to TD due to me leaving for a week.
So the final will be between GI and TD

Good luck

Lost from Credmond 0-2. in 2 very interesting games.

I have opened the game for me and Credmond, no password for spectators

TD and I did not play our match yet, I made a wrong post (needed to be in Duck 5) but deleted it directly, did not see the bracked untill today.

Please adjust the bracked so TD and I can still play our game.

Sorry for the mis communication,

Credmond, see pm

I am ready to roll

Thank you all for coming to the XVI Edition of the Dutch Vintage Tournament Series.                  
It was a very nice tournaments. Again a new player played in the top 8, congratulations.                  
                  
Quarter finals:                   
1   Koperberg, Twan (Ichorid)               
8   Van Doesburg, Jos (Turbo Tezz)   …   Jos Wins         
                  
2   Burukof, Ilja (Turbo Tezz)               
7   Ruiterkamp, Arjen (Demon Oath)   …   Arjen Wins         
                  
3   vandecapellen, Geert (Bob-Snapcaster Control)               
6   Zeeman, Goswin (Cat Stacks)   …   Geert Wins         
                  
4   Hendriks Thomas (Demon Oath)               
5   Schreurs, Jos (75 Highlander Control)   …   Thomas Wins         
                  
Semi Finals:                   
8   Van Doesburg, Jos               
4   Hendriks Thomas   …   Thomas Wins         
      …            
3   vandecapellen, Geert               
7   Ruiterkamp, Arjen   …   Geert Wins         
                  
Finals:                   
4   Hendriks Thomas               
3   vandecapellen, Geert   …   Thomas wins a Timetwister         
                  
Congratulation Thomas and the rest of the Top 8, we had 20 players that battled for a spot in the top 8.                  
                  
Standings after 5 Rounds of card slinging:                   
         Tie 1   Tie 2   Tie 3   Matches
Rank   Name   Points   OMW%   PGW%   OGW%   P/W/D/B
1   Koperberg, Twan   11   65,3333   75   60,8298   5/3/2/0
2   Berukof, Ilja   11   62   66,6667   62,5746   5/3/2/0
3   vandercappellen, Geert   10   61,3333   63,6364   61,4542   5/3/1/0
4   Hendriks, Thomas   10   49,3333   70   50,7676   5/3/1/0
5   Schreurs, Jos   10   48   63,6364   49,6337   5/3/1/0
6   Zeeman, Oswin   9   56,6667   61,5385   54,864   5/3/0/0
7   Ruiterkamp, Arjen   9   56   57,1429   55,1615   5/3/0/0
8   Van Doesburg, Jos   9   51,3333   53,8462   53,8034   5/3/0/0
9   Drijvers, Richard   9   50,6667   50   53,3333   5/3/0/0
10   Froyen, Bart   9   42,6667   58,3333   44,2308   5/3/0/0
11   Leenaarts, Robrecht   7   46,6667   50   45,7676   5/2/1/0
12   De Rijk, Paul   6   60,4167   55,5556   55   4/2/0/0
13   van Etten, Bart   6   54,6667   46,1538   56,326   5/2/0/0
14   Patelski, Bram   6   49,3333   41,6667   46,2454   5/2/0/0
15   Bos, Arjan   6   46,6667   46,1538   47,4342   5/2/0/0
16   Van der Vaart, Martijn   3   56   38,4615   52,4709   5/1/0/0
17   Boere, Joren   3   52,7778   33,3333   51,4815   3/0/0/1
18   Van Rijn, Frank   3   50,6667   35,7143   52,9927   5/1/0/0
19   Kalf, Timo   3   47,9167   25   51,7361   4/1/0/0
20   Baauw, Dennis   0   48,1481   0   48,6111   3/0/0/0

Indeed very interesting.

Rich, Check Duck's Weekly 6

Won from Evouga with 2-1.

List:
3 Misty Rainforest
3 Polluted Delta
3 Island
2 Underground Sea
2 Tropical Island
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Black Lotus
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Ponder
4 Gush
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Timetwister
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Fastbond
4 Force of Will
3 Mental Misstep
2 Flusterstorm
1 Mindbreak Trap
2 Tormod's Crypt
3 Repeal
2 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Brain Freeze
1 Brainstorm
2 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Imperial Seal

SB: 3 Steel Sabotage
SB: 4 Xantid Swarm
SB: 2 Hurkyl's Recall
SB: 2 Ravenous Trap
SB: 1 Island
SB: 1 Tendrils of Agony
SB: 2 Dismember

Game 1: We play some draw go untill I play Gush, He Forces, I Ancestral Recall which resolves and Gush got countered. I could follow up with Fastbond quickly afterthat with Gush and Scrol in hand. Scroll gave me Mystical, Mystical gave me Will and when I casted will Evouga scooped to me.

I board 4 swarm and Tendrils because I did not yet see what he was playing.

Game 2: For some reason I sandback a Swarm but cannot stop him from oathing the turn before I could combo with will.

Game 3: We fight over each other threats and at one point we have both Top in play with me a Force and MM in hand, because of thjis I can control the game untill I find Mystical for will so I can combo with Tendrils.

Waiting for TD at the moment,

He informed me that he would be online today, but I can only contact him through PM.
If anybody knows him IRL then please say to him I am waiting for him in a game on cockatrice.

My list:

3 Misty Rainforest
3 Polluted Delta
3 Underground Sea
1 Tropical Island
3 Island
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mana Crypt
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Ponder
4 Gush
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Fastbond
4 Force of Will
1 Flusterstorm
2 Mindbreak Trap
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Sol Ring
3 Mental Misstep
4 Mystic Remora
2 Repeal
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Tinker
1 Blightsteel Colossus
1 Mana Drain
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Time Walk
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Snow-Covered Island
1 Gifts Ungiven
SB: 4 Leyline of the Void
SB: 2 Yixlid Jailer
SB: 1 Flusterstorm
SB: 1 Extirpate
SB: 2 Dismember
SB: 3 Hurkyl's Recall
SB: 2 Steel Sabotage

I will post my list tonight. Didn't know if it was is required.

If Everything goes according planning TD and I will play on Saterday or monday evening around 5.30 E US time.

In

2-0 for Zieby
First game due to a first turn tinker and the second game I had a first turn Fastbond with double Gush that gave me to much CA.

I am going to play The Wolf now on cockatrice.

Our game.
Duck's weekly: Password TMD

Nobody interested in playing some Vintage in the Netherlands?

would like to join, I am from Europe so It could be difficult to schedule the games.
But when arranged it should be no problem.