GroAtog Takes 1st and 2nd: Kentucky Lotus Tourney

[Smmenen]

A report will be forthcoming.  But I won the Kentucky Lotus tournament with GroAtog  and with my friend Paul who also played it.  Second prize was a nice Sapphire.  

The field included:
2 TnT
2 Keeper (one piloted by Trey van Cleave - not a good man)
1 Hulk Smash Tog
2 GroAtog (me and Paul)
1 Mask (one of our crew as well)

Steve Menendian\n\n

[Zherbus]

Like I've been saying, get those wins in now! People won't catch on to this as a serious deck to beat unless they read the boards or lose to it enough.

Trends 4L!

Anyways, I'm looking forward to the report.

[Gilindon]

Congrats Steve!  Your deck was awesome and Groatog just blew away the field.  You just had that one little hang-up with Demonic Consultation  

Next time I see you we have to play that game and see how the much improved TNT fares.

And for anyone thinking about straight R/G TNT, I highly recommend against it.  It just was not explosive enough.  Add the blue or pay the consequences.  I might submit a very abridged report as well.

[Saucemaster]

So did GroAtog get paired against TnT?  I'm interested to see how that matchup plays--I'd assume it's in TnT's favor, but it's hard to know by how much.  Looking forward to the reports!

[urza's child]

Quote (Saucemaster @ Feb. 09 2003,17:00)So did GroAtog get paired against TnT?  I'm interested to see how that matchup plays--I'd assume it's in TnT's favor, but it's hard to know by how much.  Looking forward to the reports!

As a fellow Gro/Tog player myself I think I can speak on this issue. Its not a HORRIBLE matchup, I'd say around 60/40 (pre sideboard) and about 70/30 after, maybe a little different. You just HAVE TO COUNTER THEIR SURVIVALS, and then second priority is welder. You really need an awesome hand in the matchup, especiall in my area that runs 3 Main Deck Blood Moon, which are the root of all evil. Its the worst matchup for Gro/Tog IMO, but thats just me. Probably followed by something like WW or mask, not sure about that though

[Smmenen]

Most people naturally and logically assume that TnT is the natural and clear favorite here.  That is an abvious and fair assumption, but it is wrong.  

My playtest group, the tournament results, and others I know who actually have extensively tested this matchup concur that the GroAtog is dominant versus TnT.  This isn't Chapin Gro where TnT runs the deck over.  

Steve\n\n

[bebe]

This just flies in the face of our results in Toronto where TnT rolled Gro-a-Tog  ( mind you it was my only game loss ).
I think it depends on the TnT version you run and what Tog Wishes for. I am going to keep some of my sideboard to myself for now, but two of the TnT players came prepared for
Tog and Zherbus' version is very bad for Tog as well. I mean our results were the opposite -

3 TnT top four
1 Landkill
0 Gro-a-Tog

Perhaps Smmenen you are clearly a better player? TnT is bad in the wrong hands ( witness Rakso's report against an inexperienced player ).

But congratulations on the win. All the more impressive if you beat TnT.

[MoreFling]

Maybe the TnT Player steve faces isn't experienced with the matchup, and probably isn't packing the needed tech either (like bouncer).

[Smmenen]

We did alot of testing with Bouncer and even Gilded Drakes.

I'd imagine that the black version does much better.  I trust our results becuase I know how competent the players we tested against were.  Some of the games were very close - but Berserk was often the game breaker.

But don't trust me, test for yourselves.

Steve\n\n

[MoreFling]

Steve, it's not that we don't believe you, but I also had other testing results then the tournament show. Regardless, it was a great win you pulled off, and am looking forward to a detailed report from you (if you are writing it?)

[Anonymous]

Even with limited testing my R/G version took the upperhand from this deck, just ask RolandB and the other big enthuisiasts of this deck. Even without the blue and black tech I found that Gro-a-Tog has trouble with quick beats or an early Survival. Also Colossus simply dominated in this matchup.

[Smmenen]

Roland plays Daze - I think the three basic counterspells are very important.

Steve