3CB Tournament #34 Results and Discussion + 3CB#35

[wonkey_donkey]

I’d like to congratulate Jacob Orlove and Pyromaniac as the winners of 3CB tournament #34
Some interesting decks this time around, including a disproportionately large amount of workshop-based decks. Was phenomenally close at the top, too!
There were no winners of the mise-prize.

The rules for this competition will be: Anything Goes!

Banned list:
Portal
Unglued
Black Lotus
Mesmeric Fiend
Blackmail
Chain of Smog
Hymn to Tourach
Cabal Therapy
Encroach
Mind Swords
Forget
Anvil of Bogarden
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Raze
The Rack
Wheel of Torture
Balance
Meddling Mage
Show and Tell
Isochron Scepter
Phrexian Dreadnaught
Lion's Eye Diamond
Evil Presence
Sea's Claim

Entrant – Deck Name – Deck

1. wonkey_donkey – Natural Blues – Hickory Woodlot, Tempting Wurm, Naturalize
2. Jacob Orlove – (No Name) – Mishra’s Workshop, Scalding Tongs, Ensnaring Bridge
3. Ephraim – Roadworks – Subterranean Hangar, Caustic Tar, Ensaring Bridge
4. combo_dude - <3sphere.dec – Mishra’s Workshop, Trinisphere, Steel Golem
5. Zelc – Zombie Mix: the new great-tasting smoothie – Underground Sea, Mind Bend, Sarcomancy
6. r_x_ - MUD.dec – Mishra’s Workshop, Metalworker, Smokestack
7. Pyromaniac – Mishra’s Workshop, Scalding Tongs, Ensnaring Bridge
8. Fastbond – Powdered Sentriments – City of Traitors, Powder Keg, Soldevi Sentry
9. Morefling – (No Name) – Mountain, Roc Hatchling, Roc Hatchling
10. Aapje - (No Name) – Plains, Savannah Lions, Swords to Plowshares
11. Setnakt –  (No Name) - Mishra’s Workshop, Mana Crypt, Leveler
12. Rozetta – Meep.dec – Mox Jet, Mishra’s Factory, Ravenous Rats
13. wette - (No Name) – Sand Silos, Avatar of Will, Avatar of Will
14. xrizzo – HowcanyoustopmeifIflyoveryou. dec – Hickory Woodlot, Channel, Platinum Angel
15. virtual – Hip Hippo Hurray – Irrigation Ditch, Pygmy Hippo, Force of Will
16. Lhyrrus – OMG I’m trying to be a stupid mizer.dec – City of Traitors, Sphere of Resistance, The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
17. Lockdown – TheUltimateMisePrize.dec – Mox Jet, Mishra’s Factory, Tendrils of Despair

How to read the table:
Match the deck# on the left with the deck # on top. Append a 1 for the last 7 decks. The #s on the right of that deck correspond to how many points that deck received versus the deck on top. (Once again append a 1 for the last 7. The 1's are missing to make the table more clear)

0   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7   Total
1| x 6 6 0 6 2 6 2 2 0 6 6 0 6 2 2 2     54
2| 0 x 0 6 6 2 3 2 6 6 6 2 6 2 2 6 4     59
3| 0 6 x 6 6 0 6 2 6 6 0 2 6 2 0 6 2     54
4| 6 0 0 x 6 2 0 4 6 3 0 4 6 6 6 2 4     55
5| 0 0 0 0 x 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 0     8
6| 2 2 6 2 2 x 2 2 2 0 0 0 6 6 2 2 4     40
7| 0 3 0 6 6 2 x 2 6 6 6 2 6 2 2 6 4     59
8| 2 2 2 1 6 2 2 x 0 2 6 2 0 0 2 6 4     39
9| 2 0 0 0 6 2 0 6 x 6 0 0 0 2 6 4 4     38
0| 6 0 0 3 6 6 0 2 0 x 6 0 6 6 2 4 4     51
1| 0 0 6 6 6 6 0 0 6 0 x 3 6 0 2 4 4     49
2| 0 2 2 1 6 6 2 2 6 6 3 x 2 6 6 6 2     58
3| 6 0 0 0 6 0 0 6 6 0 0 2 x 2 0 6 2     36
4| 0 2 2 0 6 0 2 6 2 0 6 0 2 x 2 2 2     34
5| 2 2 6 0 2 2 2 2 0 2 2 0 6 2 x 2 2     34
6| 2 0 0 2 1 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 2 x 0     14
7| 2 1 2 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 6 x     32

Final Standings:
1:   Jacob Orlove 59
                Pyromaniac
3:             Rozetta 58
4:             Ephraim 56
5:   combo_dude 55
6:             wonkey_donkey 54
7:   Aapje 51
8:   Setnakt 49
9:   r_x_ 40
10:   Fastbond 39
11:   MoreFling 38
12:   wette 36
13:   virtual 34
   xrizzo
15:   Lockdown 32
16:   Lhyrrus 14
17:   Zelc 8

At last! No need for second decks due to renewed interest. An interesting reaction to the metagame of last time, with a lot of workshop decks floating around (and doing well by all accounts). Extremely low-scoring this time, with the winning deck scoring just under 3.5 points per match. Again, combo_dude brought a strong deck but failed to make anything of it due to the workshop decks that he often couldn’t beat.

Please check results carefully, especially at the top end of the table – the top 6 places being covered by 4 points isn’t very common at this! I hope I got them all right though.

Still don’t think anything deserves the axe yet, but what do others think of this?
Please post corrections/discussions.

Tom

P.S. Best deck name poll to follow, but am a bit busy for the moment.

[wonkey_donkey]

3CB Tournament #35 Entry details

The rules for this competition will be: Anything Goes!

Banned list:
Portal
Unglued
Black Lotus
Mesmeric Fiend
Blackmail
Chain of Smog
Hymn to Tourach
Cabal Therapy
Encroach
Mind Swords
Forget
Anvil of Bogarden
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Raze
The Rack
Wheel of Torture
Balance
Meddling Mage
Show and Tell
Isochron Scepter
Phrexian Dreadnaught
Lion's Eye Diamond
Evil Presence
Sea's Claim


NB this is subject to change within 48hrs of first posting.

What is 3cb?

3-Card Blind (3CB) is a very unique game. The rules are as follows

Your deck is composed of 3 cards, all of which start in your hand.
You have no library (technically, the library exists, but starts at 0 cards) and no sideboard (Wishes fetch nothing).
Random effects always go in your opponent's favour.
You can see your opponent's hand, so you can always make the best possible play.
You don't lose as a result of not being able to draw a card.
You will play each opponent twice, once going first, once going second.
For each win, you score 3.
For each draw, you score 1.
For each lose, you get nothing.
Other than the aforementioned, EVERYTHING IS HANDLED EXACTLY LIKE A REAL GAME OF MAGIC!

To make an entry, PM your deck to me in the following format:

Subject: 3cb Tournament #35 Entry or 3cb Tournament#35 Revision
Deck Name
Card #1
Card #2
Card #3

Optional Deck discussion, random sucking up, etc.


I will calculate the first 20 entrants who I receive, or I'll close entries after a week. Get your entries in by 24th June and I'll calculate. As I said, the banned list may change within 48 hours of this post going up. After that, it stays as it is. This is not a reason to withold your decks, though - this is not a particuarly serious format! If something's broke, please fix it whilst we can!

From now on, once a tournament finishes, unless I post otherwise (for example to discuss a potential ban), each tournament will start immediately after the results of the previous one is posted. I assume that this is OK with everyone - if not, then let me know, either by PM or by posting here. The banned list is currently unchanged from the last tournament, and is so far likely to stay that way. 5th Dawn is still illegal.

Tom

[Jacob Orlove]

How do I get 4 against combo_dude? No matter what, I can get out tongs and bridge, at which point my tongs kill him (they depend on my hand size being small, not his). Trinisphere makes both my spells cost 3--exactly the amount shop produces.

edit: this obviously applies for pyromaniac as well.

Shame on most of you for forgetting about the ph34rsomeness that is ensnaring bridge!

[wonkey_donkey]

How do I get 4 against combo_dude? No matter what, I can get out tongs and bridge, at which point my tongs kill him (they depend on my hand size being small, not his). Trinisphere makes both my spells cost 3--exactly the amount shop produces.

edit: this obviously applies for pyromaniac as well.

Shame on most of you for forgetting about the ph34rsomeness that is ensnaring bridge!

I have absolutely no idea how you get 4 against combo_dude. Brain fart on my part, sorry. I'll fix it.

It seems we have new winners, then! Damn, I was really hoping someone would beat Jacob after that "show you all what a real 3CB deck looks like" post. Nothing personal, of course.    :lol:

Tom

[Jacob Orlove]

Damn, I was really hoping someone would beat Jacob after that "show you all what a real 3CB deck looks like" post. Nothing personal, of course.  :P  :lol:

Tom

Well, I was hoping people would rise to the challenge. At least next time some people may be ready for bridge decks.

[combo_dude]

I just forgot about Scalding Tongs. I first entered Workshop/Bridge/Pauper's Cage instead.

Then I realised that if they played no cards, I couldn't win.

So I switched. Not a great deck in a field of Workshop decks, but pretty convincing against everything else.

[thorme]

How does #8 Fastbond not go 6-0 vs #16 Lhyrrus?  No matter who goes first or what Lhyrrus plays, Fastbond drops the Sentry, proceeds to pay the upkeep and put a regen shield on it every turn, and swing for 20 turns.

I've always been a fan of Sentry-Keg ever since I used it back in one of the original 3CBs.

[wonkey_donkey]

How does #8 Fastbond not go 6-0 vs #16 Lhyrrus?  No matter who goes first or what Lhyrrus plays, Fastbond drops the Sentry, proceeds to pay the upkeep and put a regen shield on it every turn, and swing for 20 turns.

I've always been a fan of Sentry-Keg ever since I used it back in one of the original 3CBs.

Because I was being stupid again - I realised the regeneration shield could go up, but I thought that it would tap the sentry. Oops.

Sorry about the necessity for corrections, has been a very hectic week with lots of exams. Pretty much over now though.

Tom

[Lockdown]

I think I should get a half-mizeprize.  I mean, after all, I'm the only person who didn't lose 6-0 a single time.  Oh and xrizzo, that's not cool, stealing my deck from the last one   . Just kidding, use whatever you like.

[Jacob Orlove]

I think I should get a half-mizeprize.  I mean, after all, I'm the only person who didn't lose 6-0 a single time.  Oh and xrizzo, that's not cool, stealing my deck from the last one  :x . Just kidding, use whatever you like.

Using other people's decks is what 3CB is all about. The point is to predict the metagame. I certainly didn't invent bridge, but it was definitely the right call this time. I'll be playing something else at the next tournament, most likely, but people should still play bridge-based decks. They're an important part of the metagame. Likewise for Channel-Plat Angel, I suppose.

[xrizzo]

I think I should get a half-mizeprize.  I mean, after all, I'm the only person who didn't lose 6-0 a single time.  Oh and xrizzo, that's not cool, stealing my deck from the last one   . Just kidding, use whatever you like.

I actually had no idea you played it last time.  I missed #33 -- and I actually introduced angel into the format the first time she was legal!  

Never-the-less, this was an even format, but too much concentration in workshop based decks.  Just to modify the metagame next time, I would like to see people play artifacts without workshop's acceleration...

[wonkey_donkey]

As I only have 9 entries, I am now accepting second decks. The 15-deck rule still applies, however, in that were I to get 6 more "first decks" then they would not be entered. Shame the popularity's dropped again, but never mind.

Send Away!

Tom

[theorigamist]

Okay, I PMed my entry.  I'm in the 3cb for the first time.  Seriously, there are some cards you guys are ignoring that you shouldn't be.  The deck I entered for the next one would have gotten 76 pionts in that last tournament.  Oh well, I'll have to settle with winning the next one.

<3 unfounded trash talk.

[wonkey_donkey]

Thankyou to everyone who sent second decks, but I'm afraid I'm not going to put them in the tournament now that we have 15 different entrants. I hope there's no-one left too disappointed by this.

Results go up in about 24 hours - still time for entries to come in!

Tom

[xrizzo]

As I only have 9 entries, I am now accepting second decks. The 15-deck rule still applies, however, in that were I to get 6 more "first decks" then they would not be entered. Shame the popularity's dropped again, but never mind.

Send Away!

Tom

I propose starting the next 3CB tourney exactly 2 weeks after this one closes... last time, we had only one week - and I found it to be not enough time...  

I really feel there is a lot of tech out there for this tourney, and I wasn't able to discover it, so I went an alternate route...

[wonkey_donkey]

As I only have 9 entries, I am now accepting second decks. The 15-deck rule still applies, however, in that were I to get 6 more "first decks" then they would not be entered. Shame the popularity's dropped again, but never mind.

Send Away!

Tom

I propose starting the next 3CB tourney exactly 2 weeks after this one closes... last time, we had only one week - and I found it to be not enough time...  

I really feel there is a lot of tech out there for this tourney, and I wasn't able to discover it, so I went an alternate route...

Do you mean open the entries 1 week after the results come out for the previous tournament? That would make more sense, but it does leave every other week where there's no tournament going on, which seems a shame as it's only a few minutes work for me and a few seconds for others. I'll give everyone 3 days between tournaments or something, see how that goes.

Tom

[xrizzo]

Let me explain in more detail:
3CB #35 entry period ends Thursday, June 24
3CB #36 entry period is June 24-July 8

3CB #35 results are posted June X (however long it takes to calculate them)

Basically, you would have 26 deadlines each year-- every two weeks.  Depending on how long it takes to calculate and post the results from the previous 3CB, a typical user will have anywhere from 5-14 days to think about the new format, come up with a deck, and submit...

I am open to other suggestions - I just wanted to throw this one out there.

[wonkey_donkey]

Let me explain in more detail:
3CB #35 entry period ends Thursday, June 24
3CB #36 entry period is June 24-July 8

3CB #35 results are posted June X (however long it takes to calculate them)

Basically, you would have 26 deadlines each year-- every two weeks.  Depending on how long it takes to calculate and post the results from the previous 3CB, a typical user will have anywhere from 5-14 days to think about the new format, come up with a deck, and submit...

I am open to other suggestions - I just wanted to throw this one out there.

Time to calculate the results is no problem - I do most of them as I get the entries, so I don't need to do it all in one go. The thing that takes time is getting the post ready so it can go up   .

That sounds reasonable, though, if everyone's happy with a 2-week deadline. Is certainly worth a try, at any rate. It keeps the pressure off me to get the results out on the day, too, as it literally can take up to an hour to type it all out. It also gives enough time for trash-talking, of which there is not nearly enough  :lol:   .

Tom

[combo_dude]

That's probably better as you can afford to bugger off on holiday for a week or so and there's still no pressure on you.

Not that there should be - I'm happy to take over if you need a break at some point. I think that any of the other players with a couple of hours or so on their hands should feel the same way, frankly - we're getting a huge service here.

Sorry if that wasn't trashy enough.

[wonkey_donkey]

Sorry if that wasn't trashy enough.

I meant more along the lines of Jacob's "Real 3CB Deck" comment for the last tournament, but not to worry.

Well, we'll try that unless I have any votes to the contrary.

Tom

[combo_dude]

Sorry if that wasn't trashy enough.

I meant more along the lines of Jacob's "Real 3CB Deck" comment for the last tournament, but not to worry.

Well, we'll try that unless I have any votes to the contrary.

Tom

And there was a certain hint of sarcasm that went a little way over your head, but again not to worry. :lol:

Plus, given you're running the thing, it would seem odd to have to do it at some other person's convenience...

[wonkey_donkey]

ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED.

Will get a post up for the next tournament ASAP, but for now there won't be any bannings.

Tom