Eudemonia P9 Sapphire GushStanza! Flash/Gat Split!

[LotusHead]

22 People. A Mox. A Mission.

Top 8:

Michael Klemic GAT vs David (Webster) Ochoa GAT (Web wins)


Luis Scott-Vargas (GAT) vs Vincent (Brainiac7) Something  (Vincent wins)


Jeff (JeffTheFob) Huang (Hulk Flash) vs Marco Bereno (I think) WUB Fishy
This was the best pic I got. That is Fob in his jersey Tshirt versus Marco.



Me (LotusHead) SlapJack 2K7, OK, BobBomberman vs Brett Allen GAT w/REBx3MD and Fire/Ice AND ETW!!!FTW!!one!Eleven!!1
This was game 2. He sided in Stifle and that made me lose. Doh!

Ochoa Beat Brett in Top 4
Jeff beat Vincent in Top 4
Ochoa and Jeff split Congrats to both.

As per usual, I will update this initial thread within the hour for the 4000+ pics I took and my own mini-report. (ok, it was only about 40 pics, but that is pretty cool, yes? And I finally made top 8 this season! Whoot!

Stay tuned!

Lists!

1st Place David Ochoa
4 Brainstorm
4 Gush
2 Opt
4 Merchant Scroll
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brain Freeze
1 Cunning Wish
1 Echoing Truth
1 Fire//Ice
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Time Walk
4 Force of Will
2 Misdirection
2 Mana Drain
4 Duress
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
3 Quirion Dryad
1 Fastbond
1 Regrowth
1 Psychatog
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
3 Tropical Island
3 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island
1 Island

2nd Place Jeff Huang
4 Brainstorm
4 Flash
4 Merchant Scroll
4 Force of Will
2 Misdirection
3 Pact of Negation
2 Daze
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
3 Summoner's Pact
4 Protean Hulk
4 Virulent Sliver
1 Heart Sliver
1 Elvish Spirit Guide
1 Black Lotus
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
4 Polluted Delta
3 Flooded Strand
2 Tropical Island
2 Underground Sea
1 Island

3rd Place Brett Allen
4 Force of Will
4 Brainstorm
2 Misdirection
1 Daze
1 Echoing Truth
4 Gush
1 Cunning Wish
3 Merchant Scroll
2 Mana Drain
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
2 Repeal
1 Mystical Tutor
3 Quirion Dryad
1 Fastbond
1 Regrowth
1 Fire//Ice
3 Pyroblast
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Demonic Tutor
3 Polluted Delta
3 Flooded Strand
2 Island
3 Volcanic Island
1 Underground Sea
3 Tropical Island
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Black Lotus

4th Place Vince Stevenson

4 Duress
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Cabal Ritual
1 Imperial Seal
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Dark Ritual
1 Necropotence
1 Vampiric Tutor
4 Doomsday
3 Street Wraith
1 Fastbond
1 Research//Development
1 Mind's Desire
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Time Walk
4 Brainstorm
1 Misdirection
1 Ancestral Recall
3 Gush
4 Force of Will
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Lotus Petal
2 Flooded Strand
2 Tropical Island
1 Swamp
1 Island
1 Snow-Covered Island
4 Polluted Delta
2 Underground Sea

5th Place Luis Scott-Vargas
4 Brainstorm
4 Gush
2 Opt
4 Merchant Scroll
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brain Freeze
1 Cunning Wish
1 Echoing Truth
1 Fire//Ice
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Time Walk
4 Force of Will
2 Misdirection
2 Mana Drain
4 Duress
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
3 Quirion Dryad
1 Fastbond
1 Regrowth
1 Psychatog
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
3 Tropical Island
3 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island
1 Island

6th Place Michael Klemic
2 Flooded Strand
2 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
3 Polluted Delta
3 Tropical Island
3 Underground Sea
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Fastbond
1 Psychatog
4 Quirion Dryad
1 Demonic Tutor
3 Duress
4 Merchant Scroll
1 Regrowth
1 Time Walk
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brain Freeze
4 Brainstorm
1 Cunning Wish
1 Echoing Truth
4 Force of Will
4 Gush
3 Mana Drain
2 Misdirection
1 Mystical Tutor
2 Opt
1 Vampiric Tutor

7th Place Marco Barreno
4 Dark Confidant
4 Meddling Mage
2 Aven Mindcensor
2 Jotun Grunt
4 Force of Will
4 Brainstorm
4 Duress
4 Daze
2 Extirpate
1 Swords to Plowshares
1 Echoing Truth
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
4 Underground Sea
3 Tundra
3 Polluted Delta
2 Flooded Strand
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald

8th Place Jeff Neilson
Slapjack 2K7
1 Ancient Tomb
3 Flooded Strand
3 Polluted Delta
1 Tolarian Academy
3 Tundra
3 Underground Sea
2 Island
1 Swamp
1 Plains
3 Auriok Salvagers
2 Aven Mindcensor
4 Dark Confidant
4 Trinket Mage
1 Dimir Guildmage
1 Aether Spellbomb
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Black Lotus
4 Brainstorm
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Engineered Explosives
4 Force of Will
1 Mana Crypt
4 Mana Drain
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Sol Ring
1 Time Walk
1 Timetwister
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Vampiric Tutor


Sneak Peak:




JeffTheFob's average opening hand... Doh!








The lone Stax Player vs Gush.World.dec

Me vs Morgan, Storm.Scroll.Dec before I die. He Forced my Drain pitching Misdirection to protect his Bargain. Doh!

Marco Vs Ipod.Stax.dec

NateDizzle and his Imperial Seal Proxy, can I get an A-Men!!! Whoot!

Vincent vs Junior's Crypt. Who will win?
(Hint: Vincent made top 4, Junior didn't make top 8)

Klemic Vs Brett (Gat on Gat action)

PyroBlast, ETW Maindeck? WTF? Doh!


JeffTheFob's Slivers versus the combo of CellPhone AND Tormod's Crypt!!!one!!one!!eleven1!!!

Nate's Crypt and Duress vs Vincent. Vincent made top 8, Nate didn't. Doh!

Vincent's Lotus Proxy (in progress) Cool so far!

Webster has green men turning sideways to Vegetta2711's Ophidian that is in the graveyard, yet, Ochoa doesn't have to reduce himself to playing Tropical Islands, yet.

Der Furor VonKlemic giving the Ultimate Solution to Bomberman's Plan! Turn 1 Fastbond, Lotus, Brokenness. I don't know if Klemic ever actually used the Lotus. It was just there, all Beta-like. Waiting.

Uh...I don't know what is going on here.
That's all for now untill I post the next 20ish pics.

Enjoy!

Vincent getting Pwned by a Duress


Junior vs the one Stax Guy


I wouldn't mess with this Ranger guy....



Junior and his Army of 7 vs the Sundering Titan with Flux on the field: What now, Biatch?

Junior vs Morgan's Storm.

Morgan, desparatly trying to find the kill in turn 4 of extra turns!!!


That's Yawgoth's Will, resolved, on the left of the screen. Web wins this...


Fastbond resolves, Ancestral on the Stack, FOW in Hand. Web wins this.


I only had a few brief glimpses of Jeff's games vs Vincent.  Both seemed like this. Whaaaaaah! Sniff.
(this is Misd'd Ancestral hurt kinda pain, kick in the gnad's, tears of deep set hurt/pain/ouch.


Thinkin Games.


Web Opts for Smother #2.

Lists will be added within a few days. (I have to wait for Eudemonia to make them availiable. Be patient)

[Addolorisi]

I see a lot of gushes and dryads in those pics. 

Edit: I thought I typed this out, but apparently I'm just tired.

Any chance of a meta breakdown?

Oh, and pictures make these threads win, though for some reason after a certain number of pics my browser stops trying and just repeats the bottom edge of the last picture all the way down, making for difficult reading. 

[pyr0ma5ta]

As I predicted, many dryads, and many Hulks.  I would have destroyed this field had I been there.

[LotusHead]

GAT with MD/r GUSH Hate
GAT
Sliver Flash
GAT
GAT
Fish
DoomDay
GAT
PatLam.dec ???
ScrollStorm
BobBomerman
GAT
Fish
??? Robert G?
??? Flavio ???
GAT
Belcher

At least 1 Stax
0 Oath (doh!)


That's 17 of 22. No really really crappy decks from what I saw

[Webster]

Any chance of a meta breakdown, or decklists?

Decklists can be found here in the "Latest P9 Deck Lists" results section for the "Mox Sapphire"; unfortunately, the sideboards are not listed.


Meta breakdown was (roughly):

22 participants:
2 flash
1 ritual gifts (sans plural)
2 belcher
1 stax
1 TPS/grim long
2 UWB fish
1 doomsday
1 bomberman (aka slapjack 2k7)
11 GAT

It's possible that there were 1-2 other decks that I missed because I'm assuming that the remaining field was GAT.

Top 8:
4 GAT
1 doomsday
1 flash
1 UWB fish
1 bomberman


Here is the list that I used:

Maindeck:
4 Brainstorm
4 Gush
2 Opt
4 Merchant Scroll
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brain Freeze
1 Cunning Wish
1 Echoing Truth
1 Fire/Ice
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Time Walk
4 Force of Will
2 Misdirection
2 Mana Drain
4 Duress
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
3 Quirion Dryad
1 Fastbond
1 Regrowth
1 Psychatog
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Flooded Strand
2 Polluted Delta
3 Tropical Island
3 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island
1 Island

Sideboard:
1 Berserk
1 Blue Elemental Blast
2 Red Elemental Blast
1 Fire/Ice
2 Smother
2 Oxidize
1 Energy Flux
1 Pithing Needle
4 Leyline of the Void

I was goldfishing with Smennen's list but I wasn't terribly happy with it so I switched to a mix of what Mon, Goblin Chief (Carsten B Kotter of team CAB) used at Coup de France (June 24) and of what Rich Shay used at Myriad Games (July 1). I liked the more controling element that was present in the latter lists which is why I settled on playing a variation of those decks (three dryads, mana drains). I was not at all happy with the sideboards used from anywhere so I combined a few ideas, discussed, theorized, trimmed the corners, and put in some leylines because I figured that I'd rather have leyline against flash than jailer, needle, and crypt which doesn't do much of anything in the matchup especially if the sliver kill is being used over the kiki-jiki/karmic guide kill. The pithing needle was the last card added. I never had a relevant matchup where it would come in.

The maindeck was good. I figured that four duress and two mana drain would be better than three of each because there isn't too much bomberman present right now (not more than two people playing it at most) which ended up being correct. The fire/ice was put in over the third opt in case the recent talk of URBana fish caused a surge in popularity which was not the case; it was still good for me in my match against UWB fish because I cast it in both games. Three dryads were fine with the brain freeze serving as the alternate kill which I used in one game. I wouldn't really make many changes to the maindeck list if I had to play it again.

The sideboard was ok. I never played against workshops so the oxidizes and flux never got used. The same applies to the leylines and pithing needle because I never played against ichorid, flash, or one of the two belcher decks present (they lost rather quickly).


I played against:
Round 1: UWB fish, win 2-0
Round 2: concede to Luis (LSV)
Round 3: UR phid, win 2-0
Round 4: ritual gifts, win 2-0
Round 5: ID
Top 8: GAT, win 2-0
Top 4: GAT, win 2-0
Top 2: split with Fob (JefftheFob)

Real Matches: 5-0    Games: 10-0

GAT is quite a good deck (suprise!) and if I had the decision of choosing a deck to play at the tournament again, GAT would be one of the two.

Unfortunately I won't be able to make it to the next tournament as I will be out of town.

[pyr0ma5ta]

Pat was also Flash.  Grats on breaking through, finally, LotusHead.  Took you long enough this season, sheesh.  And this time you did it without Workshops; for shame!  I like the comment about Web not playing Trops.  Heh, that guy's a monster, he just always has the right cards.  Against a deck with Wastes, he fetches the basic Island and OBVIOUSLY has the green mox.  How lucky skillful.  And that picture with him resolving a Yawgmoth's Will turn...I see an Ancestral and 4 Gushes in the yard.  Sadly, Fastbond is RFG(?), but that dryad is getting mighty big this turn...

[LotusHead]

Sadly, Fastbond is RFG(?), but that dryad is getting mighty big this turn...

Web Iced that Fastbond! Lol! He drew a card!

[jeffthefob]

Hehe, first off, Josh's (Veggie) actually posted something regarding Eudo which can be found: http://www.themanadrain.com/index.php?topic=33611.0 Some cool stuffs.

This had been a freaking amazing weekend for me.  I played in FNM, won and got some foils that "stops" goblins from running wild. Then decide to play what I think is the "Fish" deck in block right now (u/g aggro).  After wining a freaking 71 man GPT with a "Fish" deck I decide to play another deck that also starts with "F."

............Flash

First off, I love Fish with a fucking passion.  It fits my style, like completely.  I have a lot of fun playing Fish.  But honestly, I think Fish right now isn't a good enough of a deck.  Jotun Grunts are always decent as always, but my 2 favorite white creatures in Fish: Aven Mindcensor and Meddling Mage are just... T_T (<--- a face with tears!) They get Massacred, Mindcensor is just waaaaaay tooooo slooooow while Mages can't stop enough cards.  I don't mind playing Fish against GAT to be honest, but.... yeah.... I no longer feel 100% comfortable and confident playing Fish like I once was.

Secondly, I test with Web/Luis on FNM.  I played my own modified version of urbana fish, it has positive games agianst GAT.  I actually "frustrated" Luis into say, "I am not playing against Waterfront Bouncers."  I won't forget everyone staring at me and gave me a "WTF" look at the control magic I was holding, even casting.  Most of the bystanders just laugh and scoff at me (in my view) for even playing a deck like that.  I would love to prove them wrong on Sunday, and was about to play my own version of Urbana Fish.  

Until I tested against Web against Flash.  Okay, I cut Chalices, which was a huge piece against Flash according to MoxLotus and Kobefan on the newest Urbana Fish thread.  But from reading Kowol's report and evaluating Chalice, I came to the conclusion that Chalice is jsut not a good card in Eudo's meta.  (After all, constructed is all out your OWN meta) I played 6 games against Web, I got turn 1'ed twice and rest are turn 2'ed.  It was sad times.  Played couple post board games.... oh god, it was sad.  A combination of bad hand and not able to start off with Leyline (I have 2 Serum Powders) I just sort of gave up tuning Urbana Fish.  

Oh, minor note, don't leave your cards at friends' place, ever.  Sometime they might be gone and you think their housemates are there, but they aren't.  Then you end up like a sad fob like me with NO access to cards.  So, at this point, I am like... okay, I am almost for sure going to play.... Flash.

Another "minor" note.  The GPT started at 3pm, but because of 70 ppl, delayed till... 4pm to start.  And I said to my friends that top 8'ing is a "curse and a bless."  Bless: good prize and byes at GP.  Curse: 3pm + 7 rd. + top 8, do some math.  Though I was forunate with win a box and 3 byes... oh god, 4 hours of sleep was not enough for me to operate any control deck.  Flash.... Flash is just Flash... derf derf derf

So, I ended up playing Fiash.  Web provided me an improved list with Becker's manabase.  After a quick tutorial with Web, and we were off!

Eudo was quite sad this time of year IMO.... Mox Sapphire, only 22 ppl showed up.  Yeah... oh well.  This is their 3rd year doing this... but whatever....22 ppl ^^"

Oh, the report section is going to suck DI.  Seriously, because I don't write notes... (the previous tourney reports with Fish I actually wrote down life changes, so I was able to remember what happened) I was considering just winning die rolls and NOT care about life because I am not going to like, deal 20 damage to them.  I have a pen and paper for: writing 10 hash marks and duress'ed informations.  

Rd 1.  Vince with Doomsday.
G1- I went off turn 2 with counter up, he had one FoW which wasn't enough.
G2- He Leylined and duress'ed.  I counter Duress and bounce Leyline turn 1, go off with counter up turn 2.

At this point, my mind is like: Nice.  Deck.  Fob.  Being a sack is working out.

Rd 2.  Some nice with GAT.
G1- He duress'ed me (GOD DAMN! NO DURESS PLZ!!!!!111one), taking Merchant Scroll.  But 2 turns later, my Brainstorm + Pact got me there.  It was turn 3 kill I believe.
G2- He mull'ed I believe and got a point where he have no cards and tried to Ice my lotus petal.... so I sac'ed it and cast a mystical tutor getting Flash.  And Hyper Flash Chopped him to death, man, 3rd Strike was a fun game :-p

Rd 3. Someone 1-1 with Workshop.
G1- Turn 1 Tri-sphere.  This is when I normally rant on, but I am playing Flash...
G2- Turn 2 Flash with counter.
G3- A game with some details.  So I kept a hand with: FoW x2, sac. land x2, irl. blue card, brainstorm, and CoV.  His hand was the WEAK, and I think I can draw it out.  But I drew dead for like 2 turns (didn't find much with brainstorm) and we are sort of on topdeck mode except I entered the cheat code to give me 2 freebies.  He resolved a sphere of resistance which was irl. because I had mana up.  I countered CotW and the Weilder he ripped the turn after.  At this time I was like, crap, I am out of counters and only with hulk in hand.  Then he topdecked another Weilder... ~~~>.<~~~ ( a sad face with tear flowing!!!!) But being the sack I am, I ripped merchant scroll and was about to scroll for flash, and another hyper combo finish :-p

Rd 4. LSV with GAT.
Chur.

Rd 5. Chur, does it matter?
ID.

Top 8 was: U/W/B Fish, 4x GAT, Bomberman, Flash, Zoomsday.

Quarters: Marco with Fish.
Game 1- I don't think I fash combo'ed him out, but I was successfully to go off.  My apologies.  Oh, I mis-d'ed an ancestral recall, ^___^
Game 2- He mulled, but started off with Leyline and turn 2 bob.  At this stage I resolved an Ancestral Recall... and I had enough gas to go off with counter up.  So I Massacred his Bob (he have 3 cards in hand), and preparing to go off next turn.  His turn, he played a land... and passed.  So I Flash, he Mindcensor, I FoW, he FoW.  Oh 911.  Nice 3 cards.... Then the game got into kind of a stalemate (TOPDECK!) where I cast a poison sliver against his Mindcensor.  He topdecked a Brainstorm but didn't play anything.  I also savagely ripped (like how Veggie described) a second sliver and is starting to make hash marks ^_^  He then cast a dork which I FoW'ed (ripped the turn before as well).  Then the mighty sliver took down a flying bird.  And his other comrade was able to disable Marco from walking out from an African swamp

Semi: Vince (again) with Zoomsday.
G1: I turned 2 him with counter...
G2: I mis-d'ed his Ancestral Recall, he FoW, I FoW'ed back.  Then I ripped Merchant Scroll a turn later (one of many outs I have) and.... yeah... Flash!
Sorry Vince, our games were just..... >_< Our average turn was below 2 fosho... I appreciated it when you said you enjoy playing against me.

Finals: Websters.
"I came to play." And I lost as I didn't even sit down for the match.

So from reviewing, it seemed my plan worked.  Being a lucksack.  But honestly, I think there is more than that.  The deck is designed to have this kind of game.  Which kind of good and suck at same time.... On my ride back with LSV we were like, "playing agianst Flash is like asking the question, 'do you have 2x counters?'" Some absurd thing can come from this deck, it is certainly true.  It is good, it got game, that is for sure.  But I wouldn't just jump to the conclusion that this deck is the NUTS.  I sort of did that until thinking and talking about it with Luis and Web post tourney.  Despite winning the tourney with it, I dislike this deck.  I just dislike how Vintage is right now... I don't know why, it is just me.  And what do I know ^^" Anyways, I am kind of tired, although this paragraph seems awkward, I might just elaborate on it later....

Props:
1.) The #1 Go-To-Guy in Cheon-tourage; for helping out my deck list, giving me cards (for both days ^^), testing with me, and being a good company.  I came to play, but I guess I can make an exception ^^
2.) Lotushead for trying to take pictures of my games, but all of them ended in a..... Flash.... -_-||| Well, it really did...
3.) Vince.  Cutting and shuffling my deck.  Please shuffle my deck in the near future; poor Asian needs a Lotus to support his family  JkJkJk.  ^_^
4.) Josh for showing up and not working xD.  Though we should go play PIU instead of this ^^

Slops:
1.) 72 man GPT starting at 4pm.  Oh wait... Nevermind.

Night all.  

[Webster]

Sadly, Fastbond is RFG(?), but that dryad is getting mighty big this turn...

Web Iced that Fastbond! Lol! He drew a card!

I set up the play of:

merchant scroll for mystical tutor
mystical tutor for yawgmoth's will
cunning wish for fire/ice
ice targeting my fastbond
yawgmoth's will for the game

I couldn't ice one of Mike's permanents (fetchland, underground sea, tropical island) because I knew he had gush in hand; fastbond was the best target because, quite frankly, I don't remember the last time I saw a tapped enchantment in type 1.

[LSV]

I also played GAT, despite some wariness on my part. I was somewhat concerned about this strategy of "attacking" with cheap creatures. The presence of Psychatog did its part to convince me, as clearly attacking with Psychatog doesn't count as playing aggro.  I even won 2 games off the Tog. Since Webster and I collaborated as usual, most of his comments are spot on. Im still a little suspicious of Opt, as it seems like a Vintage deck should have more powerful options, considering we do have access to literally every card ever made. That being said, Opt did its job well enough, pitching to Force and Mis-D as well as doing a little digging and possibly some growing.

My brief tournament report:

Round 1 vs Kevin Schambers, UB tendrils /w Tinker for Platinum Angel.
Both games went similarly: He mulled to 6 and 5, we both cast various disruption spells, I drew more cards. Game 1 the Drains were really good, stranding Platz and Necro in his hand (he saw the Drains via Duress).

Round 2 vs David Ochoa, GAT
He concedes and we go eat lunch shortly thereafter, as Jeffthefob wins in like 4 minutes. Flash is a real nice deck.

Round 3 vs Marco Barreno, UWB fish.
Game 1 I draw Berserk on turn 2. Awesome. Call the judge, game loss, etc (Berserk was a sideboard card, I played the exact list web did)
Game 2 is mostly decided when I Delta and he Mindcensors. Luckily, I hit a Trop and cast the Tog, eating him shortly.
Game 3 we end up empty handed, with my Tog staring down his Meddling Mage. He draws Mystical Tutor for Swords, nicely complementing the Misdirection I just drew.

Round 4 and 5 ID

Top 8 vs Vince (brainiac7) w Doomsday

Game 1 I stall on 1 land for a few turns, Brainstorming each turn. I do eventually find a second land, and Ancestral with Force backup. A Dryad comes down, and I Scroll up Drain to stop the Doomsday from occuring.

Game 2 Xantid Swarm makes me burn a Force, and Vince resolves a Necro. As usual, the power of the skull is unbeatable.

Game 3 I think I am looking good after Duressing Vince and leaving his hand as Xantid x2, Force x2, with Trop and Underground in play. His next two draws are Doomsday and Ritual, while I am convieniently covered in bees.

I was pretty happy with GAT, although as Web noted the SB didnt get used much. As usual, Eudo and the HJ Ryan ran an awesome event. Like Web said, we will both be missing the Ancestral unfortunately, so be back for the Twister I guess.

-Luis

[pyr0ma5ta]

Sadly, Fastbond is RFG(?), but that dryad is getting mighty big this turn...

Web Iced that Fastbond! Lol! He drew a card!

I set up the play of:

merchant scroll for mystical tutor
mystical tutor for yawgmoth's will
cunning wish for fire/ice
ice targeting my fastbond
yawgmoth's will for the game

I couldn't ice one of Mike's permanents (fetchland, underground sea, tropical island) because I knew he had gush in hand; fastbond was the best target because, quite frankly, I don't remember the last time I saw a tapped enchantment in type 1.

Wow.  You win, sir.  A lot.

[LotusHead]

Lists are up in original post, but no SB yet.

LotusHead's Tourney Report:

After my disastrous 0-2 start, 4-2 finish with a LAME sideboard of a NetDeck Bomberman list, Austin built a quickie SlapJack2K7 (ok, BobBomberman) prototype, that stayed true within say, 3 cards for my last 3 weeks of testing/obsessing.  My local shop closed during this time, so no easy "place to hang out and play FNM and test T1" anymore.  It's all goldfishing and MWS testing. (sigh). It gets worse.

I am broke.  This tourney came too soon after the last one, and in the beginning months of Summer, my income is low.

I had seriously, just enough money to put gas in the car to go to work and back till the middle of the month, and eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and drink water untill payday.  Oddly enough, I always have money for a pack of cigs. Wierd how that works out, huh?

It's 1AM before the tourney, and I get a call from Junior who finally got his myspace message that I won't be able to make it to the tourney and I am sad.

He asks me what is wrong with my car, and I say, it has no Gas in it, and it costs $4 toll to come back from Berkely.  If he wants to go, he will have to come up with $15 to pay for gas AND toll, and even so, I would have to beg people for tourney entry fee once I get there to play (as I don't even have tourney entry fee), but if I can't play, I would be happy to cover the tournament.

4AM: Junior gives the confirmation that he has the gas money, the toll money, and his own entry fee.  We are on. (Austin actually did the family thing, as the tourney was nowhere near certain). I was to pick up Junior outside of the local shop in his town at 9:30am, so we would be at Eudemonia by 10:15 so I could hustle up some cash.

At say, 10:15, still no Junior, and the owner of the local shop pulled up to open his store. After finding out where Junior actually lives (yes, my cellphone is off until I can pay my bills!), we set off at 10:30am for the 30 minute trip to Berkely for the 11:00am tourney.

We show up at 11:05.

Daniel Something is having a smoke outside the shop, so he is my first hustle.
He commits $5 for tradebinder crap, IF I can get the other 20.

Inside the store, Kevin Schambers (I know I misspelled that one) is my next mark. He is willing to commit $5 too. 2 Minutes into the mission, and I have $10 available.

Pat Lam overheard my dilema, and said he had Store Credit, and would front me the last $15 for the entry fee.   I don't know Pat Lam. Well, I know who he is, but I never got paired up against him ever (except that one time that we were both x-3 at a Lotus Tourney) and have never really interacted with him at all previously.

Pre-tourney Props:
Junior: Gas Money and Toll Fee in a time of need
Kevin: Hooking a brotha up
Daniel: Hooking a brotha up
Pat Lam: Hooking a brotha up

That was 3 minutes after approaching the Store. I'm in.

Round 1: Morgan with ??? but Dark Ritual was in his deck.
As we shuffled up, Morgan saw that he has 62 cards.  He was filling out decklist until the last possible moment, was in the Bathroom during Judge Ryan's speal, and seemed about as pressed for time as I was...

As I am just happy to be playing, I let him look through his deck to find out what happend.  He can't figure it out.  He trots off to see the judge/decklist to make things right. I take pics (Whoot!). He returns, and it turns out there were 5 Dark Rituals in his deck, and he is content to play with 61 cards. 

I lose the die roll (5 to his 6, and the deal is highest out of to 6 sider's multiplied).  I keep a hand that is great if I life to turn 2 against an unknown opponent.

He gets bargain on his turn 3 (my turn 2), I drain his Bargain. He has to cards in hand. They are Force and Misdirection.  He forces my Drain. I lose next turn.

Game 2: I mull into another non-broken hand, but am unwilling (me=scrub) to mull to 5, as I have Brainstorm, Force and 4 land.
He resolves Bargain turn 2 and I die.
0-1-0

Round 2: Someone with GAT
I destroy this deck on MWS (vs unknown opponent's) and that is my only tech against GAT, plus Bomberman's clout as having Game against Gat.
I combo off game 1.
I Combo off game 2. (yes, there were plays both games, but I forgot them all)

Round 3: Someone with GAT
I destroy this deck on MWS (vs unknown opponent's) and that is my only tech against GAT, plus Bomberman's clout as having Game against Gat.
I combo off game 1.
I Combo off game 2. (yes, there were plays both games, but I forgot them all)

Round 4: Michael Klemic GAT (I have about an even matchup with this guy, maybe even in my favor. The only losses I remember to him were from Crazy Broken Hands, then again, that's the only memories of my wins against him.

Game 1: I keep an OK hand.
He kills me.
Game 2: First Turn Fastbond, Lotus, Crazy stuff.
I conceeded when it was clear he had at least 4 more GUSHES to resolve, in addition the the 5 he already resolved.

Round 5: Eric Campusano (Fish? I don't know if that's even the word for it anymore. No Null Rod? No Chalice? Weird!)
Game 1: I kill him in a non-game. (think Trinket Beats for the win, topdecked lands and such on both sides...)
Game 2: Another almost non-game. He never saw disruption, so my cool stuff resolved and he saw crap/Explosives kept showing up (thank Grunt for that!)

Apperantly, my 3-2 finish was good enough for Top 8

Top 8
Brett Allen with Gat/r with 3 REB/1 Fire/Ice/1 Empty the Warrens main.
He killed me
Both games.
Fucking Fastbond.
Doh!

So I collected my prize of NOTHING, and liked it, because, even though I barely squeaked into top 8, I was at least able to play (I had 26 cents in my pocket walking into the store).

Fun!

Props to Eric for that "deal" we had involving Meddling Mages, Spheres of Resistance and Null Rods. You're a lifesaver, bro!
Props to Brett Allen for having a great take on GAT
Props to everyone who reads my TMD Eudemonia threads for making it possible for me to swing $25 in entry fees in 3-4 minutes while completely broke.

Slops:
...Everything is hunky-dory, which is nonsensical, but true!

[Korhil]

Sideboard:
1 Berserk
1 Blue Elemental Blast
2 Red Elemental Blast
1 Fire/Ice
2 Smother
2 Oxidize
1 Energy Flux
1 Pithing Needle
4 Leyline of the Void

How good was Smother for you? Did you find it better than Submerge?
How often would the 'free' Submerge have been of more use?
Do you have any idea of the number of times you cast Smother in the mirrior while an opponent held a Red Blast with Red available?

What was your sideboard plan for the Mirrior?

---Korhil

[Implacable]

I'm just curious: why no report on the site? I always look forward to reading their detailed match coverage.

[Webster]

Sideboard:
1 Berserk
1 Blue Elemental Blast
2 Red Elemental Blast
1 Fire/Ice
2 Smother
2 Oxidize
1 Energy Flux
1 Pithing Needle
4 Leyline of the Void

How good was Smother for you? Did you find it better than Submerge?
How often would the 'free' Submerge have been of more use?
Do you have any idea of the number of times you cast Smother in the mirrior while an opponent held a Red Blast with Red available?

What was your sideboard plan for the Mirrior?

---Korhil

I went with smother over submerge for multiple reasons:

1. It isn't blue, therefore it can't be REB'd.
2. It is less of a blowout if it is successfully drained.
3. It has applications across multiple matchups whereas submerge is useful only against GAT (no one plays oath here so I can't drown an angel).

Smother was very effective for me. I boarded them in for four of the five rounds that I actually played. The "free" aspect of submerge didn't actually change the way any of the games I had played would have played out. I prefer my opponent's dryads dead as opposed to just shrunken. I don't remember how many situations there were where my opponent was holding REB when my smother was on the stack.


For the mirror I sideboarded like so:  
-1 fire/ice, -1 echoing truth, -1 vampiric tutor, -1 brain freeze         +2 REB, +2 smother

I could have swapped the mystical tutor out instead of the vampiric tutor but I felt that retaining the possible chain of merchant scroll for mystical tutor for "something good" was better than not being able to do so but still having a CA-disadvantage tutor that wasn't a legal target for REB.

I'm just curious: why no report on the site? I always look forward to reading their detailed match coverage.

My guess is that the owners thought that the cost of retaining the services of the event coverage staff began to outweigh the gains that were produced by those services.

[Korhil]

1. It isn't blue, therefore it can't be REB'd.

For the mirror I sideboarded like so:   
-1 fire/ice, -1 echoing truth, -1 vampiric tutor, -1 brain freeze         +2 REB, +2 smother

Further questions:
Did you ever get caught with a Smother in hand and not be able to FOW?
Would bring in your Smothers against Stacks to kill welders? Or was that not the plan.
What other matches did you expect, and intend to use Smother in?

---Korhil

[Webster]

1. It isn't blue, therefore it can't be REB'd.

For the mirror I sideboarded like so:   
-1 fire/ice, -1 echoing truth, -1 vampiric tutor, -1 brain freeze         +2 REB, +2 smother

Further questions:
Did you ever get caught with a Smother in hand and not be able to FOW?

No.

Would bring in your Smothers against Stacks to kill welders? Or was that not the plan.

I wouldn't bring them in if the only creatures that smother would be able to kill are welders. I'd bring in the second fire/ice because it's better overall (it is pitchable to force of will, taps trinisphere, cycles if a welder isn't in play and you have no other action in hand, and is fetchable with merchant scroll). If the stax build were more creature orientated inlcuding some combination of mindcensors, grunts, and/or dark confidants, then I'd bring in the smothers. Generally, I'd SB like this against a generic stax list:

-2 misdirection, -2 duress, -1 brain freeze        +1 fire/ice, +1 energy flux, +2 oxidize, +1 pithing needle

What other matches did you expect, and intend to use Smother in?

Results from the last tournament had roughly one quarter of the field being fish variants. Combine those results with the new presence of GAT as well as preparing enough respones to aven mindcensor and I arrived at smother because it was an answer to all of the above. I also had two foil ones which may or may not have made an impact in which direction that I went.

[LotusHead]

I'm just curious: why no report on the site? I always look forward to reading their detailed match coverage.

The previous tourney was Father's Day, so the Coverage Guy might have done the family thing.

This tourney, hey, he mighta been busy.  I'll ask next tourney though, and let them know people do read those reports.

[Negator13]

The Doomsday list is only 59 cards. Any word on the 60th? I'm very intrigued.

A sideboard would be nice too since it runs Research/Development.

[Dxfiler]

I don't mind playing Fish against GAT to be honest, but.... yeah.... I no longer feel 100% comfortable and confident playing Fish like I once was.

Yeah I know the feeling :p

This format seems like a big pile of terrible right now and I don't blame you for playing flash.  It's just about as unfair as unfair can get at the moment. 
Flash and Gush both make me want to hurl (and to a lesser extent ichorid), but I have to live with it right now just like everyone else.
It seems like an URBana or SS-like approach is the ONLY way to even have a shot with fish at the current metagame,
and still I'm not sure either can hold up over 7-8 rounds.

Anyway, congrats on the performance once again. 

This tournament once again looked awesome (thx to lotus head for posting), but I have to say these results scare me to death for the upcoming waterbury. 

God help us all.  :p

- Dave Feinstein

 

[brainiac7]

OMG. Spent 3 hours writing a tournament report, then my comp spontaneously shuts down due to overheating I presume. *Crosses fingers and hopes that Russian hackers aren't controlling my machine.*

So, the super condensed report and secret 60th card in my decklist coming up.


Round 1.  Jeff (Fob) playing FLA..

0-2-0 / 0-1

Round 2.  Austin/Junior playing (Bomberman with Dyrads/Tog?)

Game 1. I combo out.

Game 2. I punt the win and pitch my Mind's Desire to Force his Ancestral.

Game 3. We ID because Austin is a good man!

Quick breakdown. Nick "Belcher in top loaders" Weed drops my match slip over my Mind's Desire without my noticing it. Literally, directly parallel with the card so it's no longer viewable.
I shuffle up for game three, jockey a bit and know that Austin can't disrupt my combo, then cast Big Dooms and make the uber basic DDay pile of:

Ancestral Recall
Black Lotus
Dark Ritual
Mind's Desire
Research//Development

Where the poopie pants is my Mind's Desire? After a minute of searching my deck, lap (ala Mike Long) and floor, I see a card underneath the result slip and have a Crying Game moment.

Austin is a real fine fellow and suggests that we draw. I initially wanted to say, no these are the rules and I gotta take my lumps, but I thought about being in his shoes and what would I
do if I were him... [Dream sequence] My opponent is about to combo me out and then discovers that his Tendrils was left on the table, under a piece of paper that someone else tossed on the table while
you weren't paying attention. In a situation like that in the second round against someone you like. I can't say "Those are the breaks". Playing Devil's Advocate, there is an obvious though
small advantage of having a 59 card deck (In my case it would be a 56 card deck because of 3 Street Wraith, heh) that gets to still play with the usually dead card Mind's Desire. Austin knew
I wasn't running that cheat because he was sitting across from me and saw that it wasn't my intention for Nick to cover my card. Yeah, ultimately it's my responsibility to keep track of my cards.

1-3-1 / 1-1

Round 3.

NATE! (GAT)

Nate and I test here and there so we know this matchup and it favors me.

Game 1. I combo out

Game 2. He Tormod's Crypteded..ed me for about 20 cards and thus I had to make a difficult pile for Doomsday. It was made infi more difficult because Nick "Just pwned Vince a minute ago" Weed
is sitting next to me and Belching out loud (He is playing Belcher and is turning over top loaders with an annoying Clack, Clack , CLACK! and calling out the amount of damage  12, 13, 14, 15 and generally being disruptive
while my synapses are frying trying to make my Doomsday pile lethal. Nate, friend that he is, is rubbing it in as he knows that the only way he wins here is if I punt. I make the 4th down even with
several critical cards unavailable to put in my pile.

3-3-1 / 1-1-1

Round 4

Joe (GAT)

1. I combo out.

2. He has to mull to 5 and opens with Lotus Petal -> Duress -> Go.
I combo out a few turns later.

5-3-1 / 2-1-1

Round 5

Pat (FLASH no italics)

I know him from online trading sites but have never met him. We chat a bit and get real comfortable.

Game 1. Our match starts and I goof up by showing him Ritual/Lotus? and Doomsday but don't cast them. I just say go . Cutting to the chase he goes for the win hoping I don't have FoW after he
Summons up Hulk from his deck. I have three cards in hand at this point and he knows that one of them is Doomsday and two unknowns. He banks on them not being Force and blue card.

Game 2. I get Leyline of the Void out and he gets me to 9 poison counters with hardcast Virulent Slivers, but I combo him out.

7-3-1 / 3-1-1

Semi-finals

Luis (GAT)

Game 1. He applies pressure with a Dryad and I'm forced to try and combo off through a mana drain. 

Game 2. The Swarm get taken out by the Force and that let's me drop the Cranium of Cards that is Necro. After I drop down to 7, Luis says, "Show me Force and some good cards"
I do.

Game 3. LSV duresses my Doomsday and I think to myself, I better not draw a Ritual or I'm going to dream about what could have been. Ritual is on top.
Next turn, Xantids let me cast my top decked Doomsday and the simple pile of AR>Lotus>Ritual>Desire>R//D wins the match.

9-4-1 / 4-1-1

Quarterfinals

Jeff (Fob) playing FLA...

Game 1. See Round 1.

Game 2. See Game 1.

Better players have told me to not run out Ancestral blindly, so when I have Force Back up I think it's a fine play to cast it on Jeff's upkeep. I figure if he has the Force, he not
only pitches protection for Flash, he might have to pitch Flash itself. Chances seem good that he can't prep his hand if he has to pitch Merchant Scroll or Mystical, Bstorm...
MisD?... Ok, fine I gotta Force that. He Forces.... kicks sand in my face and takes my Big Wheel.


60th card. Underground Sea, but it's gotta be Alpha. Don't let anyone steal it, ok? Justkiddingh

Sideboard

3 Massacre (Fish???)
4 Leyline of the Void (preferably foil, since they are more likely to come into play on the first turn and make your opponent have to take a mulligan and you start at 22 life.)
3 Xantid Swarm (did the job)
1 Threads of Disloyalty (When I sided it in, I just combo'd out instead)
1 Reseach//Development (I don't think it's necessary but it's nice to have)
1 Tendrils of Agony (I don't think it's necessary but it's nice to have)
1 Echoing Truth (Never drew it, but Flash just combo'd so fast anyway. Didn't see chalice all day either but I think more than one bounce spell at different CC is prudent)
1 Hurkyl's Recall (Stax???)

Going infi with R/D has never been necessary in my actual games.The R/D in the board only comes in handy when you
have R/D in hand and enough mana to cast Desire. It happens, I admit. But I'm not sure it's enough to warrant the slot. I don't feel Sins of the Past is necessary either. The open sideboard
slots feel more important than the crutch of having R//D and Tendrils in the board. I am not 100% certain they should be removed, but I can say for certain that they aren't 100% necessary to win.

Plan A is R/D > Tendrils kill
Plan B is Yawg> Tendrils kill
Plan C is Street Wraith beatdown kill.
Plan D is Recursive Ancestral kill.

What is Plan E?


Props:
1. Dooooooomsdaaaaaaay! The card is just a blast to play on so many levels and is so much proof that life points don't matter unless your last one is gone.

2. All of the pleasant and amusing Vintage players that come to the Eudo tournaments. The list is long.

3. Austin/Junior deserves the big ups for offering up the draw instead of making me face Judge Ryan "I am the law" Reynold's wrath.

4. Eudemonia for having the nicest area to play outside of the Louvre.

5. Fob for being my only match losses on the day. I usually have the most fun while losing and boy did I ever lose to you!!!

Slops: Top loaders.