2nd Place at BBGD

Why Deja Vu isn't always a bad thing

Round1: Ralph with Turbo Tezz
Game1: Ralph mulliganned to 6 but won the die roll to start things off. I think he opened on 2 Misty Rainforest while I played a Thorn and then a Phyrexian Metamorph turn 1 off Workshop and 2 Moxen or a Mana Crypt. Anyhow, he cracked his Misty's for Islands to Force my Lodestone next turn which I should have kept note of because many Oath decks only play 1 Island and I thought up until now that this was Ralph's deck choice because he has played Oath against me before. He then didn't have any other counterspells or any way to get fast mana into play and I think I beat him down with Karn.
Game2: I mulliganned to 4 and opened up Shop, Port, Lodestone, Karn. Ralph opened on Island Mox Opal and Mana Vault. I think I drew a Wasteland as well as a Resistor and possibly a Chalice in this game but Ralph really didn't have a strong hand. I dropped Lodestone and the next turn he played Tezzeret. I dropped my Karn and he didn't end up getting there due to Lodestone beats.

Round2: Greg with Tidespout Oath
Game1: Greg won the roll and going into the match I knew he was on Oath. He got his namesake card with Forbidden Orchard in play and put in a Tidespout Tyrant. I was sort of surprised as I hadn't seen anyone running this recently. I immediately had killed his Orchard but clearly it had done enough as he had Tyrant. To try and stop him from playing other spells I played Smokestack and Sphere effects but I was clearly not going to be able to race. To play the Smokestack I had to take 4 one turn from Ancient Tombs which meant that I went from 16 to 11 to 6 to 1 when he was attacking me. He sacrificed his Oath to Smokestack but then killed it later I believe? Of course on the last turn where I could draw an answer I rip Phyrexian Metamorph and get really excited and then really disappointed as I didn't have a Mox Sapphire or Tolarian Academy in play so I didn't get there.
Game2: I was on the play and Mulled to 6 but I think I locked him out and then beat him down with a Spirit token and eventually a Karn. I think in this game I opened on Chalice and Thorn and he never was able to get an even footing.
Game3: This was a truly epic game. Greg Mulled down to 5 which was a good start for me but not so good for him, but he made up for it. I kept a hand with 2 Ghost Quarters in it along with a Thorn or two and a Tangle Wire or two. I put out my Thorns and then Ghost Quartered his Volcanic bringing out an Island and then immediately hit that Island clearing him of Basics in his deck. Over the next few turns his board developed into 4 lands or 3 lands and a Mox while I played out my first Tangle wire. Along with wire I also had Rishadan Port and used that to essentially give my Wires another counter. As soon as my Tangle Wire shed its last counter I drew Metamorph and copied none other than the Tangle Wire to give me a few extra turns. In between Greg played a land or two and was clearly sculpting his hand. Throughout this whole process I was dealing myself damage from Ancient Tomb and wound up on 2 life when Greg hit me with Rebuild during his upkeep. After the draw on my turn I had 11 cards in hand and started to play out my stuff, which luckily for me was resolving. If I remember correctly he had a few counterspells but eventually succumbed to my creatures.

Round3: John Jones with Turbo Tezz
Game1: Unfortunately for John and I we are testing partners and good friends who as it always seems to turn out got paired against one another. In game 1 I Mulled to 6 after Powdering twice and I think I kept a reasonably loose hand. John took me down with a quick Tezzeret into Key-Vault because I couldn't efficiently control his mana.
Game2: I was on the play and I don't remember much about this but I got there. I think I was able to get a Chalice to stick on either 0 or 1 as well as having some mana denial and a Lodestone I think.
Game3: I don't remember much leading up to the pivotal play but the board at this point was John with 3 lands and a Sol Ring and me with a Lodestone, Thorn, Chalice on 0 and 1, tapped Mox, and tapped Workshop with another Lodestone on the Stack. In response, John Rebuilded which would normally be fine except that I had another Mox in hand and was able to play Mox Mox Chalice on 0 Chalice on 1. John went on to kill both of my Lodestones with Ingot Chewers and I was left playing out Thorns and then Metamorphs when I drew them. By now it was all a formality as I had a Chalice on 2 out as well and about 6 Sphere effects while John only had 2 Islands in play and I kept playing whatever I drew hoping I would get a creature sooner rather than later. Eventually I got a Karn with enough mana to end the game in one turn.

Round4: Evan Hundertmark with Dredge
Game1: Per usual with Dredge I got stomped on though I think I put up a pretty good fight but eventually succumbed to the Zombies.
Game2: I opened up the best hand I have ever had against Dredge and Evan Mulled to 5. 2 Leyline, Workshop, Ghost Quarter, Needle, Chalice, Sphere. I put my two Leylines into play played Shop Needle which got forced and Chalice on 1. Next turn I Ghost Quartered his Bazaar and played Sphere which prompted a scoop to save time as he couldn't win.
Game3: I mulliganned to 6 and kept a shaky hand. Board position turned out to be Evan with Ichorid and a Bridge in the yard with 2 Zombies in play and 1-2 Stinkweed/Thugs left in hand at 7 cards facing down me with 2 Lodestone Golems. I was on 8 life while Evan was at 15 and I figured I could race him. I bashed in with both Lodstones bringing Evan to 5 and he swung back with Ichorid taking me down to 5. Next turn I swung and Evan had to chump block with his Zombies and I topdecked Karn to pretty much seal the deal but I think I still would have squeaked it out had I not drawn Karn.

Round5: Jake Gans with Minus Six
ID

Round6: Paul Mastriano with Demars Control?
ID

Top8: Brendan Banfield with Gush Combo
Game1: I won the die roll and he Mulled to 5. If I remember correctly I opened with Sphere go to which he played a Delta and passed. I had the Tangle Wire ready but wanted to get more value out of it causing me to hold it. Next turn Brendan played another land and I went for Tangle Wire which got Forced. Next I went for Lodestone which got Drained but the 5 cards that Brendan started with soon caught up to him as couldn't answer my Karn which ended it quickly.
Game2: Brendan Mulled to 6 and opened with land Preordain Lotus I think. I played a Chalice on 1 and then things got weird. Brendan played an Imperial Seal on his turn which amid the heat of battle I forgot would get countered with Chalice of the Void. Brendan searched up his target and put it on his deck and passed the turn. On my turn I went for a Karn which got countered with Drain and I realized that Seal should have been countered. I called the judge but we both just got warnings and nothing could be done because the game had progressed too far. He then used his Drain mana to play the Jace he searched for which he Brainstormed with. I was on 3 cards at this point and I think Fatseal was the right choice but I kept that to myself. I played out Lodestone which he Unsummoned using Jace for 3 turns and finally Forced. After my Lodestone was gone he kept Brainstorming and I got a Chalice on 2 in play. One turn he played Sol Ring into Chalice and then Regrowth into the Chalice again. I thought I had a chance but he just played Tinker for Blightsteel the next turn killing me.
Game3: For this one he Mulled yet again to 5. This game was hazy but I know I took a lot of damage from Ancient Tombs and he got beat down by Lodestone. I think this may have been a game where Lodestone carried the workload after my Smokestack and Karn got countered and I had a few Spheres in play.

Top4: Joe Brown Demars Control
Game1: Joe won the die roll and opened with City of Brass Imperial Seal. I played the nuts of Mox Sol Ring Workshop Thorn Lodestone. He played land which he tutored for and Voltaic Key. Next turn I played Phyrexian Metamorph and Tangle Wire which sealed the deal although he had Key Vault in his opener.
Game2: I Mulled to 6 for this one. In this game Joe and I went back and forth with him Claiming my Lodestone after I got Metamorph in play to copy it and then him killing my Metamorph. I continued to topdeck well and had a Tangle Wire on 3 when he Demonic Tutored for Tinker with 4 lands and a Mox in play to my Tangle Wire and irrelevant cards, both of us with nothing in hand. I topdecked Lodestone which kept him off Tinker for the turn and got me there, stealing a game I had no business winning in part because Joe thought he was at 7 rather than 5 when Lodestone attacked.

Finals: Jake Gans Minus Six
Game1: A rematch of the last Blue Bell I played in where I beat Jake in the finals. I jokingly told him that this was going to be Pacquiao v. Mosley and he was Shane Mosley, a reference that went right over his head. Unfortunately as it turned out I was Shane Mosley in this one. I lost the die roll and Mulled to 5 for the first game and Jake punished me. I Powdered away a keepable hand but Jake had me beat with his opener anyhow. He started with Lotus Swamp Sol Ring double Dark Confidant. He beat me down with the Bobs until I was at 4 and then I drew Karn to supplement the Trinisphere and Crucible I had accumulated to try and stem the bleeding. I very well may have the sequence of plays wrong but I think he Intuitioned at this point for 2 Worldgorgers and an Oona. I gave him Worldgorger and he soon got Necromancy which got around the Chalice on 2 I had put out.
Game2: I mulled again to 6 and kept a suboptimal hand which got broken up by one Force of Will and led directly to my demise which was I believe at the hands of Blighsteel.

Overall I had a fun day and walked away with a Workshop which is awesome so I only need 3 more Workshops a Ruby, Emerald, and Pearl before my Espresso Stax deck will be ready for Vintage Champs.