On 06/22/02 Mile High Comic's held one of its semi-annual Type One tournaments. The meta-game is always very diverse here. In attendance were Stompy, Sligh, Sui-Black, Keeper, and an assortment of other deck's you only see in real life.
I got to the tournament early enough to play some test games since I was not able to play test my deck at all before the tourney and to do a little trading. I beat both decks I played against (Sligh and a modified Keeper/control deck).
There were only 48 people in attendance, which is a little low as these tournaments usually draw 64 the maximum MHC's will allow (It's a free tournament after all).
I did not take the best notes (just life total's actually) so most of this is from memory, if I made any mistakes on the exact plays of the matches below I apologize in advance to my opponents. I also did not note Sideboard changes so left most of that out.
Match 1 vs. James Matthews (Blue Combo Artifact)
Game One:
I start with a first turn Mishra's Factory, which meets a Sword to Plowshare as soon as it swings. The next turn I play a Juzam Djinn and grin but not big enough or maybe to big 'cause he meets the StP as well. James does something I have never seen before in a Type One tournament and plays a JuJu Bobble (yes you read that right, a JuJu Bobble!, no need to counter that. The game goes on and I get a Mishra into play that starts to whittle away James life he tries to play a Grim Monolith, which meets a FoW. He plays a Mirari which seems a bit out of place, but ends up killing one of my Juzam's due to poor Mirari rules knowledge on my behalf, he casts StP on my Djinn I counter, then he paid 3 to copy the StP. In reality you must pay the cost as the spell is cast…
I do get my 4th Juzam into play and finish him off with the Factory and Djinn.
Game Two:
James got to infinite life with the aforementioned Juju Bobble and Power Artifact/Grim Monolith, I guess juju does have a purpose after all, at this point James asks me to concede. I say no thanks and I'll just deck you. The plan is going well until he casts Rocket Launcher, no problem I Mana Drain it, he Counter's I FoW he FoW's. I die to the Orc with a big gun as soon as it's my turn.
Game Three:
I get out a quick Mishra's Factory, which beats him down to 12 and then goes farming (i.e. StP). Another Mishra makes an appearance followed by a Juzam and James dies quickly.
1-0 (2-1 games)
Match 2 vs. Will Thomas (Black/White Shadow)
Game one:
Will is younger maybe 11 to 13 and a little annoying. I could have called him on marked sleeves because his were very played and some of them had huge wrinkles on the back of them, this would not be very sportsmanlike as he seems to enjoy the game (very casual) and probably can't afford new sleeves. So I let it slide.
I take some damage from FoW's, Juzam Djinn's and my City of Brass, I Swords a few of his shadow guy's and he loses quickly to the Factory and Djinn.
Game Two:
He gets some shadow guys into play and we start trading damage 3 for me 5 for him, seems fair to me. Juzam finishes him off rather quickly.
2-0 (4-1 games)
Will asks to play a few more games for fun, I oblige and let him win to give him a little ego boost (he doesn't need to know I was holding FoW's and Swords to plowshares for his guys…).
Match 3 vs. Bob Yu (Sligh)
Game One:
Bob is a friend of mine and we had played a few games before the tournament started so he knew my deck fairly well.
He opens with a first turn Goblin Raider, which gets StP'd. This is followed by a Fanatic, which beats me down to 16. I find my Mishra Factory and he knocks Bob to 16 as I counter some burn. Soon Morphling joins the fray and gets Bob to 2 with the help of Mishra's factory. Bob goes crazy and burns me to 4 I untap and finish him off.
Game Two:
My deck stall's, Huge! I see an early Jackal Pup, Goblin Fanatic, and Goblin Raider. A Price of Progress and Bolt do me in. Maybe I did not stall that badly, I think the game lasted about 5 turns if that.
Game Three:
This one is pretty quick he does some damage to me via Bolt's and Ball Lightning. I get my Juzam and start swingin'. I counter a few things to stay alive and have him down to 5 while I am at 2, I take my point going to 1, and then I draw and Bob concedes.
3-0 (6-2 games)
Match 4 Jason Schickli (Keeper)
Game One:
We have a counter war over Ancestral recall, he gets out a Sylvan Library and draws twice off it. We have another counter war over Morphling, which he wins and the shape shifter does me in.
Game Two:
I sideboard in 4 REB's and 1 Edict, out 2 StP, 1 F/I, Twister and Balance.
I get an early Juzam backed up with counter magic, we trade counters and I win. The four turn clock has hit. He plays a Sylvan and draws off it going to nine. He Balances, I FoW and hit with the Djinn. Then I Time Walk and win.
Game Three:
I manage to counter his Ancestral and drop a Mishra's Factory, I attempt to cast a Juzam which is countered. I beat him down to 8 but he win's the counter war over his Morphling he had three counters to my two. I try to find an answer, but it is too late for me and Jason takes the match.
3-1 (7-4 games)
Match 5 Mary Van Tyne (G/W Life Gain/Millstone)
Game One:
I open with a quick MF and get some beats in. I counter a StP pointed at my Mishra at some point. Mary drops a lot of enchantments and artifacts including Land Tax, Sylvan Library, Zuran Orb, Millstone, and the Bomb of them all Moat! Unfortunately I had played a Juzam right before she played the Moat and I had no counters…sad day! I ended up taking 12 points from my City's, Juzam and FoW as the next 7 turn's pass w/ me stuck like chuck. By now Mary has used Land tax to clear her entire deck of basic lands, so every card she draws is playable. Now my deck shows that it does love me and I topdeck… Morphling. Ahh life is good. Mary's Zuran Orb prolongs the inevitable a few turns.
Game Two:
SB: +1 Aura Fracture, +1 Teferi's Response, +2 Powder Keg. -1 Balance, -2 StP, -1 Edict
I counter anything even remotely threatening (i.e. Sylvan Library) and burn for two as I forgot to use the mana drain mana. I know Mary played a Zuran Orb and had a Millstone and Scroll Rack in play, but they were no match for my pair of Juzam's and a Mishra's Factory swinging at her.
4-1 (9-4)
Match 6 Laura Mills (Sui-Black)
I insist on playing this game as I do not get to play as much as I would like, Laura tries to convince me to intentionally draw but I am not interested. She offers to play the game out for fun and points out that we are both guaranteed top eight if we draw. I agree but only if we play for Ante : ) We divvy up a Savannah Lion each and get to it.
We I.D. 4-1-1 (9-4-2) 13 points total we are both in the top eight.
Game One:
Laura plays an early Nantuko Shade and I can not stop it. I do manage to get out a Mishra's Factory we trade blows for awhile until I manage to kill the shade with a Fire/Ice when she is tapped out. I have three lands in play and a merchant scroll and demonic tutor in hand. I am desperately in need of a potty break and can not think straight at this point! I want to end this game ASAP so I decide it's best to keep swinging with the Factory vs. Casting spells. The Mishra gets her to 10 but Laura pulls a Hymn to Tourach and my hand is gone now. She also has a Hypnotic Specter and I have no hand at this point. The game goes to Laura and my Savannah Lion I have had since '94 / '95 look's a little sad.
Game Two:
Laura Vampiric Tutor's for a Necro I believe and casts it soon after, I have my Juzam/Mishra's factory team on the court. She has a Mishra of her own and can not deal with the Juzam even after drawing 12 cards over the course of the game from Necro.
Game Three:
I still have not been able to make it to the restroom and am seeing yellow, playing all of the blue dual lands is especially painful! It seemed like bad Etiquette to leave in the middle of the match though so I played on.
I Mana Drain a Necropotence and forget to use the mana, ouch! Three for me. I am getting beat down by a Mishra's Factory, manage to cast a Juzam and swing with it. He gets Edicted after one turn and I get my hand Hymned away, I do have a Fire/Ice and use it to do two to her as there are no other targets. The game goes on and I draw a lot of land and a dark Ritual, yea. Laura plays a Yawgmoth's Will and goes off on me casting a Negator and a slew of other spell's (Hymn, Duress, Necro) I can do nothing to stop her rush and she takes my Lion. Laura is a great player and I am glad she talked me into drawing with her before the match!
Top Eight:
Vs. Shane Williams (R/b Sligh w/ tutor's and Mind Twist)
Game One:
For the first time all tournament I get my first turn Juzam, Shane fights back with a Goblin Cadet who gets Sword to Plowshared, He manages another Cadet and we start trading life 5 for 2 (3 if you count the Juzam upkeep). My Juzam meets his Diabolic Edict. I pull out another Djinn and Force of Will his attempt to kill it. He has no choice but to block with his Cadet and stops the damage for one more turn, but does not manage a miracle and I attack w/ the Goblin and Djinn for the win.
Game Two:
He plays a Second Turn Dwarven Miner and all I have in play is an Underground Sea. In hand I have an Edict, Sol Ring, Ancestral recall, CoB and other miscellaneous goodies (I can't remember what). I have to think this play out for a minute and decide it is best to kill this Miner ASAP! I lay the ring and play the edict then burn for one. Next turn I cast the Ancestral uncontested. I play another CoB and Mana Drain Miner number two. I burn from the MD mana as I have nothing to cast (lots of counters in hand). I manage to play a Morphling and Shane can do nothing to stop him. I'm in the top four!
Top Four:
Laura Mills (Sui-Black)
Shane Knepshield (Keeper)
Joel Barnes (Trix)
Zach Gable (Juzam/Control)
Up for grabs is $250.00 for first place, $100.00 for second, $50 for third and $50 store credit for forth.
It has been a long day, and we all decide to split four ways so I walk away with $100.00 cash and $12.50 in store credit. It was a great time and would like to thank Chris Cunningham and the whole Mile High Comic's staff for a wonderful tournament. For more info on this tournament and top four deck list's please go to the MHC's web site:
http://www.milehighcomics.com/magic/pictures062202.html .
One other note of interest is that before the tournament I was ranked 8th in Colorado in Type One so I figured that after my finish I could possibly make it to the top five. Well the results are in and I am now 8th in Colorado, again…sigh.
Here is the deck I played:
Juzam/Control 06.22.2002
4 Juzam Djinn
3 Dark Ritual
1 Mind Twist
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Diabolic Edict
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Fact or Fiction
1 Time Twister
1 Time Walk
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Fire/Ice
1 Misdirection
1 Teferi's Response
1 Morphling
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Balance
2 Swords to Plowshares
4 City of Brass
4 Underground Sea
3 Volcanic Island
3 Tundra
1 Undiscovered Paradise
1 Badland
1 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine
1 Library of Alexandria
4 Mishra Factory
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
61
SideBoard:
4 REB
3 Obstinate Familiar
2 Powder Keg
1 Zuran Orb
1 Masticore
1 Diabolic Edict
1 CoP: Red
1 Aura Fracture
1 Teferi's Response