Feature Match Table Coverage: Steve O'Connell (Zherbus) vs. Ben Kowal (Kowal)
It's Round 4, and the Top 8 is only a blink away for one of these players. Neither of them want to lose with a 2-1 record going into the match. Not only that, but Ben is representing for ShortBus, and Steve plays for Meandeck. We hear the Meandeck and ShortBus Guardian Spirits clash in the sky as these two rivals draw their hands.....
Steve keeps with a very good hand of 2 Intuitions, AK, Mox Sapphire, Sol Ring, Underground Sea, and Yawgmoth's Will. Ben also keeps his grip consisting of Brainstorm, Demonic Tutor, Mox Jet, Mox Emerald, Mana Drain, Gush, and Deep Analysis. Yes, no lands, but he is on the draw.
Steve drops his Sol Ring, Island, Sapphire, and Intuitions without hesitation for 3 AK's. He has a little trouble finding it, giving away he has the 4th in his hand. Ben makes a remark about this, and takes his turn, dropping Jet and Emerald for DT -> Lotus. Ben thinks hard for a moment, then passes over to Steve. Steve goes for the AK for 3. Despite the Drain in his hand, Ben knew Steve had AK for 4 in his hand already and let's it resolve. Big Z lays down an Island, Lotus, and AK's for 4. Ben responds with Brainstorm by saccing Lotus with UU left in his pool. Steve doesn't want him to see the cards, and Brainstorms in response. Ben's Brainstorm also resolves, and he proceeds to Drain. Steve responds by saccing his Lotus for Intuition, and finds 3 Force of Will. He FoW's the Drain and draws his 4 cards. Ben plays the draw go game for a few turns, while Steve plays EOT Thirst for Knowledge, twice, resolving the first, but not the second.
Steve has been holding that Yawgmoth's Will for quite some time now, and after Ben Drains the EOT Thirst, Steve sends in the heavy stuff and plays Will, which resolves. Steve , AK for 4 and 3, replays some moxen and Lotus, digs deep for a Welder that he eventually finds, burns for 2 off Lotus with nothing else to do, and pitches some lands, Intuition, and FoF. Ben takes his turn, and nearly is able to put himself back into the game. He uses his Drain mana for a 1CC Deep Analysis, plays Time Walk, gushes, and plays Intuition for AK's. On his Walk turn, Ben drops AK which resolves and draws 5 cards. He proceeds to say "I'm not gonna lie, worst AK ever." Ben discards Library, Deep Analysis, and an Island, and passes back to Steve. Steve ends up resolving a Thirst, and proceeds to slave Ben, who scoops to the activation.
Boarding!
Steve
In: 2 Blood Moons
Out: DT, Intuition
Ben
In: 2 Ground Seal, 2 Oxidize
Out: 3 Duress, 1 Gush
Game 2 hands look like this….
The 35th Level Moderator has Pentavus, Ancestral Recall, Sol Ring, Mindslaver, Welder, Thirst, and a Volcanic Island and says keep. Ben picks up his grip and finds himself looking at a Ground Seal, 2 Islands, a Deep Analysis, AK, Mox Ruby, and Crucible.
Ben plays Island, and Ruby, then passes back over to Steve, who starts things off with Volc go. Ben AK's and 'twitches' first, which resolves. Ben untaps, plays Wasteland, and drops Crucible. Steve Recalls in response, which Ben promptly Forces pitching Deep Analysis. Steve looks worried, and fetches out an Island. He plays Sol Ring, and then Thirsts, saying "On my own turn" in a very unsatisfied voice. He pitches both Mindslaver and Pentavus, and passes the turn. Ben plays an AK for 2, and follows it up with a Waste and Sapphire. He replays his Waste and passes. Steve is really digging now and plays a main phase Brainstorm. He fetches out a Volcanic and plays Welder with it, and then turn goes back to Ben. He gladly Wastes and brings it back, Oxidizes the Sol Ring, and plays Ground Seal all of a Lotus. Steve sees this isn't going anywhere fast, and scoops.
Steve re-boards back to his regular maindeck, and we're on to game 3.....
Steve is on the play and keeps Force, Drain, Sapphire, Intuition, Tinker, Island, and Delta. On the other side Ben keeps with Brainstorm, AK, Ground Seal, 2 Seas, a Cunning Wish, and a Drain.
They both play a land and a mox in their first turn. Steve plays a fetch, then plays Intuition EOT fetching a second Island. Ben responds with "OH GOD, YOU transformed into Mono-U too?!?!!?!?" The Intuition resolves, and Steve grabs 3 Force of Wills. Steve plays delta, then passes. Ben plays Brainstorm EOT, and then follows it with AK for 1, which Steve Drains to all of our surprise. Ben is no less surprised then we are says "Hot Diggitty", and untaps. He plays a Trop, and in comes a Ground Seal. Steve says it's time to make his move, and Tinkers. Ben Drains, and Z responds with Ancestral, which resolves. He Forces the Tinker through and grabs out Pentavus. Ben plays a Delta for an Island, and then Merchant Scrolls his own Recall which resolves. He makes it obvious that he likes what he drew by saying "That's what I like to see" as he passes the turn back. He takes a hard 5 to the dome, and gets to untap again. He fetches out a Trop, and Oxidizes the Bus. Steve makes 5 1/1 dudes in response, falling right into Ben's Pernicious Deed which he blows for 0. Spectator Dave 'Eastman' Laurence says "Dude, that's one huge mother fuckin' Deed" in the highest voice ever. Steve plays a Welder after the Deed is blown and passes. Ben plays Walk, Deep Analysis, and drops Lotus for a Crucible which Steve digs out a FoW from Thirsting (pitches a Slaver). They exchange how they both made multiple play mistakes, and Ben walks. He plays AK for 3, flashes back the Deep Anal (nice and hard
), and resolves Demonic Tutor. Steve is really out of it now, and Brainstorms for something. He drops lotus, beats with Welder, and passes turn. Ben plays a Physho-Tog. Steve goes of a last ditch effort, and plays Will. Ben Drains it and proceeds to turn 'Tog to the right, and makes it really big for the match win.
