Top Four Split - Ritual Gifts: Tournament Report

[Scott_Limoges]

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Last Sunday marked the bi-quarterly T1 Black and Gold tournament in Englewood CO.  The field was stocked with power

in this 25 person event and the Colorado Crew was in full attendance - a rarity in recent tournaments.  The swiss

format was five rounds with a cut to T8.


For weeks, I've decided to pilot a unique version of ritual gifts combo that I created about one year ago (nearly

the same time I worked on Dragon).  From testing, I'm confident that the deck will succeed against the powered

field.


The List: (feel free to cut and paste the list into Magic Workstation)



// Lands
    4  Polluted Delta
    3  Underground Sea
    2  Volcanic Island
    3  Flooded Strand
    1  Tolarian Academy
    1  Island

// Spells
    4  Duress
    4  Force of Will
    2  Misdirection

    4  Brainstorm
    4  Merchant Scroll
    3  Gifts Ungiven
    1  Demonic Tutor
    1  Mystical Tutor
    1  Vampiric Tutor
   
    1  Yawgmoth's Bargain
    1  Necropotence
   
    1  Ancestral Recall
    1  Time Walk
    1  Yawgmoth's Will
    1  Recoup
    1  Tendrils of Agony
    1  Chain of Vapor

    4  Dark Ritual
    1  Mox Emerald
    1  Mox Jet
    1  Mox Pearl
    1  Mox Ruby
    1  Mox Sapphire
    1  Lotus Petal
    1  Black Lotus
    1  Mana Crypt
    1  Sol Ring
    1  Mana Vault
    1  Lion's Eye Diamond
   

// Sideboard
SB: 1  Chain of Vapor
SB: 3  Red Elemental Blast
SB: 2  Pyroclasm
SB: 1  Hurkyl's Recall
SB: 1  Rebuild
SB: 4  Pithing Needle
SB: 1  Fire/Ice
SB: 2  Empty the Warrens


The matchups:

At CO tournaments, the top guns at the top tables are always Colorado Crew members.  Before the tournament began I

knew a sure-fire way to make T8 would be to avoid fellow CO Crew members through the swiss.  Luck be with me.


Round 1 - I view the pairings and realize that lucks twist would plague match one.  I play non-other than Zach Gable

- CO Crew's Oath innovator.  In testing before the tournament, I know that Zach is playing an Oath variant crafted

with control and combo in mind.

   Game 1 - The first battle trades business spells with counter spells turns 1, 2, and 3 until both our hands    

   are depleted and only mana sits on the table.  Fortunately, I find business in the form of Gifts and      

                win the same turn.
   
   Game 2 - After a mulligan, I keep a scale tipping hand of necro, bargin, FOw, Mox Jet, and two land on the    

   draw.  I knew that barring a first turn Oath/Orchard, the odds of success were high.  Suprisingly, Zach

                leads turn one with a land, mox, black lotus, COTV and tinker floating double blue - Tinker finds DSC without

                resistance.  With chalice in play and DSC lurking my outs are few, Zach passes the turn.  Luck decides to revenge my

                curse and I draw a timely chain of vapor, which is resolves without contest.  The game progresses several turns and

                 ends with a lethal tendrals via gifts.  Zach is a great opponent and stealing "W" from him isn't easy.


Round 2 - Pairing are posted and my seated opponent at table 2 is F*cking Lou - CO Crew Member and combo genius

extrodiniar.  Luck is bouncing variabily and this time it disappeared.  Over the past year, Lou has continuously

crafted and tweaked a signature combo masterpiece that is highly adaptable.  I know this monster can run anything

from leylines, crypts, and infernal contract to negators, bobs, and therapies main.

   Game 1 - I keep a hand capable of producing a turn 2 bargin with brainstorm protection and lead with land,    

                mox, vault.  Lou duresses promptly which I respond to by brainstorm - hiding bargin.  Lou drops crypt and    

                passes. I draw bargin, play the second black land, cast the enchantment undisrupted and I pass the turn. Lou    

               draws, passes the turn, and waits...  At 18 life, bargin is like Disney world on a week day.  I draw cards and Lou

               waits...  After spending 10 life the first business spell arrives, brainstorm.  I draw more cards and Lou yawns...

               At 4 life, I have a plethora of mana and decide to use brainstorm in conservation of life.  Shot and miss.  I use 2

               life to remove the brainstorm chaff and the final life which nets merchant scroll. Wow.  I lose.  Had merchant

               scroll been found at two life I could have tutored for mystical tutor, then tutored for tendrils and used the

               remaining life to draw it with heaps of mana available.

   Game 2 - My opening grip reveals elements for a turn 3 bargin with FOW protection.  On turn 2, Lou begins to

   chain storm spells that ends when twister meets with a FOW.  Without any opposing disruption, the turn 3    

                bargin plan pans out and prompts a game 3.

   Game 3 - With 5 minutes remaining in the round, the bleachers are full of spectators - seemingly drunk and    

                heckling obscene jesters (Carl, the store owner, would never allow alcohol on premise or participants under the

                influence).  Lou leads with a strong play of mox, land, cabal ritual, duress, and dark confidant.  Duress nabs a FOW

                and lou passes the turn.  I also have an equally strong opening drawing black lotus and dropping lotus, academy,

                and mox.  On his subsequent turn, Lou reveals twister off confidant and begins storming with ritual, another duress,

                and a twister.  Without regard, luck glances its piercing stare into Lou's eyes.  Before the twister, I respond

               using mystical tutor for yawgmoth's will and his duress revealed my fire/ice and FOW.  Without hesitation...and

               reviewing my mana development, Lou chooses fire/ice.  FOW meets the twister and I'm able to tendrils next turn ftw.


Round 3 - I enjoy Guinness on tap but sometimes all thats available is in bottle.  That was today.  I view round 3

pairings and see I'm facing the notorious Bob Yu.  Bob Yu, formily known as Bo Yu, is a CO Crew leader and rock

climbing feen.  Bob's got some rocks for me -  I'll be lucky to take a win here.

   Game 1 - I win the die roll and open with land, mox, vault.  Bob opens with gemstone mine and passes.  I

                draw ritual and win immediately holding gifts and demonic.

               Game 2 - Bob opens with land, moxen, ritual, duress stealing FOW and memory jar and passes the turn.  I

               echo and play chain on memory jar and pass back.  We both draw and pass subsequent turns and he then casts windfall

               for 5 and starts storming - windfall leads to twister.  My hand is vamp, 2x brainstorm, and other blue cards.  He

               duresses and I vamp in response for FOW.  He sees the dubs brainstorm and takes a gifts.  Bob depletes his hand and

               casts ancestral and I respond with brainstorm and FOW for the GG.


Round 4 - The tournament is 5 rounds and I can ID the next two and make top 8.  I look at pairing and "play" Jim

Gaffney, CO Crew's computer mind.  I dodged that bullet.

Round 5 - The final round I ID, I play CO Crew Member Travis Spero ,Vintage World Champ.  Wow.  That means every

swiss round opponent was CO Crew.  Maybe I should buy a lotto ticket.


Top 8 begins and I play Carl, the store owner piloting dragon.  I have experience with this deck and know exactly

how to beat it.  I win the die roll and play first.

   Game 1 - Turns 1 and 2 are setup turns for each of us.  We each duress and anticipate each others game plan.

                At the end of T2, I vamp for chain knowing Carl will go off next turn.  I'm holding only FOW, Ancestral and a

                couple lands.  I draw chain and pass.  Carl Casts animate with dragon in the yard and I chain dragon w/ CIP on

                stack.  Carl anticipated this and casts FOW and I respond by forcing back pitching ancestral.  Carl looses all perms

               - game 2.

   Game 2 - Carl mulls to five and plays swarm on the play.  I develop mana and pass.  Carl drops bazaar and

                accidently play swarm #2.  I promptly scroll up fire/ice with FOW backup and enough mana to nuke the hive.  Next turn

                I drop necro off black lands and win the following turn.

                The top 4 is completely CO Crew members!  Jim Gaffney, F*cking Lou, Bob Yu and I opt a split and prove crew

                dominance a mile high.  I would have owned them, had we played, but decided to let them keep a since of

                self-accomplishment.

Props:

- Firstly to Carl for hosting free vintage events with cash payouts.  Thank you.

- Secondly to the CO Crew Members - Zach Gable, Bob Yu, Jim Gaffney, Travis Spero, F*cking Lou and new members Josh

Spero and Heather Gable.  Da-Dung.

- Thirdly to the other attendees.  CO magic players are  - ! minus most the stench.

- Fourthly to the bar serving Guiness on tap.

- Lastly to the Patriots because the east coast always represents.


Slops:

- The tiny bar tables pieced together for a party of 8 at the bar.  I'm sure they weren't aware it was the crew.



Edit - The formatting is horrible - how do I indent?

[Sam Best]

Congratz Scott!

Interesting build of Gifts I have to say. I think I might give it a try sometime.

[DoubleDrain]

Scott,

way to tear it up!

For once we dont meet in the first round of top 8!

travis

[BreathWeapon]

I absolutely adore this deck, but isn't LED jank in this list? It's only good after a Gifts Ungiven resolves, and at that point, Cabal Ritual seems just as good.

[frucile]

such a shame that these Black Gold tournies are 0 proxies--I just sold all my power/quasi power to pay an unexpected ER bill.

great report--minues the                           indenting         you have.

Most interesting is that Bob Yu shuffled up a deck. I was sure he was going to quit after this last dry spell of his.

Congrats, and I'll see you at the next Mile High T1 event!

Steve "I can't beat Travis Spero in the finals" Golenda

[Green Knight]

Hey Scotty you came though! Good work @ the tournament, way to roll me Nice work with the deck. Nothing more satisfying that sipping the Guinness and watching your Pats def. SD to celebrate the victory. To bad next weeks game is in Indy so if you wanna swing by and watch Brady get whooped like last year, give me a ring!


edit: spelling

[Lou]

My savage Duress for Fire/Ice when the only other card was FoW was easily the dumbest play I made on the day. Your Tolarian Academy totally fucked me up and I didn't realize you had the five mana open. D'oh. I probably didn't smoke enough before the match.

Nice report Scotty. Where are the Guitar Hero props though?!?

[Scott_Limoges]

Congratz Scott!

Interesting build of Gifts I have to say. I think I might give it a try sometime.

Its extremely fun and suprisingly fast.  My average kill was turn 3 thanks to Lion's Eye Diamond.

Insert Quote
Scott,

way to tear it up!

For once we dont meet in the first round of top 8!

travis

Thanks - I was lucky not to face you during the first three rounds of swiss and T8.

 
I absolutely adore this deck, but isn't LED jank in this list? It's only good after a Gifts Ungiven resolves, and at that point, Cabal Ritual seems just as good.

Lion's Eye Diamond is gold for fishing and this build ignores the opponent well.  It's designed to resolve gifts early running a set of duresses and forces with misD's.  LED edges out Cabal Rit because the ability to produce U mana post Will is important to cast scroll -> mystical, brainstorm for tendrils.  Gifting for Black Lotus, Lion's Eye Diamond, Recoup, and Will makes turn 2/3 wins possible w/ no black mana.  This play usually nets 5 storm and 6 mana that and requires 2 mana to start.   Drawing LED pre-gifts most times is dead; however, sometimes it can just win - casting gifts and cracking LED before passing priority.  Cabal Rit seems effective mid/late game and helps cast necro w/ more consistancy.

Hey Scotty you came though! Good work @ the tournament, way to roll me  Nice work with the deck. Nothing more satisfying that sipping the Guinness and watching your Pats def. SD to celebrate the victory. To bad next weeks game is in Indy so if you wanna swing by and watch Brady get whooped like last year, give me a ring!

I'll bring the Guiness.

My savage Duress for Fire/Ice when the only other card was FoW was easily the dumbest play I made on the day. Your Tolarian Academy totally fucked me up and I didn't realize you had the five mana open. D'oh. I probably didn't smoke enough before the match.

Nice report Scotty. Where are the Guitar Hero props though?!?

GH tied the highlight of the day - slops to me for not mentioning it. 

You def. got axe skillz and we still have work to do on "hard".

Posted by: frucile 
Insert Quote
such a shame that these Black Gold tournies are 0 proxies--I just sold all my power/quasi power to pay an unexpected ER bill.

great report--minues the                           indenting         you have.

Most interesting is that Bob Yu shuffled up a deck. I was sure he was going to quit after this last dry spell of his.

Congrats, and I'll see you at the next Mile High T1 event!

Steve "I can't beat Travis Spero in the finals" Golenda

Thanks for the props.  If you ever need quasi power, just ask. 

[Elric]

Lion's Eye Diamond is gold for fishing and this build ignores the opponent well.  It's designed to resolve gifts early running a set of duresses and forces with misD's.  LED edges out Cabal Rit because the ability to produce U mana post Will is important to cast scroll -> mystical, brainstorm for tendrils.  Gifting for Black Lotus, Lion's Eye Diamond, Recoup, and Will makes turn 2/3 wins possible w/ no black mana.  This play usually nets 5 storm and 6 mana that and requires 2 mana to start.   Drawing LED pre-gifts most times is dead; however, sometimes it can just win - casting gifts and cracking LED before passing priority.  Cabal Rit seems effective mid/late game and helps cast necro w/ more consistancy.

How often do opponents give you Will and Recoup?  If the goal is to prevent you from winning right away, this split forces you to have 3 mana to go off, and means that you only generate 3 storm and 6 mana.

[Clown of Tresserhorn]

1) Congratz to Me, Lou, Scotty, and Jim for a 4-way split. As a matter of fact, big ups to all of the Colorado Crew.

2)

Game 1 - I win the die roll and open with land, mox, vault.  Bob opens with gemstone mine and passes.  I draw ritual and win immediately holding gifts and demonic.

               Game 2 - Bob opens with land, moxen, ritual, duress stealing FOW and memory jar and passes the turn.  I

               echo and play chain on memory jar and pass back.  We both draw and pass subsequent turns and he then casts windfall

               for 5 and starts storming - windfall leads to twister.  My hand is vamp, 2x brainstorm, and other blue cards.  He

               duresses and I vamp in response for FOW.  He sees the dubs brainstorm and takes a gifts.  Bob depletes his hand and

               casts ancestral and I respond with brainstorm and FOW for the GG.

12 cards and I see no business?!?!?! BULLOCKS!!!

Can you say Scotty LUCKSAC?!?!?!

3) Grim Long is the busted nuts (I made SEVERAL play mistakes due to inexperience and still managed to overpower just about everyone). I won't hijack this thread with a list, but let's just say Grim Long has all the answers to the current metagame! If you're a spike like me, you'll consider playing this deck at any given tournament.

4) Being the person who played against this list the most IRL, I can attest to the fact that LED is busted. The deck runs so much disruption that if you give him recoup/will, he can easily win next turn and disrupt you with FoW/Duress. Also, don't count out that if you give him will/recoup, he can recoup a duress/scroll->force/walk/demonic and just straight up wreck you. Also, being a LUCKSAC Scott is, he'll often cast bargain on turn 2/3 and LED gives him another source of black/blue/red mana.

This deck is like PitchLong, but it has the flexibility of Gifts. I'm not sure which is better, but it seems to be working just fine for Limoges. I like the fact that it doesn't run cabal ritual.

5)

most interesting is that Bob Yu shuffled up a deck. I was sure he was going to quit after this last dry spell of his.

Until I stop T4ing at these local tourneys, I'll keep playing. It's always a great time. I spend a Sunday kickin' it with my home-slizzles, getting paid, and playing some cards...amazing. That reminds me, when am I going to have the opportunity to beat you again?

Also, it's amazing to be on a team that owns like 5 sets of power, 14 bazaars, 20 Drains, 10 grim tutors, X Shops, and X imperial seals! I think we can build duplicate copies of any deck in the format.

Anyways, awesome tourney, can't wait till the next one. The vintage scene here has gotten better; I don't have to play against WW every round.

PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ come out and support Vintage in Colorado. Like Scotty said, if you need pseudo-power, call any of us up. WE keep the tourneys going. The bigger the support, the bigger the prize payout. I would hate to see Carl/MHC stop holding tourney because of attendance.

-Bob

EDIT:

Also, a big welcome to Josh and Heather on joining the Colorado Crew!!! Always fun kickin' it with ya'll! (Sorry about wrecking you in the tourney Josh!)

[frucile]

That reminds me, when am I going to have the opportunity to beat you again?

i dunno man . . . i took you to a g3 at my first vintage tourny . . . and since then I've actually learned how to play the format  :lol:. Maybe never!!!

But i plan on shuffling up at the next CO vintage event no matter what. Two second places and an alpha sol ring in my only three vintage tournies is too large a sign for this T2 player to ignore.

[Evenpence]

Good work.  This list is fantastic.

One of my friends played a very similiar but much worse list.  Your list, however, is very exciting for the Gifts archetype.

I will play a few games and make some comments.

Again, very good work with this new Longish Gifts.

[SyntheticAngel]

Congrats to all the CO Crew members! I only wish I was able to make it down to play in this event. I got stuck in Wyoming with Dobby which sucked. Losing to some Wyoming kid was definately not as fun as playing some vintage. Once again congrats to everyone and thanks Scott for such a cool deck.