7CB #1: First ever Seven Card Blind tournament

[parallax]

With thanks to Zoneseek and the rest of the 3CB community, the rules for 7-Card Blind (7CB) are as follows:

• Your deck comprises 7 cards, all of which start in your hand.
• The library starts at 0 cards and you have no sideboard (Wishes fetch nothing).
• Random effects always go in your opponent's favour.
• All hands are revealed, so you always make the best possible play.
• You don't lose as a result of not being able to draw a card. If cards are put into your library, you draw normally.
• Other than the aforementioned, normal Magic rules apply.
• Decks are played against each other deck twice by the Moderator, once going first, once going second. For each win, you score 3. For each draw, you score 1. For each loss, you score 0.
• Decks must be Vintage legal (with the obvious exception of the 60-card minimum rule).
  
  

To make an entry, PM your deck to Parallax in the following format:

Subject: 7CB Tournament #1 Entry
Deck Name
Card #1
Card #2
Card #3
Card #4
Card #5
Card #6
Card #7


Entries close May 5. Players may enter up to two decks, but I reserve the right to restrict entries to one deck per player if sufficient entries are received, so please designate your preferred deck.


The 7CB format differs in several significant ways from more traditional three and four card formats. First, there is no banned list. Seven cards are enough to support Force of Will and other counterspells in the format, and that keeps many of the dangerous cards in check. Second, the multiple-discard and first-turn-goldfish rules are revoked for the same reason. Keep in mind that the Vintage banned and restricted lists are in place, and that Future Sight is not legal yet.

Sample Decklist:
Channel-Torch
Black Lotus
Channel
Daze
Force of Will
Kaervek's Torch
Misdirection
Volcanic Island

[Illissius]

Hooray. Another format to break. (And I will try). This is sort of exciting, actually, because there isn't any precedent, meaning you have no idea what's good or what people might be likely to play. So you're completely on your own in trying to figure the format out, and can't tell until the results are posted whether everyone else's entries were in an entire different league from yours.

Won't the seven card format be *ahem* very difficult to calculate, though? Good luck.

[Godder]

There's always precedent, you just have to look harder . I like these bigger formats, so let's see who breaks it most, first...

[Limbo]

Won't the seven card format be *ahem* very difficult to calculate, though? Good luck.

I'd say it probably is easier. Back in the day when I was doing calculations, there were a lot of damage races with creatures and stoof. I expect a lot less of these now, as there are (probably) more "Oops, I win" possibilities.

[Almighty]

This looks like fun. Thanks for running this!

[Jacob Orlove]

I entered, although my deck is bizarre.

[parallax]

I've got a number of interesting decks already. And some of the interactions are quite complex. Seems like a very inttiguing format so far.

[technogeek5000]

lol awesome im gonna have to think of a few decks, this is gonna be cool.

[diopter]

I've got a number of interesting decks already. And some of the interactions are quite complex. Seems like a very inttiguing format so far.

Parallax must be talking about my super-secret tech /ego+trashtalking 
This format's amazing - it's the Type 1 of X Card Blind!!

[Jacob Orlove]

Playing a metagame deck in the first round was probably a terrible idea, but we'll see how well my countermeasures fare. At least my deck name was excellent.

[parallax]

I've received 20 Decklists. Calculations are beginning.

[jro]

I always forget to submit a deck by the deadline for these things.  Here's what I would have played:
Sudden Shock
Kaervek's Torch
Simian Spirit Guide
Elvish Spirit Guide
Black Lotus
Channel
Forgotten Lore

It's designed to resolve Channel/Torch through one Force of Will on the play, and it protects against Channel/Torch with Sudden Shock on the draw.

[Elric]

I always forget to submit a deck by the deadline for these things.  Here's what I would have played:
Sudden Shock
Kaervek's Torch
Simian Spirit Guide
Elvish Spirit Guide
Black Lotus
Channel
Forgotten Lore

It's designed to resolve Channel/Torch through one Force of Will on the play, and it protects against Channel/Torch with Sudden Shock on the draw.

jro, it seems like the deck can win through a Force of Will on Black Lotus on the play, but it won't win if the opponent forces Channel since it can't generate enough green mana to Forgotten Lore it back and play it again.  That's a really good deck idea, though- very clever using Sudden Shock to avoid losing to Channel on the draw.

[Jacob Orlove]

Heh, I had Sudden Shock too, along with some other really cute tech. For reference, the deck I submitted:

“Gorilla, Gorilla, Gorilla, Gorilla, Gorilla, Stop That!”
Simian Spirit Guide
Simian Spirit Guide
Simian Spirit Guide
Sudden Shock (take THAT, Channel)
Red Elemental Blast
Artifact Blast
Mercadian Bazaar

Bonus points to whoever gets the joke in the name.

Also, my deck loses to Ephraim's, but hopefully he won't beat as many of the combo decks as I will. His deck is outlandish.

[diopter]

Keeper pretty much built itself for this contest. Here's hoping that blue cards dominate yet another format! 

[jro]

I always forget to submit a deck by the deadline for these things.  Here's what I would have played:
Sudden Shock
Kaervek's Torch
Simian Spirit Guide
Elvish Spirit Guide
Black Lotus
Channel
Forgotten Lore

It's designed to resolve Channel/Torch through one Force of Will on the play, and it protects against Channel/Torch with Sudden Shock on the draw.

jro, it seems like the deck can win through a Force of Will on Black Lotus on the play, but it won't win if the opponent forces Channel since it can't generate enough green mana to Forgotten Lore it back and play it again.  That's a really good deck idea, though- very clever using Sudden Shock to avoid losing to Channel on the draw.

Yeah, you're right, I messed up.  And nobody even played Channel.