Who wants to revisit the GUSH META March 7 and win a MOX SAPPHIRE in Milwaukee?

[Tha Gunslinga]

Yeah, so, I got bored with not running Vintage events.  I will be partnering with Milwaukee Magic Cards and Games to run monthly Vintage events in 2010, the first Sunday of every month (unless there's a conflict.)  My first event will be March 7th.

Anyway, here's what's up:
20-20 rule now.
$20 entry
20 proxies

11 AM reg, 12 or 12:30 start.

Milwaukee Magic Cards and Games
2235 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. #1
Milwaukee, WI 53207
414.481.7889


Prize support will be 100% of entry fees, as dealer credit with me.  I will be kicking back 10% of entry fees to the store, but will still give out $20 per player.  I have basically all Vintage-playable cards for sale at affordable prices.  Library, P9, duals, Forces, you name it, I have it.  I will GUARANTEE an Unlimited Mox Sapphire for first and something decent for second.  I think we're going to get a decent-sized turnout for this one.  I will extend prizes down through the top 8 if we get over, say, 20 people.


Now, here's the fun part.

I will most likely not be running "normal" Vintage this year.  People seem like they're bored with that.  The first event, March 7th, will be returning to the Gush metagame.  That means the following changes from "normal" 2010 Vintage:

1.  Gush, Brainstorm, Flash, Merchant Scroll, and Ponder are unrestricted.  Gifts Ungiven is still restricted.  Shahrazad is legal and unrestricted.
2.  Time Spiral, Personal Tutor, Dream Halls, Mox Diamond, and Chrome Mox are still restricted.
3.  The "M10 rules update" is NOT in effect.  This means:
     3a.  Combat damage stacks.
     3b.  Tokens are "owned" by whoever controlled the effect that created them.
     3c.  Mana burn exists.
     3d.  No more simultaneous mulligans
     3f.  Wishes fetch RFG'd cards as well as SB cards.
4.  All errata updates after July 2008 are NOT in effect.  This means:
     4a.  Illusionary Mask works the old way.
     4b.  Oath does not target.
     4c.  Time Vault/Voltaic Key does NOT work.
5.  Cards printed after Shadowmoor are not allowed.  This includes Eventide, Alara Block, M10, Zendikar, and Worldwake.


Please let me know if I missed anything.  Feel free to argue about this as much as you want, but I'm not going to run regular tournaments; those are boring.  Too many folks have complained about the lack of Gush, and about Time Vault being stupid and boring.  So, here you go!

Remember, folks, don't trust your secrets to the sea.

[Smmenen]

Fascinating.  This looks like the first serious effort I've seen at trying a modified Vintage format in tournament.  

Mystic Remora!!!!

[MirariKnight]

This is awesome. I'm going to be back in NY on spring break, so I won't be able to make it, but I really hope attendance is good and this thing catches on. This kind of thing is what's really great about unsanctioned tournaments.

[metalhead666]

I think that this will be interesting.  I wish I was in the area so I could attend and could experience this first hand.

[LordHomerCat]

I can play Gush?  Then I will be there.

Next time I'd like to see Meandeck Gifts era, that would be fun and everyone would be god awful at making gifts piles.

[Malkizid]

Great idea Ben!  Sounds like fun.  I will be there.  I knew holding onto my playset of Foil Gushes would pay off.

[forcethewill]

I think i may try to take a trip out there being it would be vacation time for me

[honestabe]

Funny, I was recently pondering the idea of someone running a tournament with a modified B/R list.  Pretty sure I have school, but if not, I'l look into making a trip

[personalbackfire]

This is a sweet idea, and I certainly would play if it was near me.

My only concern is just that what is the point of even playing vintage competitively if we as a community don't even hold tournaments using the B/R list? It would seem to make vintage more of a casual format, and lose whatever relevancy it still has.

However, maybe if people aren't playing Vintage because of the current b/r list, why not?

[Suicideking]

I think the problem is the ICBM opens that were held in the gush era were pulling up to 60 people.  Now in the same area we get 16, and everyone complains about how boring the format is.  This is a good chance to see if more players are willing to come out to play gushes again. 

[EnialisLiadon]

I really liked the Gush meta for a lot of reasons, but mostly because non-shop vintage decks back then looked like real decks, not highlander monstrosities.

I'd try to make this one, despite the 4-hour drive.  Gush is one of my favorite cards, though I doubt I'd play with it.

[AmbivalentDuck]

Sweet! You'll seriously let me play Doomsday with a Shahrazad finish?  

[The Atog Lord]

This is awesome.

[LordHomerCat]

Also, I would rather play this format than current vintage hands down.  If that makes it casual, so be it, but there's only one real competitive event every year anyway (gencon) so why be serious the rest of the year?  This is a game after all.

[Suicideking]

Also, I would rather play this format than current vintage hands down.  If that makes it casual, so be it, but there's only one real competitive event every year anyway (gencon) so why be serious the rest of the year?  This is a game after all.

[God_Campbell]

Damn I wish I was closer, I miss my gush's... good idea though!

[M.Solymossy]

I like the Idea, but I think I'd rather see Merchant Scroll and Ponder still restricted.

I don't want to play against Flash.


I also think we should play in the new (post M10) rules, with the new cards, just to see what people would do with their deck's.

[God_Campbell]

I like the Idea, but I think I'd rather see Merchant Scroll and Ponder still restricted.

I don't want to play against Flash.


I also think we should play in the new (post M10) rules, with the new cards, just to see what people would do with their deck's.

Actually, this would be alot better, that way it opens more design space for players and would be a good gage on what really needs to be on that ol list, but thats a topic for another day. Perhaps just swap ponder with brainstorm.

[M.Solymossy]

LOL I meant to say brainstorm.

[2nd_lawl]

I think the problem is the ICBM opens that were held in the gush era were pulling up to 60 people.  Now in the same area we get 16, and everyone complains about how boring the format is.  This is a good chance to see if more players are willing to come out to play gushes again. 

I think anyone blaming the format for their attendance woes is sorely sorely mistaken.  I don't think you can really make the argument that decks that play 4 flash 4 scroll were fun to play against but that 1xkey/vault is driving people away from vintage.  If you just want to take a stroll down memory lane, I think that's fine and encourage people to go play at this event, however if you are losing attendance that is due to a failure of the local community to attract new players and maintain old ones. 

[Suicideking]

I think the problem is the ICBM opens that were held in the gush era were pulling up to 60 people.  Now in the same area we get 16, and everyone complains about how boring the format is.  This is a good chance to see if more players are willing to come out to play gushes again. 

I think anyone blaming the format for their attendance woes is sorely sorely mistaken.  I don't think you can really make the argument that decks that play 4 flash 4 scroll were fun to play against but that 1xkey/vault is driving people away from vintage.  If you just want to take a stroll down memory lane, I think that's fine and encourage people to go play at this event, however if you are losing attendance that is due to a failure of the local community to attract new players and maintain old ones. 

I think it is perfectly fine to blame the format for driving  people away.  When you have a player base that has invested money into a bunch of shit like gushes and flashes, and then the format gets revamped, it becomes really easy to quit playing.  This is especially true if you dont like the new format.  A lot of people like vintage because it isnt supposed to change radically and its easy to keep up with.  This is why there are so many people who play vintage that have real careers and families. 

Either way this is a great way to return to a better time.

[2nd_lawl]

I think the problem is the ICBM opens that were held in the gush era were pulling up to 60 people.  Now in the same area we get 16, and everyone complains about how boring the format is.  This is a good chance to see if more players are willing to come out to play gushes again. 

I think anyone blaming the format for their attendance woes is sorely sorely mistaken.  I don't think you can really make the argument that decks that play 4 flash 4 scroll were fun to play against but that 1xkey/vault is driving people away from vintage.  If you just want to take a stroll down memory lane, I think that's fine and encourage people to go play at this event, however if you are losing attendance that is due to a failure of the local community to attract new players and maintain old ones. 

I think it is perfectly fine to blame the format for driving  people away.  When you have a player base that has invested money into a bunch of shit like gushes and flashes.

An uncommon and a rare that was reprinted in 6th edition arent "investments."  Claiming people quit because they lost 25 dollars of trade value on flashes is laughable.

If the format was to blame, how do you explain the fact that vintage tournaments are doing fine or even better in other places?  If key/vault is so oppressive and bad for the format why doesn't it win tournaments according to smmenen's latest analysis?  It's easy to scapegoat the restrictions to explain your poor attendance, because it absolves your local community of any responsibility for maintaining itself.

[JACO]

Please let me know if I missed anything.

In your haste to declare Wisconsin's love of Gush I think you missed a couple of important details, such as the name and address of where the tournament venue actually is, and what time registration and Round 1 will begin.

[urweak]

Sounds really interesting. The only thing i would change is to allow the newer sets. I dont know if they would provide anything to the format in that form, but there might be a few cards that mix in. Kinda like the way the format would be today if the DCI didnt change so many things around in the past 2 years or so.

[vassago]

This is so hot. I wish I lived closer, I would so play in this.  Is there anyway to have MWS set up and I would attend via computer? 

[Tha Gunslinga]

Future ICBM Opens this year will involve variants on this theme, such as past b/r list with current cards and errata, rewinding to past metagames such as the Gifts meta, the Slaver meta, possibly even back before 2001 to the BBS meta and such.

Why am I choosing to do this exact setup for the first one?  Because I feel like it.  And damn straight I will be playing in it.

[T00L]

Future ICBM Opens this year will involve variants on this theme, such as past b/r list with current cards and errata, rewinding to past metagames such as the Gifts meta, the Slaver meta, possibly even back before 2001 to the BBS meta and such.

Why am I choosing to do this exact setup for the first one?  Because I feel like it.  And damn straight I will be playing in it.

Can everyone just do this? I'd totally play vintage again lol

[LordHomerCat]

Future ICBM Opens this year will involve variants on this theme, such as past b/r list with current cards and errata, rewinding to past metagames such as the Gifts meta, the Slaver meta, possibly even back before 2001 to the BBS meta and such.

Why am I choosing to do this exact setup for the first one?  Because I feel like it.  And damn straight I will be playing in it.

Can everyone just do this? I'd totally play vintage again lol

I know.  If vintage was forever frozen in time from that June, just before the restrictions, I would be the happiest magic player alive.  I can't wait to build random stuff.  Also, I'm hoping for 4-LED Long.dec, that would be a blast to play.

[vassago]

Future ICBM Opens this year will involve variants on this theme, such as past b/r list with current cards and errata, rewinding to past metagames such as the Gifts meta, the Slaver meta, possibly even back before 2001 to the BBS meta and such.

Why am I choosing to do this exact setup for the first one?  Because I feel like it.  And damn straight I will be playing in it.

Can everyone just do this? I'd totally play vintage again lol

I know.  If vintage was forever frozen in time from that June, just before the restrictions, I would be the happiest magic player alive.  I can't wait to build random stuff.  Also, I'm hoping for 4-LED Long.dec, that would be a blast to play.

Building decks in this era was fun. You could pretty much build anything and it was ok.  I was a HUGE fan of angel pact.  For a very short time I loved how painter/gush "mspaint" was completely freaking retarded, possibly the best deck at the time.

[DubDub]

I will probably not be in attendance, as I already have two competing plans for short vacations in March.  By coincidence I did just receive these in the mail:



I guess the second line violates your rule #5, which is the only one I would reconsider if I were running the tournament.  I'd love to see what Coatl could do inserted into the Gush meta.