Meandeck Open 2-20-11 RESULTS

[Smmenen]

First of all, thanks for everyone who came out to fight this hip-hop battle.   We had 26 players from Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky show up to compete.

Congratulations to Mike Bolmholt who continues his amazing run with MUD in both Eternal Formats.   Especially since his MUD list this time was derived from the MUD list I ran at the Vintage Champs with NULL ROD, which Nick Detwiller derided, and Precursor Golem (which is superior to and has replaced Juggernaut).  Workshop Aggro has is alive and well    

Also, it was great to see so many different Mirrodin Besieged cards appearing, especially the ones I identified in my set review.  In this top 8 there were MANY Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, Phyrexian Revoker, Steel Sabotage, and Blightsteel Colossus, four of my top 5 cards from Mirrodin Besieged set revew.  Other MB cards appeared in the field, including Relic-Warder.

Here was the metagame:
7 Aggro MUD
7 Tezzeret (2 the Seeker and 4 Agent of Bolas)/Welder Control
3 Oath (2 non Gush, 1 Tyrant Oath)
2 Grow
2 5c Beats (with Relic Warder)
1 CobraGush
1 Gush Control
1 UGR Fish
1 BUG Fish
1 GushStorm (almost blue variant with Brain Freeze)

Top 4 Split.   Ordering by final standings and top 8 playoff:

1st Place:Michael Bolmholt

4 Lodestone Golem
4 Precursor Golem
4 Phyrexian Revoker
4 Chalice of the Void
3 Sphere of Resistance
4 Thorn of Amethyst
4 Null Rod
4 Tangle Wire
2 Crucible of Worlds
1 Trinisphere

4 Mishra’s Workshop
4 Ancient Tomb
4 City of Traitors
4 Wasteland
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Strip Mine
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Emeraldy
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
1 Black Lotus

SB:

4 Leyline of the Void
1 Sphere of Resistance
4 City in a bottle
4 Leyline of Sanctity
2 Duplicant

2nd Place: Jerry Yang

4 Scalding Tarn
3 Underground Sea
2 Tropical Island
2 Volcanic Island
1 Island
1 Snow-Covered Island
1 Tolarian Academy

1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Opal
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring

4 Force of Will
3 Mana Drain
3 Thoughtseize
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Nihil Spellbomb

4 Gush
4 Preordain
2 Sensei's Divining Top

1 Blightsteel Colossus
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Time Vault
1 Tinker
1 Voltaic Key

1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Fastbond
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Time Walk
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will

Sideboard:

3 Ingot Chewer
3 Yixlid Jailer
2 Pithing Needle
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Darkblast
1 Engineered Explosives
1 Mana Vault
1 Mountain
1 Pyroblast
1 Red Elemental Blast

3rd Place:  Nam Tran

4 Sphere of Resistance
4 Thorn of Amethyst
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Lodestone Golem
4 Phyrexian Revoker
2 Triskelion
1 Arcbound Ravager
4 Metalworker
3 Staff of Domination
2 Crucible of Worlds
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Emerald
4 Ancient Tomb
4 Mishra's Workshop
4 Mishra's Factory
4 Wasteland
2 Rishadan Port
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy

Sideboard:
4 Sculpting Steel
4 Relic of Progenitus
4 Duplicant
2 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
1 Wurmcoil Engine

4th Place: Korey Age

1 Blightsteel Colossus
1 Trinket Mage
3 Jace, the Mindsculptor
2 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Darkblast
1 Mind Twist
3 Thoughtseize
1 Time Walk
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 TInker
4 Force of Will
4 Preordain
3 Mana Drain
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Seat of the Synod
2 Volcanic Island
3 Underground Sea
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Island
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Emerald
2 Mox Opal

Sideboard:
1 Engineered Explosives
3 Pyroclasm
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Mountain
2 Viashino Heretic
3 Steel Sabotage
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Pithing Needle
1 Magus of the Unseen

5th Place: Jason Pare

4 Lodestone Golem
4 Metalworker
2 Karn, Silver Golem
2 Phyrexian Revoker
1 Triskelion
1 Duplicant
3 Steel Hellkite
4 Sphere of Resistance
4 Thorn of Amethyst
4 Chalice of the Void
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Arcbound Ravager
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mana Crypt
3 Staff of Domination
1 Sol Ring
4 Mishra's Workshop
4 Wasteland
4 Ancient Tomb
2 Rishadan Port
2 Mishra's Factory
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy

Sideboard:
4 Relic of Progenitus
2 Eon Hub
2 Triskelion
2 Wurmcoil Engine
2 Duplicant
3 Sculpting Steel

6th Place: Martez Moore (the missing brother)

4 Lodestone Golem
4 Metalworker
4 Tangle Wire
4 Thorn of Amethyst
2 Sculpting Steel
4 Chalice of the Void
3 Sphere of Resistance
1 Trinisphere
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
2 Wurmcoil Engine
2 Steel Hellkite
1 Triskelkion
1 Karn, Silver Golem
4 Wasteland
4 Mishra's Workshop
4 Ancient Tomb
2 Mishra's Factory
2 City of Traitors
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy

Sideboard:
3 Pithing Needle
2 Duplicant
1 Triskelion
3 Tormod's Crypt
1 Ankh of Mishra
2 Jester's Cap
2 Crucible of Worlds
1 Karn, Silver Golem

7th Place: Bobby Graves

2 Goblin Welder
3 Kuldotha Forgemaster
1 Precursor Golem
1 Myr Battlesphere
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Darkblast
4 Preordain
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Time Walk
1 Thirst For Knowledge
1 Tinker
1 Yawgmoth's Will
4 Force of Will
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
3 Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Voltaic Key
1 Time Vault
1 Mindslaver
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
2 Mox Opal
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
2 Volcanic Island
3 Underground Sea
1 Island
3 Scalding Tarn
4 Seat of the Synod
2 Ancient Tomb
1 Tolarian Academy

Sideboard:
2 Ingot Chewer
3 Steel Sabotage
2 Pyroblast
1 Rack and Ruin
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Trinisphere
1 Mountain
3 Pyroclasm

8th Place: John Taylor

4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
4 Goblin Welder
4 Looter Il-Kor
2 Flooded Strand
2 Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island
1 Tundra
1 Seat of the Synod
1 Island
1 Snow-Covered Island
1 Time Walk
1 Academy Ruins
1 Spell Pierce
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Brainstorm
1 Mana Vault
1 Voltaic Key
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Mindslaver
1 Tinker
1 Echoing Truth
1 Mana Crypt
1 Polluted Delta
1 Myr Battlesphere
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Crucible of Worlds
1 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Vault
1 Thirst For Knowledge
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Balance

Sideboard:
3 Ingot Chewer
3 Phyrexian Revoker
3 Earwig Squad
3 Lightning Bolt
2 Relic of Progenitus
1 Thada Adel, Acquisitor

That was completely uncalled for.  Read the sentence without the stricken phrase-- it doesn't lose any value in terms of its informational content for the community.  The only purpose to making that statement was antagonizing one of your critics and reigniting this standing, months-old feud over who knows more about Shops and who said what about Null Rod 6 months ago. Enough.

The Mana Drain is a forum for discussing Vintage.  It is not a battlefield for an unending argument that is carried from one thread to the next about who was right about Shops last year.  That's disruptive to good conversations, distracting to otherwise excellent posters on both sides, and it sets a terrible example for new users.  Steve, I'm not saying this is 100% your fault, but you have had your own role in perpetuating this issue for far too long.  Steve, Nick, Matt, and anyone else involved in this:  You all do much better work for the format when you aren't bickering with one another.   Let it go.  -DA

[voltron00x]

This TO report is pretty low, Steve, even for you.  Taking pot-shots at another Adept?  Really?  If you'd have been paying any attention, you'd know Nick's been supporting Null Rod as an anti-Metalworker tool for months now.  At least be right if you're going to try to blast someone.  Honestly, I really don't think taking shots at another Adept and plugging your review belong in a TO report.

Kudos to the top 8, great to see innovation is alive in Vintage.  Revoker is definitely making a splash, as is Tezz. 

[Smmenen]

Who called the PC police?   Matt, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?   Aren't you the one taking shots at people in your articles recently?  Namely, me?   Didn't Bruizar call you out for that here ?   And, didn't you do it again, completely mischaracterizing my criticism of your remarks regarding the B&R list here ?

Moreover, since when is Critique reduced to personal attacks?  Isn't that the point I tried to make to Nick over and over again in this thread ?  My only argument was that Workshop Aggro was NOT *strictly* inferior to Workshop Control -- that is, WOrkshop Aggro was a valid option.   And for that fairly mild claim I was harshly sentenced to forum war prison with epic treatises being launched on where my "logic" failed by Nick, and for which I was vilified for "attacking Nick," and have suffered so much vitriol from him and his friends.  Why is a good faith debate always personalized?

I'm glad that, according to you, Nick has recanted his position that "Null Rod Sucks," which he so vigorously applauded Meadbert for asserting, and for which he spared no opportunity to attack for me questioning.   What about the fact that Workshop Aggro doesn't suck either, and isn't strictly inferior to Workshop Control.  Has he recanted his view that Workshop Control is strictly superior as well?

[Klep]

Everyone calm down.

[Gambit]

Am I missing something with the

4x City in a Bottle

Sideboard tech? Besides bazaar what is the job of this card? Doesn't needle just do this better?

[Smmenen]

Am I missing something with the

4x City in a Bottle

Sideboard tech? Besides bazaar what is the job of this card? Doesn't needle just do this better?

No.  There are some obvious advantages:

1) City in a Bottle destroys the Bazaars in play.   Thus, even if the City is bounced or killed, the Bazaars are already destroyed and won't be usable.  

2) City actually prevents the opponent from *playing* Bazaars.   When you have cards like Tangle Wire in your deck, that means less permanents your opponent can have in play.   Incidentally, this is the only card in Magic (that I'm aware of) that prevents you from playing a land (LOL).    

3) Finally, if an opponent plays Arabians, Chronicles or Foil DCI City of Brass, City in a Bottle destroys those cards as well, or prevents them from being played.

I might also note that Mike used four REAL City in a Bottles.   They were sweet to look at.  

[Womba]

Also, it was great to see so many different Mirrodin Besieged cards appearing, especially the ones I identified in my set review.  In this top 8 there were MANY Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, Phyrexian Revoker, Steel Sabotage, and Blightsteel Colossus, four of my top 5 cards from Mirrodin Besieged set revew.  Other MB cards appeared in the field, including Relic-Warder.

I guess I can now read this now in addition to the set review...

[Joblin Velder]

EGO IS IMPORTANT.

[Ummmyeh13]

What Smmenen pointed out about City in a Bottle is mostly true except that DCI Foil City of Brass do not have the Arabian Nights expansion symbol so Bottle will not destroy these. Also, Bottle can be cast through Chalice on 1, which is one of the key plays for Shops against Dredge to protect its permanents.

Smmenen, from the standpoint of your average Magic player, I prefer my TOs to be without bias. Adding the comments that you did is simply not necessary from a TOs standpoint. TO reports are not articles and your ego-stroking does not belong there.

[Joblin Velder]

First of all, thanks for everyone who came out to fight this hip-hop battle.   We had 26 players from Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky show up to compete.

Congratulations to Mike Bolmholt who continues his amazing run with MUD in both Eternal Formats.   Especially since his MUD list this time was derived from the MUD list I ran at the Vintage Champs with NULL ROD, which Nick Detwiller derided, and Precursor Golem (which is superior to and has replaced Juggernaut).  Workshop Aggro has is alive and well      

Also, it was great to see so many different Mirrodin Besieged cards appearing, especially the ones I identified in my set review.  In this top 8 there were MANY Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, Phyrexian Revoker, Steel Sabotage, and Blightsteel Colossus, four of my top 5 cards from Mirrodin Besieged set revew.  Other MB cards appeared in the field, including Relic-Warder.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS GUY, BUT NOT REALLY. CONGRATULATIONS FOR ME COMING UP WITH HIS AWESOME DECK AND FOR ARGUING ABOUT HOW AWESOME IT IS.

ALSO, DEAR MAGIC COMMUNITY, HERE IS A REMINDER OF HOW I AM CONSTANTLY IMPRESSED WITH MYSELF.

[Ummmyeh13]

Incidentally, this is the only card in Magic (that I'm aware of) that prevents you from playing a land (LOL).

Seeing as City in a Bottle has a narrow subset of cards it prevents from being played, I feel I must point out ALL of the other cards which do not allow lands to be played, no matter how narrow:

Cornered Market
Damping Engine
Limited Resources
Moonhold
Null Chamber
Pardic Miner
Rock Jockey
Solfatara
Territorial Dispute
Turf Wound
Ward of Bones
Worms of the Earth

You're welcome Smmenen.

[Gambit]

Am I missing something with the

4x City in a Bottle

Sideboard tech? Besides bazaar what is the job of this card? Doesn't needle just do this better?

No.  There are some obvious advantages:

1) City in a Bottle destroys the Bazaars in play.   Thus, even if the City is bounced or killed, the Bazaars are already destroyed and won't be usable.  

2) City actually prevents the opponent from *playing* Bazaars.   When you have cards like Tangle Wire in your deck, that means less permanents your opponent can have in play.   Incidentally, this is the only card in Magic (that I'm aware of) that prevents you from playing a land (LOL).    

3) Finally, if an opponent plays Arabians, Chronicles or Foil DCI City of Brass, City in a Bottle destroys those cards as well, or prevents them from being played.

I might also note that Mike used four REAL City in a Bottles.   They were sweet to look at.  

You really think those "advantages" outweigh a card that is useful in other matchups? Needle just does so much more. Killing city of brass doesn't seem worth a slot. Also, Dredge is not a deck where tangle wire is good, my guess is the wires are sided out along with 4 null rod.

@ Ummmyeh, seems like you'd just play the needle first?

[Ummmyeh13]

@Gambit - that would be optimal, yes, but I'm pretty sure Magic is not scripted and cards are not drawn in a specific order every game. Bottle can be played both prior to and after Chalice on 1, where Needle can only be played prior to Chalice on 1. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

[Phele]

With so many Seat of Synods and Mox Opals in several list, wouldn't have Thoughtcast been a viable option over lets say Preordain or something else?

[Gambit]

@Gambit - that would be optimal, yes, but I'm pretty sure Magic is not scripted and cards are not drawn in a specific order every game. Bottle can be played both prior to and after Chalice on 1, where Needle can only be played prior to Chalice on 1. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

I get it, just don't understand it, City in a bottle is so narrow. Oh well, I won't post about it anymore.

[Tobi]

Thanks for the lists, Steve. Very interesting indeed.
Martez' deck is missing one card.
--> http://www.morphling.de/top8decks.php?id=1396

[yangtime]

Oh my!  Why so serious?

I had a great time at the tournament.  It was well run as usual.  Thurman's afterward was a blast as always.  It was nice to have 20 gamers hanging out at the bar!

[TopSecret]

Just in case anyone missed it, City in a Bottle brings a huge intimidation factor to the table as well because as soon as you cast it your opponent will realize that you actually took the time to figure out that an obscure jank rare from Arabian Nights is better than Pithing Needle against Dredge. They will then become distracted imagining what other minute changes you could have made to tilt the odds in your favor. Did they also board in Phyrexian Furnace instead of Relic of Progenitus so they could still use the second activation while planning to recur Wastelands with Crucible of Worlds? Wait, but then they wouldn't be able to wipe my whole graveyard if they needed to. Is Furnace actually statistically better? Meanwhile you take control of the board by bringing your A game while the opponent is left wondering if you knew they'd figure out the Furnace play and instead bought in Heap Doll.

[GrandpaBelcher]

Oh my!  Why so serious?

I had a great time at the tournament.  It was well run as usual.  Thurman's afterward was a blast as always.  It was nice to have 20 gamers hanging out at the bar!

I also had a great time, so the long weekend and 15-hour round trip were well worth it.  It was nice to go to a Columbus tournament that had 20+ people again and wasn't Cleveland vs. Steve.  Thurman's was excellent, as always, and it was good to hang out and meet new people.  Thanks for all your hard work, Steve.  Sorry it's going unappreciated.

[Smmenen]

Thanks for the lists, Steve. Very interesting indeed.
Martez' deck is missing one card.
--> http://www.morphling.de/top8decks.php?id=1396

You mean MarTEZ.  I'll try to figure out the missing card later when I get home.   When his brother told me his name I thought he was joking.   The Moore bros all have magic names.  

[Smmenen]

Am I missing something with the

4x City in a Bottle

Sideboard tech? Besides bazaar what is the job of this card? Doesn't needle just do this better?

No.  There are some obvious advantages:

1) City in a Bottle destroys the Bazaars in play.   Thus, even if the City is bounced or killed, the Bazaars are already destroyed and won't be usable.  

2) City actually prevents the opponent from *playing* Bazaars.   When you have cards like Tangle Wire in your deck, that means less permanents your opponent can have in play.   Incidentally, this is the only card in Magic (that I'm aware of) that prevents you from playing a land (LOL).    

3) Finally, if an opponent plays Arabians, Chronicles or Foil DCI City of Brass, City in a Bottle destroys those cards as well, or prevents them from being played.

I might also note that Mike used four REAL City in a Bottles.   They were sweet to look at.  

You really think those "advantages" outweigh a card that is useful in other matchups? Needle just does so much more. Killing city of brass doesn't seem worth a slot. Also, Dredge is not a deck where tangle wire is good, my guess is the wires are sided out along with 4 null rod.

@ Ummmyeh, seems like you'd just play the needle first?

I don't think that Mike cared about other matchups.  In any case, he had four maindeck needles: 4 revokers.   

[Klep]

Full warnings to Joblin Velder and Womba for flaming.  This isn't kindergarden people. 

I'm leaving the thread open because the more mature of you have actually had a decent discussion and I don't want to cut it off.  The rest of you, don't make me regret that.

[Sextiger]

With the movement of blue decks transitioning from Nature's Claim/Trygon strategies to powering out crazy artifact Tez strategies, now seems like a good time for Gorilla Shaman. 

[Evenpence]

2) City actually prevents the opponent from *playing* Bazaars.   When you have cards like Tangle Wire in your deck, that means less permanents your opponent can have in play.   Incidentally, this is the only card in Magic (that I'm aware of) that prevents you from playing a land (LOL).

Ward of Bones:
http://magiccards.info/query?q=ward+of+bones&v=card&s=cname

Limited Resources:
http://magiccards.info/query?q=limited+resources&v=card&s=cname

Just two off the top of my head.

[KingSquee]

While it may not be the optimal sideboard choice against Bazaars/Dredge, I fully support and endorse the use of City in a Bottle, if for no other reason than we might get a reaction similar to the one by Steve Silverman when somebody played it against him at Vintage Champs last year!

[Iron_Chef]

It's nice to see some larger events in the Midwest.  Do you feel that the fact that players were offered unlimited proxies boosted attendance?  I'd be interested in seeing how many people took advantage of that.

Congratulations to Mike Bolmholt who continues his amazing run with MUD in both Eternal Formats.   Especially since his MUD list this time was derived from the MUD list I ran at the Vintage Champs with NULL ROD, which Nick Detwiller derided, and Precursor Golem (which is superior to and has replaced Juggernaut).  Workshop Aggro has is alive and well      

Also, it was great to see so many different Mirrodin Besieged cards appearing, especially the ones I identified in my set review.  In this top 8 there were MANY Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, Phyrexian Revoker, Steel Sabotage, and Blightsteel Colossus, four of my top 5 cards from Mirrodin Besieged set revew.  Other MB cards appeared in the field, including Relic-Warder.

On another note, is this really a necessary inclusion in a TO Report?  Steve, in my opinion, A Tournament Organizer Report really only needs highlight the event itself, and any innovations or improvements to existing archtypes can be discussed in their respective forums.  I can certainly understand why this thread devolved into what it did, but can you take some responsibility for instigating the following comments?

-Nick

[GrandpaBelcher]

It's nice to see some larger events in the Midwest.  Do you feel that the fact that players were offered unlimited proxies boosted attendance?  I'd be interested in seeing how many people took advantage of that.

I used the usual blue power, Moxes, Lotus, and two Jaces -- so 10.  From the other side of the table I saw similar use of proxies and some additional cards, including new ones like Leonin Relic-Warder.  I've always felt that the unlimited proxy tournaments at the Soldiery (which is how they've done it as long as I've been playing there) certainly don't discourage people from playing.  And though I didn't see it this time, I have seen people show up with the majority of cards in their deck proxied.  I think Michael Simister (Great-Grandpappy Belcher) showed up with 90% of Belcher proxied at his last tournament there.  In the end, I don't think it matters too much either way -- plus or minus one or two players per tournament probably.  The people who are going to play Vintage will play Vintage, and the people who won't stay home.

[Prospero]

I'll break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
And deeper than did ever plummet sound
I'll drown my book.

[Tobi]

All torment, trouble, wonder and amazement
Inhabits here: some heavenly power guide us
Out of this fearful country!

[quicksilvervii]

Am I missing something with the

4x City in a Bottle

Sideboard tech? Besides bazaar what is the job of this card? Doesn't needle just do this better?

No.  There are some obvious advantages:

1) City in a Bottle destroys the Bazaars in play.   Thus, even if the City is bounced or killed, the Bazaars are already destroyed and won't be usable.  

2) City actually prevents the opponent from *playing* Bazaars.   When you have cards like Tangle Wire in your deck, that means less permanents your opponent can have in play.   Incidentally, this is the only card in Magic (that I'm aware of) that prevents you from playing a land (LOL).    

3) Finally, if an opponent plays Arabians, Chronicles or Foil DCI City of Brass, City in a Bottle destroys those cards as well, or prevents them from being played.

I might also note that Mike used four REAL City in a Bottles.   They were sweet to look at.  

You really think those "advantages" outweigh a card that is useful in other matchups? Needle just does so much more. Killing city of brass doesn't seem worth a slot. Also, Dredge is not a deck where tangle wire is good, my guess is the wires are sided out along with 4 null rod.

@ Ummmyeh, seems like you'd just play the needle first?

I don't think that Mike cared about other matchups.  In any case, he had four maindeck needles: 4 revokers.   

The only problem being that revoker does nothing against bazaar...  Am I missing something here?

Don't get me wrong, I love the City in a Bottle Idea (just picked up a set YEAAAAAAAH), but Revoker seems pretty darn useless in the dredge matchup - aside from dude swings.