Top Deck Games Winter Open Grudge Match IV TO Report

[Iron_Chef]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here it is.



The Standard Main Event had 75 players.  The Grudge Match IV? 84 players.  Early in the day, my scorekeeper had told me 87 players, but that was corrected later in the day.  Thank you to everyone who made the trip from around the corner or as far away as Boston to play.  You guys, the players, are the reason these events are what they are.  

Jace Control	11	13%
Esspresso Stax	9	11%
Dredge	6	7%
Landstill	6	7%
Shop Aggro	5	6%
Gro	5	6%
Oath	4	5%
Mono Red Shop	4	5%
TPS	3	4%
Christmas Beatings	3	4%
Tezzeret	3	4%
MUD	2	2%
Stoneblade	2	2%
Painter	2	2%
RUG Delver	2	2%
GW Hate Bears	2	2%
Dark Times	2	2%
Noble Fish	1	1%
BUG Fish	1	1%
Control Slaver	1	1%
Show and Oath	1	1%
Demars Bant	1	1%
Cobra Gush Tendrils	1	1%
Bomberman	1	1%
Affinity	1	1%
Password is Taco	1	1%
3 Decks 1 Box	1	1%
Reanimator	1	1%
Demon Oath	1	1%
Elves	1	1%

                  

Top 8 Results

Jesse Martin (TPS) defeated Justin Kohler (MUD)
Mark Hornung (Dredge) defeated Paul Mastriano (BUG Fish)
Matthew Gottshall (Shop Aggro) defeated Jeff Anand (Control Slaver)
Shawn Griffiths (Gro) defeated Alex Bastecki (Noble Fish)

Top 4 Results
Mark Hornung (Dredge) defeated Matthew Gottshall (Shop Aggro)
Shawn Griffiths (Gro) defeated Jesse Martin (TPS)

Finals
Shawn Griffiths (Gro) defeated Mark Hornung (Dredge) to become the Grudge Match IV Champion AND the first person to reach Level 3 in the NEV Player's Club, earning him an invite to the NEV Championships at the end of the year!  Congratulations Shawn!

Top 8 Decklists


1st Place: Shawn Griffiths playing “Gush Gro” (Gro)

Maindeck:
4 Misty Rainforest
3 Scalding Tarn
3 Underground Sea
3 Tropical Island
2 Island
2 Trinket Mage
2 Trygon Predator
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Gush
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Sol Ring
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Tinker
3 Mental Misstep
4 Force of Will
1 Preordain
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Time Walk
1 Brainstorm
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Blightsteel Colossus
1 Voltaic Key
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Fastbond
1 Flusterstorm
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Black Lotus
1 Time Vault
1 Grafdigger’s Cage
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

Sideboard:
4 Nature’s Claim
4 Leyline of the Void
1 Sower of Temptation
1 Dismember
1 Yixlid Jailer
1 Flusterstorm
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Forest
1 Grafdigger’s Cage

2nd Place: Mark Hornung playing “Cagebreaker Dredge” (Dredge)

Maindeck:
4 Nature’s Claim
1 Sun Titan
2 Dakmar Salvage
3 City of Brass
4 Undiscovered Paradise
4 Bridge from Below
2 Ichorid
4 Bloodghast
4 Cabal Therapy
1 Flame-Kin Zealot
2 Dread Return
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
4 Serum Powder
1 Darkblast
2 Golgari Thug
4 Golgari Grave-Troll
4 Stinkweed Imp
4 Narcomoeba
2 Fatesticher
4 Mental Misstep

Sideboard:
4 Chain of Vapor
4 Ingot Chewer
3 Unmask
2 Petrified Field
1 Ichorid
1 City of Brass

3rd Place: Mathew Gottshall playing “Shop Aggro” (Shop Aggro)

Maindeck:
4 Lodestone Golem
4 Wurmcoil Engine
4 Phyrexian Revoker
4 Phyrexian Metamorph
4 Thorn of Amethyst
4 Tangle Wire
4 Orb of Dreams
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Ancient Tomb
4 Mishra’s Workshop
4 Wasteland
3 Mishra’s Factory
2 City of Traitors
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Black Lotus
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Trinisphere

Sideboard:
4 Precursor Golem
4 Relic of Progenitus
3 Grafdigger’s Cage
2 Pithing Needle
2 Crucible of Worlds

4th Place: Jesse Martin playing “TPS” (TPS)

Maindeck:
4 Duress
4 Dark Ritual
4 Force of Will
2 Hurkyl’s Recall
2 Cabal Ritual
3 Gitaxian Probe
1 Brainstorm
1 Ponder
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Timetwister
1 Time Walk
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Grim Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Yawgmoth’s Bargain
1 Necropotence
2 Tendrils of Agony
1 Mind’s Desire
1 Chain of Vapor
4 Underground Sea
2 Island
1 Swamp
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Flooded Strand
1 Polluted Delta
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mana Crypt
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Pearl
1 Lotus Petal

Sideboard:
1 Chain of Vapor
2 Dismember
1 Virtue’s Ruin
2 Pithing Needle
2 Yixlid Jailer
4 Defense Grid
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Rebuild
1 Island

5th Place: Justin Kohler playing “Red Deck Wins” (MUD)

Maindeck:
4 Metalworker
4 Kuldotha Forgemaster
4 Lodestone Golem
2 Phyrexian Metamorph
1 Karn, Silver Golem
1 Myr Battlesphere
1 Sundering Titan
3 Sphere of Resistance
4 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Trinisphere
4 Chalice of the Void
4 Tangle Wire
1 Mana Vault
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
4 Mishra’s Workshop
4 Ancient Tomb
2 City of Traitors
2 Mishra’s Factory
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Wasteland
1 Strip Mine

Sideboard:
4 Wurmcoil Engine
4 Grafdigger’s Cage
2 Crucible of Worlds
2 Phyrexian Metamorph
2 Tormod’s Crypt
1 Relic of Progenitus

6th Place: Alex Bastecki playing “Noble Fish” (Noble Fish)

Maindeck:
4 Trygon Predator
4 Qasali Pridemage
4 Meddling Mage
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Path to Exile
4 Mental Misstep
4 Gitaxian Probe
4 Force of Will
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
3 Tundra
4 Tropical Island
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Strip Mine
4 Wasteland
1 Forest
1 Island
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl

Sideboard:
4 Grafdigger’s Cage
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Nature’s Claim
3 Threads of Disloyalty
2 Mindbreak Trap

7th Place: Jeff Anand playing “Slaver” (Control Slaver)

Maindeck:
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Black Lotus
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mindslaver
1 Sensei’s Divining Top
1 Nihil Spellbomb
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key
2 Goblin Welder
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Inkwell Leviathan
1 Wurmcoil Engine
1 Tinker
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Time Walk
2 Jace, the Mindsculptor
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Brainstorm
3 Forbidden Alchemy
1 Lightning Bolt
1 Gifts Ungiven
1 Vampiric Tutor
4 Force of Will
3 Mana Drain
2 Mental Misstep
1 Steel Sabotage
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Polluted Delta
2 Scalding tarn
3 Flooded Strand
3 Island
3 Volcanic Island
3 Underground Sea

Sideboard:
1 Doom Blade
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Lightning Bolt
1 Rack and Ruin
2 Ingot Chewer
1 Flusterstorm
2 Grafdigger’s Cage
2 Surgical Extraction
4 Leyline of the Void

8th Place: Paul Mastriano playing “BUG Fish” (BUG Fish)

Maindeck:
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
1 Tinker
1 Time Walk
1 Ponder
3 Preordain
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Demonic Tutor
3 Underground Sea
3 Tropical Island
1 Tolarian Academy
2 Polluted Delta
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Island
1 Forest
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
2 Mental Misstep
4 Force of Will
2 Flusterstorm
1 Brainstorm
1 Ancestral Recall
2 Trygon Predator
2 Sower of Temptation
3 Tarmogoyf
4 Dark Confidant
1 Blightsteel Colossus
1 Voltaic Key
1 Time Vault
1 Sol Ring
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mana Crypt
1 Black Lotus

Sideboard:
4 Leyline of the Void
3 Nature’s Claim
2 Yixlid Jailer
2 Dismember
2 Flusterstorm
2 Trygon Predator

Once more, a picture is worth a thousand words.



From Left to Right, I give you Team Philadelphia: Matt Elias, Mark Hornung, and Josh Potucek.

Team Name	Total Pts.
Team Philadelphia	46
Dead Money	37
Team New York	33
Team CT	32
First State Beats	31
Full of Win	27
Magic Sauce	27
Interspecies Erotica	25
Team New England	22
You Just Lost	16
Undead	12

            

Props:
The Judge staff: Mike Errante, Nick DiPasquale, Mike Noss, and Dave Unni
The TDG Staff: Julian Palermo, Mike Noble, everyone else who helped throughout the day
BBQ on site!

Slops:
People who are afraid of 1" of snow.  This isn't SoCal people, man up!
The LOOONNGG Day

[Samite Healer]

Vintage 84 Players.  Standard 75 Players.  1% Control Slaver.

This tournament was a blast!  Nicely done, Nick.

[Womba]

I KNEW IT!! Paul wasn't running Cages lol 

Pretty insane tournament and venue. Congrats to all of the Top 8 and especially Shawn for taking me down.

Thank you to everyone who made the trip from around the corner or as far away as Boston to play. 

Its obviously well worth the trip from Boston for these events, just saying...

[Prospero]

This was a great event. 

I'm also a big fan of the pie chart...

[Iron_Chef]

I could not appropriately classify "Password is Taco" in an archtype.  It will remain a mystery forever.

Thanks Jake Gans...

[forcethewill]

the password is taco is by far my fav. deck

[Teps]

the password is taco is by far my fav. deck

I named my Magic Fantasy Draft "Mr McGibblets". I love that show.

[quicksilvervii]

Team Name	Total Pts.
Team Philadelphia	46
Dead Money	37
Team New York	33
Team CT	32
First State Beats	31
Full of Win	27
Magic Sauce	27
Interspecies Erotica	25
Team New England	22
You Just Lost	16
Undead	12

            

Looks like team CT did considerably better than team New England.

[Prospero]

Doesn't change anything, but with me at 12 points, Jimmy at 9 points and Tom at 15 points, I have Team New York at 36 points, total.

Also, while New England could certainly have been better, I believe they were at 25 points (19 from Jesse, 6 from AbdullahtheButcher and none from Ertai Adept), not 22.

[Iron_Chef]

Doesn't change anything, but with me at 12 points, Jimmy at 9 points and Tom at 15 points, I have Team New York at 36 points, total.

Also, while New England could certainly have been better, I believe they were at 25 points (19 from Jesse, 6 from AbdullahtheButcher and none from Ertai Adept), not 22.

Jimmy was at 6 points, since regardless of the fact that he "won" the last round, when it's Mike Noble playing Jimmy's deck for fun vs. Obert Chen in the X-4 bracket, it doesn't count towards the team competition.

RE: Team New England, I have Jesse at 16 Swiss points.  I didn't count the Top 8 towards the Team Competition (unless you want me to make Team Philadelphia's lead that much bigger  )

[LemonLyman]

Top 8 should definately count! Where's the fun in not counting crunch time?

[thebliff]

Team Name	Total Pts.
Team Philadelphia	46
Dead Money	37
Team New York	33
Team CT	32
First State Beats	31
Full of Win	27
Magic Sauce	27
Interspecies Erotica	25
Team New England	22
You Just Lost	16
Undead	12

            

Dead Money 2nd place!  Guess we didn't do as terrible as we thought...

[yespuhyren]

To the guy who played shop aggro that T8ed, I’m the guy who was working with you on your list and with Orb of Dreams on Cockatrice.  Nice to meet you on here!

[msg67183]

Finally figured out how to post on here, lol. Sorry Im an idiot. Yeah, I cant believe I punted that bad to Mark in the Top 4. After reading his report I feel really dumb. But thats what One must do from a loss, learn from it.

ORB OF DREAMS!!!

[cvarosky80]

Finally figured out how to post on here, lol. Sorry Im an idiot. Yeah, I cant believe I punted that bad to Mark in the Top 4. After reading his report I feel really dumb. But thats what One must do from a loss, learn from it.

ORB OF DREAMS!!!

Very nice run there Matt. That was a strong showing by going from 0-1 all the way to the Top 4. I hope to see you at the next Bloomsburg for our own personal Grudge Match.

Chris (Your Rd. 7 opponent)

P.S. Screw Wurmcoil Engine.....lol........Serious ly, how the hell did the Vintage Gods love you THAT much to give you the opportunity to drop 3 IN A ROW in our Game 3???? Once again, very nice run!

[msg67183]

Yes hope to see u there also chris. Ive made a few minor changes to the deck since then. I got a bazaar for 3rd but then traded it  back in towards the pearl that was $225.

[Samite Healer]

Finally figured out how to post on here, lol. Sorry Im an idiot. Yeah, I cant believe I punted that bad to Mark in the Top 4. After reading his report I feel really dumb. But thats what One must do from a loss, learn from it.

ORB OF DREAMS!!!

Well said.  I punted Game 3 against you in T8.  If had Doom Bladed your Lodestone in response to Metamorph instead of Draining it, our game 3 would have been very different.  Serves me right for playing once a year!  I won't make that mistake again.

[msg67183]

Hey nick I just noticed that u have 3 city of traitors in my list when I only ran 2. Just so u know.

[Iron_Chef]

Hey nick I just noticed that u have 3 city of traitors in my list when I only ran 2. Just so u know.

Fixed it, thanks.  My eyes cross after typing up so many Vintage decklists.

[msg67183]

Thanks for fixing it.

[Alamoth]

Feature Match videos from this event are finally up on my Youtube channel!

http://www.youtube.com/user/Alamoth83/videos

Or you can check out the playlist with all the videos (sans Round 4 - Game 2 which had an error uploading and is being re-uploaded as I write this)!

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD4555145B6FE2F41&feature=plcp