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Sunday, December 18, 2016

Party of the Pit Lords: Full Metagame Breakdown & Winner's Report

Updated 12.19.2016 – Added two videos: part and part two of the game four of the finals between Brian and Jaco. Enjoy!

Party of the Pit Lords
Chicago Old School heavyweight Grant Casleton recently completed his set of Savannahs, and decided there would be no better way to celebrate than hold an Old School tournament and run Erhnamgeddon. In the spirit of the holidays, Grant connected with Chicago's Cornerstone Community Outreach, and made the tournament entry one new-in-the-packaging toy to be donated to Chicago's less-fortunate families.



I'm not quite sure what was in the air, but somehow 22 duelists showed up to battle for glory at Hopewell Brewing Company's tap room in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood for the illustrious Party of the Pit Lords. If you are not aware of Chicago's Lords of the Pit, we're a formidable convocation of dark wizards.

Don't fuck with us.

Like most Chicago Old School events, a bunch of us got together for breakfast the morning of the tournament. We went to Handlebar (like we have before) and dined on incredible vegetarian cuisine while being serenaded by various punk and metal bands in the background.
Per usual, I got the chimichanga

Breakfast panorama from left to right:
Brian Fisher, Shane Semmens, Jaco, Nathan Mullen, Matt Slack


Metagame Breakdown
The day brought a diverse showing of decks, and much to my surprise, only one copy of The Deck, with Tempo and Midrange being the most popular archetype choices in the room. Here is a snapshot of the day, including deck/player along with their final record and the basic archetype breakdown of all decks that were played.


Kird ApeArgothian PixiesMishra's Factory, and Lightning Bolt ruled the day, followed closely by Erhnam Djinn and Serendib Efreet. It was also impressive to see six Shivan Dragons in the room, the hallmark of ancient MTG fauna.

I was also very surprised by the amount of Tranquility in the room, although I did post a picture of sets of Mana Vortex and Land Equilibrium the night before 😉

This could have made the day unbearable
The Chicago 93/94 metagame has often consisted largely of creature-less decks, dominated by prison and control. It was refreshing to see only twelve Counterspells in the room, although Disenchant was rampant per usual.


Decks Lists
I have all of the deck list pictures (with linked text lists) here in no particular order. Aside from the top four duelists, I do not have access to the actual complete standings, as Grant's computer decided to shut down immediately after the Swiss finished up.

At a work party recently, I was chatting with a co-worker who is also a MTG player about building something better than WER for running non-sanctioned tournaments. I was initially just thinking about a command-line only utility, but since he's an actual developer, he thought a GUI-based application wouldn't be too difficult. Hopefully there will be more on this to come later.

Anyways, here they all are. Three players either did not take pictures of their sideboards, or did not have them built.

5C Dreams Combo
By Danny Friedman

Business (31)
Instants (8)
1 Ancestral Recall
Flash Counter
Lightning Bolt
Sorceries (12)
1 Balance
1 Braingeyser
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Recall
1 Regrowth
1 Timetwister
1 Time Walk
Winds of Change
Artifacts (6)
Black Vise
1 Chaos Orb
Enchantments (9)
4 Howling Mine
Sylvan Library
Underworld Dreams


Mana Sources (29)
Artifacts (7)
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
Instants (4)
Dark Ritual
Lands (18)
4 Badlands
4 City of Brass
Island
1 Library of Alexandria
Swamp
Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island

Sideboard (15)
Instants (5)
1 Blue Elemental Blast
Boomerang
2 Red Elemental Blast
Artifacts (5)
City in a Bottle
Ivory Tower
Enchantments (5)
2 The Abyss
Gloom

4C Tron

By Shane Semmens

Business (31)
Instants (6)
1 Ancestral Recall
Avoid Fate
1 Crumble
Sorceries (6)
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Braingeyser
Fireball
1 Regrowth
1 Time Walk
1 Wheel of Fortune
Artifacts (2)
1 Chaos Orb
Ring of Ma'rûf
Creatures (14)
Juggernaut
1 Serendib Djinn
4 Serendib Efreet
Tetravus
Triskelion
Enchantments (3)
Fastbond
Sylvan Library
Mana Sources (32)
Artifacts (9)
1 Black Lotus
2 Fellwar Stone
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
Lands (23)
4 City of Brass
1 Strip Mine
4 Tropical Island
4 Urza's Mine
4 Urza's Power Plant
4 Urza's Tower
2 Volcanic Island

Sideboard (15)
Instants (6)
1 Berserk
2 Blue Elemental Blast
Lightning Bolt
1 Red Elemental Blast
Shatter
Sorceries (6)
Fireball
Flashfires
1 Mind Twist
1 Recall
Tranquility
Enchantments (2)
Control Magic
Lands (1)
1 Strip Mine

WRG Bazaar Zoo
By Jason Jaco

Business (39)
Instants (13)
Avoid Fate
3 Disenchant
Lightning Bolt
Swords to Plowshares
Sorceries (5)
1 Balance
Chain Lightning
1 Regrowth
1 Wheel of Fortune
Artifacts (1)
1 Chaos Orb
Creatures (15)
Argothian Pixies
4 Kird Ape
Preacher
4 Savannah Lions
Enchantments (3)
Sylvan Library
Lands (2)
Bazaar of Baghdad
Mana Sources (21)
Artifacts (4)
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Rub
Lands (17)
1 Forest
1 Mishra's Factory
1 Plains
Plateau
3 Savannah
4 Strip Mine
Taiga

Sideboard (15)

Instants (5)
1 Disenchant
4 Red Elemental Blast
Sorceries (3)
Dust to Dust
Tranquility
Creatures (4)
King Suleiman
1 Spinal Villain
Whirling Dervish
Enchantments (3)
Circle of Protection: Red
Greater Realm of Preservation
Karma

RUG Zoo
By Brian Fisher

Business (34)
Instants (8)
1 Ancestral Recall
Lightning Bolt
3 Psionic Blast
Sorceries (8)
Chain Lightning
1 Regrowth
1 Timetwister
1 Time Walk
1 Wheel of Fortune
Artifacts (1)
1 Chaos Orb
Creatures (16)
Argothian Pixies
4 Erhnam Djinn
4 Kird Ape
4 Serendib Efreet
Enchantments (1)
Sylvan Library
Mana Sources (26)
Artifacts (5)
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
Lands (21)
3 City of Brass
1 Library of Alexandria
4 Mishra's Factory
1 Strip Mine
Taiga
4 Tropical Island
4 Volcanic Island

Sideboard (15)
Instants (9)
3 Blue Elemental Blast
3 Red Elemental Blast
Shatter
Sorceries (4)
Earthquake
Tranquility
Enchantments (2)
Control Magic

Big Red Green Smash Idiots

By Joe Alane

Business (35)
Instants (8)
Lightning Bolt
Shatter
Sorceries (11)
Channel
Fireball
1 Regrowth
Stone Rain
1 Wheel of Fortune
Artifacts (1)
1 Chaos Orb
Creatures (11)
4 Erhnam Djinn
4 Kird Ape
Shivan Dragon
Enchantments (4)
Sylvan Library
Mana Sources (25)
Artifacts (7)
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
Lands (18)
Hammerheim
Forest
Mountain
4 Strip Mine
Taiga

Sideboard (15)
Instants (5)
2 Fork
3 Red Elemental Blast
Sorceries (8)
Chain Lightning
Earthquake
Hurricane
Tranquility
Enchantments (1)
Lifeforce
Lands (1)
Maze of Ith

BGW Midrange
By Brandon Sanders

Business (31)
Instants (8)
4 Disenchant
Swords to Plowshares
Sorceries (7)
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Hymn to Tourach
1 Mind Twist
1 Regrowth
Artifacts (1)
1 Chaos Orb
Creatures (13)
4 Erhnam Djinn
4 Hypnotic Specter
4 Juzam Djinn
Sengir Vampire
Enchantments (2)
Sylvan Library
Mana Sources (29)
Artifacts (1)
1 Sol Ring
Instants (2)
2 Dark Ritual
Creatures (4)
4 Birds of Paradise
Lands (22)
4 City of Brass
Forest
1 Savannah
4 Scrubland
2 Strip Mine
8 Swamp
Urborg

Sideboard (15)
Instants (3)
Avoid Fate
Artifacts (2)
Golgothian Sylex
Enchantments (8)
4 Gloom
Underworld Dreams

White Weenie

By Nathan Mullen

Business (37)
Instants (8)
4 Disenchant
4 Swords to Plowshares
Creatures (25)
4 Icatian Javelineers
4 Order of Leitbur
1 Preacher
4 Savannah Lions
4 Thunder Spirit
4 Tundra Wolves
4 White Knight
Enchantments (4)
4 Crusade
Mana Sources (23)
Lands (23)
4 Mishra's Factory
15 Plains
4 Strip Mine

Sideboard (15)
Instants (2)
2 Divine Offering
Sorceries (4)
2 Armageddon
2 Dust to Dust
Creatures (2)
1 King Suleiman
1 Preacher
Artifacts (3)
3 City in a Bottle
Enchantments (4)
2 Circle of Protection: Black
2 Circle of Protection: Red

Mono Red Burn
By Tyler Etters (deck provided and built by Brandon Sanders)

Business (37)
Instants (16)
4 Fork
Lightning Bolt
Shatter
Chain Lightning
Sorceries (8)
Fireball
Pyrotechnics
1 Shatterstorm
1 Wheel of Fortune
Artifacts (3)
1 Chaos Orb
2 Nevinyrral's Disk
Creatures (9)
Ball Lightning
Rukh Egg
Shivan Dragon
Enchantments (1)
Blood Moon
Mana Sources (23)
Artifacts (3)
Mana Vault
1 Mox Ruby
1 Sol Ring
Lands (20)
Hammerheim
Maze of Ith
17 Mountain
1 Strip Mine

Sideboard (15)
Instants (6)
Dwarven Catapult
Inferno
4 Red Elemental Blast
Sorceries (4)
Pyrotechnics
2 Shatterstorm
Creatures (1)
Orgg
Lands (4)
Desert

Nick Rohr - Trolls Are Garbage™
By Nick Rohr

Business (30)
Instants (8)
Disenchant
Lightning Bolt
Sorceries (11)
Balance
Chain Lightning
Earthquake
Fireball
1 Wheel of Fortune
Artifacts (4)
4 Nevinyrral's Disk
Creatures (6)
Rukh Egg
Uthden Troll
Lands (1)
Maze of Ith
Mana Sources (30)
Artifacts (5)
1 Sol Ring
4 Mana Vault
Lands (25)
4 City of Brass
4 Mishra's Factory
9 Mountain
Plateau
4 Strip Mine

Sideboard (15)
Instants (8)
4 Fork
4 Red Elemental Blast
Sorceries (1)
1 Shatterstorm
Enchantments (6)
2 Blood Moon
Spirit Link

Power Monolith Control
By Bob Agra

Business (31)
Instants (9)
Ancestral Recall
4 Counterspell
Disenchant
1 Mana Drain
1 Swords to Plowshares
Sorceries (13)
Balance
Braingeyser
1 Demonic Tutor
Fireball
1 Mind Twist
1 Recall
1 Regrowth
1 Timetwister
1 Time Walk
Transmute Artifact
1 Wheel of Fortune
Artifacts (4)
1 Chaos Orb
1 Jayemdae Tome
1 Mirror Universe
Rocket Launcher
Creatures (1)
1 Triskelion
Enchantments (4)
1 The Abyss
Power Artifact
Mana Sources (29)
Artifacts (12)
Basalt Monolith
1 Black Lotus
2 Fellwar Stone
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
Lands (17)
4 City of Brass
1 Library of Alexandria
Mishra's Workshop
1 Strip Mine
Tundra
Volcanic Island
Underground Sea

Sideboard (15)
Instants (11)
Disenchant
3 Power Sink
3 Red Elemental Blast
3 Swords to Plowshares
Sorceries (1)
Tranquility
Artifacts (1)
1 City in a Bottle
Enchantments (1)
1 The Abyss
Lands (1)
Maze of Ith

Mono Red Rukh Burn
By James Tork

Business (40)
Instants (11)
Disenchant
Disharmony
Lightning Bolt
Sorceries (9)
Chain Lightning
Earthquake
Fireball
1 Wheel of Fortune
Artifacts (3)
Copper Tablet
Creatures (13)
Ball Lightning
Granite Gargoyle
Rukh Egg
Shivan Dragon
Lands (4)
Diamond Valley
Mana Sources (20)
Artifacts (4)
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Sol Ring
Lands (16)
4 City of Brass
9 Mountain
Plateau
1 Strip Mine

Sideboard (0)

Firestorm Troll
By Dan Rech

Business (30)
Instants (1)
Ancestral Recall
Sorceries (12)
1 Demonic Tutor
Fireball
Hymn to Tourach
1 Mind Twist
1 Recall
Stone Rain
1 Time Walk
1 Wheel of Fortune
Artifacts (5)
Chaos Orb
4 Nevinyrral's Disk
Creatures (10)
Firestorm Phoenix
Guardian Beast
Sedge Troll
Sol'kanar the Swamp King
Uthden Troll
Enchantments (2)
Paralyze

Mana Sources (31)
Artifacts (5)
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
Lands (26)
4 Badlands
3 City of Brass
Hammerheim
Mountain
4 Strip Mine
Swamp
Underground Sea
Urborg
Sideboard (15)
Instants (5)
Lightning Bolt
Inferno
Sorceries (5)
Stone Rain
Detonate
Fireball
Hymn to Tourach
Creatures (1)
Will-o'-the-Wisp
Enchantments (3)
Gloom
Paralyze
Lands (1)
Maze of Ith

Erhnamgeddon
By Grant Casleton

Business (27)
Instants (8)
4 Disenchant
4 Swords to Plowshares
Sorceries (7)
Armageddon
Balance
Demonic Tutor
Mind Twist
1 Regrowth
Artifacts (2)
1 Chaos Orb
Jayemdae Tome
Creatures (8)
4 Erhnam Djinn
4 Serra Angel
Enchantments (2)
2 Sylvan Library
Mana Sources (33)
Artifacts (6)
Fellwar Stone
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
Creatures (8)
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Llanowar Elves
Lands (19)
Bayou
3 City of Brass
2 Forest
2 Plains
Mishra's Factory
3 Savannah
Strip Mine

Sideboard (15)
Instants (3)
Avoid Fate
Sorceries (6)
Armageddon
Dust to Dust
Tranquility
Wrath of God
Creatures (1)
King Suleiman
Enchantments (4)
Circle of Protection: Red
Karma
Lands (1)
Maze of Ith

Mono White Prison
By Carter Petray

Business (32)
Instants (8)
4 Disenchant
4 Swords to Plowshares
Sorceries (6)
Armageddon
Balance
Wrath of God
Artifacts (13)
Ankh of Mishra
Black Vise
4 Howling Mine
Icy Manipulator
Relic Barrier
Winter Orb
Creatures (2)
Serra Angel
Enchantments (2)
Kismet
Lands (1)
Maze of Ith
Mana Sources (28)
Artifacts (9)
Fellwar Stone
4 Mana Vault
1 Sol Ring
Lands (19)
Mishra's Factory
11 Plains
Strip Mine

Sideboard (0)


Mono White Serra Control
By Dan Piquard

Business (35)
Instants (12)
4 Disenchant
Divine Offering
Eye for an Eye
4 Swords to Plowshares
Sorceries (4)
Armageddon
Balance
Dust to Dust
Artifacts (9)
1 Chaos Orb
Icy Manipulator
Relic Barrier
Winter Orb
Creatures (10)
Preacher
Serra Angel
4 White Knight
Mana Sources (25)
Artifacts (5)
Fellwar Stone
1 Sol Ring
Lands (20)
Mishra's Factory
12 Plains
Strip Mine

Sideboard (15)
Sorceries (2)
Dust to Dust
Wrath of God
Artifacts (4)
Ivory Tower
Enchantments (9)
2 Circle of Protection: Black
Circle of Protection: Red
Karma
Spirit Link

Mono Black Aggro

By Erik Schardin

Business (29)
Instants (5)
Terror
Unholy Strength
Sorceries (7)
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Drain Life
Hymn to Tourach
1 Mind Twist
Artifacts (2)
The Rack
Creatures (10)
Black Knight
4 Hypnotic Specter
Sengir Vampire
Enchantments (6)
Evil Presence
Pestilence


Mana Sources (31)
Instants (4)
4 Dark Ritual
Lands (27)

Mishra's Factory
Strip Mine
19 Swamp

Sideboard (14)
Instants (3)
Terror
Unholy Strength
Creatures (7)
Royal Assassin
Sengir Vampire
Xenic Poltergeist
Enchantments (4)
Paralyze
1 Gloom

BW I Dream of Ankhs and Orbs

By Ray Mattson

Business (36)
Instants (4)
4 Disenchant
Sorceries (6)
Balance
1 Demonic Tutor
Sinkhole
Artifacts (18)
Ankh of Mishra
Black Vise
1 Chaos Orb
4 Howling Mine
Icy Manipulator
Relic Barrier
Winter Orb
Enchantments (8)
Underworld Dreams
4 Warp Artifact


Mana Sources (24)
Artifacts (2)
1 Mana Vault
Sol Ring
Instants (4)
4 Dark Ritual
Lands (18)
2 City of Brass
4 Scrubland
Strip Mine
8 Swamp

Sideboard (15)
Instants (4)
Terror
2 Swords to Plowshares
Sorceries (4)
2 Drain Life
Dust to Dust
Creatures (1)
Royal Assassin
Enchantments (6)
3 Circle of Protection: Red
Island Sanctuary
Paralyze

Harambe & Friends
By Matt Moss

Business (33)
Instants (12)
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Fork
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Mana Drain
Psionic Blast
Shatter
Sorceries (7)
3 Fireball
1 Regrowth
Timetwister
1 Time Walk
1 Wheel of Fortune
Artifacts (1)
1 Chaos Orb
Creatures (12)
Argothian Pixies
2 Erhnam Djinn
4 Kird Ape
4 Serendib Efreet
Enchantments (1)
Sylvan Library

Mana Sources (27)
Artifacts (5)
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
Sol Ring
Creatures (2)
2 Birds of Paradise
Lands (20)
1 Forest
Island
Mishra's Factory
Strip Mine
Taiga
4 Tropical Island
4 Volcanic Island

Sideboard (15)
Instants (4)
1 Fork
3 Red Elemental Blast
Sorceries (5)
Chain Lightning
Channel
Tranquility
Creatures (2)
Whirling Dervish
Enchantments (4)
4 Energy Flux

UWG Turbo Dom
By Anthony Zinni (deck provided by Shane Semmens, photo missing two Savannah)

Business (32)
Instants (13)
1 Ancestral Recall
3 Counterspell
4 Disenchant
1 Mana Drain
1 Power Sink
3 Swords to Plowshares
Sorceries (6)
1 Balance
1 Braingeyser
1 Recall
1 Regrowth
1 Timetwister
1 Time Walk
Artifacts (1)
1 Chaos Orb
Creatures (10)
4 Erhnam Djinn
Mahamoti Djinn
Serra Angel
Enchantments (1)
Sylvan Library
Lands (1)
Maze of Ith


Mana Sources (28)
Artifacts (5)
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
Creatures (4)
Birds of Paradise
Lands (19)
4 City of Brass
Island
1 Library of Alexandria
Plains
3 Savannah
Strip Mine
Tropical Island
4 Tundra

Sideboard (15)
Instants (4)
1 Counterspell
2 Blue Elemental Blast
1 Swords to Plowshares
Sorceries (2)
Dust to Dust
1 Wrath of God
Artifacts (1)
1 Jayemdae Tome
Enchantments (6)
Circle of Protection: Red
3 Energy Flux
Greater Realm of Preservation
Sylvan Library
Lands (2)
Strip Mine

White Weenie

By Michael Walker

Business (33)
Instants (9)
Army of Allah
4 Swords to Plowshares
4 Disenchant
Creatures (19)
3 Icatian Javelineers
4 Order of Leitbur
4 Savannah Lions
4 Thunder Spirit
4 White Knight
Enchantments (5)
4 Crusade
Divine Transformation
Mana Sources (27)
Lands (27)
Mishra's Factory
19 Plains
Strip Mine

Sideboard (0)


Red and Black

By Jim Bailey

Business (32)
Instants (5)
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Lightning Bolt
Sorceries (13)
Chain Lightning
1 Demonic Tutor
Disintegrate
Fireball
4 Hymn to Tourach
Mind Twist
1 Time Walk
Artifacts (1)
1 Chaos Orb
Creatures (12)
4 Hypnotic Specter
2 Juzam Djinn
Sedge Troll
Sol'kanar the Swamp King
Lands (1)
Maze of Ith


Mana Sources (28)
Artifacts (5)
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
Instants (4)
Dark Ritual
Lands (19)
4 Badlands
Strip Mine
5 Swamp
Underground Sea
4 Volcanic Island

Sideboard (15)
Instants (4)
3 Red Elemental Blast
Shatter
Sorceries (2)
Earthquake
Artifacts (3)
Golgothian Sylex
Creatures (3)
Black Knight
Enchantments (3)
Blood Moon

The Deck with Shivan Dragon
By Matt Slack

Business (32)
Instants (16)
1 Ancestral Recall
4 Counterspell
4 Disenchant
3 Lightning Bolt
1 Mana Drain
3 Swords to Plowshares
Sorceries (8)
1 Balance
1 Braingeyser
Demonic Tutor
Fireball
Mind Twist
1 Recall
1 Regrowth
1 Time Walk
Artifacts (5)
1 Chaos Orb
1 Disrupting Scepter
3 Jayemdae Tome
Creatures (1)
Shivan Dragon
Enchantments (2)
Copy Artifact
Sylvan Library



Mana Sources (28)
Artifacts (10)
1 Black Lotus
3 Fellwar Stone
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
Lands (18)
4 City of Brass
1 Library of Alexandria
3 Mishra's Factory
Plains
1 Strip Mine
3 Tundra
Underground Sea
3 Volcanic Island

Sideboard (15)
Instants (7)
2 Blue Elemental Blast
Divine Offering
Swords to Plowshares
3 Red Elemental Blast
Sorceries (3)
2 Dust to Dust
1 Wrath of God
Creatures (2)
Aladdin
Serra Angel
Enchantments (3)
Circle of Protection: Red
1 Moat

This should paint a pretty comprehensive picture of exactly what the field looked like and how the decks and players performed.

Next we have Brian Fisher's guest tournament report followed by pictures from the event. Enjoy!

//Danny


Winner's Tournament Report
I meet up with Jaco Friday night and we head down to Chinatown for a seafood extravaganza.  I have my first encounter with a lobster and I consume the brain.  I begin to feel like pinching things… more on this later.

For breakfast we meet up at a place called Handlebar.  Shane lets me try his chimichanga and I’m hooked.  I can’t believe I haven’t had one of these before.  I watch Jaco playing U/W Mentor and Matt playing Doomsday battle some Vintage.  Jaco gets balled in three games.

Two years in a row I played U/W/R at Eternal Weekend (Old School)—pretty much White WeenieSerendibs, and a pile of burn.  Playing a three color mana base with the Knights costing double white really gave me some trouble.  I went 4-2 the first year and 3-3 the second.  Both times I found myself wondering why I had settled for the same deck.  I think I was really over-valuing Disenchant.  Sure it’s a strong card, but it’s not killing your opponent in the fastest way possible.

This is when R/U/G comes in. All the creatures only take a single color to cast.  Burn is never dead and it’s always fun to say TO THE FACE when you BoltBoltPsi Blast for the win.  Just kidding, remember to keep it classy when you play.


Round 1 vs Carter with Mono White

The knowledge of the crab empowers me.

Game 1: Carter is on the play and opens with Black Vise followed by Howling Mine.  I don’t have any acceleration, but start with a Kird Ape and Pixies.  I throw burn at his face fueled by the Howling Mine.  The Black Vise deals eleven damage to me, but luckily there was no pressure to follow it up.

Game 2: I lead with Kird Ape without a Forest and a Serendib.  Burn quickly finishes things off.

Win: 2-0


Round 2 vs Daniel with Mono White

Game 1: My Kird Ape and Serendib go farming while double Relic Barrier keeps my Sol Ring and Ruby at bay.  Daniel drops Serra and then Armageddon’s. I’m at 21 with Daniel at five life, and his Serra Angel racing his mana burning.   (Daniel’s mana sources were Sol Ring and Fellwar Stone, with me having no lands).  He draws the land to stop burning at two.  I draw another Bolt but my only red source is the Ruby.  I float mana on the following upkeep and another Bolt to the face seals it.

Game 2: He only draws a Strip Mine and Factories.  With no access to white mana my army of small dudes pummel poor Daniel’s Plains-less corpse.

Win: 2-0


Round 3 vs Jaco with Naya

Game 1: I wish I remembered more from this game, but it was close and Jaco barely gets there.

Game 2: I elect to be on the draw and slowly out value Jaco (more on this later).

Game 3: Jaco elects to be on the draw. I keep a bonkers hand of Time WalkErhnamSerendibTropical IslandSol Ring, and two other non-mana source juicy cards.  I get Stripped and don’t draw any other lands until it’s too late.

Lose: 1-2


Round 4: Matt with The Deck

Game 1: I open with Library and Matt plays Disrupting Scepter.  I keep using Library while slowly pressuring with one creature a turn.  I win a drawn out game.  If you can make The Deck's Factories irrelevant, it makes the match so much easier.  Argothian Pixies really shine here.

Game 2: Matt only draws one colored source so my minions pummel his color-lacking corpse.  I felt so bad that I offered him another game so it would feel like he actually played magic.

Win: 2-0


Round 5 vs Matt with R/U/G

Matt is from Cedar Rapids Iowa, and won the award for furthest traveled for the event!  Matt is rocking a build similar to mine with Birds of Paradise and fewer Erhnams.

Game 1: I curve out perfectly with Kird ApePixies, and Serendib.  The only damage I take is from my Serendib and Psionic Blasts.

Game 2: I have Library and its Matt’s turn to be aggressive.  I Chaos Orb his Serendib and activate my Factory to block his Kird Ape.  He does not have the Lightning Bolt and my Factory surprisingly lives.  He then drops a Erhnam which I thank him kindly for and Control Magic it.  I then play my own Erhnam and its off to the races!

Win: 2-0

Top 4 vs Joe with R/G

Before we play Joe says the one matchup he wants to avoid is R/U/G decks.

Game 1: The only resistance Joe can muster is a Lightning Bolt on a Kird Ape and a Fireball on my Serendib.  My Erhnam nam takes care of the rest.

Game 2: Joe drops an Erhnam which I thank him kindly for and Control Magic it.

Win: 2-0

Finals vs. Jaco with Naya 2-1-1

I love a good rematch and it couldn’t be against a better person.  Jaco was my only loss in the swiss and I look forward to a tight match.  Each game the active player elected to be on the draw.  Gear up for a grindy match!

Game 1: My Kird Ape gets Bolted and Jaco drops LotusStrip MineSavannah Lions, and Disenchant on my Mox.  He beats me down to ten life with Savannah Lions before I draw out of the mana shortage first.  Jaco is not quite so lucky.

Game 2: I Chaos Orb Jaco’s land and he stalls out.  Meanwhile I have a Serendib that goes farming.  I draw blanks for a while.  Jaco draws into mana sources gets piles up a Kird Ape and another Lion.  I draw a Serendib but it has to sit back on blocking duty.  My life slowly drops and it’s on to game 3!

Game 3:  I take the draw and open with Sol Ring into Erhnam on turn two.  He goes farming.  That’s okay—I have a Serendib the next turn.  He also goes farming.  We start trading burn for creatures and nobody can keep anything on the table.  Jaco gets Sylvan Library which combos nicely with his Bazaar.  Great so he is seeing live cards while I’m going off the top.

I play another Serendib, which is Red Blasted. I Blue Blast back, and Jaco has another Red Blast! I’ve been sitting on Time Walk all game and finally draw Timetwister to set it up.  Hopefully Jaco doesn’t have another Red Blast in hand.  Timetwister resolves! I play an Erhnam and Kird Ape, followed by Wheel of Fortune.  My Erhnam goes farming and we both draw new hands.  My new hand is light on action.   Jaco starts to pull ahead again but is only putting one creature on the table at a time, fearing my Earthquake.

At this point both our decks are starting to look thin.  I draw another Erhnam to buy me some time.  He also goes farming which puts me up to six.  Jaco drops a Preacher, which then steals my Kird Ape attacks with a Pixie and sends me to four.  I draw a blank.  Jaco browses with Sylvan, I wait for him to reveal a Bolt and take the title.  He attacks with my Kird Ape, his own Ape, and a Factory.  I Bolt Preacher to get control of my Ape, block his Factory and Blue Blast the other Ape.  Jaco draws a Chain Lightning (I can’t afford to send it back sadly), and kills my Ape, attacking me down to two.  I draw my last card and it’s Earthquake!  I check life totals, I’m at two Jaco is at ten.  The game has gone on so long that I have more than enough mana to Earthquake for the draw!

On to game 4!!

Game 4: At this point we have to change tables because we had the area reserved until 6pm so we move to a smaller table.   I get off to fast start of Kird Ape and Serendib, they beat him down to seven life.  I draw Earthquake and have just enough mana to play it to take the decisive game four!

Win: 2-1-1


The tournament was a blast, and the Chicago Old School scene is really something to be proud of.  Of course I have to mention the power of the crab because without that knowledge where would I be?

Video from Game Three (of Four) of the Finals

Pictures

Prizes
First place, donated by Matt



Final Standings
Top placers clockwise from left to right:
1st - Fisher, 2nd - Jaco, 3rd - Sanders, 4th - Alane

The 3-2 bracket clockwise from left to right:
Walker, Moss, Bailey, Rech, Agra, Mullen, Friedman (in center)

The 2-3 bracket clockwise from left to right:
Casleton, Mattson, Zinni, Semmens, Piquard, Schardin
Action Shots



Agra vs Etters

Finals - Fisher with the Earthquake FTW against Jaco

Finals - Fisher vs Jaco

Mattson vs Petray

Friedman vs Tork, beer on that mat

Friedman vs Tork

Friedman vs Etters

Finals - Fisher vs Jaco

Finals - Fisher vs Jaco

Finals - Fisher vs Jaco

Finals - Fisher vs Jaco

Casleton vs Mattson

Casleton vs Mattson

Casleton vs Rech

Casleton vs Mattson

Jaco vs Mullen

The most appropriate Copy Artifact alter ever

Slack vs Bailey

Piquard vs Slack

Mullen vs Moss

Semmens vs Petray

Semmens vs Petray

Semmens vs Moss

Mattson vs Semmens

Semmens vs Mattson

Zinni vs Semmens

Piquard vs Etters

Friedman vs Etters

Friedman vs Etters


Post Tournament Pizza at Dante's
Etters, Jaco, Mullen

Semmens and Etters

Shane doing the Lestrée pose

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