5/17/14 Modern Love (Modern tournament, 3-0)

I went over to Anime Imports today, for the Saturday Modern tournament.  When I got there, there were only two people there, which worried me.   I played some Standard to pass the time, and eventually some people showed up around 2:20 p.m. and the tournament started with 7 people.

Match 1:  Mono-G devotion (2-0)

Game 1:

This game gets kinda grindy.  I remand a Primeval Titan twice, then I double bolt it after it resolved.  I win off Tarmogoyf bashing.

Game 2:

Opponent plays a Torpor Orb and a Blood Moon.   Crap, since I didn't search up any basic island or basic forest.

I manage to draw basic island to let me stay in the game, with my Snapcaster Mage, Pestermite, and Tarmogoyf (cast before the Blood Moon).

Match 2:  Goblin deck (2-1)

Game 1:

Resolved Deceiver Exarch into Splinter Twin.

Game 2:

I played way too cautiously.  He burned one of my Pestermite with Lightning Bolt, and then I played a second one.  I had Splinter Twin in hand but I wanted to play around a second burn spell.   I wipe a bunch of creatures away with Anger of the Gods.

Unfortunately, my opponent never tapped out, so I died to his creatures/burn.

I foolishly mistap my mana during one turn so I can't use Cryptic Command.  Geez.

Game 3:

Double Tarmogoyf beatdown wins.  I have Anger of the Gods backup as well.  I block one of his guys with Spellskite (not necessary) and he bolts it.  I knew he had Lightning Bolt in his hand, too.   He had tried to bolt my 2/3 Tarmogoyf when there were no instants in the graveyard.  Since this was a casual tournament I let him take it back.

Match 3:  Mono-U Tron (2-1)

I hadn't played this matchup before, so I wasn't sure what to expect.  I knew they ran the scry 2 counterspell and the bounce spell.

Game 1:

Made a couple of mistakes here.  I let my opponent skip through to begin combat so I couldn't play my Pestermite to tap down his Wurmcoil Engine, so I took 6 damage/gave my opponent 6 life for free.

I also made a mistake by Remanding an EOT Into the Roil on my Tarmogoyf, when I had Pestermite in play.  He then played the Mindslaver I knew he had.  I should have saved the Remand for the Mindslaver, but it's entirely possible he would have a counter for it, or a bounce for my Pestermite.  I ended up drawing Splinter Twin off the Remand, so that's why I thought I punted.

Game 2:

Triple Tarmogoyf is apparently enough to beat him down.

Game 3:

I keep a hand with double Cryptic Command and Counterflux.  He burns a couple counters on Deceiver Exarch and a Pestermite.   Between my Cryptic Commands, my Dispel, my Negate, my Counterflux, and Snapcaster Mage Counterflux I have a lot of control going on.  I counter two of his Treasure Mage and a Platinum Angel.   Perhaps I should have just let him resolve the Treasure Mages and countered the artifacts he cast, but what if he top decked an Academy Ruins?   Meh.   I end up winning from double Tarmogoyf beat down.

Result:  3-0, got 20 dollars in store credit, for a low entry fee of 5 dollars.  Not bad.    I can save that store credit towards buying a Badlands or Bayou.

I also met some cool folks who are store regulars.   I don't think I could really manage going there every Sunday/Tuesday/Friday/Saturday, but I'm content going there on Saturdays to practice Modern.  I might go there on a Sunday to practice Standard, instead of going to Versus Games to draft, since I actually hate Theros block drafts.