9/12/14 Crash and burn (Grand Prix Trial 2-2 drop)

The LGS decided to schedule a GPT for tonight.  I was surprised they wanted to schedule GPT at 6 pm on a Friday, considering they usually want to herd people out of the store by 10 pm on Fridays. 

I got to the LGS around 5:45.  When I signed up for the tournament, only 4 people were signed up.   I was surprised when I was told the GPT was 20 dollars.  The store owner said this was because the prize support was higher, and because he had to compensate three judges instead of just one judge.  I was like okay.  They ended up with 17 people signed up.  The tournament didn't start until 6:25 p.m.

They announced the tournament would be 5 rounds of Swiss, with a top 8 single elimination.  The pack prizes would be determined by the result from the Swiss Rounds.

This is the deck I ended up playing:

Burn:

24 LANDS
8 Mountain
4 Temple of Triumph
4 Mutavault
4 Sacred Foundry
4 Battlefield Forge

8 CREATURES
4 Young Pyromancer
4 Chandra's Phoenix
   
28 INSTANTS and SORC.
3 Stoke the Flames
3 Shock
4 Boros Charm
4 Lightning Strike
4 Searing Blood
3 Skullcrack
4 Warleader's Helix
3 Magma Jet
   
SIDEBOARD
1 Skullcrack
4 Satyr Firedancer
4 Chained to the Rocks
2 Chandra, Pyromaster
3 Boros Reckoner
1 Glare of Heresy

Round 1:  G/W Aggro (1-2)

Game 1:

I managed to burn my opponent out before he killed me with Advent of the Wurm token + Fleecemane Lion.  He said "lucky topdeck with the Warleader's Helix" which it wasn't, because I started with Warleader's Helix and Stoke the Flames in my opening hand.

Game 2:

I got stuck on 2 lands, managed to kill some of his stuff with Satyr Firedancer.  But once he played Advent of the Wurm into Ajani, Caller of the Pride I was dead.

Game 3:

I kept a 3 lander, proceeded to flood out.   I burned my first two Chained to the Rocks on Fleecemane Lion + Fleecemane Lion.  Then he drew THREE Advent of the Wurms in a row, while I proceeded to draw lands.  Awesome start to a tournament.

Round 2:   UW stuff (2-0)

Game 1:

Burned away a Warden of Evos Isle and Master of Diversion.  My opponent didn't play anything else. 

Game 2:

I played double Boros Reckoner.  My opponent played two Acolyte's Reward for 0.  I called a judge to verify what my opponent wanted to do.  Apparently the judge was pissed off at me for asking him to come over.  Whatever.

Round 3:   Monowhite aggro (2-1)

Game 1:

My opponent kept a 1 lander.  I crushed him pretty easily.

Game 2:

My opponent blew me out with Return to the Ranks for 3.  I had no way to come back from that.

Game 3:

My opponent mulled to 4.  I crushed him again.

Round 4:

I went to the bathroom, and told my opponent I was going to the bathroom.  Unfortunately, I ran afoul of the "tardiness" policy and ended up getting a game loss from the head judge for showing up to the table 1 minute late.  WTF.    This is the first time I've ever had this happen to me, in five GPT's I've gone to.  

Game 1:

I ended up mulling to 4, lost to Burning Tree Emissary into Goblin Rabblemaster into Loxodon Smiter and Scavening Ooze.  Whatever, I was done. 

I dropped out of the tournament after this, because I was thoroughly disgusted by the rules enforcement policies.  I know the head judge was within his rights to give me a game loss, but I'm just surprised by how draconian the rules enforcement was.  I was feeling like I didn't want to go to the LGS anymore after that.

Result:  2-2, liver damage:  six beers