2015-08-09 A history of my MTG Game Day experience

DGM Game Day at Two Cats Comics.   9 people, 4 rounds of swiss, Top 8.  I was playing Naya midrange (Efro's PT Gatecrash list).  I went 3-1 in the Swiss, lost game 3 of the finals against Aristocrats because I only drew buddylands (no shocklands or basics) and only one red source.  I punt by playing Burning-Tree Emissary off my one red source and a green source, meaning I can't play Hellrider from my hand.  If I had been able to play Hellrider, I would have won (my opponent didn't have any removal).  A A few turns later, he topdecked Falkenrath Arisocrat and killed me with it.  It was upsetting because my opponent was a major douchebag smoking an e-cigarette the whole time, and flaunting the fact that he was a level 1 judge.

M14 Game Day at Two Cats Comics. This event almost didn't happen, due to lack of people.  I was playing Kibler GR aggro.  I beat Slivers in the first round, then lost to my friend who was playing GW Silverblade Paladin combo.   My friend ended up winning the event.

Theros Game Day at Gamescape North.  Four rounds of swiss, and a top 4.  I played Channel Fireball mono-red devotion (from the PT) and I barely squeak into top 4 with a 3-1 record.  I beat mono-black devotion in the semifinals, and promptly lose game 1 of the finals against mono-white heroic because I kept a 1 lander (scry land) on the draw) and didn't get there.  However, I manage to close out both of the next two games.

Born of the Gods Game Day at Gamescape North.  Four rounds of swiss, and a top 4 (again).  I played mono-blue devotion splashing white for Detention Sphere/Ephara, God of the Polis.  Go 4-0 in the Swiss (it gets reported as 3-0-1 for some reason).  In the semifinals, I get paired against the same guy I played against in the 4th round, beat him pretty easily.  Then I win vs. BR minotaurs in a close 3 game session, thanks to Negate countering a (would-be) lethal Boros Charm, and swinging for lethal next turn.

Journey to Nyx Game Day at Gamescape North.  Foun rounds of swiss, top 4.  I go 1-2 playing BW Midrange/control.  Bleh.  I play a 4th round for fun, promptly lose to Boros Burn.

M15 Game Day at Gamescape North.  Four rounds of swiss, top 4.  I decide to play BW midrange again, despite having practiced Boros Burn a bunch.  I promptly go 0-2, drop, then go home to eat some food, then play in a draft at Versus Games.

KTK Game Day at Gamescape North.  I play Jeskai aggro.  Four rounds of swiss, no top 4.  Go 3-1, losing my third round vs GR Devotion.  Game 2 I lose because my opponent played FOUR Courser of Kruphix in a row.  Game 3 I lose because I mull to 4, and my opponent has turn 4 Polyk.  I use Banishing Light, of course, he has Reclamation Sage, then follows up with Arbor Colossus.

FRF Game Day at Gamescape North.  I end up playing in this tournament despite being super ill with a cough.  I play GR aggro.  Four rounds of swiss, I go 3-1 (lost to a douchebag).   Proceed to lose to an annoying kid in the semifinals.  

DTK Game Day 1 at Heretic Games.  I went there expecting it to be pretty chill.  Instead, there are 22 people, most of whom from Anime Imports.  Three rounds of Swiss, with a top 8.   I am playing Abzan Aggro.  I lose first round to a drunk guy playing Temur.  He apparently left after round 1 and didn't come back.  Round two I get a bye.  Round three I beat BW warriors.  Don't make the top 8, but my friend does (playing Esper Dragons).  He loses in the quarterfinals to mono-red. 

DTK Game Day 2 at D20 Games.  I end up going here, instead of Its Your Move Games.  Five rounds of swiss, with a top 8.  I am playing Abzan aggro again.  I manage to go 5-0 in the Swiss.  Beat Abzan aggro mirror in the quarterfinals, then lose game 3 of the semifinals to Atarka Red.  I am kinda back in the game thanks to Sorin + Rakshasa Deathdealer.  However, I lose because I mistap my mana, and don't leave up Hero's Downfall with my opponent swings in with a 1/1 goblin token, and hits me for 7 with his ONE OF Become Immense he rips off the top.   Wow.  Fucking painlands.

Magic Origins Game Day 1 at Comic Cards Etc.  12 people.  Fortunately, it's just three rounds of swiss, no top 4/8.  I am playing Abzan control.    Win game 1 vs. mono red.  Proceed to lose game 2 to a perfect curve out.  Lose game 3 because my opponent plays mono-dash creatures, while I have Drown in Sorrow in hand, and I draw a bunch of lands, and he has removal spells for all of my creatures.   He finishes with a topdeck Stoke the Flames.  I win round 2/3 pretty easy, but going 2-1 leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Magic Origins Game 2 at Comic Cards Etc.   9 people (originally) Three rounds of swiss again, no top 8.   I'm playing Abzan Aggro now (instead of control).   I get a vaunted round 1 bye, then someone shows up late, and he's still sleeving up his deck.  I figure this is gonna be pretty easy, but then I get crushed by red burn deck splashing green for Courser of Kruphix and Savage Ventmaw.  Sigh.   I lose my second round to Bant Heroic, and then I win vs. mono blue mill, but I'm 1-2, and 9th place out 10, so I don't win the promo.    My friend ended up winning the tournament after forgetting to bring his Esper Dragons deck, so he borrows my Mardu Dragons deck. 

Of course, I also find out that Mardu Dragons deck is missing a card.   This sucks because I had previously lent the deck out to a different friend the previous day.  I thought I had counted all of the cards in the deck, but apparently I missed one.  This sucks. 

So far, I have been in 12 different Game Day tournaments, and won two of them. 

5/15/15 Random musing about FNM

Ever since I stopped going to Gamescape North, I don't actually attend FNM very much.  I am usually too tired to want to drive 30 minutes to play at Versus Games or 40 minutes to drive to Anime Imports or 60 minutes to drive to San Bruno/Alameda.  Meh.

2/8:  Got sick
2/13:  Skipped due to being sick
2/14:  Last time I attended Gamescape North

2/20:  Skipped again due to being sick
2/27:  Draft at Versus Games
3/6:  Draft at Versus Games
3/13:  Draft at Gamescape SF
3/20:  Friend visit
3/27:  Missed due to traffic
4/3:   Draft at Heretic Games
4/10:  Family visit
4/17:  Standard At Anime Imports
4/24:  Hung out with friend
5/1:  Drafted at Two Cats
5/8:  Hung out with friend
5/15:  ?

Have roughly a 50% attendance rate now.

5/4/15 Tribals and tribulations of Abzan aggro

5/3 standard tournament  2-1

Round 1:  UB control

Game 1:  Lost to T3 Ashiok

Game 2:  I had Thoughseize for Ashiok, eventually I was down to just Siege Rhino.  I swung in for lethal, flashed in a Pearl Lake Ancient, I had one of my Hero's Downfall for it, and he scooped.

Game 3:  This was a closer game, but eventually I killed him Sorin Vampire token a Rakshasa Deathdealer, and an Anafenza.   I punted during the game by sacrificing a Windswept Heath when I had all four of my basic lands in play.  He had Urborg in play so I basically just paid one life to stone rain myself.   Eventually, Raksasha Deathdealer took down his Silumgar DD, and my opponent ran out of answers.

Round 2:

Game 1:  Pretty uneventful, two Raskasha Deathdealers died, but Fleecemane Lion + Anafenza took it home.

Game 2:  Flooded out pretty bad, lost to Ojutai/Silumgar DD.

Game 3:   Longer grindier game.  I went through all three of my Self-Inflicted Wound to kill his Dragonlord Ojutai (twice). 

Round 3: 

Game 1:  Mulled to 6, kept a 2 Thoughtseize Hand, promptly got killed by mass tokens + Atarka's Command.

Game 2:  I took some pain from my mana sources, and my opponent had two Roast for my first two creatures.  Then I died to tokens again.  I think I need to go up to 3 or 4 Drown in Sorrow.

5/4 standard tournament 0-2 drop

Round 1:  Sultai Whip 1-2

Game 1: Mulled to 6, Rakshasa Deathdealer + Anafenza took it down.

Game 2:  Mulled to 6, kept a 2 lander, promptly didn't draw a 3rd land until it was far too late, died to Satyr Wayfinder beats, plus taking damage from my own lands, and a Sidisi.

Game 3:  Mulled to 6, lost to severe floodage, and Torrent Elemental kept coming back. 

Round 2:  Mardu midrange 0-2

Game 1:  Mulled to 6, kept Mana Confluence, Caves of Koilos, 4 spells.  Promptly take a ton of damage from my own painlands, and die.

Game 2:  Mulled to 6, kept a reasonable hand, but my creatures died to burn spells, and my opponent played double Hordeling Outburst into Brimaz.   Even a Sorin ultimate emblem didn't help, because he had so many tokens.  I should have boarded into Drown in Sorrow.

5/2/15 Catching up on the past week

Awful draft at Versus Games.
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/2014-04-23-misery-loves-company-part-2-dtk-0-3/

Modern tournament report from Anime Imports, Wilted Abzan:
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/2015-04-25-wilted-abzan-3-0/

Draft from Two Cats:
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/2015-05-01-gb-butts-dtk-draft-3-0/

Modern tournament report from Anime Imports, Abzan midrange:
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/2015-05-02-abzan-midrange-2-0-1/

4/20/15 Game Day history

Dragon's Maze:  Saturday:  Went 3-1 in Swiss, lost in Game 3 of the finals of the top 8 due to mistapping mana.  Arggg.
M14:   Saturday:  Only was a top 8, lost in semifinals.  Didn't know about stores doing Sunday Game Day at this point.
Theros:  Saturday 3-1 in Swiss, 1st place in top 4
BNG:  Saturday 4-0 in Swiss (got recorded as a 3-0-1 for some reason), 1st place in top 4
Journey:  Saturday 1-3, should have dropped at 1-2 TBH.  Was busy with work so I didn't play Sunday.
M15:  Saturday 0-2 drop, went to go eat food.  Was busy with work so I didn't play Sunday.
KTK:  Saturday 3-1 in Swiss, they only did 4 Swiss rounds, so that sucked.  I was not in the top 2 of the Swiss so I didn't get the playmat.  Was busy with work so I didn't play Sunday.
FRF:  Saturday 3-1 in Swiss, lost semifinals of the top 4 because I was super sick.    Was sick so I didn't play Sunday.
DTK:  Saturday 2-1 in the Swiss, but they did 3 Swiss rounds with 22 people, so I wasn't one of the people to advance to top 8.  Sunday, I went 5-0 in the Swiss.  Lost in semifinals of the top 8 due to tapping mana poorly in Game 3 of the semifinals (sadtrombone.com). 

4/19/15 Game Day DTK (day 2) report, Top 4

I wanted to go to bed early last night, but instead I woke up at 2 am, then woke up at 4:30 am., then woke up at 6:30 am, then finally woke up at 8 am event.   Who needs sleep? 

I was originally going to go to Its Your Move Games, but I was predicting a large number of Eudemonia grinders to go there, because it's 3 miles away from Eudemonia.   So I ended up going to D20 Games (instead of Endgame or Comic Cards Etc).

We showed up to the store around 10:35 a.m., and it wasn't open until 10:45 am.  We thought the tournament might not actually happen, but eventually, 22 people showed up.  The event started at 11:30 a.m.

Decklist:
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/2015-04-19-bbd-abzan-aggro/

Round 1:  Mono-red 2-0

My opponent seemed to be a bit new, but he was nice. 

Game 1:  He didn't seem to know what a lot of my cards did.   Siege Rhino does god's work, as usual.

Game 2:  I almost died when he played Titan's Strength on Flamewake Phoenix, followed by Satyr Firedancer with Dragon Mantle.  Yikes.  But I manage to stabilize.

Round 2:   Abzan whip 2-1

Game 1:  He played a bunch of Satyr Wayfinders/Commune with the Gods.  Whip decks don't do too well with an Anafenza, the Foremost in play. 

Game 2:  Lost to Hornet Queen.

Game 3:  Barely managed to kill my opponent before he hit 7 mana for Hornet Queen.  Whew.

Round 3:  RG Dragon 2-0

Game 1:  Almost lost this game because I was at 7 life.  He was down to 12 life, and I had a 6/6 Anafenza.  Tapped a painland to play Fleecemane Lion.  If he ripped an untapped land he could have Crater's Clawed me for 6.  I knew he had one because I saw him reveal it off Courser of Kruphix earlier.  That would have been embarassing.   Also, btw, Dromoka's Command is insane vs. GR. 

Game 2:  He kept a two lander, stumbled a bit.  I had double Thoughtseize, to rip his Thunderbreak Regent and one Stormbreath Dragon.  Ultimately, he had defensive Stormbreath Dragon, but I had Hero's Downfall to swing for lethal.

Round 4:  Mono-white heroic 2-1

Game 1:  Regenerating Rakshasa Deathdealers are pretty good vs. an army of 1 and 2 toughness dudes.  Didn't realize he was on monowhite heroic until game 2.

Game 2:  Lost to Phalanx Leader getting out of control. 

Game 3:   Got beat down by a Seeker of the Way that got up to 5/5, and a Phalanx Leader.  After throwing my Sorin, Solemn Visitor under the bus, I stablized, after drawing a Dromoka's Command + Ultimate Price.  Then I made an 8/8 trampling lifelink Spirit Warden. 

Round 5:  Abzan midrange 2-0

I asked this guy if he would draw, because I was hungry/tired, but he said because we were both locked for top 8, he still wanted to play it out.  I could have conceded, but I was determined to play it out now.

Game 1:  He played a Garruk, Apex Predator, and nuked my Siege Rhino to gain 5 life.  I had Hero's Downfall for Garruk, and Ultimate Price for his Tasigur.   Monstrous Fleecemane Lions, plus two more Siege Rhinos finish him off.

Game 2:  Despite me being on the draw, he kept a slow hand, and I was able to curve out with Fleecemane into Anafenza into Sorin.   Next turn, I Thoughtseized, removed his Utter End.  I was about to ultimate Sorin next turn, but then he ripped a Hero's Downfall for Sorin, Next turn, he played out his End Hostilities as a 1 for 1 for my Anafenza.  He was at 4 life though, and I played another Anafenza.  Then he scooped next turn.

Top 8:

Quarterfinals:  Abzan aggro 2-0

Game 1:  The game could have easily been lost if he was aggressive, but instead he decided to hold back.  He had removal for my other guys, but ran out of removal once I had a 13/13 Warden of the First Tree. 

Game 2:  Opponent had three Raksasha Deathdealer, but chose to be defensive.  So I created a 9/9 lifelink trample Warden, backed up by removal spells.  He stood no chance.  

Semifinals:  Atarka Red 1-2

Game 1:  He got me down to 10 life, but then I started regaining it from Siege Rhino into Siege Rhino.  Then I played double Rakshasa Deathdealer,a Fleecemane Lion, and Anafenza.   He had six goblin tokens and a Zurgo.  I liked my position there, for sure.

Game 2:  I kept 2 drop into 3 drop into 4 drop (Siege Rhino) but he had the removal spells to clear my creatures away, then just chipped my life down to 0 with Monastery Swiftspear, Frenzied Goblin, and Foundry Street Denizen.  I think I should have Hero's Downfalled his Frenzied Goblin on the turn I played Anafenza.  That might have bought me some time.

Game 3:  I was down to 2 life.  I had nine lands, and a Raksasha Deathdealer in play.   I drew a Sorin off the top.  I played it, then +1'd.  Then I swung out.  I had to decide whether to pump, to bring myself up to 7 life.  I decided to pump to a 5/2 so I would go up to 7.  Then I cracked a Windswept Heath to get a forest (woops), taking me to six. I should have just waited on that.

He had a 2/2 goblin token in play (pumped by Hall of Triumph).  He swung, and pumped with Become Immense.  I had Hero's Downfall in hand, but didn't have a second black mana (no Urborg in play).  Ugh.

edit:  I realized now what I should have done.

I had two Llanowar Wastes, a Caves of Koilos, a Temple of Plenty, a Temple of Silence, a forest, a plains, a Temple of Malady, and a Windswept Heath.  (I'm pretty sure I didn't have any Sandsteppe Citadel in play during that time). 

I had tapped plains, Temple of Malady (black) and both wastes (colorless) for Sorin.  Then I tapped forest + Temple of Silence to pump Deathdealer.  This left me with:   Temple of Plenty, Caves of Koilos, Windswept Heath with Hero's Downfall in hand.   So I should have tapped the Temple of Plenty (instead of Llanowar Wastes) to pay 1 of the colorless for Sorin, leaving up:    Windswept Heath, Caves of Koilos, Lllanowar Wastes.  Then I would have been able to pay for Hero's Downfall, but pay 3 life to do so (one to crack Windswept Heath, two for tapping Caves/Waste).   I could have played around Stoke the Flames this way, too.  Even if he swung at me for 2, a stoke the Flames would only take me to 1. 

Payout was kinda low..  2 packs in the pool for 22 people, that was a total of 44 packs.  Payout was only to top 8. 

16
10
5
5
2
2
2
2

It sucks playing 6 and a half hours and not going the distance.  Couldn't close it out.

4/18/15 Catching up on the past

Been pretty busy since 3/28, but I haven't updated.

3/29/15 Versus Games Draft with salty people complaining about how poor I drafted.
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/2015-03-29-the-hate-is-strong-dtkfrf-draft-1-2/

4/3/15 Heretic Games draft, 3-0
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/2015-04-03-rakdoss-return-3-0/

4/4/15 Versus Games sealed.  9th place, when payout was only to top 8
 http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/2015-04-04-close-only-counts-in-horseshoes-3-1/

4/13/15 Versus Games draft, went 2-1.
http://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/2015-04-13-i-can-counter-on-you-dtk-draft-2-1/

4/17/15 Anime Imports standard went 0-3 with CVM GR Dragon. 

Lost first round to Dragon control.  Drew two creatures first game (one was in my opener).  Mulled to 4 second game.

Lost second round to mono-white heroic.  Mulled to 4 first game.   Second game I kept some hate, but ended up losing because he drew straight gas.

4//18/15.  Went to Heretic Games in San Bruno, hoping there wouldn't be many people playing there.   Of course, I ran into all the PTQ grinders from Anime Imports there.  Ugh.  I played BBD Abzan Aggro.

Lost first round to a drunk guy playing Temur midrange.  The first game was kinda close, but he topdecked a lot better.  The second game, I mulled to six, and kept 3 lands/Sorin/double Elspeth.  Ugh.  Of course, I got run over.

Got a second round bye.  Ate some fried rice.  Value.

Won third round vs. WB warriors.  First game was pretty close.  My opponent got me down to 1 life, but I stabilized, and swung back for lethal.  Second game, wasn't even close.  I kept an opener with 2 drown in sorrow, 2 hero's downfall.   My First Drown in Sorrow got 2 Battle Brawler.  Then he played Secure the Wastes for 4, and Chief of the Edge, and didn't swing.  I swung my Siege Rhino into his tokens, he blocked with 3 tokens, I Hero's Downfall'd the Chief, and ate his tokens.  Then I played a Fleecemane, and monstrous'ed it.  Next turn, I played a second Fleecemane Lion.  He was stuck in CHUMP mode.