Subject: AZ State Championships
Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 23:49:00 EST
From: Nanath1016@aol.com
To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com

Well, another big tournament, another close call but yet again I fail to make
Top 8 by the dreaded player percentage.. I played a standard Hatred deck with
a smattering of sideboard tech that allowed me to survive a field full of
Academy and Counter Phoenix. Little did I know, however, as to the amount of
Necro would be present. As we all know, hindsight is in 20/20 so let us
begin....

The tournament was held in my personal favorite of venues here in the desert,
ASU West's La Salle Room. I believe final count was 54 people, 6 fun-filled
rounds of Swiss cut to Top 8. It began at 12:30 with the first round starting
at 1:30. My friends Drew Durbin and Eric Judd were both packing Beatdown Necro
style while Scrub (as we affectionately like to call him) and Nick were
playing Fiery Elves of Death. After a flurry of manufacturing black borders
with a fat (more on this later) Sharpe we are ready to begin.

First Round vs. a similar deck without Hatred
Game 1: I play a first turn Carnophage, he plays two shadows, I Hatred, on to
game 2
Game 2: I get early Scrolling action thanks to Preist of Gix, Creature,
Scroll. Then CoP: Black shows up and I extend the hand of friendship.
I like my deck vs. standard Suicide Black because of the Technicolor
sideboard. my opponent was a nice fellow, roommate to the prominent Ray
Powers.
1-0 2-0

Round 2: vs. Counter Phoenix played by Team Jester's own Ben Carr
Ben is a very nice guy that has had an uncanny win streak against me recently
that, much to my rejoicing, was about to end...
Game 1: Winning the roll is crucial against this deck, and this was no
exception. Three first turn 2/* creatures followed and though a good start I
attribute much of this game to luck as he had only Phoenix/Disk/Quake to end
my world. As it turns out, however, none showed up and it was on to game 2.
Game 2: Similar to the first game with the exception that he countered a
Cursed Scroll when I had but one land which allowed for more creatures to
commence beating. Again he needed but one of about 8 cards to simply end my
world, and again I am reminded as to how much of this game is luck...
2-0 4-0

Round Three vs. Black/Blue Erati's Lab
Right about now I am feeling very good about what is going on. Many Academy
decks are winning and I feel that after boarding I have excellent chances.
Little did I know, however that none were to materialize.
Game 1: He was playing mono blue, or so I thought as only one Island reared
it's ugly head. Stalling against my deck isn't so strong considering 4th turn
kills are all too common.
Game 2: More Islands, did nothing except counter a scroll and play a third
turn academy which allowed for much beatings. I felt bad because I did little
to win this game, his deck just gave out. Oh! The foreshadowing...
3-0 6-0

Round Four vs. Beatdown Necro played by Eric Judd
I hate playing teammates earily on but what can be done.
Game 1: This is the big mistake of the tournament. I choose to keep a hand of
City of Traitiors, Priest of Gix, Priest of Gix, Carnophage, Carnophage,
Sarcomancy, Scroll based largely on the assumption that I would draw a swamp,
going second mind you, and boy was I wrong. I did, however, see another City
of Traitors which was rather funny. Scoop!
Game 2: Okay, okay, everyone makes mistakes. My opening hand contains Two
Hatreds and 5 lands. None of this garbage as I take a lesson and paris. This
time there are three swamps, a scroll, and some creatures. Not so bad however
my inability to match his card drawing and the fact I drew nothing but lands
made victory easy.
 3-1 6-2

Round Five vs. Sligh
I was deck checked at this point and I actually passed. This was huge as I had
never before passed one of those and I was thus quite pleased.
Game 1: My elatation would be short lived as I draw THREE HATREDS and get
quite beat down. It was fun, though, as my Carnophage took out a Jackel Pup.
Game 2: In come Chills and I hope for the best. He simply got a better start
and managed to outplay me. Of note, I could have drawn the game on the second
turn via Hatred, again, hindsight in 20/20.
3-2 6-4

>From top to bottom before I could naught blink. Ah well, so much for State, or
so I thought.

Round 6 vs. Controlly Necro a deck I built played against me by my protege
Brandon.
Game 1: I went far too quickly and won in 3 turns. Not much to say, really.
Game 2: I stall at two lands and take mad Bottle Gnome beatings until I am
quite dead. He saw all 4 of the little bastards, and if I didn't know
better...
Game 3: The sideboard tech manifests in the form of CoP: Black and Disenchant.
It is long and drawn out but a timely Persecute got me 2 Drains and a Corrupt.
4-2 8-4

Well, that is all she wrote, I ended up getting 10th and missing out on Top 8
by about 5-7 opponent match percentage. I got a pack of Chinese Exodus which
net an Ephermeron and a Carnophage for my deck. The Top 8 had 2 Academy, Scrub
with the elves, 2 Sligh, Counter Phoenix, A green echo/beatdown thing with
land kill, and a deck that for the life of me, I cannot remember. I left
before the end so I don't know who won. All in all, the metagame was in favor
of Academy, Sligh, and Burning Bridge (hope you all packed Chills). Necro was
present in all its incarnations as was Suicide Black and surprisingly enough,
more than a few Stasis decks, Hermit Geddon, and Landkill were all contenders
though I don't believe any made it. And now for the obligatory Props and
Slops....

Props:

Scrub (David Cramer) for making Top 8 with my elf deck. Green does not suck!!!

Drew for ripping up/breaking in any way possible all the chinese lands he used
after losing a round.

Robin for taking it upon herself to organize my binder and all my cards
according to type. You didn't have to do that, you know.

Nick for almost making Top 8 even though he hasn't played Type 2 in months.

Matt Stenger for running an excellent tournament.

The Wizard's Tower, Mike, and Melissa the list is too long to mention here.

The fat Sharpe without you my Sleight of Mind would still be ugly and white
bordered.

Chuck for his graceful attempt to close the blinds

Slops
Eric's last round opponent.

Me for not making Top 8.

Drew for also not making Top 8

Thanks for reading this (incredibly) long) report email anything you'd like,
really, to Nanath1016@aol.com

Jonathan Rapisarda