Subject: Team Dead Guy takes Rochester (PT Qualifier report) From: David Price Date: 1996/10/15 Message-Id: <3263F323.2D8D@cornell.edu> I'm not normally one for writing tournament reports, but this tournament was particularly well run, and I'd like people to know that. This last Sunday, we drove from Ithaca to Rochester, NY for a Dallas Qualifier. I went with my friend (and fellow member of Team Dead Guy), David Bartholow. The tournament was run by Rich Lipman of Crazy Egor's in Rochester, and it was one of the most well-run tournaments that I've ever been to. It started pretty much on time, there was a lunch break (yippee!), and the tournament ran extremely smoothly. This is probably the first qualifier that I've been to where I didn't end up at the tournament until midnight or later. Anyhow, it was IA/AL constructed deck, and I played my mono-green big creature deck, based around the idea that there is no real mass creature destruction in IA or AL. First round: vs. R/G land destruction deck The first game, he destroys 6 of my land in the first 8 turns, and then plays a Yavimaya Ants and kills me in 4 turns. Fun. I sideboard out the Shambling Striders for the Gorilla Packs and I side out the Stunted Growths for Tornadoes, and I proceed to win the next two, as he doesn't draw 50% of his land destruction in his first 15 cards. I just have too many creatures. After I desideboarded, he laughs at me for using Tornado, saying its a bad card. That card alone wins me more games during the day than anything else... Second round: vs. R/W/G stormbind/gargoyle/jokulhaups He manages to beat me 2-1, but even though I feel I outplayed him. I think I was one turn away from beating him when he killed me in the 3rd game. Such is life. Third round: vs. U/R Browse/Digger I win 2-0. U/R Browse can't afford to Jokulhaups, and they just can't counter and destroy all 24 of my creatures. Fourth round: vs. U/R Browse/Digger I win the first. In the second game, he plays a Sibilant Spirit with 1 card in his hand. I have three or four creatures out, and I'm holding a Tornado. I decide not to play the Tornado yet, since he's holding one card and if it gets countered, I lose. Next turn, he attacks for 5, plays a land and lava bursts me for 11, bringing me down to 4. I draw, play a Tornado and use it in the same turn, killing the Sibilant Spirit, and attacking with all of my creatures. he then draws and plays another Sibilant Spirit, which I am forced to pay 3 life to kill with the Tornado. Finally, I finish him off with my creatures before he can draw any direct damage. Tornado is strong. Fifth round: vs. R/W/G jokulhaups with lots of creatures I lose the first game, and bring in Tornados and Gorilla Packs. I manage to win the next two. Sixth round: vs. R/W Big creature Jokulhaups I'm 4-1, but I can't intentional draw because I'm playing a Junior and only four juniors make it into the single elim. If we draw, he could theoretically be eliminated, so we can't. He gets slightly mana-screwed and I run him over, 2-0. So I made it into my single elim with 5-1, as one of the top 2 seeds. There are lots of Necro decks in the final 8, which scares the shit out of me. What can you do? Get lucky. Round of 8: vs. B/u/w Necro I'm scared. First game, he runs me through with 2 fast Knights of Stromgald. I don't draw any of fast creatures, and I'm screwed. Now its time to get Dystopia'd. I bring in 2 Tornados, 1 Essense Filter, and 1 Zuran Orb, for 2 Stunted Growths and 2 Thermokarsts (not enough white for outpost, don't see any glaciers). Next game he gets somewhat mana-screwed; he has out a Lake of the Dead, an Underground River, a Swamp, and a Knight of Stromgald. I've been glaciering like a madman, and I play an Elvish Bard. He attacks with the Knight, and I choose to trade the Bard for his Swamp, because I'm holding three more big creatures in my hand. I play some more creatures and run him over. The third game, he gets stuck at three mana again, and I get out alot of creatures. He dystopia's killing a Wooly Spider before I Essense Filter it away. I win. Round of 4: vs. R/W/G Jokulhaups I beat this guy in the fifth round of the swiss, and I beat him again the same way. I lost first game, and then brought in the Gorilla Packs to get the jump on him. He gets out Stormbind at some point, but I don't care, because he has to discard two or more cards to kill each creature. Lets hear it for card advantage. Finals: vs. R/W Big creature Jokulhaups It was close. My opponent was named Bruce (he was from Rochester), and he was playing R/W with lots of big creatures: Ivory Gargoyles, Storm Shamans, Goblin Mutants, and Balduvian Hordes. Its a bad matchup for me. His creatures are good blockers for mine, so I have to rely on the getting the jump, or drawing an Elvish Bard to kill him. I can't quite do it, and he beats me 2-1 So, I make it into Dallas (and I didn't even have to go to six qualifier tournaments like last time). My friend, David Bartholow, made it to the final 8, but lost to Patrick Albro, who lost to Bruce. A pretty good showing, though, for Team Dead Guy. Once again, thanks to Rich Lipman and Crazy Egor's for a beautifully run tournament. I'll be sure to visit again for the next Rochester Magic Day. David Price dep6@cornell.edu