Subject: Tournament Report PTQLA Helsinki Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 12:23:31 +0200 (EET) From: Antti J Hatinen To: Frank Kusumoto Tournament Report by Antti Hätinen (pharazon on IRC) PTQLA Helsinki, Finland Extended Well, I didn't think I'd had any chances to get even to the finals of the ptq. I lost in December at the Moxcon's single elimination extended on the 0th round to a preconstructed deck (swarm) with the former version of my deck. There were 36 people and four of them had to play a qualifier round before the rest could play. Of course I was one of them and lost to a deck that was worth less than the other of my two forks (that were in it)!!! So I found out that Goblin Granades aren't so strong and talked on the Irc with Antti Vähäkotamäki (Wally5) about the metagame and finally decided to go for it with this consept: Some kind of a Sligh 4 Lightning Bolt 2 Cursed Scroll 4 Mogg Fanatic 1 Mogg Conscripts 2 Jackal Pup 2 Demonic Consultation (a very strong card) 4 Incinerate 4 Fireslinger 2 Ironclaw Orcs 2 Fork (2 Forks are optimal) 1 Diabolic Edict 1 Hammer 3 Ball Lightning 1 Viashino Sandstalker 1 Lava Hound 4 Fireblast 4 Mishra's Factory 2 Undiscovered Paradise 1 Gemstone Mine 1 City of Brass 2 Rocky Tar Pit 4 Badlands 8 Mountain sb: 4 Disenchant 1 Warmth 1 Phyrexian Furnace 4 Pyroblast 3 Disk 2 Diabolic Edict I playtested the deck twice with my friend (Vesa-Matti Heino, who plays always mono-green) and got an idea in a dream to switch in the sb Sleight of Minds to Disenchants night before the PTQ :). 1st Round vs Kimmo Hovi playing Fruity Pebbles Game1 I play some beatdown and he dies although my T2 ranking is 1521 :). Perhaps my Limited ranking has something to do with this win (1720). I sideboard Disenchants and Pyroblasts. Game2 I play some beatdown and he get the combo down. Unfortunately I have a Disenchant and his Shieldsphere does only one damage. Soon I end the game with a forked fireblast (or something like that). Matches 1-0, Games 2-0 2nd Round vs Vesa-Matti Heino playing his own version of Stompy If we go to a tournament, we usually play against each other. It's too early to take any intentional draws and I won in the playtests more games than he did. Game1 I play a Fireslinger who takes care of his elves, sprites and everything. Soon I play bolt him to the death. Game2 This time I get two Fireslinger into my opening hand and again kill all his creatures. He can't get any Lhyrgouyfs or WOrbs to the play, so I win easily. Matches 2-0, Games 4-0 3rd Round vs Toni Rissanen with Prison Game1 He hasn't so many counterspells, so I finish him early with some bolts and fireblasts. Game2 Unfortunately he gets the lock down and plays Armageddon at 40 life. I have 10 cards from the sb against him but I get bored and conceed (althought I would have still small chances.) Game3 He can't draw the Propaganda and soon Ball Lightning eats him with a Fireslinger. Matches 3-0, Games 6-1 4th Round vs Antti Koskimäki with a Sligh. Game1 I can't remember details, but I won 2-1. Matches 4-0, Games 8-2 5th Round vs Mikko Snygg with a Sligh I ask for a draw that we could go to watch the Simpsons, but his at 3-1 and wants to play. Game1 He gets me down to 5 and I get him down to 6. I consultate for the scroll, which leaves me with only 6 cards left in the library. I have two Mountains, City of Brass, Cursed Scroll and Fireblast in my hand when I have 1 card left. So my only chance is to scroll him for 2 and play a Fireblast, which brings me downto 4 and unfortunately he has a Fireblast too. So it's a draw. Game2 He plays more beatdown and keeps my land low with Wastelands. Finally I die. :( Game3 I get a 2nd turn Warmth and he does like 30 damage to me before I kill him being myself at 15 life. What a great card! :) So it's still a draw and we didn't see the Simpsons. :( 4-1-0 Matches 4-0-1, Games 9-1-3 6th Round vs Lasse Larvanko with a kind of a Counterpost We are certainly in the finals and get a draw. Matches 4-2-0, Games 9-3-3 So I end being 3rd! Strong. Quarterfinals vs Petri Wathen with a BottleNecro Game1 He plays a early Necro and I punish him with Fireblasts and Fireslingers. He didn't draw any Drains or Bottles, but sometimes it's just about luck. Game2 I play several Fireslingers and he can't get rid of all Ball Lightnings. I finish him with Bolt, Fireblast, Fanatic and Fireslinger ping. Matches 5-2-0, Games 11-3-3 Semifinals vs Lasse Larvanko with the Counterpost. Game1 I manage to get him downto 1 before his Outpost tokens run me over. Game2 It's a very tough game me pinging his tokens with a Fireslinger and he countering my every effort to kill him. Finally I counter his counter and win. Game3 This time I play with skill and when I get him downto 7 I consult for a Lightning Bolt, play the Bolt and a Fireblast and counter his Force of Will with a Pyroblast. I had only 3 lands all the game. Matches 6-2-0, Games 13-3-4 Whoa! I'm qualified for the PT LA! The only problem is that I'm in the Army when the PT takes place, but I'm sure I can get some vacation for the PT weekend. Finals vs Mikko Stenberg playing also Sligh, but with maindeck Ankhs and LD. Game1 He starts fast with Keeper of Kookus, but he has to keep his some mana untapped and I manage to finish him. Game2 He play 3! Ankhs and I can't draw anything but my special lands including City of Brass and 2 Undiscovered Paradise! I find myself at a hopeless situation with only the City on the table, 3 Fireblasts in the hand and he has 2 mountains (so he can do anything he likes to). So I try to consultate for the Warmth but I miscalculate the life situation and die. :( Game3 I can't draw any mountains and he plays the ankhs again. So I have again the City of Brass and a Undiscovered Paradise on the board, which aren't that good against Ankhs & Wastelands. Maybe it was just bad luck. :( Matches 6-2-1 Games 14-3-6 I got some money for the plane tickets, but it will still be a expensive trip. But propably I can get enough money before the PT, so CU there! Antti Hätinen, pharazon on IRC email: pharazon@clinet.fi