Subject: Mono-Blue Tourney Report Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1998 23:17:40 EDT From: Sc Mana To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com Hi everyone who reads this, my name is Scott Rosen, I live in Memphis, TN, and I'm an alcoholic. OK, so I lied about the alcoholic, but I did get your attention for (hopefully) the rest of this, my first ever tourney report. So, here goes nothing: I get to the store around 1:30, Easter Sunday. The tourney is supposed to start at 2:00, but that has NEVER happened. I sign up and start playing around with this awesome toy another guy brought until 2:30. I just completed my deck recently, and haven't gotten much playtesting in since I finished it, and I made a change just yesterday that could affect it a lot (swap a Wyvern out for a Tradewind.) The main reason I'm playing today rather than judging is because I don't expect many people to be there (it is Easter after all.) Of course, my luck is left behind at home again and we have 24 people show up. I gotta remember almost nobody at Gamemasters is Christian. So, the judge calls out the pairings and the madness ensues.... My Deck (in no particular order): 4 Capsize 4 Sapphire Medallions 2 Tradewind Rider 4 Propaganda 4 Wall of Tears 3 Man-O-War 3 Silver (SLIVER!!!) Wyverns 1 Whispers of the Muse 3 Suq'Ata Firewalker (Hammer Me Tim!!!!) 4 Impulse 4 Counterspell Sideboard: 1 Puppet Strings 4 Hydroblast 2 Chill 2 Disrupt 2 Touchstone 2 Knight of the Mists 2 Dream Tides Round 1: My opponent is playing a Green/White speed deck, full of Pursuit of Knowledge, Sylvan Library, and Burgeoning. Game 1: I get out a turn 2 Wall of Tears and Turn 3 Propaganda. I shut him down in no time and just keep returning land to his hand until I pull a Wyvern and beat him down. Game 2: I still haven't seen much of his deck, so I don't know how he wins and I don't sideboard. I find myself looking at a Endangered Armadon and a Scraggy thanks in no part to his Burgeoning, and I don't pull a Propaganda until its too late. Game 3: Sideboard in the Dream Tides but forget about the Puppet Strings. My man supply get cripmed early b/c of a Choke while I'm tapped out, and he kills my Sapphire Medallion right before I draw a 2nd island to play a 'Ganda. I lose to Scraggy (again.) Record: 0-1 Round 2: I play Palubicki #1 (there are 4 that play here a lot, suffice to say their DCI rankings aren't the highest.) Game 1: She Caps (yes, someone uses Jester's Cap main deck still) me for 3 Medallions and I draw land most of the rest of the game. Too bad I already had a Capsize in hand. I draw a Wyvern and she doesn't have a prayer. Game 2: I don't sideboard, I don't think she even has one. Beatdown ensues. Record: 1-1 or as we say here, 0-1-0-1 (1 loss, 1 Palubicki) Round 3: Palubicki #2 prepares to say hi to my Wyvern. Game 1: Mono-green regenerators don't do much against Capsize. Silver Wyvern does stuff to life totals. Even though he plays a Respite on me (OH, NO!!!) I manage to barely pull off the win (j/k.) Game 2: Why bother sideboarding? Rack another win up for me. Record: 2-1 or 0-1-0-2 Round 4: Finally, I have exited the Palubicki zone. I play some guy who I think is new to the DCI, as I've never met him before and I'm at almost every DCI tourney here. Somehow he plays scrubs first two rounds then feels the Troy Goode (YORT) beatdown round 3, so he's also 3-1. Game 1: He's playing Mono-Black with Necrites and Shadow Guildmage. My guys rape him in no time. Game 2: See last game. Record: 3-1 or 1-1-0-2 Quarterfinals: I make elimination as #8 which means I have to play Mike "I haven't lost yet this tourney and I ain't losing to you" Graham, who's playing a deck that everyone says is "brutal, good luck man, you'll need it." It turns out to Ertog. I expect to feel the beatdown and once again lose in first round of elim. Game 1: I manage to gain control after a long battle and I pull of the win at 6 life or something. Game 2: I don't sideboard, he sideboards a few cards. I end up losing b/c I don't think he has enough creatures in his graveyard to kill me, but he does. Oh, well. Game 3: No sideboarding for either of us. I quickly gain control of the game with a Turn 2 Medallion, Turn 3 'Ganda, and Turn 5 Wyvern. His Mox Diamonds don't like Capsize and he loses almost all of his mana sources in no time. At several points all he has in play is a Scraggy that can't attack b/c of 2 'Gandas. I pull off the win. It sinks in rather quickly: I'M ACTUALLY GOING PAST 1ST ROUND OF ELIMINATION!!!!!!! Semifinals: I play against Sean Hunt who's playing Sligh and STILL managed to lose to a Palubicki. Game 1: I beat him quickly even after a mulligan b/c of a few mistakes on his part and I win. Game 2: I sideboard in all of my anti-red stuff, and end up with a Turn 2 Chill. He managed to play 3 Scrolls, though. I win at 5 life. I'm actually going to the finals. Maybe Beau was right on this one. Finals: I play Phillip "Lowest DCI # in TN" Hart, who's playing a deck similar to mine. Game 1: He pulls off a win after I make a dumb attack. Game 2: He sideboards a lot, which worries me. Turns out his sideboard is all counters. I lose in no time, but I still get 16 packs or $30 in store credit. I take the packs and get jank, but I gained a lot of respect and that's what's important. Props: Beau: You thought I would win, well, you were close. Troy: You didn't let Sean's threats of hitting you for every point of damage you do to Phillip scare you. Even though you lost. Phillip: You gave me a taste of my own medicine. Tasted like chicken. Mattie: Go for your Level III. I want my Level II. Slops: Brian: Junior State Champion goes 0-2 and drops. Enough said. Mike: You didn't have to be so mad I beat you, but at least you apologized. Sean: You played Sligh. To think I respected you makes me sick. The Palubickis: You just don't give up, do you? Reggie: You beat me then went 0-2-1. YOU SCREWED UP MY TIEBREAKERS. But if I lost to Mike I would really be mad.