Subject: [Report] PTQ Brussels with mono-U Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1998 02:02:57 +0100 From: Carl Devos To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com Hello, I've been to the PTQ Rome held in Brussels on the 4th of October by Intrafin. As I didn't have time to test the testex environment, I for once listen to Jean-Louis D'Hondt and took his deck, which has already won him a spot in Rome (top 8 in Lisboa). We made some minor changes. Here is what I played: 4 Counterspell 4 Forbid 1 Mana Leak 1 Capsize 4 Tradewind Rider 3 Spindrift Drake 2 Fighting Drake 2 Wall of Tears 4 Rootwater Hunter 3 Curiosity 4 Legacy's Allure 3 Manakin 3 Helm of Possession 19 Island 3 Stalking Stones Sideboard 4 Propaganda (Sligh) 4 Bottle Gnomes (Sligh) 3 Mana Leak (Blue/Humility) 2 Capsize (Blue/Humility) 2 Dominating Licid (WW, other creature decks) Round 1 - Geert Van Volsem - Counter-Phoenix Geert is missing one card in his deck, he leaves to check on his decklist and gets a game loss for coming late (better than ejection for illegal deck). Next game, he has mana problems, I get a quick Tradewind lock and he has to discard. He never comes back. 2-0, 3 points. Round 2 - Dirk Darkwart - Sligh Dirk has come from Aachen since it was the nearest PTQ from his hometown. In the first game, I get a Wall in my initial hand. I get control and apply the beatdown a few turns later. I sideboard 4 Propaganda and 4 Bottle Gnomes. Game 2, he gets the perfect draw: 1st turn Pup, 2nd turn Maniacal Rage, 3rd turn Sonic Burst on my Wall, 4th turn Flunkies and I am dead meat. Game 3, he has to mulligan, cast only a Flunkies for the first few turns, I establish control, take a Pup via Allure and get the Rootwater + Curiosity combo soon followed by Tradewind Rider to seal his fate. 2-1, 6 points. Round 3 - Tom Schrijvers - Goofy U/R He starts Mountain, Mountain. I think Sligh with a bad bad start. Then Islands come along, so I decide for Counter-Phoenix. It turns out that it is not that either, since he's playing with 3-4 Fanatics, Killer Whale, Silver Wyvern, Rolling Thunder!, Lightning Blast!! We had three odd games. In the first game, I can't get rid of his Silver Wyvern. He gets an excellent start in game 2 with a first turn Grindstone, but I manage to get a little army and swarm him after a long game. The decider is the oddest, he beat me with a Mogg Fanatic and a Fireslinger for like 7 turns, then I am too low on life to cope with his DD. I feel really bad because I think my deck is better. Such is life... 1-2, 6 points. Round 4 - Mats Clays - WW Cataclysm without Repentance These are 2 quick games without suspense. I take control of the board thanks to Tims and then Tradewind comes along... I still had a hard time against an early Visionary in the last game. 2-0, 9 points. Round 5 - Frederik Adriaens - Counter-Phoenix I don't feel comfortable against this deck. He pulls game 1 once he can recur his birds. Game 2, he's badly mana screwed: 3 lands for the whole game (out of 29!) Game 3, I get out more offense than he can cope with. It felt like playing sealed deck, where you get out the most creatures you can the fastest possible. 2-1, 12 points. Round 6 - Laurent Biernaux - WW Cataclysm without Repentance In game 1, Laurent cataclysm while I've got a Manakin and a Tradewind on the board. Useless to say I don't counter it. Next turn I play what I was holding in my hand, Island and Wall of Tears, thanks for playing, you won't get a second land in play anymore. Game 2, Rootwater Hunter wins me the game. 2-0, 15 points. Round 7 - Peter Gysemans - Counter-Phoenix Game 1, I get some critters out and pounds him. He gets a Phoenix, but is already low on life and I've a Fighting Drake out. He shocks my Hunter,I ping him down to 2 in response, sac the Tim to get his Phoenix in response, which he sac (in response, of course ;). The Drake finishes the job. Game 2, Peter is color screwed and I Capsize his lone Island (I got a lot of land early) while serving. He never comes back. 2-0, 18 points. Ben Possemier is first with a perfect score, we are 2 with 6-1 records, Tom Schrijver (my only loss of the day) and me. Of course his tiebreakers are better than mine and I am 3rd. I am bitter but hope I can do well the next Saturday in Antwerp. If not, there's still Birmingham, even if I am expecting fierce competition there. Thanks to Jean-Louis for the deck and to Linus for lending me the walls. Carl