Subject: PTQ-Rome. HI Team 5-0 (Blue Beatings) Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1998 02:01:43 PDT From: "Mark Rezendes" To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com Hey Frank, Here's the scoop on Hawaii's PTQ-Rome tournament. I haven't been playing Magic very much during the past few months and besides reading The Dojo, I wasn't extremely prepared for the Rath cycle format. The last sanctioned tournament I played in was a Type 2 touney with 16 players. It was my first brush with the new deck archetypes that would I would later see in Rath. The Dojo was my main resource of research. By reading the reports I reached the conclusion that I would have to play blue. Living Death/Rec.Cycle decks looked interesting...but I had neither the cards or the experience to play such a deck. Tradeawake also looked like a strong contender...but a lack of the necessary cards and some subtle weaknesses kept me from choosing it. So early on I decided to play Counterphoenix. I had the cards and I also had a lot of play time with Counterhammer--its Type 2 equivalent. Hatred, White horde, and Red burn were also considered but I dislike any swarm strategy. I don't feel like I'm really "playing" Magic. Guess it's just me :) Humility-prayer and Workhorse looked to be too combo-oriented for a Rath control environment. So I plan to build the Counterphoenix...but never do. I also plan to playtest with the rest of Team 5-0...but I never get around to it. A couple of weeks before the PTQ I stumble across Nathan Heiss's Mono-blue Turbo Tradewind. And I like it. I build my version of it--I adjust the mana base and discard the Mox Diamonds (IMHO the diamonds are ASS!) and add Dominating Licids standard. (By now the deck is very close to my black/blue deck that I had built for fun--well without the black...Ok, it looked nothing like that deck...who am I trying to kid? I take the Monoblue to the US prerelease and play it a little. It trashes Counterphoenix(although licids suck) and destroys Living Death (most of the time due to Licid or Legacy Allure or just plain Countermagic--I have twelve, upped from Nathan's 7.) My teammates(Kris Lohman, Des Siu, Ryan Stampke, and Jason Lum)see the fun I'm having with the deck so we decide to playtest it and run it through it through the gauntlet. Kris expects a heavy Red burn and White horde field while I figure it to be a heavy control oriented field. We compromise and add Hammerhead Sharks main deck (that damn shark gives fits to both red and blue mages!) Around this time Kris builds a White shadow deck with Convictions and Helm of possesions with Null Brooches in the side that just wrecks my Monoblue. Des wants to play Monoblue but is hesitant due to its performance against White shadow. I stick with the blue and test it at home-trying to find the perfect sideboard while tweaking the deck just right. The night before the PTQ Jason calls to get my deck list and decides to go with Blue Beatings too. Meta-game wise he agrees it's a solid choice. Des also decides to go with the deck while Kris has been playtesting Death for awhile. Ryan sticks to the Counterphoenix that he's been playing with for weeks. The morning of the tourney I find out that Kris is going to play Hacker-prayer. A neat deck but very draw dependent. For the field it is a great choice as I don't think anyone has the balls to play it. Team 5-0 confer and we make a few last minute changes to the sideboard since Blue seems to be THE color of the day (we could hear people yelling, "Anyone got Mawcors??) Now the deck list (Sorry for all the babble but I only write reports when I win a tourney--and that doesn't happen very often so you gotta give me a break) Blue Beatings 5-0 style. 4 Thalakos Drifters 4 Tradewind Riders 3 Mawcors 3 Hammerhead Sharks 3 Manakins 4 Forbid 4 Counterspells 4 Manaleak 2 Legacy Allure 3 Capsize 3 Curiosity 20 Islands 3 Stalking Stones 1 Wasteland Total: 61 Cards (third capsize added) Sideboard: 4 Chill (versus Red) 3 Mindless Automaton(Maindeck? Vs. Death.Awakening.Mirror match) 2 Legacy Allure (Vs. Death and anything with Tradewinds) 1 Wasteland 1 Hammerhead Shark 1 Capsize 1 Ertai's Meddling (Vs. Scragnoth and Tradewake) 2 Whispers of the muse (for added control) Match 1: Vs. Some sort of mindless automaton/death deck. Game 1: I get a quick trade lock due to Manakin, Sharky and Rider. My opponent forgot to play a land on turn three and he scoops by turn five. ( I love this game!!) Game 2: I hate this game!! I get the good opening hand of Stalking stones and 1 Island...I don't see another Island until turn five. My opponent already has a Survival of the fittest out. I tap my lonely two islands to cast allure...and my reward is a choke!! WTF! I can only laugh as I stare down at my untapped stalking stones and my legacy allure while my opponent is beating my head in with an automaton. I almost concede until my opponent makes a big mistake. During my discard he puts a token on his automaton then tries to put a fourth token on it (his last card) but I steal it with Allure in response. I explain timing rules and LIFO to him so he responds by taking two counters off. I now have a 1/1 automaton, a couple of untapped islands, a stalking stones, and a handful of cards. Need less to say I get Mr. Automaton up to 7/7 and just head-drill the two scragnoths he casts. Beatings! "Something like an Automaton, something like an Automaton!" 1-0 Match 2: Vs Marcus Lee playing white horde. Game 1: I mana stumble, get a Manakin disenchanted and die a quick death to Soul warden and the Shadow ninja posse. Game 2: I get an early allure out and steal his Warrior en-kor. Along with my tradewind and shark I start bouncing things while building up land. Then I start capsizing and attcking with his en-kor. A second tradewind spells "Beatings!" The only scary part is when Marcus casts a Helm of Possesion...too bad he only had four lands in play at the time because I would just bounce it during his discard...but if he ever had the mana to cast it use it...Oh man! I would've just countered it I guess:) Game 3: He puts early pressure on me and gets me down to six before I can stabilize. There's no way I'm going to panic against white horde. The way Marcus keeps looking at my cards on the table I figure he's itching to cast Cataclysm...it's his only hope since I countered an early helm. I'm in total control when he casts Cataclysm. I let it through but in response I activate stalking stones and tradebounce an island. I count the stalking stones as artifact, an island as land and my Drifter as creature. On my next turn I lay the Island and capsize his critter. Would you like to see my Cackasaur? 2-0 Match 3: Vs. Eddie playing Nathan Heiss Turbotradewind with Dominating Licid instead of Keeper of the mind. I'm actually a little concerned about this match because he's already beaten Des (playing the same deck as me) and Kris. If Eddie beats me also...that would just plain suck for Team 5-0. Dominating Licid really pounds my deck but I have a better mana base and more counters. Game 1: Eddie goes island, mox diamond, Manakin. I go...Island. He goes island, tradewind. I go...Island. He goes manakin, I try to Leak it, he counters. I go...SCOOP! Game 2: I go first but Eddie mulligans. I don't remember much about this game but it probably involved some counterspells, a tradewind or two and maybe an Automaton on my part. I'm positive I outplayed him :) Game 3: Eddie Mulligans twice. While drawing his winning hand of five cards I hear him pray, "please no mox diamonds." Again, I outplay him. I love this game. 3-0 Match 4: Vs. Russell playing Counterphoenix. Game 1: I'm feeling pretty confidant since I have maindeck sharks and a lot of experience vs counterphoenix. Besides I think my deck is cooler. I decline the offer to draw. My opening hand has two islands and a manakin. I play those cards...and that's all I play for the rest of the game. I don't draw anymore land. I watch helplessly as Russell plays like, 20 land in a row. He then attempts to cast a phoenix, I counter, he counters, I look for more mana to power the additional counters in my hand...Hmm...none to be found. I get reamed. Game 2: See game one...but without the manakin. 3-1 Match 5: Vs Dave Bull playing Tradewake. Game 1: I cast early shark and manakin. He casts land. I cast tradewind rider with counter cover. It takes a little while but Dave eventually scoops. Game 2: I side in Auotmatons, allures, shark, wasteland, and capsize. It's a great game that takes a hell of a lot of time. Dave sees all four of his legacy allures while I see none of mine. I fight valiantly but when his dominator hits the board...it's OVER! Game 3: With five minutes left I blow a few counters on his early Hammerhead shark. Time is on my side. 3-1-1 Match 6: Vs. Brian Tsukimura playing tradewake. Game 1: I get the shiznit draw! Second turn shark, third turn curiosity, counter your counter. Attack, draw, BEAT! "This is serious, it can make you delirious, my whole entire crew is dangerous!" Game 2: "Shark in the water!! Shark in the water!!" I get better draws than Brian...but don't need them as I outplay him anyway. He casts Scragnoth the turn before I draw my Meddling. Damn. My buff Automaton is enough to discourage scragnutts from attacking tho. 4-1-1 I'm in! I'm in! Des ends the day with a 3-2 record. At least he got to head drill a couple of people along the way. Kris drops after going 0-3 with the Hacker-prayer deck but later wins two drafts. Jason Lum makes it in as number two seed with the Blue Beatings deck (which might have to called "countershark" soon) Ryan Stampke makes it in as number one seed with Counterphoenix. So 3 5-0 members in the top eight. Woo-doggy. The breakdown: 2 Phoenix 2 Blue Beatings 2 Red burn 1 hatred and 1 other deck I forget. Quarterfinals: I make it in as 7th seed which means I play...Jason, my own teamate in a mirror matchup. This sounds like your typical dojo tourney report huh? Game 1: I steal his curious shark with my legacy allure. We are at a standstill until he casts tradewind. I have no counterspell. I lose. Game 2: I win with a curious Mindless Automaton. Blue on blue is typically boring. Unless you're winning. Seriously though, Jason is a better player but his inexperience with sideboarding against mirror match shows as he leaves drifters in his deck and doesn't add the automatons. Game 3: I keep a hand with two allures, two sharks, but one island. By the way Jason is looking at his hand he probably is facing the same situation. He goes first and plays island. I draw...nothing. Play island. jason draws, smiles, and plays his second land plus allure. I draw island play shark. He plays shark. I play allure. He plays allure. I play shark and allure. WEEEEEEEEEEE!! Fun fun fun fun.... I play a tradewind and win. 5-1-1 Semifinals: Vs. Calvin playing Red burn. Game 1: Eek. I usually lose first game to red then I have to hope for the Chill/mulligan/tutor thing to win the next two. My sharks prove to be house as I stall his assault, cast more tradewinds than he has sonic bursts and grin. I got to steal a giant strengthed fireslinger but it got burnt :( Calvin casts apocalypse (Yikes...maindeck apocalypse.) but I draw into more land and creatures while he plays Draw-go. Game 2: I won the first game by luck and now with my sideboard I should win this game. Wrong. I play a shark which stalls his jackal pup. He plays ancient tomb (anti chill tech) and casts a mogg fanatic. I figure this will allow the pup to kill my shark and with no other creatures in my hand I know I'll die quickly to the horde of creatures he's probably holding. SO I counter the fanatic leaving myself tapped out. Calvin casts boil. I drop...a load. Damn. I suck. My teammates shake their heads in disgust. My shark holds out for like, a turn, then I die. Game 3: I figure I'll go first then tutor/mulligan for chill. I draw my hand. One chill, and one stalking stones. No islands. I'm a gambling man...but I'm not stoopid. I mulligan and get crap. I mulligan to five and draw: 2 islands, a shark, a chill, and a counter. He he. Jason lum, standing behind me can't help himself as he yells, "Mark, you are so lucky! You win. Yes! yes! yes!" or something to that effect. I play island. Calvin plays Pup. I draw shark, play island, and chill. Calvin plays mountain, attack. I draw my third shark, play island and cast shark. Calvin plays Ancient tomb! Oh crap, if he casts a strap-on (maniacal rage or giant strength) on his pup...I'm dead. But my luck holds out and he plays with himself instead. I draw my second chill, then the third one a few turns later. After that...it's over! 6-1-1 Finals: Vs. Ryan Stampke playing counterphoenix. Game 1: It's an all 5-0 final so we decide to split 150/100 winner/loser. Ryan is a great player and an even better talker. Few people can keep their composure while playing Ryan. After a near loss to the Hatred deck, Ryan is ready for a more relaxed game though. I play second turn shark and it goes all the way. Game 2: After sideboarding I have to watch out for Dom. Licid, Portcullis, and Allures. So I leave my allures in. I cast three toughness creatures with countercover. "He's the greatest player to ever play the game. Put his ass on a clock and I'll chew 'em up just like the rest of them." Ryan can't deal with my house creatures and they do a little dance on his head. Game 3: I'm confidant. I have a shark out plus countercover. Ryan taps out and plays Portcullis. I have four land in play, none in hand, but I have a counter, and two mawcors. I let the steelcage drop figuring that I can draw into a land cast mawcor and lock Ryan. But alas, I don't draw the land. No prob...I still have a counter. Ryan goes, lays a land and casts...Dominating Licid. Mr. Cackwacky himself! I try to counter, but that's DENIED. My shark is stolen on the next turn and when I try to put another creature in play Ryan just ends the effect on the licid in response. My playful, witty banter has ceased. I try to figure a way out of the steel cage but realize as the game progresses that I'm dead. Game 4: Ryan mulligans then forgets to play land a couple of times. Oh well, even the best players forget to play land sometimes :) I serve with a bunch of sharks and pals. Game Over! So I win the PTQ-Rome after my semi-retirement. I get 150 bucks plus a buttload of cards. Now for the best part...I get to mail this and hit the sack. Ciao. PS--Props to Mark Morimoto for keeping the Magic scene in Hawaii going. Without Mark's tourneys we'd have nowhere to play. Thanks Mark. And thanks to Team 5-0 and the other players (solo, team, or otherwise)...just a great bunch of people. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com