Subject: TOURNEMENT: PTQ Rome, Columbus, Ohio 10/17/98 Date: Sun, 18 Oct 1998 13:21:27 PDT From: "Bedford Crenshaw" To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com One last chance of going to Rome. I had serious doubts about whether I could win with a Sligh deck like I have been playing. That's when I heard about a deck on either MTG-L or MTG-STRATEGY-L that took 2nd place in North Carolina. He called the deck MONGRELBOMB. If you want to see the original deck, it's at www.manapool.com . After reading Chris' (Leonard Richardson's) comments about Midwest being weak for Sligh due to too many WW and Living Death on the Dojo, my decision was to go with MONGRELBOMB. I had most of the components of his deck, or so I thought, as I started Thursday being 11 cards short. Thursday I tried Hockeyman's down on Maple here if Jeff; they had no singles, but I did manage to pick up a US Starter for $6.50 and a US pre-constructed for $7.50. Friday, after an exhaustive search thru my house for any hideyhole for MTG I had (finding all but 5 cards), I went up all the way to Sirius Comics in Scottsburg, as they tend to have the best cost/cards available ratio around. But, true to my luck, they had closed at 3pm and I got there 3:13 slow time. After a great chicken dumpling dinner at Austin, I zoomed back down to Empire, where I found the final Helm of Possesion I needed, leaving me 4 cards short. I made a desparate attempt going to Great Escape in Louisville, only managing to get two cassettes; one seriously damaged. My deck ended up something like this: 2 Mongrel Hounds 4 Thopter Squadron 4 Spike Breeder 2 Spike Feeder 4 Muscle Sliver 1 Mirri, Cat Warrior 1 Verdant Force 4 Skyshroud Elves 4 Wall of Blossoms 4 Eladimiri's Vineyards 3 Helms of Possession 2 Torture Chamber 4 Goblin Bombardment 5 Mountain 16 Forest Sideboard: 2 Heartwood Treefolk 2 Scragnoth 3 Tranquility 2 Boil 2 Shattering Pulse 1 Helm of Possession 2 Null Brooch 1 Torture Chamber For thos wondering about my decisions about changing the deck from the NC version, here's why. I thought the Vineyards would work better than Wood Elves or Rampant Growths, so I took out the Elves & Growths to put in the Vineyards. I put the Muscle Slivers in for they beatdown possibilities and because I missed playing with them. (It also helped that Aaron Huntsman's CounterSliver deck was the only one I've seen since ORIGINS.) Since I only had two Mongrel Hounds, I decided that Spike Feeder's would take their place; besides, I thought I would be seeing a lot of Living Death, so I thought they would help me in that department. I wasn't sure that I needed 4 Helms standard, so I put 1 in the sideboard in put in Mirri, as I thought she'd be purrfect. I couldn't find any Scroll Racks, so I replaced them with Torture Chambers, as I feared seeing WW decks, although my deck shouldn't have too many worries about them. I put Tranquilities in because I feared what a Humility/Prayer deck could do to this deck. My trip up to Columbus was uneventful, save for finding a cheap, decent parking place. The Grand Lodge of Ohio (Freemasonry) was aving its annual meeting there as well (I made a mental note to see if they had any vendors, as I myself am also a Master Mason). I brought my trades into the building, and did some decnt trading, trading a Mox Diamond for some potentially valuable US cards. The head judge announced that DCI might stop letting ANDON do tournements (and they're both WOTC!!!!). I allowed Chris & Andy to look at the deck, with Chris making a disparaging comment asking me if I knew that some people are just lucky. Andy thought it might do well. I found out why I hadn't gotten andy packs for my pre-release report: the guy responsible for them left ANDON, although the judge said he would check into it for me. With 60 people attending, including 5 from Louisville (myself, Chris, Andy, Jeff Shuffet, and Ben Edgerly), we started. ROUND 1 Chris (NO NO NO NO NO NO NO)(Leonard Richardson) Trade Awake Let's just say I was not looking forward to this matchup. 1-1 A long 40 minute affair where I really noticed my mistakes (and Chris did to). My misreading of Thopter Squadron didn't help. 1-2 I surprised him with a surprise Scragnoth, that was quickly spiked, that came though for victory. 1-3 With only 10 minutes left, I was purposely delibrate in my actions for two reasons: 1). I didn't want to do anything scrubby in front of Chris and 2) if I didn't win quickly, I could at least draw w/ Chris. But Chris had a judge watch the game, who gave Chris three rounds after the time limit to win. He only needed two. I do hope he's nice in his tourney report about me. 1-2 0-1 No time to breathe, as Round 2 started promptly. ROUND 2 Matt Davis Slash & Burn (my favorite deck to play with) 2-1 My helm stole his defense. His Vineyards were so useful to me, I never needed to use my own. 2-2 A Forest and 2 Grindstones was all he ever put out. I promised to praise his efforts on the Dojo. (Hey, he really tried, and at least he didn't play that slimy TradeAwake) 3-2 1-1 My match was over quickly, so I put my trades back into my car that was parked two blocks away. I said "Bless You" to a motorist that sneezed on the way there. I went up to the 3rd floor where the Masons were meeting, and boughta knife for my Uncle for Xmas and a shirt for me, both with the Square & Compass on them. Found out that Ben already dropped out. ROUND 3: Brian Dale White/red defensive deck. I have NOOOOO idea what his deck concept was. Or why two first names. 3-1 He put down a bunch a bunch of white walls, but my 2 Thopters and 2 Vineyards hurt him badly. 3-2 He almost got me with 2 Spellshocks and a Scalding Tong, but I was able to use a Thopter for a mana dump and crushed him with only having 4 life myself. His Grindstones proved ineffective against me as well. (Grindstones, White Walls, Spellshocks, Kindles, and Spell shocks: WHAT KIND OF DECK IS THIS?????????) 5-2 2-1 I was starting to like my chances of going into the final eight. I deposited my Masonic loot in my car, ate a Gyro at the food court (it sooooo hit the spot). ROUND 4: Travis Hare Trade/Awake He purposely didn't put Awakening in his deck; he wanted to have his opponents think he had them. 4-1 All my Vineyards accomplished was speeding up his 3 Tradewinds (did I ever mentioned that God hates me with a passion). 4-2 Outside of two Scragnoths, all I was able to put out was 7 forests and all 5 of my Mountains. I conceded. 5-4 2-2 ROUND 5: Andy Hicks (NO NO NO NO) TradeAwake Not Chris and Andy in the same tournement. Not a THIRD Trade/Awake. Where are all the LD and WW. Yep, God does hate me. 5-1 He had too much of a lock, so I decided why prolong my agony. He said that if I had called him he would've told me what would be up here. Although I was almost tempted to just concede the round, I went ahead. 5-2 I had a pretty decnt swarm out. His Living Death only prolonged the match. He had no blue mana in sight. 5-3 Let's put it this way. All he had was a swamp and 3 Reflecting Pool. He was so disgusted that he just pounded the table with just force that the whole room heard it. The head judge came over to check up on us. Given that not only do I come from a family of few shrinking vilets, and a Pisces to boot, I can understand one's emotional outbursts better than most. I'm just glad I had finished most of my Coke beforehand. At least it woke me up. 7-5 3-2 After deciding that I've seen enough Tradewind that day, I decided to drop. After explaining this to the head judge and Chris, they both agreed to my decision. I used my 50%off coupon to buy a box of foreign Ice Age (in glacial interested ;->) and left for home. I stopped only at the Outlets at Jeffersonville, OH (bougt some tapes and gas) and the McDonalds at Carrolton, KY, to wake myself up. The deck (which I have dubbed Ka-Thunk pingpingpingpingpingping, can work. It just better avoid TradeAwake areas, unless you pack 4 Meedle Storms (or Chokes). Both would probably be in my next version. Knowing now what I should have done, I should have went WW, as it is a specialty of mine and would have kicked Tradewind butt. Oh well. See you all for the State Championships and PTQ LA. I hope Chris is kind in his report about me. ****************************************************************** /-----\ * Bedford "Mage Llanic" Crenshaw | | * | @ | * Have you hugged a penguin today? | | * | |______ * E-Mail: | |\_____> * eudyptes@hotmail.com |-------|-----/ * ccrensha@iusmail.ius.indiana.edu URL: http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Portal/4900 ******************************************************************* ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com