9 Feb 1997

Let me preface this report by admitting that I likely misjudged thefield for this round of PTQs. I figured with the huge success of Necroat Dallas (McCabe winning, Hacker, Pikula, and others with fine showings)that the environment would be "painted black." I decided thatthe number two deck would be Wintergeddon, so I prepared for both, withan emphasis on beating Necro.

Once I got to the Clarion Suites, I was surprised to see a number ofgood players with whom I am acquainted, who I also did not expect to meet.Worth Wollpert was no real surprise, but I had never seen Team Deadguyin action in Philly before. I was of course questioned as to what deckI had, and after proclaiming mono-white Outpost-geddon, Worthless, ChrisPikula, and others all proclaimed me an idiot... Had I never heard of Wildfires?Whatever.

I playtested a bit with Worth before the rounds started. He was withu/W Zila-style Wintergeddon, a deck I thought I could handle. Worth mercilesslydestroyed me 3-0, and even worse, found out the secrets of my sideboard.I was disheartened (especially since I had no Divine Offerings in the sideboard)because it looked as if the field was mostly Winter Orb. Doh!

ROUND ONE

I was paired with John Shuler, a regular poster to this newsgroup. Johnwas a very amiable fellow, and I enjoyed meeting him. Like his companionChad Day, he was with U/W Howling Mine/Prison (but with no 'geddons). Iharassed John in the first game with my Mishra's Factories and Outposts.I very luckily drew 3 of my 4 Disenchants early in the game, preventinghim from using his Howling Mines and other key artifacts. A Balance/ZuranOrb was somewhat painful, but I was able to claim game one without beingdecked.

In game 2, I got a ridiculous draw, slapping John with a Black Viseon turn 1. That is very bad medicine for U/W decks in general, especiallyHowling Mine decks. I think he was completely unprepared for my 4 Nev'sDisks in from the sideboard, which I consider the chief surprise of thedeck--I showed him only Aeolipiles in the first game. Again I was ableto keep his artifact-based defense down with Disks and Disenchants. I thinkI eventually beat him with an Outpost.

1-0, 2-0 games.

ROUND TWO

I played a guy called Chedy. In the first game, I didn't really seemuch of his deck, because my Factories did a tremendous amount of damagebefore he mounted any kind of a real defense. He may have erred by counteringthe Knights I played, because he had no counters for my late-game SerraAngels. In any case, the Outpost did the final damage, as usual.

In the second game, I found out that was running Counterpost when heplayed an Outpost. I was able to out-Outpost him relatively easily, becausehe sacrificed his only Plains when bringing out the Outpost. To Chedy'scredit, he was able to counter all three of my Armageddons in game 2, butthe Outpost, as usual, prevailed.

2-0, 4-0 games.

ROUND THREE

I had the misfortune of playing against Robert Kline in the third round.Bob is of course a very friendly guy, and we had met at Dallas, but itis better to play against anyone rather than top-10 rated players.I knew this would be a tough match for me.

In game 1, Bob played a very early Ivory Tower. I completely misreadhis deck for far too long... I thought he was running conventional WinterOrb, and thus saved my Disenchants for the Icy Manipulators... Bob wasrunning the South Florida "gimmick" deck, though, and had noIcy Manipulators! Before I realized he was running this variant deck type,he had already accumulated more than 40 life. I waited for him to tap out,but he had Force of Will -- I foolishly assumed only Arcane Denial. Disgustedwith myself, I conceded the game, as I thought it unlikely that I couldbeat 2 Winter Orbs and multiple Howling Mines at that stage of the game.

I got a strong draw game 2. A first turn Vise did considerable damage,and like John Shuler, Bob did not anticipate my Disks. Bob stomped me game1, I ran all over him game 2.

In game 3, I again Vised Bob on the first turn. He Enlightened Tutoredfor his Ivory Tower, which I attempted to Disenchant. Bob Force of Willedthe Disenchant, bringing him below 4 cards in hand anyway. I mounted anumber of offensive runs, but was stifled THREE times by Balance-ZuranOrb. No deck can recover for Balance-Zuran Orb three times, and I saw thewriting on the wall when I realized that I would never be able to sneaka Disk past his Howling Mines-powered hand.

2-1, 5-2 games.

ROUND FOUR

I played a guy called Chris, who was with, you guessed it, Howling Mine/WinterOrb. In 4 rounds, I played four U/W decks, and three of them were HowlingMine/Winter Orb. Argh!

In the first game, Chris played a very Bob Kline sort of game, establishingIvory Tower defense, and stopping my offensive threats with Balance-ZuranOrb. I am beginning to hate that combination.

The second game, I brought in my Disks and Abbey Gargoyles (which noone likes, and even fewer suspect). I beat Chris soundly, as with no HowlingMines, he was forced to never draw so that his Island Sanctuary would keepmy ungodly Outpost tokens and Factories off him.

The third game was a stomp. I disrupted Chris's early game, and broughtin Black Vise when I knew he would be in trouble.

3-1, 7-3 games.

ROUND FIVE

I met Randy in this round, who was playing B/u Necro. Randy informedme that he had defeated (easily) one of my good friends, who was also runningthe mono-white Outpost deck I had designed. All I knew was that I was finallyhitting a Necro, and that he would be the one to take the loss.

In the first game, I got a quick 4 life jump in a pump knight vs. pumpknight battle. One Armageddon ensured that I would retain that life leadand (barely) scrape out the victory.

Okay, in goes Black Vise and 4 Serrated Arrows. Match that.

We hit each other for a while, and I have a pump knight, Outpost, andLand Tax. Randy plays a Dystopia (a HORRENDOUS card against Outpost decks,may I say) and I punish him with making him pay lots of life. He playsa second Dystopia, so I play a second Outpost. He has to pay ridiculouslife with his two Dystopias, but then plays some knights. I let my Knightgo with the Dystopia, and break the parity with a Balance, killing THREEof his creatures. He lets Dystopia go and plays Necro. I play Black Vise.He takes a good deal of Vise damage, and I finish him off with Aeolipile.

4-1, 9-3 games.

ROUND SIX

This is of course a must-win for me. I have the horrid luck of drawingWorth Wollpert, a good friend with whom I work on decks regularly... andthe administrator of many beat-downs in playtesting. I know this is nota good matchup for me.

In game 1 I have Worth... I really do. he is down to 4 or so life, butdraws Zuran Orb... and Mystical Tutors for Balance. I am beginning to thinkthat I can't lose except when that goes off, but... it does sometimes.I concede quickly after.

In game 2, Worth establishes control and I am never really in a positionto win. Unfortunately, Worth knew about my sideboard secrets. Because heis an utter professional, and a good friend, he did not capitalize on thatinformation, and actually sideboarded OUT a Divine Offering.

Well, even though I lost only to two of the very best players in theworld, 4-2 is not good enough to make the cut. I figure that I had a verystrong deck, and would just change my sideboard a little bit. 2 DivineOfferings is essential to beating the Winter Orb decks (and with my 4 Disenchantsand 4 Disks that makes a powerful 10 artifact kill). I think I will playthe deck again in all future Paris PTQs... because if nothing else, itis a lot of fun. If I actually get lucky and hit Necro, I won't even haveto think too hard! Worth is convinced that I should run Zila too, but Ithink if I had Divine Offerings, I would have made the final 8 fairly easily.

After the PTQ I played in a free Type II tournament. My roommate andI met in the finals and split the 6 Mirage and 6 Visions packs. I guessthe day wasn't too bad, especially since my good friend DJ Chagnon tookhome $400 in sealed deck.