To Judge or Not to Judge....

2nd Annual Bryan Scott Fry Memorial Tournament to Benefit the KBHC and Youth America Hotline - 22 MAY 2011

2011-04-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

Last year, I had the privilege to organize a charity event in memory of my brother, Bryan Scott Fry. I was honored by the amount of support and donations that everyone put forth to make it a fantastic event. This year I have had a great many requests to host it again.

How could I possibly say no to such good people and such a worthy cause?

So this year, I will be running the Bryan Scott Fry Memorial Tournament on 22 MAY 2011 to benefit the Kristin Brooks Hope Center(www.HopeLine.com) and the Youth America Hotline(http://www.youthline.us/). Once again, I hope to see as many players there as possible so please spread the word. Any support that I could get for the event(product, singles, gift certificates, allowing me to send flyers to put up in your local stores, etc.) would be greatly appreciated. I can be reached at d_h_thomas@hotmail.com or 913-620-4953.

Thank you all and I hope to see you there!!!

Date: 22 MAY 2011
Location: Collector' Cache
13354 College BLVD
Olathe, KS 66210
Registration: 1000 Open Registration 1100 Begin Tournament
Entry Fee: $25
Tournament Structure: Swiss Rounds (determined by Number of Players) with a Cut to Top 8(Prizes determined by Standings after the Last Round of Swiss. Top 8 will get the opportunity for additional prizes TBD)
Format: Standard Type II (Decklists Required)
Telephone#: 913-338-2273(Store) 913-620-4953(My Cell)
Prize Pool: (Keep watching this space for updates as they come in!!)

Remember, Remember the Month of MOVEMBER!!!!

2010-11-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

So I have shaved my beard for the first time in 12 years or so.

Facebook Pics Here

Why you ask?

Well even if you didn't ask, I am going to tell you. Yesterday I received an e-mail from my wife telling me that a bunch of her co-workers were going to get involved with the Movember Movement.

Here is a bit about the program....

....and here is my specific page.

Got all that?

Well a quick run down is this. In order to generate awareness and raise funds to help combat cancers that affect men, Movember challenges men to change their appearance and the face of men’s health by growing a moustache. The rules are simple, start Movember 1st clean-shaven and then grow a moustache for the entire month. The moustache becomes the ribbon for men’s health.

The funds raised through Movember’s US campaign benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Now, what does this have to do with a MTG-Themed Blog?

Well once again, I am going to attempt to use my hobby(and my face this time as well) to raise money for a deserving charity.

During the Month of Movember, I will be donating money when I play/Judge Magic Events. As a Judge, I will be pledging $1 for each round of every tournament that I help officiate. As a player, I will be pledging $1 for each round that I play in. I will be asking for any pledges and donations at all of the events that I attend. You can talk to me at any of these events and I will be happy to tell you how to get involved. Or you can Click Here to Hop Over to My MOVEMBER Space to make any donations that you are able to or to check out all the information there on how to get involved yourself.

Throughout the month, I will be sure to update here and on my Facebook page(DHThomas) with all of the events that I have been able to attend and how many matches for each.

If you have any questions, feel free to post here or contact me at d_h_thomas@hotmail.com. Thanks everybody and I look forward to hearing from you all.

Here is to the Month of Movember and the Resurgence of Glorious Moustaches!!!

Reynolds Style!

As Always,
Lloyd

'Twas the Night Before the 2010's

2010-10-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

'Twas the night before Pairings, when all through the house

Players in search for tech, each madly clicking their mouse.

The sleeves were all placed by the backpacks with care,

In hopes that Sick Tech soon would be there;

The players, all blurry-eyed avoiding their beds,

While visions of fancy plaques danced in their heads;

While TO’s in their bliss and I with my map,

Were about to settle in for a brief autumn nap,

When out in the lobby there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the table to see what was the matter.

Away to the entrance I flew like a flash,

Tore open the door; nearly breaking the glass.

The light of the lamps reflected tablecloths like snow

And gave the vision of a tournament ready to go,

When, what to my wondering eyes did show,

But a player and posse, with eight mighty pros,

The hard charging driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be Sick Tech.

More rapid than eagles his entourage came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Chapin! now, Brad! now, Flores and Gerry!

On, Brian! on Gavin! on, Todd and Conley!

To the top of the standings! To the top of the calls!

Now Clash Away! Clash Away! Clash Away All!"

Just like new sleeves with the very first shuffle,

When they meet their opponent, prepared for the scuffle,

So off to the tables the posse they flew,

With decks full of gas, and Sick Tech too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard in the hall

The flick of the cards as each foe took their fall.

As I drew in my breath, and was turning again,

Quick from the feature match Sick Tech came with a win.

A bundle of tech he had flung in his stack,

And looking like a drafter with bombs in his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his grin how merry!

His cheeks were like fireballs, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the scruff of his chin had just started to grow;

The hard chewed pen he held tight in his teeth,

As adoring players gathered round like a wreath;

He had a bright face with a splash of black ink,

That showed when he laughed as he tossed me a wink.

He was tight player, a hip modern elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

Another wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Made clear now I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, and with a pump of the fist,

Did all the math and passed out the lists,

And palming his phone aside of his ear,

Called to his posse “Let’s get out of here”

He sprang out the hall, to his fans gave a whistle,

And away the team flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,

"Merry States to all, and to all a good-night."

Charty Event on 20 March 2010

2010-03-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

I would like to first start off with a hearty THANKS to everybody involved in making this happen.

Thanks to Behman Zakeri and the Staff of Collector's Cache for being kind enough to host the event.

Thanks to Wes Humenczuk for agreeing to Head Judge the event and doing a fantastic job as he always does.

Thanks to Steve Ferrell for his his ongoing friendship, mentorship and generosity. If not for him, I would not be involved with running events.

Thanks to Dan Scott for donating his time and a beautiful Canvas Print of "Ponder".

Thanks to everyone who made donations to the prize pool or to the KBHC directly(or both in some cases!).

Behman Zakeri
Adam Boyd
Tel Parrett
Doug Montalvo
Anonymous Mox Donator
Wes Humenczhuk
Taj Mattingly
Josh Knipfer
Steve Ferrell
Dan Scott
Luke Hilmes
Jason Goliher
Chris Miller
Martin Cox
Nat Graham
Gary Nibert
Josh Hastings
Steve Clouse
Richard Richey
Trey Nuckolls

And most of all, thanks to everybody who came out to play and support a great cause.

Adam S Boyd
Alec Caine
Allan C Brunt
Ben Zimmerli
Bradley Rider
BRANDON HOLLEY
Brandon Turner
Brian Boss
Cal Gast
Chris Bott
Chris D Miller
Chris E VanMeter
Colin W Cross
Curtis L Linville
Dane Hammer
Daniel D Ratzlaff
daniel j foster
Derek T Clopton
Dustin M Crnkovich
Eric Potter
Ethan Foster
Eugene J Walter
Gary W Nibert
James Devine
James R Cook
Jason H Golliher
Jason R O Rourke
Jesse R Patrick
John A Haverkamp
John V Patton
Joseph E Zimmers
Joshua D Olson
Joshua R Hoffman
Kyle Meier
Landon B Doty
Martin A Cox
Matt C Ryun
Matt D Reitz
Matthew D Crook
Michael Mayes
Mike Frank
NEAL B DESAI
Paul C Rodriguez
Paul R Thompson
Payne Wilson
Ray H Schneider
Regina A Cross
Richard W Stumbo
Rodney Beal
Ronald L Hilmes
Ryan j OConnor
Scott A Gray
Scott R Lipp
Shane Campbell
Shawn T Kelly
Sheldon Jackson
Stephan Krogmeier
Taj Mattingly
Takashi L Hazelton
Tim A Cox
Timothy S Miller
Ward N Allen
Zach Fritzche
***

If I have missed anyone, I apologize. The generosity has been overwhelming.

So, 'What about the Tournament itself?' you may ask. Well then, here we go.

It turned out that we had to share space with the Kansas PokeMon States Tournament. No real issues there since Collector's Cache is largest store in town. Even with the sudden change in weather overnight bringing us from 60 Degrees and clear to what eventually became about a foot of snow in some places(Sunday was a fairly comical 'First Day of Spring') 64 people showed up to play. 80+People on the PokeMon side brought the store up to about 170 people with staffing, parents and on-watchers present. It was nice to have a full room of gamers in attendance, but I decided to set-up my computer and such in the Employee Lounge that sits just off the main room. I scoped out a spot for me to take registration and double as a table for Dan Scott once he gets in.

I did my best to greet everybody as they came in and registration goes as per the usual. Everybody gets their slips and decklists filled out and handed in while I also help direct the PokeCrowd to their registration area.

Midway through, I get a call from Dan Scott telling me that he is running late. He was having some plumbing issues, but got someone to come out and take care of it so he was on his way. Not only did he make the drive out in some nasty weather, but on top of it had to deal water problems. Thanks again to Dan Scott for being such a gentleman.

64 Players...right on that all important cut-off point where a tournament goes from being six rounds to being seven. I print up a player list and make a last call for players to check and make sure everyone is in. Everything is golden so we pair up and get everyone seated.

I make some announcements to let everyone know what is going on. I do my best to keep the speech short with so many people to thank. I do finally get to important prize part. I had been keeping a list of all the donated prizes in several spots for people to review, but I had not posted how we would structure the payout. After some debate, I had decided on going with handing out the prizes based on the standings after the last round of Swiss. I would print out a list of everything in the prize pool, then start and #1 and work our way down the list. We had enough donations so that everybody that entered could get something from the list.

From there, the tournament ran fairly fast, only going to time in two rounds and only having one match turn out to be a non-intentional draw. On the whole, questions were not that difficult and most everyone had a great time. I make this distinction since you may notice that I only listed 63 players above. One person had to be asked to leave and I will leave it to you, the reader, to decide upon the Karmic Ramifications on the type of action that would result in this at a Charity Event. Bad form indeed, but with that exception everyone had nothing but good things to say on the day.

Since we only went over time once or twice, the day moved along at a quick pace and before we knew it we were ready for Top 8. We handed out prizes and took the top 8 aside to discuss how we were going to proceed from there. They had the option to continue playing Type II for 3 more rounds after the six that they just ran, or they could pick Door Number 2. This option was that we would continue on with the Single-Elimination portion of the event as a Non-Sanctioned Onslaught Draft(Thanks to Juggernaut for bringing the Draft Set!). They had been hearing rumours about this possibility so they all agreed on the Limited Option. They also all decided to play by the rules from that era(Stack Damage, Old Legend Rule, Mana Burn, etc.) and that they would be playing for all of the cards from the draft as well as the Trophy for First Place.

After going through the entire list of remaining players and their prize choices, I let the Top 8 draft the rest of the listed prize cards. They were all looking pretty intent, some of the players had not played during this block so there was a bit of reading and catching up to be done. It was fun to see Morph Creatures hit the table again and cause some trouble.

In the final round, Paul Thompson had ridden on the back of a nigh indestructible Dawn Elemental in his mono-white deck to this seat and was looking to use it to seal the deal. Turns out though, that mono-black has at least one answer to Dawn Elemental and the most prominent one was Visara the Dreadful.

After the Dust had settled, it was Landon Doty who had battled it out to undefeated status on the day and was able to hoist the Trophy in Victory.

Thanks again to everyone involved in this event. All together we raised nearly $3000 to benefit the Kristin Brooks Hope Center and the Youth Americe Hotline. I believe that it was a great success and hope to be able to do it again next year.

I will leave you with the email that I received from Reese Butler Founder of the KBHC.

"Dear Lloyd,

My thoughts and support are with you today. I hope your event goes well
and the memories of your brother sustain you in a positive way.

These events can be very therapeutic but can also be painful. Please
know your being public will help others both heal and find hope. That
gives your brothers life and death more meaning as this could not have
happened without him and your love for him.

Take good care of yourself.

Best always,

Reese"

It was all that and more. A good day thanks to you all.

As Always,
Lloyd

Here is the Final Prize Pool...

*** Mox Emerald
*** 1 Box
*** 1 Box
*** 1 Box
*** 1 Box
*** 1 Box
*** 1 Box
*** Pre-Releae foils - Urza's Saga to M10
*** Foil Odyssey Shadowmage Infiltrator signed by Jon Finkel
*** From the Vaults - Exiled
*** 1 Canvas Print of "Ponder"
*** 4x FNM Foil - Lightning Greaves
*** 4x Gateway Foil - Rise from the Grave
*** 4x Gateway Foil - Rise from the Grave
*** 4x Ice Age - Brainstorm - Signed by Artist Chris Rush
*** Alliances - Force of Will
*** Coldsnap - Dark Depths
*** Conflux Foil - Charnelhoard Wurm
*** Conflux Foil - Martial Coup
*** FNM - Foil Mother of Runes
*** Jace Playmat
*** Judge Foil - Decree of Justice
*** Judge Foil - Goblin Piledriver
*** Judge Foil - Goblin Piledriver
*** Judge Foil - Mind's Desire
*** Judge Foil - Ravenous Baloth
*** Judge Foil - Swords to Plowshares
*** Judge Foil - Tradewind Rider
*** Judge Foil - Tradewind Rider
*** Judge Foil - Vindicate
*** Judge Foil - Wrath of God
*** Judge Foil - Yawgmoth's Will
*** M10 Foil - Capricious Efreet
*** M10 Foil - Elvish Archdruid
*** M10 Foil - Shivan Dragon
*** M10 Foil - Shivan Dragon
*** M10 Foil - Twincast
*** M10 Pre-Release Foil - Vampire Nocturnus
*** Mercadian Masques Foil - Gush
*** Morningtide - Mutavault
*** Odyssey Foil - Cabal Pit
*** Premium - Slivers Deck
*** Premium - Slivers Deck
*** Promo Foil - Lightning Hounds
*** Ravnica - Vinelasher Kudzu
*** Ravnica - Watery Grave
*** Shadowmoor Foil - Runed Halo
*** Shards of Alara Foil - Meddleing Mage
*** Spirit Link Statue
*** Time Spiral - Living End
*** Urza's Saga Foil - Stroke of Genius
*** Worldwake Foil - Kitesail - Japanese
*** Zendikar - Arid Mesa
*** Zendikar - Bloodghast
*** Zendikar - Day of Judgment
*** Zendikar - Goblin Guide
*** Zendikar - Luminarch Ascension
*** Zendikar Foil - Emeria Angel
*** Zendikar Foil - Emeria Angel
*** Zendikar Foil - Kazandu Blademaster
*** Zendikar Life Counters
*** Zendikar Pre Release Foil - Rampaging Baloths
*** Zendikar Pre Release Foil - Rampaging Baloths
*** Zendikar Pre Release Foil - Rampaging Baloths
*** Zendikar Pre Release Foil - Rampaging Baloths
*** Zendikar Release Foil - Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
*** Zendikar Release Foil - Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle

Below are all the decklists for your enjoyment....(or for you to skip...)

Standings and Decklists After Round 6 of Swiss

Adam Boyd
1st Place
Just the Tip"

Main Deck

4 Putrid Leech
4 Sprouting Thrinax
3 Master of the Wild Hunt
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Siege-Gang Commander
1 Broodmate Dragon
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Blightning
3 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Bituminous Blast
2 Rampant Growth
4 Savage Lands
4 Raging Ravine
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Verdant Catacombs
3 Mountain
3 Swamp
4 Forest

Sideboard:

1 Bituminous Blast
1 Malakir Bloodwitch
1 Thought Hemorrhage
3 Anathemancer
4 Deathmark
4 Dragon's Claw

Landon Doty
2nd Place
Main Deck

4 Bloodbraid Elf
4 Sprouting Thrinax
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Terminate
3 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Bituminous Blast
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Blightning
2 Explore
2 Broodmate Dragon
3 Siege-Gang Commander
2 Putrid Leech
2 Mountain
3 Swamp
3 Forest
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Raging Ravine
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
2 Rootbound Crag
3 Dragonskull Summit
4 Savage Lands

Sideboard:

2 Thought Hemorrhage
3 Great Sable Stag
1 Terminate
3 Goblin Ruinblaster
2 Malakir Bloodwitch
2 Deathmark
2 Jund Charm

Chris Miller
3rd Place
Main Deck

4 Bloodbraid Elf
4 Blightning
4 Sprouting Thrinax
4 Putrid Leech
3 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Master of the Wild Hunt
1 Bituminous Blast
2 Explore
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Terminate
3 Siege-Gang Commander
3 Swamp
3 Forest
2 Mountain
2 Rootbound Crag
4 Savage Lands
3 Dragonskull Summit
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Raging Ravine
4 Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard:

2 Duress
2 Great Sable Stag
2 Anathemancer
4 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Malakir Bloodwitch
2 Deathmark
1 Terminate
1 Maelstrom Pulse

Alec Caine
4th Place
Spread 'Em
Main Deck

2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
3 Plains
2 Seaside Citadel
2 Jungle Shrine
3 Island
3 Celestial Colonnade
2 Glacial Fortress
2 Arid Mesa
2 Mountain
2 Scalding Tarn
2 Forest
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Sunpetal Grove
4 Bloodbraid Elf
2 Ajani Vengeant
4 Day of Judgment
4 Convincing Mirage
4 Ardent Plea
4 Captured Sunlight
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
3 Sphinx of Lost Truths
4 Spreading Seas
1 Rafiq of the Many
1 Baneslayer Angel

Sideboard:

2 Pithing Needle
4 Deft Duellist
4 Kor Firewalker
2 Luminarch Ascension
2 Great Sable Stag
1 Wall of Reverence

Jason Golliher
5th Place
35 Lands!!
Main Deck

2 Martial Coup
4 Stirring Wildwood
4 Dread Statuary
3 Jungle Shrine
4 Tectonic Edge
4 Explore
4 Acidic Slime
4 Lavaball Trap
4 Raging Ravine
4 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Day of Judgment
4 Khalni Garden
2 Forest
2 Rootbound Crag
1 Garruk Wildspeaker
2 Plains
2 Sunpetal Grove
2 Kabira Crossroads
2 Mountain
2 Ajani Vengeant

Sideboard:

2 Celestial Purge
2 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Ajani Vengeant
4 Kor Firewalker
4 Baneslayer Angel
2 Realm Razer

Shane Campbell
6th Place
Spread 'Em
Main Deck

1 Mountain
1 Forest
2 Plains
3 Island
4 Day of Judgment
4 Captured Sunlight
4 Spreading Seas
4 Ardent Plea
3 Ajani Vengeant
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Convincing Mirage
4 Baneslayer Angel
3 Scalding Tarn
2 Celestial Colonnade
3 Arid Mesa
3 Misty Rainforest
4 Jungle Shrine
4 Seaside Citadel

Sideboard:

4 Celestial Purge
4 Rhox War Monk
4 Kor Firewalker
3 Luminarch Ascension

Chris VanMeter
7th Place
Lands!
Main Deck

4 Lavaball Trap
4 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Explore
4 Acidic Slime
3 Day of Judgment
2 Ajani Vengeant
1 Martial Coup
2 Comet Storm
4 Dread Statuary
4 Raging Ravine
4 Stirring Wildwood
4 Tectonic Edge
4 Khalni Garden
3 Kabira Crossroads
3 Rootbound Crag
1 Arid Mesa
1 Graypelt Refuge
3 Jungle Shrine
2 Plains
2 Mountain
1 Forest

Sideboard:

4 Kor Firewalker
4 Baneslayer Angel
3 Celestial Purge
2 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Ajani Vengeant
1 Martial Coup

Paul Thompson
8th Place
Main Deck

11 Plains
9 Mountain
4 Arid Mesa
4 Ranger of Eos
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Join the Ranks
4 Path to Exile
4 Hada Freeblade
4 Akoum Battlesinger
4 Goblin Bushwhacker
4 Kabira Evangel
4 Kazandu Blademaster

Sideboard:

3 Oblivion Ring
3 Harm's Way
3 Burst Lightning
3 Kor Firewalker
3 Luminarch Ascension

Matt Ryun
9th Place
R/B Burn
Main Deck

4 Ball Lightning
4 Goblin Guide
4 Hell's Thunder
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Searing Blaze
4 Blightning
3 Earthquake
3 Burst Lightning
2 Quenchable Fire
4 Arid Mesa
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Scalding Tarn
8 Mountain

Sideboard:

4 Goblin Ruinblaster
3 Mana Barbs
2 Doom Blade
4 Deathmark
2 Quenchable Fire

Scott Lipp
10th Place
Spanky's Red Barn
Main Deck

4 Earthquake
4 Burst Lightning
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Dragonskull Summit
8 Mountain
4 Arid Mesa
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Goblin Guide
4 Ball Lightning
4 Blightning
4 Hell's Thunder
4 Searing Blaze

Sideboard:
4 Deathmark
4 Dragon's Claw
3 Mana Barbs
2 Doom Blade
2 Quenchable Fire

Regina Cross
11th Place
Jund Mark 2
Main Deck

3 Terminate
4 Savage Lands
4 Mountain
3 Dragonskull Summit
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Broodmate Dragon
3 Borderland Ranger
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Swamp
4 Sprouting Thrinax
4 Blightning
2 Forest
4 Nyxathid
4 Vampire Nighthawk
3 Raging Ravine
3 Maelstrom Pulse
4 Bloodbraid Elf

Sideboard:

3 Malakir Bloodwitch
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Terminate
4 Duress
3 Doom Blade
3 Unstable Footing

Scott Gray
12th Place
Standard Dredge
Main Deck

4 Extractor Demon
4 Architects of Will
4 Grim Discovery
4 Viscera Dragger
4 Tome Scour
4 Rotting Rats
4 Monstrous Carabid
4 Hedron Crab
4 Sedraxis Specter
1 Fatestitcher
1 Corpse Connisseur
1 Kederekt Leviathan
1 Mountain
3 Swamp
3 Island
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Misty Rainforest
1 Verdant Catacombs
4 Crypt of Agadeem
1 Drowned Catacombs
2 Marsh Flats

Sideboard:

3 Blister Beetle
4 Spreading Seas
1 Kederekt Leviathan
3 Immortal Coil
2 Pithing Needle
2 Deathmark

Brandon Holley
13th Place
Count to 20
Main Deck

4 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Arid Mesa
4 Scalding Tarn
7 Mountain
1 Teetering Peaks
3 Earthquake
3 Burst Lightning
4 Searing Blaze
4 Goblin Guide
4 Ball Lightning
4 Hell's Thunder
4 Blightning
1 Doom Blade
2 Quenchable Fire
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Lightning Bolt

Sideboard:

1 Dragon's Claw
1 Quenchable Fire
2 Runeflare Trap
1 Mana Barbs
3 Goblin Ruinblaster
3 Doom Blade
4 Deathmark

Ward Allen
14th Place
Main Deck

4 Birds of Paradise
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Lotus Cobra
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Rhox War Monk
4 Baneslayer Angel
3 Rafiq of the Many
1 Elspeth, Knight Errant
1 Terra Stomper
1 Behemoth Sledge
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Rampaging Baloths
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
1 Thornling
6 Forest
2 Island
1 Plains
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Verdant Catacombs
3 Stirring Wildwood
4 Celestial Colonnade
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Sejiri Steppe

Sideboard:
4 Mind Control
3 Negate
4 Bant Charm
4 Luminarch Ascension

Tim Cox
15th Place
Jon Jones Beats Brandon Vera
Main Deck

4 Goblin Guide
4 Ball Lightning
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Hell's Thunder
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Blightning
2 Quenchable Fire
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Arid Mesa
4 Dragonskull Summit
8 Mountain
4 Earthquake
4 Burst Lightning
2 Searing Blaze

Sideboard:

4 Goblin Ruinblaster
3 Mana Barbs
4 Deathmark
2 Quenchable Fire
2 Doom Blade

EJ Walter
16th Place
I Vant to Suck Your...
Main Deck

4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
3 Malakir Bloodwitch
3 Urge to Feed
4 Vampire Nocturnus
2 Mind Sludge
3 Sign in Blood
2 Grim Discovery
4 Vampire Nighthawk
3 Vampire Hexmage
3 Kalastria Highborn
3 Bloodghast
3 Tendrils of Corruption
1 Tectonic Edge
14 Swamp
4 Marsh Flats
4 Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard:

1 Malakir Bloodwitch
1 Bloodghast
1 Mind Sludge
4 Deathmark
2 Marsh Casualties
4 Duress
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Urge to Feed

Dane Hammer
17th Place
Plain Jane Jund
Main Deck

2 Dragonskull Summit
4 Forest
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
3 Mountain
4 Raging Ravine
1 Rootbound Crag
4 Savage Lands
3 Swamp
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Broodmate Dragon
4 Putrid Leech
3 Siege-Gang Commander
4 Sprouting Thrinax
4 Blightning
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Rampant Growth

Sideboard:
3 Goblin Ruinblaster
3 Malakir Bloodwitch
3 Great Sable Stag
3 Deathmark
3 Ricochet Trap

Derek Clopton
18th Place
Shroud Control
Main Deck

4 Deft Duellist
3 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Oblivion Ring
3 Mind Spring
3 Day of Judgment
2 Martial Coup
2 Ajani Goldmane
4 Spreading Seas
3 Cancel
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Seijiri Refuge
4 Celestial Colonnade
3 Tectonic Edge
7 Island
6 Plains

Sideboard:

1 Ajani Goldmane
1 Cancel
3 Baneslayer Angel
4 Mind Control
2 Flashfreeze
4 Luminarch Ascension

Chris Bott
19th Place
Flying Indestructable Wolves
Main Deck

4 Arbor Elf
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Elvish Visionary
4 Elvish Archdruid
4 Leatherback Baloth
1 Omnath, Locus of Mana
4 Master of the Wild Hunt
3 Wolfbriar Elemental
3 Basilisk Collar
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
3 Eldrazi Monument
4 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
2 Tectonic Edge
18 Forest

Sideboard:

4 Acidic Slime
4 Pithing Needle
3 Great Sable Stag
2 Windstorm
2 Joraga Warcaller

Zach Fritsche
20th Place
JuKNO Jund
Main Deck

3 Putrid Leech
2 Explore
4 Blightning
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Sprouting Thrinax
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Broodmate Dragon
3 Siege-Gang Commander
2 Terminate
1 Bituminous Blast
4 Savage Lands
4 Raging Ravine
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Forest
2 Swamp
3 Mountain
3 Dragonskull Summit
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood

Sideboard:

1 Basilisk Collar
2 Deathmark
1 Terminate
1 Maelstrom Pulse
3 Mind Rot
3 Goblin Ruinblaster
4 Great Sable Stag

Neal Desai
21st Place
Mythic Bant
Main Deck

4 Birds of Paradise
4 Lotus Cobra
1 Rampaging Baloths
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
1 Thornling
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Noble Hierarch
3 Finest Hour
4 Baneslayer Angel
4 Rhox War Monk
3 Rafiq of the Many
6 Forest
1 Arid Mesa
1 Sunpetal Grove
4 Celestial Colonnade
3 Stirring Wildwood
2 Plains
2 Island
4 Misty Rainforest
3 Verdant Catacombs
1 Sejiri Steppe

Sideboard:

3 Bant Charm
4 Mind Control
3 Negate
1 Thornling
2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
2 Great Sable Stag

Jesse Patrick
22nd Place
Main Deck

4 Ball Lightning
4 Goblin Guide
4 Hell's Thunder
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Plated Geopede
4 Burst Lightning
4 Searing Blaze
3 Earthquake
4 Arid Mesa
13 Mountain
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Teetering Peaks
4 Lightning Bolt

Sideboard:
3 Rakka Mar
3 Unstable Footing
4 Journey to Nowhere
1 Plains
4 Chandra Nalaar

John Haverkamp
23rd Place
Main Deck

4 Everflowing Chalice
4 Tectonic Edge
1 Misty Rainforest
3 Island
1 Arid Mesa
1 Marsh Flats
4 Plains
4 Halimar Depths
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Cancel
1 Flashfreeze
1 Negate
2 Essence Scatter
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Treasure Hunt
2 Mind Spring
2 Martial Coup
3 Oblivion Ring
1 Path to Exile
1 Celestial Purge
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Elspeth, Knight Errant
3 Day of Judgment

Sideboard:

1 Plains
1 Perimeter Captain
3 Kor Firewalker
3 Baneslayer Angel
3 Flashfreeze
2 Negate
1 Mind Control
1 Essence Scatter

Martin Cox
24th Place
Chapin Control
Main Deck

3 Oblivion Ring
2 Martial Coup
3 Day of Judgment
1 Path to Exile
1 Celestial Purge
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
2 Essence Scatter
2 Mind Spring
2 Flashfreeze
1 Negate
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Treasure Hunt
4 Cancel
4 Everflowing Chalice
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Halimar Depths
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Tectonic Edge
1 Scalding Tarn
2 Arid Mesa
3 Island
4 Plains

Sideboard:

1 Plains
2 Negate
2 Flashfreeze
1 Essence Scatter
1 Mind Control
1 Elspeth, Knight Errant
1 Perimeter Captain
3 Kor Firewalker
3 Baneslayer Angel

Paul Rodriguez
25th Place
Naya Zoo
Main Deck

4 Arid Mesa
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Terramorphic Expanse
2 Raging Ravine
2 Stirring Wildwood
3 Mountain
3 Plains
4 Forest
4 Woolly Thoctar
2 Ajani Vengeant
3 Knight of the Reliquary
1 Dragonmaster Outcast
4 Bloodbraid Elf
2 Baneslayer Angel
4 Wild Nacatl
2 Birds of Paradise
2 Noble Hierarch
3 Ranger of Eos
3 Lightning Bolt
4 Path to Exile
2 Great Sable Stag
2 Siege-Gang Commander

Sideboard:

3 Trace of Abundance
2 Qasali Pridemage
3 Luminarch Ascension
3 Celestial Purge
2 Day of Judgment
2 Oblivion Ring

Ethan Foster
26th Place
Crack-a-land
Main Deck

4 Rootbound Crag
3 Raging Ravine
4 Mountain
4 Tectonic Edge
10 Forest
4 Birds of Paradise
3 Demolish
4 Acidic Slime
4 Rampant Growth
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
2 Explore
4 Bloodbraid Elf
4 Goblin Ruinblaster
4 Roiling Terrain
4 Lightning Bolt

Sideboard:
4 Chain Reaction
4 Cunning Sparkmage
3 Basilisk Collar
2 Chandra Nalaar
1 Wolfbriar Elemental
1 Garruk Wildspeaker

Kyle Meier
27th Place
Main Deck

4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Lotus Cobra
4 Acidic Slime
3 World Queller
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
3 Trace of Abundance
4 Spreading Seas
2 Day of Judgment
3 Bant Charm
3 Ajani Vengeant
1 Explore
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Misty Rainforest
3 Stirring Wildwood
4 Arid Mesa
2 Sunpetal Grove
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Island
3 Tectonic Edge
2 Raging Ravine
3 Forest
2 Plains
1 Mountain
1 Scalding Tarn

Sideboard:

3 Kor Firewalker
3 Rhox War Monk
3 Swerve
2 Oblivion Ring
1 Day of Judgment
3 Caldera Hellion

Taj Mattingly
28th Place
Mythic
Main Deck

4 Noble Hierarch
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Lotus Cobra
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Rhox War Monk
4 Baneslayer Angel
3 Vines of Vastwood
2 Rafiq of the Many
2 Rampaging Baloths
1 Finest Hour
1 Elspeth, Knight Errant
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
4 Celestial Colonnade
3 Stirring Wildwood
1 Sunpetal Grove
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Seijiri Steppe
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Arid Mesa
1 Scalding Tarn
5 Forest
3 Plains
2 Island

Sideboard:

1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
2 Day of Judgment
3 Bant Charm
3 Negate
4 Mind Control

Dan Foster
29th Place
Spanky's Red Barn
Main Deck

4 Stirring Wildwood
1 Island
5 Plains
4 Forest
4 Arid Mesa
1 Marsh Flats
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Verdant Catacombs
3 Birds of Paradise
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Lotus Cobra
4 Rhox War Monk
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Emeria Angel
3 Baneslayer Angel
4 Conqueror's Pledge
3 Ajani Goldmane
3 Eldrazi Monument

Sideboard:

2 Luminarch Ascension
4 Dauntless Escort
3 Day of Judgment
1 Felidar Sovereign
2 Wall of Reverence
2 World Queller
1 Baneslayer Angel

Takashi Hazelton
30th Place
Blue/White
Main Deck

4 Tectonic Edge
4 Celestial Colonnade
2 Arid Mesa
1 Scalding Tarn
4 Halimar Depths
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Plains
3 Island
4 Cancel
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
3 Day of Judgment
2 Martial Coup
4 Everflowing Chalice
4 Treasure Hunt
2 Flashfreeze
1 Negate
3 Oblivion Ring
3 Essence Scatter
2 Mind Spring
1 Path to Exile
1 Celestial Purge
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria

Sideboard:

1 Oblivion Ring
1 Flashfreeze
1 Perimeter Captain
1 Essence Scatter
1 Negate
1 Celestial Purge
3 Kor Firewalker
3 Baneslayer Angel
3 Luminarch Ascension

Jason O'Rourke
31st Place
Main Deck

4 Dragonskull Summit
2 Akoun Refuge
4 Arid Mesa
4 Scalding Tarn
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
7 Mountain
4 Hell's Thunder
4 Ball Lightning
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Goblin Guide
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Plated Geopede
4 Blightning
3 Terminate
4 Burst Lightning
3 Earthquake

Sideboard:

3 Goblin Ruinblaster
3 Mana Barbs
4 Unstable Footing
3 Deathmark
1 Doom Blade
1 Terminate

Matthew Crook
32nd Place
Mythic Modified
Main Deck

1 Plains
2 Island
6 Forest
2 Sunpetal Grove
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Misty Rainforest
1 Seijiri Steppe
3 Stirring Wildwood
4 Celestial Colonnade
3 Finest Hour
3 Rafiq of the Many
4 Birds of Paradise
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Lotus Cobra
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Rhox War Monk
4 Baneslayer Angel
2 Thornling
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle

Sideboard:

2 Negate
4 Mind Control
4 Bant Charm
2 Admonition Angel
2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
1 Day of Judgment

Bradley Rider
33rd Place
Gangsta Style
Main Deck

4 Blightning
3 Terminate
4 Raging Ravine
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Rootbound Crag
4 Savage Lands
3 Swamp
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Putrid Leech
3 Maelstrom Pulse
3 Mountain
4 Forest
3 Siege-Gang Commander
4 Sprouting Thrinax
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
2 Dragonskull Summit
3 Explore
2 Broodmate Dragon

Sideboard:

4 Mind Rot
1 Maelstrom Pulse
3 Goblin Ruinblaster
3 Doom Blade
2 Pithing Needle
2 Bituminous Blast

JR Cook
34th Place
Valakut
Main Deck

4 Expedition Map
4 Harrow
4 Siege-Gang Commander
4 Rampant Growth
4 Goblin Ruinblaster
4 Khalni Heart Expedition
3 Searing Blaze
4 Bloodbraid Elf
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Jund Panorama
4 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
3 Forest
12 Mountain

Sideboard:

2 Banefire
3 Ricochet Trap
3 Goblin Assault
3 Chain Reaction
4 Grazing Gladehart

Gary Nibert
35th Place
GUW Allies
Main Deck

4 Harabaz Druid
2 Marshall's Anthem
2 Oblivion Ring
4 Ondu Cleric
4 Path to Exile
4 Hada Freeblade
2 Rite of Replication
2 Sea Gate Loremaster
4 Jwari Shapeshifter
4 Halimar Excavator
4 Negate
1 Clarion Ultimatum
4 Island
2 Forest
2 Plains
4 Sunpetal Grove
2 Glacial Fortress
2 Celestial Colonnade
3 Misty Rainforest
4 Seaside Citadel

Sideboard:

3 Mark of Asylum
3 Celestial Purge
3 Flashfreeze
3 Windstorm
3 Naturalize

Eric Potter
36th Place
Jund's Abyss
Main Deck

3 Rampant Growth
3 Fleshbag Marauder
3 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Sprouting Thrinax
3 Bituminous Blast
2 Broodmate Dragon
2 Abyssal Persecutor
2 Siege-Gang Commander
4 Blightning
4 Terminate
4 Doom Blade
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Swamp
4 Mountain
4 Forest
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
2 Raging Ravine
3 Dragonskull Summit
2 Jund Panorama
3 Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard:

3 Act of Treason
2 Maelstrom Pulse
4 Duress
3 Goblin Ruinblaster
3 Windstorm

Richard Stumbo
37th Place
Trappin' Junk
Main Deck

4 Summoning Trap
4 Maelstrom Pulse
4 Baneslayer Angel
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Lotus Cobra
3 Wall of Reverence
3 Elvish Piper
3 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
3 Iona, Shield of Emeria
6 Forest
5 Plains
1 Swamp
4 Verdant Catacombs
4 Marsh Flats
2 Sunpetal Grove
2 Stirring Wildwood
1 Bojuka Bog

Sideboard:

3 Admonition Angel
2 Pithing Needle
2 Marshall's Anthem
2 Luminarch Ascension
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
2 Mark of Asylum
3 Dauntless Escort

Ray_T
38th Place
Natalie Portman Needs Some
Main Deck

3 Broodmate Dragon
4 Bloodbraid Elf
4 Sprouting Thrinax
4 Blightning
3 Lightning Bolt
2 Volcanic Fallout
2 Terminate
4 Great Sable Stag
2 Bituminous Blast
3 Maelstrom Pulse
4 Birds of Paradise
2 Raging Ravine
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
2 Tectonic Edge
4 Savage Lands
4 Forest
4 Swamp
4 Mountain
4 Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard:

4 Goblin Ruinblaster
4 Deathmark
3 Malakir Bloodwitch
2 Doom Blade
1 Maelstrom Pulse
1 Volcanic Fallout

Brandon Turner
39th Place
Spanky's Red Barn
Main Deck

4 Lightning Bolt
4 Bloodbraid Elf
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
2 Broodmate Dragon
3 Explore
3 Maelstrom Pulse
3 Trace of Abundance
2 River Boa
2 Terminate
4 Blightning
4 Sprouting Thrinax
2 Kazuul, Tyrant of the Cliffs
2 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Savage Lands
3 Dragonskull Summit
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
2 Raging Ravine
3 Verdant Catacombs
2 Rootbound Crag
3 Swamp
3 Forest
3 Mountain

Sideboard:

2 Lich's Mirror
3 Great Sable Stag
2 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Maelstrom Pulse
3 Jund Charm
2 Mind Rot
2 Malakir Bloodwitch

Rodney Beal
40th Place
Jund
Main Deck

2 Misty Rainforest
4 Verdant Catacombs
3 Forest
2 Scalding Tarn
4 Savage Lands
2 Swamp
1 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Raging Ravine
1 Island
1 Creeping Tar Pit
2 Mountain
2 Broodmate Dragon
4 Explore
4 Putrid Leech
3 Maelstrom Pulse
4 Sprouting Thrinax
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Blightning
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Sedraxis Specter

Sideboard:

1 Maelstrom Pulse
3 Smother
2 Ricochet Trap
2 Malakir Bloodwitch
3 Burst Lightning
2 Deathmark
2 Chain Reaction

Joshua Olson
41st Place
Hardcast Terrastadon
Main Deck

4 Grazing Gladehart
4 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Avenger of Zendikar
4 Treasure Hunt
4 Explore
4 Day of Judgment
2 Martial Coup
4 Misty Rainforest
4 Seaside Citadel
4 Tectonic Edge
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Stirring Wildwood
4 Halimar Depths
3 Khalni Garden
3 Forest
1 Island
1 Plains
2 Kabira Crossroads

Sideboard:

1 Celestial Purge
2 Terastadon
4 Luminarch Ascension
4 Baneslayer Angel
4 Kor Firewalker

Allan Brunt
42nd Place
Artifacts Might Get There
Main Deck

4 Spreading Seas
4 Glassdusk Hulk
3 Courier's Capsule
4 Filigree Angel
4 Open the Vaults
4 Sphinx of Lost Truths
3 Day of Judgment
4 Architects of Will
4 Glacial Fortress
2 Terramorphic Expanse
2 Everflowing Chalice
2 Oblivion Ring
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Sphinx of the Steel Wind
1 Sharuum the Hegemon
2 Fieldmist Borderpost
1 Mistvein Borderpost
4 Plains
4 Island
2 Swamp
2 Marsh Flats
2 Celestial Colonnade

Sideboard:

1 Day of Judgment
4 Celestial Purge
2 Oblivion Ring
2 Journey to Nowhere
4 Flashfreeze
2 Executioner's Capsule

Curtis Linville
43rd Place
Main Deck

4 Join the Ranks
4 Hada Freeblade
3 Kazandu Blademaster
4 Talus Paladin
4 Ondu Cleric
3 Path to Exile
4 Oblivion Ring
4 Honor of the Pure
3 Ajani Goldmane
2 Basilisk Collar
1 Kabira Evangel
24 Plains

Sideboard:

3 Undead Slayer
2 Devout Lightcaster
1 Marshall's Anthem
3 Kor Firewalker
2 Conqueror's Pledge
1 Celestial Purge
3 Brave the Elements

Shawn Kelly
44th Place
Mono White Allies
Main Deck

3 Join the Ranks
4 Kazandu Blademaster
3 Ondu Cleric
4 Kabira Evangel
4 Hada Freeblade
3 Ajani Goldmane
2 Day of Judgment
2 Brave the Elements
4 Honor of the Pure
2 Talus Paladin
4 Path to Exile
1 Kazuul Warlord
2 Emeria Angel
3 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
12 Plains
2 Mountain
3 Arid Mesa
3 Marsh Flats

Sideboard:

4 Devout Lightcaster
2 Martial Coup
2 Kor Sanctifiers
3 Unstable Footing
1 Swamp
3 Doom Blade

Michael Mayes
46th Place
WU Ally Aggro
Main Deck

10 Plains
6 Island
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Kazandu Blademaster
4 Hada Freeblade
4 Path to Exile
4 Jwari Shapeshifter
4 Hindering Light
4 Kabira Evangel
4 Join the Ranks
2 AEther Tradewinds
2 Cancel
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
3 Umara Raptor

Sideboard:

4 Kor Firewalker
2 Devout Lightcaster
4 Flashfreeze
2 Ethersworn Canonist
3 Refraction Trap

James Devine
47th Place
Main Deck

4 Birds of Paradise
3 Noble Hierarch
3 Leatherback Baloth
4 Wolfbriar Elemental
3 Master of the Wild Hunt
3 Omnath, Locus of Mana
2 Garruk Wildspeaker
3 Bestial Menace
3 Eldrazi Monument
3 Explore
4 Vines of Vastwood
2 Tectonic Edge
16 Forest
4 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
3 Khalni Garden

Sideboard:

3 Windstorm
3 Acidic Slime
4 Great Sable Stag
2 Tectonic Edge
3 Pithing Needle

Payne Wilson
48th Place
Main Deck

4 Howling Mine
4 Jace Beleren
4 Angelsong
4 Safe Passage
4 Time Warp
4 Archive Trap
4 Cancel
4 Day of Judgment
3 Font of Mythos
2 Martial Coup
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Arcane Sanctum
4 Tectonic Edge
4 Kabira Crossroads
2 Plains
4 Island
1 Reliquary Tower
1 Glacial Fortress

Sideboard:

3 Negate
1 Martial Coup
3 Resounding Wave
4 Luminarch Ascension
4 Pithing Needle

Stephen Krogmeier
49th Place
Izzet L.D.
Main Deck

7 Island
7 Mountain
4 Halimar Depths
4 Dread Statuary
3 Scalding Tarn
3 Tectonic Edge
4 Treasure Hunt
4 Roiling Terrain
4 Archive Trap
4 Spreading Seas
4 Convincing Mirage
4 Lightning Bolt
3 Earthquake
2 Demolish
2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
1 Double Negative

Sideboard:

4 Magma Spray
4 Essence Scatter
4 Negate
2 Double Negative
1 Cancel

Brian Boss
Penis?
Main Deck

2 Malakir Bloodwitch
4 Vampire Nocturnus
4 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 Kalastria Highborn
4 Bloodghast
2 Vampire Hexmage
4 Blightning
3 Bituminous Blast
2 Terminate
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Savage Lands
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Verdant Catacombs
9 Swamp

Sideboard:

1 Dragon's Claw
1 Deathmark
2 Doom Blade
2 Malakir Bloodwitch
1 Bituminous Blast
2 Infest
2 Vampire Hexmage
4 Duress

Colin Cross
Not Jund
Main Deck

4 Noble Hierarch
4 Stoneforge Mystic
4 Kor Firewalker
4 Knight of the Reliquary
3 Master of the Wild Hunt
3 Acidic Slime
3 Baneslayer Angel
4 Path to Exile
2 Basilisk Collar
2 Oblivion Ring
1 Behemoth Sledge
5 Forest
5 Plains
4 Sunpetal Grove
4 Stirring Wildwood
2 Marsh Flats
2 Arid Mesa
2 Misty Rainforest
2 Verdant Catacombs

Sideboard:

4 Qasali Pridemage
3 Pithing Needle
3 Celestial Purge
3 Great Sable Stag
2 Oblivion Ring

Dustin Crnkovitch
Huh?
Main Deck

4 Resounding Wave
4 Bloodbraid Elf
2 Broodmate Dragon
2 Siege-Gang Commander
4 Spreading Seas
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Lotus Cobra
4 AEther Tradewinds
4 Goblin Ruinblaster
3 Deny Reality
1 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Creeping Tar Pit
3 Verdant Catacombs
4 Raging Ravine
3 Misty Rainforest
3 Scalding Tarn
3 Island
3 Forest
2 Mountain
2 Swamp

Sideboard:

4 Trace of Abundance
4 Grazing Gladehart
3 Jund Charm
2 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle

Mike Frank
Boss Naya
Main Deck

4 Wild Nacatl
4 Noble Hierarch
2 Birds of Paradise
2 Stoneforge Mystic
2 Woolly Thoctar
4 Knight of the Reliquary
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Ranger of Eos
3 Lightning Bolt
3 Oblivion Ring
2 Ajani Vengeant
1 Elspeth, Knight Errant
1 Basilisk Collar
1 Behemoth Sledge
4 Arid Mesa
3 Misty Rainforest
2 Terramorphic Expanse
2 Stirring Wildwood
1 Raging Ravine
1 Rootbound Crag
1 Tectonic Edge
1 Seijiri Steppe
5 Forest
2 Mountain
2 Plains

Sideboard:

4 Great Sable Stag
4 Cunning Sparkmage
2 Dauntless Escort
1 Stoneforge Mystic
1 Basilisk Collar
1 Behemoth Sledge
1 Ajani Vengeant
1 Oblivion Ring

Cal Gast
Spread You
Main Deck

1 Mountain
1 Forest
2 Plains
3 Island
2 Celestial Colonnade
4 Jungle Shrine
3 Misty Rainforest
3 Scalding Tarn
3 Arid Mesa
4 Seaside Citadel
2 AEther Tradewinds
4 Ardent Plea
3 Convincing Mirage
4 Spreading Seas
4 Day of Judgment
4 Captured Sunlight
4 Bloodbraid Elf
2 Ajani Vengeant
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
4 Baneslayer Angel

Sideboard:

1 Convincing Mirage
4 Celestial Purge
4 Kor Firewalker
2 Jace Beleren
4 Rhox War Monk

Luke Hilmes
Main Deck

3 Explore
4 Spreading Seas
4 Ardent Plea
4 Rhox War Monk
4 Bloodbraid Elf
4 Captured Sunlight
4 Day of Judgment
3 Ajani Vengeant
4 Baneslayer Angel
1 Mountain
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Raging Ravine
2 Forest
2 Plains
2 Island
2 Stirring Wildwood
2 Celestial Colonnade
3 Arid Mesa
4 Seaside Citadel
3 Jungle Shrine
4 Misty Rainforest

Sideboard:

3 Bant Charm
3 Vapor Snare
3 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
3 Ricochet Trap
3 Kor Firewalker

Josh Hoffman
Flaming"
Main Deck

4 Goblin Guide
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Plated Geopede
4 Hell's Thunder
4 Ball Lightning
4 Burst Lightning
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Unstable Footing
3 Quenchable Fire
4 Earthquake
4 Arid Mesa
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Teetering Peaks
12 Mountain

Sideboard:

4 Demolish
3 Chandra Nalaar
2 Mana Barbs
2 Unstable Footing
2 Obsidian Fireheart
2 Volcanic Fallout

Sheldon Jackson
R/B Vampire
Main Deck

4 Vampire Hexmage
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
4 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Bloodghast
2 Kalastria Highborn
2 Malakir Bloodwitch
2 Basilisk Collar
1 Earthquake
3 Grim Discovery
4 Blightning
4 Terminate
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Mountain
9 Swamp
1 Akoun Refuge
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Tectonic Edge

Sideboard:

1 Malakir Bloodwitch
1 Earthquake
2 Black Knight
3 Sadistic Sacrament
4 Duress
4 Goblin Ruinblaster

Timothy Miller
Main Deck

4 Putrid Leech
4 Bloodbraid Elf
3 Siege-Gang Commander
4 Sprouting Thrinax
2 Master of the Wild Hunt
4 Blightning
2 Terminate
3 Maelstrom Pulse
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Explore
1 Bituminous Blast
2 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Raging Ravine
3 Dragonskull Summit
4 Verdant Catacombs
2 Rootbound Crag
4 Savage Lands
4 Forest
2 Mountain
2 Swamp

Sideboard:

2 Anathemancer
2 Great Sable Stag
2 Deathmark
2 Mind Rot
2 Malakir Bloodwitch
4 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Maelstrom Pulse

Ryan O'Connor
Lands
Main Deck

4 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Lavaball Trap
4 Acidic Slime
4 Explore
3 Day of Judgment
2 Comet Storm
2 Ajani Vengeant
1 Martial Coup
1 Graypelt Refuge
1 Arid Mesa
3 Rootbound Crag
4 Dread Statuary
4 Khalni Garden
3 Jungle Shrine
2 Mountain
2 Plains
1 Forest
3 Kabira Crossroads
4 Stirring Wildwood
4 Raging Ravine
4 Tectonic Edge

Sideboard:

4 Baneslayer Angel
4 Kor Firewalker
3 Celestial Purge
2 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Ajani Vengeant
1 Martial Coup

John Patton
Main Deck

1 Scalding Tarn
2 Arid Mesa
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Halimar Depths
4 Tectonic Edge
4 Plains
3 Island
2 Flashfreeze
2 Essence Scatter
1 Negate
4 Cancel
4 Treasure Hunt
3 Oblivion Ring
4 Everflowing Chalice
4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
2 Martial Coup
3 Day of Judgment
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
2 Mind Spring
1 Path to Exile
1 Celestial Purge

Sideboard:

3 Baneslayer Angel
3 Kor Firewalker
1 Perimeter Captain
1 Mind Control
1 Essence Scatter
2 Flashfreeze
2 Negate
1 Elspeth, Knight Errant
1 Plains

Joseph Zimmers
Turbo Flare
Main Deck

4 Font of Mythos
4 Howling Mine
4 Runeflare Trap
4 Time Warp
4 Ponder
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Into the Roil
3 Twincast
3 Jace Beleren
2 Spell Pierce
4 Scalding Tarn
9 Mountain
11 Island

Sideboard:

4 Goblin Guide
3 Negate
3 Chain Reaction
2 Swerve
3 Calcite Snapper

Daniel Ratzlaff
Highborn
Main Deck

19 Swamp
3 Crypt of Agadeem
4 Bloodghast
1 Consume Spirit
3 Doom Blade
4 Gatekeeper of Malakir
3 Kalastria Highborn
3 Malakir Bloodwitch
2 Mind Sludge
3 Sign in Blood
4 Tendrils of Corruption
4 Vampire Nighthawk
4 Vampire Nocturnus
3 Urge to Feed

Sideboard:

4 Duress
4 Smother
3 Sadistic Sacrament
1 Haunting Echoes
3 Vampire Hexmage

Matt Rietz
Red Black
Main Deck

4 Lightning Bolt
4 Hell's Thunder
4 Goblin Guide
4 Hellspark Elemental
4 Burst Lightning
4 Ball Lightning
3 Earthquake
2 Quenchable Fire
3 Searing Blaze
4 Blightning
9 Mountain
4 Arid Mesa
3 Scalding Tarn
4 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Dragonskull Summit

Sideboard:

1 Quenchable Fire
2 Doom Blade
4 Demolish
4 Deathmark
4 Dragon's Claw

Ben Zimmerli
Main Deck

4 Burst Lightning
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Hellspark Elemental
3 Hell's Thunder
4 Blightning
3 Earthquake
4 Ball Lightning
2 Quenchable Fire
4 Searing Blaze
4 Goblin Guide
6 Mountain
2 Teetering Peaks
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Lavaclaw Reaches
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Arid Mesa

Sideboard:

4 Deathmark
3 Doom Blade
4 Unstable Footing
4 Goblin Ruinblaster

Charity Event on 20 MARCH 2010

2010-02-04T11:51:00.000-08:00

On 19 March 2007 we lost my youngest brother, Bryan Scott Fry, at the age of 20.

In memory of him, I will be running a Charity Event on 20 March 2010 to benefit the Kristin Brooks Hope Center(www.HopeLine.com). To get the ball rolling, I will be donating a case of product to the prize pool. I hope to see as many players there as possible so please spread the word. Any support that I could get for the event(product, singles, gift certificates, allowing me to send flyers to put up in your local stores, etc.) would be greatly appreciated. I can be reached at d_h_thomas@hotmail.com or 913-620-4953.

Location: Collector' Cache
13354 College BLVD
Olathe, KS 66210
Registration: 1000 Open Registration 1100 Begin Tournament
Entry Fee: $25
Tournament Structure: Swiss Rounds (determined by Number of Players) with a Cut to Top 8
Format: Standard Type II (Decklists Required)
Telephone#: 913-338-2273(Store) 913-620-4953(My Cell)
Prize Pool: 1 Case of Boosters (more items to be determined as donations come in)

1 Foil Time Spiral - Shadowmage Infiltrator - Signed by Jon Finkel (Thanks AFB)

1 From the Vaults - Exiled (Thanks Doug Montalvo from Type II Magic)

1 Emerald Mox (Thanks to the Mystery Donor!)

Artist Dan Scott will be coming out to the event and signing cards.
Check out the Magic Cards that he has done at Gatherer
And be sure to check out his website at http://www.danscottart.com/

As Always,
Lloyd Dodson
d_h_thomas@hotmail.com
913-620-4953

From Hope Line Site...

Kristin Brooks Hope Center

Since the suicide of his wife Kristin in April 1998, KBHC Founder Reese Butler has been on a personal crusade. His mission the past 11 years has been to offer HOPE and the option to LIVE to those in the deepest emotional pain. The means to that end:

• the sharing of Kristin’s story, Livewithdepression.org, in an effort to offer
HOPE and the message that depression is treatable and suicide is preventable.

• the launching of the Kristin Brooks Hope Center and its primary program, the National Hopeline Network 1-800-SUICIDE. Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher dedicated this national crisis hotline network in May 1999. It connects people who are depressed or suicidal -- or those who are concerned about someone they love — automatically to a CONTACT USA or AAS certified crisis center.

While the idea of a suicide hotline is not a new one, the challenge of creating a national network and connecting our country’s crisis centers under a single, easy-to-remember, toll-free telephone was a daunting task. Heretofore, neither government agencies nor non-profit organizations had ever attempted such a project.

People in crisis generally don't have the energy or ability to take on a long search for help. When those looking for support dial 1.800.SUICIDE they are seamlessly connected to an available certified crisis center nearest to their calling location. While it’s seemingly a simple concept, the Network is elegant and effective when put into action. Behind the scenes there are significant computer and telephony infrastructures working in concert to provide help within 20 to 30 seconds of a call being placed.

Support from across the country helps KBHC achieve its mission to prevent suicide and educate people about depressive disorders. Support efforts.

KBHC is a tax exempt, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization funded by private donations from
individuals, state and federal grants, and corporate sponsorships.

GPT Minneapolis - 07 November 2009

2009-11-09T21:23:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

So the week before GP Minneapolis we were able to schedule a Trial to be held at Win More Games. Even having to compete with a PTQ held a couple of hours away, we still had a turnout of 30 folks ready to rip into some Zendikar in hopes of catching 3 free wins.

Deck Registration and Construction zipped by quickly and I let everyone know that we had 5 rounds before we cut to the Top 8. We did do a short lunch break after Round 3, and I believe that it was the only round that actually went to time and into turns. Every other round, the players were picking up their cards and signing Result Slips as I called time.

On the judging side, there were no real issues. 3 Decklist errors handled quick enough during round 2 and a few warnings here and there for the normal things that always come up. DCI Reporter ran smoothly through the tournament, it only did one strange thing where it would only print up the standings after round 4 instead of the ones from after round 5.

(As an aside, I have to say that so far I enjoy working with DCI Reporter over the new Wizards Event Reporter. It does have some nice features that I am happy that they put into place, but I suppose that I am simply too used to working with the older software. There are so many things about it that are just second nature to me when I have to deal with anything. I am sure that I will get more used to the new Reporter, but I shall always feel nostalgic about the 9 years learning nuances and quirks.)

After round 5, we had the most interesting action of the day. It seems that one Allen Brunt had to work that evening and he knew that he would be cutting things close to the end of the Swiss, so he came dressed in a suit and tie. I mentioned that he would be intimidating opponents all day. Now we have to combine this with the fact that Win More Games was nice enough to add a trophy to the prize pool. The only Caveat to the trophy was that it was to be handed out to the leader at the end of the Swiss Rounds.

So, how do you think this turned out?

Allen proceeds to go 4-0-1, drawing with a 3-0-1 in the last round and rushing out the door to get to work. "Thanks, I gotta run. I'll be back for my trophy." And with that, 9th place gave many thanks and we went off to get the draft done.

Chris Miller ends up with the 3 Round Bye, and we get done in time to run another Draft and the weekly Type II.

One last note before we get to the decklists. Zac Niemann is the luckiest man not to win the GPT. First off he drafted 2 Sac Lands and a Lotus Cobra. While in the Quarter-Finals, I saw him drop turn 2 Cobra then draw the Sac Land and go into the tank for a little bit. Attack for 2 with the Cobra, then drop the Misty Rainforest, Sac for a Forest, Harrow for an Island and a Forest all to play a 6CC spell on Turn 3. I cannot express to you the relief on his opponents face when said spell turned out to be Cobra Trap.

He had the mana available to cast any 6CC spell, which would you have feared to see the most?

Later, Zac opened his prize packs at the table. To add to his Draft Pulls of 2 Sac Lands and a Lotus Cobra, he cracked at least 3 more Sac Lands(Whiffing on Arid Mesa, but Doubling Up on Misty Rainforest and I think he might have hit one more random one but I am not sure). I believe he feels OK with how things ended up, but you would have to verify that with him

Here are the Top 8 Decklists and the Sealed Pools that got them there. Enjoy.

Chris Miller
1st Place
Main
12 Mountain
4 Plains
1 Teetering Peaks
2 Journey to Nowhere
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Burst Lightning
1 Elemental Appeal
1 Geyser Glider
2 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
2 Goblin Shortcutter
1 Goblin War Paint
1 Highland Berserker
1 Plated Geopede
1 Quest for Pure Flame
2 Shatterskull Giant
1 Slaughter Cry
2 Spire Barrage
2 Unstable Footing
1 Zektar Shrine Expedition

Sideboard:
1 Akoum Refuge
1 Kabira Crossroads
1 Explorer's Scope
1 Kor Outfitter
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Feast of Blood
1 Mire Blight
1 Ravenous Trap
1 Demolish
1 Goblin War Paint
1 Ruinous Minotaur
1 Zektar Shrine Expedition
1 Scythe Tiger
1 Tanglesap
1 Vines of Vastwood
1 Trapfinder's Trick

Ryan O'Connor
2nd Place
Main
8 Island
7 Mountain
1 Soaring Seacliff
2 Teetering Peaks
1 Stonework Puma
1 Into the Roil
1 Ior Ruin Expedition
2 Lethargy Trap
1 Living Tsunami
1 Merfolk Seastalkers
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Seascape Aerialist
1 Shoal Serpent
1 Sky Ruin Drake
2 Welkin Tern
1 Whiplash Trap
2 Burst Lightning
1 Magma Rift
1 Molten Ravager
1 Seismic Shudder
1 Shatterskull Giant
2 Torch Slinger

Sideboard:
1 Graypelt Refuge
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Turntimber Grove
1 Hedron Scrabbler
1 Trailblazer's Boots
2 Ondu Cleric
1 Pillarfield Ox
1 Windborne Charge
1 Trapfinder's Trick
1 Blood Seeker
1 Mind Sludge
1 Mindless Null
1 Surrakar Marauder
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Tanglesap
1 Timbermaw Larva

Alan Weil
3rd Place
Main
9 Forest
8 Island
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Hedron Crab
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Paralyzing Grasp
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Welkin Tern
3 Windrider Eel
1 Frontier Guide
1 Gigantiform
1 Grazing Gladehart
1 Harrow
1 Khalni Heart Expedition
2 Nissa's Chosen
1 Oran-Rief Recluse
1 Oran-Rief Survivalist
1 Relic Crush
1 Territorial Baloth
1 Timbermaw Larva
1 Vastwood Gorger
1 Vines of Vastwood

Sideboard:
1 Hedron Scrabbler
1 Stonework Puma
1 Bold Defense
1 Landbind Ritual
1 Makindi Shieldmate
1 Narrow Escape
2 Nimbus Wings
1 Spreading Seas
1 Giant Scorpion
1 Grim Discovery
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Beast Hunt
1 Joraga Bard
2 Scythe Tiger
1 Tajuru Archer
1 Tanglesap

Kyle Meier
4th Place
Main
9 Plains
8 Swamp
1 Emeria, the Sky Ruin
1 Arrow Volley Trap
1 Cliff Threader
1 Conqueror's Pledge
1 Journey to Nowhere
2 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Kor Cartographer
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Pitfall Trap
1 Shepherd of the Lost
1 Steppe Lynx
2 Blood Seeker
1 Disfigure
1 Giant Scorpion
2 Hagra Crocodile
1 Heartstabber Mosquito
1 Mind Sludge
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Vampire Nighthawk

Sideboard:
1 Hedron Scrabbler
1 Spidersilk Net
2 Ondu Cleric
1 Pillarfield Ox
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Desecrated Earth
1 Mire Blight
1 Vampire's Bite
1 Vampire Lacerator
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Goblin War Paint
1 Lavaball Trap
1 Punishing Fire
1 Seismic Shudder
1 Zektar Shrine Expedition
1 Trapmakers Snare
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Carnage Altar

Stuart Kahler
5th Place
Main
3 Island
7 Plains
6 Swamp
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Adventuring Gear
1 Kor Aeronaut
1 Kor Hookmaster
2 Kor Skyfisher
2 Makindi Shieldmate
1 Shepherd of the Lost
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Bala Ged Thief
1 Blood Tribute
1 Bloodghast
2 Crypt Ripper
1 Disfigure
2 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Nimana Sell-Sword
1 Quest for the Gravelord
1 Vampire Hexmage
2 Vampire's Bite
1 Sea Gate Loremaster

Sideboard:
1 Crypt of Agadeem
1 Trailblazer's Boots
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Kor Hookmaster
1 Kor Outfitter
1 Noble Vestige
1 Pillarfield Ox
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Caller of Gales
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Lethargy Trap
1 Blood Seeker
1 Bog Tatters
1 Grim Discovery
1 Hagra Crocodile
1 Mindless Null
1 Goblin Guide
1 Beast Hunt

Zac Niemann
6th Place
Main
7 Forest
5 Island
1 Mountain
1 Plains
1 Kazandu Refuge
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Pitfall Trap
1 Aether Figment
1 Into the Roil
1 Merfolk Seastalkers
1 Merfolk Wayfinder
1 Shoal Serpent
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Tempest Owl
1 Magma Rift
1 Cobra Trap
2 Grazing Gladehart
2 Harrow
1 Lotus Cobra
1 Mold Shambler
1 Nissa's Chosen
1 Primal Bellow
1 Quest for the Gemblades
2 Savage Silhouette
1 Turntimber Ranger
1 Vines of Vastwood

Sideboard:
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Spidersilk Net
1 Archive Trap
1 Archmage Ascension
1 Lethargy Trap
3 Spell Pierce
1 Spreading Seas
1 Summoner's Bane
1 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Runeflare Trap
2 Greenweaver Druid
1 Zendikar Farguide
1 Foil Swamp

Steve Yu
7th Place
Main
8 Forest
7 Island
1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Turntimber Grove
1 Adventuring Gear
1 Khalni Gem
1 Gomazoa
1 Into the Roil
1 Ior Ruin Expedition
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Living Tsunami
1 Paralyzing Grasp
1 Summoner's Bane
1 Umara Raptor
2 Whiplash Trap
1 Baloth Cage Trap
1 Mold Shambler
1 Nissa's Chosen
2 Oran-Rief Recluse
1 Oran-Rief Survivalist
1 Savage Silhouette
1 Scute Mob
1 Territorial Baloth
1 Turntimber Basilisk

Sideboard:
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Spidersilk Net
1 Landbind Ritual
1 Narrow Escape
1 Sunspring Expedition
1 Cancel
1 Lullmage Mentor
1 Trapmakers Snare
1 Bog Tatters
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
1 Hagra Diabolist
1 Surrakar Marauder
1 Magma Rift
1 Slaughter Cry
1 Beastmaster Ascension
2 Relic Crush

C. Thomas Dureka
8th Place
Main
9 Mountain
8 Swamp
1 Blazing Torch
1 Expedition Map
1 Khalni Gem
1 Stonework Puma
1 Crypt Ripper
1 Desecrated Earth
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
1 Grim Discovery
1 Hideous End
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Quest for the Gravelord
2 Surrakar Marauder
1 Geyser Glider
1 Hellfire Mongrel
1 Highland Berserker
1 Murasa Pyromancer
1 Obsidian Fireheart
1 Plated Geopede
1 Punishing Fire
1 Slaughter Cry
1 Torch Slinger
1 Tuktuk Grunts

Sideboard:
2 Kabira Crossroads
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Arrow Volley Trap
1 Brave the Elements
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Cliff Threader
1 Emeria Angel
1 Kor Cartographer
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Makindi Shieldmate
1 Nimbus Wings
1 Ondu Cleric
2 Pillarfield Ox
1 Quest for the Holy Relic
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Quest for Ancient Secrets
1 Feast of Blood

Chris Miller
Sealed Pool (3-1-1)
Main
6 Forest
8 Plains
1 Graypelt Refuge
1 Kabira Crossroads
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Trusty Machete
1 Bold Defense
2 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Kor Duelist
1 Kor Sanctifiers
2 Kor Skyfisher
1 Makindi Shieldmate
2 Ondu Cleric
1 Pitfall Trap
1 Baloth Woodcrasher
1 Grazing Gladehart
1 Harrow
1 Joraga Bard
1 Mold Shambler
1 Oran-Rief Recluse
1 Predatory Urge
1 River Boa
1 Territorial Baloth
1 Turntimber Ranger
1 Vines of Vastwood

Sideboard:
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
2 Piranha Marsh
1 Teetering Peaks
1 Explorer's Scope
1 Hedron Scrabbler
1 Khalni Gem
2 Spidersilk Net
1 Cliff Threader
2 Nimbus Wings
3 Noble Vestige
1 Quest for the Holy Relic
1 Sunspring Expedition
1 Caller of Gales
1 Cancel
1 Cosi's Trickster
1 Into the Roil
1 Ior Ruin Expedition
1 Lethargy Trap
1 Living Tsunami
1 Merfolk Wayfinder
1 Paralyzing Grasp
1 Reckless Scholar
2 Spell Pierce
1 Spreading Seas
2 Tempest Owl
1 Trapmakers Snare
1 Umara Raptor
1 Whiplash Trap
1 Blood Seeker
1 Bloodchief Ascension
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
1 Giant Scorpion
1 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Hagra Crocodile
1 Malakir Bloodwitch
3 Mindless Null
1 Surrakar Marauder
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Vampire Lacerator
1 Demolish
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Goblin Shortcutter
1 Hellfire Mongrel
1 Ruinous Minotaur
1 Seismic Shudder
1 Spire Barrage
1 Nissa's Chosen
1 Tanglesap
1 Timbermaw Larva

Ryan O'Connor
Sealed Pool (4-1-0)
Main
5 Forest
6 Island
6 Swamp
1 Living Tsunami
1 Merfolk Seastalkers
1 Paralyzing Grasp
1 Reckless Scholar
2 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Summoner's Bane
2 Umara Raptor
1 Windrider Eel
1 Bala Ged Thief
1 Hideous End
1 Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Nimana Sell-Sword
1 Quest for the Gravelord
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Grazing Gladehart
3 Harrow
1 Relic Crush
1 Vastwood Gorger

Sideboard:
2 Piranha Marsh
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Teetering Peaks
2 Turntimber Grove
1 Blade of the Bloodchief
1 Carnage Altar
2 Expedition Map
2 Hedron Scrabbler
1 Armament Master
1 Arrow Volley Trap
1 Brave the Elements
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Cliff Threader
1 Journey to Nowhere
2 Kor Cartographer
1 Kor Outfitter
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Landbind Ritual
2 Narrow Escape
1 Ondu Cleric
1 Pillarfield Ox
1 Pitfall Trap
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Caller of Gales
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Spell Pierce
1 Summoner's Bane
1 Tempest Owl
1 Trapmakers Snare
2 Bog Tatters
1 Desecrated Earth
1 Grim Discovery
1 Mire Blight
1 Needlebite Trap
1 Vampire's Bite
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Burst Lightning
2 Demolish
1 Elemental Appeal
1 Goblin Shortcutter
1 Hellfire Mongrel
1 Runeflare Trap
2 Tuktuk Grunts
1 Warren Instigator
2 Zektar Shrine Expedition
1 Quest for the Gemblades
1 Scythe Tiger
2 Vines of Vastwood
1 Zendikar Farguide

Alan Weil
Sealed Pool (3-1-1)
Main
8 Mountain
9 Plains
1 Teetering Peaks
1 Adventuring Gear
1 Spidersilk Net
2 Cliff Threader
1 Kabira Evangel
1 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Kor Aeronaut
1 Kor Hookmaster
1 Luminarch Ascension
2 Makindi Shieldmate
2 Ondu Cleric
1 Shepherd of the Lost
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Highland Berserker
1 Inferno Trap
1 Magma Rift
1 Murasa Pyromancer
1 Shatterskull Giant
1 Torch Slinger
1 Tuktuk Grunts

Sideboard:
1 Kazandu Refuge
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Expedition Map
1 Khalni Gem
1 Trailblazer's Boots
1 Noble Vestige
2 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Aether Figment
1 Caller of Gales
2 Cancel
1 Ior Ruin Expedition
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Living Tsunami
1 Paralyzing Grasp
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Seascape Aerialist
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Sphinx of Lost Truths
1 Spreading Seas
1 Trapmakers Snare
2 Windrider Eel
2 Blood Seeker
1 Bog Tatters
1 Grim Discovery
1 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Hideous End
1 Mindless Null
1 Mire Blight
1 Needlebite Trap
1 Nimana Sell-Sword
1 Quest for the Gravelord
1 Sadistic Sacrament
1 Surrakar Marauder
1 Vampire Nighthawk
1 Chandra Ablaze
1 Demolish
1 Goblin War Paint
1 Quest for Pure Flame
1 Cobra Trap
1 Frontier Guide
1 Grazing Gladehart
1 Harrow
1 Joraga Bard
1 Mold Shambler
1 Nissa's Chosen
2 Oran-Rief Recluse
1 Predatory Urge
1 Primal Bellow
1 Savage Silhouette
2 Tanglesap
1 Territorial Baloth
2 Vastwood Gorger
1 Zendikar Farguide

Kyle Meier
Sealed Pool (3-1-1)
Main
8 Mountain
8 Swamp
1 Marsh Flats
2 Adventuring Gear
1 Khalni Gem
1 Stonework Puma
1 Trusty Machete
1 Blood Seeker
1 Crypt Ripper
1 Disfigure
1 Giant Scorpion
1 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Hagra Crocodile
1 Hideous End
1 Malakir Bloodwitch
1 Nimana Sell-Sword
3 Vampire Lacerator
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Goblin War Paint
1 Highland Berserker
2 Torch Slinger
1 Tuktuk Grunts

Sideboard:
1 Kabira Crossroads
2 Kazandu Refuge
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Explorer's Scope
1 Trailblazer's Boots
1 Bold Defense
1 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Kor Aeronaut
1 Landbind Ritual
2 Nimbus Wings
2 Noble Vestige
1 Ondu Cleric
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Windborne Charge
1 Archive Trap
1 Gomazoa
1 Into the Roil
1 Ior Ruin Expedition
1 Lethargy Trap
1 Merfolk Seastalkers
1 Mindbreak Trap
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Shoal Serpent
2 Spell Pierce
1 Sphinx of Jwar Isle
2 Spreading Seas
1 Tempest Owl
1 Trapmakers Snare
1 Feast of Blood
1 Grim Discovery
2 Mindless Null
1 Needlebite Trap
1 Molten Ravager
1 Pyromancer's Ascension
1 Ruinous Minotaur
1 Runeflare Trap
1 Seismic Shudder
1 Spire Barrage
1 Baloth Cage Trap
1 Beast Hunt
1 Beastmaster Ascension
1 Greenweaver Druid
1 Joraga Bard
1 Mold Shambler
2 Nissa's Chosen
1 Savage Silhouette
1 Tajuru Archer
1 Tanglesap
3 Territorial Baloth
2 Timbermaw Larva

Stuart Kahler
Sealed Pool (3-0-2)
Main

3 Forest
3 Mountain
6 Swamp
1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Teetering Peaks
2 Turntimber Grove
1 Eldrazi Monument
1 Expedition Map
1 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Marsh Casualties
2 Nimana Sell-Sword
1 Quest for the Gravelord
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Vampire Nighthawk
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Burst Lightning
2 Inferno Trap
1 Punishing Fire
1 Tuktuk Grunts
1 Greenweaver Druid
1 Khalni Heart Expedition
1 Mold Shambler
3 Oran-Rief Survivalist
1 River Boa
1 Vines of Vastwood

Sideboard:
1 Kabira Crossroads
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Adventuring Gear
1 Spidersilk Net
1 Stonework Puma
1 Bold Defense
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Cliff Threader
1 Devout Lightcaster
1 Kabira Evangel
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Narrow Escape
1 Pillarfield Ox
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Sunspring Expedition
1 Caller of Gales
1 Gomazoa
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Merfolk Seastalkers
1 Quest for Ancient Secrets
1 Rite of Replication
1 Shoal Serpent
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Spell Pierce
1 Tempest Owl
1 Umara Raptor
1 Welkin Tern
1 Bog Tatters
1 Crypt Ripper
2 Desecrated Earth
1 Hagra Crocodile
1 Hagra Diabolist
1 Heartstabber Mosquito
1 Mind Sludge
2 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Vampire Lacerator
1 Vampire's Bite
1 Demolish
1 Elemental Appeal
1 Geyser Glider
1 Highland Berserker
1 Mark of Mutiny
2 Molten Ravager
1 Ruinous Minotaur
2 Runeflare Trap
1 Seismic Shudder
1 Spire Barrage
1 Beast Hunt
1 Relic Crush
1 Scythe Tiger

Zac Niemann
Sealed Pool (3-0-2)
Main
6 Island
1 Mountain
1 Plains
6 Swamp
1 Akoum Refuge
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Explorer's Scope
1 Pitfall Trap
1 Aether Figment
1 Gomazoa
2 Ior Ruin Expedition
1 Living Tsunami
1 Merfolk Wayfinder
1 Paralyzing Grasp
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Roil Elemental
2 Tempest Owl
1 Crypt Ripper
2 Disfigure
1 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Heartstabber Mosquito
1 Mind Sludge
1 Nimana Sell-Sword
1 Quest for the Gravelord
1 Surrakar Marauder
1 Magma Rift

Sideboard:
1 Crypt of Agadeem
2 Kabira Crossroads
1 Piranha Marsh
2 Teetering Peaks
1 Turntimber Grove
1 Adventuring Gear
1 Blade of the Bloodchief
1 Hedron Scrabbler
1 Spidersilk Net
1 Stonework Puma
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Kor Aeronaut
1 Kor Cartographer
2 Kor Skyfisher
1 Makindi Shieldmate
1 Narrow Escape
1 Nimbus Wings
1 Noble Vestige
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Sunspring Expedition
1 Windborne Charge
1 Cosi's Trickster
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Spell Pierce
1 Trapfinder's Trick
1 Welkin Tern
1 Desecrated Earth
2 Mindless Null
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Vampire's Bite
1 Bladetusk Boar
2 Highland Berserker
1 Molten Ravager
1 Seismic Shudder
1 Spire Barrage
2 Unstable Footing
1 Warren Instigator
1 Zektar Shrine Expedition
1 Greenweaver Druid
1 Joraga Bard
1 Mold Shambler
1 Nissa's Chosen
1 Oran-Rief Survivalist
1 Oran-Rief Recluse
1 Primal Bellow
1 Quest for the Gemblades
1 Relic Crush
1 Summoning Trap
1 Tanglesap
1 Timbermaw Larva
1 Island - Foil

Steve Yu
Sealed Pool (3-1-1)
Main
2 Island
5 Plains
11 Swamp
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Kor Cartographer
2 Kor Hookmaster
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Shepherd of the Lost
1 Aether Figment
1 Rite of Replication
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
1 Giant Scorpion
1 Grim Discovery
2 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Hagra Crocodile
1 Heartstabber Mosquito
1 Hideous End
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Mind Sludge
1 Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Vampire Nighthawk

Sideboard:
1 Crypt of Agadeem
1 Graypelt Refuge
1 Teetering Peaks
1 Grappling Hook
2 Spidersilk Net
1 Stonework Puma
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Celestial Mantle
1 Kor Duelist
1 Kor Outfitter
1 Makindi Shieldmate
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
2 Sunspring Expedition
1 Hedron Crab
1 Into the Roil
1 Merfolk Wayfinder
1 Quest for Ancient Secrets
2 Reckless Scholar
1 Seascape Aerialist
2 Shoal Serpent
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Spell Pierce
1 Sphinx of Lost Truths
1 Spreading Seas
1 Whiplash Trap
1 Windrider Eel
3 Mire Blight
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Geyser Glider
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Goblin Shortcutter
2 Highland Berserker
2 Magma Rift
2 Molten Ravager
1 Quest for Pure Flame
1 Slaughter Cry
1 Torch Slinger
1 Baloth Cage Trap
1 Frontier Guide
1 Grazing Gladehart
2 Joraga Bard
2 Khalni Heart Expedition
2 Oran-Rief Recluse
1 Oran-Rief Survivalist
1 Primal Bellow
1 Savage Silhouette
1 Vastwood Gorger
2 Zendikar Farguide

C. Thomas Dureka
Sealed Pool (3-2-0)
Main
5 Forest
5 Mountain
6 Swamp
2 Kazandu Refuge
1 Stonework Puma
1 Disfigure
1 Giant Scorpion
1 Guul Draz Vampire
2 Hideous End
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Needlebite Trap
1 Nimana Sell-Sword
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Inferno Trap
1 Plated Geopede
1 Punishing Fire
1 Shatterskull Giant
1 Torch Slinger
1 Tuktuk Grunts
1 Baloth Cage Trap
1 Gigantiform
1 Grazing Gladehart
1 Harrow
1 Mold Shambler
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
1 Territorial Baloth

Sideboard:
1 Kabira Crossroads
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Teetering Peaks
1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
1 Hedron Scrabbler
1 Bold Defense
2 Kor Cartographer
1 Kor Outfitter
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Landbind Ritual
1 Narrow Escape
1 Ondu Cleric
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Sunspring Expedition
1 Aether Figment
1 Caller of Gales
1 Cancel
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Paralyzing Grasp
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Roil Elemental
1 Spreading Seas
1 Welkin Tern
1 Whiplash Trap
1 Blood Tribute
2 Bog Tatters
1 Desecrated Earth
1 Feast of Blood
2 Hagra Diabolist
1 Mind Sludge
1 Mire Blight
2 Vampire Lacerator
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Mark of Mutiny
1 Murasa Pyromancer
2 Seismic Shudder
3 Slaughter Cry
1 Spire Barrage
2 Beast Hunt
1 Cobra Trap
1 Joraga Bard
1 Nissa's Chosen
1 Quest for the Gemblades
2 Scythe Tiger
1 Tajuru Archer
2 Vastwood Gorger
1 Vines of Vastwood
1 Plains - Foil

PTQ Sand Diego - 10 OCT 09 - Lenexa, KS

2009-10-10T23:05:00.000-07:00

We had 100 players show up to the PTQ this morning, anxious to rip into some Zendikar. Magic Players love them some Treasures, and happily we had a few show up.

Collector's Cache was kind enough to host the event and we had plenty of seating for all of our players. Registration flew by and in a heartbeat and we were off to the races. We only had 2 deck registration errors out of our hundred lists which I don't believe was too bad, both being the listing of 39 cards.

7 Rounds passed by without really much trouble at all. One hiccup with Reporter that was quickly fixed, but that was the only real excitement of the day. One thing that I did notice with this PTQ was that people seemed to either love the pool they received or they simply hated it, there were few that fell into the middle ground. It showed with an increase in the speed of those in the latter camp deciding to drop. We had one draft filled and another almost ready to go before the end of the second round, which is pretty far from normal for the events around here.

As to the treasures, we did have two uncovered. In the PTQ Sealed portion, we had a Taiga cracked and in the draft, Sliver Queen made an appearance. I believe that is the 3rd Taiga to show up in the KC area. We had one at the Midnight Madness Flight for Zendikar and I am pretty sure that one was opened up at one of the local stores. So I guess that we should be on the lookout for one more to complete the KC Playset of the RG Dual.

At the end of the seventh round, we had one sad 16 pointer and 8 happy players that matched or bettered that score. Here are the decklists that they ended up with after the draft..

(In no particular order, or actually just the order that they were handed in for me to start typing up)

Steven Danielson
Main

8 Forest
8 Swamp
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Expedition Map
1 Khalni Gem
1 Blood Seeker
1 Blood Tribute
1 Bloodghast
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
2 Guul Draz Vampire
2 Heartstabber Mosquito
1 Quest for the Gravelord
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Surrakar Marauder
1 Greenweaver Druid
1 Oran-Rief Recluse
2 Oren-Rief Survivalist
2 Quest for the Gemblades
2 Savage Silhouette
2 Tajuru Archer

Sideboard:
1 Nimbus Wings
1 Noble Vestige
2 Ondu Cleric
1 Quest for Ancient Secrets
1 Crypt Ripper
1 Desecrated Earth
1 Mind Sludge
3 Mire Blight
1 Molten Ravager
2 Seismic Shudder
3 Beast Hunt
1 Feast of Blood

Ben Swisegood
Main

9 Mountain
7 Plains
1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
1 Arrow Volley Trap
1 Cliff Threader
1 Journey to Nowhere
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Windborne Charge
1 World Queller
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Burst Lightning
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Goblin Guide
1 Goblin Shortcutter
1 Goblin War Paint
1 Hellfire Mongrel
2 Highland Berserker
1 Magma Rift
1 Mark of Mutiny
1 Plated Geopede
2 Ruinous Minotaur
1 Slaughter Cry
1 Tuktuk Grunts

Sideboard:
1 Graypelt Refuge
1 Turntimber Grove
1 Trailblazer's Boots
1 Landbind Ritual
1 Narrow Escape
1 Nimbus Wings
1 Pillarfield Ox
1 Quest for the Holy Relic
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Cancel
1 Bog Tatters
1 Hideous End
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Vampire's Bite
1 Goblin War Paint
1 Mark of Mutiny
1 Quest for Pure Flame
1 Tanglesap

Chase Strunk
Main

8 Forest
5 Island
3 Plains
1 Magosi, the Waterveil
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Adventuring Gear
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria
1 Pitfall Trap
1 Cancel
1 Hedron Crab
2 Ior Ruin Expedition
1 Merfolk Seastalkers
1 Roil Elemental
1 Tempest Owl
1 Umara Raptor
1 Baloth Cage Trap
1 Beastmaster Ascension
1 Grazing Gladeheart
2 Harrow
2 Khalni Heart Expedition
1 Territorial Baloth
1 Timbermaw Larva
2 Turntimber Basilisk
1 Vastwood Gorger

Sideboard:
1 Arid Mesa
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Carnage Altar
1 Expedition Map
1 Kor Outfitter
1 Caller of Gales
1 Cosi's Trickster
1 Merfolk Wayfinder
1 Spell Pierce
1 Spreading Seas
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Gigantiform
1 Joraga Bard
1 Nissa's Chosen
1 Relic Crush
1 Tanglesap

Loren Canady
Main

3 Island
7 Mountain
3 Plains
4 Swamp
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Stonework Puma
1 Journey to Nowhere
3 Makindi Shieldmate
1 Into the Roil
2 Umara Raptor
2 Whiplash Trap
1 Hagra Diabolist
1 Nimana Sell-Sword
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Burst Lightning
1 Inferno Trap
3 Murasa Pyromancer
2 Torch Slinger
2 Tuktuk Grunts

Sideboard:
1 Kazandu Refuge
1 Turntimber Grove
1 Eternity Vessel
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Cancel
1 Quest for Ancient Secrets
1 Mindless Null
1 Ravenous Trap
1 Demolish
1 Molten Ravager
1 Plated Geopede
1 Seismic Shudder
1 Greenweaver Druid
1 Harrow
1 Joraga Bard
1 Vastwood Gorger
1 Vines of Vastwood
1 Zendikar Farguide

Clayton Mooney
Main

10 Plains
7 Swamp
1 Adventuring Gear
1 Spidersilk Net
1 Armament Master
1 Bold Defense
3 Cliff Threader
1 Conqueror's Pledge
1 Day of Judgement
1 Kor Aeronaut
1 Kor Cartographer
3 Kor Hookmaster
1 Kor Sanctifier
2 Kor Skyfisher
1 Narrow Escape
1 Disfigure
1 Giant Scorpions
1 Hideous End
1 Malakir Bloodwitch
1 Vampire Nighthawk

Sideboard:
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Stonework Puma
1 Bold Defense
1 Brave the Elements
1 Noble Vestige
1 Ondu Cleric
3 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Sunspring Expedition
1 Caller of Gales
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Shoal Serpent
1 Desecrated Earth
1 Grim Discovery
1 Halo Hunter
2 Nimana Sell-Sword
1 Vampire's Bite

Andrew Vick
Main

8 Mountain
8 Swamp
1 Teetering Peaks
1 Adventuring Gear
1 Bloodchief Ascension
1 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Hagra Crocodile
1 Hideous End
1 Mind Sludge
2 Mindless Null
1 Quest for the Gravelord
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Vampire Nighthawk
1 Bladetusk Boar
2 Burst Lightning
1 Geyser Glider
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
2 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Goblin Shortcutter
2 Magma Rift
1 Torch Slinger
1 Unstable Footing

Sideboard:
1 Mountain
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Turntimber Grove
1 Carnage Altar
1 Expedition Map
1 Explorer's Scope
1 Kor Cartographer
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Windborne Charge
1 Cancel
1 Gomazoa
1 Lethargy Trap
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Welkin Tern
1 Mark of Mutiny
1 Molten Ravager
2 Runeflare Trap

Kenny Castor
Main

9 Island
8 Swamp
1 Blazing Torch
1 Aether Figment
1 Gomazoa
1 Into the Roil
1 Ior Ruin Expedition
1 Living Tsunami
3 Paralyzing Grasp
2 Reckless Scholar
1 Roil Elemental
1 Shoal Serpent
2 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Whiplash Trap
1 Crypt Ripper
1 Disfigure
2 Gatekeeper of Malakir
1 Grim Discovery
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Soul Stair Expedition

Sideboard:
1 Kabira Crossroads
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Explorer's Scope
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Kor Cartographer
1 Pillarfield Ox
1 Caller of Gales
1 Cancel
2 Kraken Hatchling
1 Trapfinder's Trick
2 Bog Tatters
2 Desecrated Earth
1 Vampire Lacerator
1 Goblin War Paint
1 Warren Instigator
1 Zendikar Farguide

Jeff Winters
Main

8 Forest
7 Mountain
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Teetering Peaks
2 Adventuring Gear
1 Explorer's Scope
1 Trusty Machete
2 Bladetusk Boar
1 Goblin Shortcutter
1 Hellkite Charger
1 Magma Rift
2 Punishing Fire
1 Spire Barrage
1 Baloth Cage Trap
1 Baloth Woodcrasher
2 Grazing Gladeheart
1 Harrow
1 Oran-Rief Recluse
1 River Boa
2 Territorial Baloth
1 Vastwood Gorger
1 Vines of Vastwood

Sideboard:
1 Graypelt Refuge
1 Bold Defense
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Spreading Seas
2 Demolish
1 Quest for Pure Flame
1 Zektar Shrine Expedition
1 Cobra Trap
1 Khalni Heart Expedition
1 Relic Crush
1 Scythe Tiger
1 Tanglesap
1 Timbermaw Larva
2 Zendikar Farguide

...and here is how the Top 8 played out.

Quarter-Finals
Loren Canady
VS
Ben Swisegood

Jeff Winters
VS Andy Vick

Kenny Castor
VS
Chase Strunk

Steven Danielson
VS
Clayton Mooney

Semi_Finals

Ben
VS
Jeff

Kenny
VS
Clayton

Finals

Kenny VS Ben

With Kenny Castor taking the Prize at the end and wrapping up the tournament at 9:30 PM. Not too shabby.

As Always,
DHT

As an added bonus, here are the Sealed Decklists that got our Top 8 Contenders into the Draft portion of the event.

Kenny Castor
Sealed Pool (5-0-2)
Main
2 Forest
6 Plains
8 Swamp
1 Graypelt Refuge
1 Arrow Volley Trap
1 Day of Judgement
1 Emeria Angel
1 Kor Hookmaster
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Luminarch Ascension
1 Pillarfield Ox
1 Disfigure
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
1 Giant Scorpion
1 Grim Discovery
1 Heartstabber Mosquito
2 Hideous End
1 Mind Sludge
1 Nimana Sell-Sword
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Vampire Nighthawk
2 Harrow
1 Territorial Baloth
2 Vastwood Gorger

Sideboard:
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
2 Adventuring Gear
1 Carnage Altar
1 Expedition Map
2 Explorer's Scope
1 Khalni Gem
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Kor Duelist
1 Makindi Shieldmate
1 Nimbus Wings
2 Ondu Cleric
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Sunspring Expedition
1 Aether Figment
1 Hedron Crab
1 Kraken Hatchling
2 Lethargy Trap
1 Merfolk Seastalkers
1 Quest for Ancient Secrets
1 Reckless Scholar
2 Shoal Serpent
1 Trapfinder's Trick
2 Welkin Tern
1 Whiplash Trap
1 Windrider Eel
1 Mire Blight
1 Vampire Lacerator
1 Feast of Blood
1 Burst Lightning
1 Chandra Ablaze
2 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Goblin Shortcutter
1 Inferno Trap
1 Mark of Mutiny
1 Molten Ravager
1 Ruinous Minotaur
1 Shatterskull Giant
1 Spire Barrage
1 Zektar Shrine Expedition
1 Beast Hunt
1 Joraga Bard
1 Khalni Heart Expedition
2 Savage Silhouette
1 Scythe Tiger
1 Summoning Trap
2 Tajuru Archer
1 Zendikar Farguide

Ben Swisegood
Sealed Pool (5-0-2)
Main
6 Mountain
8 Swamp
1 Akoum Refuge
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Teetering Peaks
1 Blood Seeker
1 Bog Tatters
1 Disfigure
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
1 Giant Scorpion
1 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Halo Hunter
1 Heartstabber Mosquito
1 Hideous End
1 Surrakar Marauder
1 Vampire Hexmage
1 Vampire Lacerator
1 Vampire Nighthawk
1 Vampire's Bite
2 Burst Lightning
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
1 Goblin Shortcutter
1 Goblin War Paint
1 Magma Rift
1 Torch Slinger
1 Tuktuk Grunts
1 Unstable Footing

Sideboard:
1 Magosi, the Waterveil
1 Adventuring Gear
1 Explorer's Scope
1 Khalni Gem
1 Trailblazer's Boots
1 Armament Master
2 Cliff Threader
1 Conqueror's Pledge
1 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Kor Duelist
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Kor Sak
1 Narrow Escape
1 Nimbus Wings
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
2 Steppe Lynx
2 Caller of Gales
1 Cancel
1 Cosi's Trickster
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Lethargy Trap
1 Merfolk Wayfinder
1 Quest for Ancient Secrets
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Seascape Aerialist
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Spreading Seas
1 Trapfinder's Trick
3 Umara Raptor
1 Whiplash Trap
2 Desecrated Earth
1 Ravenous Trap
1 Runeflare Trap
1 Seismic Shudder
1 Baloth Cage Trap
2 Beastmaster Ascension
1 Frontier Guide
1 Grazing Gladehart
1 Harrow
2 Nissa's Chosen
1 Oran-Rief Survivalist
1 Relic Crush
1 Savage Silhouette
1 Tajuru Archer
1 Tanglesap
1 Territorial Baloth
1 Timbermaw Larva
1 Vastwood Gorger
1 Zendikar Farguide

Clayton Mooney
Sealed Pool (6-1)
Main

6 Mountain
8 Plains
2 Kabira Crossroads
1 Teetering Peaks
1 Spidersilk Net
2 Trusty Machete
1 Armament Master
1 Arrow Volley Trap
1 Conqueror's Pledge
2 Journey to Nowhere
1 Kor Hookmaster
1 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Makindi Shieldmate
1 Ondu Cleric
1 Windborne Charge
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Burst Lightning
1 Highland Berserker
1 Kazuul Warlord
1 Murasa Pyromancer
1 Plated Geopede
1 Punishing Fire
2 Zektar Shrine Expedition

Sideboard:
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Verdant Catacombs
1 Eldrazi Monument
1 Explorer's Scope
1 Brave the Elements
2 Nimbus Wings
1 Pillarfield Ox
2 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Sunspring Expedition
1 Aether Figment
1 Gomazoa
1 Hedron Crab
1 Ior Ruin Expedition
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Quest for Ancient Secrets
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Rite of Replication
1 Seascape Aerialist
2 Shoal Serpent
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Spreading Seas
2 Trapmakers Snare
1 Welkin Tern
1 Crypt Ripper
2 Disfigure
1 Giant Scorpion
1 Grim Discovery
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Mire Blight
1 Ravenous Trap
2 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Vampire's Bite
1 Molten Ravager
1 Seismic Shudder
1 Slaughter Cry
1 Baloth Cage Trap
1 Cobra Trap
1 Greenweaver Druid
1 Joraga Bard
2 Khalni Heart Expedition
1 Oran-Rief Recluse
1 Oran-Rief Survivalist
1 Relic Crush
1 Tanglesap
1 Territorial Baloth
1 Turntimber Basilisk
1 Vines of Vastwood
1 Zendikar Farguide

Jeff Winters
Sealed Pool (6-1)
Main

9 Mountain
8 Swamp
1 Explorer's Scope
1 Trusty Machete
2 Disfigure
1 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Halo Hunter
1 Hideous End
1 Nimana Sell-Sword
2 Surrakar Marauder
1 Vampire Lacerator
1 Vampire Nighthawk
1 Bladetusk Boar
2 Burst Lightning
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Goblin Shortcutter
1 Lavaball Trap
1 Shatterskull Giant
1 Spire Barrage
3 Torch Slinger

Sideboard:
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Explorer's Scope
1 Hedron Scrabbler
1 Khalni Gem
1 Stonework Puma
1 Trailblazer's Boots
1 Bold Defense
1 Cliff Threader
1 Emeria Angel
1 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Kor Cartographer
1 Kor Outfitter
1 Noble Vestige
2 Ondu Cleric
1 Pillarfield Ox
1 Shepherd of the Lost
1 Sunspring Expedition
1 Cancel
1 Cosi's Trickster
1 Into the Roil
2 Lethargy Trap
1 Merfolk Seastalkers
1 Paralyzing Grasp
1 Quest for Ancient Secrets
1 Seascape Aerialist
1 Shoal Serpent
1 Spreading Seas
1 Summoner's Bane
2 Umara Raptor
1 Whiplash Trap
1 Windrider Eel
1 Blood Seeker
1 Feast of Blood
2 Grim Discovery
1 Mind Sludge
1 Ravenous Trap
1 Demolish
1 Elemental Appeal
2 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Molten Ravager
1 Murasa Pyromancer
1 Seismic Shudder
1 Baloth Cage Trap
1 Beast Hunt
1 Cobra Trap
1 Grazing Gladehart
1 Harrow
1 Joraga Bard
1 Oran-Rief Survivalist
1 Tajuru Archer
1 Territorial Baloth
1 Timbermaw Larva
1 Vastwood Gorger
1 Slaughter Cry

Andrew Vick
Sealed Pool (5-0-2)
Main

9 Forest
8 Mountain
1 Blazing Torch
1 Khalni Gem
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Goblin Guide
1 Hellfire Mongrel
1 Inferno Trap
1 Punishing Fire
1 Slaughter Cry
1 Torch Slinger
1 Tuktuk Grunts
1 Zektar Shrine Expedition
1 Cobra Trap
1 Grazing Gladehart
2 Mold Shambler
2 Nissa's Chosen
1 Oran-Rief Survivalist
1 Rampaging Baloths
2 River Boa
1 Territorial Baloth

Sideboard:
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
2 Kabira Crossroads
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Teetering Peaks
1 Turntimber Grove
1 Eldrazi Monument
1 Grappling Hook
1 Hedron Scrabbler
2 Spidersilk Net
1 Stonework Puma
1 Trailblazer's Boots
1 Brave the Elements
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Kor Duelist
1 Kor Outfitter
2 Kor Skyfisher
1 Makindi Shieldmate
1 Noble Vestige
1 Ondu Cleric
1 Quest for the Holy Relic
1 Shepherd of the Lost
2 Sunspring Expedition
1 Cancel
1 Into the Roil
1 Ior Ruin Expedition
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Lethargy Trap
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Rite of Replication
1 Shoal Serpent
1 Spell Pierce
1 Whiplash Trap
1 Windrider Eel
1 Blood Seeker
1 Bog Tatters
1 Desecrated Earth
1 Disfigure
1 Feast of Blood
1 Grim Discovery
1 Hagra Crocodile
1 Heartstabber Mosquito
1 Hideous End
1 Mindless Null
1 Mire Blight
1 Ravenous Trap
1 Sadistic Sacrament
1 Surrakar Marauder
1 Vampire Lacerator
1 Demolish
2 Seismic Shudder
1 Unstable Footing
1 Frontier Guide
2 Joraga Bard
1 Scythe Tiger

Chase Strunk
Sealed Pool (5-1-1)
Main

5 Forest
1 Mountain
8 Plains
2 Kazandu Refuge
1 Expedition Map
1 Trusty Machete
1 Day of Judgement
1 Journey to Nowhere
2 Kor Cartographer
1 Kor Hookmaster
1 Kor Sanctifiers
2 Kor Skyfisher
1 Windborne Charge
1 World Queller
1 Inferno Trap
1 Baloth Cage Trap
1 Beast Hunt
1 Grazing Gladehart
1 Greenweaver Druid
1 Mold Shambler
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
1 River Boa
1 Territorial Baloth
1 Timbermaw Larva
1 Turntimber Basilisk
1 Vastwood Gorger

Sideboard:
1 Marsh Flats
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Eternity Vessel
1 Explorer's Scope
1 Hedron Scrabbler
1 Spidersilk Net
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Kor Outfitter
1 Landbind Ritual
1 Narrow Escape
1 Nimbus Wings
1 Noble Vestige
2 Ondu Cleric
1 Sunspring Expedition
1 Cancel
1 Into the Roil
1 Spell Pierce
1 Tempest Owl
2 Trapfinder's Trick
2 Welkin Tern
2 Whiplash Trap
1 Windrider Eel
1 Blood Seeker
1 Crypt Ripper
1 Disfigure
1 Hagra Diabolist
1 Hideous End
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Mind Sludge
1 Mindless Null
1 Needlebite Trap
1 Nimana Sell-Sword
2 Vampire Lacerator
1 Vampire's Bite
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Goblin War Paint
1 Magma Rift
1 Mark of Mutiny
1 Murasa Pyromancer
1 Plated Geopede
1 Punishing Fire
1 Ruinous Minotaur
1 Seismic Shudder
2 Shatterskull Giant
1 Slaughter Cry
1 Spire Barrage
1 Warren Instigator
1 Cobra Trap
1 Joraga Bard
1 Nissa's Chosen
1 Relic Crush
1 Scythe Tiger

Steven Danielson
Sealed Pool (5-1-1)
Main

5 Forest
10 Plains
1 Kabira Crossroads
1 Turntimber Grove
1 Verdant Catacombs
2 Explorer's Scope
1 Trusty Machete
2 Cliff Threader
1 Conqueror's Pledge
1 Kazandu Blademaster
1 Kor Hookmaster
1 Kor Sanctifiers
2 Narrow Escape
1 Nimbus Wings
1 Ondu Cleric
1 Pitfall Trap
2 Steppe Lynx
1 Windborne Charge
1 Grazing Gladehart
1 Harrow
2 Oran-Rief Survivalist
1 Scute Mob

Sideboard:
1 Akoum Refuge
1 Jwar Isle Refuge
1 Piranha Marsh
1 Carnage Altar
2 Expedition Map
2 Bold Defense
1 Kor Duelist
1 Quest for the Holy Relic
1 Shieldmate's Blessing
1 Caller of Gales
1 Cancel
1 Gomazoa
1 Hedron Crab
1 Into the Roil
1 Kraken Hatchling
1 Lethargy Trap
1 Lorthos, the Tidemaker
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Sky Ruin Drake
1 Spreading Seas
2 Windrider Eel
1 Bog Tatters
2 Crypt Ripper
1 Desecrated Earth
1 Gatekeeper of Malakir
1 Guul Draz Vampire
1 Hagra Crocodile
1 Malakir Bloodwitch
1 Mire Blight
1 Needlebite Trap
1 Vampire Nighthawk
1 Vampire's Bite
1 Burst Lightning
1 Demolish
1 Electropotence
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Goblin Ruinblaster
2 Goblin Shortcutter
1 Hellfire Mongrel
1 Highland Berserker
2 Plated Geopede
2 Ruinous Minotaur
1 Seismic Shudder
1 Shatterskull Giant
1 Slaughter Cry
1 Spire Barrage
1 Zektar Shrine Expedition
1 Baloth Woodcrasher
1 Beast Hunt
1 Primal Bellow
1 Relic Crush
1 Zendikar Farguide

Loren Canady
Sealed Pool (5-1-1)
Main

9 Forest
5 Mountain
1 Kazandu Refuge
2 Teetering Peaks
1 Trusty Machete
2 Bladetusk Boar
1 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Goblin Shortcutter
1 Hellkite Charger
1 Inferno Trap
1 Magma Rift
1 Molten Ravager
1 Punishing Fire
1 Tuktuk Grunts
1 Baloth Cage Trap
1 Gigantiform
1 Greenweaver Druid
1 Joraga Bard
1 Nissa's Chosen
1 River Boa
1 Savage Silhouette
1 Scute Mob
1 Territorial Baloth
2 Timbermaw Larva
1 Vastwood Gorger

Sideboard:
1 Graypelt Refuge
1 Kabira Crossroads
1 Marsh Flats
1 Soaring Seacliff
1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
2 Adventuring Gear
1 Carnage Altar
4 Expedition Map
1 Stonework Puma
1 Caravan Hurda
1 Kor Cartographer
1 Kor Outfitter
2 Kor Sanctifiers
1 Landbind Ritual
1 Makindi Shieldmate
1 Noble Vestige
1 Steppe Lynx
1 Sunspring Expedition
1 Windborne Charge
1 Cancel
1 Hedron Crab
1 Lethargy Trap
2 Paralyzing Grasp
1 Quest for Ancient Secrets
1 Reckless Scholar
1 Roil Elemental
1 Shoal Serpent
1 Umara Raptor
1 Blood Seeker
1 Desecrated Earth
1 Giant Scorpion
2 Grim Discovery
1 Guul Draz Vampire
2 Hagra Crocodile
1 Hagra Diabolist
2 Heartstabber Mosquito
1 Marsh Casualties
1 Mind Sludge
1 Mire Blight
1 Nimana Sell-Sword
1 Ravenous Trap
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Demolish
1 Mark of Mutiny
1 Beast Hunt
1 Khalni Heart Expedition
2 Tanglesap
1 Zendikar Farguide

Zendikar Pre-Release!!!!

2009-09-26T05:45:00.000-07:00

We had 120 players show up for the Midnight Madness Flight for Zendikar.
(coming in a close second behind Time Spiral for numbers at the Midnight Flight)

I arrive about 2 hours before we were scheduled to start Registration. We are back at the Overland Park Convention Center, a place in which I have made many fond Magic Memories. I pull up to the site and...

(As a quick aside, there has been two Grand Prix at this site in addition to various smaller events. Two G.P.'s held less than five minutes away from my house. I know that I have led a charmed life, but that has been just Stoopid Good.)

....I meet a couple of the Card Dealers to begin to getting set up. Not long into our routine, our first arrivals show up just itching to get cracking some packs.

About an hour before Registration time, a group of players wander in that I have not seen all together since the M10 Pre-Release. I say 'hi' and welcome them back when one of the crew pipes up with, "Hey! This time we are only one hour early for reg instead of two hours early!" and we all get a chuckle from that. They break out some fun decks to pass the time as I start to get the decorations in place. An impromptu photo op with Sorin Markov, then back to business.

Nationals in KC

2009-07-20T16:58:00.000-07:00

So, Magic Nationals comes back to Kansas City this weekend. I have worked up a little Google Map to help out with those coming into town.

Click Here for the Map

BBQ & other Eateries

I suppose that it would be wrong of me to begin a write up about the KC Metro Area with anything other than BBQ. There is an endless supply of places to get good eats of the smoke and grilled variety and everyone has their particular favourites, so I just picked a few to focus on.

Gates BBQ

A KC staple for 50 years, now with 5 Metro Locations. Just remember, if they are yelling "Hi, may I help you?" and no one is answering, then they are probably talking to you even if you are at the back of the line. They keep things moving.

Arthur Bryant's

Since 1930 celebrities such as Steven Spielberg, Michael Landon, Robert Redford, Jack Nicholson, Wilt Chamberlain, Bryant Gumbel, Tom Watson and George Brett have made the pilgrimage to Arthur Bryant's. Arthur Bryant was quoted about his sauce saying that, " I make it so that you can put it on bread and eat it.". On occasion I have been known to skip the bread part of that equation.

Fiorella's Jack Sack BBQ

One of their locations is right by my house and they have some of the best burnt ends that I have ever tasted. Even if you are not close, they do ship. I would look into if I weren't within walking distance.

Oklahoma Joe's

I personally have not been there, but it did make Anthony Bourdain's "13 Place to Eat Before You Die". And their BBQ Competition Team is called Slaughterhouse Five. How can you beat that? I don't know why I haven't gone already.

Fogo de Chao

Meat. On Skewers. Brought directly to you until you beg for mercy. A tradition on many Magic PT and GP stops. I believe that Ferris said it best, "It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up. "

Hereford House

If you love Prime Rib the way that I do, you must stop here.

My apologies to all of you who are vegetarian/vegan, as I have not listed any specific options here. A fair amount of the aforementioned locations do have something that you can munch on like a salad bar. Be warned though, it probably has meat on it as well.

Attractions & Shopping

Union Station

Shopping, museums, restaurants and Science City.

Crown Center

Located right by the tournament site, quite an array of things to do. Free Friday Night Flicks for 24 July is "Dr. Strangelove". I might have to skip FNM for this.

Kaufmann Stadium

Home of the Royals. They have just finished a great deal of renovations and any baseball fan should make the trek out and this weekend the Boys in Blue take on the Texas Rangers. There is also the added benefit of going there and harrassing one of our local players, Matt Rader, who was recently employed there. If you do, tell him that I am working on his Duck Suit.

Country Club Plaza

It might be a little early to go see the Christmas Lights (which are impressive), but it does have a little bit of everything. Plus, you can see why Kansas City is called the City of Fountains.

The City Market

In addition to being the region's largest Farmers' Market, The City Market has an extensive calendar, hosting concerts, festivals and other special events April through December.

Worlds of Fun

I have been coming here for the last 20 years or so, and it never gets old. If the day is too nice to stay inside and you want to get in some Roller Coaster time, this amusement park is the place to go.

Museums

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Featuring a diverse mix of collections, at The Nelson there is always something new. And after a trip there, you can say that you have seen the Worlds' Largest Shuttlecocks. Definitely worth the time and effort in my book.

American Jazz Museum

With highlights like The Blue Room and the Charlie Parker Memorial, it's a must for any Jazz Enthusiast.

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

Any Baseball Fan owes it to themselves to take in a little history here.

National World War One Museum

Designated by Congress as the nation’s official World War I Museum, the new state-of-the-art complex uses an incredible collection and highly-interactive technology to bring this global history to life.

The Truman Library and Museum

Independence, MO served as home to our 33rd President.

Event Site Information

Hyatt Regency Crown Center

The WotC site has plenty of information about the actual site and all the things that go on there, but I thought that I could add a little bit.

From the Hyatt's Website....

"Parking

VALET:
Short term (in & out the same day) $10.00 Overnight $18.00 - with in/out privileges.

SELF PARKING:
Overnight $14.50 with in / out privleges. Banquet Validation $7.00 (3 hours) Early Bird (in before 10am & out the same day) $7.50

This hotel cannot accommodate vehicles that are taller than 6'9" (i.e. no motorhomes/tall vans, etc)."

Now, don't take this as gospel, but I have only ever paid the fee once in all the times that I had been to events there. The trick seems to be that you have to hit the time right. As long as you leave after 11:00 PM or so, there tends to be no one on duty to take your fee so the gates are open. I will leave you to work it out from there. Best of Luck.

(EDIT: Gahh!!! I got ganked. I was just there at the end of May and it worked for me, but it seems that they have closed the loophole for now. Sorry all.)

They also suggest the following for making your way to and from the Hotel....

Transportation

FROM AIRPORT:

KCI SUPER SHUTTLE (Hours 5:50am-11:25pm)
$17.00 per person - $29.00 round trip per person. Leaves from Baggage Claim area at 5 minutes to the hour and 25 minutes after the hour. Reservations are not required. For additional info, please call KCI Shuttle service at 800-243-6383. SHUTTLE SERVICE IS WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE WITH CHAIR LIFTS* (Blue vans and buses with yellow lettering that says KCI Shuttle.)

TAXI: Approx $35.00-$40.00

BUS: Greyhound Bus Station, Taxi approx $5.00

TRAIN: Union Station (Amtrak), Taxi approx $2.00

Local Venues

If you find yourself in town a few days early or late, and still need to get your fix in, here is a list of a few of the Local Stores that run a large number of events. Go out and tell them that I sent you, you will probably get a nice blank stare....

A to Z Comics
1300 sw 40 hwy
Blue Springs, MO 64015
(816) 224-0505

Collector's Cache
13354 College Blvd
Olathe, KS 66215
(913) 338-2273
collectorscache.com

Game Cafe
107 W Lexington Ave
Independence, MO 64050-3705
(816) 252-7529
playgamecafe.com

31st Century Games & Hobbies
2 reviews
2113 E 151st St # B
Olathe, KS 66062-2931
(913) 397-7706
31stcenturygames.com

Win More Games
12108 W 87th Street Pkwy
Lenexa, KS 66215-2810
(913) 541-1740
winmoregameskc.com

So there you have it...

I am sure that I have lost most of you by now, but I hope that there was at least a few tidbits of good information in there. I wish you all the best of luck with your travels and I hope that you have a good time in Kansas City.

As Always,
Lloyd

Father's Day Weekend Magic at WMG

2009-06-22T01:16:00.000-07:00

Friday was a bit dicey as I had some house issues that kept me up until 5 AM on Saturday. Then the boys got up at 8 AM and we were off to the races.

I was quickly running out of time to get ready. I picked up Mono White Kithkin for the WMG Free Tournament. Seemed like the easiest to put together and the easiest to pilot. The first three rounds I won mainly due to my opponents.

Round 2 Cody lost to getting stuck on 2 land.

Rounds 1 and 3 my opponents each laid turn 2 Pro-White Goblin. Once he ran into my only way to deal with it in the deck (Mutavault) the rest of the times they died to Volcanic Fallout. I almost verbally thanked my opponents each time.

Round 4, Caskey asks if I want to draw. We are at table 2 and so I ask table 3 what their records are. Both answer 2-1 so I say sure and recommend to table 1 that they do the same.

Round 5 goes as planned, and I go chat with Josh to talk to him about whether I will drop before or after the Top 8 cut. I see the standings and EJ is in 9th and I would have been paired with Caskey. I drop before the cut to let EJ in. If I had been going to be paired against Adam or if 9th had been someone I didn't like, I would have stayed in for the cut to get some packs and then dropped.

Then I get to go home and hang out with my boys.

Sunday brings around draft time and it turns out that the option gone for is a Ravnica Draft. It had been so long since my last Rav Draft, I didn't know or remember half the cards. I first picked Fetters and went B/r/w, opting for the enchantment plan with some tricks. I got Fetters, Seal of Fire, Hypervolt Grasp and Ocular Halo. I passed an early Simic Guildmage, but I got another a bit later, got the 2/1 flier you sac if you don't bounce an enchantment, a bunch more fliers and some burn.

On a side note, someone brought subject of milling in this format. I proceeded to open Tunnel Vision in the first pack and almost drafted it to be funny. Ray passes me Junktroller for a possible second pick and I bust out laughing. I want to try and live the dream from back then(got it to work twice or so way back when), but I eventually give it up. Turns out to be a good move since JR picked the TV 2 seats down.

Round 1 Jason with R/G beats.

Game 1

My tapper and fetters tricks hold him back while my fliers do the work. He burns my smaller fliers out of the sky with a Ulasht, leaving me with a 3/3 flier, a tapper and a Steamcore Wizard. He then evens the score to 5 a piece while I draw land for 5 turns(plus a drowned Rusalka draw). With only 4 lands left in the deck, I need something to help since he will probably come over for the win next turn. I peel Peel from Reality, and think about all the wrong plays for a while. I feel dumb for a little bit, then finish him off.

Game 2

He enchants my Guildmage with a Riot Spikes for Irony I guess, or to keep me from attacking into his 1/1 regenerater. He taps out though and I wreck his board with Pyromatics, and use his enchantment to get in for a couple of extra 2's before he can finally get rid of it. My fliers do their job again backed up by the Fetters.

Round 2 Steve

Game 1

Steve and I both can't find a Plains for the entirety of the game. Surveilling Sprite and a Steamcore Wizard strapped up with a Grasp do most of the work. He gets a 3/3 that threatens to race me so I drop the Ocular Halo onto the Steamcore and try to dig a bit further for a plains to be able to cast a majority of my hand but end up running into my Snapping Drake in time to make him scoop it up.

Game 2

We go back and forth a bit before he has Thundersong Trumpeter and Blind Hunter with which he is able to Convoke out a Conclave Equenaut. At the end of turn I Pyromatics the 2/1 and 2/2 and he haunts the Equenaut. I follow up on my turn with Peel from Reality for my Steamcore and his 3/3 to counter the Haunt and hoping that he might not draw the land to replay it. He draws the land but I drop Minister of Impediments to take care of his 3/3 flier. He sees his only chance to use it, so Shadow Lances his 3/3 and gets in for 7 with the pumps and drops me to 5.

I keep the 3/3 tapped for a bit while my team whittles him down to 11. Steve uses Ogre Savant to bounce my tapper and make him inactive for a turn. I Steamcore the Ogre but leave 2 fliers back just in case. Turns out I was right to do so as he goes all in with Hunted Dragon. I chump both creatures to stay alive and I figure that I have the win if he doesn't have a wrath or enough burn to finish me. I get in for 6 with the Knights from the Dragon, then use an Ogre Savant of my own to bounce his Equenaut so that I only have to tap the Dragon. Equenaut comes back down, but he concedes as I go to attack.

At this point I go up to the front and report my win, when I look out the window. I think to myself, "Holy !@#$, someone is stealing my car!!" before it occurs to me that I didn't drive the Van. Turns out that the only way that Jenn could get Ian to calm down for his haircut was to tell him that they would bring Daddy some candy. Hey, whatever works I say. I chat with her and eat some candy with the boys for a bit before I take them out to the car so they can head home.

Josh wins his match and is the only other undefeated. I proffer the draw so that we can both win on the Father's Day Draft. He sees how appropriate this is, so we both sign a Merfolk Looter to go on the wall and call it a day.

I go back to the house for some Chinese Food and Donkey Kong Jenga(my present from the boys).

5 - 0 - 3 for the weekend.

I didn't even lose a game.

All in all, an excellent weekend. Thanks to everyone who helped to make it so.

As Always,
DHT

Draft at WMG 07 MAY 09

2009-05-07T22:57:00.000-07:00

The draft last week was a bit weird. There were no Conflux packs and the majority went with SAA but they decided to mix it up a bit(I believe it was Wes who suggested this) and draft in ASA order. It was odd and I can't say that I was too much of a fan of the idea before, during or after. So I figure I will leave it at that.

Moving on to this week. Here are the picks in order...

Shards Pack
Agony Warp
Tower Gargoyle
Bant Charm
Tidehollow Strix
Metallurgeon
Excommunicate
Windwright Mage
Cloudheath Drake
Naturalize
Angelsong
Jhessian Lookout
Puppet Conjurer
Lush Growth
Immortal Coil
Plains

Conflux Pack
Thornling
Armillary Sphere
Dark Gargoyle
Parasitic Strix
Sedraxis Alchemist
Aven Squire
Parasitic Strix
Brackwater Elemental
Unsummon
Gleam of Resistance
Worldly Counsel
Aerie Mystics
Salvage Slasher
Sigil of the Empty Throne
Vectis Agents

Alara Reborn Pack
Wall of Denial
Zealous Persecution
Ethersworn Shieldmage
Architects of Will
Fieldmist Borderpost
Jhessian Zombie
Esper Stormblade
Ethercaste Knight
Architects of Will
Etherwrought Page
Jund Soourners
Thopter Foundry
Grixis Sojourner
Jhessian Zombie
Forest

And here is what I made out of it...

6 Plains
6 Island
5 Swamp
1 Agony Warp
1 Tower Gargoyle
1 Tidehollow Strix
1 Metallurgeon
1 Windwright Mage
1 Cloudheath Drake
1 Armillary Sphere
1 Dark Gargoyle

2 Parasitic Strix
1 Sedraxis Alchemist
1 Aven Squire
1 Brackwater Elemental
1 Unsummon
1 Gleam of Resistance
1 Vectis Agents
1 Wall of Denial
1 Zealous Persecution
1 Ethersworn Shieldmage
1 Architects of Will
1 Fieldmist Borderpost
1 Jhessian Zombie
1 Esper Stormblade

I could have gone differently with this. I don't know if I should have tried harder to fit in the Thornling and Bant Charm. I think that I would have liked to have the other Architects in and I probably should have found room for the Puppet Conjurers. I am also on the fence about how to view the Borderposts. So far I think of them as about .5 land. If I have 2 of them I feel OK dropping a land but with one I couldn't do it. I ended up cutting the Knight for the 17th land.

Bates was on my right and passed me the Tower Gargoyle so I started picking up Esper but he picked up the second Tower Gargoyle and cut me off. Oh well.

Round 1

Kyle Dembinski

Game 1

I never get past 4 land this game so it was a bit hard for me to get my guys to stick and be able to play some tricks. I fight the good fight and get him down to 4 but his deck is too much for me.

Game 2

I mulligan to a hand with 2 lands and an Armillary Sphere, but I continue to draw land. I try to double block the 2/4 doublestriker to kill it by Warping it and the Court Archers, but he blanks that plan with a Magma Spray and that about wraps it up for me. I tell him that I fully expected the Jund Charm to +2/+2 the Doublestriker and he lets me know that play was coming down next turn.

Round 2

DANEFIRE!!

Game 1 and 2

In both games, Dane ramps up into lots of mana but doesn't see any high CC spells and I apply the pressure with the flyers.

Round 3

Joe Komer

Game 1

I didn't see much from him other than land this game. He dropped a Grixis Battlemage, Unsummoned one of my guys and cycled a Constricting Tendrils. Once more, Flyers FTW.

Game 2

I drop turn 3 Wall of Denial and that just seems like the nuts. It gives me so much time to set up and get out an active Metallurgeon to go with my flying artifact creatures.

Course he keeps me from going into overdrive by casting Blightning on turns 3 and 4. Tidehollow Strix takes care of a fair amount of his team before he drops a Suicidal Charge. He lets me play the Parasitic Strix and syphon him for 2 before he sacs the Charge pre-combat and kills my only Black permanent. I have to swing in now with my remaining two guys but I go ahead and put a regen shield around the Shieldmage while my Ominous Wall keeps me safe.

Somewhere in there I take three from one of his guys and he gets double Breath of Malfegor to bring me down to 3. I get so focused in on winning with my flyers that I probably give him at least one more draw than I should have by not alpha striking when he only had one black mana open. I saw the opportunity when he untapped and luckily for me he did not draw the 3rd Blightning to finish me off.

Round 4

Michael Mayes

Game 1

He starts off with a hand of 5 and I start with a hand of 6. I drop a Tower Gargoyle and keep a full hand to protect it and 5 swings later we are off to game 2.

Game 2

He mulls to 6 this time and I pull off the Dirty Turn 3 Wall. That pretty well shuts down most of his offense. The main play in this game that sealed the deal was the Gleam of Resistance which untapped my Tower gargoyle and wrecked his team or the Persecution that killed off 2 Goblins, a Deathraider and a Slaughtermaster that he cascaded off a Violent Outbrst.

Wall of Denial was an MVP and Agony warp is always fantastic, but I got to play with some new cards in the format. Zealous Persecution was so good for me everytime and the Shieldmage is just a beating in Esper. I didn't get in as much drafting with Conflux that I wanted to and it still confuses me, now I just have the added confusion of this all gold set. Still seems like I will have a fun time drafting while I try to figure things out.

Maybe next time, I will try not to draft in the same colours as the guy to my right. I'm not making any promises, though.

I still gotta figure out these Borderposts.

As Always,
DHT

Draft at WMG 16 APRIL 09

2009-04-17T01:18:00.000-07:00

So here are my picks in order...

Pack One
Spearbreaker Behemoth
Necrogenesis
Skeletonize
Jund Panorama
Bone Splinters
Sigil Blessing
Relic of Progenitus
Akrasan Squire
Fire-Field Ogre
Undead Leotau
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
Hindering Light
Savage Hunger
Swamp(Foil)
Forest

Pack Two
Algae Gharial
Naya Charm
Mosstodon
Resounding Silence
Hissing Iguanar
Druid of the Anima
Rakeclaw Gargantuan
Naturalize
Thunder-Thrash Elder
Sighted-Caste Sorceror
Waveskimmer Aven
Cylian Elf
Godtoucher
Goblin Mountaineer
Swamp

Pack Three
Volcanic Fallout
Wall of Reverence
Path to Exile
Rhox Bodyguard
Gluttonous Slime
Rhox Meditant
Quenchable Fire
Yoke of the Damned
Rhox Meditant
Fleshformer
Bone Saw
Corrupted Roots
Reliquary Tower
Salvage Slasher
Forest

The first 5 picks come my way and I start heading down the Jund path, and then it just dries up. I figure that Ward is on my left picking up Jund too; so I start picking up some white, thinking that I may have to pick up some blue as well since those were about the only cards left in the packs by that point.

Tommy is on my left and he passes me good enough Naya cards that I feel confidant picking that up and maybe splashing black.

Third pack makes me glad that I choose the white in my deck with Ward passing me the Wall and Path back to back.

...and here is how I ended up building the deck...

5 Forest
4 Mountain
6 Plains
1 Swamp
1 Jund Panorama
1 Akrasan Squire
1 Resounding Silence
1 Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
1 Bone Splinters
1 Hissing Iguanar
1 Skeletonize
1 Thorn-Thras Elder
1 Algae Gharial
1 Cylian Elf
1 Druid of the Anima
1 Mosstodon
1 Spearbreaker Behemoth
1 Naya Charm
1 Necrogenesis
1 Rakeclaw Gargantuan
1 Sigil Blessing
1 Path to Exile
2 Rhox Meditant
1 Wall of Reverence
1 Volcanic Fallout
1 Gluttonous Slime
1 Rhox Bodyguard

Round 1

Shane

Shane announced before the draft that it was his first time at Win More(I believe that he signed up for his DCI number that night). He tells me that he has drafted with his buddies but that he might take some time in reading the cards.

Game 1

I get stuck on 3 land for the longest time, only getting out a Sorcerer and an Iguanar. He saw that I was having land issues so promptly BBolted my Druid before he became active. I try to take out his Rockslide Elemental by blocking with the Iguanar and using the Blessing, but he counters with Angelsong and I shrug.

So far he has not been too aggressive, so I decide to be patient and wait for the fourth land to hit. It takes a few turns and going down to 7 life before it finally shows up so that my Gharial can come out to play. He keeps coming in with the 3/3 Rocky Elemental and random 1/1. We trade 1/1's and I chump the Elemental to deal 3 and ramp up Gharial to 4/4. Sure it pumps his Rocky but I have the Silence for him next turn so I am not worried. He does add to the stack of the Silence to Soul's Grace it for 6 life up to 22.

Gharial goes to town and takes him to 1 life when he tries to Sylvan Bounty. I add to the stack with a Gluttonous Slime to sac a random guy for one more point off the Iguanar but that is put on hold for the moment with a Lapse of Certainty. Tired of this I go ahead and show the Volcanic Fallout to end this long game.

Game 2

This game sees me get out Iguanar then Wall(which gets the Bant Charm)then Rhox Bodyguard and he doesn't really muster up anything past that.

After Game 1, Adam commented that I had showed a lot of patience in waiting for that fourth land. I wish that I could say that it was a hard call, but my opponent really didn't put any pressure on me even while I went down to 7. The elemental was the only scary creature onboard, and it didn't even become big until I was ready for it to.

Round 2

Ward Allen

Ward says he knows what colours that I went. I shrugged and said that he should after cutting me off. He countered that it was cut off before him and that he did end up shipping me some good white.

"Agreed, sir"

...and off we went.

Game 1

I mull but he gets land screwed this game and I didn't see too much before Sigil Blessing + Naya charm said it was over for him.

Game 2

He starts off faster this time with the Slaughtermaster and Macta Rioters at 3. I don't make any chump blocks yet since I want him to keep pumping mana into his doublestriker instead of laying down more threats. I take a hit that puts me to 11, but I come back with the Wall that nets me 4 off an Exalted Iguanar.

Next turn I block the Riders with the Wall, ready to take 6 from the Slaughermaster, but he Mights the Riders to take out the Wall and then can only pump up to 4 damage. Next turn I let him double-pump before showing the Silence. During his next draw step, I Skeletonize his Riders to try kill it before he possibly drops another land or pull another pump spell out of his hand. Macta goes away and don't fear anything he has on the table so I take over from there.

Round 3

Kenny Castor

He was still playing Tommy after I finished up round 2 and I saw a fair portion of his deck. Some Grixis Unearth guys, Absorb Vis, Malfegor, Cruel Ultimatum, Sharding Sphinx, Grixis Slavedriver, etc.

I figure that I have to get out in front quick if I am going to have any chance at all.

Game 1

I am on the draw and the opener of 6 land + Rhox Meditant simply won't do. I keep a more aggressive 6 and off we go. I think that this is where I threw away the Sigil Blessing early to get his unearth guy in the yard. I was holding the Necrogenesis in hand and dropped it next turn to start eating unearth guys.

I play pretty poorly this game(Like once trying to cycle the Silence before remembering that I decided on not throwing in the blue not to mention the above Sigil play that was probably bad as well) but the deck covers for me and I whittle him down.

I get him to 5 when it starts to look like he will stabilize. He has locked up the ground, I have no card sin hand and it looks like it might just be a waiting game for his Ultimatum or Malfegor.

Naya Charm off the top reads, "You Lucky Bastard!" and we head to....

Game 2

This game sees him struggle a bit with mana then Cycle and Land Cycle a lot trying to get set up for the long game. My wall gets Bone Sharded, Rakeclaw gets Warped then he casts an Oring that can only take my Rhox Meditant since my 5/5 Gharial rolls like MC Hammer. I drop a second Meditant for another card and keep beating down.

At this point, Kenny asks to find that I still have four cards in hand(Thanks Rhinos!) and goes into the tank a bit. He finally lands on cast Malfegor with 3 cards in hand to discard. That can get rid of Gharial and the Rhox he didn't ORing. I figured that it was going to happen, but I was sad to see them go.

The saving Grace to this situation was that he discarded the Ultimatum to Malefegor. That and my hand was Fairly SaucyTM, what with Naturalize, Bone Splinters, Spearbreaker, and....wait for it....Path.

Big M's Triggered ability resolves and I yard my crew before I ask him to trade the 6/6 for a basic land. I also Naturalize the ORing since he is at 8 with no hand and i want to try and wrap this up before he draws too many more cards.

His next card is a Sharding Sphinx, which I already know that I can handle but the icing on the cake is the Iguanar that comes off the top of my deck to get in an extra 2 when I Bone Shards the Thopter Maker. That is enough for Kenny to call it a day.

I mulled 50% of my games, but then again only had to play 6 of them. I think the deck had a good feel and a fine mix of creatures, removal and tricks to get me there.

It has been a while since the last time I was able to put together an undefeated draft. I felt that I was a little more open during the draft and ready to be more flexible than I typically am and that equaled being rewarded with the Wall and Path. He said that he was very unhappy to send them my way, but did so regardless. And back to back had to feel pretty bad. I don't know if I would have done it or not; I neglected to ask what his picks over them were.

I picked up the early Jund Panorama over some quality cards and am quite thankful for it, I just have to remember that. I also passed on some Visionaries through the first 2 packs that I thought about picking up. I think that I like them too much, but I love to have card draw in an aggresive to deck to reload. Thinking about possible Meditants in the 3rd pack meant that I got to pick higher quality cards over the 1/1.

Someday I may end up in 5CC, but so far I have not seen a way to build it with the cards that I have been passed. I am sure that it was just my ineptitude to recognize it on a few occasions. Til I do though, I guess I will just have to keep on the more straightforward approach.

As Always,
DHT

Draft at WMG 09 APRIL 09

2009-04-15T21:43:00.001-07:00

I am running a bit behind because of Easter prep and the like.

Here are my picks in order...

Pack One

Scourglass
Agony Warp
Tidehollow Sculler
Agony Warp
Windwright Mage
Viscera Dragger
Blister Beetle
Dregscape Zombie
Dawnray Archer
Etherium Astrolabe
Obelisk of Bant
Deathgreeter
Hindering Light
Lush Growth
Angel's Herald

Pack Two
Resounding Wave
Bone Splinters
Metallurgeon
Windwright Mage
Blister Beetle
Windwright Mage
Etherium Sculptor
Metallurgeon
Guardians of Akrasa
Skeletal Kathari
Etherium Sculptor
Dreg Reaver
Memory Erosion
Island
Island

Pack Three
Drag Down
Faerie Mechanist
Darklit Gargoyle
Master Sphinx
Absorb Vis
Frontline Sage
Faerie Mechanist
Esperzoa
Parasitic Strix
Gluttonous Slime
Zombie Outlander
Salvage Slasher
Scepter of Fugue
Voices from the Void
Mountain

So I took the first pick Scourglass and tried to force it. I never saw one Sanctum Gargoyle and the rest turned out fairly mediocre. I also did not pick up a Panorama early enough, but funnily I did not run into mana issues that it would have solved(maybe one but only if I had drawn early). The Master Sphinx was fun though.

Here is how I mis-built the deck

6 Islnd
5 Plains
6 Swamp
1 Metallurgeon
1 Scourglass
2 Etherium Sculptor
1 Resounding Wave
1 Blister Beetle
1 Bone Splinters
1 Skeletal Kathari
1 Viscera Dragger
2 Agony Warp
1 Tidehollow Sculptor
2 Windwright Mage
1 Darklit Gargoyle
1 Esperzoa
2 Faerie Mechanist
1 Parasitic Strix
1 Absorb Vis
1 Drag Down
1 Magister Sphinx

Round 1

Ward Allen

All three Games he gets out a Charnelhoard Wurm(Foil)(on turn six nost games) and I never find the Bone splinters. I have to make do with Agony warp and some dudes but I can only make this work to my advantage once.

Round 2

JR Cook

In game 1 my flyers keep me from ever getting close to being in trouble and I end the game 22.

In games 2 and 3, I am never really in it. Game 2 I have to discard 5 times before I hit a third land, Game 3 I play 3 spells and the land cycler.

Round 3

Colby with an exalted/esper deck

Game 1

I am behind the whole game and fighting to stay in it. He drops early exalted 1/1's and beats with a flyer that he gets through with Angelic Benediction as my Metallurgeon sighs.

He gets me to 3 life and thinks about his attack. My only relevant card here is the Resounding Wave but his flyer is Welkin Guide. He thinks for a while and does the only thing that can keep me alive, he swings with everybody.

I make blocks to kill off his 1/1 exalted guys, regen the Windwright , kill off my own Etherium Sculptor(to get an artifact in the yard and give my mages flight) and bounce the Guide.

Now I have multiple flyers to block so now his Benediction means nothing and I take him down from 20 with my life gainers.

Game 2

This one is a little more back and forth. I get him to 8 and I let myself go to 1 before I decide to gain 9 life with the Magister. I end up having to make a trade with him, but he did his job and I get the W.

Round 4

Joe Rozier

Joe is at 2-1 and gets paired down against me.

Game 1

He Dragon fodders out a couple of goblins and I drop a Sculptor. He then drops a lightning Talons on one of them and I decide to get cute and make a dumb move. I let him untap and swing in then I block the Enchanted Goblin and cast agony warp to power him down and kill the other. He responds with the Soul Fire and I never pick up anything else to deal with the first striker or his buddies that follow.

Game 2

He gets off to a fast start but I am able to keep it under control. I get to the point where I have 3 turns to draw a land(or 2 turns to draw a sculptor)...Strike 1....Strike 2...now I am at 1 life.

I tell him that all I need is one land off the top. He looks at me confused and can't figure out what I could need it for. I reassure him that one land will do it, he says sure one land for you( to Josh's disbelief..'You never wish for your opponent's outs, Joe!!).

Land...Sphinx...I'll Gain 9 life.

He still has a bunch of beef on the table to deal with, and he is able to get me down to 1 life for the second time this game. But by this time I have things in hand and ride a Windwright mage up in life totals and to victory.

Game 3

He has to mull on the play and doesn't keep much. My turn 2 Tidehollow sees Thunder-Thrash Viashino, Roar, Sigil Blessing, Sigil Blessing. I take the dude and just use my team to beat down.

My Scourglass always seemed to come down one turn too late and I was 1 for 8 I think on the Mechanist. I was able to get Esperzoa-Strix going a couple of times and I also used him with the Tidehollow to keep an eye on my opponent's hand. I didn't have enough straight up removal to keep up with a typical Naya draw and I probably should have fit the second Metallurgeon/Blister Beetle or set it up differently. I only passed one Executioner's Capsule(I think for the first Metallurgeon) and didn't see anything else, not even a Yoke.

The Draft started spicy for me, I really liked what I saw in the first 5 picks, but it petered out a bit. Maybe I should have looked at some other options while I was drafting.

Oh well, I guess I will try again in about 20 hours.

As Always,
DHT

Draft(s) at WMG 12 March 09

2009-03-18T21:33:00.000-07:00

So there were a couple of drafts that evening, and here are my picks from the first draft....

Pack 1

Kiss of the Amesha
Cloudheath Drake
Bant Charm
Resounding Silence
Resounding Roar
Rockcaster Platoon
Angelic Benediction
Etherium Sculptor
Gather Specimens
Dawnray Archer
Skill Borrower
Vectis Silencers
Behemoth's Herald
Coma Veil
Forest

Pack 2

Kiss of the Amesha
Sphinx Sovereign
Steward of Valeron
Guardians of Akrasa
Obelisk of Bant
Welkin Guide
Deft Duelist
Bant Battlemage
Obelisk of Bant
Guardians of Akrasa
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
Marble Chalice
Angel's Herald
Lush Growth

Pack 3

Martial Coup
Rhox Meditant
Skyward Eye Prophets
Celestial Purge
Frontline Sage
Gleam of Resistance
Worldly Counsel
Traumatic Visions
Unsummon
Brackwater Elemental
Jhessian Balmgiver
Elder Mastery
Vedalken Outlander
Grixis Illusionist
Forest

...and here is what I came up with...

5 Forest
5 Island
7 Plains
2 Obelisk of Bant
1 Angelic of Benediction
1 Bant Battlemage
2 Guardians of Akrasa
1 Resounding Silence
1 Rockcaster Platoon
1 Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
1 Welkin Guide
1 Cloudheath Drake
1 Bant Charm
1 Deft Duelist
1 Kiss of the Amesha
1 Steward of Valeron
1 Gleam of Resistance
1 Martial Coup
1 Rhox Meditant
1 Brackwater Elemental
1 Frontline Sage
1 Unsummon
1 Jhessian Balmgiver
1 Skyward Eye Prophets

Round 1

Josh Hastings

Game 1

Josh is playing Naya but doesn't get a quick start. I drop a couple of early Exalted guys and go to town with the Duelist. A timely Unsummon on an activated Knight buys me a little time before he drops some beef to slow things down but I have the Coup and wait long enough to wrath and swing back for the win in 2 turns.

Game 2

Josh gets a better start and Magma Sprays my Frontline Sage to slow down my searching. Soon enough, he gets an overwhelming force and we go to game 3.

Game 3

I think that I eventually drew the Coup again for the win.

Round 2

Josh Bayless

Game 1 and 2

Josh is in Esper and gets some ridiculously fast flying draws(Sculptor, Tower, P.Strix, Windmage) that wreck me before I can even get set up even though one game I was able to get the Amesha off(drawing 2 of the 12 land I drew that game).

Round 3

Ward Allen

Game 1

Ward is in Naya as well, and I am on the draw. I have mulliganed too much in the last two rounds and decide to keep dumb hands against him. For the first game I kept the 6 land Kiss of Amesha hand. I drew an early drop and an obelisk and ramped into the Kiss. I whittle him down 2 at a time to 10 and I go to 2 myself, all the while holding the Coup. I wait for him to empty his hand then Coup for 8. He gets a blocker down but two swings is all it takes.

Game 2

Here I keep a sub par hand again, but I get an early Steward to help ramp up. It is 17-13 in his favour when I drop the Rockcaster Platoon to gum up the ground. I activate once at 9 mana on his turn, drop a land on my turn and say go with the score 15-11(I forgot to activate the Balmgiver). He thinks for quite some time, trying to figure how to make an attack work out well for him. He thinks that I have the Coup(and I do) but drops a few more critters on board to hope to get an Alpha Strike on soon then says go. I figure that I have the win so I activate the Rockcaster twice, preventing 1 to me this time with the Balmgiver to bring us to 11-8. I swing in with the big Rhino, superflously tapping something with the Benediction before targeting him with the Balmgiver's second ability(Unblockable).

"So I take 5?" Ward asks.

"No, he's a 7/9 with the 2 Exalted triggers." I reply.

I wait a little bit while he does the math, then he scoops up his cards. Golliher had come in and was watching the second game so he saw my opening hand, so I started chatting with him about both of the awful openers loud enough so that Ward knew what I kept. I think it made him a little perturbed, because he seemed in a bit of a rush to make his picks and be on his way. I guess he didn't want to stay for the Midnight Draft.

That's right...Midnight Draft.

And it was a Friday Night Magic Event!(that is why we had to wait for midnight to start)

So it was a while in the making, but I had scheduled the FNM for special reasons. Not only to make the Hat Trick for Win More(3 FNM's on that Friday), but to celebrate something that I found out on the Ratings page.

This was my 1000th DCI Sanctioned Event!!!!!!
(or at least close enough, I think I was 3 over)
(that is as player, judge, organizer, scorekeeper, etc)

My wife was nice enough(because she is fantastic) to make cupcakes for me to bring to the shop. I also bring some chips and salsa for those not fans of the sweets. So people have something to snack on while we wait for the Witching Hour. People get some playtesting in and then I start taking sign ups. I wait for as long as I can before letting out the next bit of information about this special event.

This is a Free Draft.

That fact keeps a few people in that would have left and we keep trying to juggle a nice draft pod number. We thought it was going to split perfect but we had 3 more come in at the buzzer and brought the grand total up to 27 people for the Midnight Draft.

We go over a few things since I am changing up some of the normal rules. We opt for going 3 rounds and I end up making the 'Keep what you draft' call so that noone feels obligated to stay around and try to get better picks in a redraft. I let everyone in on why I wanted to put this event together and to the best of my knowledge everyone had a good time. It was a close one there when the girl with the Peanut Allergy bites into a cupcake not knowing that my wife had put a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in each one. Luckily it was not a severe allergy and she found it before eating it.

Many thanks to Josh Olson at Win More for staying open late and letting me hold the event at the store. Thanks to everyone who came out to help me celebrate.

As Always,
DHT

Draft at WMG 05 March 09

2009-03-05T22:35:00.000-08:00

Sigh...

Lost the draft...in more ways than one. I had almost finished typing this up for the first time and I suddenly lost everything. Not sure which I am more upset about.

Here are my picks ...again....

Pack 1

Tower Gargoyle
Sanctum Gargoyle
Agony Warp
Bone Splinters
Esper Charm
Hissing Iguanar
Welkin Guide
Angelic Benediction
Deathgreeter
Welkin Guide
Cathartic Adept
Angel's Herald
Relic of Progenitus
Banewasp Affliction
Forest

Pack 2

Tower Gargoyle
Oblivion Ring
Viscera Dragger
Skeletal Kathari
Kiss of the Amesha
Obelisk of Esper
Tar Fiend
Steelclad Serpent
Yoked Plowbeast
Rip-Clan Crasher
Demon's Herald
Sunseed Nurturer
Dreg Reaver
Demon's Herald
Mountain

Pack 3

Yoke of the Damned
Drag Down
Parasitic Strix
Parasitic Strix
Brackwater Elemental
Parasitic Strix
Faerie Mechanist
Unsummon
Vectis Agents
Pestilent Kathari
Yoke of the Damned
Aven Trailblazer
Kranioceros
Scornful Aether-Lich
Plains

So it seemed like a reasonable Esper Draft, nothing too nutty but some solid guys with tricks. I passed by some Naya and Jund goodies but stayed the course. I still have not been able to get myself to draft the 5 Colour Special. I wanted to get a Panorama but was happy to get an Obelisk in the second pack, since I passed some in the first pack for removal.

Here is how I built the deck...

5 Island
6 Plains
6 Swamp
1 Obelisk of Esper
1 Oblivino Ring
1 Sanctum Gargoyle
1 Sunseed Nurturer
1 Welkin Guide
1 Yoked Plowbeast
1 Bone Splinters
1 Skeletal Kathari
1 Tar Fiend
1 Viscera Dragger
1 Agony Warp
1 Kiss of the Amesha
2 Tower Gargoyle
1 Aven Trailblazer
1 Brackwater Elemental
1 Faerie Mechanist
2 Parasitic Strix
1 Unsummon
1 Drag Down
1 Pestilent Kathari
1 Vectis Agents

I wanted to play at least one of the Yokes. I think that they are a good card, but I felt that I needed the instant speed on my side. I ended up playing only 2 of the Parasitic Strix, I think that I should have played the 3rd one over the Trailblazer since I wasn't playing Domain.

Round 1

Josh

Game 1

I race him with my flyer and he doesn't get greedy with either of his pump knights(Skyward or Dragonsouled) playing around the Agony Warp that I had in hand. I get a Tower Gargoyle to stick with the Warp mana up and that is game.

Game 2

I mull the 2 lander and keep a better 6. He gets early beats and drops me to 8 before I am able to stabilize with a Tower Gargoyle. The Kiss seals it up for me and he scoops.

Round 2

Dave Barker

Game 1

He has a bunch of Naya Beef but I am able to keep up with him at 11-12 for me. Then he drops a Spearbreaker and casts Soul's Majesty. I can draw an out with the ORing but the 2 of the 5 cards that he draws are Woolly Thoctars, which he plays and I pick up my cards.

I will have to yell at Bates who was on the other side of him, I didn't pass him any Thoctars.

Game 2

He goes turn 1 Nacatl, 2 Mountain, 3 Thoctar. He has me on the back foot and I just can't get anything together. He has the Magma Spray for my double block and a Volcanic Submersion for my Tower Gargoyle.

Round 3

DANEFIRE!!!!!

Game 1

I keep a hand missing Islands, but have an ORing and some 5 drops. I don't see an Island or a 5th land and he Hammers me.

Game 2

We both mull to 6 this game but he drew 2 from Esper Charm, 2 From Capsule, and 2 From Kiss. I got off a Kiss as well and was able to let the Tower Gargoyle go to work. I drop the second Tower Gargoyle before the Strix for the win just in case he has a bounce/removal spell for the first Gargoyle.

Game 3

We go back and forth on this game before I can get a Tower Gargoyle to stick. At the end he sees an opportunity to go for the win, so he Unearths his Kathari and swings for the fences. After blocks he tries to Sigil Blessing, but I have th agony Warp to couter the spell . We talk a bit and I think that he should have held back with it since I had gone on the offensive with the 4/4 flyer and he knew that I had Warp, Unsummon and Drag Down in the deck that I had not played that game. Still, it could have been his last chance for the win...maybe I am just too much of a reactionary/defensive player.

Anyway, I was a bit disappointed with the Faerie Mechanist(only hitting once in 6 tries) but I probably should have played more artifacts for him. Cards that I think that I should have tried to find room for were the Esper Charm and the Scornful Aether-Lich. I would have sided in the charm to deal with some enchantments, but with the tri-colour and my lack of fixing it just didn't seem as worth it like the Gargoyle's were.I would have traded in the Lich for the Agents against a Bant deck, but the Agents unblockability seemed better than the Fear.

Well I guess that I have to keep at it, but I will have to skip a week.

As Always,
DHThomas

Draft at WMG 19 February 09

2009-02-19T22:33:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately there were only six to draft this evening. There were eight people hanging about, but the two that wanted to go playtest for the Extended PTQ's would not be persuaded or cajoled into staying.

Oh well...

It was AAC and here are my picks in order...

Pack 1
Caldera Hellion
Fleshbag Marauder
Fleshbag Marauder
Blood Cultist
Fatestitcher
Skeletal Kathari
Exuberant Firestoker
Tidehollow Strix
Etherium Sculptor
Corpse Connoisseur
Excommunicate
Esper Panorama
Steelclad Serpent
Angelsong
Swamp

Pack 2
Flameblast Dragon
Blister Beetle
Viscera Dragger
Executioner's Capsule
Skeletal Kathari
Agony Warp
Obelisk of Esper
Obelisk of Grixis
Call to Heel
Windwright Mage
Jhessian Lookout
Courier's Capsule
Undead Leotau
Viashino Skeleton
Mountain

Pack 3
Blood Tyrant
Sedraxis Alchemist
Zombie Outlander
Kederekt Parasite
Frontline Sage
Canyon Minotaur
Suicidal Charge
Unsummon
Traumatic Visions
Might of Alara
Vedalken Outlander
Vectis Agents
Manaforce Mace
Sludge Strider
Plains

...and here is what I ended up with..

5 Island
5 Mountain
6 Swamp
1 Esper Panorama
1 Obelisk of Esper
1 Obelisk of Grixis
1 Call to Heel
1 Courier's Capsule
1 Fatestitcher
1 Blister Beetle
1 Executioner's Capsule
2 Fleshbag Marauder
1 Skeltal Kathari
1 Viscera Dragger
1 Caldera Hellion
1 Exuberant Firestoker
1 Flameblast Dragon
1 Agony Warp
1 Blood Cultist
1 Tidehollow Strix
1 Frontline Sage
1 Unsummon
1 Sedraxis Alchemist
1 Canyon Minotaur
1 Blood Tyrant
1 Zombie Outlander

So I have to be happy with the rares that I opened even though I did have to pass Branching Bolt and Jund Charm to get the Hellion. I typically try to draft more removal but I ended up with enough tricks to be satisfied with the deck.

Round 1

Joe Rosier playing Bant

Game 1

He opens strong with Noble Hierarch, Steward of Valeron, Steward, Rhox Bodyguard . I use the Fatestitcher and what tricks I have to try and stay alive and draw as many cards as possible. I drop to two, untap and have to main phase activate the Frontline Sage into the Hellion which I use to wreck his team. I have Fleshbag in hand and the Stitcher in the yard to deal with what he might draw and he packs it in.

Game 2

He opens on Squire, Squire, Sorcerer and he gets me to 4 this time before I stabilize. He tries not to overextend but I finally stick a Blood Cultist and use it to kill his Jhessian Balmgiver finally prompting out the Gluttonous Slime, but he only eats the JB and I drop the Hellion I had in hand for the longest time.

Round 2

Game 1

I have to mulligan to 5 in this game and I use every card and advantage that I can to stabilize at five and look to be able to swing for lethal soon, but next turn he TD's the Branching Bolt to get in for the win.

Game 2

He draws his ORing for my early Blood Tyrant and uses Soul's Fire to kill my Hellion when I clear his board. I drop to two and he gains eight going to thirteen and I still feel I have a strong position excepting the Branching Bolt that he once again drew.

Round 3

Derek

Games 1 and 2

I get paired against Derek who is the only 2-0 at this point and I figure my only way to get any good picks from the redraft is to dream crush. Both games I use a bunch of removal and bounce to just keep getting my little guys in there.

So I get second place and pick the Hierarch after Derek picks up the Sarkan Vol.

I greatly enjoyed Bouncing Marauders with the trigger on the stack or just sacking my unearth guys. I am a big fan of the Frontline Sage and Alchemist, they both worked grat. I wanted to try out the Parasite; I probably would have at leasst sided it in against Esper; but I didn't think that I had enough red permanents. My hero was the Hellion of course, but I figured on that happening.

Anyway, I hope that there are eight next week and we can get a sanctioned tournament in as I am quickly approaching the 1000 sanctioned event mark.