Chris Kronenberger is your Louisville Legacy Open champion! Chris piloted a unique mono blue list into the Top 8, leaning on Vendilion Clique, Back to Basics, and Jace, the Mind Sculptor backed by a wall of counterspells. Once in the elimination rounds, he knocked out three Team America pilots in a row before hoisting the trophy, riding Back to Basics all the way. In a world with mental Misstep, many players have turned to Hymn to Tourach for attrition-based wins, but Chris showed players that you should watch where you point that sorcery. If it doesn’t hit a Spell Snare, you may find a Misdirection pointing it back the other way. Meanwhile, following Alex Gonzalez’s Standard Open win with Caw-Blade, the Draft Opens were won by Lee Johnson and Andrew Shrout, deft players of the forty-card format. Thus concludes the last Open Weekend before the Indianapolis Invitational, where StarCityGames.com will be handing out thousands of dollars in prizes as Gavin Verhey and Adrian Sullivan deliver commentary all weekend long!  Loading Event Photos…
Chris Kronenberger
By Glenn JonesFinals: Chris Kronenberger vs. Adam TurkSamuel Swisher and Chris Kronenberger were both excited to have made the finals of their first StarCityGames.com Open Top 8, breaking through after multiple strong starts in the past. 
By Glenn JonesSemifinals: Chris Kronenberger vs. Adam TurkChris Kronenberger is piloting one of the more unique decks in the event. Taking a page out of Gerry Thompson’s book, he went full Islands with a blue control list that features a ton of hard counters, including Cryptic Command alongside Legacy usuals Counterspell, Force of Will, Misdirection, and Mental Misstep. 
By David McDarbyQuarterfinals: Todd Anderson vs. Joe BernalTodd Anderson’s NO Bant has proven itself capable by launching him to the top of the Swiss rounds in today’s tournament. A fast Natural Order for Progenitus is an (almost) unstoppable two turn clock.
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By Glenn JonesLegacy Open Top 8 ProfilesMeet the Top 8 competitors in the StarCityGames.com Legacy Open in Louisville. 
By Event StaffTop 16 Legacy DecklistsCheck out the decks used by the top competitors at StarCityGames.com Legacy Open Louisville.
By Glenn JonesQuarterfinals: Caleb Durward vs. Samuel SwisherCaleb Durward’s Deadguy Ale deck has been surprising players all day with turn 1 Dark Confidants or turn 2 Phyrexian Obliterators. 
By Glenn JonesRound 8: David Price vs. Samuel SwisherDavid Price is known for piloting New Horizons in most Legacy events, but he and Jesse Hatfield are among a handful of players bucking traditional favorites and piloting Zoo in today’s Legacy Open, taking advantage of combo’s recession to rock Wild Nacatl.
By Glenn JonesRound 7: Mike Meier vs. Caleb DurwardCaleb Durward’s Deadguy Ale variant has taken him to 15 points, and with a win here he’ll be likely to lock up Top 8 with a draw next round. 
By Glenn JonesQuick Question: Has Mental Misstep Lived Up To Your Expectations?Mental Misstep was one of the most hyped cards coming out of New Phyrexia, so is it a flop or a four-of?
By Glenn JonesRound 6: Chris VanMeter vs. Andrew EllisOrlando Legacy Open champ Chris VanMeter has continued running well in Louisville, off to a solid start in Legacy and looking to repeat his championship. In his way is Andrew Ellis, a Bant player in search of an Invitational qualification before Indianapolis in June. 
By Glenn JonesDeck Tech: Reanimator with Sam StoddardThe deck remained a Tier 2 contender for some time, until New Phyrexia got players thinking. In particular, Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur sent Sam’s heart into flutters. “When I saw the card for the first time, I knew I wanted to be Reanimating it on turn 2.”
By Glenn JonesRound 5: Alex Bertoncini vs. Christian ValentiThe matchup was a dismal one for Alex due to all the Pyroblasts and Red Elemental Blasts in Christian’s deck, along with his Goblin Welders to dodge Alex’s countermagic.
By Glenn JonesDeck Tech: Deadguy Ale Aggro with Caleb DurwardSCGLive featured Caleb Durward’s unique variation the Deadguy Ale archetype in the second round of the Louisville Legacy Open. 
By Glenn JonesEric Klug, Alterist ExtraordinaireIf you follow card modifications or even just play a lot of Commander and Legacy, then you’re probably familiar with Eric Klug.
By Glenn JonesQuick Question: What’s Your Favorite Creature In Legacy Right Now?With almost every creature ever printed to choose from, which critter holds a special place in players’ hearts?
Alex Gonzalez
By Glenn JonesFinals: Mike Long vs. Alex GonzalezAn advantage in the mirror is the theoretical purpose in choosing to sleeve up Darkblade, but history has shown that Caw-Blade tends to win the matchup when both pilots are equally wizened wizards. Has New Phyrexia changed anything?
By David McDarbySemifinals: Alex Gonzalez vs. Matt LandstromMatt was the shining (sparkling?) beacon of hope in the sea of Caw-Blade with his R/B Vampires deck. Could the aggro deck trump the Stoneforge menace?
By Glenn JonesSemifinals: Adam Varner vs. Mike LongNo, not that Mike Long. He and Adam Varner have been blasting through the field with their Darkblade and Caw-Blade lists, but now only one of them could advance any farther.
By David McDarbyQuarterfinals: BJ Bessler vs. Mike LongBJ got here piloting Darkblade, which has seemed to still be the reigning champion of the current standard format, because Mike Long had also achieved his top 8 slot with the same archetype.
By Glenn JonesQuarterfinals: Alex Bertoncini vs. Alex GonzalezAlex battle! With Alex Gonzalez on Caw-Blade and Alex Bertoncini on Darkblade, this matchup would feature the two dominant variations on Stoneforge Mystic in a fight for the semifinals.
By Glenn JonesStandard Open Top 8 ProfilesMeet the Top 8 competitors in the StarCityGames.com Standard Open in Louisville.
By Event StaffTop 16 Standard DecklistsCheck out the decks used by the top competitors at StarCityGames.com Standard Open Louisville.
By Glenn JonesRound 9: Neil Michalares vs. Adam TurkAdam Turk had made it this far on the back of a Grixis Twin list packing Consecrated Sphinx and Spellskite. His opponent, Neil, needed a lot of luck and a win here to make the elimination rounds with Soul Sisters, a hybrid version that included the Phyrexian Metamorph/Leonin Relic-Warder infinite life combo.
By Glenn JonesRound 8: Matt Landstrom vs. Heath PerdueMatt Landstrom took down the Indianapolis Standard Open earlier this year with an aggressive Vampires strategy he’d been playing for months and he hasn’t changed his tune since.
By Glenn JonesDeck Tech: Soul Sisters with Conley WoodsConley Woods had every intention of playing in the Louisville Standard Open this weekend, but things don’t always go as intended.
By Glenn JonesRound 7: Ryan Rolen vs. Garrett YoungIt promised to be a friendly match between top decks of the recent Standard format, with Ryan on Caw-Blade and Garrett playing a Valakut list with Nature’s Claims in the main to help defeat Splinter Twins.
By Glenn JonesRound 6: Todd Anderson vs. Caleb DurwardStarCityGames.com columnist Todd Anderson came packing his own modifications to the popular Grixis Twin list, while Caleb Durward sleeved up U/W Caw-Blade a la Edgar Flores.
By Glenn JonesQuick Question: Is Squadron Hawk Essential To The Stoneforge-Based Strategies In Standard?Is the little white Ancestral an integral part of the Stoneforge Mystic-fueled decks, or a crutch deckbuilders are relying on?
By Glenn JonesDeck Tech: Phy Sligh with Anthony EasonAnthony Eason is hoping to notch a win for aggressive strategies this weekend, with an innovative strategy that combines Phyrexian mana with Death’s Shadow to create quite the monster.
By Glenn JonesQuick Question: Which Is Better For The Metagame – Darkblade Or Caw-Blade?Is the splash of black worth it?
By Glenn JonesDeck Tech: Hawkward with Ken Adams“I was a little bit worried about the Rapture because I’m so weak against Day of Judgment, but there are no sweepers and no Gideons anywhere.”
By Glenn JonesQuick Question: Which Splinter Twin/Exarch Color Combination Is The Best?Grixis and RUG versions of Standard’s newest combo deck were both used to some success last weekend, so we asked players which version they thought was best.
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Live Coverage of StarCityGames.com Open Series: Louisville
 
Chris Kronenberger is your Louisville Legacy Open champion! Chris piloted a unique mono blue list into the Top 8, leaning on Vendilion Clique, Back to Basics, and Jace, the Mind Sculptor backed by a wall of counterspells. Once in the elimination rounds, he knocked out three Team America pilots in a row before hoisting the trophy, riding Back to Basics all the way. In a world with mental Misstep, many players have turned to Hymn to Tourach for attrition-based wins, but Chris showed players that you should watch where you point that sorcery. If it doesn’t hit a Spell Snare, you may find a Misdirection pointing it back the other way. Meanwhile, following Alex Gonzalez’s Standard Open win with Caw-Blade, the Draft Opens were won by Lee Johnson and Andrew Shrout, deft players of the forty-card format. Thus concludes the last Open Weekend before the Indianapolis Invitational, where StarCityGames.com will be handing out thousands of dollars in prizes as Gavin Verhey and Adrian Sullivan deliver commentary all weekend long! |
