No video this week, boys and girls—our techie team is busy producing more awesome videos with Gerry Thompson and Brad Nelson than you can shake a stick at. You’ll want to stay tuned for those this week, as they’re hitting Standard in playtesting to help prepare you guys for the PTQ season as well as the StarCityGames.com Open Series: Phoenix this weekend!
Delver was vanquished handily last weekend in Des Moines, with G/R Aggro rising to the top of the heap in the hands of the brothers Brandon (Nelson and Downs, respectively). The tweaks made to these decks will become industry standard quickly, so metagame accordingly. I wouldn’t expect most players to stick with Hellrider, but keep your eyes peeled for the occasional Increasing Savagery and Primeval Titan.
Meanwhile, Delver did see a return to form in Legacy—top form in fact, with RUG Delver seizing the majority of the Top 8 slots. Joshua Snider’s Maverick list appeared to be the favorite in the finals, but Ryan Overturf managed to fight his way through Choke with an unanswered Delver in the deciding game.
I’d say prepare for RUG Delver, but if you were planning on playing in Legacy then you already knew that—the archetype has been a top-tier performer for several weeks. In fact, maybe I should tell you to just play it!
StarCityGames.com is heading to Phoenix this weekend, and we’ll be bringing a full schedule of cash tournaments and side events. The Open Series will be at the Phoenix Convention Center on 100 N Third St. Our sponsored hotel for the weekend will be the Lexington Hotel Central Phoenix on 1100 North Central Avenue, and we can also suggest the Jefferson Street Garage at 333 E. Jefferson Street for parking near the event. If you’re going to be there, RSVP on Facebook and print off all the information! Any online orders placed before noon on Thursday, April 12th can be sent to the site free of charge if you select the Event Pickup option for shipping.
We’re offering the Saturday Standard Open and Sunday Legacy Open, both at 10 AM as usual. We’ve got 2HG Sealed running on both days, while Saturday will whet your Eternal appetites with a Legacy Challenge.
Sunday, of course, will feature two Draft Opens as well. If you love DII draft, then this is going to be one of the last major events to feature it. Avacyn Restored will be here sooner than you think, after all—the previews are already rolling in.
I won’t be in Phoenix this weekend—you’ll be enjoying the written works of my West Coast counterpart, Dane Young. He’ll be complemented by @SCGLive of course, and we’ve got a treat for you this weekend. Brian Kibler and Patrick Sullivan will be teaming up for commentary all weekend long! In addition to being two of the game’s most popular players, each of these guys has also been around the block a time or two when it comes to Magic: The Gathering. Expect tales of the good ol’ days accompanied by some sharp commentary—I know I’ll be tuning in myself! They’ll have Twitter running the conversation at #SCGAZ, and you can always Tweet @SCGLive if you’ve got questions, comments, or requests.
If you’re on the West Coast, don’t miss Open Series: Phoenix. It’s offering plenty of Invitational qualifications, and you’re going to need them later this year…
Event Coverage Coordinator