TL;DR: Gerry Thompson is good at Magic.
Everything else is just minutia.
Yes, the Star of Star City himself, Gerry Thompson (@G3RRYT), was the big winner of the weekend, defeating all comers with his own special brand of Justice: U/W/R Flash and Shardless BUG. After all of the buildup leading up to the event for G/B/W Reanimator, Naya Blitz, and Esper Control, it was quite surprising to some to see Boros Reckoner return to the forefront, not only in the hands of Gerry but also in The Aristocrats: Act 2, a deck played by many of #TeamSCG in the Invitational itself…such as Brad Nelson (@fffreakmtg), who earned his first career Open Top 8 appearance in the Standard Open in Atlanta.
After defeating top seed Phillip Lorren in the quarterfinals and fellow Versus video star Brian Braun-Duin (@BraunDuinIt) in the semis, Gerry’s crosshairs found fellow SCG writer and top pick in #SCGINVI fantasy draft Shaheen Soorani (@shaheenmtg) in the finals. Gerry swiftly took out his Lingering Souls opponent in three games and took his second career StarCityGames.com Invitational trophy. He became the first ever to earn two SCG Invitational wins and added to his pretty good year so far after making Top 8 of #PTGTC.
But those aren’t the only highlights from a full weekend of gaming. From the inaugural Ascension Immortals tournament to the spectacular commentary work done by the @SCGLive team to the lengthy back-to-back turned in by Max Tietze, the Invitational in Atlanta will be long remembered. And to help you catch up, here’s a few select cuts from this past weekend:
On my way to the ATL and the @starcitygames invitational #SCGINVI twitter.com/RedVelvetMTG/s…
— Ryan Clark (@RedVelvetMTG) April 4, 2013
All I have to say about the #SCGInvi is we better have @jkyu06 or @adam_prosak tokens by the end of it.
— Eric Klug (@klug_alters) April 4, 2013
Leaving for ATL now. I’ll be there in almost 7 hours. I don’t feel very confident about my decks at the moment. #SCGINVI
— Michael Hetrick (@theshipitholla) April 4, 2013
who has a decklist for Aristocrats Act 2??
— Will Price (@sloppystack) April 6, 2013
For those of you wanting to see my deck, the tech should go up soon and Primer will be up Friday on Starcitygames.com. #videos!
— Brad Nelson (@fffreakmtg) April 6, 2013
Congrats to Phillip Lorren for his undefeated Day 1 of the @starcitygames Invitational. Good luck tomorrow everyone! twitter.com/Gaming_Pit/sta…
— The Gaming Pit (@Gaming_Pit) April 6, 2013
As per @moxreuby request I am 49-12-4 over the last 4 invitationals. Need to win this one!!
— Shaheen Soorani (@shaheenmtg) April 6, 2013
When people give me thumbs up at tournaments i always give them thumbs up back altho they might be asking whether i won or lost
— Travis Woo (@travisdwoo) April 6, 2013
10-4 time to rally #scginvi
— Gerry Thompson (@G3RRYT) April 6, 2013
For those of you wondering, @cedricaphillips is listening to the Pitch Perfect soundtrack in between rounds #scginvi @annakendrick47
— Osyp Lebedowicz (@OsypL) April 6, 2013
Hope everyone is enjoying the coverage so far. Trying to learn to talk slower but it is a challenge! #scginvi @scglive
— Tom Martell (@tommartell) April 7, 2013
@scglive Commentary is exceptional this weekend, A++ would watch again.
— Matthew Boccio (@RalphBacchio) April 6, 2013
I’m really enjoying @osypl‘s commentary this weekend. #scginvi #MTG
— Jonathan Medina (@mtgmedina) April 6, 2013
The #SCGINVI coverage team of @osypl @cedricaphillips and @tommartell is the best rotation in Atlanta since Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz.
— Zaiem Beg (@zbeg) April 7, 2013
“I think these two are going to be having a rap battle after this.” -@osypl twitter.com/feb31st/status…
— jon corpora (@feb31st) April 6, 2013
Congrats to @fffreakmtg and @wildestnacatl for top 8ing the #scginvi standard open.
— Kevin Sellers (@kevinforbattle) April 7, 2013
@fffreakmtg woooooow
— Gerry Thompson (@G3RRYT) April 7, 2013
Got paired down against Kenny, who scooped to me.Should be top 16 and with a little luck, he makes top 32.
— chris vanmeter (@Chris_VanMeter) April 6, 2013
Great job so far by @cedricaphillips @tommartell and @osypl – gl to @g3rryt tomorrow! @scglive #scginvi
— eric froehlich (@efropoker) April 6, 2013
Locked in t8 of the #SCGINVI making all of @klug_alters dreams come true
— Adam Prosak (@Adam_Prosak) April 6, 2013
Benny Beatdowns with a top 8 berth to salvage the trip!
— mark herberholz (@herberheezy) April 6, 2013
Top 8 of the invitational
— Brian Braun-Duin (@BraunDuinIt) April 6, 2013
Lucky @shaheenmtg in top 8 again! #SCGINVI
— Pat Cox (@wildestnacatl) April 6, 2013
Sweet top 8 at the #scginvi
— Burritoman Mike (@burritoman88) April 6, 2013
Legacy Top 8 is so much more interesting to watch than Standard! #scginvi @scglive
— Jacob Kory (@MTGKoby) April 6, 2013
.@ccalcano That my friend, is an understatement. First words that came out of my mouth is too dirty for the #SCGInvi hashtag
— Blake Leighton (@BLeighton1982) April 6, 2013
I adore these player interviews.Makes coverage have personality. I hope the top 8 is as awesome. <3
— Cedric Phillips (@CedricAPhillips) April 7, 2013
Really disappointed about these video t8 profiles. Everyone played it straight up and no one chose Troll or Fish as their token type 🙁
— Phil Samms (@psamms) April 8, 2013
Lost in 4 excruciating games in quarters of #SCGINVI this one will sting for awhile
— Adam Prosak (@Adam_Prosak) April 7, 2013
I just can’t get over that picture of @shaheenmtg and @theshipitholla from the Indy Invi. Go Hetrick! #SCGINVI
— Noah T Koessel (@NTKoessel) April 7, 2013
So many horses! All we can do now is sit back and enjoy. Congrats to everyone involved! #SCGINVI
— Harry Corvese (@Hcorvese) April 7, 2013
I won G1 and then Shaheen’s better board plan beat me the next three. He also drew much better than I did those games. #SCGINVI
— Michael Hetrick (@theshipitholla) April 7, 2013
BBD AND GERRY IN TOP 4!!!!!! WOOT WOOT WOOT!!!
— Brad Nelson (@fffreakmtg) April 7, 2013
That was probably the most intense game I’ve ever watched. Well done, @braunduinit! #SCGInvi
— Michael Mills (@MTGMillsy) April 7, 2013
That match was insane #scginvi
— Jason Abong (@MTGTwin1) April 7, 2013
Wow, that game 5 was awesome. #SCGINVI
— Joey Pasco (@AffinityForBlue) April 7, 2013
Also, this top 8 has been chock full of upsets so far! Makes for exciting coverage when the underdog pulls off their 20% match #SCGInvi
— USS Beatdown (@CapnTopDeck) April 7, 2013
@braunduinit Well done 🙂
— Jason Reedy (@jasonlreedy) April 7, 2013
Lost in the semis but it’s ok because I’m ridiculously good looking. twitter.com/RossMBoss/stat…
— Ross TheBoss Merriam (@RossMBoss) April 7, 2013
Made it into the finals of the Invitational! #SCGINVI
— Shaheen Soorani (@shaheenmtg) April 7, 2013
@g3rrytDude you’re blond now! Watching you on coverage! Rooting for you 🙂
— Joel Larsson (@JoelLarsson1991) April 7, 2013
@scglive I don’t know who to cheer for. They’re both one of my favorites. I’m so confused!
— Mike (@robotlarge) April 7, 2013
heh, a midround deckcheck in the finals on video? #scginvi
— Martin Juza (@Juzam_) April 7, 2013
I’m officially cheering for Shaheen now. Only so we can keep watching these guys playing
— Mike (@robotlarge) April 7, 2013
(Cari) Congratulations to Gerry Thompson, your #SCGINVI Champion!
— SCG Live (@scglive) April 7, 2013
.@g3rryt Yes my apprentice, it is time to reveal our existence to the Jedi … #mtg #scg #scginvi
— Vader Magic (@VaderMagic) April 8, 2013
GERRY! GERRY! GERRY! @g3rryt #SCGINVI
— Lauren Lee (@mulldrifting) April 7, 2013
Drew pretty poorly all three games but that’s magic. Good run at least #esperinallformats
— Shaheen Soorani (@shaheenmtg) April 7, 2013
@misterorange No idea whose idea it was, but Invitational winners getting a token is the absolute best prize possible (aside from the $).
— Ari Lax (@armlx) April 7, 2013
I love that @g3rryt won #SCGINVI but I’m sad that @shaheenmtg lost. Couldn’t this have been like Hunger Games so they’d both win?
— Joey Pasco (@AffinityForBlue) April 7, 2013
Walking around with @g3rryt ‘s trophy like a boss 🙂 #SCGINVI
— Kaitlin Lindburg (@kaitlindburg) April 7, 2013
Lost my last legacy round because I thought ftv dryad arbor was a forest, good design on that one #scginvi
— Orrin Beasley (@ORonHubbard) April 8, 2013
Goblins is always so fun to see on camera. Considering how much I love the deck I’m surprised I havent built it yet.
— Patrick Buckley (@Capinahab) April 8, 2013
#SCGINVI With storm out, I’m rooting for goblins now, & Max Tietze did win the last Atlanta with goblins in sept! Go Max!
— FelineLongmore (@FelineLongmore) April 8, 2013
Four red decks in the Top 4. This format has a come a long way from Brainstorm in the Top 4 every time. #scginvi #JundYou #CannotBeCountered
— Jacob Kory (@MTGKoby) April 8, 2013
Meet Ascension Immortal Tournament winner and 2012 Ascension World Champion Jacob McCarthy: ascensiongame.com/interview-with…
— Ascension (@Ascensiongame) April 10, 2013
Hands down @scglive has provided one of the best coverage weekends I’ve ever watched. WoTC should take some notes.
— Taylor P (@Taylor_mtg) April 7, 2013
I think what I like best about these @scglive commentators is that they are super good at analyzing gameplay, and also able toentertain
— Zak Turchansky (@zturchan) April 7, 2013
Continued to be impressed by the week over week development of standard. And Dragon’s Maze is only a few weeks out!
— samstod (@samstod) April 7, 2013
Phew! That’s a lot to take in! But if you’ve made it this far, you’re now caught up. Be sure to join us at the next Invitational in Somerset, New Jersey, July 26-28, where Gerry will defend his trophy, Shaheen will go for five Top 8s in a row, and much, much more! See you there!
And as long as I got my suit and tie, I’ma leave it all on the floor tonight, and you got fixed up to the nines…let me show you a few Tweets!
Event Coverage Coordinator and Twitter Admiral for StarCityGames.com
Listen to the @InContention podcast! It’s the official podcast of the StarCityGames.com Open Series with @kstube, @affinityforblue, and myself. Our most recent episode, Gerrymandering, guest starring Gerry Thompson, can be found here.