The StarCityGames.com Open Series in Columbus, Ohio last weekend achieved a series of firsts for SCG. For example, it was the first time SCG had teamed up with the Origins Game Fair. In fact, it was the first time SCG had held an Open Series in Columbus, Ohio, at all. It was also the first time internet celebrities Wil Wheaton (@wilw) and Felicia Day (@feliciaday) were in the same building as fellow celebs Cedric Phillips (@CedricAPhillips) and Adrian Sullivan (@AdrianLSullivan). Unfortunately, Wil and Felicia were too busy signing autographs to battle for trophies, but that didn’t stop hundreds of others from striving to become the first SCG Open Series champions in Columbus!
The most entertaining ‘first’ occurred during Sunday’s Legacy Open. It was the first time Kaitlin Lindburg (@kaitlindburg) and Gerry Thompson (@G3RRYT) had met in a sanctioned match…and luckily for us it was on camera! With both players undefeated heading into round 4, Twitter erupted with support for both players; some for Gerry attempting to make back-to-back Top 8s with Dredge and furthering his dominance of the Open Series, and some (okay, most) in favor of Kaitlin battling with a new and exciting Hypergenesis deck that later propelled Todd Anderson (@strong_sad) into the Top 8.
Sure, making Top 8 would be nice…but wouldn’t you rather be the best player in your own house? That’s what was on the line here! Which side are you on: #teamgerry or #teamkaitlin?
At #SCGOH ready to bash some people! #redmage4lyfe
— Kaitlin Lindburg (@kaitlindburg) June 2, 2012
(Jeremy) Kaitlin Lindburg (Hypergenesis) vs Gerry Thompson (Dredge) Live Now in HD! bit.ly/hqTUK2 #SCGOH
— SCG Live (@scglive) June 3, 2012
#TeamKaitlin or #TeamGerry? @scglive #scgoh
— Bryce Menard (@BryceMenard) June 3, 2012
#TeamKaitlin #scgoh #TeamGerry, Let’s go on this Showdown! Who will it be?!?!?!?!
— Patricia Hernandez (@cougarlady18) June 3, 2012
— Mallory Pontius (@MalloryPontius) May 31, 2012
Really want to see hypergenesis crush it here.#TeamKaitlin #scgoh
— Eli Evans (@roflcptr7) June 3, 2012
— Brian Kibler (@bmkibler) June 3, 2012
@scglive Gerry vs. Anyone.I am picking Anyone, Every time. #teamkaitlin
— Wally Bullard (@wdb4th) June 3, 2012
Maybe I am the bad guy here but I hope zombies eat @Kaitlindburg‘s brains. #TeamGerry #scgoh
— Sam Davis (@samdavisboyhero) June 3, 2012
OMG, @kaitlindburg just beat @G3RRYT with Akroma’s Memorial. Legacy is strange. #TeamKaitlin #scgoh
— Andrea Jen. Shubert (@andrea2s1) June 3, 2012
Witnessed greatness. #TeamKaitlin #scgoh
— Geo Thornton (@geo_thornton) June 3, 2012
Best match by far. #TeamKaitlin
— Danyel (@_raga_muffin_) June 3, 2012
Just lost to my girlfriend and SCGeditor @kaitlindburg on camera. Foller her! #scgoh
— Gerry Thompson (@G3RRYT) June 3, 2012
Made Top 64! Best day of Magic ever 🙂 #scgoh
— Kaitlin Lindburg (@kaitlindburg) June 4, 2012
Man, Griselbrand is getting obnoxious in Legacy.Draw 7 (or 14…) is too good.
— Brian Sondag (@BrianSondag) June 3, 2012
A match made in Magic heaven.
And by that I mean Hypergenesis and Griselbrand, of course…
The feature match of the weekend was not the only event that shook up the Twitterverse. Geoffrey Moes Top 8ed the Legacy portion with Belcher and made waves with his unique list, but it’s not his maindeck that caught Twitter’s eye. No, it was his…shall we say ‘interesting’ sideboard technology that fascinated the Magic world. And by ‘sideboard technology,’ I actually mean #15Island. It caused such a firestorm that he created an AMA on Reddit to answer all of the burning questions people had about his collection of Islands! Intrigued? Read on:
Geoffrey Moes (top en el último SCG jugando Belcher con 15 islas en el side) escribe en Reddit: reddit.com/r/magicTCG/com… twitter.com/manainfinito/s…
— Maná Infinito (@manainfinito) June 4, 2012
Belcher makes top 8, sideboard consists of 15 Islands. #ilovelegacy #SCGOH
— Matt Braddock (@astormbrewing) June 4, 2012
Belcher guy has 15 ALPHA Islands on is SB @scglive #scgoh
— Michael L (@forestsfailyou) June 4, 2012
So apparently the 15 island belcher board did a TON of work. He kept acting like he was sideboarding in cards, mindtricking his opponents.
— Greg (@uselessend) June 4, 2012
@Juzam_ What % of Belcher players do you think actually make their deck worse after sideboarding? No temptation to do that here lol.
— Tim Aten (@AllFairness) June 4, 2012
@AllFairness @Juzam_ id show after I beat them.
— Owen Turtenwald (@OwenTweetenwald) June 4, 2012
Of course, Ohio wasn’t the only place that attracted the best and brightest battlers. Some opted out of a trek to the Midwest and instead opted for a nice, leisurely Magic Cruise! Taking place once or twice a year for the last four years, this cruise took off from Seattle and journeyed north to take in the beautiful Alaskan shoreline and tourist destinations. Players and Wizards employees alike loved it so much that they couldn’t help but Tweet about their vacation on the #MagicCruise:
Crab lunch @LSV @Marshall_LR while chilling in Juneau Alaska twitter.com/TristanGregson…
— Tristan Gregson (@TristanGregson) June 3, 2012
The cruise ship looks small from this high up! #magiccruise twitter.com/Lee_Sharpe/sta…
— Lee Sharpe (@Lee_Sharpe) June 3, 2012
Ridiculously beautiful waterfall on the White Pass summit. #magiccruise twitter.com/StillHadThese/…
— James F’n X (@StillHadThese) June 4, 2012
Possibly the best picture I will take on the #magiccruise: @davetron @GavinVerhey twitter.com/Lee_Sharpe/sta…
— Lee Sharpe (@Lee_Sharpe) June 3, 2012
Hey #MagicCruise people: out on the boat you probably didn’t hear about the asteroid that wiped out the rest of the human race. Google it!
— Inkwell Looter (@inkwell_looter) June 3, 2012
Boy, Magic pros sure do have it rough. #nicelife.
Until next time, Twittergicians!
Video and Coverage Content Associate and Twitter Admiral for StarCityGames.com