The Stats of the JohnnyDraft – Two Walkthroughs, and a Stat Explosion

Most competitive endeavors consist of cycles. Spring training, regular season, post season, off-season, rinse, repeat. Within those cycles there are individualized microcosms that represent further cyclic progression. Win four games, lose three, win five more. Folks get “hot” while others get “cold” (or kold). As is true with most metaphors used in the opening of an article relating to Magic: The Gathering, this metaphor applies to Magic as well.

I’m coming off a bad spell that saw my online rating drop over 160 points in about three weeks (from 1862 to 1700 flat — not sure if I would have survived it dipping to 16xx). As could be predicted though, I’m back into the waxing phase (having just finished waning for you split card fans — or I could have said something like “I’m now waxing on, instead of waxing off,” for you Karate Kid fans). Since then I’ve done a total of eight drafts — two online and six in real life. My teams have gone 5-1 in the IRL ones, I won and split the online ones, and I’m a combined 13-9 over that span. While that is hardly earth-shattering, it represents a change. It is due, largely, to the fact that I recognized a deficiency in my drafting and remedied it.

What I identified as the problem was that I kept trying to draft Green. Tim McKenna is on a heck of a hot streak (6-1 in drafts) recently and is consistently drafting Green (I’m guessing five out of the seven decks were Green) and I’ve taken notice. I’ve also tried to replicate these decks, but they always end up so much worse than his. I end up with these greedy three (or more) color decks with faulty mana and poor creature selection. So after countless failures with Green, I’m swallowing that bitter pill called pride and accepting that I don’t know how to draft Green. Don’t believe me? Take a look at this draft.

Pack 1:

Feebleness, Looter il-Kor, Spinneret Sliver, Keldon Halberdier, Ivory Giant, Grapeshot, Bogardan Rager, Traitor’s Clutch, D’Avenant Healer, Glass Asp, Spell Burst, Yavimaya Dryad, Weatherseed Totem, Pulmonic Sliver, Hail Storm

Pick: Pulmonic Sliver

Pack 2:

Thallid Germinator, Terramorphic Expanse, Snapback, Rift Bolt, Pentarch Ward, Bonesplitter Sliver, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Momentary Blink, Ancient Grudge, Basalt Gargoyle, Phthisis, *, Tribal Flames

Pick: Rift Bolt

Pack 3:

Durkwood Baloth, Fathom Seer, Chromatic Star, Gorgon Recluse, Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Dementia Sliver, Chronatog Totem, Ghostflame Sliver, The Rack, Forest

Pick: Durkwood Baloth

Pack 4:

Flamecore Elemental, Gemhide Sliver, Feebleness, Chromatic Star, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder

Pick: Gemhide Sliver

Pack 5:

Penumbra Spider, Errant Doomsayers, Aether Web, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Vampiric Sliver, Paradox Haze, Scragnoth

Pick: Penumbra Spider

Pack 6:

Gaze of Justice, Deathspore Thallid, Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Durkwood Tracker, Plated Pegasus, Kher Keep, Goblin Snowman

Pick: Durkwood Tracker

Pack 7:

Cancel, Subterranean Shambler, Cyclopean Giant, Screeching Sliver, Psychotic Episode, Jedit’s Dragoons, Return to Dust, Demonic Collusion, Thallid

Pick: Jedit’s Dragoons

Pack 8:

Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Dark Withering, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Havenwood Wurm, Assembly-Worker, Unyaro Bees

Pick: Flickering Spirit

Pack 9:

Spinneret Sliver, Keldon Halberdier, Bogardan Rager, Traitor’s Clutch, Glass Asp, Spell Burst, Weatherseed Totem

Pick: Spinneret Sliver

Pack 10:

Thallid Germinator, Bonesplitter Sliver, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Ancient Grudge, Fool’s Demise

Pick: Bonesplitter Sliver

Pack 11:

Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Wormwood Dryad, Dementia Sliver, Ghostflame Sliver

Pick: Ghostflame Sliver

Pack 12:

Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Haunting Hymn

Pick: Haunting Hymn

Pack 13:

Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode

Pick: Psychotic Episode

Pack 14:

Clockspinning, Sidewinder Sliver

Pick: Sidewinder Sliver

Pack 15:

Psychotic Episode

Pick: Psychotic Episode

Pack 16:

Tolarian Sentinel, Flowstone Channeler, Spinneret Sliver, Fortify, Spiketail Drakeling, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Krosan Grip, Brine Elemental, Firemaw Kavu, Pardic Dragon, Witch Hunter, Mountain

Pick: Firemaw Kavu

Pack 17:

Dark Withering, Viscerid Deepwalker, Ashcoat Bear, Amrou Seekers, Search for Tomorrow, Greenseeker, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Tromp the Domains, Volcanic Awakening, Weathered Bodyguards, Stormscape Familiar

Pick: Tromp the Domains

Pack 18:

Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Temporal Eddy, Mogg War Marshal, Sprout, Foriysian Interceptor, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell, Faceless Devourer, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Stormcloud Djinn, Greater Gargadon, Mistform Ultimus

Pick: Greater Gargadon

Pack 19:

Flowstone Channeler, Herd Gnarr, Amrou Scout, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Watcher Sliver, Thrill of the Hunt, Quilled Sliver, Dread Return, Vesuva, Ovinomancer

Pick: Watcher Sliver

Pack 20:

Strength in Numbers, Zealot il-Vec, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Ghitu Firebreathing, Momentary Blink, Greenseeker, Duskrider Peregrine, Vampiric Sliver, Return to Dust, Pirate Ship

Pick: Duskrider Peregrine

Pack 21:

Slipstream Serpent, Castle Raptors, Prismatic Lens, Ground Rift, Eternity Snare, Skulking Knight, Sidewinder Sliver, Locket of Yesterdays, Tectonic Fiend, Thunder Totem

Pick: Prismatic Lens

Pack 22:

Amrou Seekers, Mogg War Marshal, Terramorphic Expanse, Drudge Reavers, Sage of Epityr, Divine Congregation, Mindlash Sliver, Opaline Sliver, Quilled Sliver

Pick: Terramorphic Expanse

Pack 23:

Fortify, Tolarian Sentinel, Venser’s Sliver, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, Ignite Memories, Saltcrusted Steppe

Pick: Venser’s Sliver

Pack 24:

Fortify, Eternity Snare, Molder, Venser’s Sliver, Children of Korlis, Krosan Grip, Mountain

Pick: Venser’s Sliver

Pack 25:

Ashcoat Bear, Foriysian Interceptor, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Volcanic Awakening, Weathered Bodyguards

Pick: Ashcoat Bear

Pack 26:

Mogg War Marshal, Sprout, Foriysian Interceptor, Aetherflame Wall, Detainment Spell

Pick: Mogg War Marshal

Pack 27:

Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Thrill of the Hunt

Pick: Thrill of the Hunt

Pack 28:

Sage of Epityr, Ghitu Firebreathing, Return to Dust

Pick: Return to Dust

Pack 29:

Ground Rift, Sidewinder Sliver

Pick: Sidewinder Sliver

Pack 30:

Divine Congregation

Pick: Divine Congregation

Pack 31:

Spiketail Drakeling, Scarwood Treefolk, Orcish Cannonade, Amrou Scout, Keldon Halberdier, Mana Skimmer, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Evil Eye of Urborg, Fungal Reaches, Voidmage Husher, Sudden Spoiling, Honorable Passage

Pick: Honorable Passage

Pack 32:

Orcish Cannonade, Strangling Soot, Gemhide Sliver, Mindstab, D’Avenant Healer, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Prismatic Lens, Harmonic Sliver, Skittering Monstrosity, *, *, Enduring Renewal

Pick: Gemhide Sliver

Pack 33:

Think Twice, Ashcoat Bear, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Bewilder, Call to the Netherworld, Cyclopean Giant, Brass Gnat, Calciform Pools, Opaline Sliver, Durkwood Tracker, Ib Halfheart, Goblin Tactician, Avatar of Woe

Pick: Avatar of Woe

Pack 34:

Flamecore Elemental, Mana Skimmer, Nantuko Shaman, Sangrophage, Viashino Bladescout, Mystical Teachings, Thrill of the Hunt, Shadow Sliver, Haunting Hymn, Barbed Shocker, Might of Old Krosa

Pick: Nantuko Shaman

Pack 35:

Strength in Numbers, Errant Doomsayers, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Jhoira’s Timebug, Jedit’s Dragoons, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Faceless Devourer, Volcanic Awakening, Jasmine Boreal, Two-Headed Sliver

Pick: Two-Headed Sliver

Pack 36:

Grapeshot, Scarwood Treefolk, Gaze of Justice, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Fury Sliver, Aspect of Mongoose, Thick-Skinned Goblin

Pick: Fury Sliver

Pack 37:

Aether Web, Drudge Reavers, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug, Chameleon Blur, Voidmage Husher, Firewake Sliver, Scion of the Ur-Dragon

Pick: Firewake Sliver

Pack 38:

Icatian Crier, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Ghitu Firebreathing, Dreadship Reef, Locket of Yesterdays, Moonlace, Mirari

Pick: Mirari

Pack 39:

Scarwood Treefolk, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Molder, Evil Eye of Urborg, Voidmage Husher

Pick: Mwonvuli Acid-Moss

Pack 40:

Mindstab, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Harmonic Sliver, Skittering Monstrosity

Pick: Harmonic Sliver

Pack 41:

Bewilder, Call to the Netherworld, Brass Gnat, Calciform Pools, Durkwood Tracker

Pick: Durkwood Tracker

Pack 42:

Mystical Teachings, Shadow Sliver, Haunting Hymn, Barbed Shocker

Pick: Shadow Sliver

Pack 43:

Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Volcanic Awakening

Pick: Savage Thallid

Pack 44:

Plunder, Brass Gnat

Pick: Plunder

Pack 45:

Chameleon Blur

Pick: Chameleon Blur

Draft recording done by Blargware‘s MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!

I can’t imagine that I made anywhere near the right picks on this one. I saw Pulmonic Sliver and immediately decided to go R/G/W Slivers. From there, I just don’t know what to say. I got lucky that a Bonesplitter Sliver tabled (I hoped it would — pack 2, when I took Rift Bolt) and otherwise I didn’t have any Slivers that helped me offensively (you could make a case for Fury Sliver, but I’m referring strictly to power enhancers). Basically, I ignored everything Tim Aten said when he was doing the daily SCG draft. I had no Might Sliver, and no reason to think I would get one.

I happened to get lucky and split in the finals with this deck. Two of my game wins were from opponents who mulliganed and had mono-color draws. The other two were from Tromp the Domains (including one that required a topdecked Thrill of the Hunt). I can claim moral victory that I walked away with six packs, but the deck sure seemed overmatched some of the times, and I didn’t even run into someone with the B/R Basal / Vampiric / Ghostflame deck.

So that is how I managed to get lucky with Green. Otherwise I’ve just been losing with it. I’ve made the resolution to simply skip Green all together, admit my faults and move on. Hopefully when there are only two packs of Time Spiral things will change and I can be more flexible. Until then, no Green for me.

After that draft I still had the fever though, and made the conscious decision to be tired at work the following day while entering in another draft. The 4-3-2-2 queue had seven, so I quickly joined in the interest of time. Upon further reflection, an 8-4 you need to wait 10 minutes for to start will still take much less time than a 4-3-2-2. The rounds tend to not always go to time (4-3-2-2’s almost always do) and you have the very high likelihood of not playing out the finals. Oh well.

Pack 1:

Thallid Germinator, Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Temporal Eddy, Tendrils of Corruption, Momentary Blink, Greenseeker, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug, Firemaw Kavu, Knight of the Holy Nimbus, Smallpox, Fortune Thief, Sacred Mesa

Pick: Firemaw Kavu

Pack 2:

Ivory Giant, Deathspore Thallid, Flowstone Channeler, Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Quilled Sliver, Dread Return, Vampiric Sliver, Saffi Eriksdotter, Soltari Priest, Coal Stoker

Pick: Coal Stoker

Pack 3:

Icatian Crier, Dark Withering, Goblin Skycutter, Strength in Numbers, Zealot il-Vec, Mindlash Sliver, Thallid Shell-Dweller, Jhoira’s Timebug, Jedit’s Dragoons, Ghostflame Sliver, *, Fungus Sliver, Gaea’s Liege

Pick: Dark Withering

Pack 4:

Grapeshot, Mindstab, Slipstream Serpent, Nantuko Shaman, Viscid Lemures, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Venser’s Sliver, Plated Pegasus, Haunting Hymn, Fire Whip

Pick: Fire Whip

Pack 5:

Gorgon Recluse, Herd Gnarr, Sidewinder Sliver, Viscid Lemures, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Two-Headed Sliver, Skittering Monstrosity, Conflagrate, Opaline Sliver

Pick: Gorgon Recluse

Pack 6:

Aether Web, Temporal Eddy, Mogg War Marshal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Flickering Spirit, Phyrexian Totem, Academy Ruins

Pick: Phyrexian Totem

Pack 7:

Think Twice, Errant Doomsayers, Aether Web, Flickering Spirit, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Dreadship Reef, Dread Return

Pick: Dread Return

Pack 8:

Chromatic Star, Tolarian Sentinel, Flowstone Channeler, Traitor’s Clutch, D’Avenant Healer, Glass Asp, Fool’s Demise, Swamp

Pick: Flowstone Channeler

Pack 9:

Zealot il-Vec, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Momentary Blink, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Jhoira’s Timebug, Smallpox

Pick: Pit Keeper

Pack 10:

Watcher Sliver, Blazing Blade Askari, Glass Asp, Traitor’s Clutch, Plunder, Quilled Sliver

Pick: Blazing Blade Askari

Pack 11:

Strength in Numbers, Mindlash Sliver, Jhoira’s Timebug, Jedit’s Dragoons, Ghostflame Sliver

Pick: Ghostflame Sliver

Pack 12:

Ground Rift, Venser’s Sliver, Plated Pegasus, Haunting Hymn

Pick: Haunting Hymn

Pack 13:

Sidewinder Sliver, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Skittering Monstrosity

Pick: Skittering Monstrosity

Pack 14:

Mindlash Sliver, Chameleon Blur

Pick: Mindlash Sliver

Pack 15:

Detainment Spell

Pick: Detainment Spell

Pack 16:

Urborg Syphon-Mage, Snapback, Aether Web, Lightning Axe, Cloudchaser Kestrel, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Thick-Skinned Goblin, Sporesower Thallid, Aspect of Mongoose, Lotus Bloom, Twisted Abomination

Pick: Lightning Axe

Pack 17:

Lightning Axe, Mogg War Marshal, Temporal Isolation, Think Twice, Ashcoat Bear, Urborg Syphon-Mage, Chameleon Blur, Subterranean Shambler, Cyclopean Giant, *, *, Duskrider Peregrine, Locket of Yesterdays, Stormbind

Pick: Lightning Axe

Pack 18:

Castle Raptors, Gorgon Recluse, Spiketail Drakeling, Scarwood Treefolk, Orcish Cannonade, Amrou Scout, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, D’Avenant Healer, *, *, Dreadship Reef

Pick: Gorgon Recluse

Pack 19:

Corpulent Corpse, Cancel, Icatian Crier, Brass Gnat, Savage Thallid, Screeching Sliver, Momentary Blink, Ancient Grudge, Thunder Totem, *, Demonic Collusion, Plunder

Pick: Corpulent Corpse

Pack 20:

Terramorphic Expanse, Drudge Reavers, Crookclaw Transmuter, Empty the Warrens, Strength in Numbers, Ghitu Firebreathing, Bewilder, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode, Urza’s Factory, Evil Eye of Orms-by-Gore

Pick: Empty the Warrens

Pack 21:

Tolarian Sentinel, Orcish Cannonade, Blazing Blade Askari, Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye, Thrill of the Hunt, Plated Pegasus, Truth or Tale, Foriysian Totem

Pick: Orcish Cannonade

Pack 22:

Mindstab, Slipstream Serpent, Nantuko Shaman, Ground Rift, Dream Stalker, Wormwood Dryad, Venser’s Sliver, Conflagrate

Pick: Mindstab

Pack 23:

Flamecore Elemental, Mana Skimmer, Ground Rift, Eternity Snare, Skulking Knight, Sidewinder Sliver, Mwonvuli Acid-Moss, Pendelhaven Elder

Pick: Mana Skimmer

Pack 24:

Aether Web, Savage Thallid, Ancient Grudge, Flickering Spirit, Call to the Netherworld, Drifter il-Dal, Thick-Skinned Goblin

Pick: Thick-Skinned Goblin

Pack 25:

Mogg War Marshal, Chameleon Blur, Cyclopean Giant, Screeching Sliver, Might of Old Krosa, Locket of Yesterdays

Pick: Cyclopean Giant

Pack 26:

Scarwood Treefolk, Clockspinning, Sangrophage, Paradox Haze, Dreadship Reef

Pick: Dreadship Reef

Pack 27:

Cancel, Brass Gnat, Screeching Sliver, Ancient Grudge

Pick: Cancel

Pack 28:

Ghitu Firebreathing, Detainment Spell, Psychotic Episode

Pick: Psychotic Episode

Pack 29:

Shadow Sliver, Ophidian Eye

Pick: Ophidian Eye

Pack 30:

Ground Rift

Pick: Ground Rift

Pack 31:

Gemhide Sliver, Mindstab, Gaze of Justice, Coal Stoker, Durkwood Baloth, Coral Trickster, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Saltcrusted Steppe, Primal Forcemage, Nightshade Assassin, Jaya Ballard, Task Mage, Scragnoth

Pick: Jaya Ballard, Task Mage

Pack 32:

Drudge Reavers, Goblin Skycutter, Cancel, Penumbra Spider, Pentarch Ward, Assassinate, Havenwood Wurm, Basal Sliver, Sage of Epityr, Ghitu Firebreathing, Celestial Crusader, Faceless Devourer, Assembly-Worker

Pick: Assassinate

Pack 33:

Errant Doomsayers, Corpulent Corpse, Viscerid Deepwalker, Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Search for Tomorrow, Sprout, Aetherflame Wall, Pit Keeper, Divine Congregation, Faceless Devourer, *, Ib Halfheart, Goblin Tactician, Ophidian Eye

Pick: Corpulent Corpse

Pack 34:

Spiketail Drakeling, Scarwood Treefolk, Orcish Cannonade, Amrou Scout, Keldon Halberdier, Clockspinning, Bogardan Rager, Sangrophage, D’Avenant Healer, Wormwood Dryad, Fool’s Demise, Assembly-Worker

Pick: Keldon Halberdier

Pack 35:

Keldon Halberdier, Mana Skimmer, Chromatic Star, Wormwood Dryad, Mystical Teachings, Two-Headed Sliver, Prismatic Lens, Clockspinning, Harmonic Sliver, *, Vampiric Sliver

Pick: Keldon Halberdier

Pack 36:

Coral Trickster, Benalish Cavalry, Feebleness, Spinneret Sliver, Viashino Bladescout, Ophidian Eye, Children of Korlis, Ignite Memories, Paradox Haze, Grinning Totem

Pick: Feebleness

Pack 37:

Bonesplitter Sliver, Think Twice, Penumbra Spider, Greenseeker, Foriysian Interceptor, Basal Sliver, Premature Burial, Assembly-Worker, Eron the Relentless

Pick: Eron the Relentless

Pack 38:

Cancel, Icatian Crier, Drifter il-Dal, Subterranean Shambler, Mindlash Sliver, Havenwood Wurm, Chameleon Blur, Voidmage Husher

Pick: Subterranean Shambler

Pack 39:

Mindstab, Plunder, Skulking Knight, Brass Gnat, Dream Stalker, Saltcrusted Steppe, Primal Forcemage

Pick: Skulking Knight

Pack 40:

Cancel, Pentarch Ward, Havenwood Wurm, Basal Sliver, Ghitu Firebreathing, Assembly-Worker

Pick: Basal Sliver

Pack 41:

Ironclaw Buzzardiers, Sprout, Divine Congregation, Paradise Plume, Ophidian Eye

Pick: Ironclaw Buzzardiers

Pack 42:

Scarwood Treefolk, Clockspinning, Sangrophage, Fool’s Demise

Pick: Scarwood Treefolk

Pack 43:

Mana Skimmer, Mystical Teachings, Clockspinning

Pick: Mana Skimmer

Pack 44:

Ignite Memories, Paradox Haze

Pick: Ignite Memories

Pack 45:

Foriysian Interceptor

Pick: Foriysian Interceptor

Draft recording done by Blargware‘s MTGO DraftCap. Support Blargware!

This deck was much more my speed, although it was lighter on removal than I would prefer (my empire for a Soot!). It was also very difficult to build. In addition, I’m somewhat of a klutz and maybe-or-maybe-not submitted the deck as 41 cards before making my last cut (it probably would have been the Feebleness). The deck offered a good number of sideboard options, which I always like.

Note on passing Stormbind. I was fresh off of the early New Year’s “no Green” resolution and wasn’t willing to compromise. I also wasn’t upset about a second Lightning Axe in a deck that had a Recluse and Dark Withering with most of two packs remaining. Yes, I know, Stormbind makes you discard too. Cram it. What good am I if I can’t even hold to a resolution for one draft?

When one has a good deck, one must keep bad hands in order to give the opposition a fighting chance. Or at least that’s what I seem to think. Check out this garbage I kept in game 1 of round 1:

Keldon Halberdier, Keldon Halberdier, Mountain, Firemaw Kavu, Fire Whip, Jaya Ballard, Lightning Axe.

On the play.

Am I on crack-cocaine? This is an awful hand to keep, and to make matters worse my opponent laid down a Serrated Arrows to my board of Mountain, Swamp, and two suspended Halberdiers. Game 2 went better when I got out some early pressure to his slow start, and when he brought forth a mighty Plague Sliver I simply spent RBB to kill it and make a 2/4 on his end step. He couldn’t recover from the tempo swing. FYI, I boarded out my two 2/1s and brought in a Skulking Knight and Subterranean Shambler against his many X/1 creatures. Game 3 he only has Phthisis and Assassinate against my draw of Halberdier, Corpse, Skulking Knight, and Blazing Blade Askari. He scooped when I played Orcish Cannonade targeting him at end of turn.

In round 2 I won with Legends, with Eron taking game 1 and Jaya taking down game 2. In the finals I won thanks to Jaya in game 1, enabling some really fun madness turns. Game 2 I was stuck on two lands for a while, but was putting up a fight thanks to bears and suspend. He misclicked on his Sacred Mesa and had to sac it, but I think it would have hurt his development at that point (he only had five lands at the time). I can’t be sure. I certainly wasn’t upset that he lost it, but in the end I think I could have still won. I eventually drew into a third land and a Totem and began using Jaya to a) kill something and b) make a 2/4.

So that’s how my online life has gone recently. My rating is still embarrassing, but I’ll be working on that this week. As for IRL drafting, there has been some talk in the forums requesting more stats for the number hungry probably-in-every-fantasy-league-available people out there. Being as I work in corporate America (I’m a manager in finance, which basically means I crap spreadsheets) I’ll pretend I’m talking to executives and start with a chart.

The beauty of charts is that they look really pretty, are great in PowerPoint presentations, and don’t really need to say anything. This particular chart is better than most, as it actually has some meaning embedded deeply within it. This shows my progression in terms of our three key performance indicators (earnings [in pride bucks, of course — gambling is wrong, kids], match win % and draft win %). As you can see, July was a good month for me, I bottomed out in the September / October time period and am now currently back on the upswing. It kind of looks like a British smile, doesn’t it? [It’ll look like your smile when I smack you in the gob, fella. — Craig.]

Between 8/27 and 9/18 I was able to set a record of dubious distinction with eight consecutive draft losses. It is likely to stand for a while, as the next highest is five (Matt Wang, bartender at www.top8magic.com – he also owns the record for most draft wins in a row with six). The good news for me is that Wang’s is active while mine is not. (Taken out of context, that last sentence is probably good news for Wang and bad news for me. Mental note- pick your words carefully.)

Pikula is the current leader for worst match percentage in triple Time Spiral, with Tony Tsai being the leader at 72.73%. Tony also won Ravnica with a 65.22% match win percentage, beating out Eric Kesselman by almost 8%. After looking at these stats for a while, you come to realize that 60% is excellent, and 70% is virtually impossible. I’m currently striving for 60% in TTT (I’m at 55.00%). It is much more possible to have higher (and lower) draft win percentages versus match. The level of play is pretty high, so only people like Tony and Jon can consistently beat our brains in. Everyone else is basically trying to stay above 500. Overall I’m at 45% against Jon, although I’m 3-1 against him in TTT so we’ll just use that number instead.

In the absence of a segue, I’ll say this: rubber baby buggy bumpers.

I should mention that I actually did play in a PTQ recently. Being the excellent journalist that I am, I no longer have the deck to share with you. It was one of those decks. You know, the ones that have some solid cards, maybe a bomb, but doesn’t really do anything. I went down in a spectacular flame with an impressive two losses to match up against a lonely victory. I couldn’t handle opposing bombs, and when Jaime Wakefield himself strode in and caringly embraced up a Yavimaya Dryad I was unable to stop the 5/4 Forestwalker from making a token each turn in addition to the reduction of life points by 25%.

But there I go again. Blame the deck, sure. Nobody would have won with that deck. Okay, fine. Now I feel better about my ego and can continue down the road I was on, content to draft online and at my friend’s house. Content to show up at the random PTQ, go 2-2 and draft some more.

Option B: examine my decisions and reflect on them. Could I have built the deck differently? (yes). Did I play poorly? (yes). Is it the deck’s fault I went 1-2? Probably not. I know for a fact that I cheated on lands in the deck, although I no longer recall my reasoning. I know that the reasoning was faulty, as most reasoning behind cheating on lands is. I can’t remember if I went to my sideboard to find a disenchant effect after losing game 1 to Verdant Embrace. I can’t remember doing it, because I didn’t. And I’m pretty sure I had a Krosan Grip in the board. I also could have played more aggressively in the other round I lost and maybe things would be different. I don’t know how they would have turned out, but at least I could have given myself a better chance. I’m not entirely sure why I zoned out in this tournament, as my play level has been up lately. I’m thinking of giving it another whirl soon.

There is another of these PTQs to be held in my former state of residence, abbreviated for those sending mail as MD. I’m contemplating the trip (read: asking my fiancée) and may make a run for it. Steve Sadin and Julian Levin want to go and need a ride. What better Christmas present can one Jew* give to two others than a PTQ roadtrip?

Assuming I go, I’ll bring back the decklist so you can ignore it since it will no longer be relevant. In other news, I’ve been talking with you-know-who with regards to Extended and will hopefully have some news on that front for you soon. Expect Mike to disseminate the bulk of the information on that topic though, as this is really his ball-game more than mine.

PJ

*I know Jordan doesn’t sound Jewish, but trust me, I am.