Best wife ever…
Dutch reader Peter Bokhorst wrote in:
“Been busy lately gathering all kinds of cards for Type One fun and being able to almost leave all my proxy power behind. While this is uneventful in itself for me it opens up cash (Finally) for the less expensive cards out there and greatly improves my ability to experiment more. Well I got lucky this weekend and ripped open one, just one, Mirrodin booster just to find that Chrome Mox staring back at me, that rates €19 to €25 here.
“Ah well, sometimes you get lucky. Besides I am turning 30 on the 21st of April with more goodies on the top of my list. Believe or not my wife is my Number 1 provider of new cards. She bought me a Mox Ruby for valentine (WHOW), a Decree of Justice, a Psychatog and a Goblin Welder for our wedding anniversary.
“Adding another three Goblin Welders (They are almost impossible to get here if you have no trading options) and a Berserk(!!!) just because she likes me. Can you believe that???”
“(Of course you can’t. For all you know I could be a fat woman trying to get a date over the Internet with a promising law student looking for a country to live in that actually has snow at least twice a year) I must be swell guy.”
I think I can believe that. Manila’s Glenson Lim a.k.a. Glenchuy has a wonderful wife and daughter who let him participate in the rare Manila Type I tournament, since they sit and watch him play even when the things run late. That also means he has zero problems getting food in between rounds, no matter how lousy the venue.
Revisiting the mirror match
For the readers who remember, the first practice game I featured in an article was a”The Deck” mirror in December 2001 (“The Control Player’s Bible Part V“), against Norway’s Chris Flaaten. The mirror isn’t a practice match that isn’t particularly enjoyable for me, but if you find yourself thrown against a master of the game, it’s a different story, since you’ll be on the edge of your seat the whole time.
Fresh from my final exams, Roland Bode from Germany caught me last Good Friday and cheerfully asked if I was still alive. Fresh from his Regionals win, he brutally shook off all the rust in my Magic system.
With everyone moving to younger control builds and with multiple Nondisclosure Agreements in the air for Star City’s big Type I event, I thought you might enjoy something classic this week…
Revisiting the mirror match
23:28:20 – — RolandB says: ”I am ready.”
23:28:20 – — Rakso says: ”Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war”
23:28:22 – RolandB drew 7 cards.
23:28:24 – Rakso drew 7 cards.
23:28:27 – RolandB says:’kp’
23:28:34 – It is now turn 1.
23:28:39 – RolandB plays Tundra.
23:28:41 – Tundra is tapped.
23:28:42 – RolandB plays Brainstorm.
23:28:44 – Rakso says:’k’
23:29:18 – RolandB plays Mox Emerald.
23:29:19 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
23:29:21 – RolandB plays Sol Ring.
Mox Emerald? Yes, Roland was testing an experimental hybrid of the German”IsoKeeper” emphasizing Isochron Scepter, and their The Shining variant that integrated the Future Sight / Fastbond combo.
23:29:22 – It is now turn 2.
23:29:24 – Rakso draws a card.
23:29:28 – Rakso plays Underground Sea.
23:29:30 – Rakso plays Mox Sapphire.
On the other hand, I was playing something more familiar, except I was trying out the feel of maindeck Damping Matrix. Over the course of three hours, Roland and I split the games, but this was the only game where Matrix was anywhere near relevant.
23:29:34 – It is now turn 3.
23:29:38 – RolandB draws a card.
23:29:41 – RolandB plays Tropical Island.
23:29:41 – Tundra is tapped.
23:29:44 – RolandB plays Orim’s Chant.
His multiple Orim’s Chants were interesting tech, since they both worked well with his multiple Isochrons, and led the combo setup at the same time.
They also demonstrated the importance of mana and tempo in the mirror. As you can see, he has twice as much mana on the board as I do. To add to that, he just played a one-mana must-counter, and I generally lose tempo by spending two mana to counter with Mana Drain, or lose a card if I use Force of Will.
In this case, his fast start leaves me helpless unless I have both Mana Drain and Force of Will. Similar to how Duress leads a play, he’ll just cast the Scepter I anticipate even if I counter.
I keep my counter and hope to catch up in the mana race.
23:30:00 – Rakso says:’k’
23:30:02 – Sol Ring is tapped.
Wonder what he’ll Imprint…
23:30:03 – Tropical Island is tapped.
23:30:04 – RolandB plays Timetwister.
23:30:07 – Rakso says:’k’
Surprise! Timetwister was the library and hand reset of”The Deck,” but it’s become trickier and trickier to time. It was slightly more useful, for example, in a build that intended Wasteland and Gorilla Shaman away an opponent’s mana for an edge in permanents before Twisting.
Here, not only does Roland have such an edge in permanents, he turns a two-card hand into seven, while I gain just one card from six to seven. Although Timetwister gives the opponent the first shot at the new cards, there isn’t all that much I can do with just two mana on the board.
23:30:34 – It is now turn 4.
23:30:36 – Rakso draws a card.
23:30:51 – Rakso plays Mox Jet.
23:30:54 – Rakso plays Underground Sea.
23:31:04 – Mox Jet is tapped.
23:31:05 – Mox Sapphire is tapped.
23:31:05 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:31:07 – Rakso plays Damping Matrix.
23:31:10 – RolandB says:’k’
Behind both in terms of tempo and card advantage, I need to do something. Damping Matrix isn’t much, but it does mean he won’t be slipping a cheap Scepter with his mana advantage.
What I do hate, however, is how Damping Matrix shuts down my own Gorilla Shaman and my Land Destruction Option (“The Rubies“) in a matchup where the opponent doesn’t lose Goblin Welder to make up for it.
23:31:11 – It is now turn 5.
23:31:13 – RolandB draws a card.
23:31:16 – RolandB plays Underground Sea.
Draw-go time… but don’t let the lull fool you.
23:31:34 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:31:35 – Rakso plays Brainstorm.
23:31:38 – RolandB says:’k’
23:32:01 – It is now turn 6.
23:32:03 – Rakso draws a card.
23:32:15 – Rakso plays Tundra.
23:32:16 – It is now turn 7.
23:32:19 – RolandB draws a card.
23:32:22 – RolandB plays Tundra.
23:33:00 – Mox Sapphire is tapped.
23:33:02 – Rakso plays Brainstorm.
23:33:07 – RolandB says:’k’
23:33:23 – Mox Jet is tapped.
23:33:25 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:33:26 – Tundra is tapped.
23:33:27 – Rakso plays Cunning Wish.
23:33:31 – RolandB says:’k’
23:33:34 – Rakso moves Red Elemental Blast from limbo to Rakso’s hand.
If you’re new to control, note how much of the action takes place on your opponent’s turn. This was part of what made Fact or Fiction overpowered in control.
23:33:38 – It is now turn 8.
23:33:39 – Rakso draws a card.
23:33:42 – Rakso plays Volcanic Island.
23:33:44 – It is now turn 9.
23:33:46 – RolandB draws a card.
23:33:50 – RolandB plays Polluted Delta.
23:33:51 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
23:33:52 – Tundra is tapped.
23:33:54 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:33:57 – RolandB plays Psychatog.
23:34:00 – Rakso says:’k’
Two surprises here. First, he plays Psychatog (he actually has two in there, in lieu of a higher-mana combo). Second, I let it drop unmolested.
23:34:02 – It is now turn 10.
23:34:11 – Rakso draws a card.
23:34:19 – Rakso plays Wasteland.
23:34:23 – RolandB buries Tropical Island.
23:34:25 – Rakso buries Wasteland.
23:34:27 – Tundra is tapped.
23:34:29 – Rakso plays Swords to Plowshares.
23:34:33 – RolandB removes Psychatog from the game.
23:34:34 – RolandB’s life is now 21. (+1)
Not.
Remember the surprise value of an otherwise ineffectual Wasteland or even and end-of-turn Fire / Ice against two untapped Blue sources.
I trade a dead Swords for his win condition. Nice.
23:34:37 – It is now turn 11.
23:34:41 – RolandB draws a card.
23:34:43 – RolandB plays Tundra.
23:34:44 – Rakso says:’one Tog down’
23:34:45 – It is now turn 12.
23:34:48 – Rakso draws a card.
23:34:52 – Rakso plays Strip Mine.
23:34:54 – It is now turn 13.
23:34:57 – RolandB draws a card.
23:34:59 – RolandB plays Polluted Delta.
Time to do something more interesting.
23:35:04 – Tundra is tapped.
23:35:04 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:35:05 – Strip Mine is tapped.
23:35:07 – Rakso plays Decree of Justice.
23:35:12 – RolandB says:’k’
23:35:13 – Rakso draws a card.
23:35:14 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:35:14 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
23:35:15 – Mox Sapphire is tapped.
23:35:15 – Mox Jet is tapped.
23:35:34 – Rakso plays Wilkinson Warrior 1/1.
23:35:35 – Rakso plays Wilkinson Warrior 1/1.
23:35:36 – Rakso plays Wilkinson Warrior 1/1.
23:35:38 – Rakso plays Wilkinson Warrior 1/1.
23:35:38 – It is now turn 14.
23:35:40 – Rakso draws a card.
23:35:44 – Wilkinson Warrior 1/1.
23:35:45 – Wilkinson Warrior 1/1.
23:35:45 – Wilkinson Warrior 1/1.
23:35:46 – Wilkinson Warrior 1/1.
23:35:52 – RolandB’s life is now 17. (-4)
23:35:54 – It is now turn 15.
23:35:56 – RolandB draws a card.
23:36:00 – Tundra is tapped.
23:36:01 – RolandB plays Orim’s Chant.
23:36:09 – Mox Sapphire is tapped.
23:36:11 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:36:13 – Rakso plays Mana Drain.
This time, I have the mana, and Roland doesn’t follow up his probe. I sense an opening and make a probe of my own in the same main phase.
23:36:30 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:36:31 – Tundra is tapped.
23:36:31 – Strip Mine is tapped.
23:36:32 – Mox Jet is tapped.
23:36:33 – Rakso plays Skeletal Scrying.
23:36:37 – Rakso moves Mana Drain from Rakso’s graveyard to Rakso’s removed from game pile.
23:36:40 – Rakso moves Swords to Plowshares from Rakso’s graveyard to Rakso’s removed from game pile.
23:36:41 – Rakso moves Brainstorm from Rakso’s graveyard to Rakso’s removed from game pile.
23:36:41 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:36:42 – Tundra is tapped.
23:36:46 – RolandB plays Mana Drain.
23:36:47 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
23:36:49 – Rakso plays Red Elemental Blast.
23:36:59 – RolandB buries Polluted Delta.
23:37:00 – RolandB’s life is now 16. (-1)
23:37:05 – RolandB moves Underground Sea from RolandB’s library to tabletop.
23:37:07 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:37:08 – Tundra is tapped.
23:37:10 – RolandB plays Mana Drain.
23:37:14 – Rakso plays Force of Will.
23:37:15 – Rakso moves Fire/Ice from Rakso’s hand to Rakso’s removed from game pile.
23:37:16 – Rakso’s life is now 19. (-1)
Watch the counters fly…
23:37:45 – RolandB moves Underground Sea from RolandB’s library to tabletop.
23:37:48 – RolandB’s life is now 15. (-1)
23:37:50 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:37:53 – RolandB plays Ancestral Recall.
23:37:55 – Rakso says:’ack’
23:37:56 – Rakso says:’okay’
23:37:58 – RolandB drew 3 cards.
23:38:04 – RolandB says:’k’
Fortunately, he doesn’t get anything immediately useful off that surprise Ancestral. And I still haven’t untapped and taken my own turn.
23:38:12 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
23:38:13 – Rakso’s life is now 16. (-3)
23:38:19 – It is now turn 16.
23:38:23 – Rakso draws a card.
23:38:36 – Rakso plays Black Lotus.
23:38:48 – Mox Jet is tapped.
23:38:48 – Mox Sapphire is tapped.
23:38:49 – Strip Mine is tapped.
23:38:53 – Rakso plays Fact or Fiction.
23:39:02 – RolandB says:’k’
Fact or Fiction in”The Deck” is a headache, though now surpassed by graveyard games involving Goblin Welder. Roland gets the lovely selection of Ancestral Recall, Force of Will, Decree of Justice, Fire/Ice, and Volcanic Island.
23:39:38 – Rakso buries Decree of Justice.
23:39:40 – Rakso buries Fire/Ice.
23:39:41 – Rakso buries Force of Will.
23:39:42 – Rakso moves Volcanic Island from tabletop to Rakso’s hand.
23:39:44 – Rakso moves Ancestral Recall from tabletop to Rakso’s hand.
Getting Ancestral is always a priority, but in retrospect, I wonder if it was right in this case. The extra land wasn’t that important, and I’m not sure about the chances of the next three cards being better than my last Decree and a Force of Will with a Blue card. I could’ve drawn into another bomb like Mind Twist or Yawgmoth’s Will, but cycling Decree would have let me end the game about as quickly. Moreover, another Force would have let me play the aggro-control game more confidently.
23:39:48 – Rakso plays Volcanic Island.
23:39:49 – Wilkinson Warrior 1/1 is attacking.
23:39:49 – Wilkinson Warrior 1/1 is attacking.
23:39:50 – Wilkinson Warrior 1/1 is attacking.
23:39:51 – Wilkinson Warrior 1/1 is attacking.
23:39:53 – RolandB’s life is now 14. (-4)
23:39:56 – Tundra is tapped.
23:39:56 – Rakso plays Ancestral Recall.
23:39:58 – RolandB says:’k’
23:40:00 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
23:40:05 – It is now turn 18.
23:40:09 – RolandB draws a card.
23:40:14 – Tundra is tapped.
23:40:17 – RolandB plays Orim’s Chant.
23:40:18 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
23:40:19 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
23:40:21 – Rakso plays Mana Drain.
Again… no.
23:40:46 – RolandB says:’hmm’
23:40:59 – RolandB plays Mox Pearl.
23:41:01 – RolandB plays Mox Jet.
23:41:02 – Mox Jet is tapped.
23:41:02 – Mox Pearl is tapped.
23:41:04 – RolandB plays Demonic Tutor.
23:41:07 – Rakso says:’k’
23:41:17 – RolandB moves a card from RolandB’s library to RolandB’s hand.
23:41:22 – RolandB plays Tolarian Academy.
Again, don’t underestimate the importance of mana here. Only Roland Bode could turn Demonic Tutor into a Blue Dark Ritual in a control matchup…
23:41:24 – Tolarian Academy is tapped.
23:41:25 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
23:41:28 – RolandB plays Future Sight.
23:41:30 – Rakso plays Force of Will.
23:41:32 – Rakso moves Brainstorm from Rakso’s hand to Rakso’s removed from game pile.
23:41:32 – Rakso’s life is now 15. (-1)
23:41:35 – Sol Ring is tapped.
23:41:36 – Tundra is tapped.
23:41:37 – RolandB plays Cunning Wish.
23:41:43 – Rakso says:’eh?’
23:41:51 – Rakso says:’Wish in response?’
23:41:57 – RolandB says:’jep’
Parenthetically, German expressions like”jep” and”gratz” can’t help but grow on your Asian vocabulary.
23:41:58 – Rakso says:’okay’
23:42:38 – RolandB says:’the question is what I’ve in my board’
23:42:46 – Rakso says:’Stifle? :D’
23:43:07 – Rakso says:’I seriously doubt you have Last Word in there’
No, that trick was more hype than anything else. Unless Roland is sideboarding Misdirection, his lack of Red means I seriously doubt he intended to counter.
23:43:15 – RolandB says:’never’
23:43:27 – RolandB says:’but fact o i think’
23:43:31 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:43:32 – Tundra is tapped.
23:43:32 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:43:32 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:43:34 – RolandB says:’fact’
And this seals the win.
Down to two cards, I had Black Lotus and my last dual open to Cunning Wish for Vampiric Tutor if Roland doesn’t do anything. He turns his last card into Fact or Fiction, so I Wish for a Red Elemental Blast instead.
Since my last card is Force of Will, chances are I’ll win the topdeck war.
23:44:03 – It is now turn 19.
23:44:05 – Rakso draws a card.
23:44:10 – Rakso says:’woooohooooooo!!!’
23:44:18 – RolandB says:’will’
23:44:20 – Rakso plays Demonic Tutor.
23:44:22 – Rakso says:’almost’
23:44:24 – RolandB says:’game’
No need to play out the Yawgmoth’s Will.
Draw cards for”The Deck” in 2004
I had a long chat with Oliver Daems about”The Deck,” and despite riding IsoKeeper to a few recent wins, he agreed that the best number for Isochron is one, if at all. The venerable archetype is in dire need of alternatives, and Future Sight is too slow, too, no matter how good Roland makes it look.
22:55:21 – — RolandB says: ”I am ready.”
22:55:21 – — Rakso says: ”Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war”
22:55:25 – Rakso drew 7 cards.
22:55:30 – RolandB drew 7 cards.
22:55:32 – RolandB says:’kp’
22:55:45 – It is now turn 1.
22:55:49 – Rakso plays Tundra.
22:55:50 – It is now turn 2.
22:55:52 – RolandB draws a card.
22:55:56 – RolandB plays Tolarian Academy.
22:56:12 – Rakso says:’tolarian?’
22:56:16 – Tundra is tapped.
22:56:17 – Rakso plays Mystical Tutor.
22:56:21 – RolandB says:’k’
22:56:27 – Rakso moves Ancestral Recall from tabletop to Rakso’s hand.
Looking good so far…
22:56:29 – It is now turn 3.
22:56:30 – Tundra is tapped.
22:56:31 – Rakso plays Ancestral Recall.
22:56:33 – RolandB says:’k’
22:56:34 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
22:56:37 – Rakso plays Underground Sea.
22:56:38 – It is now turn 4.
22:56:44 – RolandB draws a card.
22:56:49 – RolandB plays Tundra.
22:56:54 – RolandB plays Black Lotus.
22:56:56 – RolandB buries Black Lotus.
22:56:58 – RolandB plays Future Sight.
22:56:58 – Tundra is tapped.
22:56:59 – Tolarian Academy is tapped.
22:57:04 – Rakso says:’k’
22:57:09 – RolandB moves Underground Sea from RolandB’s library to tabletop.
What the?! Roland must’ve played an early Lotus-Sight roughly every third game!
Ah, well. This is Type I. Broken things happen.
22:57:12 – It is now turn 5.
22:57:22 – Rakso draws a card.
22:57:28 – Rakso plays Tundra.
22:57:32 – It is now turn 6.
22:57:34 – Rakso says:’during your upkeep’
22:57:35 – Tundra is tapped.
22:57:35 – Tundra is tapped.
22:57:37 – Rakso plays Fire/Ice.
This isn’t good, and the most I can do is try to restrict his mana as much as possible while I scramble for an answer.
22:57:39 – Rakso says:’tap tundra’
22:57:42 – Rakso draws a card.
22:57:48 – Tundra is tapped.
22:57:49 – RolandB moves Underground Sea from tabletop to RolandB’s hand.
22:57:51 – RolandB moves Mox Jet from RolandB’s library to tabletop.
22:57:54 – Rakso says:’ugh’
22:57:56 – RolandB moves Yawgmoth’s Will from RolandB’s library to tabletop.
22:58:00 – RolandB plays Underground Sea.
22:58:06 – Mox Jet is tapped.
22:58:07 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:58:12 – RolandB plays Isochron Scepter.
22:58:16 – Rakso says:’response’
22:58:18 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:58:19 – Rakso plays Brainstorm.
22:58:21 – RolandB says:’k’
22:58:44 – Rakso says:’okay’
22:58:49 – RolandB plays Mana Drain.
There goes my tempo…
22:58:51 – It is now turn 7.
22:58:55 – Rakso draws a card.
22:59:20 – Rakso plays Volcanic Island.
22:59:27 – Tundra is tapped.
22:59:28 – Rakso plays Brainstorm.
22:59:33 – Tolarian Academy is tapped.
22:59:34 – Isochron Scepter is tapped.
Okay, I get an opening.
22:59:50 – Tundra is tapped.
22:59:51 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:59:52 – Rakso plays Time Walk.
22:59:56 – RolandB says:’k’
What can I do with the meager resources available, against a Future Sight showing Yawgmoth’s Will and Mana Drain-on-stick?
23:00:00 – Tundra is untapped.
23:00:00 – Underground Sea is untapped.
23:00:00 – Tundra is untapped.
23:00:01 – Rakso draws a card.
23:00:13 – Rakso plays Island.
23:00:17 – Underground Sea is tapped.
23:00:17 – Tundra is tapped.
23:00:18 – Tundra is tapped.
23:00:18 – Island is tapped.
23:00:20 – Rakso plays Mind Twist.
Not much, really.
23:00:27 – RolandB moves Force of Will from RolandB’s hand to RolandB’s graveyard.
23:00:28 – RolandB moves Vampiric Tutor from RolandB’s hand to RolandB’s graveyard.
23:00:30 – RolandB moves Balance from RolandB’s hand to RolandB’s graveyard.
23:00:32 – It is now turn 8.
23:00:38 – RolandB moves Yawgmoth’s Will from tabletop to RolandB’s hand.
23:00:41 – RolandB moves Polluted Delta from RolandB’s library to tabletop.
23:00:45 – RolandB moves Future Sight from RolandB’s library to tabletop.
23:00:49 – Rakso says:’yay :)’
He stalled! He stalled!
23:01:04 – Mox Jet is tapped.
23:01:06 – Tolarian Academy is tapped.
23:01:10 – RolandB plays Yawgmoth’s Will.
23:01:13 – RolandB says:’u in pool’
23:01:13 – Rakso says:’k’
23:01:20 – RolandB moves Black Lotus from RolandB’s graveyard to tabletop.
23:01:28 – Tundra is tapped.
23:01:32 – RolandB moves Balance from RolandB’s graveyard to tabletop.
23:02:41 – Rakso says:’…’
23:02:43 – Rakso says:’that’s a concede’
23:02:44 – RolandB says:’k’
The only thing worse than an opponent getting a Balance after your Mind Twist is doing it off Yawgmoth’s Will, where his unaffected graveyard is his hand. Roland has Future Sight to add to that, not even counting the stick.
Ugly.
Mox Monkey’s Revenge
Roland’s fast mana openings didn’t all work for him, though. Once, he drew a hand full of Moxen, and I drew Gorilla Shaman in my opening hand, and he stalled hard and lost. And then there was this funny game involving a too-early Lotus-Sight…
22:39:19 – — RolandB says: ”I am ready.”
22:39:19 – — Rakso says: ”Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war”
22:39:21 – RolandB drew 7 cards.
22:39:24 – Rakso drew 7 cards.
22:39:27 – It is now turn 1.
22:39:32 – Rakso plays Tundra.
22:39:33 – It is now turn 2.
22:39:36 – RolandB draws a card.
22:39:39 – RolandB plays Underground Sea.
22:39:44 – RolandB plays Mox Emerald.
22:39:44 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:39:45 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
22:39:46 – RolandB plays Time Walk.
22:39:48 – Rakso says:’k’
Timed right, Time Walk is an important tempo card in this matchup. This is the simplest way of milking it.
22:39:51 – RolandB buries Time Walk.
22:39:55 – RolandB draws a card.
22:39:59 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:40:01 – RolandB plays Brainstorm.
22:40:02 – Rakso says:’k’
22:40:30 – RolandB plays Mox Ruby.
22:40:32 – RolandB plays Black Lotus.
22:40:33 – RolandB buries Black Lotus.
22:40:34 – Mox Ruby is tapped.
22:40:34 – Mox Emerald is tapped.
22:40:36 – RolandB plays Future Sight.
22:40:38 – Rakso says:’!’
22:40:39 – Rakso says:’k’
22:40:42 – RolandB moves Orim’s Chant from RolandB’s library to tabletop.
Not quite what I meant, though… good grief, how am I going to catch up with just that Tundra?
22:40:48 – It is now turn 3.
22:40:51 – Rakso draws a card.
22:40:54 – Rakso plays Polluted Delta.
22:40:55 – Tundra is tapped.
22:40:55 – Polluted Delta is tapped.
22:40:56 – Rakso’s life is now 19. (-1)
22:41:01 – Rakso moves Underground Sea from Rakso’s library to tabletop.
22:41:02 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:41:04 – Rakso plays Time Walk.
22:41:09 – RolandB says:’hmm’
22:41:13 – RolandB plays Force of Will.
22:41:14 – RolandB moves Force of Will from RolandB’s hand to RolandB’s removed from game pile.
22:41:15 – RolandB’s life is now 19. (-1)
Like I said, Time Walk is a key tempo card in this matchup, and Roland gladly pays two Forces of Will.
22:41:18 – It is now turn 4.
22:41:24 – RolandB moves Orim’s Chant from tabletop to RolandB’s hand.
22:41:26 – RolandB moves Orim’s Chant from RolandB’s library to tabletop.
Perhaps I could console myself and say at least he doesn’t have a White mana source?
22:41:28 – It is now turn 5.
22:41:34 – Rakso draws a card.
22:41:42 – Rakso plays Wasteland.
22:41:47 – RolandB buries Underground Sea.
22:41:48 – Rakso buries Wasteland.
Spring forth, burly protector!
Er… wrong card.
22:41:49 – It is now turn 6.
22:41:52 – RolandB moves Orim’s Chant from tabletop to RolandB’s hand.
22:41:54 – RolandB moves Psychatog from RolandB’s library to tabletop.
Maybe it’s not so bad that he doesn’t have Black mana now, either.
As emphasized in the Control Player’s Bible (“Building a 5-color mana base“), you have to distribute your colors carefully. Roland, though, puts this down to plain bad luck with the sometimes erratic Future Sight.
22:41:58 – Rakso says:’eot’
22:41:59 – Rakso plays Fire/Ice.
22:42:00 – Tundra is tapped.
22:42:00 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:42:03 – Rakso says:’tap ruby’
22:42:05 – Mox Ruby is tapped.
22:42:06 – Rakso draws a card.
22:42:07 – It is now turn 7.
22:42:10 – Rakso draws a card.
22:42:12 – Rakso plays Volcanic Island.
22:42:12 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
22:42:13 – Rakso plays Gorilla Shaman.
22:42:17 – Rakso says:’k?’
22:42:20 – RolandB says:’uk’
Another German expression, but I don’t quite need the translation.
22:42:21 – Tundra is tapped.
22:42:21 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:42:23 – Rakso says:’munch!!!’
22:42:25 – RolandB buries Mox Emerald.
22:42:26 – RolandB buries Mox Ruby.
22:42:27 – It is now turn 8.
22:42:29 – RolandB moves Psychatog from tabletop to RolandB’s hand.
22:42:30 – RolandB moves Orim’s Chant from RolandB’s library to tabletop.
Okay, I’m quite happy that he doesn’t have White mana…
22:42:33 – It is now turn 9.
22:42:36 – Rakso draws a card.
22:42:40 – Rakso says:’got to love those chants…’
22:42:46 – RolandB says:’…’
22:42:54 – Rakso plays Island.
22:42:55 – Gorilla Shaman is attacking.
22:42:58 – RolandB’s life is now 18. (-1)
22:43:00 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:43:01 – Island is tapped.
22:43:02 – Rakso plays Demonic Tutor.
22:43:05 – RolandB says:’k’
22:43:39 – It is now turn 10.
22:43:43 – RolandB moves Orim’s Chant from tabletop to RolandB’s hand.
22:43:44 – RolandB moves Brainstorm from RolandB’s library to tabletop.
22:43:47 – RolandB says:’rofl’
22:43:51 – Rakso says:’eot’
22:43:52 – Tundra is tapped.
22:43:53 – Rakso plays Ancestral Recall.
22:43:57 – RolandB says:’k’
22:44:01 – Rakso drew 3 cards.
I tutored for Ancestral, incidentally, since there’s no need to get fixated on Future Sight at this point.
22:44:04 – It is now turn 11.
22:44:06 – Rakso draws a card.
22:44:10 – Rakso plays Underground Sea.
22:44:11 – Gorilla Shaman is attacking.
22:44:13 – RolandB’s life is now 17. (-1)
22:44:27 – Island is tapped.
22:44:27 – Underground Sea is tapped.
22:44:30 – Tundra is tapped.
22:44:31 – Rakso plays Cunning Wish.
22:44:36 – RolandB says:’k’
22:44:44 – Rakso moves Red Elemental Blast from limbo to Rakso’s hand.
22:44:45 – Volcanic Island is tapped.
22:44:46 – Rakso plays Red Elemental Blast.
22:44:51 – RolandB buries Future Sight.
22:44:54 – RolandB moves Brainstorm to RolandB’s library.
22:44:57 – RolandB says:’dead’
22:45:05 – RolandB says:’stupid draw’
And so even the best of us can lose to”The Deck” with no permanents in play. Got to love that land destruction option.
Until next week. Congratulations again to Roland for winning his Regionals, in addition to being one of the finest Type I players and deckbuilders on his side of the Atlantic.
Oscar Tan (e-mail: Rakso at StarCityGames.com)
rakso on #BDChat on EFNet
Paragon of Vintage
University of the Philippines, College of Law
Forum Administrator, Star City Games
Featured Writer, Star City Games
Author of the Control Player’s Bible
Maintainer, Beyond Dominia (R.I.P.)
Proud member of the Casual Player’s Alliance