When it came to the decision on what to play at Grand Prix: Columbus, OH my decision was really simple — The EPIC Storm (TES) is what I’m best at. The group of guys for the trip was Colin Chilbert (Di), Carl Dillahay (Carlitobunz), and Dan Walton. We began our journey pretty early morning on Friday to leave for Columbus, OH — we had planned for roughly a ten hour trip with stops.

We finally got to the convention center late Friday night, when I walk in we find out it’s a different room than the first Grand Prix: Columbus. The room is HUGE with a glowing ceiling. I tell Colin, “They’re going to need this room to contain my ego for after I win.” As if my ego isn’t big enough already, right? Shortly after, we met up with friends, chat, and then I looked at the dealer booths.

I was trying to get rid of my two spare Japanese foil [[City of Brass]] so I could afford to buy two Japanese foil [[Dark Ritual]] for my deck. But dealers were offering me anything from $10 to $30 for a card worth close to 70$. I ended up trading them to a friend for two copies of [[Tundra]], traded the two [[Tundra]] to Star City Games for $60/ea. With the money from the [[Tundra]] I was able to get close, but I needed to sell a few more cards. I had to move my Japanese foil [[Xantid Swarm]] (a card I couldn’t see myself playing anytime soon) and a [[Chain of Vapor]] (which was peeling). I got $50$ for a peeling [[Chain of Vapor]]! This was enough to pay for the cards and even dinner that night, the real bright-side is my deck was down to 5 non-Japanese foils.

After Carl Dilladay and Dan Walton were done playing in Last-Chance Qualifiers we went to Barley’s Restaurant and Pub. They had the BEST beer, it was a raspberry wheat brew, and it was delicious! It went very well with my buffalo chicken wrap. After dinner we went back to the hotel, outside were our friends from Syracuse who have been drinking very heavily. I decided drinking that much the day before the Grand Prix was a bad idea, instead I filled out my deck registration and went to bed.

Grand Prix: Columbus, OH

Round One – **BYE**

Round Two – Tim Hunt with UWr Thoptertop

Game One:

I begin the event with a first turn [[Duress]] and see: [[Force of Will]], [[Jace, the Mind Sculptor]], [[Swords to Plowshares]], [[Swords to Plowshares]], and lands — I discard [[Force of Will]]. The opponent plays a fetchland and then passes. On my turn, I cast a main-phase [[Brainstorm]], into [[Brainstorm]], [[Ponder]], and [[Dark Ritual]]. I put back a [[Chrome Mox]] and a land. I play a [[Scalding Tarn]], use it, and then cast another [[Brainstorm]] — draw into [[Ad Nauseam]], [[Lotus Petal]], and [[Rite of Flame]]. I put [[Burning Wish]] and [[Ad Nauseam]] on top. At this point, my hand is now: [[Dark Ritual]], [[Lotus Petal]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Ponder]], [[Orim’s Chant]], [[Gemstone Mine]], and [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]]. On my next turn, I draw the [[Burning Wish]]. Play [[Gemstone Mine]], [[Lotus Petal]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Orim’s Chant]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Ponder]], in response crack it for . Cast [[Ad Nauseam]].

Sideboarding: -1 [[Infernal Tutor]], -1 [[Empty the Warrens]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], -1 [[Ponder]], -1 [[Silence]], +3 [[Pyroblast]], +1 [[Wipe Away]], +1 [[Krosan Grip]]

Game Two:

I keep a hand of: [[Scalding Tarn]], [[Polluted Delta]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Infernal Tutor]], and [[Ad Nauseam]]. The opponent leads off with a [[Flooded Strand]]. I draw a [[Chrome Mox]], play [[Polluted Delta]], and pass. The opponent plays [[Island]], [[Sensei’s Divining Top]], go. I decide now is the time to go all in on [[Ad Nauseam]] and the opponent casts [[Force of Will]]. Leaving me with an [[Infernal Tutor]] in hand and a [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]] in play. It’s not fast enough as on the next turn, Tim plays [[Counterbalance]] and [[Engineered Explosives]] for zero. I decide to save some time and concede.

Game Three:

I mulligan to five: [[City of Brass]], [[Bloodstained Mire]], [[Duress]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Ad Nauseam]]. Keep! I lead off with [[Bloodstained Mire]], [[Underground Sea]] into [[Duress]]. Tim has [[Counterbalance]], [[Sensei’s Divining Top]], [[Thopter Foundry]], [[Thopter Foundry]], and lands. I discard the [[Counterbalance]]. The opponent plays land, [[Sensei’s Divining Top]]. I draw another land, play [[City of Brass]], and pass. The opponent on their upkeep activates to spin [[Sensei’s Divining Top]], plays a land, and passes. I draw [[Chrome Mox]], land, [[Dark Ritual]], [[Ad Nauseam]]? Resolves.

Round Three – Tony Sears with Merfolk

Game One:

Tony starts off with [[Mutavault]], [[AEther Vial]], and go. I begin out with the following: [[Underground Sea]], [[Lotus Petal]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], and [[Infernal Tutor]] into [[Ad Nauseam]].

Sideboarding: -1 [[Infernal Tutor]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], -1 [[Ponder]], +3 [[Pyroblast]]

Game Two:

The opponent keeps their hand, and just says, “go”. No land, nothing, just passes the turn. I begin with a [[Duress]]: [[Force of Will]], [[Force of Will]], [[Cursecatcher]], [[Lord of Atlantis]], [[Lord of Atlantis]], [[Lord of Atlantis]], and [[AEther Vial]]. I discard a [[Force of Will]]. The opponent draws, discards [[Lord of Atlantis]], and passes. I draw a [[Gemstone Mine]], play it, and pass. The opponent draws an [[Island]] into [[Cursecatcher]]. I play [[Orim’s Chant]]. The opponent allows it to resolve. I then cast [[Rite of Flame]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], and [[Infernal Tutor]] into [[Ad Nauseam]].

Round Four – Shaun mack with Sneak & Show

Game One:

He starts out with [[Ancient Tomb]], remove [[Simian Spirit Guide]] (at this point I’m thinking, “FUCK! Here comes the [[Trinisphere]]…”). Instead, the opponent plays [[Seething Song]], [[Sneak Attack]] into [[Progenitus]]. While I kept a hand that went: [[Brainstorm]], [[Lotus Petal]], [[Lotus Petal]], [[Chrome Mox]] (Imprint: [[Infernal Tutor]]) [[Duress]], [[Dark Ritual]], and [[Empty the Warrens]]. The opponent missed on drawing another creature and died to [[Goblin Token]]s.

Sideboarding: -1 [[Infernal Tutor]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], -1 [[Ponder]], -1 [[Empty the Warrens]], -1 [[Silence]], +3 [[Pyroblast]], +2 [[Echoing Truth]]

Game Two:

I mulligan to six while Shaun goes to five cards. Shaun starts off with [[Island]], pass. I play [[Gemstone Mine]]. The opponent plays [[Ancient Tomb]], [[Show and Tell]], and couldn’t have cast [[Pyroblast]] any faster. I play [[City of Brass]], go. The opponent plays [[Show and Tell]] into [[Progenitus]]. On my turn, I cast [[Silence]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Burning Wish]] into [[Diminishing Returns]]. [[Brainstorm]], [[Chrome Mox]] (Imprint: [[Duress]]), [[Dark Ritual]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Infernal Tutor]], [[Burning Wish]] into [[Tendrils of Agony]].

Round Five – Jason Ford with UW Thoptertop

Game One:

I start off with a mulligan, which isn’t great because this game becomes a slog. I draw literally all four copies of [[Duress]] but Jason keeps all of their good cards on top of the library with [[Sensei’s Divining Top]] in play. I attempt to go off twice but the opponent draws a card with [[Sensei’s Divining Top]] and then [[Counterspell]]s me both times. Jason eventually landed [[Counterbalance]] and won shortly after.

Sideboarding: -1 [[Infernal Tutor]], -1 [[Empty the Warrens]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], -1 [[Ponder]], -1 [[Silence]], +3 [[Pyroblast]], +1 [[Wipe Away]], +1 [[Krosan Grip]]

Game Two:

Jason has a second turn [[Ethersworn Canonist]] but I have [[Krosan Grip]] for it on the end of the third turn. It turns out that the [[Ethersworn Canonist]] was just bait for the [[Counterbalance]], I was ready with a [[Pyroblast]], but Jason had [[Force of Will]] back-up. I’m slowly locked out after this.

Round Six – Emmanuel Perez with UR Eldrazi Ramp

Game One:

My opponent while shuffling and shows me a [[Lotus Petal]] and a [[Brainstorm]] — I’m thinking combo mirror. I keep a hand of: [[Chrome Mox]], [[Infernal Tutor]], [[Duress]], [[Burning Wish]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], and [[Rite of Flame]] on the play. It’s a little bit questionable, I know. If I draw another mana source I win, is the upside. I [[Duress]] them and look at: [[Grim Monolith]], [[Power Artifact]], [[Emrakul, the Aeons Torn]] and four lands. I never draw another mana source in eight turns.

Sideboarding: -1 [[Infernal Tutor]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], -1 [[Ponder]], +3 [[Pyroblast]]

Game Two:

I resolve [[Ad Nauseam]] on turn two after a turn one [[Duress]].

Game Three:

I keep a hand with: [[Tendrils of Agony]], [[Burning Wish]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Gemstone Mine]], and [[Scalding Tarn]]. The opponent plays an [[Island]] then passes. I draw a [[Duress]], then cast it. Emmanuel plays [[Island]] into [[Grim Monolith]]. I draw [[Dark Ritual]]! I then cast [[Dark Ritual]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Tendrils of Agony]], [[Burning Wish]], into [[Tendrils of Agony]].

Round Seven – Misha Gurevich with Zoo

Game One:

Misha mulligans into a double [[Steppe Lynx]] hand with [[Chain Lightning]] and [[Lightning Bolt]]. I go to 13 life after sitting there trying to sculpt my hand for a bit, I wasn’t under pressure so I decided to wait until I was more stable to go off. When I got to 4 lands, I then decided it was time to win. I cast [[Diminishing Returns]] into three copies of [[Orim’s Chant]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Ad Nauseam]], and a land. I have pass to pass, but I get to use the alternate mode on [[Orim’s Chant]]!In the upkeep, cast [[Orim’s Chant]] with Kicker. Untap and [[Ad Nauseam]].

Sideboarding: -1 [[Infernal Tutor]], -1 [[Empty the Warrens]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], +2 [[Echoing Truth]], +1 [[Wipe Away]]

Game Two:

I keep a hand of: [[Underground Sea]], [[Duress]], [[Lotus Petal]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Rite of Flame]], and [[Burning Wish]]. I played all of these cards into [[Empty the Warrens]]. The opponent just concedes.

Round Eight – Jeff Blyden with Elves

Game One:

The opponent starts off with a [[Wooded Foothills]] into a [[Forest]] and then casts [[Llanowar Elves]]. I play [[Scalding Tarn]], [[Underground Sea]], and I play some spells into [[Diminishing Returns]] but I fizzle. Upkeep, cast [[Orim’s Chant]]. On my turn I cast [[Dark Ritual]] into the [[Ad Nauseam]] in my hand.

Sideboarding: -1 [[Infernal Tutor]], -1 [[Empty the Warrens]], +2 [[Echoing Truth]]

Game Two:

Jeff mulligans to five. I have a hand of: [[Rite of Flame]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Brainstorm]], [[Brainstorm]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Gemstone Mine]], and [[Infernal Tutor]]. The opponent starts out the game with [[Leyline of Sanctity]]. YIKES! They then play a bunch of mana elves over the first few turns. I am trying like crazy to get Hellbent, but I keep casting [[Brainstorm]] into [[Duress]], [[Silence]], and [[Orim’s Chant]]. I [[Silence]] them and Jeff tells me I can’t because of [[Leyline of Sanctity]]. Which I find out later is incorrect, because [[Silence]] doesn’t target…

Sideboarding: -1 [[Chrome Mox]], +1 [[Wipe Away]]

Game Three:

I’m stuck because Jeff mulliganed into [[Leyline of Sanctity]] again and I’m thinking that the opponent has an [[Orim’s Chant]] because of the way that they’ve been leaving [[Savannah]] untapped all game. I have [[Wipe Away]] and my own [[Orim’s Chant]] in hand. I decide to wait until I need to win so I don’t lose to a possible [[Orim’s Chant]]. I eventually hit a third land and cast [[Wipe Away]] on the [[Leyline of Sanctity]]. I then cast [[Orim’s Chant]] (no response) and go off with [[Infernal Tutor]] for [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Burning Wish]], [[Ill-Gotten Gains]], [[Infernal Tutor]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], and [[Tendrils of Agony]].

Round Nine – Tom Ross with Zoo

Game One:

I get really flooded. I have six lands in play with two still in hand. I eventually draw [[Ponder]] into [[Burning Wish]] which allows me to cast [[Burning Wish]] for [[Diminishing Returns]] and win.

Sideboarding: -1 [[Infernal Tutor]], -1 [[Empty the Warrens]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], +2 [[Echoing Truth]], +1 [[Wipe Away]]

Game Two:

Tom has a turn one [[Wild Nactl]], turn two [[Gaddock Teeg]], and three copies of [[Chain Lightning]] and [[Lightning Bolt]] on the third turn. I’m out — it’s been real.

Game Three:

I cast [[Diminishing Returns]] on my turn two. I ended up drawing a lot of mana, but nothing to do with it. I draw [[Ponder]], cast it, shuffle, and draw [[Echoing Truth]]. The opponent plays [[Gaddock Teeg]] and then on the next turn [[Pyrostatic Pillar]]. I draw [[Tendrils of Agony]], which is actually pretty interesting. I go to [[Echoing Truth]] the [[Gaddock Teeg]] and Tom casts [[Red Elemental Blast]] on [[Echoing Truth]]. I concede and Tom reveals two copies of [[Mindbreak Trap]].

End of Day One

That’s the end of day one! Carl Dillahay and I made day two out of our car, Colin and Dan Walton both lost the final rounds not to make day two. We ended up going to this awesome restaurant, where I order a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and spicy French-fries. Everyone agrees that the fries are the greatest fries we’ve ever hand.

In the morning, the event began at 9am, which meant there wasn’t much time for food. Because of this, I didn’t eat.

I have these crazy days in magic and I feel like I just can’t lose no matter what I do, this was one of those days.

Round Ten – Jason Lundberg with Belcher

Game One:

I mulligan to five and keep a hand of: [[Gemstone Mine]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Lotus Petal]], [[Empty the Warrens]], and [[Infernal Tutor]]. The opponent starts off the game by Cycling two copies of [[Street Wraith]], eventually casts a [[Goblin Charbelcher]], but has to pass the turn. I draw a [[Scalding Tarn]], play [[Gemstone Mine]], and [[Empty the Warrens]] for six [[Goblin Token]]s. Jason doesn’t draw the mana that turn and passes. I daw a [[Chrome Mox]], attack for six, cast [[Infernal Tutor]] for [[Orim’s Chant]]. This time Jason draws the mana source and kills me.

Sideboarding: None.

Game Two:

I don’t really remember this game, but my notes say “[[Diminishing Returns]] into the nuts”.

Game Three:

Playing magic when you have to poop, the game is the last thing on your mind — I’m trying to rush this entire game. I keep a hand with [[Silence]] in it so I can stop them, it also has a bunch of mana and an [[Infernal Tutor]]. The opponent goes all in on an [[Empty the Warrens]] for eight [[Goblin Token]]s. I missed my chance to [[Silence]] them because the opponent only had three mana and I figured I could get more out of it. But they removed [[Simian Spirit Guide]] with an [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]] in play. I guess if it was [[Goblin Charbelcher]] I could’ve lost, but it wasn’t! I then [[Silence]] them and go off with [[Ad Nauseam]].

My opponent is doing their due-diligence and start double and triple checking my storm and mana. I’m dying here, I’m just trying to rush to the bathroom. Eventually, I put [[Tendrils of Agony]] on the stack. I’m cramming my stuff into my bag to leave, but now they’re talking to me about storm combo. I apologize and run away from the table.

All of that buffalo chicken got to me, but it was worth it.

Round Eleven – Michael Bernat with Landstill

Game One:

My opponent mulligans to five and to make it worse, I start off the match with a [[Duress]]. They have a pair of [[Crucible of Worlds]], [[Swords to Plowshares]], [[Flooded Strand]], and an [[Island]]. I win next turn with [[Ad Nauseam]].

Sideboarding: -1 [[Infernal Tutor]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], -1 [[Ponder]], +3 [[Pyroblast]]

Game Two:

I keep a hand of: [[Empty the Warrens]], [[Chrome Mox]], [[Burning Wish]], [[Ad Nauseam]], [[Ponder]], [[Infernal Tutor]], and [[City of Brass]]. After casting [[Ponder]] and a pair of [[Brainstorm]], my hand looks nothing like this by the time I attempt to win the game. It’s also a very long game.