Alright, fare warning: I didn’t have any truly difficult match-ups — I accept this. Originally, I wasn’t going to write a report, because of that, I didn’t take very good notes.

Play the Game 1K

Round One – John Testone with Painter-still

Game One:

I do the old main-phase [[Brainstorm]] on the first turn. [[Thoughtseize]] the opponent on the next two turns and on the fourth turn I begin to combo off. [[Brainstorm]], [[Brainstorm]], [[Orim’s Chant]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Burning Wish]], and then finally [[Diminishing Returns]]. My seven cards include three copies of [[Dark Ritual]], [[Lotus Petal]], [[Thoughtseize]], [[Infernal Contract]], and [[Burning Wish]]. I begin by casting [[Infernal Contract]] into a pair of [[Simian Spirit Guide]], [[Tendrils of Agony]], and a land. I then play [[Burning Wish]] floating eight mana and then reveal two [[Tendrils of Agony]].

Sideboarding: -2 [[Simian Spirit Guide]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], -2 [[Ponder]], -1 [[Infernal Contract]], +3 [[Pyroblast]], +3 [[Vexing Shusher]].

Game Two:

I keep a hand of: [[Lotus Petal]], [[Lotus Petal]], [[Lotus Petal]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Dark Ritual]], and a [[Thoughtseize]]. I draw a [[Gemstone Mine]], play it and pass. On the next turn, I draw [[Burning Wish]], and then I played everything in my hand into a [[Diminishing Returns]]. The issue is I drew all mana and then [[Ill-Gotten Gains]], I am forced to [[Diminishing Returns]] again. I draw [[Tendrils of Agony]] in my new seven cards and cast it with a Storm count of 13.

Round Two – Zach Murphy (Edgewalker) with Dredge

Game One:

We get deck checked. We shuffle up, again. Zach begins by Dredge-ing roughly half of their library, but there are no copies of [[Cabal Therapy]] to be found. I very quickly cast [[Diminishing Returns]], but my new hand isn’t that great and am unable to kill. Zach does the Dredge thing again, double [[Cabal Therapy]] this time around. I end up losing a single [[Infernal Tutor]] after the first one missed naming, “Lion’s Eye Diamond”. I end up casting [[Brainstorm]] into enough resources to use [[Ill-Gotten Gains]], returning [[Diminishing Returns]], and then cast it. This time, it’s successful in ending the game.

Sideboarding: -3 [[Orim’s Chant]], -3 [[Thoughtseize]], +3 [[Shattering Spree]], +3 [[Pyroblast]].

Game Two:

We both mulligan, Zach to 5, and myself to 6. Zach doesn’t do anything on the first turn, as in, doesn’t even play a land. My first turn is a little different: [[Gemstone Mine]], [[Brainstorm]], [[Lotus Petal]], [[Simian Spirit Guide]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Dark Ritual]], and [[Empty the Warrens]].

Round Three – Nick Wowelko (NickRit2000) with Goblins

Game One:

[[Lotus Petal]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Infernal Tutor]], and [[Empty the Warrens]]. Nick starts out with [[Goblin Lackey]]. 10 Goblins is better than one. I attack (leaving a pair of tokens back) and then Nick concedes.

Sideboarding: -3 [[Orim’s Chant]], +3 [[Shattering Spree]].

Game Two:

Nick plays [[Cabal Therapy]] me naming [[Dark Ritual]]. I reveal my hand: [[Chrome Mox]], [[Shattering Spree]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Infernal Tutor]], [[Burning Wish]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], and [[Forbidden Orchard]]. I shortly after win the game.

Round Four – Kevin (Beastman) with RG Survival Advantage

Before the round begins I win a door prize of a [[Hypnotic Specter]] print. Cool, right?

Game One:

Kevin plays four copies of [[Cabal Therapy]] by the end of the third turn. I don’t win this one.

Sideboarding: None.

Game Two:

I play [[City of Brass]] into [[Ponder]]. Kevin has more [[Cabal Therapy]] for me, and then names [[Burning Wish]]. It’s on top of my deck! I play [[Undiscovered Paradise]], [[Chrome Mox]], and then [[Burning Wish]] for [[Diminishing Returns]]. Pass and in the upkeep, cast [[Orim’s Chant]]. On my turn, cast [[Diminishing Returns]].

Game Three:

Kevin has another copy of [[Cabal Therapy]] on the first turn, this time it discards a pair of [[Brainstorm]]. Kevin makes notice of the couple of [[Rite of Flame]] sitting in my hand. I play land and [[Lotus Petal]]. Kevin couldn’t Flashback [[Cabal Therapy]] any faster. I have nothing left in hand other than a second land and [[Infernal Contract]]. I draw a [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]] for turn. On the third turn, I draw and play [[City of Brass]], cast [[Infernal Contract]] into [[Infernal Tutor]], [[Simian Spirit Guide]], [[Simian Spirit Guide]], and a [[Gemstone Mine]]. Kevin attacks with a [[Tarmogoyf]] knocking my life-total very low, but not quite enough. I draw and it’s a [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]]! I then execute the [[Ill-Gotten Gains]] loop.

Round Five – Anwar Ahmad (Anwar101) with Dredge

Game One:

I mulligan, and end up keeping a hand with a pair of [[Chrome Mox]]. Anwar opens on a very explosive hand, I lose.

Sideboarding: -3 [[Orim’s Chant]], -3 [[Thoughtseize]], +3 [[Shattering Spree]], +3 [[Pyroblast]].

Game Two:

I keep a weak hand, it consists of two [[Chrome Mox]] and [[Tendrils of Agony]]. I manage to [[Empty the Warrens]] for 10 [[Goblin Token]]s on the play and just have to hope that’s good enough. On the second turn, I attack and pass. Anwar Dredges a bunch. I play a [[Simian Spirit Guide]] and attack. Anwar hits a [[Bridge from Below]] but is just short of the correct number of blockers and we’re off to a third game.

Game Three:

Anwar makes a critical error and is punished by this mistake, allowing me the extra turn I needed to win the game.

Round Six – Geoff Smelski (Konsultant) Landstill

Round Seven – David Gearhart (Deep6er) with Solidarity

Top Eight – Don (AngryTroll) with Angry Tradewind Survival

Game One:

I look at my hand of [[Simian Spirit Guide]], [[Infernal Tutor]], [[City of Brass]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Burning Wish]], [[Undiscovered Paradise]], and [[Lotus Petal]]. I remove [[Simian Spirit Guide]] and [[Infernal Tutor]] (Reveal: [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]]) then win turn two with [[Ill-Gotten Gains]].

Sideboarding: None.

Game Two:

Pretty much the same thing as game one. I just [[Brainstorm]] into the second [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]] instead.

Top Four – David Caplan (Goobafish) with RUG Threshold

Game One:

David opens with a pair of [[Force of Will]], two [[Wasteland]], and two blue cards. I didn’t get this one.

Sideboarding: -1 [[Infernal Contract]], -2 [[Simian Spirit Guide]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], -2 [[Ponder]], +3 [[Pyroblast]], +3 [[Vexing Shusher]].

Game Two:

David locks me into a lose/lose situation with a few copies of [[Daze]] with [[Force of Will]], my two copies of [[Thoughtseize]] and [[Orim’s Chant]] just weren’t enough.

All in all, it was a great event, and I had a blast. It was great to see all of you and to walk away with 125$ and the [[Hypnotic Specter]] print.

Until next time, keep storming!