Went 7-2 to make Day Two. My first one ever. Stoked!
It's always sunny in Portland.
A food convoy is when two or more food trucks move to another location.
Spellskite is the kryptonite to my red burn deck.
Satay poutine is seriously good.
So, how'd I do Day Two? Well, it finally rained and I saw a bunch more Spellskites.
Entrance to the GP hall.
Did a quick Starbucks stop on the way to the 9am start. Thanks to Russ for grabbing the food. They had the Day2 players sectioned off with no public watchers in between the tables. I made sure my deck was un-sideboarded and was ready to go.
Round 10 versus Jake playing RG beats. I lost the roll. Game one was close and I saw Kird Apes, Burning-Tree Emissaries, Experiment Ones and 'Goyfs. I made a critical mistake by forgetting the Experiment could regenerate by removing 2 counters. Got him to 6, but lost. Game two was better starting with a Devil and my sided-in Searing Blazes. Two fer ones! He bloodrushed a Rampager, but I was already ahead on life and burned him out. Game three was more back and forth, but he rolled too many dudes, finishing with Kitchen Finks. Ugh. 7-3.
Okay, shake it off. Those games were quick and were all close. Let's see who's next...
Pro Magic Hall of Fame member Patrick Chapin! No prob. I got this.
Won the die roll and easily took him down to 1 life in 6 turns. He was playing UW Control. I saw Sphinx, Colonnades, counters, and card drawers. Game 2 it seemed all my spells got countered. Got him to 7 life before he stabilized and his man-lands flew over for the win. He also had a Timely Reinforcements. Ok, I was on the play. Started off well and eventually got him to 3 life. But again, he drew a million cards and countered all my attempts to finish him. "It's like you have an answer for everything." I was top decking versus his full hand of counters and it was over.
Brutal!
He explained I should have kept cards in my hand since he would be forced to hold mana up. Pro tip!! He was very nice and even gave me a button. 7-4
Round 12 was against Ryan playing Robots. I guess it's called that now instead of Affinity. It's still good. This version was running Steel Overseers and Galvanic Blasts. I didn't last long with Thopters with Cranial Plating. Game two was better and I got him down to 4 life. All the while, he was assembling the Oracle with 2 Platings with seven artifacts on the board. 16 unblockable points followed by a G-blast. Ouch. 7-5
I was dazed, shocked, flabber-ghasted even. How could my deck that did so well Day One sputter out so quickly? Well, Day Two is all about the best decks played by the best players. Russ and Greg were playing side events to marginal success and were having a much better time than I. Oh well, must forge ahead.
Round 13 I played Cody with Melira Pod. Very similar to Greg's deck. Finks, Seer, Revelark and Chord of Calling. I got him to 7 before it went off. Game two I got him to 1 life when his Seer, Melira and Redcap combo'ed me to infinite damage. You see the Seer sacs the Redcap, which comes back thanks to persist and Melira prevents the -1/-1 counter from sticking. So it does the 2 damage and shampoo, rinse, repeat. 7-6
It slices, it dices...
I won my next round! It was a bye. GREAT SUCCESS! I was out of any money placement, but I still wanted to play for Planeswalker points. Hey, it's my first Day Two...
Daniel was a very nice Canadian playing Tron. This was a good matchup for me. We both mulled to 6 and I easily rolled him with a Goblin Guide and burn. Second game I sided in all my land destruction. Got him to 8 before the Urza lands came together to sprout Wurmcoils. Multiple. Game three was a bust since I didn't draw another mountain after my first two. I saw Karn, Spellskite and another Wurmcoil. Ah well. That is one 8-7 I soon would like to forget. (Murder was the case they gave me.)
I finished the weekend at 134th place. Higher than LSV, Conley Woods and PVDR. To say I had a good time would be an understatement. Maybe I know a little bit about Magic. Maybe I'm paying my dues on the tourney circuit. Here's how I see the next steps:
Make Day Two - CHECK!
Finish in the money --
Finish Top 8 --
Win the whole enchilada!
Mad props to my traveling buddies, Russ and Greg! If you've been on a Magic weekend trip, you know how much fun it is to share the highs and lows and strategize for the next round.
Mad props to the town of Portland! I totally could see me moving up here, especially if they have regular Magic events. Even Seattle is a quick drive. And of course, all the breweries. Like Deschutes!!
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