Yesterday I played in the GPT Seattle/Tacoma, aiming to get my 2 round byes by making top 8 and splitting there. Unfortunately, it was not all that easy.
I went undefeated in games with my Delver deck, playing 4 rounds (because I was paired down round 4) and drawing the last (I actually wanted to go 3-0, ID, play round 5 but the other way was fine as well, albeit a little riskier.)
We could not agree to split at the top 8 so I had to duke it out for yet another round in my quest to get there. Thankfully(!!) I won that critical round and the top 4 was ok to do a split and I managed to secure my byes, putting me on track in my plans to make my first day 2 at GP Seattle/Tacoma.
Round 1 vs D&T.
Game 1, we both mulliganed to 6 and my opponent had 1 Karakas (which I Wastelanded) and 1 Plains but he did not get to draw another land (despite running 23) for the rest of the game and I managed to just press over some defensive Mother of Runes with removal after they were used as blockers.
Game 2, things went bad for me as my opponent dropped Aether Vial after another Aether Vial and got quite far ahead with Stoneforge Mystics while my Grim Lavamancer was easily shut off by Rest in Peace.
I managed to stick down an Isochron Scepter imprinting Abrupt Decay and picked Rest in Peace to attack first while taking Batterskull's germ token damage. I managed to get an activation with Grim Lavamancer before it got hit by Swords to Plowshares and my Iscochron Scepter slowly took down permanents until a Pithing Needle came down. I eventually drew an Ancient Grudge for it and the game returned to my flow with Abrupt Decays eating something every turn. My opponent clocked up one of the 3 Aether Vials to 5 but I had a Dismember in hand for a Baneslayer Angel so I was completely fine. In between, I had to use a Stifle on a Wasteland on my last Volcanic Island so I was open to a Flickerwisp which would reset my Isochron Scepter (to a Lightning Bolt but I digress) but my opponent removed some (thankfully) as he knew I have either the black enchantment that gives white creatures -1/-1 or Sulfur Elemental (which I did and it ate a Thalia).
Round 2 vs Miracles.
Game 1, I played 1 threat at a time and met Swords to Plowshares and Terminus while I disrupted what I could. I managed to stop an Entreat the Angels and I had Jace, Vryn's Prodigy (sperm Jace) flipped and ticked to 9. I closed the game with Lightning Bolt, flashback Lightning Bolt, not wanting to put myself at any risk of losing to trying to be cheeky.
Game 2, I had a Delver flip and eat away chunks of life. My opponent used a Pyroblast on my Brainstorm seeing that I was having mana problems so the Insect went a long way (until 6 life with the help of Fetchlands of course) where I used Snapcaster Mage to try close.
Round 3 vs Shardless BUG
Game 1, I went on the offensive and maintained board presence to push the game to end before Ancestral Vision resolved. I had Deathrite Shaman and Tarmogoyf active with Lighting Bolt in hand with a Force of Will. When a Hymn to Tourach forced me to throw the Lightning Bolt, the damage on the table showed a lethal count next turn.
Game 2, my opponent was ahead with a 3x Deathrite Shaman and a Tarmogoyf. I slowly got back into the game with a Young Pyromancer (the tokens happily blocking the goyf) and throwing removals at Deathrite Shamans. I used Sylvan Library to put myself close to dying range but I had a Scavenging Ooze and a Deathrite Shaman. I looked tapped out (with only a Deathrite Shaman untapped) so my opponent tried to make me lose life but I used Deathrite Shaman to get green and used Scavenging Ooze to remove the target. I paid another 4 life to Sylvan Library and because of my very tempting life total of 1 life, my opponent missed the interaction of Scavenging Ooze again and Scavenging Ooze attacked the target to fizzle the ability. I was very open to removal for most of the game but it just panned out well I suppose.
Round 4 vs Sneak and Show
Game 1, I disrupted the game with Wasteland and Stifles eventually had a Young Pyromancer out and Tasigur out.
My hand had Spell Pierce, Daze and Force of Will so after a short battle, my new tokens cleared up the game.
Game 2, Delver knocked a few turns and when I had Jace, Vryn's Prodigy (aka sperm Jace) out, a Pyroclasm wiped them away. I couldn't really afford to be fighting over this so I let them go.
I eventually put out a Tasigur, the Golden Fang and a Deathrite Shaman and have a Lightning Bolt in hand which would seal the game if my opponent went down 3 life via either a Force of Will or a fetchland (which he played out). I Force of Willed his Sneak Attack and he Forced back, going to the range where I could win. After it resolved, he had a Lotus Petal and a Scalding Tarn for mana.
I had an active Deathrite Shaman so going to 2 made him dead on board. He passed the turn so I cast my Golgari Charm on his Sneak Attack and he had Flusterstorm for it. My last card was Snapcaster Mage so I could cast Lightning Bolt and Snapcaster it using Deathrite Shaman's mana producing ability but using Deathrite Shaman was probably the safer play so I used it instead.
Round 5 vs RUG Delver (ID)
Top 8 vs Sneak and Show
Game 1, I had Tarmogoyf attacking very modestly and my opponent tried to wait for counter backup despite having the option to turn 2 Show and Tell (which could fail miserably).
I eventually had counters which made took the game because my opponent's hand was filled with the big creatures.
I recall getting whopped by Pyroclasm so I took out Young Pyromancers.
Game 2, my opponent saw my double Force of Will hand with a Gitaxian Probe and the game progressed slowly because my opponent had mana issues with my constant attacking of his mana. A Tarmogoyf and Deathrite Shaman joined the battlefield while I tried to keep a tight hold on the game. The game ended when a Pyroclasm showed up but failed to prevent the inevitable.
Top 4 vs Miracles but the 4 of us split.
Despite having won this exact deck earlier in the day and having infinite time, I couldn't be so sure to think that the games would definitely be in my favor. I'm not too sure what my exact odds as I don't face Miracles that often nowadays so I chose to stick to the original plan to split somewhere and secure my byes which I need.
