Submited by J Darran.
Last week, Shoebox called me "hardcore." I had been to my 4th major tournament in 3 weekends. Not letting up on the pace at all, this past weekend found me at both the PTQ-Berlin event on Saturday in Roanoke, VA, and the Sunday event that was being held for Richie Proffitt. Both events were good for me as I learned alot about myself that weekend. I will share my experiences from the weekend as i usually do. Then i will share what I learned.
Saturday.
Kithkinweave decided it was going to go sit in the corner and poop itself (thanks Crispy, i love that description). I faced 4 different decks in the six rounds I played. Yea, I don't normally drop from anything, but I had my reasons. Round 1 I got paired against Barkshell Blessing deck. I actually did very well against him and won round one. I think i swept him, but i don't remember, and i can't find my notes. Round 2 I drew Peter Ackley, one of our occasional FNM players here at Sci-Fi. in a very hard fought battle, kithkinweave lost its first match ever against faeries. Peter played exceptionally well, and my deck shot itself in the foot. I don't think I actually made any play errors against Peter. I know i did later tho. Round 3 I drew Quick n Toast, and it was quick and I was toast. Round 4 was another faeries matchup. I was anxious to prove to myself that my loss to Peter was just an anomaly. Nope, I win game one, but lose two and three. I'm upset now, and at 1-3 ready to drop. However Justin has won, and is playing the next round, so I stay in. Round 5 brings another Barkshell deck, and I handle it 2-1, however we have gone to time, and I don't know that Justin has lost again and has dropped, and I wind up staying in for the next round. Round 6 brings the mirror. He wins game 1. He scooped in game 2 even tho I think he could have recovered and won. Game 3, I can't find my deck. Where is my deck. OH there it is, in the corner, sucking its thumb. I go 2-4, dropping, and hoping to preserve my constructed rating. I looked earlier, I dropped 39 points, back down to 1682.
Sunday.
Sunday is the Richie Proffitt Memorial Tournament. Evan Erwin is there taping and doing his thing for the webcast he does. I got to meet and talk to him too. He is a really nice guy. During the intro to the tourney, and the announcement that we have raised $8,200 to help his family, Evan proposes making it an annual event, and donating the proceeds to the American Diabetes Association, to help find a cure. Diabetes is what got Richie (PolarBearGod on most magic related forums) and Evan would like to fund research for a cure, with the Magic Community. As a Magic player with Diabetes, I am all in favor of this endeavor. On to the tourney. Today I'm playing Flame Broiled (aka red deck burns). Round 1 I drew the Fae. I narrowly escape death, only to find out that we both let game state fall out in game one, which would have had me winning the game. Apparently, when you Mistbind Clique your Bitterblossom at 1 life, the Loss of life still goes on the stack (who knew?) and he wound up winning that game. But I got him on the next 2 to win 2-1. Round 2 i faced Wyt, another familiar face from Sci-Fi. He destroyed me with a very well built 5 color Revillark deck. Round 3 I fought against merfolk and won, making me 2-1. Round 4 round 5 and round 6 were faeries. I lost 1 and won 2 (rounds 5 & 6) to put myself at 4-2. This is the point where the heat in the star city games center really started taking its toll. It's 85 degrees inside. My shirt is sticking to me, and its actually getting a little harder to breathe. Round 7 I drew Red green mana ramp, and despite getting him down low in life I can't pull off the victory. Round 8 my opponent sits down accross from me, complaining about facing red decks, cause he is 0-2 against them. I give him his first win against red. I got swept, but to add insult to injury, I managed to get him to 1 both games. I just can't finish the deal. I can't draw a damn burn spell to save myself. He was playing Merfolk, as was my Round 9 opponent. By Round 9 I was so tired and exhausted, I was making BAD play mistakes. One I'm bound and determined to become famous for. Turn the creatures sideways. All I had to do in game 2 for the damn win, was turn my creature sideways. I didn't and he topdecked a forge tender (pro red). My deck topdecks...... (all I need is one of 15 burn spells in the damn deck) ......... a mountain. YAY MOUNTAIN!
So, What I've learned is this. In Major Tournaments where the temperature is above 73 degrees, I am made of fail. Specifically I am 2-4-1, 2-4, and 4-5. In events where it is cooler than 73, I am 4-3-2 (limited) and 5-3-1. I have also learned that after 2 straight days of Magic, in the heat, I am fairly exhausted. I drive home and sleep alot.
That is it for a while for major Tourneys, as the next one for me looks like August 30th, but I'm sure that silly Magi will have me writing more soon!
Till next time I leave you with the following JohnnyK advice - "When building a deck, its either a creature, or it kills creatures. Take the creatures and turn them sideways. That's how you win!" Well put JK.
Last week, Shoebox called me "hardcore." I had been to my 4th major tournament in 3 weekends. Not letting up on the pace at all, this past weekend found me at both the PTQ-Berlin event on Saturday in Roanoke, VA, and the Sunday event that was being held for Richie Proffitt. Both events were good for me as I learned alot about myself that weekend. I will share my experiences from the weekend as i usually do. Then i will share what I learned.
Saturday.
Kithkinweave decided it was going to go sit in the corner and poop itself (thanks Crispy, i love that description). I faced 4 different decks in the six rounds I played. Yea, I don't normally drop from anything, but I had my reasons. Round 1 I got paired against Barkshell Blessing deck. I actually did very well against him and won round one. I think i swept him, but i don't remember, and i can't find my notes. Round 2 I drew Peter Ackley, one of our occasional FNM players here at Sci-Fi. in a very hard fought battle, kithkinweave lost its first match ever against faeries. Peter played exceptionally well, and my deck shot itself in the foot. I don't think I actually made any play errors against Peter. I know i did later tho. Round 3 I drew Quick n Toast, and it was quick and I was toast. Round 4 was another faeries matchup. I was anxious to prove to myself that my loss to Peter was just an anomaly. Nope, I win game one, but lose two and three. I'm upset now, and at 1-3 ready to drop. However Justin has won, and is playing the next round, so I stay in. Round 5 brings another Barkshell deck, and I handle it 2-1, however we have gone to time, and I don't know that Justin has lost again and has dropped, and I wind up staying in for the next round. Round 6 brings the mirror. He wins game 1. He scooped in game 2 even tho I think he could have recovered and won. Game 3, I can't find my deck. Where is my deck. OH there it is, in the corner, sucking its thumb. I go 2-4, dropping, and hoping to preserve my constructed rating. I looked earlier, I dropped 39 points, back down to 1682.
Sunday.
Sunday is the Richie Proffitt Memorial Tournament. Evan Erwin is there taping and doing his thing for the webcast he does. I got to meet and talk to him too. He is a really nice guy. During the intro to the tourney, and the announcement that we have raised $8,200 to help his family, Evan proposes making it an annual event, and donating the proceeds to the American Diabetes Association, to help find a cure. Diabetes is what got Richie (PolarBearGod on most magic related forums) and Evan would like to fund research for a cure, with the Magic Community. As a Magic player with Diabetes, I am all in favor of this endeavor. On to the tourney. Today I'm playing Flame Broiled (aka red deck burns). Round 1 I drew the Fae. I narrowly escape death, only to find out that we both let game state fall out in game one, which would have had me winning the game. Apparently, when you Mistbind Clique your Bitterblossom at 1 life, the Loss of life still goes on the stack (who knew?) and he wound up winning that game. But I got him on the next 2 to win 2-1. Round 2 i faced Wyt, another familiar face from Sci-Fi. He destroyed me with a very well built 5 color Revillark deck. Round 3 I fought against merfolk and won, making me 2-1. Round 4 round 5 and round 6 were faeries. I lost 1 and won 2 (rounds 5 & 6) to put myself at 4-2. This is the point where the heat in the star city games center really started taking its toll. It's 85 degrees inside. My shirt is sticking to me, and its actually getting a little harder to breathe. Round 7 I drew Red green mana ramp, and despite getting him down low in life I can't pull off the victory. Round 8 my opponent sits down accross from me, complaining about facing red decks, cause he is 0-2 against them. I give him his first win against red. I got swept, but to add insult to injury, I managed to get him to 1 both games. I just can't finish the deal. I can't draw a damn burn spell to save myself. He was playing Merfolk, as was my Round 9 opponent. By Round 9 I was so tired and exhausted, I was making BAD play mistakes. One I'm bound and determined to become famous for. Turn the creatures sideways. All I had to do in game 2 for the damn win, was turn my creature sideways. I didn't and he topdecked a forge tender (pro red). My deck topdecks...... (all I need is one of 15 burn spells in the damn deck) ......... a mountain. YAY MOUNTAIN!
So, What I've learned is this. In Major Tournaments where the temperature is above 73 degrees, I am made of fail. Specifically I am 2-4-1, 2-4, and 4-5. In events where it is cooler than 73, I am 4-3-2 (limited) and 5-3-1. I have also learned that after 2 straight days of Magic, in the heat, I am fairly exhausted. I drive home and sleep alot.
That is it for a while for major Tourneys, as the next one for me looks like August 30th, but I'm sure that silly Magi will have me writing more soon!
Till next time I leave you with the following JohnnyK advice - "When building a deck, its either a creature, or it kills creatures. Take the creatures and turn them sideways. That's how you win!" Well put JK.
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