By Mark Pinder

It had been an interesting weekend in Manchester at Game 09, having arrived early on the Friday Night we’d taken in FNM at Fanboy Three, Saturday had been a Grand Prix Trial followed by the Rock band night with plenty of alcohol so playing a PTQ the next morning with a hangover wasn’t the best route to recovery. After a 1-1 start in the PTQ with a pool that I wasn’t confident could Top Eight the lure of six more Zendikar boosters for £11 was too much. I dropped and entered into the trial.

The deck I ran was roughly as follows, I say roughly as I hadn’t been expecting to do as well as I did and forgot to keep the pool together after desleeving.

Aether Figment x 1

Cliff Threader x 1

Kor Cartographer

Kor Hookmaster x 2

Kor Sanctifiers x 2

Kor Skyfisher

Living Tsunami

Merfolk Seastalker x 1

Shoal Serpent x 1

Tempest Owl x 2

Welkin Tern x 2

Disfigure

Inferno Trap

Into the Roil

Journey to Nowhere

Paralyzing Grasp x 2

Pitfall Trap

Summoners Bane

Akroum Refuge

Scalding Tarns

Mountain

Swamp

Island x 7

Plains x 6

Adding the Inferno Trap and Disfigure was a last minute change, looking at two Caller of Gales that were really filler I felt they were not going to be that useful and decided to be greedy as I had a Scalding Tarns and Akroum Refuge so decided to splash the extra removal.

Justin is a nice guy who I’ve met in Sheffield before, he is much more of a casual player with his main hobby being UFS.

Game One and the match is turned when Justin gets some much needed life gain and and then in come the big green beaters.

Game Two is a blow out for Justin, he cannot seem to resolve a creature or least make it stick as the flyers go in over the top and ground based creatures are cut aside with removal.

Game Three sees the toughest game so far but a Living Tsuanmi is a potent threat in addition to an unblockable Aether Figment. Justin has his Hagra Crocodiles but they cannot do enough damage.

It’s a scrappy win but a win all the same.

Round 2          Josh J. Howell

Well you travel all the Manchester and who do I draw but Josh. Josh is on his first adventure out of Grimsby and has been doing very well for himself. So for him to draw me is not his ideal match up as he is convinced I have the Gypsy Curse on him.

Game One sees Josh Mulligan to five which certainly rattles him but what he doesn’t know is that my hand isn’t at all fast. Josh makes his first play which is a Crypt Ripper only to see it countered to give me a 2/2 Illusion courtesy of Summoner’s Bane. Then the synergy of my deck kicks in Kor Hookmaster, Kor Hookmaster, Kor Skyfisher bouncing Kor Hookmaster and replay Hookmaster. With synergy on myside the guys swing in for the win.

Game Two and this time we have the air force doing their stuff and Josh convinced I have a constructed deck as the Hookmasters and Skyfisher are at it again keeping him tapped down though it is a kicked Aether Figment that is battering him unblocked joining in with the flying fun.

Round 3          Craig Stevenson  

OMG ! Here I am facing the Ex English National Champions and Editor of Star City Games. Now I’ve played Craig before but cannot ever remember beating him apart from in a foreign Xth edition draft when I knew the artwork better on the cards so had picked up a Bog Wraith to swamp walk him to death and I know that this is going to be a really fierce match for me.

Game One, Craig spots I am nervous when I take a while to make my Mulligan decision “Craig, against you it is not the best hand.” Craig “Got you worried ?”. Me “No, just treating an ex English Champion with the respect he deserves, that hand would get me killed. But just maybe someone is telling me something as Welkin Tern drops turn two and I have flyers coming from all angles. The weenies of doom are doing their job finished off by a Tempest Owl tapping down his guys to swing for the win. At this point I am told any nerves I had got had gone and was cracking my lands as I tapped them.

Game Two, Never under pressure and my confidence is now beginning to show and not as nervous with my play with the Kor Hookmaster’s causing mayhem as the flyers evade in for the win.

Craig is gracious in defeat and is an all round nice guy.

Round 4          Tom Harle  

Now at this point we have an interesting choice, both of us have 9 points and could pretty much safely Id Id into the top eight. My opponent though is a Magic Player and as we can still both Id next round play it out, with the prizes being based on Swiss position it does rather make sense. Mind you, I’d have gone the ID ID route given the choice. Wimp out I know.

Game One, Tom is my hardest opponent of the day and probably the weekend. However, it is those infernal hookmasters that throw off his temp as I can keep beating in as his guys stayed tapped down.

Game Two, This is my far a more comfortable match as I always ahead in the race and have plenty of removal to hold my board position. Though later on Tom bemoans he had an opportunity to bounce his Mountain to nullify my Cliff Threader but he missed it. That would have certainly changed the way I would have to played out that game for certain.

Well, maybe playing was for the best as my confidence is high and I’m still on table one since Round 2.

Round 5          William P. Eardley   

My opponent and I are able to safely Id so we do. With two more slots open for nine point players and six players on six points someone on nine points is going to miss out. Not surprisingly all the nine pointers are taking the I’d option not risking playing, losing and going out on dubious tie breakers, especially with the prize support heading to the Top Eight Only. My attention heads over to table four and Josh Howell is fighting for his place in the Top Eight and is briefed to win ! Josh wins and makes Top Eight in his second ever GPT, we are more pleased for him making the Top Eight than my Top Eight. Chris Pymm from the Lincoln playgroup and another friend has also Id’d in though is feeling dirty at not playing but happy he has more prizes coming through.

Well after a recent run of poor result’s I am in the Top Eight and happy, even happier that I am first in the Swiss so will be getting six more boosters for first place. Who knows what I may also pick up in the draft.

My Deck 

Bladetusk Boar x 2

Geyser Glider

Goblin Bushwhacker

Plated Geopede x 2

Tuktuk Grunts

Aether Figment

Gomazoa

Lullmage Mentor

Merfolk Seastalkers

Merfolk Wayfinder

Sphinx of Jwar Isle

Sea Gate Loremaster

Welkin Tern

Windrider Eel

Blazing Torch x 2

Cancel

Paralyzing Grasp x 2

Whiplash Trap

Inferno Trap

Island x 9

Montain x 1

Arid Mesa x 1

Rest of Pool 

Caller of Gales

Kraken Hatchling

Lethargy Trap

Trapfinders Trick

Goblin Shortcutter

Lavaball Trap

Mark of Mutiny

Molten Ravager

Spire Barrage

Zektar Shrine Expedition

Lotus Cobra

Joraga Bard

Scythe Tiger

Ravenous Trap

Vampire’s Bite

Magosi the Waterveil

Sejiri Refuge

Mountain Foil

I do like my Blue with Zendikar and some nice Red was also being passed though this was not a surprise as my friend Josh Howell was to my right and I know he tends to go Vampires with the possibility of mixing in some decent green spells/creatures if he cannot get the mono black beat down. Yes, pack two I was passed a Lotus Cobra, Apparently Chris Pymm to my left was also in Blue Red and took something better for his deck which explained why I could not see anything in the pack to make my deck. The third pack I felt was the tricky one Burst Lightning or Sphinx of Jwar isle, I went for the 5/5/ flyer with Shroud.

Quarter Final              Jan Tomis 

Game One and Jan is struggling to stabilise and at 8 life he manages to get out his Eternity Vessel and can see I have 7 power of creatures on the board so he is far from safe. I swing in with 6 power to put him to two and then equip the Blazing Torch from my hand to my last creature, tap, and ping for the win.

Game Two and Jan cannot get a threat out as he is slightly flooding, then when he does I have removal about but then he plays Eternity Vessel for SEVENTEEN ! Yes, 17 ! Three times I have him battered down only for him to bounce back up in life as I’ve been battering him for 8 per turn including two swings to get to 1 life before he drops another land. Then the Sphinx of Jwar Isle comes out and Jan fails to draw a land and two strikes are enough for the win.

At this point belief begins to set in as being able to overcome that amount of life restoration to win means the deck must have something.

William Eardley beats Chris Pymm

Craig Stephenson beats Baljeet Samra

Tom Harle beats Josh Howell

Semi Final                   Craig Stevenson 

Craig is out for revenge and determined to be booking his flight from Leeds – Bradford to Paris .

Game One and Craig’s Black Red vampire deck wrecks me and I never deal him any damage. Though Craig is tired when he keeps missing Blood Seeker triggers and we joke about “Is this your Matt Hardy Slaughter Pack moment ?” Reply “No I’m going to win”

Game Two and this time my deck is working and we are racing for the victory line. Craig though sees his deck run out of gas as my sneaky evaders are hitting harder and faster. Whiplash trap to send back Craig’s guys. I swing for the win.

One all and we’re going to game three. My confidence is back and the dream is still alive.

Game Three and after a bright start Criag Stabilises with a Hellkite Charger and the mana to untap it. Craig swings and then untaps the Hellkite, much to my surprise though he keeps it back to block Then I look at my field and Craig is down to 7 life and I have a Bladetusk boar on offence with the Dragon as his only creature. Then my choice in pack three makes it most significant appearance. I play the Sphinx and now the charger is not looking so scary, 10 life plays 7 life and its all to play for. The big guys trade and then next turn play Tuktuk grunts with haste and swing for the win. Phew, I’m in the final.

Tom Harle beats William Eardley

Final                            Tom Harle

Looks like if I want to go Paris it is going to be the hard way.

Game One is a complete blowout for me and Tom curves out beautifully and it is a 20 to zip loss.

Game Two is like Game One but it is my deck that curves out for a 20 to zip win.

OMG, we’re going to game three and by now the tension is getting insane from my side. Neil Rigby comes over and he is gutted as he has just lost in the PTQ Final to Jonathan Randle so is not pleased. Tom jokes he won’t be going home as a loser tonight. Neil smiles and next thing I know my shoulders are being rubbed “Go on Mark, you can do it.”. Now I am normally not without an opinion and so wanted to say “Tom, you’re going down” but didn’t want to jinx myself I just try to focus and play the best I can.

Game Three and Tom gets a good start before I stabilise with Windrider Eel and Geyser Glider. I get Tom down to 8 life and play my Arid Mesa triggering my landfall. I swing with the Windrider Eel and Geyser Glider, Tom chumps the Eel and then my brain farts ! Sacrifice the Arid Mesa ! Huh, What ! What on earth did I just do that for I have guaranteed landfall next turn and a flying win. Everyone hears my reaction “Bollocks !”. I’ve made the biggest play error in my life and in a GPT Final too against one of the best opponents in the country. I’m at the point of going to tilt. Mark don’t panic you’ve the Sea Gate Loremaster in play, at the very least you get two shots at this to draw a land or maybe another if you draw an extra Ally. I am shaking as I draw my card and the Mountain flops to the table. My travelling partners Tom Duignan and Josh Howell breathe a sigh of relief, not just for me but for themselves. Declare my intention to attack, Scoop. I Win !

After making the mistake with the Arid Mesa my first thoughts weren’t wahoo I’m off to Paris it was the relief that the error hadn’t cost me the match as I would have been insufferable and inconsolable for days. However, now the real issues have started, like will my new passport arrive in town after my trip to Peterborough, can I still make it to Paris J. If I can make it I will be their clutching onto my three byes and praying I get a pool that can push me into day two, but as I found with my sealed pool  in the swiss, sometimes you just have to take those chances for the better deck even if it makes the mana base a little bit shaky.

Hope to see you in Disneyland Paris, and if you see I have a fetch land, I wont be making that mistake again !

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