90sMTG Open IV Report — 10th Place w/Loki Breakfast
5 a.m. Saturday morning. I jolt awake. Ever since my first job, I wake up with either “It’s Time to Make the Donuts” or the Theme to the Teen Wolf cartoon rattling around in my head.
Today it's “Time to make the Donuts.” I’m on Breakfast, after all, l and I have to make the Amtrak by 6am to get to NYC. It was the only train available when I decided I needed to play in the 90sMTG Open IV.
We are two weeks out for Eternal Weekend. I should limber up before the event. I haven't gotten in my 100 matches this year. I haven't gotten close, actually. My PC has been on the blink for a couple of months, and I’m just too busy to play pick-up games at the local bar, as fun as that is.
{Bagel and Schmear} by Javier Charro
I get in a car at William Gray III station and head up to NYC. The Podcast recently got approved for a credit card. I opted for the one that gives Amtrak Points. We travel a lot up and down the East Coast. It’s been great not having to pay for that.
Arrived at Penn Station at 9 a.m., Phil’s at 9:30 a.m. From Phil’s down to Hex & Co. I wish Philly had a shop like this near me. We have similar stuff in Philly, but it’s not all within walking distance in South Philly. We have five record shops within a 10-minute walk from my doorstep. And ZERO local game stores. You’d think someone would have that covered.
Anyhow, Hex & Co is wonderful. Great food; service is solid. Plenty of board games and gaming accouterments. I spend a few minutes before the Tournament eating an egg sandwich, downing a coffee, and catching up with Eric R. Aside from being on the show once or twice, I don't know if I’ve seen him since Lucca last year.
Round 1 gets called. Thankfully I’m prepared with Larsson’s help! We did a whole masterclass on this deck for Patreon, with a sideboard guide that really made the difference.
I need to remember my Meta Glasses for Eternal Weekend this year. I have been trying to do a better job of cataloging my mulligans and keeps. Having a camera on my face really helps for that. I’ll try to do that for Eternal Weekend.
Round 1 vs. {Doomsday}
It's a Feature match with Zach on {Doomsday}. A ZAC(H)OFF!
Game one is crazy fast. Zac starts with {Dark Ritual} into {Doomsday}. My heart sinks because I was not ready for that. It resolved, and I looked through the draw to see that {Cavern of Souls} and two {Thassa's Oracle}s weren't present.
Eric has taught me well enough that I know my opponent is likely going for a more resilient, countermagic-resistant pile. I can counter the first {Thassa’s Oracle} and deploy a {Shuko}.
Zach has two cards left. I don’t have a {Cephalid Illusionist}, though. I {Brainstorm}…nothing. No shuffle or anything, either. I {Brainstorm} again and find the {Cephalid Illusionist}! But I’m out of mana…bummer. Pass turn.
{Cavern of Souls} by Cliff Childs
Zach draws and passes. Looks like he put {Cavern of Souls} on top and {Thassa's Oracle} on the bottom. I untap, play the combo, and get lucky enough to steal the first game.
Game two, he opens with {Dark Ritual} again. I have {Force of Negation}. I’m thinking if he plays a {Barrowgoyf}, I’ll be upset. I counter the ritual. He drops a {Lotus Petal}, a second {Dark Ritual}, and {Doomsday}. Follows up with a {Dauthi Voidwalker} to stop me from racing this time, and I was able to get there, but I saw the line too late. He sac’d his {Dauthi Voidwalker} to use my {Ponder}, and I should have countered it. I could have won the next turn. I realized immediately and noted the misplay.
Game three: an early {Dauthi Voidwalker} puts me in a race with {Nomads en-Kor} and {Loki, God of Mischief} trading for equal damage, and I'm losing. {Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student} doesn’t seem relevant at first since I’m at five life and he’s at eight.
{Dauthi Voidwalker} by Sidharth Chaturvedi
I flip her and +2 for the -1/0 effect. That changed the race and bought me a turn to win. Limited skills are really paying off today. I have to be careful not to discard the {Dread Return}, since a countered {Barrowgoyf} is in the graveyard. I was heads up enough to not screw that up and took a squeaker of a win!
It was a feature match, so expect to see it on the 90sMTG channel when he streams on Wednesday. It’ll be my debut!
Round 2 vs [u][r] WelderCam
Rockford and I wax on about the Virtues of its 70s TV namesake. I’m of course a big fan. I mention the trifecta of Kolchak: The Night Stalker (Darren McGavin of Christmas Story fame) and, of course, Peter Folk as Columbo as we shuffle up. I can’t recall all the details, but Rockford got me in two games, and two moments stood out.
My {Relic of Progentius} held the line against {Goblin Welder}. I’m sitting with no interaction in mind; the {Chromatic Star} is in the graveyard, and Rockford slung an {Abade} into my {Relic of Progenitus}. I have a clue in play, and I’m trying to decide if I’d rather draw a card or remove the graveyards. It's a really tough call.
{Relic of Progenitus} by Jean-Sébastien Rossbach
Because the third option is fake, I have a {Swords to Plowshares} to keep him honest. I let the {Relic of Progenitus} hit the yard. {Goblin Engineer} hits the stack. Oh no, a {Sewer-veillance Cam} is in the mix. I draw with the clue, praying for a {Force of Will}. Not that lucky.
He combos; I want to see it because I really haven't seen the deck in action. On review, the correct play was to blow the {Relic of Progenitus} for the {Chromatic Star}. Lesson learned.
Game two was quick. I had a chance but was one blue card short of stopping Rockford’s combo. That's life. With more reps, I could be talking about a game. Sadly, I tossed one to the gods but learned enough that the loss was worth it. I will not make the same error at Eternal Weekend.
Round 3 vs {Flow State} Breakfast
Maddie was on {Flow State} over {Loki, God of Mischief}. I think that was the deciding factor in this match. My {Relic of Progenitus} was a power player.
I was about to keep Maddie from doing unfair stuff in games two and three, and I either tempo’d them out with Constructs or out-carded them with {Loki, God of Mischief} and combo, with little fear since I had pressure and more cards.
{Loki, God of Mischief} by Vilhelmas Banys
Shout out to Larsson’s Masterclass here, because having a clear sideboard plan and context on what mattered in the match was game-changing.
Round 4 vs [u][b] Hogaak
In game one, I went for the soul read (having two {Force of Will}s) and comboed. It wasn’t particularly interactive or anything. He did get to {Wasteland} my {Urza's Saga} with the mana trigger on the stack, so that slowed me down for a turn.
Game two was much more interesting. I had sideboarded for a [u][b] Tempo match-up. When {Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis} hit the board on turn two, I was a little shocked. I was shocked when turn one {Stitcher’s Supplier} hit the board. But the sideboard for tempo was still relevant.
{Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis} by Vincent Proce
{Karakas} dealt with the Gaak. My {Relic of Progenitus} kept Mario's graveyard honest. I got {Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student} and a {Nomads en-Kor} online. To block his one-power hoard.
Eventually, {Orcish Bowmasters} hit the board. And a {Moonshadow} started threatening to get big. I started my retaliation with Tamiyo for more cards. I removed the {Orcish Bowmasters} first while I ate some hits from the {Moonshadow}.
Tamiyo flipped to stabilize me, then I was able to ultimate and figure out a win from there. Sometimes I try to play fair and keep getting in with the constructs, but here I want to end the game before anything else happens.
Round 5 vs AlurenTell
It all came down to Mike’s end. Game one {Aluren} hit the board; I had {Nomads en-Kor} in play and {Cephalid Illusionist} and {Thassa’s Oracle} in hand.
Mike plays {Acererak the Archlich}. I read {Aluren} and confirm it works for me too. I play {Cephalid Illusionist}. Mike takes a second, blinks, and plays a second {Acererak the Archlich}. Them's the breaks.
{Nomads en-Kor} by Val Mayerik
Game two, I was not in love with my six-card opener. But I had lands, a {Swords to Plowshares}, and a {Ponder}. I’d at least get to play. I started sculpting my hand and was about to draw with {Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student}. Pivotal turn: I have two {Force of Will} and a blue card, and I’m trying to find my combo, but I also feel safe with those Swords in hand as interaction.
“{Orim’s Chant.}" I {Force of Will}. Mike replies with a {Force of Will}. And my {Swords to Plowshares} look bad. I died.
Took my second loss; I’m vaguely sure one X-2 can make it. And I need these reps, so I’ll keep playing.
Round 6 vs Beanstalk
Vinny is on {Up the Beanstalk}. We all know Beanstalk. I comboed him in game one after countering a Beanstalk.
{Up the Beanstalk} by Lucas Graciano
In game two, I locked in the advice from Larsson’s masterclass on this match-up; it’s all about the Beanstalk. I kept them off the board again and stayed ahead on cards with Tamiyo. Eventually, my three {Urza’s Saga}s pummeled him down. I countered a pretty scary {Wrath of th
e Skies}, but he had nothing to do about it because I was drawing more cards.
Round 7 vs Boros Energy
I was actually pretty pleased to see such a diverse metagame. Seven rounds and seven different decks. Game 1 was brutal: {Guide of Souls}, {Thalia, Guardian of Thraben}, and {Ajani, Nacatl Pariah}.
The beats came fast as I tried to find my combo. I assembled it with what looked like one turn left, but I had a kicked {Orim’s Chant} ready to buy myself another turn if I had to.
I didn’t panic or feel the creeping despair here, and I attribute that to Larson’s Masterclass. Being prepped for this deck and knowing what to prioritize went a long way to keep my head in what looked like a really dangerous game.
{Pithing Needle} by Pete Venters
In game two, the sideboard guide once again broke this matchup open. Knowing the pivotal plays the energy player would make, I was fully prepared to fight for game two on the draw and then have another chance in game three.
Ed mulled to five, so I was feeling good about that. I mulled to six myself. But I think anytime I’m mulling with my “fair deck” opponent, I’m feeling good. I have the tools to make up those cards.
Fast forward to turn two: {Amped Raptor} into {Goblin Bombardment}. This is why I play {Pithing Needle}! I deploy a Tamiyo, then a {Nomads en-Kor} so I can ensure that he only goes if I want him to, and play an {Urza’s Saga}, hoping to make some guys and get that needle.
{Wasteland} ends that path pretty fast. But I’m holding off the {Amped Raptor}, which seems to be Ed’s only threat right now. I have to assume his grip is just hate. I get a {Narcomoeba} off a surveil land. It trades for a token.
I draw the {Cephalid Illusionist} and fire off an {Orim’s Chant}. {Surgical Extraction} hit {Narcomoeba}, cutting me off the combo for now as Tamiyo died.
I get another {Urza’s Saga} for {Shuko}. I’m turning the corner to attack. {Wasteland} hits my {Urza's Saga} as I make the first construct, but I now have more creatures and am the beatdown.
{Shuko} by Greg Hildebrandt
Things ended pretty fast from there. Ed showed me his hand and sideboard plan. Many over-sideboarded; he over-sideboarded. I have to agree. His deck should have overrun me with guys after that Bombardment hit the board.
Looking Ahead
5-2 was good enough for 10th place. If one or two tougher opponents had stuck around and won a few more games, who knows—top 8, or take the whole thing down?
I’ve been on a tear this year at large events. I’m consistently hitting the top 8 or just missing the bubble. This year, I feel like I’ve refined my play style and focus: I'm not getting frazzled during a match; I'm shaking off mistakes and learning from them instead of beating myself up.
{Browbeat} by Mark Tedin
I’ve played less than I’d like this year, but looking back before Eternal Weekend, I have several top 8s at Sorcery and Cornerstone Championship, a few Premodern local $1K top 8s, and a few near misses at Sorcery Grand Contests.
Basically, I’ve been in the top 8, or one win off the top 8, of every tournament I’ve played, with a serious goal of winning this year. That's something to be proud of as we move into Eternal Weekend. Hopefully I can keep that momentum.
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Featured image: {Cephalid Illusionist} by Pete Venters