Top 8'ing the Top Deck Games $1K With Squee Zombie Infestation

Magic: The Gathering · by Zac Clark · April 13, 2026

Thirty-two players met in Cherry Hill, NJ, to look rad playing old Magic: The Gathering (MTG) cards for a Premodern $1K. My journey started the night before, when Pat Murray, a friend from MTG since the mid-90s, who introduced me to the He-Man/She-Ra Christmas Special, hit me up to get in some testing.

Pat consumed several hours of Sam Black content on his newest Premodern fascination: {Aluren}. I didn't have any reps against the deck because it wasn't on my radar. Pat and Sam Black are geniuses, so, although I discounted the weapon, I’d never discount the people.

Over the course of the night, we played several match-ups. I continually reached for UZI Control. The Bl(U)e (Z)ombie (I)nfestaton deck that revolves around the titular enchantment and its synergies, and thusly the rest of the deck’s card choices revolving around it.

UZI offered everything I love in a good Control deck, which is integral to viability in a format:

Getting reps against several decks allowed me to redefine the format as it has evolved over the past months since the banning of {Parallax Tide}. The format has certainly improved. I think UZI could have been as strong in that meta, but it's thriving now.

Rounds, Key Plays, and Changes

I woke up ready to play. I waited for friend of the show, Erik Higbie, to pick me up. Higbie is not only a great friend and a terrific travel partner, but also a fantastic artist. Look at this {Stasis} painting he gave me:

Round One — Tempting Wurm 

Steven was on [b][g] {Tempting Wurm}. The first game was an absolute rout. My plan was not fast enough. Steven dispatched my hand and landed a Tempting Wurm. I scooped quickly after losing two {Smother} to a {Cabal Therapy}.

I brought in both {Tsabo’s Web] for the creature lands, {Perish}, and {Morphling}.

Game Two was more favored. I cast {Duress} into turn two {Zombie Infestation} with {Squee, Goblin Nabob} for fast pressure. A few well-placed {Counterspell} and {Foil} closed the door.

There was a turn when I cast {Portent} targeting the opponent and left a {Funeral Charm} on top of his deck while I was at low life. He untapped and cast the {Funeral Charm} to give a {Treetop Village} swampwalk. I couldn't believe I was so dumb. Luckily, my onboard, counterless {Powder Keg} saved me at the cost of nuking all my zombies. I rebuilt with my engine still intact to take the game after learning a valuable lesson.

Game three was a real squeaker, where I was extremely lucky. An early {Zombie Infestation} lacked the {Squee, Goblin Nabob} to support it, so I sat flaccid for several turns as {Cabal Therapy} removed two {Perish} from my hand.

I cast Intuition in response to my opponent cashing in two {Tempting Wurm}. {Gush} and {Squee, Goblin Nabob}, helped stabilize a battle I was losing. Given enough time, UZI can overpower anything, but I didn’t have time.

I needed a miracle at four life. Creating two zombies per turn to chump my opponent's pair of {Tempting Wurm} was insufficient with a {Ravenous Rat} chipping away.

I drew {Accumulated Knowledge} and cast it. "I can’t think of any card that will get me out of this," I said as I drew {Powder Keg}! It exploded two turns later to wreck the board while I clung to my lone life point. What a close call.

UZI consistently proved it can stabilize and close while maintaining the resources to maintain control. I was relieved to make it out of the first round with a win. Those reps were certainly helpful. 

Round 2 — {Aluren}

I love it when practice pays off! I would have been in the absolute doghouse without the games I played the previous evening against Pat.

In game one, I was aware of the plan after a turn-one {Duress} showed the coast was clear after taking {Aluren}. I slammed {Zombie Infestation} and played conservatively. {Counterspell} and {Foil} solved the rest of the game as {Squee, Goblin Nabob}, helped create a zombie horde. 

I boarded out {Krovokian Horror}, two {Smother}, {Deep Analysis}, {Wonder}, and {Powder Keg} for three {Engineered Plague} and two {Annul}.

Game two, I learned another lesson. I’ve been playing MTG for 30 years, and I still screw up. My brain doesn’t work at full capacity when I think I’m losing. I try to course-correct during competitive play. The lesson is to stop and comprehend the board state before submitting to losing. 

Sharing this is important because I lost a game I could have won because I was too busy losing.

I survived the early turns with a {Duress}, which revealed {Show and Tell}, {Aluren}, and {Chain of Vapor} amongst sundry combo creatures. I took {Aluren}. On my turn three, I drew {Engineered Plague}. Naming “Beast” stops {Cavern Harpy} from generating value. “Windmill slam! I’m Safe!”

I forgot about {Chain of Vapor} until I put the {Engineered Plague} on the stack. First mistake. Next turn, my opponent casts {Show and Tell} to put in {Aluren}, which he found a turn earlier via {Raven Familiar}.

What did I put in? Not a damn thing! I had the {Engineered Plague} in my hand! The combo happens, we shuffle up, and it hits me. I was likely dead even if I put in the {Engineered Plague} via {Show and Tell}, but still, shameful.

In game three, early disruption and a countered {Aluren} was followed by {Zombie Infestation} and Intuition for a trio of {Squee, Goblin Nabob}.

I was drawing lands, so every turn I felt like I was gonna lose. I was lucky in that another {Aluren} wasn't found before I had enough for lethal.

Round 3 — Goblins

Brandon has been championing Premodern at Top Deck for at least half a year. This tournament’s turnout is in no small part due to the ground support he has given the format locally. It's great to see folks leading the charge.

I’m less than chuffed to see Brandon play a {Goblin Piledriver} against me on turn two of game one after a mulled to 6 against my mull to 5.

This game was close for a minute, then it ran out of my control. I got out of {Zombie Infestation}, but not squee just makes it rough. With {Goblin Warchief}, {Goblin Pilediver}, and {Goblin Matron} for {Goblin King} I was out of luck. 

I boarded out four {Duress} for a {Hydroblast} and three {Engineered Plague}.

My seven was better this time. On the play, {Portent} found {Zombie Infestation}. Bradon played {Goblin Lackey}. I slammed {Zombie Infestation} to block no matter what. He cast {Terminate} my first zombie, so I made another by pitching {Smother} and {Forbid}, but I knew a land and {Intuition} were coming.

I just needed to fade this first wave, so I could then block forever. It was the right call. Eventually, I got my engine online and traded bodies til the game was over.

Game three was too close for comfort. Brandon converted a {Siege Gang Commander} as I tried to stabilize from some pretty intense early {Goblin Piledrivers} with {Goblin Warchief}.

{Engineered Plague} turned down the temperature, killing the tokens, though one suicided a zombie. I had three {Squee, Goblin Nabob} to rebuild. {Goblin King} hit the board, complicating things again.

His 12 life to my eight, I was concerned about crack backs with all his mana to throw goblins face. I did the combat math for a near-lethal crippling swing. He blocked to stay in the game, but my six cards in hand was insurmountable for him.

Round 4: Roland Chang Stiflenought

Roland and I intentionally drew and went to Jersey Mike’s. I played games against Erik while waiting for round five pairings.

Round 5: Psychatog

AJ was keen to split, and we locked in top 8…apparently, as the first- and second-seeds. 

Not a lot to say from here as we chopped the top 8 for a cool $150, and I took a ride home after getting everyone’s decks! 

UZI feels great! I’m pretty sold on this as my deck this season.

Top 8 Decklists

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Featured image: Squee, Goblin Nabob by David Monette