Grand Prix Trial Report

Yesterday was awesome. I went to Collinsville with my friends Nathan and Adam. I played in the Grand Prix Trial there, and my friends played in the JSS. A few more of my friends also showed up for the JSS. This is one of the only extended tournaments I have played in. I was playing a good version of Scepter Tog since it was about the only deck that I had a clue of how to play, I also happened to have almost all the cards for it. There were only 14 people in the Grand Prix Trial, and 18 for the JSS. It was a pretty low turnout, but I did have fun.

Round one I played against Jeff Winkleman. He was playing Twiddle Desire. Game one is odd because at first I think he is playing Tinker, but then he plays cards that aren't in a tinker deck. I soon figure out he is playing Twiddle Desire. I get a few good Scepters out that he can't deal with. Then he helped me by tapping his Ancient Tombs a lot. I really don't know how to sideboard for game two, so I take out two Boomerang for two Duress. This game he gets mana flooded really bad. He tells me that he is playing around 14 land and he draws 9 of them during the game. This game me a lot of time to set up Scepters. I also countered his Mind's Desire with a Stifle. I won my first round, how amazing.

Round two I play against Thomas, who is playing Tinker Stax. I do really poorly, and he gets a lock out both games. I don't mind losing since I have only been playing my deck for a few days.

Round three I play the mirror match. My opponent was Curtis. He had been testing more than I had, and he had a better sideboard. Both games he better able to control. When I got two awesome Scepters out he was able to Cunning Wish for a Rack and Ruin to kill both. I ended up losing, but again I wasn't mad because I had been playing my deck for only two days.

Round four I get paired up against someone who is 2-1. His name was John, and he was playing Goblins. I won I would get top 8 prize, but I didn't think I was going to win since he seemed like a better player. Game one he gets a very slow start. I am able to get out a Scepter with Fire/Ice. I shoot down his goblins one by one. There was one time when he said, "declaring attack phase." I said ok, then he tap his creatures. I was said before attackers are declared I will shoot the Warchief. I had done this the wrong way and it was cheesy, but he was nice and allowed it. I took one from the Piledriver instead of three. I ended up winning that game. I sideboarded in three of each Chills and Engineered Plagues. I got out an early Plague that quickly slowed him down. Towards the end he asked me how much it would take for me to concede to him, so that he could top four. This was a bribe, but because he was nice to me and let me take back a few mistakes, I said that I would not concede and to please not offer me another bribe or I would call the judge over. During one of the last turns he played a Skullscorch, with his only two lands, on me when I had Cunning Wish and Intuition for the only cards in my hand. I had plenty of man open. I played the Cunning Wish for a Memory Lapse. I played the Memory Lapse on the Skullscorch. At the end of his turn I played Intuition for a Chill. I then top-decked another Plague. I played both and passed the turn with no cards in hand. I was completely in control, and won the game about 10 turns later.

It was a really fun tournament. I did top eight, and I got 9 packs. Nathan made top 8 in the JSS, but lost first round of top 8. Afterwards, I sold 3 of my packs and with the money I played some Mini-Golf with my friends. It was a very fun day.