Arizona’s finest, Creeping+Tar+Pit, and Jacob got the aggression rolling with a turn 1 Volcanic+Island into Delver+of+Secrets. Phimus Brainstormed on his second turn, then fetched up Bayou with Polluted+Delta and cast Inquisition+of+Kozilek, seeing Force+of+Will, Chain+Lightning, Price+of+Progress, and Misty+Rainforest. Jacob lost his Chain+Lightning, and missed on his Delver trigger. He played a Misty+Rainforest and passed back to Phimus.
Phimus played a Thoughtseize on turn 3, and Jacob responded by fetching up Volcanic+Island and casting Price+of+Progress. Phimus fell to 14, and Jacob to 17. Thoughtseize resolved, revealing Force+of+Will and Snapcaster+Mage. Phimus took the creature, and fell to 12. He played a Polluted+Delta and passed the turn.
Jacob again missed on his Delver trigger, but the Delver didn’t last long anyway. When he attacked for 1, Phimus fetched up a Tropical+Island and cast Abrupt+Decay to kill it. Jacob passed with no further play. Phimus generated a little value on his turn with a Baleful+Strix.
After Jacob again had no play, Phimus cracked in for 1 and cast Lilliana of the Veil. He ticked it up, trading a backup copy of Lilliana from his hand with Jacob’s Force+of+Will. On Jacob’s turn, he fetched up a second Volcanic+Island and emptied his hand, casting a Lightning+Bolt and a Chain+Lightning to clear away the Lilliana.
Phimus played Jace%2C+the+Mind+Sculptor and fatesealed. He saw Spell+Pierce, and decided that one was okay. Jacob drew it and passed, and Phimus fatesealed again, allowing Jacob to keep Chain+Lightning after some deliberation. He played True-Name+Nemesis, and that was enough for Jacob, who conceded the first game.
Island into Delver+of+Secrets. Phimus’s turn 1 was Underground+Sea into Inquisiton of Kozilek. Jacob revealed Smash+to+Smithereens, Goblin+Guide, Ponder, and two Misty+Rainforests. He removed the Goblin+Guide.
Jacob cast a Ponder on his second turn, attacked for 1, played a Misty+Rainforest, and passed. When Phimus had only land-go on his second turn, Jacob revealed Ponder on top of his deck and crashed in for three with his Insectile+Aberration, but it died to Phimus’s Abrupt+Decay. After combat, Jacob fetched up a Volcanic+Island to clear away his top card then cast his Ponder. He kept his cards, drew, and passed.
Baleful+Strix entered play on turn 3 from Phimus, and Jacob threw a Lightning+Bolt at Phimus’s head at his end step, dropping him to 15. Jacob untapped and dropped Sulfuric+Vortex into play. Phimus countered it with Spell+Pierce.
Phimus’s three drop stuck, though—True-Name+Nemesis entered play, putting Jacob on a short clock. He attacked with his Strix and passed back. Jacob found a Snapcaster+Mage on his own turn, using it to flash back a Ponder. The Ponder found Lava+Spike, which bumped Phimus down to 11. True-Name+Nemesis attacked Jacob down to 14, and Phimus developed his board further with a Deathrite+Shaman and a Phyrexian+Revoker, naming Grim+Lavamancer.
Sulfuric+Vortex #2 came down for Jacob, and this time it resolved. Jacob also had Smash+to+Smithereens on Phimus’s Revoker, and then attacked with his Snapcaster+Mage, trading with Baleful+Strix. He passed the turn, and Phimus fell to 6 on his upkeep.
Unable to gain life with his Deathrite+Shaman, Phimus had no option but to race. He played Creeping+Tar+Pit, a second True-Name+Nemesis, a second Deathrite+Shaman, and passed. Counting the 4 damage Jacob would take from his own Sulfuric+Vortex, Jacob was dead unless he found a burn spell.
He found a Volcanic+Island.
Phimus Pan 2, Jacob Kory 0
