Zac was hungry for a win this weekend, with two Top 8 appearances playing unique achetypes. Would Welder MUD give him the gold over mono-red Burn, or would Anthony hoist another trophy in the name of Flame+Rift and Fireblast?
Anthony carries the Burn torch today.
Game 1
On the play, Zac chanted for turn 1 Wurmcoil+Engine. Ancient Tomb into Grim+Monolith into Metalworker had potential, but Chain+Lightning ended the 1/2. That meant Zac had to go to 14 to cast his Lodestone+Golem on turn 2, with two Ancient+Tombs, and Anthony suspended Rift+Bolt.
Zac went to 12 for Grim+Monolith and Voltaic+Key, untapping a Monolith. The Rift+Bolt killed Golem, and Anthony cast Flame+Rift to put himself at 11 and Zac at 8. Another Voltaic+Key off the top didn't help much, and Anthony cast Flame+Rift plus Grim+Lavamancer on the next turn.
Hitting his Wurmcoil+Engine, Zac sighed as Price+of+Progress killed him dead.
Anthony 1, Zac 0
Game 2
Keeping his seven, Zac didn't mind a mulligan from Anthony… or another one, to five cards. Four was excessive, though… Would this even be a game? Zac started Hall+of+the+Bandit+Lord and passed, taking 3 from Chain Lightning. He fell to 14 after playing City+of+Traitors, playing a hasted Metalworker to reveal ten mana in artifacts before casting Batterskull and Grim Monolith.
Zac Hicks has a lot to smile about, considering his two Top 8s.
Anthony sent 6 damage at Zac, putting him to 8 life… but he chucked a hasted Blightsteel+Colossus into the face on the next turn.
Anthony 1, Zac 1
Game 3
Suspending Rift+Bolt, Anthony passed the turn. Zac took 2 damage for Lightning+Greaves via Ancient+Tomb, and then 9 on Anthony's turn: Rift+Bolt, Lava+Spike, and Chain+Lightning. On 9, he played Mountain and passed.
Flame+Rift for Anthony made that 5 life, and Zac had the Wurmcoil, Grim+Monolith, and City+of+Traitors he needed to gain 6 life… but he was dead to Lightning+Bolt, Fireblast, maybe even more. He fell to 3 life to make his hasted Wurmcoil Engine—and landed the blow!
Going back to 9 life, Zac was suddenly in the lead. Anthony passed on his own turn, and Zac attacked—double Price+of+Progress put Zac to 1 life, and he got back to 7 when his attack landed successfully once again. Anthony drew… and extended the hand in defeat.
Anthony 1, Zac 2
