David Price is known for piloting New Horizons in most Legacy events but he and Jesse Hatfield are among a handful of players bucking traditional favorites and piloting Zoo in today's Legacy Open taking advantage of combo's recession to rock Wild Nacatl. Sam is piloting one of the most popular decks on the Open Series Team America. A win for either player would lock up the Top 8 while a loss would likely leave them in the Top 16.

David Price is packing small animals and burn this weekend.

Game 1

Sam took down the die roll and opted for the play. He deliberated on his starting seven for a few seconds before keeping while David kept quickly. Sam led Misty Rainforest and passed while David played a Plateau and cast Steppe Lynx. Cracking his Misty for an Underground Sea Sam cast Brainstorm in response and then paid 2 life to Mental Misstep.

Adding a Bayou to the board Sam cast Tarmogoyf as a 3/4 and passed back to Sam. Cracking Wooded Foothills to find a Taiga Sam dropped a 3/3 Wild Nacatl and sent the turn to Sam overmatched on the board but not absurdly so.

Sam attacked with his Tarmogoyf and then played a second Wastelanding Daivd's Taiga. David wasn't concerned playing a second Taiga and then Qasali Pridemage to force through 4 damage with the Nacatl and gain some new ground against his opponent's monsters.

A Hymn to Tourach from Sam grew the Tarmogoyfs even as it hit only lands from David's hand. Ocho Tarmogoyf damage put David down to 8 and even though Sam missed a land drop the game appeared to be closing quickly. A second Qasali Pridemage from David got through five damage putting Sam on 8 life. The exalted would let David get through Sam's defenses but Sam didn't seem very concerned about defending himself—at least not by blocking.

Sam sent in both Tarmogoyfs earning a chump block from one Pridemage as he fell to 4 life. Sam passed on just those two lands and a Go for the Throat on Wild Nacatl when David swung with the team locked up the game.

Sam 1 David 0

Game 2

David would have the play this game very important for his hyper-aggressive deck but a mulligan to six was not the start he was hoping to see. His six were fine and Wooded Foothills for Taiga gave him Grim Lavamancer. Sam fumbled a Go for the Throat off the top of the deck into sight before playing a Misty Rainforest and ending the turn.

Low on creatures David simply attacked with Grim Lavamancer and passed after playing Windswept Heath. Sam played a second Misty Rainforest and passed the turn content to sit and wait on his opponent.

Sam Swisher contemplates his starting hand.

David attacked again and then put down Horizon Canopy before casting Grim Lavamancer prompting a fetch for Underground Sea in response to Brainstorm followed by paying 2 life for Mental Misstep. Drawing one of the cards he'd kept Sam then fetched up bayou and cast Hymn to Tourach to empty David's hand his Misty uncracked.

Drawing for turn David broke his Horizon Canopy to draw also before adding Arid Mesa to the field. When David broke his Arid Mesa Sam responded with a Submerge to “kill” the Lavamancer. David sighed and broke his other fetch as well grabbing Plateau and Taiga before casting Tarmogoyf which resolved. Sam drew for turn and cast Go for the Throat to kill the big guy a card he knew Sam had been holding.

David drew and cast Choke but a Force of Will removing Submerge countered the enchantment. That one would have put a real hurting on the Team America manabase! Sam drew a Wasteland and broke it on Plateau before casting his own Tarmogoyf and now David was in big trouble. The 5/6 would put a real fast clock on David and he took 5 after drawing and passing.

His next card was an Arid Mesa and he passed again. Sam Pondered some choices before swinging with Tarmogoyf again and when David's topdecked Steppe Lynx earned a fetch for Underground Sea and a Mental Misstep David was in mortal peril. Sam attacked him to 2 life.

Drawing another card David passed and then tried to use Path to Exile during the upkeep on Tarmogoyf playing his last card to stay alive and mentally crossing his fingers. A Brainstorm found no help and the Tarmogoyf was removed from the game as Sam also failed to find a land—no basics. With no other creatures Sam just cast Pernicious Deed and passed.

David fell to 1 life to crack Arid Mesa for Plateau and cast Knight of the Reliquary likely earning a trade with that Deed. Leading with Ponder Sam followed it up with a Smother on the big man and passed.

Peeling Wild Nacatl David shrugged as a second Smother killed the Cat on Sam's next turn. David drew and played Qasali Pridemage this creature earning a Brainstorm followed by a Force of Will removing Force of Will. Sam then drew and cast Tarmogoyf and David's deck finally failed to deliver a creature meriting a concession.

Sam 2 David 0