Hans Feng and his Hive Mind list are all about making you play spells you'd rather not.

Nick Spagnolo is again fighting for Top 8 in Denver, this time in the Legacy format. He’s playing U/W Control without Stoneforge Mystics—“And I have not missed him at all!”—in the Sunday Legacy Open. His opponent, Hans Feng, was playing the Hive Mind deck that broke out at Grand Prix Providence and has maintained its place as a Legacy fixture thus far.

Game 1

Hans won the roll and took the play, tanking on an eventual mulligan as Nick kept his starting seven. Hans opened on Island and Brainstorm for the first turn, fixing up his hand a bit. Nick just played Scalding Tarn. A Misty Rainforest for Hans rid him of one Brainstormed card and searched up an Island. He cast Grim Monolith, to which Nick responded by cracking his Tarn for Island and Spell Snaring. Untapping, Nick dropped Flooded Strand.

A second Brainstorm from Hans earned Nick’s mental misstep, going to 17, and Hans ended the turn without a land. Factory

Hans drew an Island and then cast Grim Monolith the second, this time resolving the powerful mana source. Nick allowed it to resolve only to break his Strand for Tundra and Repeal the artifact during the end step. On his own turn, he added Tundra to the field and then attacked with his Factory.

Hans retried Grim Monolith into Counterspell, but he used Force of Will pitching Hive Mind to counter it back. “Oh, you’re playing that deck,” Nick realized, a bit exposed against the combination strategy now. He tapped out for Jace, the Mind Sculptor and brainstormed before placing his third Tundra onto the battlefield.

Show and Tell on the next turn met a Force of Will from Nick, removing Mental Misstep, and he appeared to have temporarily stymied his opponent. Another brainstorm followed by a fetchland crack and an authentic Brainstorm dug Nick toward more counters, and his Mishra’s Factory attacked once again to put Hans on 14.

Tapping out, Hans cast Hive Mind and ended his turn. Nick breathed a little easier, fatesealing Hans on hiw osn turn and continuing to beat with Mishra’s Factory. Hans drew and passed. Nick attacked again and bottomed a card this time, crossing his fingers that Hans would brick off this turn.

When he played Volcanic Island, that appeared to be the case. Nick Wastelanded it during the end step, and Hans untapped his Monolith in response. Drawing for turn, Nick left a Pact of Negation on top of the deck before attacking Hans down to 8, only four attacks shy of victory—if Jace didn’t get there first.

Hans drew and passed once again. Nick left City of Traitors on top of the deck this time, sending Jace to 11 as he attacked. Another wasted turn from Hans gave Nick control of the board, and he used Jace to bottom Emrakul this time—interesting. What did he fear from Emrakul at this juncture, with Jace on 13 counters and him able to survive a hit before bouncing the monster?

Drawing live, Hans cast Show and Tell and then used two Pact of Negations to counter it without yielding priority, leaving Nick with his own copies of the spells. Nick correctly used one of his Pact of Negations to counter the other, and Hans scooped on the spot.

Nick 1, Hans 0

Nick's not a fan of Stoneforge in Legacy U/W right now, and his record speaks itself?

Game 2

On the play, Hans considered his hand carefully before keeping. Nick agreed, and Flooded Strand started the game. Nick started the aggro early with Mishra’s Factory on his own turn. Hans broke his Strand for Island and then untapped to do the same with Polluted Delta prior to casting Grim Monolith. Nick Forced, pitching Ancestral Visions. He followed with a Plains and an attack for 2 damage.

Hans played Volcanic Island and then cast Intuition during his own main phase, searching up a trio of Show and Tells and placing one in the grip. Nick played Flooded Strand, finally finding a blue source, and sent his Factory in again to put Nick on 14.

Casting Show and Tell, Hans seemed a little surprised to find that the spell had resolved. He placed Hive Mind down while Nick placed Vendilion Clique. The Clique targeted Nick, and Hans wisely chose to Summoner’s Pact in response, earning a scoop when the Clique failed to draw a Stifle.

Nick 1, Hans 1

Game 3

Nick kept, as did Hands, and Tundra started the deciding game. Hans played Flooded Strand on his turn, and Nick broke one of his own for a second Tundra prior to casting Meddling Mage. It resolved, and Nick named Show and Tell with his hate bear. The Mage wouldn’t do much vs. Slaughter Pact except require that Hans have two Pacts to kill with, but it was a start. Hans broke his fetchland for an Island, and then untapped and played Ancient Tomb for Grim Monolith. Nick once again used Force of Will on the Monolith, but this time Nick Forced back, pitching Show and Tell.

The Mage attacked, and Nick played Mishra’s Factory prior to suspending Ancestral Vision and attacking for 2. Hans drew, played a Flooded Strand, and ended his turn without a Hive Mind. Whew!

Teaming with Factor and Meddling Mage, Nick dropped Hans to 10. That became 9 as he broke his Flooded Strand for Island prior to his own turn. He drew and played a second Ancient Tomb before tapping both alongside his Islands to go to 5 and cast Hive Mind. Nick cast Surgical Extraction on Force of Will in response, which resolved, and revealed a hand of two Show and Tells and a Pact of Negation. “You can’t actually do anything,” Nick realized. He decided to leave the Forces in the deck as dead draws and the Hive Mine entered play.

On dangerous territory but seemingly safe for now, Nick tried a Brainstorm. Hans took his own Brainstorm first before allowing that one to resolve, and Nick found the fifth land he needed. He could now attack for 4, put Hans to 1, and pay for Pact of Negation should Hans attempt to cast a spell and Pact it. He did risk death to any of the other pacts, however—had Hans found one?

Beginning with Brainstorm, Hans gave Nick a copy that required him to break Flooded Strand in response to shuffle the deck before drawing three cards. Hans resolved afterward, and Nick waited to see if he was dead. Hans played an Island and then tapped it to Ponder, clearly trying to hit one card deeper and likely in desperate search for a Pact. He checked the third card and shuffled, living on a prayer now.

“Is there ever an end?” Nick moaned as Hans cast Brainstorm with his last blue mana, giving Nick another draw at his blanks.

Nick 2, Hans 1