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The Invitational was this last weekend, and what a tournament it was. Not only did some great decks come out of the event, but the storylines from the player side couldn't be beat. This week, I am going to be talking about my favorite Standard decks and put my own twist on them.

The first thing to talk about before we get into any decklists is Alex Bertoncini's insane run. Alex was leading the SCG Player of the Year race going into the event. Only a few players could catch him, but they needed Alex to flame out while they went on to make the top 4 or better. Alex showed them all up by winning the entire event and taking home the Power 9.

I for one think this is an amazing accomplishment. Winning the final tournament of the year when already in the lead of the race just shows how dominating of a season he had on the SCG circuit. Congratulations Mr. Bertoncini. Let's just see if you're able to win it again…

This was not the only storyline from the weekend. Gerry Thompson was one of the players hot on Bertoncini's trail going into the event. He has been breathing this game as of late and was ready to make the upset come true with another Invitational win. Gerry's Standard deck was also quite the beauty.

Solar Flare A Standard deck, by Gerry Thompson 7th place at a StarCityGames.com Invitational tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States on 2011-12-18 Print this deck!
Maindeck: Artifacts 3 Pristine Talisman 1 Ratchet Bomb Creatures 2 Phantasmal Image 3 Sun Titan Enchantments 3 Oblivion Ring 1 Pacifism	Instants 1 Blue Sun's Zenith 4 Desperate Ravings 1 Dissipate 4 Forbidden Alchemy 3 Gut Shot 4 Mana Leak Legendary Creatures 1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite Sorceries 1 Day of Judgment 2 Ponder 1 Unburial Rites Basic Lands 4 Island 1 Mountain 2 Plains 1 Swamp Lands 1 Blackcleave Cliffs 1 Ghost Quarter 4 Glacial Fortress 4 Seachrome Coast 3 Shimmering Grotto 4 Sulfur Falls	Sideboard: 2 Nihil Spellbomb 1 Ratchet Bomb 1 Phantasmal Image 2 Ancient Grudge 1 Blue Sun's Zenith 3 Celestial Purge 1 Dissipate 1 Day of Judgment 2 Timely Reinforcements 1 Ghost Quarter
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I will try not to spend too much time on this deck since Gerry will be writing about it in his article this week, but I can't help myself. I got home Saturday night just in time to see Gerry win a match against Illusions. He had three Pristine Talismans in play and was doing all this crazy stuff. Once the match was over, I texted him for the list so I could MODO with it. He shipped the deck, and I started playing. I did not stop before wishing him good luck for day two the next morning. I just couldn't stop playing the deck.

This is a very difficult deck to play, but it rewards play skill very well. I can easily see how this is an MJ and Gerry creation from playing with it. The decisions are very complex, and it took a while to understand some of the card choices.

This deck is very good against all of the aggressive decks in the format. The only problem is what it lacks against control decks. Gerry did not expect much control in the environment and played a deck according to this information. He nailed it, and this deck helped get him to the Top 8 to lose to probably the only pilot in the room who could beat him in a bad matchup.

The Magic Online metagame is much different from the one at the Invitational. Control is picking up headway, which makes this configuration much weaker. This is the version of the deck I have been playing since receiving the decklist.

Four-Color Flare Featured by Brad Nelson on 2011-12-18 (Standard) As written about in http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/23269.html Print this deck!
Maindeck: Artifacts 3 Pristine Talisman 1 Ratchet Bomb Creatures 2 Phantasmal Image 1 Snapcaster Mage 3 Sun Titan Enchantments 3 Oblivion Ring Instants 1 Blue Sun's Zenith 4 Desperate Ravings 1 Dissipate 4 Forbidden Alchemy 3 Gut Shot 4 Mana Leak	Legendary Creatures 1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite Sorceries 1 Day of Judgment 2 Ponder 1 Unburial Rites Basic Lands 4 Island 1 Mountain 2 Plains 1 Swamp Lands 1 Blackcleave Cliffs 1 Ghost Quarter 4 Glacial Fortress 4 Seachrome Coast 3 Shimmering Grotto 4 Sulfur Falls	Sideboard: 2 Nihil Spellbomb 2 Ratchet Bomb 1 Phantasmal Image 1 Snapcaster Mage 2 Dissipate 1 Negate 2 Karn Liberated 1 Day of Judgment 2 Timely Reinforcements 1 Ghost Quarter
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I haven't moved too much around yet since I have only gotten about 40 matches under my belt, but one thing that is clear is the deck needs a way to win against control decks. The best spell I have found so far is Karn Liberated. He is very versatile, becoming a win condition when he needs to, but usually just controlling the board when unchecked. I have been very happy with this planeswalker.

The other card that I added was Snapcaster Mage. I don't want too many of this guy, but having him helps against a couple matchups. He acts as a threat against control decks in the early turns, which can help force them to act first when both players are staring at each other. He is also more countermagic when drawn in the long game. Against aggressive decks, he is additional removal spells as well as more answers to Geist of Saint Traft.

I have not found much Mono Red or Tempered Steel online, so the sideboard hate for these matchups is not needed.

White Sun's Zenith is the card of choice for the U/W Control decks popping up thanks to Tom Martell (someone gave you credit!) and can be very good against this deck. I find that keeping in Ratchet Bomb in that matchup not only answers this spell but can help you fight off Oblivion Rings. Make sure not to just take those out of the deck.

I'll leave the rest for Gerry.

The next deck to talk about is Adam Prosak's take on U/W Illusions. Adam Prosak was someone who went on my radar earlier this year. He really impressed me multiple times when I would watch SCG Opens at home, so his second-place finish does not surprise me.

U/W Illusions A Standard deck, by Adam Prosak 2nd place at a StarCityGames.com Invitational tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States on 2011-12-18 Print this deck!
Maindeck: Creatures 4 Delver of Secrets 2 Merfolk Looter 4 Phantasmal Bear 4 Phantasmal Image 4 Snapcaster Mage Instants 2 Dismember 2 Gut Shot 4 Mana Leak 2 Midnight Haunting 4 Vapor Snag	Sorceries 4 Gitaxian Probe 4 Ponder Basic Lands 9 Island Lands 4 Glacial Fortress 3 Moorland Haunt 4 Seachrome Coast	Sideboard: 1 Dismember 2 Dissipate 1 Feeling of Dread 1 Flashfreeze 2 Gut Shot 1 Negate 3 Geist of Saint Traft 3 Timely Reinforcements 1 Moorland Haunt
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The most interesting thing about this decklist is that Adam decided that Lord of the Unreal was not needed. I don't really understand how he came to this conclusion besides thinking that the mirror would be very popular. Lord of the Unreal tends to get bricked by opposing Phantasmal Images and can easily end the game on turn two. Merfolk Looter is very good in the mirror on the other hand. This card fuels Moorland Haunt and Snapcaster Mage while getting rid of extra lands. I watched Adam destroy the mirror match because of this card.

This list also looks like something Adam prepared for the metagame at the Invitational. I played with this deck a bit online and had the same problems as I did when I was testing it for the Pro Tour: I couldn't beat Wolf Run. I never seem to win even though people say it's not a bad matchup. I don't really know what the solution is besides more countermagic, but that isn't the issue. The issue is when the deck doesn't have a fast enough start. It is very difficult to win a game against Wolf Run without a turn-one Delver of Secrets or Phantasmal Bear.

I have a feeling that Illusions is going to lose its spot as the best deck in the format very soon. People are learning how to attack the deck in ways it is not used to.

Pristine Talisman is a very strong answer to the problems control decks have the most trouble with. Illusions used to be able to deal two damage a turn while sitting on countermagic. This artifact now makes the aggro deck put more pressure on the opponent, opening it up to mass removal more.

Ratchet Bomb is also very good against the deck. Backed up by Sun Titan, this card can deal with all the problematic cards a control deck has to deal with.

Next up is Reid Duke and his never-ending string of amazing finishes with decks I will never play.

Wolf Run Pod A Standard deck, by Reid Duke 3rd place at a StarCityGames.com Invitational tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States on 2011-12-11 Print this deck!
Maindeck: Artifacts 2 Birthing Pod Artifact Creatures 1 Palladium Myr 4 Solemn Simulacrum 2 Wurmcoil Engine Creatures 2 Acidic Slime 4 Birds of Paradise 1 Blade Splicer 4 Primeval Titan 4 Viridian Emissary	Legendary Creatures 1 Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite Sorceries 2 Day of Judgment 4 Green Sun's Zenith 4 Rampant Growth Basic Lands 8 Forest 1 Mountain 3 Plains Lands 2 Inkmoth Nexus 2 Kessig Wolf Run 4 Razorverge Thicket 1 Rootbound Crag 4 Sunpetal Grove	Sideboard: 1 Stingerfling Spider 1 Viridian Corrupter 1 Ancient Grudge 2 Autumn's Veil 2 Beast Within 2 Gut Shot 1 Thrun, the Last Troll 2 Day of Judgment 2 Timely Reinforcements 1 Ghost Quarter
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Reid Duke holds a place in my heart since we are cut from the same cloth. He is an amazing Magic player who I don't think will be going anywhere. The only problem I have with him is why he has to play Birthing Pod all the time.

I say this after playing ten matches with this deck. I understand what it is trying to do, but I don't understand why regular Wolf Run Ramp is not miles better. I got very schizophrenic draws with this deck and rarely ever even wanted a Birthing Pod.

I actually have a big problem with all of the three-color Ramp decks. They are probably good against the aggressive decks in the format, but so is Jun'ya Iyanaga's version. The problem lies in their control matchups.

I keep playing against these G/W ramp decks with Gerry's Four-Color Control deck and find they don't do anything powerful unless its Primeval Titan or Garruk, Primal Hunter. Garruk Relentless is showing up in a ton of lists online, but the card is garbage. It might be that it is powerful in other matchups, but I just don't see it.

I feel that these ramp decks are trying to get cute for some reason. Primeval decks just want to slam their namesake and win the game. I understand that this is not always possible, so the deck has to do other things, but Birthing Pod does not seem like the right choice. Either the deck is good or isn't. Don't try to build an acceptable version when the metagame isn't right for it.

On the other hand, Reid Duke might just be that much better than I am to be able to win with these decks. I can't seem to find the lines to victory, so that might just be the case.

Those were the noteworthy decks from the tournament. Standard is really going to get shaken up from this event. Gerry's deck is the real deal and will be showing up all over the place.

One last thing before I go. U/W Humans seems to be picking up speed as of late and for good reason. It isn't terribly placed against the metagame or against the new inclusion which is 4CC. I think this deck will be very good for the next couple weeks.

U/W Humans Featured by Brad Nelson on 2011-12-18 (Standard) As written about in http://www.starcitygames.com/php/news/article/23269.html Print this deck!
Maindeck: Creatures 4 Champion of the Parish 4 Doomed Traveler 3 Fiend Hunter 4 Grand Abolisher 4 Hero of Bladehold 4 Mirran Crusader Enchantments 3 Angelic Destiny 4 Honor of the Pure 1 Oblivion Ring Instants 3 Mana Leak Legendary Creatures 2 Geist of Saint Traft	Basic Lands 1 Island 12 Plains Lands 4 Glacial Fortress 3 Moorland Haunt 4 Seachrome Coast	Sideboard: 1 Mortarpod 2 Sword of War and Peace 1 Oblivion Ring 2 Celestial Purge 2 Negate 1 Gideon Jura 2 Revoke Existence 4 Timely Reinforcements
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Make sure to pack Sword of War and Peace. It is very powerful against Gerry's deck as well as other threats out there.

Angelic Destiny is well positioned right now with all of the control decks starting to run around. This spell lets you progress your board without getting eaten alive by Day of Judgment. I wouldn't have played three of this card a couple weeks ago, but it just gets better and better.

I'll be back again on Friday since I need to catch up on talking to you guys after being sick for what seemed like forever. Don't go anywhere!

Brad Nelson