Round 1: Adrian Sullivan vs. Josh Rabbitt
Adrian Sullivan, last year's State champion, is packing mono-red to no one's surprise. His opponent, Josh Rabbitt, has brought white weenie. Sullivan won the toss and elected to play first.
While Sullivan's start was fairly tame, Rabbit came out of the gates with a Suntail Hawk. Sullivan played Goblin Piledriver, which was held at bay by Rabbitt's turn 2 Silver Knight. Another Piledriver was added to Sullivan's board, but Rabbitt's third and fourth turns were too much. Bonesplitter equipped a Hawk and was followed by another Hawk, and on turn 4 Rabbitt played Dawn Elemental.
"This can't be good," Adrian remarked, and he was right. Sullivan unmorphed his Blistering Firecat, but it was not enough, as Rabbitt played a second Dawn Elemental the following turn, getting a concession from Sullivan.
Rabbitt 1-Sullivan 0
With flair and style, (who would expect less from Adrian?) he used his giant penny to try and lure rips out of his deck throughout the match, and always had tokens on hand for his opponent. Sullivan is a busy man during matches, deck-mapping, and calculating his odds like he's on a straight-flush draw.
Game two: Sullivan went first again, and his Slith Firewalker got in there on turn 2 and then traded with a Leonin Skyhunter. Rabbitt played Glorious Anthem and followed it up with two Raise the Alarms (casting them at sorcery speed), while Sullivan built up multiple Piledrivers again and this time hit with two Blistering Firecats, putting Rabbitt to five on turn 5. Adrian's remaining card was Shrapnel Blast - but having only a Chrome Mox untapped, Sullivan fell victim to Worship and Dawn Elemental on consecutive turns.
Josh Rabbitt defeated defending champion Adrian Sullivan, 2-0
Most notably, Sullivan comments, his deck differences include two main deck Detonates.
Round 2: Mike Hron (Affinity) vs. Andy"Box" Klein (Goblins)
Once again, Mike Hron has taken time away from his computer monitor, where he spends his days yelling at Magic Online because he's mana-screwed, to attempt to make himself a three-time Wisconsin State Champion. Though the deck that took him to a ninth-place Pro Tour finish, Roshambo, is legal, he is packing Affinity this weekend.
Surprisingly, Hron actually woke up and was on time for the tournament today and he can name every card in Box's deck and sideboard because they're all his. Saying that aloud reminded Hron that he had pulled a"Dustin Stern" and lost his sideboard and was forced to retrieve it from the table at which he played last match.
Andy"Box" Klein has played in three Pro Tour, but only qualified for one. Yes, this is the man who made it required that you bring ID when you register for the Pro Tour. This is due to another Andy Klein, who was located in South Africa, allowing Box to receive two qualifications that were not earned.
To decide who went first, two-time Wisconsin state champion Mike Hron tested Box's knowledge of Misty Mountain's mystique and asked if the third number in the address was even or odd. Box blew out Hron by not only knowing the number, but calling it out as well. Going first will be a great help to his Goblin deck.
Game 1: Box decided to mulligan his one-land hand and kept his hand of two Blistering Firecats, two Siege-Gang Commanders, and two Mountains. He had no first-turn play, but Hron exploded with Great Furnace, Chrome Mox imprinted with Broodstar, a Talisman, and Aether Spellbomb. Box replied with a Chrome Mox off the top with Siege-Gang Commander imprinted on it and with a morph.
Hron had more action with a Thoughtcast for the clearance price of U, digging another Talisman and a Myr Enforcer. Box could only counter with a lowly Skirk Prospector and passed the turn. Hron ripped another Thoughtcast and played his hand of Glimmervoid and a 7/7 Broodstar, making his board position clearly dominant. Box searched for an out, but instead drew another uncastable Siege-Gang Commander - and while the Firecat did get in for some damage, Broodstar's next attack drew the handshake.
Sideboarding:
Hron in: 2 Bottle Gnomes, 2 Circle of Protection: Red, 1 Pyroclasm
Hron out: 2 Future Sight, 2 Broodstar, 1 Chrome Mox
Box in: 2 Blood Moon, 3 Detonate
Box out: 3 Gempalm Incinerator, 2 Goblin Sharpshooter
Game 2: Box was on the play once again and opened up this time with a Goblin Sledder. Hron cast with an Island and Aether Spellbomb. Box added a Goblin Piledriver, while Hron continued to build his board of artifacts with a talisman and another Spellbomb.
Box had Goblin Warchief and put Hron to eleven on turn 3. Hron played an Ancient Den and got down a Myr Enforcer."Do you have the 'perfect0r' draw?" Hron asked Box - but Box did not have another Siege-Gang Commander. Instead, he had a Blood Moon. Hron floated a blue off of Glimmervoid, and Box cast Raging Goblin and declared his attack step. Hron used the blue to return the usually-unbounceable Piledriver to his opponent's hand with his Aether Spellbomb and Box declared no attacks and passed the turn.
Though his lands no longer powered his affinity cards, Hron made another Myr Enforcer along with a Frogmite and a Lightning Greaves. Hron struck back with his Enforcer, sending Box to sixteen, and equipped his Frogmite with the boots of brass. Box replayed the Piledriver on his following turn and went all in with his attack. Hron blocked Goblin Piledriver with the freshly-cast Enforcer and the Sledder with his Frogmite; Box sacrificed his unblocked Raging Goblin to the Sledder's ability, making sure the Sledder and Frogmite traded. The Enforcer and Piledriver also went down, and the unblocked Warchief put Hron at nine.
Hron ripped Thoughtcast like a champion, drawing into Bottle Gnomes and Frogmite while Box could only return with a"go" from his side. Hron played another Frogmite and Box tried a Detonate, but Aether Spellbomb saved the little frog that could. With Box facing down a Myr Enforcer and two Frogmites with multiple Lightning Greaves on the board, he drew his next card and packed up the match.
Mike Hron won the match 2-0 to send his record to 2-0.
Round 3: Brian Kowal (U/W Control) vs. Amanda Kruger (The Rock)
"I've never won a feature match. Don't get that into your head!" - Brian Kowal
Rolling low to see who played first, Amanda rolled a thirteen.
"I like my odds" Kowal said, then rolled fifteen."Could anything else go wrong?!"
Game 1: Both players kept their hands and the first few turns passed quietly, though Kowal held two Mana Leaks. Right on time, Kruger played a third-turn Vine Trellis. Kowal opted not to Leak Kruger's morph and he took two the following turn when Kruger bashed and cycled a Krosan Tusker.
Kowal's first five turns were plains and islands, and Kruger's Phyrexian Plaguelord resolved."You can't be waiting to Upheaval," commented Kruger as she attempted a Plow Under. Kowal Mana Leaked, Kruger paid, tapping out, but a cycled Complicate kept Kowal's land on the board.
Akroma's Vengeance cleared the board and showed Amanda's"sneaky morph" to be Nantuko Vigilante. Kruger played her seventh land and cast a Krosan Tusker.
She had three cards, two Nekrataals and a Plow Under, while Kowal gripped Wrath of God, Wing Shards, and double-Mana Leak after the Tusker was Sharded away. Kruger's Fallen Angel was Mana Leaked and Kowal cycled, then returned, Eternal Dragon.
Plow Under was pointed at Islands again, and this time Mana Leak resolved - but Kruger brought the hammer down with Oversold Cemetery, eliciting a grunt from Kowal. Kowal played Eternal Dragon, only to have it Nekrataaled, and Fallen Angel waited in the wings thanks to the Cemetery.
"Kowal got bent over by Oversold Cemetery. Write that," Brian quipped as he sat at eight life.
Nekrataal and Birds swung -"Waiting for Wing Shards," Kruger said slyly, and Fallen Angel was met with two cycled Complicates. Kowal looked like he was digging for an answer, but still had the Wrath and Wing Shards in hand. Fallen Angel was returned again, summarily cast, but the board was cleared with a Wrath.
Fallen Angel continued returning from the dead while Kowal stripped his deck of land with Eternal Dragon."Oh, it's going to be rough pulling this one out," commented Kowal in a tone that may or may not have been sarcastic.
Fallen Angel finally attacked, but was Wing Sharded after being turned into a 7/5. Brian tried to get an offense going by cycling Decree of Justice for six tokens and Dragon was returned yet again, then cast.
The board was Kruger's Nekrataal against Kowal's six tokens. Kowal made the Dragon and another Nekrataal took care of that, but Kruger was low on life now as well. Kruger brought down her morphed Vigilante and took two more points after blocking three of the remaining tokens. Kowal cast Vengeance and Dragon, looking to seal the game. Kruger wasn't quite out, but Kowal had another Dragon and the end finally came for Kruger.
Kowal 1-Kruger 0
Sideboarding time was spent with the ever-jovial Will Brinkman, who is fond of saying,"No, I'm not playing today; you can't win anything. States is such a sham."
Game 2: Kruger started faster this game with a Birds of Paradise and a cycled Tusker. Kowal didn't have an Island on either of his turns, and Kruger cast a Ravenous Baloth on turn 3.
Story Circle naming green came down on Kowal's side, and a Vigilante came down, then up, to kill the Circle. Kruger tried a Plow Under after she had a Defense Grid, but Kowal cycled Complicate and then cast Wrath of God. Kruger opted not to gain four life, but was upbeat as she played a morph and Oversold Cemetery.
The Baloth was recast, but Kowal had another Wrath - and this time Kruger gained the life, going to twenty-four. Wing Shards cost Kowal six mana thanks to Defense Grid, but it was well worth it sitting at three life. Fallen Angel came down after the demise of the Baloth, but Oversold Cemetery kept up a steady stream of creatures.
"Finally - she makes a mistake!" exclaimed Kowal as Kruger cast a Bird, then attacked with another Bird, her morph, and Fallen Angel. The mistake was that Kruger attacked with her morph, but didn't realize that Kowal's Stalking Stones was an artifact in addition to being a land. That changed after combat, since her Nekrataal now could not kill it. She recast Fallen Angel, and this time Kowal was finally out of answers.
Kruger 1-Kowal 1
Kowal brought in three Annuls this game, taking out three Story Circles.
Game 3: Kowal opted to play in the crucial third game, and once again, both players were satisfied with their draws. Kruger's hand was land-heavy, but had two Baloths and a first-turn Bird once again. The Baloth drew a cycled Complicate from the famed Midwesterner, and Kowal appeared to have plenty of tempo on his side in addition to multiple Wraths in his hand.
Kruger resolved a Defense Grid and then a Plow Under, and now Kowal was slow-rolling, acting like he was in trouble with Wraths in hand. Kruger emptied her hand with Bottle Gnomes and Baloth, and was unhappy to gain seven life when Kowal finally played the Wrath of God. Kruger ripped a Defense Grid and played it - but Kowal was now on the offensive, firing up his Stalking Stones. Amanda showed she could rip off the top of her deck, though, and made a Baloth. Kowal had lots of cards in hand, including the lone Story Circle he left in his deck and it came down, naming green.
Kowal cast Akroma's Vengeance after Kruger ripped several creatures, but Kruger bounced back with a Fallen Angel. Kowal's hand was juiced with Wing Shards and Wrath though and Fallen Angel fell victim to a Mana Leak. Another Stalking Stones got activated, and Kruger fell to nineteen on the ensuing attack when Kowal fired up another man land. Kowal, poised for victory held an Annul, waiting for Oversold Cemetery - but instead Phyrexian Plaguelord hit the board, and the Stalking Stones could no longer attack.
Brian cycled Akroma's Vengeance (a play he would later describe as"greedy"), obviously looking for an Eternal Dragon or a Decree of Justice; anything to win the game. Finally the Cemetery was cast and Annul was ready, but Skull of Orm (!) was cast. With only four minutes left in the match, the play was crisp. Wiping his brow, Kowal muttered a"this is bad" as he sensed a draw coming. Neither player wanted to be 1-1-1 in an eight round tournament. Kowal postponed the Cemetery with a Rewind, but had to pass the turn back with no win condition in sight.
With all the creature removal he could ever want in his hand, Brian Kowal looked like he wouldn't be able to pull a win condition in time. Kruger smelled blood and returned and cast a Fallen Angel. Both the Angel and Plaguelord attacked, and after the 'Lord pumped the Angel following a double-block, it was cleared with a Wing Shards. Kowal continued to postpone, Rewinding a Fallen Angel, then drawing Akroma's Vengeance.
Time was called and the match ended in a draw... Or would have, if Kowal hadn't conceded the match to Kruger.
After the result slip was handed to the judge, Kowal made several comments about the match."I wasn't playing very well. I made several mistakes that match, and wasn't on top of my game. That's why I packed it up."
Round 4: Dan Flood (R/W) vs. Adam Duchow (Goblins)
Dan Flood, former dictator of 5 color and all-around evil villain, was once almost disqualified from his first Pro Tour for drawing extra cards, so Duchow will have to watch him closely. Adam Duchow has taken time off from hanging out with people named"Breeze" and"Loved" while following Phish around to grace everyone with his presence at Wisconsin States.
Dan Flood:"I need every card I can get, especially when he's not looking."
Game 1: Dan Flood led off with a Plains and Savannah Lions, signaling White Weenie. Duchow came back with a Goblin Sledder, but Flood answered with the nightmare for all Goblin decks: Silver Knight. He sent in with his Lions for two.
Duchow made a Piledriver and Flood attacked right into the 1/1 and 1/2. The Piledriver and Sledder ganged up on the Lions, and Sledder was sacrificed to save the Piledriver. Dan followed up the attack with more offense in the form of two Suntail Hawks. Duchow drew a Goblin Warchief and got in with both creatures, but Flood Shocked the Warchief with the Piledriver's triggered ability on the stack, then double-blocked it with the Hawks.
With his board decimated, Adam could only watch as Dan cast a Bonesplitter and equipped his Silver Knight to bash for four. All he could muster in response was a Warchief and Raging Goblin. Dan's Shrapnel Blast earned the game, and both players headed for their sideboards.
Dan Flood has to be careful because he's received many game losses because he cannot count, and therefore presents sixty-one card decks with regularity. He would like to give a shout-out to his last round's opponent who whined about a small crease in a single sleeve and made him purchase new ones.
Sideboarding:
Flood: 2 Wraths and 2 Worships in for 3 Hawks and 1 Blast
Duchow: 2 Flashfires and 2 Sparksmiths in for 3 Gempalm Incinerators and Hammer of Bogardan
Game 2: Duchow is first on the play with a Sledder, while Dan cast Bonesplitter. Duchow had no turn 2 play, while Flood once again has turn 2 Silver Knight. Duchow cast Goblin Warchief and passed the turn, while Brian Kowal observed that"Silver Knight is good against red decks."
Dan played a Bonesplitter and a Isochron Scepter imprinting Raise the Alarm, and things quickly looked very grim for Adam. Duchow dropped another Warchief and a morph while Dan activated his Scepter and equipped a token to attack.
Duchow had double Volcanic Hammer in hand and a face-down Blistering Firecat, so he had very few outs, and passed the turn. Dan once again made tokens on Adam's end step and attacked with the equipped ones and then cast Worship.
Adam played another Firecat, and flipped his other one saying,"I don't think there's a single way for me to beat you. Whatever. All in." Flood went to one and an attack from soldiers and knights with axes ended Duchow's match.
Dan Flood moves to 3-1 overall while Adam Duchow made a trip out to his car to"lift his spirits."
Round 5: Andy"Box" Klein vs. Bob Maher
"Shuffle him!" Jim Braatz shouted to Box.
Box just cut.
"Free turn 1 win," Maher exclaimed - but instead, he was forced to mulligan.
Box is playing Goblins, while Maher plays what many consider to be the most explosive deck in the format: Affinity. Both of these guys are at 3-1 and while that record is respectable, they each are looking for a win to move up in the standings and still have a shot at a top 8 berth.
"There's another Bob Maher in South Africa..." Box joked. The spectators chuckled.
Game 1:"Well, you're pretty much going to win," said Maher after drawing his six,"so I'll keep these."
Bob started off with a Chrome Mox, imprinting Future Sight, while Box matched him with an Incinerator on his own Chrome Mox.
"Now what's going to happen next turn?" Maher questioned aloud. He counted his artifacts in play; a total of three, including a land, and played a Thirst for Knowledge. Box missed his lands on turns 2 and 3, but Skirk Prospector brought out Goblin Warchief.
Jim Braatz mentioned,"Bob has drawn a land every turn. How lucky!"
"Did you expect anything less?" retorted Bob.
Box continued the beatdown on his opponent with a Piledriver, as his Sparksmith cleared out Bob's lone Myr Enforcer. Maher drew a land every turn but had no business at all, succumbing to the little red men.
Box 1-Maher 0
"This matchup is great after sideboarding," Bob gleamed, showing me two Bottle Gnomes, three Pyroclasms, and two Circle of Protection: Red.
"This is your second feature match?" Maher asked Box.
"Yeah, I played Hron earlier. That man is a two-time Champion. He demands a feature match. Hron demands a feature match when he walks down the street."
Game 2: Maher played first and both players kept their hands.
"It's like a Wasteland," Braatz quipped from the sidelines as Box Detonated Maher's first land. Two Piledrivers came out for Box, and Maher played a Frogmite and Myr Enforcer on his fourth turn. Box weakly played a Goblin Warchief, looked at the board, and was forced to nudge without an attack.
Another Chief and a Prospector came down for Box, and Maher played a land and Future Sight, revealing another land. Box tapped his three lands and cast Siege-Gang Commander, swinging with all of his men. Enforcer and Frogmite blocked Box's Piledrivers, while Bottle Gnomes jumped in front of Prospector. Box passed after damage on, getting reaction from the crowd, not sacrificing Goblins for damage. Nevertheless, Bob fell to eleven.
"I need Pyroclasm or Circle Red," he said - and Maher shook his head as he drew, getting only two Enforcers and another Welding Jar from the Sight.
Box's board was two Warchiefs, Siege-Gang Commander, two goblin tokens, and four mountains."The Great One," Bob Maher, was at eleven life and had Bottle Gnomes, two Myr Enforcers, and a couple of Welding Jars with Future Sight.
As Box thought, Maher asked Braatz,"Why couldn't I have just drawn a Pyroclasm?" Box ignored him as he continued to count damage."Are you going to give me another turn to dig into Pyroclasm?"
Box just looked at his cards, presumably doing math."He's trying to get the draw with Goblins," Maher said as he began to talk to the crowd. Box couldn't get enough damage through, putting Maher down to only four life, and this time Bob did find the Pyroclasm and cleared Box's side of the board. Maher continued abusing Future Sight, pulling up Myr Enforcers and Frogmites along with Lightning Greaves, and finally was able to send the team in for the win that very turn.
Box 1-Maher 1
Game 3: The third game was fairly anticlimactic, with Box forced to mulligan to five cards and The Great One casting Future Sight on turn 4 thanks to a Talisman. With the game in hand for Maher and a giant Broodstar coming into play, Box hung his head and packed up the few permanents he had mustered.
"I'm not going to win this tournament," Maher told Box."I can't use the prize. You can either have the win or the draw; it's up to you." Box didn't know how to respond, and Maher talked himself into conceding the match to his fellow Madisonian.
Box moved on, now 4-1 and Maher dropped from the tournament to go home and return later during the day.
Quarterfinals: Lester Smerling (Goblins) vs. Ryan Swindle (Blue/White control)
Smerling tactfully avoided eating the die and rolled a twenty, while his opponent managed only a paltry fourteen. Ryan Swindle achieved his dream of making a Wisconsin States top 8 - second only to his dream of meeting Mickey Mouse at Disney World.
Game 1: Smerling blew the barn doors open with a start of Chrome Mox and Goblin Piledriver. Swindle returned with only a lonely Island. Smerling showed off the sweet of his draw with a second turn Warchief and attacked for five.
Once again, Swindle could only play a land and say"go." Skirk Prospector hit the table and joined Smerling's team for an attack that put Swindle to nine after cycling Renewed Faith.
Swindle did draw some help to stem the crimson tide with a Chrome Mox and Solemn Simulacrum getting a Plains. Unfortunately for the Simulacrum, he would not be enough as Smerling cast another Chrome Mox and Blistering Firecat, earning the pack from Swindle.
Smerling 1-Swindle 0
Sideboarding:
Smerling in: 3 Flashfires
Smerling out: 2 Volcanic Hammer, 1 Sparksmith
Swindle in: 3 Circle of Protection: Red, 1 Wing Shards
Swindle out: 2 Gilded Light, 2 Akroma's Vengeance
Game 2: Smerling got a Piledriver down; Swindle played his Angel face-down, but Smerling countered with a Sparksmith. Swindle kept four land up during his end step, but Smerling nailed two plains with his Flashfires; in response, Exalted Angel flipped over and then swung in the next turn. Smerling Volcanic Hammered the Angel and Sparksmith finished it off. An attack from Smerling put Swindle back to twenty, but a cycled Renewed Faith put Ryan up to twenty-two buying him some time.
Swindle drew into Jens and played him, getting another plains. Sparksmith cleared the way, netting Swindle a card but allowing Smerling to attack again with Piledriver and cast Siege-Gang Commander after combat. Swindle had to cycle Decree of Justice for one to try and draw a Wrath - but Swindle couldn't steal it off the top and conceded to the Goblin army while two Rewinds sat dead in his hand.
Goblins proved why it can just win - and that"why" is Siege-Gang Commander.
Smerling advances to the semifinals defeating Ryan Swindle 2-0.
Semifinals: Lester Smerling (Goblins) vs. Tim Flores (Affinity)
Lester Smerling, an honorary member of the Junkyard Gang met his semifinal opponent, Madison resident Tim Flores... No relation.
"Make sure you mention that there's no relation!" Don't worry; I got it Tim.
After a dramatic tie on the initial die roll, Bob Allbright cursed the die and as he had hoped, Lester rolled a one allowing the youngster Flores to play first.
Game 1: Flores threw back his first hand and kept 1 land, three Spellbombs, Myr Enforcer, and a Chrome Mox. Smerling started with four mountains, Goblin Warchief, Chrome Mox, and Volcanic Hammer.
Flores ripped into a basic Island on his first draw. Smerling tried to bait out Flores's Pyrite Spellbomb with a third-turn Goblin Sharpshooter instead of Warchief, but Flores just played another one and passed the turn. Smerling decided there was no time like the present, and cast his Warchief, which was immediately killed by the Spellbomb. Flores took two and cycled away the other Pyrite Spellbomb drawing into Glimmervoid.
An unimprinted Chrome Mox from Flores powered out a Myr Enforcer for free while Smerling responded impressively with a Goblin Burrows and Siege-Gang Commander.
Smerling:"You at two?"
Flores:"Sixteen."
Smerling:"Oh. Judge, aren't you supposed to provide the tokens?"
Judge:"No."
Smerling:"That's how it works on TV"
Bob Maher:"I've actually spent two extra turns making tokens just so I could own more. Hey, those DCI tokens are worth money!"
Flores drew another Enforcer and passed, hoping his two 4/4s - one of them untargetable - would be able to hold the fort against the Commander and his gang. Volcanic Hammer and Sharpshooter killed one and with the team of Commander and Burrows showing no good blocks, Flores opted to go to game 2.
Smerling 1-Flores 0
Sideboarding:
Smerling in: 3 Threaten, 3 Detonate
Smerling out: 3 Raging Goblin, 3 Volcanic Hammer
Flores in: 4 Gempalm Incinerator
Flores out: 3 Future Sight, 1 Broodstar
Game 2: Flores played a Seat of Synod on his first turn, which Smerling Detonated. Flores sat on one land and a couple of Spellbombs while Smerling had a Goblin Piledriver and a morph with no gas in his grip.
Lester decided to imprint a Mox with Threaten, lay a second Piledriver, and then Threaten his own Piledriver to attack for eighty. Unfortunately for him, Flores was able to cast double Frogmite the following turn and therefore negate the two Piledrivers... And that's exactly what the Frogmites did when Lester all-in attacked and the morph got in for two on Smerling's next attack phase.
Flores drew Glimmervoid to accompany his two Ancient Dens and killed the morph with Pyrite Spellbomb, while all Smerling could muster up was a Sparksmith with no other goblins in play. Flores cycled his Gempalm Incinerator to kill the Sparksmith - and now, with the board clear, he slowed his play to take a breather and consider all options.
The pace of play didn't slow on Lester's side; he cast a Prospector while Flores drew far too many cards than what is deemed reasonable through Thirst for Knowledge and Thoughtcast and played three Myr Enforcers - two of them with haste thanks to Lightning Greaves. By the time Smerling drew his Commander, the game was already decided and the combatants were off to the deciding game.
Game 3: Both players were satisfied with their opening seven cards, and the first turn of game two is repeated when Lester plays Goblin Sledder and then blew up Flores' first land. Flores used Spellbomb to cycle for more land, while Smerling made a Sparksmith that could prove vicious if unanswered.
Flores tried to get down a Myr Enforcer to block the incoming Piledriver the following turn, but the Enforcer switched teams for a turn thanks to Threaten and got into the red zone. Flores cycled Gempalm Incinerator on the Piledriver with its ability on the stack and Sledder gave itself up to keep the Piledriver around.
Flores played a Lightning Greaves and equipped it to the Enforcer, stopping any future Threaten nonsense. Lester had some options with Firecat, Sharpshooter, Gempalm Incinerator, and Chrome Mox in his hand and decided to imprint Chrome Mox with Incinerator, cast the Firecat and attack. The Enforcer blocked Piledriver, Aether Spellbomb bounced the fast cat and Sparksmith dealt one to Flores.
Flores drew a Glimmervoid that allowed him to drop a 6/6 Broodstar and equip it with Lightning Greaves. Smerling only played Goblin Sharpshooter, and kept the Firecat in his hand. Flores went off on his turn, Thirsting for Knowledge into another Aether Spellbomb, cycling an Incinerator to kill the Sharpshooter, casting Frogmite, and finally sending in an attack with his 9/9 Broodstar. Lester, with his back actually in the wall, attacked with the Blistering Firecat - and Flores left nothing to chance and bounced the Firecat, earning the handshake from Smerling.
Tim Flores pilots Affinity to the finals taking down Lester"Big Cat" Smerling 2-1.
Finals: Tim Flores vs. Lucas Duchow
Lucas won the roll and elected to play first. Duchow is playing Onslaught-block-style red/white control while Madison resident Tim Flores is running Affinity.
Game 1: Flores played four permanents on his first turn, and a Frogmite and Thoughtcast on his second. Duchow's deck produced a far tamer two lands. Duchow played Astral Slide on turn 3, but Flores raised the ante with a Future Sight.
Duchow's fifth land was a Temple of the False God and he Akroma's Vengeanced the board. Flores arranged his stuff, shipped it to the bin, and packed up for game two.
"How lucky," commented Bob Maher,"Temple/Vengeance. I'm sure you were going to die next turn."
Laughingly, Duchow replied,"I know. That's why I killed all of his stuff."
Shuffling and sideboarding for game two went quietly as Flores looked focused to mount a comeback.
Duchow 1- Flores 0
Between games, Dan Flood caused a ruckus as he defeated Will Brinkman in arm wrestling, finally putting that debate to rest.
Game 2: Flores shook his head as he mulliganned a second time. Dejected, Flores drew his five and kept hope alive. Duchow played a Lightning Rift and while Flores managed a turn 2 Frogmite, he didn't seem in the game until Temporal Fissure hit three lands and he followed the next turn with a Broodstar. Duchow replayed a land and played a face-down Exalted Angel, not having the Temple/Vengeance combo. Flores continued to make a run at it, playing Future Sight, but he ran his Broodstar into a Wing Shards.
Duchow played his sixth land for the Vengeance and went for it - but Mana Leak by Flores kept his game alive. All of a sudden, Flores looked like he could come from behind. Another Fissure bounced Exalted Angel and plains, while Duchow, always the opportunist, cycled and used Lightning Rift to put Flores down to ten. Future Sight did its job and found another Temporal Fissure the same turn and Flores bounced five lands, leaving Duchow with just Rift and a mountain in play. Duchow played a second land and a second Rift, hoping he would have enough time to cycle his way to victory.
Flores drew Broodstar and showed the Lightning Greaves and the match went to game three.
"That was very well played, Tim," Maher commented."He played it one turn differently than me, but he made sure that Vengeance wasn't getting through."
Flores had Mana Leak mana open the whole time and managed the difficult task of winning a game, going down to five cards on the play with Affinity.
Duchow 1- Flores 1
Game 3: Duchow Shattered a land on turn 2 and played Astral Slide the following turn. Flores drew no more lands for three turns, but after that last game, he had to think he could still win. Duchow played Lightning Rift and Flores was down six lands to one.
Duchow's seventh turn had Eternal Dragon and Flores tried to sputter with two Talismans and a Thoughtcast.
"Your opening hand was perfect - if he hadn't Shattered your first land," Maher consoled. Apparently, a fifth-turn Temporal Fissure would have handled more permanents than you could shake a stick at.
Lucas Duchow has followed a storied tradition of Wisconsin States, crowning some of the top players in the Midwest. Congratulations to everyone in the top 8 and thanks to all hundred and ninety-six players who attended!
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