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About Andy Probasco: Andy "Brassman" Probasco finished 2nd at the 2005 Vintage World Championships, and is considered to be amongst the best Vintage deckbuilders in the world.
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Paired up near the top table are an undefeated Eli Kassis, former pro player and Type One regular, facing Former Canadian National Champion and self-proclaimed "Bleiweiss Lackey" Josh Rider. Both are running unconventional, but effective decks, Josh with a classic Miracle Gro deck, and Eli with a home-grown Oath build, running Eternal Witness and Darksteel Colossus for the kill.
Eli won the die roll and started things off with a Demonic Tutor for Forbidden Orchard, using Underground Sea and a Mox Ruby. Josh answered the tutor with a Duress, taking Oath of Druids, and leaving behind a Force of Will, double Accumulated Knowledge and the tutored Orchard. On turn 3, Rider cast a Quirion Dryad. Eli had nothing to cast, so Josh Mystical Tutored for Ancestral Recall in the end step.
"That's a surprise," said Josh Rider, as Kassis answered the Ancestral with a maindeck Pyroblast. Unfortunately for Eli's maindeck tech, Josh had the Misdirection to answer back. Another Duress from Rider showed a powerful hand of Intuition, Time Walk, Yawgmoth's Will, with the Intuition going to the yard, bringing the Dryad to a 4/4. Eli, unfazed, ripped an Ancestral of his own, drawing into some much-needed mana sources. Josh sent the Dryad in again, but had nothing to handle Eli's Yawgmoth's Will next turn.
Eli cast Demonic from the graveyard, and dropped a Black Lotus, saying "I'll just play this from my hand like I didn't just get it." The Lotus gave him Time Walk and Ancestral, and on the Walk turn Eli played an Oath of Druids and Tinkered out his Colossus.
"Everybody's deck is just better than mine," Josh Rider said into his hands, put up a token effort by throwing out a Brainstorm. Eli tapped his Orchard to Mana Drain the Brainstorm, allowing Josh to use one of his "Red Wings Eddie Johnstone" Spirit tokens. On his next turn, Eli activated the Oath to bring in Eternal Witness and targeted his Burning Wish and Wished for Time Walk to seal the deal at a precarious one life.
Eli Kassis 1 - Josh Rider 0
Eli Kassis sideboarded:
out - Intuition, Gifts Ungiven, Rebuild, Duress
in - Pernicious Deed, Meltdown, Red Elemental Blast, Pyroblast
Josh Rider sideboarded:
out - 3 Psychatog, Stifle
in - 3 Seal of Cleansing, Swords to Plowshares
"Sh** man, I'm going to have to give out a T-shirt," Josh said before throwing down an Underground Sea and a Ancestral Recall on Eli's upkeep. In true Vintage style, Eli played out an Island, Mox Sapphire, Black Lotus, and an Ancestral of his own. Josh played a Duress on his second turn, taking Mana Drain from a hand with Mana Crypt, Meltdown, Red Elemental Blast, Force of Will, Eternal Witness, and Sol Ring. Eli unloaded the artifact mana on his own turn, and broke the Lotus to cast his Eternal Witness. Josh cast Force of Will, pitching a Mystical Tutor, but Eli had the mana to hardcast his own Force. With his open Tundra, Josh cast Swords to Plowshares on the Witness, but couldn't stop the Ancestral Recall it brought back, and Eli passed the turn. Josh floated two mana and returned his two Islands to his hand for Gush. He replayed a land, and cast a Seal of Cleansing and Meddling Mage naming the REB Eli held. On his next turn Josh cast a Quirion Dryad, but Eli hardcast another Force of Will. Josh called heads again on crypt, and lost another flip. "Stupid Duck," he mumbled a reference to the tails side of the Canadian currency being used. "Come on Duck, go!" worked for Josh on his next turn, putting the pressure on Eli, who hadn't been drawing any answers. Both players could only play Duck, Go for the next few turns, and Meddling Mage killed Eli before he could recover.
Eli Kassis 1 - Josh Rider 1
Eli Kassis sideboarded:
out - Meltdown
in - Gifts Ungiven
"I'm shuffling his deck - make sure you write I'm shuffling his deck," Eli requested before drawing opening hands. Eli played a Volcanic Island, and Josh followed with Jet, Pearl, and Sapphire, and cast a Meddling Mage, which Eli Pyroblasts. Eli played an Orchard and passed. Josh cast a Brainstorm into a Polluted Delta and a Duress, which showed another bomb-filled, mana light hand from Eli. Josh took Demonic Tutor, leaving behind an Accumulated Knowledge, Time Walk, Tinker, and Yawgmoth's Will. Eli drew into a land, and Time Walked into another one, completely reversing his position. Josh Rider Mystical Tutored for an Ancestral Recall at the end of Eli's turn, and Eli's Accumulated Knowledge for one couldn't stop it.
After five turns of nothing but land, Eli asked, "Why aren't you killing me?"
"Sorry Man" said Rider, and dropped a Quirion Dryad. Josh had Misdirection backup, but Eli has a Drain and a Force of Will. With the coast apparently clear, Eli cast his Yawgmoth's Will, but Josh had a Force he was holding back. Now both players were in topdeck mode. Eli broke out first with an Accumulated Knowledge for two, plus Brainstorm, but Josh Vampiric Tutored at the end of his turn for Meddling Mage, which he played naming Oath of Druids. Eli just untapped and smiled, broke his Lotus and tapped all eight mana sources to hardcast a Darksteel Colossus.
"Well kiss my Grits..." Josh replied. The smile fell from Eli's face, however, when Josh untapped and topdecked Swords to Plowshares. Time was called on Eli's next upkeep, and with 11 extra life trumping Meddling Mage, neither player was able to win in the five turns. The game and match ended in a draw.
