From: Majesk@aol.com
Date: Tue, 22 Jul 1997 19:12:24 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: Nate Clark and Nationals (scary)

Well, the Burned Alive deck, as it came to be called by a number of people,
went through a number of incarnations just at Origins, from the B/r version
prior to origins and the canadian nationals, to the B/r/w version Brian
Schneider, Jason Opalka and Derek Rank used in the open, which Jason and
Derek managed to qualify for nationals with, to the 2 AM friday morning 4
color version to the final versions that myself, bob, and jason finally
played (of which mine differed slightly, in ways that i believe aided it
against the field that i predicted)

Burned Alive (as played by Brian Kibler, Top 16 Finisher 97 US Nationals)

4 Ashen Ghoul
4 Knight of Stromgald
4 Fallen Askari
4 Black Knights
1 Krovikan Horror
2 Nekrataal 
3 Shadow Guildmage
4 Incinerate
2 Fireball
1 Winter Orb
1 Disenchant
1 Bad Moon
1 Swords to Plowshares
2 Choking Sands  31
3 Buried Alive
1 Contagion
10 Swamps
3 Gemstone Mine
4 Undiscovered Paradise
4 Sulfurous Springs
1 City of Brass

SB
2 Winter Orb
1 Contagion
2 Swords to Plowshares
2 Serenity
1 Forsaken Wastes
1 Armageddon (single-handedly defeated Finkel in our feature match, but bob
and jason didn't use it)
1 Ebony Charm
2 Pyroblast
3 Dystopia

Jason and Bob's decks were quite similar, but neither of them played with
main deck swords to plowshares or multiple nekrataals, which i thought would
be key (and was right, considering i played against 20 pro black between my
first two matches, and seeing my opponent's face when i plow his white knight
is utterly priceless.)  I think both Jason and Bob ended up using the 2
necropotence main deck that was used in the qualifier, but Brian and I both
removed them after scanning a heavy G/w and RED field.  The armageddon was
the bomb; i cast it only once the entire tournament, but it was against
finkel in game 3 right after he played a serrated arrows and dropped a
thawing glacier.  I had 2 knights in play and 3 ghouls in the GY, and the
bomb ended the game right there.  Any questions, let me know....

Brian Kibler
TAK
#20 DCI T2
Top 16 Finisher - 97 US Nationals