From: Canticle Subject: Norwescon Type II (was Re: Tourney Report Type II (LONG) Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 16:21:13 -0500 Well, here's another Tournament Report...I was in Seattle for Norwescon, and participated in the Type II tournament along with Matt. I was using a variant of my usual Type II tournament deck, trying out a few new ideas (some of them worked, some of them didn't). I ended up one game out of the final 8, mainly due to my rushing an early match, but I did better than I had expected. I was using a Black/Blue w/ touch of Red 'Oddball' deck (as they call it in Winnipeg, mainly because it's full of cards no one ever sees used in Tournaments where I live). 1st Round: The game starts off with a bang. I get out a 2nd turn Foul Familiar, keeping it safe with Memory Lapses and Unsummon before it finally gets the inevitable Swords to Plowshares. My opponent is playing a White/Red deck which doesn't worry me too much until he puts out Maze of Ith...wait a minute? Maze of Ith? I point it out to the judges and they say I have to decide whether I want to take all three matches or let him keep playing, pulling out the illegal card :(. I decide on the three matches, which ends up being a good decision...going through his deck, a Juggernaut and a few Resurrections are found as well, putting his deck under 60 cards. Rotten, crummy way to take 3 matches though :(. 2nd Round: I'm playing one of the better Seattle players, whose last name (I believe) is Saki. He's playing White/Blue control, and it looked like his only creatures were Serra Angels and Savannah Lions. The first game was drawn out, with a Winter Orb in play, and me using Unsummon and Memory Lapse to keep his lands tapped as he tries playing Serras. It's stalemate, so I decide to use a Sengir Vampire w/ a Ritual. I deal a bit of damage, bring out an Order of the Ebon Hand, but he uses Control Magic on my Sengir. I Memory Lapse it, but he has a Counterspell in hand (doh!) and that ends the game. The second match, unfortunately, is where I made my biggest error. With a Gloom out in play, a Foul Familiar (Control Magic? Eh, no worries), and a Winter Orb, I feel secure and have control of the situation. His Savannah Lion prevents me from attacking, but I simply have to wait for some of my Counterspells, my Icy Manipulator or an Unsummon to take complete control (Swords to Plowshares isn't a consideration, since one Memory Lapse will end the game if he uses it [his options will be too limited with the mana available to him). Unfortunately, the game drags on...and on...and on...and I get worried about the time limit. I gamble big time summoning a Sengir Vampire with an Unsummon in hand (just in case of Control Magic). Sure he enough, he uses Control Magic. I Unsummon...and he Counterspells. End of game :(. My next card? A second Unsummon :(. The third game is my first and only experience with mana screw. By the time I can cast anything (a Mishra's Factory as my only land in my opening hand, and a Barbed Sextant was my third draw. Fourth draw was land), I'm dead. 3/3 record, and since it's only 4 rounds, I need to sweep both my next games to have a chance. 3rd Round: I face off against a mono black deck which relies on Discard and Regenerating creatures. The first game is very interesting indeed. He gets out a horde of creatures, along with Bad Moon, but is forced to hold them back thanks to my 3 Mishra's Factories (in 5 turns) and the Winter Orb in play. He simply can't afford to pay the Regeneration costs that would be necessary. I bring out a Sengir Vampire, and start nailing him with it until he responds by blocking with all his flyers, clearing the skies above the battlefield. At this point, we're both down to the last quarter of our deck. I get out an Icy Manipulator and my mana advantage is huge. However, he has a horde of creatures and 2 Bad Moons in play. He attacks with everything, realizing that two turns of constant attacks will kill me due to lack of adequate blockers. Then I pull my secret weapon...Winter's Chill. His attacking horde deals a lot of damage, but disappears, leaving things open. I attack with everything, and follow up with a 12 point Fireball via Barbed Sextant. End of the first game. The second game is over quickly. He drops a first turn Hypnotic, which I Unsummon. My second turn Order of the Ebon Hand/Winter Orb (Dark Ritual, tap the other land) puts me in control. He gets his Hypnotic out again, but I simply Control Magic it. End of game after constant hits from both the Hypnotic and the Order. The final game mirrors the previous one. He tries the first turn Hypnotic, I Unsummon. He Dark Rituals twice the next turn for a Hypnotic and a Drudge Skeleton...I Memory Lapse the Hypnotic and allow the Drudge Skeleton out. I then put out a Mishra's Factory on my turn. The next turn after, out comes a Winter Orb. The turn after, I Control Magic his Drudge Skeleton. Things went from bad to worse for him when I Ritual for an Icy Manipulator. 6-3, things are looking up. I sweep my next game, I'm probably in the finals. Round 4: I'm happy with my draw (Barbed Sextant, 1 of each land in my deck, a Dark Ritual, and an Order of the Ebon Hand), but as my opponent puts out Plains, and then a Savannah Lion, I groan...White Weenie. My sideboard slaughters White Weenie, but I need to sweep this match :(. Things look up, however...I get out the Order and the Sextant on the first turn, drawing a Winter Orb. He puts out two more creatures. I draw Winter's Chill. On the fourth turn, I play Winter's Chill, his creatures die, and I use Memory Lapse and Unsummon to keep creatures out of play while my Order pokes him to death. I notice a Mountain in play, and realize he's using a smattering of Direct Damage in his deck. I win the first match, and Sideboard furiously. Out go the Memory Lapses, replaced by Hydroblast. Out goes Koskun Falls and 3 Foul Familiars, replaced with Gloom. Begin the second game. I luck out big time. Opening draw almost identical to the first, except a Diabolic Vision in place of the Barbed Sextant. He starts off quick as ever, with a Savannah Lions and White Knight on turns 1 and 2. I Diabolic Vision, pull Gloom into my hand, and Dark Ritual it out on turn 3. Turn 4 sees his White Knight Unsummoned. Turn 5, I get out an Order of the Ebon Hand, protecting me from the Savannah Lions, and Turn 6 sees the Winter Orb. He gets out Tundra Wolves the next turn, which I proceed to Control Magic a few turns later. He Lightning Bolts my Order, then tries to Lightning Bolt the Tundra Wolves. I Hydroblast that attempt. Out comes another Gloom, and from that point on, it's game over. I'm confident going into the final match that I'll make the cut. Then my luck fails me. An excellent opening hand for me, but not good enough. His deck kicks into high gear, spitting out 5 creatures by turn 3. I get out the Gloom/Winter Orb, but it's too late. He puts out a Crusade the next turn, and not even my Order of the Ebon Hand can save me. I miss the cutoff :(. It was, however, an interesting experience. The decks I faced were ones I haven't seen used in Winnipeg alot, which allowed me to modify my tournament deck and refine it even further. I added a little more in the way of Counterspells, adjusted the creature content, and now it's deadlier than ever locally. I've discovered that playing in tournaments outside your regular play area allows you a lot more in the way of versatility, as you gain experience playing a wider variety of decks. I went out of the Norwescon Type II with enough in the way of experience to make my current Tournament Type II tighter and more efficient, which was well worth the time I spent playing. {}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} {}Jeff Franzmann {} Turning to go {} {}Internet Representative {} Heard you call out my name {} {}Campaign Outfitters {} Like a bird in a cage {} {}Winnipeg, Manitoba {} Spreading its wings to fly {} {}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} Campaign Outfitters Home Page & Orders: http://www.aratar.mb.ca/aratar http://www.aratar.mb.ca/~campaign Opinions expressed above are mine, and may not reflect those of my employer. GothCode1.1 GoSS+ T3(4) B11Bk@ c1z++ P1(3,4) M++ a22 n---- b+:- H5'7" g m--# w++ r+ D+ h+P(3,4) s9 k+++ R+ Ssy LcaMB+