Overall: 4-0
Hello again, another week of Living End testing and this time at Raygun Lounge. This was my first time to this venue, and while I was nervous at the start, felt confident and relaxed by the end of the event. They offer a 12.50$ buy in the their sanctioned modern tournament, and usually with a prize going out to 4-0 and 3-1 records. On top of the price, they offer you one free drink ticket witch is what makes this venue stand above the rest - free beer. The scene here is more relaxed, and less competitive, and can sometimes be a good way to wind down on a Wednesday night while playing magic. Seattle brings a lot of local shops to the table, and you can usually find a competitive scene anywhere, but local casual and relaxed environments are rare. Let's get into the matches -
I ended up playing four matches, winning all, and getting 1st prize at this event. I was then invited to another tournament down in Portland with a 500$ grand prize, but I'll be unable to go as I will be attending Grand Prix DC during this time.
First Match: Lantern Control 2-0
This was my first time playing against this archtype, and boy was it long. First game I only had one ingot chewer, and I didn't draw into any of my beast withins. I was able to eventually violent outburst on turn 6 or something, after I drew into my only ingot chewer, and destroyed his two ensaring bridges that were preventing me from attacking. After that turn I quickly won.
The second game against this deck was a lot quicker, and I felt really strong. I side boarded in three ingot chewers, slaughter games, and jund charm. I took out my shriekmaws, a demonic dread, and one fulminator mage. The game went great as I had a bomb ass hand, and was able to turn two fulminator mage and kept him on one or zero lands for the majority of the game. I drew slaughter games on turn 4 and cast it targeting ensaring bridge, and he scooped right there as I guess he was thinking he didn't have any other options against me.
Second Match - Affinity 2-0
Won in two games, had a pretty explosive start with two street wraiths in hand, two spirit guides, and a land and two cyclers. Brought in jund charm, faerie macabre, and ingot chewers game two and was able to just control the board. Jund charmed his graveyard before violent outburst, gg.
Third Match - Jund 2-0
This matchup was intense, I won in two games. First game was explosive on my end, and he ended up mulliganing to 6. I kept him on one land with two fulminator mages, and he didn't draw into any for a few more turns. I was able to swing all and wing the game rather quickly. Game two was much longer - he played scooze on turn 2, I played shriekmaw turn 3, and it went back and forth for a while. Wasn't able to get a cascade off until turn 6, and he ended up having a pretty big board, as I didn't draw into any GY hate. I got rid of his 5/6 tarmogoyf with demonic dread and swung in for lethal.
Fourth Match - Affinity 2-1
Ended up winning in three games. First game was interesting, I got mana flooded and wasn't able to pull anything of value for a long time. He was able to arcbound ravager in response to any of my outbursts, so I scooped and we went to game two. I sided in all of my ingot chewers, jund charm for the wipe/gy hate, faerie, and took out my fulminators as I thought they were too slow for this matchup and they can just use Mox Opal and removing those are more important. I was able to control him with two ingot chewers in the starting hand, and a violent outburst on turn three to destroy the rest of his artifacts. Game three was crazy, and he was able to counter spell my first violent outburst - and it stopped the activated ability! It also had split second, so I wasn't even able to respond, was crazy. Next turn he swung all and hoped I didn't have anything.. but he was wrong. I was able to demonic dread, swap my creatures on the field, and next turn swing for 15 and win the match. Was a crazy match up.
Overall I think I played rather well, with a few misplays here and there - mainly targeting goyf over a scooze against the jund player. Always need to target scooze... especially if they have green mana up.
