Hi there!
So, this is my favorite deck in the entire game, my Talrand Dual Commander deck! It's a counterspell pile which is fun and difficult to pilot, and I recommend it to everyone who wants a challenge!
About some of the cards:
Ipnu Rivulet/Desert of the Mindful/Scavenger Grounds: Mainly, the two blue deserts are there to fuel the Scavenger Grounds, which in turn provides some much needed grave-hate!
Isochron Scepter: Has a spot in the deck for the potential turn 2 Scepter into Boomerang landlock, but also just provides a ton of value most games.
Invoke Prejudice: So, this card is really mean, since it works if I have no creatures in play. It makes the turns more awkward for your opponent, and totally hoses a lot of commanders.
Bounce: The bounce spells I play are all chosen for a good reason. Cyclonic Rift, Cryptic Command and Capsize usually doesn't need an introduction, people know how powerful these cards are. However, Boomerang, Echoing Truth, Venser and Unsubstantiate might need some explanation.
Boomerang: As mentioned above, Boomerang softlocks together with Isochron Scepter, and also allows me to make an early tempo play. This isn't a tempo deck, but sometimes a bounced land on turn 2 is all you need to get ahead enough to steal a win!
Unsubstantiate: "Why not just play Remand" is something I've heard a few times, and the reason is simple; this is also removal. This allows you to return a creature that's bothering you (or kill a token) to the hand, as well as tempo-countering a spell. A upside is that, compared to remand, this also works on spells that cannot be countered!
Venser, Shaper Savant: This card is also quite popular, but I can see that some people would find him to expensive for his effect in this deck. I however find the opportunity to deal some damage to my opponent, get a instant-speed blocker into play and denying the opponent mana by bouncing a spell or permanent, to be very good reasons to play this card.
Echoing Truth: Maybe the weakest bounce of the lot, but it's worked out splendidly for me several times and has earned it's spot over and over again. It's not only very flexible (bouncing any non-land permanent), but it also messes with tokens, such as the angels from Entreat!
Arcane Laboratory: Probably the strongest card in the deck, I have yet to lose a game where I've managed to stick this and untapped. It makes the game entirely unfair, since you can always counter whatever they play on their turn, without risk of it being a bait, or simply letting things resolve and having the opponent lock their own turn, while you cast a draw spell in their endstep. It's great, and most opponents concede after just a few turns against it.
Vedalken Shackles: I believe most people will understand that this is a good card in the deck, but I figured I'd mention it anyways. Remember that you are not looking to steal a wincon with this, but rather use it as a hostage type card. When this is in play, suddenly you can let scarier creatures resolve and steal them, always making sure you control the best thing on the board (except Talrand, who is obviously the best always). When the opponent realizes that they can no longer use creatures like that to bait you out, they'll go into defensive mode, and you cans tart whacking them with whatever minor thing you've stolen.
The Counterspells: So, I'm not gonna talk about all of them, but I feel I should mention some, in CMC order!
Logic Knot: I usually don't approve of counterspells the opponent can pay there way out of, however, Logic Knot is almost always just a second Counterspell. Try to use it early, and it should prove strong enough for all matchups!
Declaration of Naught: It hates on Commanders and sometimes other cards you have seen with something like Peek or bounced to your opponent's hand. It usually never actually counters anything, but rather just sits there and passively makes your opponent wish that they were playing a commander that can't be countered.
Cancel: I understand that some people will want to replace this card if they decide to build this deck. There are indeed stricly better Cancels (1 generic, two blue counterspells), however I adore this simple one. Not only is it's full-art beautiful, it also just does it's job and I'm keeping it in for as long as I can, but it's a very personal choice of mine. I recognize that it isn't optimal.
Aethersnatch: So, all counterspells that costs 4 or more have to provide some kind of advantage to make the cut, and for the longest time I didn't play this card. However, as it lets you kidnapp their commander, I do recommend it. Sometimes it'll sit in your hand as a clunky 6-mana spell, but it also just wins games. Remember, nothing is worse for the opponent than them trying to bait you with something simple and dangerous, only to having to face it themselves, but with counter backup!
Flash of Insight: A card most people doesn't know about, it starts out as a very mediocre cantrip, however, it allows me to make use of my otherwise mostly dead graveyard, and can sometimes dig very deep for just 2 mana, to find exactly the type of counterspell you need!
