The World Championship was a tension-filled, three-game match, crowded with spectators. The first game went the quickest. Zak started strong after he won the die roll and played an Ivory Tower on his first turn. Bertrand, though, quickly dominated the game with two Chain Lightnings in his first two turns. Zak tried slowing Bertrand down with a Kismet, but there was no stopping him as he managed to bring both a Whirling Dervish and Mishra's Factory into play. The Dervish just kept attacking and growing, until finally Zak wasted it with a Swords to Plowshares. Bertrand's reply was just a third Chain Lightning, bringing Zak down to 10 life points. Zak then made his biggest mistake of the tournament when he wasted his Mana Drain as Bertrand summoned a Kird Ape. No one winced more than Zak when Bertrand revealed two of his cards seconds later: a Channel and a Fireball. We all knew the game was over when Bertrand smiled and said, "How much life do you have left?" The match stood at 1-0.Zak fiddled with his sideboard to get a Circle of Protection: Red, Power Sink, and Reverse Damage, and then the second game began. Zak's first turn luck held as he played both a Library of Alexandria and a Mox Emerald. Both players just played land for the next few turns with the only excitement being Bertrand's Demonic Tutoring for a Black Lotus. He immediately used the Lotus to cast a Mind Twist of two on Zak. Finally, some action got going as Bertrand summoned a Kird Ape which Zak proceeded to take control of on his next turn. Not willing to take any abuse from his own Ape, Bertrand wasted it with a Lightning Bolt. Bertrand then rebuilt his attack forces with Argothian Pixies and a Mishra's Factory. Zak tried summoning some defense (in the form of a Serra Angel), but Bertrand Psionic Blasted it before the card even hit the table. While the Pixies and Factory did their damage, Zak regrouped his efforts and began emptying his hand (casting Time Elemental, Time Walk, Howling Mine, Meekstone, and an Icy Manipulator all in two turns). The momentum started leaning in Zak's direction as he Swords to Plowshared the Pixies, Strip Mined the Factory, and continually denied Bertrand the extra card by tapping the Howling Mine at the end of his turn. Zak then tried once again to summon a Serra Angel, and history repeated itself as Bertrand countered with a Psionic Blast.This time, though, Zak had a Power Sink up his sleeve and the Serra survived. Zak quickly mopped up the game with a Vesuvan Doppelganger to clone the Serra and a Recall to bring back the Time Walk. Before Bertrand even got another turn, the Serra Armada delivered a swift twenty points of damage. The match now stood at 1-1.There was a break before the final game, and some of the spectators seemed as nervous as the players. No one dared move as everyone wanted to keep their spot to watch the last game. Zak and Bertrand meanwhile consulted their sideboards. Zak ended up taking a Disenchant and a Karma, while Bertrand just took a Serendib Efreet before the last game got underway. The tone was set rather quickly when Zak's first turn good fortune upped itself a notch and delivered both the Ivory Tower and Library of Alexandria. Bertrand was understandably more than a little shaken. The next few turns consisted mostly of Zak collecting cards and life and Bertrand cursing while he played nothing but lands. Finally, Bertrand got a break, and within two turns he summoned both a Whirling Dervish and a Kird Ape. Zak tried to put out an Old Man of the Sea, but Bertrand was ready to greet him with Lightning Bolt in hand. Zak did little his next few turns other than playing a Karma, and Bertrand launched his attack. The Dervish managed to get up to 4/4 before Zak pulled out a Wrath of God to send it and the Ape to the Graveyard. Slowly dying from the Karma (with two Bayous in play), Bertrand tried to take back the offensive with some Argothian Pixies and a Chain Lightning. Zak decided not to let him, though, countering with a Mana Drain and a Power Sink respectively. Zak then Regrowthed the Power Sink and cast Stasis. Realizing that he had no available mana for the foreseeable future (thanks to the Power Sink/Stasis combination) and down to 10 life, Bertrand accepted his fate and officially conceded the match to make Zak the World Champion.All four semi-finalists were given prizes, including shirts and multiple boosters from every Magic expansion. Zak also received a rather large trophy and got the honor of being the first Magic World Champion. (Sort of makes answering the question "So, are you any good?" a little more fun.)
Later, Zak laughed as he expressed his worry that no one would play him anymore. I predicted that his win would produce the "gunslinger effect," and that the competition would be coming out of the woodwork for the chance to best the world champ. Zak admitted that it was still hard to believe he had won. "I'm champion of the world. That takes a little time to kick in."
