end of turn, BOLT you

It's game three and you are down to six, after all the stuff that you did in your turn, you now ship the turn back to your opponent. "end of turn, Lightning Bolt you," he said before untapping for his would be last turn. This is a scenario that will surely makes you pray like the saint. 

Investing in  a competitive mono red burn deck is one of the best thing to you'll do because it can win you the whole tournament not just in modern but also in legacy. Here's five reason why I think it is.

- It is easy to pilot. All you have to do is direct all burn spells to your opponent. Do not mind the moniker 'no-brainer deck', as long as you're winning with it, that's all what matters.

- Mono Red legacy and modern burn decks shares like 70% to 85% of the main deck card choices, most of the time. Splashing another color will make your winning rate higher, but if you're not willing to shell out then mono red will do.

- In both formats, Eidolon of the Great Rebel will have an average trigger damage of two to six to your opponent because these formats love to sling spells that have a converted casting cost of three and below.

- Regardless whether you're on a legacy or modern mono red burn deck, a second turn ten damages to your opponent is just a normal thing for this bad boy.

- And lastly, most of the important burn spells are reprinted in the following: Magic Origins, Duel Decks Anthology, Jace vs Chandra, Premium Deck: Fire and Lightning, Modern Masters 2015, Khans of Tarkir and Eternal Masters 2016.

Here are my suggested 75. Enjoy!

Legacy - Mono Red Burn

4 Wooded Foothills  
4 Bloodstained Mire
2 Arid Mesa
9 Mountains
4 Goblin Guide
4 Monastery Swiftspear    
4 Eidolon of Great Rebel
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Fireblast
4 Price of Progress
3 Searing Blaze
4 Chain Lightning
4 Rift Bolt
4 Lava Spike
2 Sulfuric Vortex

Sideboard
4 Exquisite Firecraft
3 Pyroblast
3 Smash to Smithereens
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Ensnaring Bridge
1 Surgical Extraction

Modern - Mono Red Burn
4 Wooded Foothills
4 Bloodstained Mire
3 Arid Mesa
9 Mountains
1 Grim Lavamancer
4 Goblin Guide
4 Monastery Swiftspear
4 Eidolon of Great Rebel
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Thunderbolt
4 Skullcrack
1 Shard Volley
4 Searing Blaze
4 Rift Bolt
4 Lava Spike
2 Fork Bolt

Sideboard
3 Anger of the Gods
2 Smash to Smithereens
2 Molten Rain
2 Searing Blood
2 Torpor Orb
2 Dragon's Claw
1 Surgical Extraction
1 Grafdigger's Cage


My MTG Calendar of activities for the next four weeks
Weekly Legacy
Tuesday at Cedric's Boardgame Cafe (N.Roxas St., Manila)
Thursday at Neutral Grounds (Examiner St., Quezon City)
Saturday at Kick Engines (Cubao Expo, Quezon City)

Weekly Modern
Monday at R4 (Zapote Road, Alabang)
Tuesday at Hobby Pro (Aguirre BF Homes, Parañaque)
Thursday at Hobby Pro (Aguirre BF Homes, Parañaque)
Thursday at Got Game (Makati Square, Makati City)
Friday at Neutral Grounds  (Examiner St., Quezon City)
Friday at Wabshaq (Casimiro, Las Piñas)
Friday at Neutral Grounds (Glorietta, Makati City)
Saturday at R4 (Zapote Road, Alabang)
Saturday at MTG Vault (Banawe, Quezon City)
Saturday at Hobby Pro (Aguirre BF Homes, Parañaque)
Saturday at Kick Engines (Cubao Expo, Quezon City)
Sunday at FQ Hobby Shop (Gabby's Mandaluyong)
Sunday at ARJ (Molino Mall, Molino, Cavite)

June 25 (Saturday)
GPT at Dragonforge (Katipunan, Quezon City) (Modern)
PPO Modern Series at MDP (Donya Soledad Ave., Bicutan, Parañaque)

June 26 (Sunday)
GPT at Raxx (Marikina) (Modern)
Duel for Duals (Cubao Expo, Quezon City) (Legacy)

July 2 (Saturday)
GPT at PC Butler (Modern) (Sta Rosa, Laguna)
GPT at Hobby Pro (Aguirre BF Homes, Parañaque)
PPO Modern Series at Wabshaq (Casimiro, Laa Piñas)

July 3 (Sunday)
GPT at Neutral Grounds (ATC)
GPT at Got Game (Makati Square, Makati City)

July 9 (Saturday)
Modern WMCQ at Glorietta, Makati City

I hope you get to complete your legacy burn deck before Kick Engines hosts its legacy tournament on June 26th wherein the winner gets a box of Eternal Master 2016.

There you have it guys!
Thank you for reading and GOOD LUCK on your first WMCQ 2016!

-Paeng Paeng
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June 2016: Regran Modern Open VI

Regran Modern Open VI

Quezon City
11 June 2016

A day before the Republic of the Philippines celebrated its 118th Independence Day, Regran Hobby Shop held its sixth Modern Open. If I am not mistaken, there were 38 players eager to test their modern 75 for the fast approaching modern WMCQ (July and September 2016). The event had it six rounds elimination swiss plus a cut to top eight play-offs. After a little over six hours of rigorous swiss bout, and since play-offs never happened, in chronological order, here are the deck list of the first eight finishers from the said event. 

Rafael Lagasca

Boros Burn

4 Sacred Foundry   

4 Wooded Foothills

4 Arid Mesa

4 Bloodstained Mire

4 Mountain

4 Goblin Guide

4 Monastery Swiftspear

4 Eidolon of the Great Rebel

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Lava Spike

4 Rift Bolt

4 Skullcrack      

4 Boros Charm

4 Lightning Helix

3 Searing Blaze

1 Shard Volley

Sideboard

4 Nyx-Fleece Ram      

3 Path to Exile

2 Wear / Tear

2 Smash to Smithereens

2 Torpor Orb

1 Grafdigger's Cage

1 Surgical Extraction

Zax Ozaki

Jund

3 Siege Rhino

4 Tarmogoyf

3 Scavenging Ooze
2 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
4 Path to Exile
4 Lingering Souls   

4 Liliana of the Veil 
4 Abrupt Decay
2 Maelstrom Pulse

3 Thoughtseize

3 Inquisition of Kozilek
4 Verdant Catacomb
4 Marsh Flats
2 Hissing Quagmire
2 Shambling Vents
2 Stirring Wildwood
2 Overgrown Tomb
1 Godless Shrine
1 Temple Garden
2 Swamp
1 Forest
1 Plains

Sideboard
3 Fluminator Mage
2 Kitchen Finks
2 Feed the Clan    
2 Languish
2 Painful Truths
2 Duress
2 Pithing Needle


Manuel Flor Jr.
UR Eldrazi

4 Eldrazi Skyspawner

4 Vile Aggregate

3 Eldrazi Obligator

4 Eldrazi Mimic

4 Endless One

4 Drowner of Hope    

4 Reality Smasher

4 Thought-Knot Seer

4 Dismember

1 Waste

2 Mountain

2 Tomb of the Spirit Dragon

2 Corrupted Crossroads

1 Gemstone Cavern

1 Cavern of Souls

1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

4 Shivan Reef

4 Eldrazi Temple

4 Thespian Stage

2 Steam Vents

Sideboard

2 Anger of the Gods

2 Vandalblast

2 Relic of Progenitus   

2 Grafdigger’s Cage

2 Surgical Extraction

2 Crumble to Dust

3 Stubborn Denial

Lem Francisco
Naya Burn

4 Lightning Bolt
4 Rift Bolt
4 Lava Spike

4 Atarka's Command   
4 Searing Blaze
4 Boros Charm
3 Skullcrack
4 Goblin Guide
4 Eidolon of the Great Rebel
4 Monastery Swiftspear
2 Grim Lavamancer
4 Bloodstained Mire
4 Wooded Foothills
1 Arid Mesa
2 Windswept Heath
4 Sacred Foundry
2 Stomping Ground
2 Mountain

Sideboard
4 Reality Hemorrhage     
4 Deflecting Palm    
4 Destructive Revelry
3 Volcanic Fallout


Jackson Azarcon
Tron

2 Forest
4 Ghost Quarter
2 Sanctum of Ugin    
4 Urza's Mine
4 Urza's Power Plant
4 Urza's Tower
4 Spellskite
2 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger 
2 World Breaker
2 Wurmcoil Engine
4 Ancient Stirrings
4 Sylvan Scrying
4 Chromatic Sphere
4 Chromatic Star
4 Expedition Map
4 Oblivion Stone
4 Karn Liberated
2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon

Sideboard     
2 Choke
1 Dismember
4 Nature's Claim
2 Pulse of Murasa
2 Ratchet Bomb
2 Relic of Progenitus
2 Spatial Contortion


Mikey Cruz
Colorless Eldrazi

4 Urza's Mine
4 Urza's Power Plant
4 Urza's Tower
4 Eldrazi Temple
4 Forest
2 Spellskite
4 Matter Reshaper
4 Though-Knot Seer
4 Reality Smasher   
3 Conduit of ruin
2 Wurmcoil Engine
2 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger
3 Sylvan Scrying
1 Chromatic Sphere
1 Chromatic Star
4 Expedition Map
4 Ancient Strrings
2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
1 Fog
2 All is Dust
1 Oblivion Stone    

Sideboard
3 Fog
1 Melira, Sylvok Outcast
2 Nature's Claim
2 Natural State
2 Grafdigger's Cage
3 Warping Wail
1 Pithing Needle
1 Relic of Progenitus


Thiery Patdu
Jund 

4 Dark Confidant
1 Grim Lavamancer
2 Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet
2 Scavenging Ooze
4 Tarmogoyf
4 Liliana of the Veil      
4 Abrupt Decay
1 Kolaghan's Command
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Slaughter Pact
2 Terminate
1 Seal of Fire
4 inquisition of Kozilek
2 Maelstrom Pulse
2 Thoughtseize
4 Blackcleave Cliffs
1 Blood Crypt
3 Bloodstained Mire
1 Forest
2 Overgrown Tomb
3 Raging Ravine      
1 Stomping Ground
2 Swamp
1 Twilight Mire
4 Verdant Catacomb
2 WoodedFoothills

Sideboard
1 Ancient Grudge
2 Anger of the Gods
1 Disfigure
1 Duress
3 FulminatorMage
1 Grafdigger's Cage
4 Kitchen Finks
1 Thoughtseize
1 Thrun, The Last Troll


Ronald Calpo
Tron

4 Chromatic Sphere
4 Chromatic Star
4 Oblivion Stone

4 Karn Liberated    
4 Ancient Stirrings

4 Sylvan Scrying
4 Expedition Map
4 Wurmcoil Engine
4 Spatial Contortion
3 Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger 
2 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon


5 Forest
4 Urza's Mine
4 Urza's Power Plant
4 Urza's Tower  
2 Sanctum of Ugin

Sideboard
4 Nature's Claim
4 Jester's Cap      
4 Spellskite
2 World Breaker
1 Ugin, the Spirit Dragon

My matches from the said event.

Dark Boros 2-1

Naya Burn 2-1

Titan Valakut feat Nahiri 2-1

Abzan Coco 2-1

Jund ( id )

UR Eldrazi ( id )

To all players who are going to the first WMCQ 2016, good luck!
And before ending this, my calendar of activities. Enjoy! 

June 25 (Saturday)
GPT at Dragonforge (Katipunan, Quezon City)
PPO Modern Series at MDP (Bicutan, Parañaque City)

July 2 (Saturday)
GPT at PC Buts (Sta Rosa, Laguna)
GPT at Hobby Pro (BF Homes, Parañaque City)   
GPT at XHC (UST, Manila)

July 3 (Sunday)
GPT at Got Game (Makati Square, Makati City)

Thanks for reading! until next time guys! Ciao!

-Paeng Paeng

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That long day we all love: WMCQ 2016

I am sure that every qualified individual for this year's WMCQ had spent weeks in mastering their 75. A first or second place finish in a four or five rounder tournament a few days before the event will definitely not just makes you feel happy but also gives you enough confidence and momentum. Fellow modern players reading this, GOOD LUCK! Let me take this opportunity as well to say some reminders that I wish would be of help to you.


The deck list

It is very important to properly write everything. If you are that type of person who loves to abbreviate things like PTE for Path to Exile, bolt for Lightning Bolt, uses nicknames such as bob for Dark Confidant or D.Sphere for Detention Sphere; please, as much as possible do not do that when writing on your WMCQ deck list form. I strongly recommend you do your deck list at least the night before so that you'll have an ample time writing and reviewing them. You can download the form here or simply ask for a copy of it from your LGS.    

Pen, notepad, dice, proper tokens, marked check list and other necessary accessories
Use your pen and notepad wisely. Aside from taking down notes of his hand off your disrupt spell, I suggest that for every damage you'll take or you'll cause to your opponent a simple word or an abbreviation right beside the new life point will help remember what transpired during that moment in time. This will also be a good source of comfort when you are fighting for a life point differential in a crucial stage later on the game. Cards that requires naming such as Pithing Needle, Meddling Mage and the like, do not just try to mentally remember them, as much as possible write those named cards on your notepad. Regarding the tokens, some of them has an inherent ability such as death touch, first strike, flying, prowess and others. Your failure to exercise proper diligence when up against a token base decks will definitely cause your downfall. Lastly, if you are using flip cards in your 75, and for some reason you can still see a portion of the back part of a card, kindly use the necessary check list; and make sure that the number of check list in your 75 will tantamount to the number of the actual cards you have.

Proper etiquette
There are a lot of it but for this post, I will just discuss three that I think are most relevant to our game; and let me start things with bluffing. We can all agree that bluffing is an act engaging in a false display of confidence or self-confidence in order to deceive or intimidate someone. Admit it, we all do this. Some are great at it, some don't. And when you are going to do this, especially in a crucial part of the game, please be mindful of the time. If your cards at hand does not have the answer to whatever threat he has on the board, thinking for more than fifteen seconds is not acceptable. Second, whether as a fellow competitor sitting right beside another or simply being a bystander, never comment or make a body/ facial gesture to the play he makes or card drawn. Lastly, saying the phrase 'GG sir' or 'good game sir.' For me, if the game was decided in a very contested manner, regardless if you're the winner or not, saying 'good game sir' is fine. However, if you won the game where your opponent had mana screwed or mulled five or less, I think it is best to wish him good luck in his next assignments.

Master the ins and outs of your 75
Do not expect every card in your seventy-five to be a res ipsa loquitur. Do not memorize a card's ability solely base on its illustration, read those damn inscriptions on it and as much as possible hit the nail on the head.

And that's all folks for now! Thank you for reading and good luck once a again to your WMCQ campaigns.

-Paeng Paeng
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MTG related calendar for this weekend
June 11 (Saturday)
Regran Modern Open (Quezon City)
R4 Hobby Shop (Alabang Zapote Road)
Coswort Shop (Damariñas, Cavite)
NG Centris (Quezon Ave)
Hobby Pro (BF Aguirre)
Kick Engines (Cubao Expo)

June 12 (Sunday)
GPT at FQ (Mandaluyong)
ARJ Shop (Molino)