A tournament report from the Grand Prix Guangzhou, China
26 to 28 August 2016
Grand Prix Guangzhou, China (modern) is the first of two Grands Prix that I am attending for 2016. Weeks before its scheduled day one, I tried my best to locate online any of Guangzhou's or China's top performing
modern decks but had no luck. So the pages
tcdecks, mtgtop8 and the likes are the sites that I relied to predict on how the meta will look like. I started my preparation just this July by sleeving the unstorm version for I felt then that it was in a better position than its ritual base sibling. Unfortunately things went discordantly from what I excepted. I participated in four 40-man plus tournaments but only managed to enlist a top eight once. By the end of July, I assessed not just my performance but also the deck. Did I play poorly? How come it's in a better position when the results were different? Does it really suit my playing style? These were just some of the questions that bugged me.
I decided to stop the losing streak by sleeving the ritual base
ascension. I do not have wait that long in August to be back in the winning column because I went all the way to the finals of Friday Quest's GPT. Sadly I lost that one. The following week I went to Got Game's GPT to grind again the same seventy-five. I managed to sneaked into its the top eight but had to concede immediately because the weather was worsening by the minute. My last tune up tournament was on Pinoy Planeswalker's Fifth Modern Open that was held at Coswort.
The Main Event
Saturday, day one. While on the way to the venue, two haunting misplay memories from June 2015 Grand Prix Singapore suddenly came into picture. Those misplays serve as my grim reminder that I must focus not just on every storm or color calculation I make, or drawn card/s, or deducted life points; but also on the smallest detail of my actions. While waiting for the players' meeting, I went back on my notes (mostly my posts here) to help me remember things/ tips. Before going to the per round report, here is my
seventy-five.
RD 1 Merfolk
Our game one ended quickly because I went off at turn two. How? Here. I was on the draw, turn one drop
Scalding Tarn, cracked it at his end of turn for a
Steam Vents. Second turn, fired
Gitaxian Probe (drew
Past in Flames) and saw a bunch of lord effects. At the drop of the hat, I review cards in my hands in the hope that everything will fit in a square. Here's the rest of the sequence. Dropped an Island tapped both lands for
Pyretic Ritual followed by
Manamorphose (
Gitaxian Probe) into a
Goblin Electromancer. Used the remaining red source for two Desperate Rituals. Pay two life points again for the second Gitaxian Probe (Manamorphose). Cast the second Manamorphose (
Grapeshot). Storm count is now at eight with floating four red and two blue and my hand has a Grapeshot and a Past in Flames. Fired the Grapeshot for nine damages before slingging Past in Flames. Recycled some rituals into Grapeshot thus effectively netting my first victory in China.
Game two was different.
Cursecatcher and friends (counter spells) were there to halt every attempt I made. I eventually surrendered to his school of fish. I had an almost the same opening seven just like what I had from our game one. The only difference was Manamorphose only came to my aid in fourth turn. I began my assault with a Gixtaxian Probe, saw his lone Negate bravely standing tall against my rituals, golden goblin,
Gifts Ungiven and Past in Flames. I win through Grapeshot just as before time expires.
out: 1 Goblin Electromancer, 1
Pyromancer Ascension, 1
Thought Scour, 1
Sleight of Hand, 1 Gitaxian Probe
in: 4
Lightning Bolt, 1
Echoing Truth
Tip: Most of the time Merfolks will not have creature removals for games two or three. So never hesitate to bring your goblin on turn two so that you'll have more resources on the following turn. Also, always fetch for those Steam Vents. If you are asking why, Spreading Seas can make you go mono blue.
1-0 (2-1)
RD 2 Grixies
Game one, I started my turn three by paying two life points for Gitaxian Probe and saw his hand:
Young Pyromancer, Lightning Bolt,
Mana Leak, land and
Izzet Charm; and ended it with calling my golden goblin to the table. He started his fourth turn with a Young Pyromancer then bolt my goblin before tapping out for
Serum Visions. Perfect! Just the way I wanted him to be, tapped out. For my fourth turn, I summoned my second goblin, jam all the ritual and Manamorphoses into Gifts Ungiven calling out this pile: Past in Flames, a ritual, Grapeshot and Manamorphose. He offered to go to game two instead of selecting which cards will go to my hand and graveyard. I lost game two because he drew all the counter spells he needed in stopping my onslaughts.
Gurmag Angler and
Tasigur, the Golden Fang team-up to force a do-or-die game. Game three was unforgettable. Time was a little below five minutes when I glanced at it.
I murmured to my deck that we need a fast win condition. My opening seven and six were not great. My heart beats fast as I drew my five: land, two rituals,
Empty the Warrens and Manamorphose. Another land card from the scry, KEEP. When I get my turn two, my hand was: two rituals, Manamorphose, ETW. Testing the waters for counter spells, I casted one of the rituals. He just allowed it. Then the second ritual. He looks at me in the eye. I blinked and checked my graveyard. He allowed the second ritual to resolve. I bring down the Manamorphose, and asked him if this is good. Again, he looked at me in the eye as if he was an eagle sizing up at his prey. I flinch from his dagger and turned my attention to my graveyard and started to separate them into two piles. He tank for a second or two, looking and observing my actions before allowing the Manamorphose. I drew brick from the red-green spell. Bring down ETW and started counting the storm. "FOUR. For FOUR. Eight tokens, if all resolves." I lion-heartedly said to him. He just nod signifying that all ETW resolves. Those tokens were able to deal eight damages a turn after they were called for duty. Then in his turn, he summoned a Young Pyromancer to which I gave a thumbs up for its resolution. In a hotfoot, he paid two life points (Gitaxian Probe) and points at me for his sorcery peeping card. Realizing his recklessness, I waved my hands like "look sir I do not have anything on my hand." He immediately drew a card off the Gitaxian Probe and pointed to his Young Pyromancer and went to grab an elemental token. I did not allow such. I politely explained to him about his mistrigger. He called for a judge to enlightened him on his error. He casted a Lightning Bolt (this time he made sure that he will have a token off his YP) killing one of the goblins before passing the turn. I drew for the turn, Grapeshot. Cast it at his YP then I swang all the remaing seven 1/1 goblins. He blocked one. He drew for his final turn and extended a hand. WIN!
out: 3 Gitaxian Probe
in: 3 Empty the Warrens
2-0 (4-2)
RD 3 Bant Eldrazi
I won our first game without me seeing that much information from him. All I know for three turns were he dropped ouch lands and a
Noble Hierarch. In Game two,
Eldrazi Temple managed to sneaked into his hands and used it in calling out an
Eldrazi Displacer. That was his final turn of the round because I ended it with goblin, rituals and Gifts Ungiven fetching: Past in Flames, ritual, Manamorphose and Grapeshot.
out: 1 Thought Scour
in: 1 Echoing Truth
TIP: I prefer not to use the ETWs if I have no idea what the opposing player is on.
3-0 (6-2)
RD 4 URW Ascension TITI
Game one, I was weavering on the early part of game one because I thought that he was on URW Nahiri. His first two land drops were a
Hallowed Fountain and a Steam Vents plus he was not doing anything an except casting an end of turn Thought Scour that milled a Lightning Bolt and a Serum Visions. It was only on turn five that I was able to clam myself when I saw his hand, thanks to my Gitaxian Probe: Slieight of Hand, Serum Visions,
Lightning Helix and Lightning Bolt. I won the game a turn after via Goblin, rituals, gifts and PiF. He won game two in stlye, flipping his two foil
Thing in the Ice in one turn with Gitaxian Probe, Serum Visions, Lightning Bolt and Lightning Helix then swing for 14. Game three: we came to a cross point where he had an online Pyromancer Ascension and six open mana while I only had four mana and a couple of Pyromancer Ascension with one counter each on the table; and my hand was: a Desperate Ritual, Gifts Ungiven and a Gitaxian Probe. The moment he untapped his land, I started calling the names of all the angel and saints for I know the end is near. To everyone's surprise he dropped Thing in the Ice, flipped it after four spells and pass the turn. I cannot believe it! Six mana open with an online ascension, and opted to go the muscle way? I took a deep breath and untap, checked my cards at hand: Desperate Ritual, Gifts Ungiven and a Gitaxian Probe. On my table I had four mana and a couple of Pyromancer Ascension with one counter each. And in my graveyard:
Desperate Ritual,
Pyretic Ritual, Sleight of Hand, Gitaxian Probe, Though Scour and a Manamorphose. I drew for the turn, Past in Flames. Again my hand now is: Desperate Ritual, Gifts Ungiven, Gitaxian Probe and Past in Flames; and I have four mana and a couple of ascensions that has a counter on each. My life points was at twelve (I think) and surely passing the turn is not an option because if he's able to draw a bolt or helix or cantrip into bolt spell plus attack, I am dead. Okay deck I believe in you, LET'S DO THIS!
Cast Desperate Ritual to make both ascensions go online. Now I am just needing a land in order for me to go the Past in Flames route. I have 3 red floating and two open mana. I paid two life points but draw bricks (Manamorphose, Serum Visions and Echoing Truth). I laid back on the chair, talked to myself, checked my hand: manaM, sisions, truth, gifts and PiF with 3 red floating and 2 open mana. Firing visions will undoubtedly be the end of my streak. I still have one route available, Gifts Ungiven. Cast the 4cc instant blue spell leaving me with one red floating. The copies (off the ascensions tiggers) had the same content: ritual, ritual, manam and Grapeshot. But the last one (the original one) had this:
Sulfur Falls, Island, Mountain and
Shivan Reef. He extends his hand as soon as I revealed the Past in Flames. WIN.
out: 1 Thought Scour
in: 1 Echoing Truth
4-0 (8-3)
RD 5 ScapeShift
Unfortunely for him, he drew bricks in both games. I simply took advantage of the situation by going as fast as I can. Game one I went off turn five via an online ascension into Grapeshot. Game two, despite his
Engineered Explosives at zero, I still went off at turn 4 via goblin, rituals, gifts and double Grapeshot.
out: 1 Thought Scour, 1 Gitaxian Probe, 1 Pyromancer Ascension, 1 Sleight of Hand
in: 3
Blood Moon, 1 Echoing Truth
5-0 (10-3)
RD 6 Death Shadow
I lost game one in one blow:
Monastery Swiftspear,
Mutagenic Growth,
Become Immense and
Temur Battle Rage. My Lightning Bolts took care of his early beaters before double Grapeshots forced a rubber match. Game three, situation was this: life points 16 (me) 13 (him). On the table he had a
Wild Nacatl,
Death's Shadow and a Monastery Swiftspear and two
Stomping Grounds open and three or four cards at hand, while on my side: 14 goblin tokens. I swang for 10. He blocked three and took seven, 16 (me) 7 (him). I prayed to Keranos that no bolt will be thrown at me at my end of turn. He untapped for his turn, YES NO BOLT! Drew for the turn and attacked. I placed one goblin on swiftspear, nacatl and two at his shadow. He makes a little calculation, then extends his hand. WIN.
out: 3 Gitaxian Probe, 1
Gifts Ungiven, 1 Pyromancer Ascension, 1 Sleight of Hand, 1 Thought Scour, 1 Grapeshot
in: 4 Lightning Bolt, 1 Echoing Truth, 3 Empty the Warrens
6-0 (12-4)
RD 7 Infect
Game one: turn two he pumped his infect elf with
Pendelhaven and
Might of Old Krosa before attacking me with it. I said take. Then two more Mutagenic Growth show up. I pick up my lonely tapped Steam Vents after that nefarious incident. Games two (and three), he had an opening
Leyline of Sanctity but a second turn Blood Moon shuts him totally down. I took my time in sculpting my hand before inflicting his first loss of the day. WIN.
out: 1 Goblin Electromancer, 1 Thought Scour, 1 Sleight of Hand, 3 Gitaxian Probe, 1 Gifts Ungiven
in: 2 Blood Moon, 4 Lightning Bolt, 1 Echoing Truth
7-0 (14-5)
RD 8 UR Storm
Off the bat I knew that we are mirror. I lost this round in two games because he drew better cards.
out: 1
Sleight of Hand
in: 1 Echoing Truth
7-1 (14-7)
RD 9 URW Nahiri
Game one: at one point he tapped out his resources. I finished him off when I got my turn back. In game two, he kept a hand full of counter spells and enchantment removal. I lose to his
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn in one swing. Midgame of game three: I used Gitaxian Probe and saw his solid hand: two
Negate, 1
Wear/ Tear, 1 Engineered Explosives and 1
Electrolyze. Then cast Empty the Warrens (storm two) in which he just let it resolves. Four 1/1 managed to deal damage before he was able to control them via Electrolyze, bolt and
Snapcaster Mage to bolt again. In his second tapping out, I summoned 6 tokens this time his Engineered Explosive took care of them. I drew the following turn (third copy of ETW). I lean back to have a good look at the table then read our situation. For his side of the table: three open mana, life points is at nine or ten (I think) and 4 cards at hand in which two of them are Negate. His lands could have been at five but he opt to bring down his
Rest in Peace as his assurance for my Past in Flames loop. And I have these: (hand) ETW, fetch, probe and two rituals; (lands) three blue-red mana. I look at the clock and it's at a little over 7 minutes. I make my move by firing Gitaxian Probe (storm 1). He has the same cards at hand just I expected. Probe gifted me a thrid copy of ritual. Cast the first of three rituals (storm 2). He put on the table his beautiful bling Negate (storm 3) to counter my slightly played ritual. I then dropped my fetch searched for an island, tapped both lands for my second (storm 4/ 3 red) and third (storm 5/ 4 red) rituals into ETW (storm 6) for 12 1/1
goblins. He failed to draw any answers for my angry mob. I win in one swing. WIN.
out: 1 Grapeshot, 1 Pyromancer Ascension, 1 Thought Scour, 1 Gifts Ungiven, 1 Gitaxian Probe
in: 2
Blood Moon, 3 Empty the Warrens
8-1 (16-8)
RD 10 Bant Queller
Game one, I had terrible mistake. I accidentally put a card on top of the pile of my cards at hand while resolving the scry of Serum Vision. I got a warning and he got to choose a card from my hand, shuffle it back to my library. I lose game one because of
his timely
Spell Quellers exiling all my key spells. I won game two because I puked 16 goblins by turn two. Won game three as well by wiping his entire battalion with Grapeshot and a turn after, recur all instant and sorceries from the graveyard.
out: 1 Thought Scour, 1 Gitaxian Probe, 1 Pyromancer Ascension, 1 Sleight of Hand
in: 4 Lightning Bolt
9-1 (18-9)
RD 11 Ad Nauseam
Game one: in his turn three, he taps out for
Phyrexian Unlife. And when I got my turn back (turn three), I started with the golden goblin then jam all of my spells (rituals, manaM and cantrips) until I was able to fish-out a Past in Flames; recycled them over until Grapeshot reaches my hand for the win. On my second turn, I dropped
Defense Grid. On my third turn, I summoned 26 goblin tokens. I called (again) all the angel saints that he will not go off in his would be last turn. My prayers were answered! I swang for lethal. He had an
Angel's Grace but could not use it because he was not able to meet Defense Grid's requirement. WIN.
out: 4 Gitaxian Probe, 1 Sleight of Hand, 1 Pyromancer Ascension
in: 1 Empty the Warrens, 1 Defense Grid, 1 Echoing Truth, 3 Blood Moon
10-1 (20-9)
RD 12 Mardu
I won game one through
Pyromancer Ascension that went online on turn four or five.
Blood Moon totally contused on his quest of having an x-1 mark by round 13.
out: 1 Grapeshot, 1 Pyromancer Ascension, 1 Gitaxian Probe
in: 3 Blood Moon
11-1 (22-9)
RD 13 Naya Burn
I lost in two games because the deck gave me bricks after bricks while on
his end, it seems like he has an infinite supplies of goodies (
Goblin Guide, Monastery Swiftspears,
Eidolon of the Great Revel and bolt spells) in both games.
out: 2 Pyromancer Ascension, 4 Gitaxian Probe, 1 Thought Scour
in: 4 Lightning Bolt, 2 Empty the Warrens, 1 Echoing Truth
11-2 (22-11)
RD 14 Goryo
I lost game one because he as able to pull out his combo a turn before I can go off. An online Pyromancer Ascension carried the team to game three. Unfortunately, things did not went for the home team in the deciding game. To make matters even worse, he was able to pull his combo, again, a turn before I do. The lost serves as the last nail to the coffin on my aspiration of playing in the top 8 of a Grand Prix.
out: 1 Thought Scour, 1 Sleight of Hand
in: 1 Blood Moon, 1 Echoing Truth
11-3 (23-13)
RD 15 Infect
I lost game one because I drew bricks. He was successfully dealt 10 poison counters by fourth turn. Game two, I won in my third turn thanks to my discount giving goblin making all my red rituals ala Dark Rituals. He had Spell Pierces in halting my attempt to go off.
out: 1 Goblin Electromancer, 1 Thought Scour, 1 Sleight of Hand, 3 Gitaxian Probe, 1 Gifts Ungiven
in: 2 Blood Moon, 4 Lightning Bolt, 1 Echoing Truth
11-4 (24-15)
At the end of two days of modern magic, I landed at
37th place.
Gifts Ungiven was superb all tournament long. A million thanks to all Filipino modern community for without guys, I would not hone my counting skills! To JFFL, RJFL and Chabengs. And lastly to HF, MM all the angel and saints, YOU WERE ALL GREAT!
And before I end this, here is my calendar for modern.
September 3
PPTQ at PC Butlers (Sta Rosa, Laguna)
September 4
PPTQ at NG Centris (Quezon Ave.)
GPT at Coswort (Dasmarinas)
Modern at Kick Engines (Cubao Expo)
Thank you very much for reading!
-Paeng Paeng
6214089146
UWr Trinket Mage and friends
1 Basilisk Collar
1 Grafdigger's Cage
