MARCH 2018: UR STORM side event at GP Kyoto 2018

Modern side event 

Grand Prix Kyoto
25 March 2018

 
A week before my return to the Land of the Rising Sun, I pondered on what deck should I bring in case we did not made it to day two. 5 peso stumpy (legacy), burn (legacy / modern), mono blue merfolk (modern) and UR Storm (modern) are my top five picks. Burn topped the list because of two reasons: (i) easily convertible into whatever format I wishes to play; and (ii) it can be my last minute substitution for AnT. 

Then I remembered that I have not played against Jace and BBE in modern since the announcement. My desire to play against them won my heart. Thus this made me sleeved UR Storm as my side event deck for Grand Prix Kyoto. I sleeved the same 71 from my March 3 Gatecrasher Anonas tournament. The changes are: - 1 Gifts Ungiven, -1 Increasing Vengeance, and 2 Faithless Looting swapping them for a set of Opts. 

The day two side event had only eight rounds of swiss. Here are my match ups.

Affinity 2-0
Coco 1-2
Hallowed 2-0
Abzan 2-1
Bant spirit 2-0
UGr Merfolk 2-0
Ponza 1-2
Tron 2-0
(6-2) (14-5)

Affinity 
He had a slow start in his game one thus gave me enough time in setting up my red enchantment kill. Game two, I totally did not expected a second turn Rest in Peace from him. Good thing the one-off Empty the Warrens showed up the turn after his white enchantment hit the table. 16 goblins, I win in two swings. 

Coco
I totally regret going to mid game versus this deck. 

Hallowed One
Both games, Baral led my storm troopers. Game one went off in my turn four while it was turn 5 for game two. Perilous Voyage's scry two was really a big help in fixing the top of my library. 

Abzan
Game three, I never get the chance to go off because his discard spells took care of the cards I have. Unfortunately, when his life point was at five (because of fetches into shocklands plus Thoughtseizes), his judge foil Dark Confidant kept on revealing non-land cards: Inquisition, Tarmogoyf, and a Liliana. Lucky me.

Bant Spirit
Lightning Bolt + Pyromancer Ascension bailed me out from the jaws of defeat during our game two. Lightning Bolt (putting PA's second counter) killing the 2/3 flying spirit - freeing the PiF it imprisoned - putting PIF on the stack, copying and allowing to resolve PA's copy first; recycling instant cards from the yard (and effectively refilling them) was the focal point of the game turning things into my favor.

UGr Merfolk
A turn two (via ritual) Blood Moon wins me the game. Slow roll from there. WIN. 

Ponza
Game three, PA went online but did not draw necessary cards. I lose. 

RG Tron
Game one, turn three PA went online. Game two, Chief of Compliance led the way to victory.

 
Thanks for reading!

-Paeng4983