GPT Seattle at Games & Gizmos - Finals

Finals: Martin Goldman-Kirst (Five-Color Control) vs. Michael Dipetrillo (Five-Color Control)

Michael led off the finals of the Grand Prix Trial with a Vivid Creek, as did Martin, and they began the classical Control-on-Control mirror match by playing lands and passing.

Eventually, Martin played an Esper Charm on his end step, and then had to pitch a Wall of Reverence at end step, which Michael sarcastically dubbed “Wall of Relevance”. After Michael evoked a Mulldrifter on his own turn, Martin played an Ajani Vengeant and started powering him up and stunting Michael’s mana.

With Ajani Vengeant at 6, Michael evoked another Mulldrifter and played a land and pitched Plumeveil, another very dead card. With Ajani at 7, Michael played a main phase Volcanic Fallout to keep it off his ultimate. Martin kept playing land and keeping Michael’s land tapped down.

With Ajani Vengeant at 7, Michael end step tried to bounce Ajani with Cryptic Command, which Martin responded with his own Cryptic Command. Michael Broken Ambitioned for 4, which Martin paid for. Michael revealed his own Ajani Vengeant off the clash.

Martin: “Awkward!”
Michael: “I’m keeping, heh.”

Michael played the top card of his library and legend ruled Martin’s. Martin responded with Broodmate Dragon on his turn which resolved and made a Red Dragon friend. Michael played a Plumeveil at end step.

With 6 cards in Martin’s hand, Michael made his own Broodmate Dragon, which Martin tried to Crytpic, but met Broken Ambitions (This Broken Ambitions was not as hot for either player as the last one.)

Martin made his 11th land with Michael with only 2 up, but he opted not to do anything. Michael went into the red zone with his team and Martin opted to trade, and both players started playing Draw-Go again.

With 13 lands, Martin resolved another Broodmate Dragon. All Michael did was end step Esper Charm to draw cards. Michael matched him on lands and made Wall of Reverence which was main phase Terrored. Martin attacked, did 4, and traded a token for a Plumeveil and passed, and Michael played another Esper Charm to try and win the card advantage war.

With no creatures left in play on his own side, Michael traded Wrath of God for Broodmate Dragon and the board was back at equilibrium and Draw-Go ensued. After a couple of passes, Martin yelled “Screw it!” and made a Wall of Reverence and started gaining life. On his next turn he made a Mulldrifter and filled up his hand. Mulldrifter got in for damage, putting Michael at 12.

Michael asked to Evoke a Mulldrifter and was allowed, and he passed the turn. Michael went to 10, Martin got slaphappy when he commented that he had 17 lands to Michael’s 18. On Mulldrifter’s next attack, Michael Terrored it. On his main phase, he played a Mulldrifter, and Martin drew end step off of Esper Charm, played Volcanic Fallout, putting the score to 23-8, and Michael opted to Esper Charm at his own end step, forgetting that it was his own turn still and had to discard down.

Martin played his third Broodmate Dragon and passed, and Michael responded with Wrath of God. On his next main phase, Martin put his hands to his head in thought and said “I have to do some math right now”, investigated Michael’s graveyard, but passed the turn.

It was Michael’s turn to “do math” and he decided to run out Cruel Ultimatum. Martin Cryptic Commanded, to which Michael responded with his own Cryptic Command. Martin thought, and made nine mana. “This is so hard, I have a headache!”, he said as he Brokened for 8 mana. Michael Brokened it back for 5, and Martin tapped all the rest of his lands to pay for it. Michael revealed a second Ajani Vengeant off the clash, and Martin milled. With Martin’s Broken for 8 on top of the stack, Michael Cryptic Commanded and checked the libraries (both had 11) and chose to tap Martin’s nonexistent team, eliciting laughter from the room.

Cruel Ultimatum finally resolved, putting the score 22 to 13 in Martin’s favor and a Broodmate Dragon back to Michael’s hand. With two in the grip, Martin played his own Cruel Ultimatum, which resolved. Martin got back his Broodmate Dragon. Martin evoked Mulldrifter, to go down to 5 cards in the library, and ran out the Dragon, and passed.

Michael Esper Charmed Martin to make him pitch cards and made his Broodmate Dragon and passed. Martin played his second Cruel Ultimatum, putting Michael to 3 and pitching his hand of Broodmate, Ajani, and Cruel Ultimatum, and muttered “I messed up!” Martin drew to leave one card in his library and attacked with his Dragons into Michael’s one creature to win.

(For rules buffs, what happens when you Cruel Ultimatum your opponent to 0 life, but you only have 2 cards in your library? The answer is at the end of this report.)

Martin – 1, Michael – 0

In Game 2, Martin mulled to 5. He attempted a turn 2 Scepter of Fugue, which got Broken Ambitioned and milled Story Circle and Wydwen. Michael Evoked Mulldrifter and passed, then Martin missed his third land. Michael Mulldriftered again, but it was Ambitioned on Martin’s 2 lands. Martin got his 3rd land but could not answer Michael’s Ajani Vengeant next turn, which kept his Vivid land tapped. Martin got to 4 lands but couldn’t prevent Ajani from getting to 8 counters.

Maritn slammed a Pithing Needle, and Michael asked “Naming?” and Martin quickly named Ajani Vengeant. He tried to Broken, but of course that’s no good. It didn’t matter because Michael had Cryptic to bounce it. Ajani destroyed Martin’s mana and even stuck around since he started at 8 loyalty counters. Martin asked him to reveal a Broodmate Dragon and he’d scoop. After conferring with a judge, Michael flashed the Limited bomb and Martin scooped up his one land.

Martin –1, Michael – 1

For Game 3, both players kept 7. Martin nailed a turn 2 Scepter of Fugue on the play this time and used his mana to make Michael start pitching cards. Michael attempted to refuel with an Evoked Mulldrifter, which Martin dittoed.

With Martin tapped out, Michael stuck a Pithing Needle naming Scepter of Fugue. Martin Evoked Mulldrifter with no lands up, and Michael went into the tank, considering a counter. He Brokened for 1, and Martin put an Esper Charm on the bottom and shipped the turn, indicating that he was indeed tight on mana. He tried Mulldrifter again, and indicated that he kept 3 Mulldrifters, three lands, and Scepter. Michael had another Broken Ambitions and won the clash, milling 3 of Martin’s lands.

Martin ripped an Island and passed the turn. Michael gassed up with Esper Charm at Martin’s end step. At Martin’s next end step he tried a Wydwen, to which Martin played Cryptic Command, but met Negate, giving Michael a path to victory. Michael stuck his seventh land and played Ajani Vengeant and started powering it up.

Martin drew and missed land again in much frustration. He hit his next land, and Michael Esper Charmed at end step. His next attacks put Martin at 11, and then 8. At end step, Martin tried to legend rule Wydwen, which met Broken Ambitions. On Michael’s next turn, he played Broodmate Dragon and Martin scooped them up.

RESULT: Michael beats Martin in 3 and earns the three-round bye at Grand Prix: Seattle.

(The answer to the rules quiz: You resolve Cruel Ultimatum in the order of the card: you draw your remaining library and your opponent is at 0, and you check based effects. You both lose at the same time, so the game is a draw. God forbid that happens in this mirror.)