GPT Seattle at Games & Gizmos - Quarterfinals

Quarterfinals: Martin Goldman–Kirst (Five-Color Control) vs. Dwayne St. Arnould (Black-White Tokens)

Martin won the die roll and kept his 7, as did Dwayne. Dwayne’s first play of Tidehollow Sculler was Broken Ambitioned by Martin, with Dwayne keeping an Ajani Goldmane on the top of his deck. Martin layed a land and said go while Dwayne made a Knight of Meadowgrain.

Martin ran out a Pithing Needle on his fourth turn, naming Ajani Goldmane. Dwayne attacks to see a Plumeveil enter play from Martin, which he Terrored before it could block. Martin ships his fifth turn with no land, and Dwayne attacks again into a second Plumeveil, which this time does eat Knight of Meadowgrain. Dwayne followed up with a Cloudgoat Ranger, which on Martin’s turn had his Kithkin friends Volcanic Fallout’ed.

Dwayne responds to the sweeper with a Spectral Procession, to Martin’s chagrin. Martin hardcasted Mulldrifter on his turn. Dwayne followed up with the Ajani Goldmane in his hand, but thanks to Needle, he shipped the turn.

Martin: “If you played that, that means you don’t have anything better to do.”
Dwayne: “Stop thinking logically.”

Martin made a pair of dragons of the Broodmate variety, while Dwayne could only ship the turn and eat 8 from the Dragons. Dwayne makes another Spectral Procession, to which Martin asked “Does that even do anything?” and played a Broken Ambitions. Martin left a Esper Charm on top while Dwayne left a Cloudgoat Ranger.

Martin’s dragons go into the fray and this time get chumped. Dwayne played his Cloudgoat Ranger and ships, as Martin end step drew with Esper Charm, and flashed two Cryptic Commands, drawing the scoop from Dwayne.

Martin 1, Dwayne 0

They both kept their openers for the second game. Dwayne laid a Windbrisk Heights and made a Knight of Meadowgrain turn 2, safe from Broken Ambitions this time thanks to going first. On the third turn, Knight of Meadowgrain got in and Dwyane made a Bitterblossom.

On the fourth turn, Dwayne attacked again with Knight of Meadowgrain and made a post combat Glorious Anthem, while Martin laid his fourth land. Dwayne’s next attack with a token and Knight put Martin at 11. Dwayne attempted a second Glorious Anthem, which drew a Broken Ambitions from Martin.

On his next turn, Dwayne asked if he could attacked, which made Martin pause.

Dwayne: “Am I dead?”
Martin: “No, you’re not dead. Just thinking what to do.”

Martin fogged with Cryptic Command, and Dwayne shipped the turn. Martin continued to lay land and say go. Dwayne asked to attack again, which drew out Volcanic Fallout, leaving only Knight of Meadowgrain, which put Martin to 6. Martin predicted a Cloudgoat Ranger, but Dwayne instead emptied out his hand and made a second Bitterblossom and Knight of Meadowgrain.

Martin ran out Cruel Ultimatum to go back to 11. Dwayne got in again, making the score 8 to 20. Martin made a Broodmate Dragon and a Pithing Needle on Windbrisk Heights, with three guys ready to attack for Dwayne. With Martin tapped out, Dwayne ran out Tidehollow Sculler, revealing Cruel Ultimatum #2, Wrath of God, Broken Ambitions, and two lands. “I think it’s a pretty hand,” said Martin, and Dwayne elected to remove Wrath of God. Martin played his second Cruel Ultimatum, and on Dwayne’s next upkeep, the score was 11-13 in Martin’s favor. All Dwayne did was make a Burrenton-Forge Tender and pass the turn.

On Dwayne’s next upkeep, Martin tapped down Dwayne’s team and drew with Cryptic Command. Dwayne laid a land and said go. Martin got in for 8, putting Dwayne to 5, and followed up with Ajani Vengeant to Helix his face, putting him 2 and effectively dead to his two Bitterblossom activations, ending the match. Dwayne then flashed the Mutavault under his Windbrisk Heights.

RESULT: Martin beats Dwayne in two.

Quarterfinal: David Lowe (Red) vs. Thomas Rolling (Green-White), Game 3

For their third game, David mulliganed down to 6, thought about it and kept. Thomas kept his 7. David made a Figure of Desinty off a Mountain, while Thomas made a Birds off a Forest. Thomas got in for 2 by leveling up Figure, and made another Figure of Destiny. Thomas drew, went into the tank. “It would be a terrible, terrible idea,” Thomas thought aloud, and off a Wooded Bastion, ran out a Noble Hierarch and a second Birds, wary of getting blown out by Volcanic Fallout.

It was David’s turn to go into the tank, before laying a land and declaring attacks with his two Figures. Thomas declined to block and tried to level up his 2/2 Figure to a 4/4 before damage, earning a Path to Exile in response. The attack put Thomas to 17.

Thomas laid a Windbrisk Heights, tapped 4 and made Ranger of Eos, getting two Burrenton Forge-Tenders, which may or may not be relevant against David’s Red deck. He made one of them and shipped the turn.

David tapped 5 on his turn to make Demigod of Revenge and got in immediately for 5, putting Thomas at 12. Thomas made Ajani Goldmane and strengthened his team, then got in for free with his Birds, Ranger, and Forge-Tender. After declining to block, Thomas revealed the Wilt-Leaf Liege under his Windbrisk Heights, knocking David down 10.

David drew and thought for a long while, presumably about what his paths to victory were at this point. In the meantime, Zaiem Beg won his match against Nash Foster in 3 piloting Black-White Tokens successfully against BG Elves. After thinking, David played an Ancient Amphitheatre and passed the turn.

David made his second Burrenton Forge-Tender and pumped his team up again, which drew a Flame Javelin pointed at Wilt-Leaf Liege in response. The newly made Forge-Tender took that Flame Javelin instead, making Wilt-Leaf a 5/5 and out of range of future Flame Javelins. Thomas attacked with the team, and David scooped up his lands in concession.

RESULT: Thomas wins 2-1.

In the remaining match of the quarterfinals, Michael Dipetrillo’s Five-Color Control deck beat Corbett Gray running Boddy Red.