GPT Seattle at Federal Way, Round 3 - Zaiem Beg (BW Tokens) vs. Grant Bolanos (Bant Aggro)

Zaiem started the game, after keeping an “interesting hand” in his words, and lead off with a Windbrisk Heights. Grant play a land and said go. After Zaiem played another Windbrisk Heights, Grant played a turn 2 Gaddock Teeg, which in this matchup turns off important spells like Spectral Procession and Ajani Goldmane.

Zaiem played Knight of Meadowgrain but missed his next two land drops and Grant followed up with Dauntless Escort and Rhox War Monk. Zaiem played a Caves of Koilos and attempted to Terror Gaddock Teeg, but Grant sacrificed Dauntless Escort to save it. Zaiem played a Kitchen Finks on his next turn, and Grant added Wilt-Leaf Liege to his board of double Rhox War Monk and Gaddock Teeg, On Grant’s alpha strike, Knight of Meadowgrain and Kitchen Finks blocked Gaddock Teeg, putting the score to 30-6 in Grant’s favor. Zaiem untapped, and when Grant flashed a Path to Exile, Zaiem started to shuffle up for game 2.

Grant leads 1-0.

Game 2

Zaiem started with 6 cards and Grant kept 7. Grant played a Noble Hierarch on his first turn, and Zaiem responded with a Bitterblossom. Grant accelerated into a Turn 2 Rhox War Monk. Zaiem added Knight of Meadowgrain to his board along with a Faerie Rogue token and shipped the turn. Grant attacked for 4 with Rhox War Monk and played Pithing Needle naming Ajani Goldmane, and a Birds of Paradise. Zaiem attacked on his next turn for 3 to make the score 19-16 in Grant’s favor, and he shipped the turn. Grant served with Rhox War Monk and Zaiem chumped with a token. Grant played a Treetop Village (now with two on his side) and made a second Rhox War Monk. Zaiem attacked with one Faerie token on his next turn and made a Cloudgoat Ranger and three Kithkin.

On his next turn, Grant made Dauntless Escort and put his Rhox War Monks into the fray. Zaiem chumped with a Token and threw Cloudgoat Ranger in front of the other War Monk and tapped his Kithkin to trade. Grant played Gaddock Teeg in his second main and passed, and Zaiem did nothing on his next turn. The score was now 28-14 in Grant’s favor.

On Grant’s turn he activated two Treetops and attacked with the villages and a Rhox War Monk. Zaiem traded 3 tokens for a Treetop and a Faerie token and Knight of Meadowgrain for the other Village and took 3. Grant added a Noble Hierarch to his side and passed. On Zaiem’s turn he played a Murderous Redcap, targeting Gaddock Teeg. Grant considered the play for a while, perhaps whether Spectral Procession would follow, and let Gaddock Teeg die instead of sacking his Escort, and Zaiem passed. Score 29-12 Grant.

Grant attacked with Rhox War Monk and Zaiem chumped with a Faeries token. Grant played a Gaddock Teeg off the top and passed. On Zaiem’s turn he made Glorious Anthem and passed. Score 34-11 Grant.

Grant drew his card and shipped without attacking. Zaiem put a third Faerie into play (“First time in the game,” he commented) and got in with two Faeries for 4. He played a land and passed, with the score 30-10. Grant’s next draw and play was a Qasali Pridemage. Grant attacked with Rhox War Monk and Zaiem resumed chumping with Faerie tokens. In his second main, Grant popped the Pridemage to deal with Bitterblossom and passed. Zaiem drew and attacked for 4 again, laid a land and passed. Score 32-10.

Grant played an Island and this time attacked with Birds of Paradise for 2 in the air and passed. Zaiem declined attacking on his next turn, meaning Birds of Paradise couldn’t attack and neither could Rhox War Monk in fear of Redcap, so Grant passed, followed by Zaiem passing as well. On Grant’s next turn, he attacked with Rhox War Monk and Zaiem chumped with Redcap and upon Persisting targeted Gaddock Teeg. Since Zaiem’s Glorious Anthem meant Redcap was threatening to kill Gaddock Teeg, Dauntless Escort had to be sacked. Grant made a Rhox War Monk and passed. Zaiem passed his next turn, and Grant added Wilt-Leaf Liege, making his Rhox War Monks awesome, and sent them in. Zaiem chumped one of them and tried double blocking with a Mutavault and Faerie token, but goofed on the modified toughness granted by Wilt-Leaf Liege and lost his team. Zaiem passed, and on the next attack step, Zaiem flashed a hand of Spectral, Spectral, Wrath of God, and Ajani Goldmane that Gaddock Teeg had blanked.

RESULT: Grant wins in 2.