GPT Seattle at Federal Way, Quarterfinals - Alex West (BW Tokens) vs. Blaine Rybacki (GW Overrun)

Alex won the die roll and started with 6 cards. Alex played Reflecting Pool, and Blaine played Windbrisk Heights. Alex hit turn 2 Bitterblossom, and Blaine laid a Treetop Village on his turn 2. Alex made a second Bitterblossom but missed his third land. Blaine, however, did not miss his third land and played Dauntless Escort. Alex played a Mutavault and then Glorious Anthem and hit Blaine for 2, putting him at 18.

Blaine played another Treetop Village and Dauntless Escort and passed the turn. Alex made another pair of tokens and thought before attacking with three Faeries to put Blaine at 12. He then passed the turn to Blaine, who played a land and a Cloudgoat Ranger in his first main phase. He sent in his pair of Dauntless Escorts and Alex took 6 damage to go to 9, and then 7 on his next upkeep. Alex played Zealous Persecution and Blaine proclaimed his death.

Alex leads 1-0

At the beginning of Game 2, Blaine rolled his eyes and kept his initial 7, as did Alex. Blaine started with a Forest and Alex started with Windbrisk Heights. Blaine played a turn 2 Steward of Valeron and Alex played a turn 2 Bitterblossom. On his third turn, Blaine made a precombat Noble Hierarch and attacked with Steward for 3, then played a postcombat Wispmare to deal with the Biterblossom. Alex played a tri-land and played a second Bitterblossom.

Blaine played a Windbrisk Heights and another Wispmare as well to destroy Bitterblossom #2, then beat for 3 again. Alex missed his fourth land but played Kitchen Finks to go back to 16. Blaine declared attacks with Steward of Valeron and two Wispmares, and Alex declined to block. Blaine played a Wilt-Leaf Liege from under Windbrisk Heights during combat to get in for 8, then cast Spectral Procession and played another Windbrisk Heights and passed.

Alex hit his fourth land to cast the Wrath in his hand, leaving him with a persisted Kitchen Finks and two more life, to go up at 10. Post-Wrath with five lands, Blaine played Ajani Goldmane and gained 2 life to go to 22 and passed. On Alex’s next turn, he played a Reflecting Pool and attacked Ajani to put him at 2 loyalty counters, then played another Kitchen Finks to go up 2 more life to go up to 12. Blaine played a sixth land and opted to Martial Coup for 4, short 1 of activating its Wrath effect, then put counters on all of his tokens, and passed the turn.

Alex tapped four on his next turn and played Murderous Redcap to finish off Ajani Goldmane and shipped the turn. Blaine attacked with his four 2/2 soldiers, and Alex placed his two Kitchen Finks in front of them. Blaine flipped Overrun from his Windbrisk Heights, and facing 17 damage, Alex scooped up his cards.

Match tied 1-1.

For Game 3, Alex kept his 7 cards. Blaine mulliganed and then flashed a one-land five-spell hand and shipped again. He kept 5 cards. Alex started the game with two tri-lands while Blaine started with two Windbrisk Heights. Alex hit his own Windbrisk Heights and played a Bitterblossom on his third turn. On Blaine’s third turn, he completed three-of-a-kind on Hideaway lands but still had no action. Alex started generating Bitterblossom tokens and played Spectral Procession and passed. Blaine played a Treetop Village and matched with Spectral Procession himself and passed.

Alex hit his fifth land, and played a Glorious Anthem and a Zealous Persecution to wipe Blaine’s Spirits and beat for 12 with four guys. Blaine played his fifth land but had no play again. Alex now had 6 tokens in play with five ready to attack. He tried to go to attack step and Blaine evoked Cloudthresher to Wrath the board and make the score 18 to 6. Post-Cloudthresher, Alex played a Cloudgoat Ranger and passed. Blaine played another Treetop Village on his next turn and again, had no play on his own turn.

Alex played his seventh land and thought again, considering the blocks of Treetop Village and potential tricks on the other side, and then sent his team in. With only one blocker, Blaine had to take at least 6 damage, so he extended the hand.

RESULT: Alex wins in 3.