PTQ Portland damage report

I opened a good pool in Portland this weekend, featuring such hits as Ob Nixilis, Marsh Casualties, Vampire Nighthawk, Burst Lightning, Disfigure, Hideous End, and double Quest for the Gravelord.

I think I did my deck justice by going 6-2. I lost round 3 in three games. I remember Game 1 was a blowout, and Game 3 I mulliganed to 5 to his 6 and was never in it.

I was knocked out of contention in round 6. I think Game 2 I was blown out, and in Game 3 I kept a two lander and got stuck on two for a couple turns and by the time I drew lands and cast spells, it was too late.

I managed to win the rest. Granted, my deck was pretty darn powerful, but I didn't feel jittery at all and was able to make pretty sound decisions. In Round 2 Game 2 I made an odd play involving a Crypt Ripper in hand that I thought about for a while where my opponent and a spectator were surprised I didn't haste him in there. I couldn't remember the board after the match, but I remember thinking about it for a while and being pretty sure of my decision.

In Round 4 after my loss, we go to Game 3 and I mulligan to 5, and evil thoughts enter my head about another two-in-a-row for me. I have to keep a hand of Gravelord, Geopede, and maybe three mountains? It was pretty bad and I envisioned myself getting blown out. I play a Mountain, he plays a Guul Draz Vampire and thankfully not a Lacerator. I rip a Swamp and play the Geopede. He plays a Surrakar Maurauders. I rip again and draw a Seismic Shudder, which was the most insane thing I could have drawn there. Gravelord, land, Seismic you to put two counters on Gravelord, swing? Absolutely insane.

So I thought I played one of my best PTQ's yet and still didn't make Top 8. I lost to really good decks and they had better draws than I did. I'd hate to play that card, so to speak, but it's hard for me to think back to any mistakes I made. So I think I'm doing the right things, just have to keep plugging away.

No online PTQ this weekend for me probably, since it's family time and all. I've started looking at possible decks for States. Manuel Bucher's Bant deck has caught my eye in the side-by-side testing I've done so far. Seems good against Jund, hopefully it doesn't blow against everything else in the field.