Highlander Magic

MagicPlayer Highlander => [HLL] Online Highlander League & Ladder Tournament => Ladder Tournaments => Topic started by: Vazdru on 07-01-2016, 10:28:58 PM

Title: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 07-01-2016, 10:28:58 PM
Pairings: (seed)

Quarterfinals:

a) Payron 2 Artifact Combo-Control (one) - Vazdru 3 Dimir Control (eight)

b) Nastaboi 3 Creatureless Azorius Combo-Control (four) - ChristophO 0 Abzan Pattern-Rector (five)

c) r4nd0m 3 Azorius Control (three) - Maqi 2 4c Blood (six)

d) goblinpiledriver 2 Azorius Control (two) - Tazi 3 UGr-Scapeshift (seven)


Semifinals:

Vazdru 3 Dimir Control (eight) vs Nastaboi 2 Creatureless Azorius Combo-Control (four (four)
r4nd0m 0 Azorius Control (three) vs TaZi 3 UGr-Scapeshift (seven)

Finals:
Vazdru 2  Dimir Control (eight) vs  TaZi 3  UGr-Scapeshift (seven)


Highlander: TaZi


gl to the partipants:

1. Payron - Runner-Up Metagame Masters, Online Champion 2013
2. goblinpiledriver - Champion HL Grand Prix Nr. 8, Runner-up HL Grand Prix Nr. 9, Runner-Up German HL Nationals 2011, Reigning Online Champion
3. r4nd0m - Top 8 + Top 16 Austrian Nationals, Online Champion 2012
4. Nastaboi - Champion Finnish HL Nationals 2011, Runner-Up Finnish Legacy Nationals 2013, Online Champion 2009 and 2010
5. ChristophO - Legacy GP Gent Top 32, German HL Nationals 2011 semifinalist
6. Maqi - Champion HL Grand Prix Nr. 15, Four-times HL Grand Prix Top 8, Runner-Up Metagame Masters
7. Tazi - Top 8 GP Utrecht, Champion HL Grand Prix Nr. 10, Reigning HLL Champion
8. Vazdru - HL Grand Prix Top 8, Runner-Up Online Championship 2014
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 21-01-2016, 02:20:18 PM
Payron and me have scheduled quarterfinal Wednesday Jan 27th, 8.30 PM
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Dr. Opossum on 21-01-2016, 09:18:30 PM
Quote from: TaZi on 19-01-2016, 12:20:50 AM

TaZi 3:2 GoblinPiledriver


Game 1
=======
my hand after free mull: drain, witness, snapcaster, maze, 3 lands
jochens hand: wrath, gideon, hangarback walker, condescend 3 lands
jochen starts with his walker which gets pumped the first turns. I fiddle around with rishadan port a bit and eventually cast sylvan scrying for thespian stage. When the walker starts attacking, I play maze and hope to counter any wrath. We fight about with our threads (I counter his gideon, he counters witness and snappy) but I resolve true name nemesis, which goes all the way as I can counter the wrath on the important turn.

Game 2
=======
my hand: Dark Depths, maze, threasure cruise, flame tongue, three visits, 2 lands
his hand: 4 lands, mana leak, remand, dragonlord ojutai
his first play is jace, vryns prodigy on his third turn. As I played the visits on my second, I can flame tongue his jace and have some pressure on the board to handle his narset on the next turn. But he also is tapped out after narset and my jace, TMS sticks and practically seals the game at this point as he never leaves the table, though the battle rages on for quite some time.

Game 3
=======
my hand: spell pierce, noxious revival, dig, treetop, 3 other lands
his hand: true name, clique, path, oust
after killing his clique with a fire ice, jochen can play wasteland and true name nemesis on his fourth turn. I have no blue due to some bad landplays/fetch decisions. I can race the true name for quite some time with huntmaster and treetop. but eventually both get handled and I'm just not fast enough.

Game 4
=======
my 6 cards: merch. scroll, sylvan lib, electrolyze, 3 lands
his hand: 5 lands, negate, logic knot
He draws miscalculation which counters my scroll. eventually jace is played on an empty table to bounce the sylvan library. This gives me a window to play crop rotation and add a DD to my thespian stage. Though I'm not bold enough to crack it right away. He plays wasteland which keeps my combo in check. At the end of my next turn jochen tries to waste my thespian stage (I have no idea why) when I create a token in response. He miracles an entreat the angels for 3 token on his turn and I think the game is likely to be over as I only have to find the fifth land in my sylvan library to play bring to light for a blue command. Unluckyly the land is a valakut and the token gets handled on the next turn. The remaining token evtually kills me =(.

Game 5
=======
my hand: goyf, sylvan scrying, scapeshift, 4 lands
his hand: 4 lands, bribery, back to basics, counterspells
The hand plays out as nicely as it looks. the goyf sticks and starts bashing. A back to basics also enters the game and locks down 2 of my lands. not much else happens and when he taps out for a geist of saint traft, I just play my 6th land, search for the 7th with three visist and play scapeshift for the win, which is commented by a single "what".

Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: r4nd0m1 on 24-01-2016, 10:30:30 PM
r4nd0m1 (UW Control) 3 : 2 Maqi (Blood)

->G1 I keep a decent hand on the draw with Path, Babyjace, Elspeth, Wrath and 3 good lands, but he has a really strong draw with IOK, Voice and Lili and Huntmaster on turn 4. I can draw some cards and Wrath, but his Natural Order (Titan, Wasteland, Tec Edge), Lingering Souls, Lili ultimate, Ajani V and Sorin Solemn Visitor do me in, while I am cantripping for lands.

->G2 I keep a (too) risky hand with Ancestral Vision, Mystical Tutor, only one Island and StoP, Azorius Charm, Counterspell and Bribery, suspending Visions. He starts out with Aether Vial and I draw an island, play eot Mystical for Ponder. Ponder finds only 1 Island, but with Into the Roil on top and Counterspell up, i decided to better keep the one Island and miss a landdrop next turn, with Visions coming in the turn after that.

Ajani V gets countered, Vial gets bounced, but he has manacreatures and Natural Oder for Titan and Waste- and manland, aswell as Tasigur, as i draw another Island and Bribery for Siege Rhino, but 2 manlands and Zealous Persecution are enough.

->G3 my hand is pretty good with scryland into cantrip plus Spell Snare, Repeal, See Beyond, 3 lands and I draw Wrath, as he starts with Treetop Village and Sylvan Caryatid. Miscalculation, second Wrath and big Elspeth and lands are drawn and 2 manacreatures and Thrun are played, as I cycle and Wrath. His Lingering Souls and Xenagos are then met by Maze of Ith and a topdecked Mana Drain (declining to play Remand to set up Elspeth with Remand backup). Dreadbore gets cast twice over 2 turns, but my 6 token, Maze, Dig Trough Time and Mystical for Sphinx's Revelation put me in a position where I dont even need to care about his Tasigur, Sorin, Goyf and manland.

Instead, I can play more Land, Fact, Top, Batterskull, Treasure Cruise, while giving him relatively useless cards with Tasigur and eventually Wrath into Bribery for Witness for Sphinx's Revelation.

Future Sight and Top force him to Abrupt Decay, but that opens him up to Back to Basics.

->G4 is really tight, but I can keep a good hand with Condemn, Path, Mana Tithe, TC, See Beyond, Arid Mesa, Island.
He has a relatively slow draw with manland, Smiter, Garruk, Tasigur, Rhino, then Vindicate and Helix. I handle his Smiter and Rhino, but Garruk and Tasigur stick, as I play See Beyond and more Lands, drawing Rev, Counsil's Judgment and BtB.

TC finds an untapped land and Mystic Confluence(!), boucing the Tasigur, a beast and his Treetop, setting up Counsils for Garruk and BtB with Mana Tithe backup, which counters a Vindicate!

->G5 he has a turn 2 Smiter, but I scryland into Path, miracle Terminus, Merchant Scroll for Force, then TC. He doesnt have anything else except for 3 removal and more lands and concedes on the spot.

Thanks Maqi for the ggs, hope you still had some fun :D

Here are the replays: http://www.filedropper.com/160124ladderqfreplayvsmaqi
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 24-01-2016, 11:09:54 PM
after two quite close quarterfinals the first semifinal is settled:

r4nd0m with Azorius Control face TaZi with UGr-Scapeshift

gl & hf
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Maqi on 25-01-2016, 12:49:24 AM
Games were fun. No worries, but at one point it felt like whatever worst card there was for me, you just had it turn after turn. Culminating in that Mana Tithe... geez... didn't feel that good at that moment. :)
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 27-01-2016, 01:10:10 AM
Quote from: r4nd0m1 on 24-01-2016, 10:30:30 PM

Here are the replays: http://www.filedropper.com/160124ladderqfreplayvsmaqi


thanks for sharing replays
game 3 was really close one  :) that second wrath into mana drain Xenagos into big Else into Remand Dreadbore made me   ??? :o ::)
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 28-01-2016, 01:31:05 AM
Vazdru (Dimir Control) vs Payron (Artifact Combo-Control)

g1: i won the roll, free mull no-lander and keep: 2 fetch-lands, Gitaxian Probe, Nihil Spellbomb, Spell Snare, Lili, DTT. Probe reveals: Karakas, Tropical, Mana Stone, Transmute Artifact, Ring of Brighthearth, Wheel of Fortune and DTT too. Spell Snare countered Grim Monolith, Lili sticks and we start discarding. Preordain reveals no land for him so he stays on 2 Mana instead of Land + Manastone. My Ponder reveals 3 Islands on the top in return. After shuffle i've got Hero's Downfall which immetiatly hit the bin. My mainphase DTT added Inquisition so his Transmute Artifact was gone + Nightveil Specter which started eating some cards (Stroke of Genius, Fetchland...). Lili ticks up irrisistible and ultimated at 7 to stay on board for a while longer. When i play Glen Elendra after that he conceded.

1:0

g2: he keeps 2-lander, Mox Diamond, Basalt Monolith, Mana Drain, Trinket Mage, Thopter Foundry. I have Island, Karakas, Sensei's, Stifle, Dimir Charm, Shadow of Doubt and Wurmcoil Engine which was a bad keep in retrospect. He starts T1 with Mox+Foundry, T2 he added Trinket Mage which forced Stifle. I tried Sensei's at 3 Mana to keep Shadow of Doubt mana open but he tried Mana Drain so I've played Spell Pierce to protect my Sensei...having only one mana left... Misplayed that as he got Demonic Tutor for Sword of the Meek unfortunatly which i can't handle in time.

1:1

g3: I have 2 Islands, Tectonic Edge, Jace TMS, Preordain, Night's Whisper and DTT. He went down to following 5: Fastbond, Furnace, DTT, Mox Opal, Academy Ruins and Chrome Mox from the top to clean his hand and drop all cards T1. Eot i play Msytical for Mana Drain and counter any random spell to add Jace on board which started fateseal Payron's top card and keeps him in check somehow. In the end i win with massive card advantage and Jace's ulitimate.

2:1

I will add reports of g4 and g5 tomorrow  
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Maqi on 28-01-2016, 08:27:01 AM
What a cliffhanger...  :o
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 28-01-2016, 10:13:26 PM
g4: he mulls to 6 and keeps: Seat of the Synod, Buried Ruins, Mana Drain, Ponder, Basalt Monolith and Candelabra. I have Island, Swamp, Tolaria West, Small Jace, Preordain, Nihil Spellbomb and Mystic Confluence. T2 he had 2 lands, Fellware Stone + Candelabra in action. T3 3rd land + Basalt Monolith. I add Jace afterwards, Spellbomb rdy to protect me against any gy-based combo. He plays Balefux Strix and have Mana Drain + Sphinx Revelation in hand. I play nothing T4 to have mana for casting Recoil if necessary as i was in fear of Power Artifact Combo or something like that, hiding Jace TMS and Glen Elendra in hand. Strix kills Small Jace and go. I play land and tried to get some protection via Glen Elendra, but the Faerie got drained. He topdecks Tezzeret the Seeker to complete infinite Mana Combo with Basalt Monolith + Ring of Brighthearth to draw 80 cards + 80 lp with Sphinx Revelation, adds Fastbond and emptied my library with Stroke of Genius.

2:2

so we had a decider like the other quarterfinalists too

g5 was imo by far the best game of this series:
his first 7: 5 lands, basalt monolith, Zuran Orb -> Free Mull
my first 7: 2 Islands, Repeal, Snapcaster, Trinket Mage, Shadowmage Infiltrator, Small Jace -> Free Mull
his second 7: 1-lander with some uncastable stuff -> Mull to 6
my second 7: Swamp, Gitaxian Probe, Brainstorm, Stifle, Trinket Mage, Shadow of Doubt, Small Jace again -> Mull 6
his 6: Workshop, Karakas, Fellware Stone, Voltaic Key, Mystical and Intuition -> keep
my 6: Island, Swamp, Maze of Ith  :(, Baleful Strix, Shadowmage Infiltrator, Hymn to Tourach -> keep (Tamiyo on top was rejected)

T1 me: Swamp - go
T1 Py: Workshop, Fellwar Stone, Sensei's and checking top 3 cards  :-[
T2 me: Swamp from the Top  :) Hymn, he had to discard Mystical Tutor and Key
T2 Py: Bloodstained Mire, Fetch, Top activation
T3 me: Infiltrator
T3 Py: Trinket Mage, Expedition Map
T4 me: Draw Snapcaster, extra-card Infiltrator Repeal - go (he had only 1 handcard left)
T4 Py: Attack Trinket - go // Eot i bounce Mage with Repeal (extra card Toxic Deluge  :(, second dead card)
T5 me: Draw Verdant Catacombs, extra-card Infiltrator Jace, Architect / I play Snapcaster and Hymn leaving him in topdeck-modus
T5 Py: Draw Ghirapur Aethergrid which kills Snappy + Expedition for Tolarian Academy (3 artifacts in play)
T6 me: Draw Batterskull, extra-card Infiltrator Pyrexian Arena / play Batterskull to have a clock
T6 Py: Draw land, Switch Sensei for Demonic and adds Ensnaring Bridge with no hand cards (4 Artifacts in play)
T7 me: Add Strix (extra-card Duress  :() and Jace, Architect which reveals: Spell Snare + Daze vs Mystic Confluence which i took (at first glance I've thought it can bounce permanents  ::), but would have taken it anyway - in the moment I've wanted to cast it I recognized I can't bounce Bridge or Aethergrid  :-\)
T7 Py: Play Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas, Clock of Omens (Tezzeret on 5, back on 4 Artifacts in play and me on 16 lp), Aethergrid kills Jace
T8 me: Draw Gitaxian Probe, Transmute Tolaria West for Wasteland, Tap out for Phyrexian Arena (knowing he can use Tezzeret to bring me already to 8 + Grid to 6 lp for a two turn clock)
T8 Py: he doesn't ultimate Tezzeret and gave me two extra cards to find a solution for his ultimate which actually happened with a last-mana-stifle-action  ::)  ;)

nevertheless i was still waiting obviously for any Tutor, Bounce or Needle to get out of this situation anyhow...
strange things happened in next turns till i've finally got Recoil (for Bridge) and win with Creeping Tarpit equipped with Batterskull while i was on 4 lp
... have a look at replays :)

very cool and exhausting (mental and physical) game 5, more than 2 1/2 hours for this session altogether
thanks for the games mate!

here are the replays, # 181377 = g5
http://www.filedropper.com/replaysquarterfinal
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Nastaboi on 07-02-2016, 03:34:13 PM
Nastaboi UW Miracles vs. ChristophO Abzan Pattern combo

3 - 0

I won the roll, got Top in play and answered his first threat. He had just three lands and a Carrion Feeder, so I decided it was safe to tap out for Narset the planeswalker, revealing Mystical. Christoph went to tank as he had Pattern but could not combo out with no other creature, so he just got Titan and Stage-Depths. I had Moat on top but decided to spin anyway on my upkeep to find land drops, but only hit a temple and had to set up for Terminus with Mystical. Next turn I laid down Moat and he went for Marit Lage, but I had Repeal and he conceeded facing Narset ultimate.

Christoph sneaked Sylvan Library below my counters, but failed to draw third land despite paying 8 life and Wall of Blossoms. He got just Viscera Seer next turn and I slammed down Humility. He just proceeded to hit for two turn after turn while I countered some things and made his mana situation more uncomfortable with Wasteland and Back to Basics. Eventually I killed him with boredom.

In third game Christoph mulled to seven containing once again one land, a mana dude and Sensei's Top. I Spell Pierced his top and bounced his mana dude a couple of times. When he tapped out a couple of turns later I showed him Helm-RIP combo.

Short games, one interesting one and two sad mana screws. Better luck next time around!
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 07-02-2016, 08:53:30 PM
Quote from: Vazdru on 07-01-2016, 10:28:58 PM
Pairings: (seed)

Quarterfinals:

a) Payron 2 Artifact Combo-Control (one) - Vazdru 3 Dimir Control (eight)

b) Nastaboi 3 Azorius Miracle-Control (four) - ChristophO 0 Abzan Pattern-Rector (five)

c) r4nd0m 3 Azorius Control (three) - Maqi 2 4c Blood (six)

d) goblinpiledriver 2 Azorius Control (two) - Tazi 3 UGr-Scapeshift (seven)


Semifinals:

Vazdru Dimir Control (eight) vs Nastaboi Azorius Miracle-Control (four)
r4nd0m Azorius Control (three) vs TaZi UGr-Scapeshift (seven)


Highlander:


gl to the partipants:

1. Payron - Runner-Up Metagame Masters, Online Champion 2013
2. goblinpiledriver - Champion HL Grand Prix Nr. 8, Runner-up HL Grand Prix Nr. 9, Runner-Up German HL Nationals 2011, Reigning Online Champion
3. r4nd0m - Top 8 + Top 16 Austrian Nationals, Online Champion 2012
4. Nastaboi - Champion Finnish HL Nationals 2011, Runner-Up Finnish Legacy Nationals 2013, Online Champion 2009 and 2010
5. ChristophO - Legacy GP Gent Top 32, German HL Nationals 2011 semifinalist
6. Maqi - Champion HL Grand Prix Nr. 15, Four-times HL Grand Prix Top 8, Runner-Up Metagame Masters
7. Tazi - Top 8 GP Utrecht, Champion HL Grand Prix Nr. 10, Reigning HLL Champion
8. Vazdru - HL Grand Prix Top 8, Runner-Up Online Championship 2014

updated
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 09-02-2016, 02:25:06 PM
Semifinal Nastaboi vs Vazdru will probably take place this Sunday, Feb 14th, 2.00 PM CET
when I take a look at the decklists (http://mtgpulse.com/event/23165#318200) I fear that could be quite a long session  :)

btw. Azorius seems sexy again (at least w/o time-limit) ;)
after four copies of 4c Blood in last year's semis (http://www.magicplayer.org/forum/index.php?topic=1076.0), this year Azorius-Mirror in finals still possible
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 14-02-2016, 09:23:24 PM
replays of Semifinals Nastaboi vs Vazdru (part I)

http://www.filedropper.com/160214replayladdersfvazdruvsnastaboi
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: TaZi on 18-02-2016, 11:03:25 PM
partly due to my honeymoon holidays we came to the conclusion to play my match vs. r4nd0m one day after the deadline. I hope this is OK for everyone.
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 21-02-2016, 10:30:51 PM
after almost 3 1/2 hours of play we've got a winner
but let's start with the very first

g1: I won the roll and had: Island, Maze, Bojuka Bog, Inquisition, Jace Vryn Prodigy, Snapcaster + Shadow of Doubt after free-mulligan. Obviously my plan was to install Jace T2 and get rid of any nasty cards like Maze. He's kept a two-lander + Preordain, Dissolve, Condescend + Sensei's which was the first play in our Semis. T2 I resolve Jace and he dropped Karakas  ??? and my plan was gone...T3 I've drawn no furter lands so far but Ponder and Night's Whisper. I decided to go the route Ponder which revealed 3 non-land cards and so I shuffled to get Glen Elendra from the top + Inquisition which took Condescend over Mystical and DTT. T4 i've got a Swamp from the top for Snappie + flashback Inquisition which took Counterspell leaving him with Mystical Tutor, DTT, Dissolve + Serum Visions. He played Maze an said go. Night's Whisper got Mana Leaked. I got Scalding Tarn from the top and smashed Glen Elendra next turn. He used Msytical + Terminus to get rid of my two Wizards but lost Sensei's during this process. I play Vendilion Clique Mainphase to put DTT on bottom of his library so he just had Dissolve + Brainstorm left and got Enlightened Tutor from the top. My Augur of Bolas found Remand and started eating his liepoints as Clique got Mazed. Finally I've got Pithing Needle naming Karakas and dropped Jace Vryn Prodigiy again which immediately got Sworded to Plowshares. When i tried to play Enlightened Tutor I've had Shadow of Doubt and his Dissolve get Remanded. Unfortunately my extra-cards were dead...Bribery + Toxic Deluge! Anyhow my Faerie Conclave + Augur + Clique are able to drain 3 lp / round so he still needed some action. Council's Judgement removed Clique and he played from the top while i've had still 3 dead cards with Maze, Deluge + Bribery. He found Treasure Cruise, dropped Vedalken Shakles + Jace I, I've had Tamiyo and tapped Maze as he was on 6 lp. He dropped Helm and i put him to 3 lp, having wasteland in hand to kill his Maze next time and so I decided to tap his Shakles for next turn win. Unfortunately he had already Muddle the Mixture in hands for transmute into Rest in Peace for the win on 3 lp.
Nastaboi leads 1:0

g2: I have 3 lands, Snapy, Dimir Charm, Lili and Clique after free mulligan. He had 2 lands, Repeal, Path, B2B, Mystical Teachings + DTT. EOT 3 i play Clique which got Pathed revealing mentioned cards + Enlightened Tutor and Muddle the Mixture. I decided to take nothing and just drop Lili next turn which started to tick up. I added Nightveil Specter next turn while he repeals Lili. I drop lili again hoping he can't find a land as he had Celestial Collonade. Specter finds Narset at first swing. He used DTT eot for Mana Drain and Council's Judgement which exiles Lili and letting him Mana for Mana Drain still open. I've got Spell Pierce from Specter which chaged the math for him and Baleful Strix into Duress which discarded Gideon Jura a turn before he started dominate the boards. Snapcaster got drained so my team can swing again. Specter hit O-Ring this time. A turn later he played Mytical Teaching with 3 Mana open for Swords to Plowshares which got Mana leaked. I have Bojuka Bog before he can Flashback Teachings and dropped Phyrecian Arena. When he found Treasure Curise from the top i have the chance to play Dimir Charm for his concession.
Match even 1:1

...more to come after a short break.
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 22-02-2016, 02:01:24 AM
g3: He keeps 3 lands, Sensei, Wrath, Moat + Detention Sphere. I have 3 lands, Chrome Mox, Augur of Bolas, Tribute to Hunger and Mental Misstep which counters his T1 Top. I have Island + Chrome Mox (Tribute to Hunger) + Augur revealing Thought Scour T1. Next I've got Mystical Tutor and Sensei's from the top while he just draws lands and Terminus. Furthermore I can resolve a Fact or Fiction eot for pile 1: Thoughtseize and Mana Leak vs pile 2: TNN, Tectonic Edge + Cryptic Command, which i took. He still has no buisness and i just drop Sensei's and pass the turn. A few turns later Clique resolves and reveals his hand with: Wrath, Moat, Terminus  :D, Detention Sphere and Force Spike which he has to keep. A turn later I drop Jace II, into Tasigur with 4 counterspells open for the win.
I lead 2:1

g4: Quite a long long game, have a look at the replays  :) His starting hand contains 3 lands, Preordain, Portent, Banishing Light, Shakles. I have 3 lands + Maze, Visions, Stifle and Ponder (so casting cost 2 altogether  ;)). He starts T1 with Preordain followed by my suspended Ancestral Visions. He played Portent, me Ponder. We both gather some Counterspells for the war around Ancestral Visions. Ancestral Vision on the stack, Nastaboi plays Mana Drain and has 2 untapped lands, I play Miscalculation, he has to fetch, I play Stifle. As reward I received 4 cards this turn and he lost a land-drop. Should be the beginning of a good victory story but somehow Nastaboi recovers from that point on. My Jace, Architect got countered, his Fact or Fiction resolves. Glen Elendra resolves but Force Spike force me to tap last U, so he can play Shakles. I play Needle, he took control of Glen and I have Venser to bounce Shackles. With Repeal, Banishing Light, Spell Snare and Dissolve he is able to overwhelm my defense with Glen Elendra, Mana Drain, Cryptic Command, Mental Misstep + Daze  :o and furthermore drops Jace II just after the dust of the counter-war has settled. Jace fights vs Ashiok and wins with some help of Elspeth.
Match tied 2:2

g5: Even a longer game than the ones before  ::) my first 7: 4 Lands, Spell Pierce, Wurmcoil Engine, Tasigur ... new one: 2 lands, Dimir Charm, Spell Snare, Clique, Hero's Downfall and Gitaxian Probe which reveals his 6: 2 islands, 1 plains, Counter Spell, Humility + Jace Architect. T2 i have Augur for DTT but haven't third land drop next turn but only Inquisition which got countered. I pondered to use Spell Snare but I was knowing most of his hand cards I didn't played it. Fortunatly I've got 3rd land for eot Clique but he had Force Spike  :(. On my turn I have Trinket Mage but he had Miscalculation for this one. He was already at 5 lands and dropped first Planeswalker Jace Architect while i was on 3 lands just an Augur in play. Additionaly I missed forth land drop so i can't cast my own Jace II and has to say go with Dimir Charm, DTT, Spell Snare, Jace II and Hero's Downfall in hands (no BB on board). Should be the beginning for a good victory story for him but this time I recovered somehow....he droped Humility I've got Wurmcoil Engine from the top  :-[ Eot i play Dimir Charm hoping to find a land to put on top of it and arrange a good moment for DTT. He refused to counter Dimir Charm which was unlucky for him in retrospect as I can't find a land in next three cards but only Pithing Needle. I played Needle, he had to counter this which opens the gate for DTT giving me Land + Hymn. I plays Treasure Cruise in his turn. I have Thoughtseize, Hymn, Spell Snare, Hero's Downfall to get rid of Jace II in his hands and Jace Architect on board. We playing from the top for a while. He has Gideon on board, I have Tribute to Hunger  :P Meanwhile Ashiok ticks up and tries to exile his win-conditions. In the end I have Ashiok with more than 20 counters, a Batterskull, Sensei's in play, Mana Drain in hand and win with Stifling his Maze. He was flooded in late game while I've found some buisness with SDT. Nevertheless he had already Rest in Peace in play and as Ashiok refuses to find Helm it was still thrilling till the end....

I try to upload this game too.

Thanks for the intense and thrilling games!
I guess I've never had such a long highlander-match ever! and I play hl for quite a while now.
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: TaZi on 07-03-2016, 10:20:44 PM
TaZi 3:0 r4nd0m

game 1
=======
We both take our free mulligan and keep the following:
me: 6 lands, personal tutor (as I know his decklist, and playing lands vs. control is good)
he: 3 lands, brainstorm, tithe, repeal, mystic confluence
I start with brainstorm, which draws another 2 lands, but after shuffling it gave me a Port and a mana leak. I draw top on the next turn and are able to counter back to basics with mana leak. So I now have the plan to just play 7 lands and then combo when my opp. is tapped out. This plan is getting better, as a huntmaster of the fells forces r4nd0m to react. I also draw three visits and can win "out of nowhere" when he taps out for elspeth.

game 2
=======
He keeps 4 lands, spellpierce, miscalculation and gideon
I take a free mull and keep: probe, bring to light, goyf, bolt, mana drain, thespian stage, mountain. So my hand is a bit shacky, but I'm on the draw and have a very powerful draw, when lands are showing up. The first turn the gitaxian probe draws a polluted delta and all problems are gone. I can now play aggro control with goyf, and drain, which are later joined by huntmaster and venser. He draws oust and council's judgement and miracles terminus, but it's not enough.

game 3
=======
he keeps: 5 lands, preordain, lat nams legacy.
I keep: nissa, merchant scroll, miscalc, cryptic command, island, vesuva, badlands
We both start slowly. He is digging for the right cards, with preordain, legacy, ponder, see beyond while I draw green mana and slowly throw baits for eventual counters (sylvan library, nissa). The library gets bounced but I miscalculate the remand for the nissa and she sticks. In the meantime I also draw scapeshift and cryptic command. The back to basics is also quite useless as I got too many basics. Eventually Nissa flips but I also got enough counterbackup for a scapeshift.


I also got the replays. Maybe we should set up a dropbox where everyone can also upload his replays.
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 08-03-2016, 09:37:19 PM
updated

Quote from: Vazdru on 07-01-2016, 10:28:58 PM
Pairings: (seed)

Quarterfinals:

a) Payron 2 Artifact Combo-Control (one) - Vazdru 3 Dimir Control (eight)

b) Nastaboi 3 Creatureless Azorius Combo-Control (four) - ChristophO 0 Abzan Pattern-Rector (five)

c) r4nd0m 3 Azorius Control (three) - Maqi 2 4c Blood (six)

d) goblinpiledriver 2 Azorius Control (two) - Tazi 3 UGr-Scapeshift (seven)


Semifinals:

Vazdru 3 Dimir Control (eight) vs Nastaboi 2 Creatureless Azorius Combo-Control (four (four)
r4nd0m 0 Azorius Control (three) vs TaZi 3 UGr-Scapeshift (seven)

Finals:
Vazdru Dimir Control (eight) vs  TaZi UGr-Scapeshift (seven)


Highlander:


gl to the partipants:

1. Payron - Runner-Up Metagame Masters, Online Champion 2013
2. goblinpiledriver - Champion HL Grand Prix Nr. 8, Runner-up HL Grand Prix Nr. 9, Runner-Up German HL Nationals 2011, Reigning Online Champion
3. r4nd0m - Top 8 + Top 16 Austrian Nationals, Online Champion 2012
4. Nastaboi - Champion Finnish HL Nationals 2011, Runner-Up Finnish Legacy Nationals 2013, Online Champion 2009 and 2010
5. ChristophO - Legacy GP Gent Top 32, German HL Nationals 2011 semifinalist
6. Maqi - Champion HL Grand Prix Nr. 15, Four-times HL Grand Prix Top 8, Runner-Up Metagame Masters

7. Tazi - Top 8 GP Utrecht, Champion HL Grand Prix Nr. 10, Top 20 German Nationals 2009, Reigning HLL Champion
8. Vazdru - HL Grand Prix Top 8, Top 24 German Nationals 2011, Runner-Up Online Championship 2014
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: TaZi on 19-03-2016, 05:37:39 PM
TaZi 3-2 Vazdru


game 1
=======
we both take a free mulligan and I start with a top. Next turn comes treetop village and I response to a gitaxian probe of gerry with a brainstorm to hide my savage knuckleblade. He goes on with a duress and takes my force. The knuckleblade next turn resolves but gerry has a toxic deluge right away. I start building up a DD combo with a sylvan scrying for thespian stage, as I drew DD from the top. Unpleasantly gerry has allready a karakas which I have to tap down with port for my Marit Lage token not to be bounced immediately. So evntually I produce the DD token eot, but Gerry has the best answer in form of tribute to hunger, which not only kills the 20/20 flyer but also gives him 20 life which makes a favorable race with my treetop against his TNN quite unfavorable. Nevertheless I start looking for Scapeshift combo, which I find some turns later. Meanwhile the TNN starts kicking me and in the end its very close with counterwar about my tutor and gerry topdecking a removal for my maze to atk with his venser too.

game 2
=======
The first play of the game is my sylvan library which slips under the counterwall. On the turns 3 and 4, this wall prevents Goyf and Solemn Simulacrum to join the team while Gerry is able to resolve tasigur. This guy becomes a serious threat, which is even flamtongue-proof. I play yavimaya elder which chumpblocks and draws a card. Then I play intuition eot for jace, bring to light and primeval titan. I get the jace, which bounces the Tasigur and the library finds a lightningbolt for the mishra which would otherwise have taken out my Jace right away. In this way I have a Jace on an empty board which is able to seal the game, after some Shenannigans

game 3
=======
We start with land go for three turns. On his fourth turn, gerry tries a trinket mage, which I want to misscalculate. Gerry spell snares this, but I have spellpierce and want to play my huntmaster on the next turn, but even then, I havn't drawn the fourth land. Gerry plays Jace, I play huntmaster, but then the madness begins, as Gerry plays in short intervals treasure cruise, wurmcoil engine (which trades with the huntmaster), dig through time, hymn and liliana. Eventually I sit there with 4 lands and no hand, while he still has the nuts and I concede.

game 4
=======
I start with serum visions to find some lands, and gerry plays chrome mox land and baleful strix, I find the lands, and see with peek, that he has jace and force, where I have not even one answer to the upcomming jace. But I topdeck vendillion clique which gets forced and I find bolt the next turn. But Gerry doesn't play the anticipated jace, but instead topdecks shadowmage infiltrator and plays him. I suspend ancestral vision and gerry atks with the infiltrator. But he still refuses to play the jace, so I bolt the infiltrator which is in fact only a bounce, as gerry has riptide lab. Nevertheless I'm back on the board with a solemn, that is able to block the mage, which would soon come back. Now I try mystical teachings for the combopieces, but the mystical tutor gets dimir charmed. Now the infiltrator is back, and jace somehow found its way to the table. I have found snapcaster with teachings flashback and are now looking for backup. I hope to find more business than he finds counterspells, which evetually works out, after an epic counterwar and me on 2 life.

game 5
=======
Gerry keeps a fast hand, with 2 lands, mox diamond, thoughtseize, mana drain, force, miscalculation. The thoughtseize takes away the mana leak from my hand which has also into the north , solemn, cultivate, mystical tutor, and 2 lands. He counters into the north and three visits, and I can't find a third land to play the cultivate. Luckily he also draw no further mana and so, we are stuck for 2 turns. then Cultivate resolves and he also finds lands now. I tap out the next turn for solemn, which gets killed instantly. Now Gerry taps out for Glen Elendra and I see some serious problem coming, but I have venser which gets forced. I try to counter the force, so, the elendra gets her first -1/-1 counter. I can't play my scapeshift with Elendra on board, but I have 2 treetop villages which start beating gerry down to five, when he slams Wurmcoil engine with 1 blue mana open for the archmage. On my turn I draw 3 cards with sylvan library, ponder, merch. scroll for fire/ice, fire ice his elendra and have the remaining 4 mana to scapeshift him to death.


alright, 5 epic and close matches, which were quite entertaining for both of us.
Title: Re: Ladder Tournament 2015 - Reports
Post by: Vazdru on 21-03-2016, 02:22:16 PM
yeah right, I enjoyed the finals like the whole tournament
like every round before I played again a final 5th game, but this time it didn't worked out. When I played DTT in that final game and revealed 5 lands, Ancestral Visions and Nihil Spellbomb i was aware, the luck I've had in last rounds has gone  :)

congratz TaZi - definately a worthy Online Player of the Year with 3 league finals and two wins

here you can find the decklists: http://mtgpulse.com/event/23165#318198 


Quote from: Vazdru on 07-01-2016, 10:28:58 PM
Pairings: (seed)

Quarterfinals:

a) Payron 2 Artifact Combo-Control (one) - Vazdru 3 Dimir Control (eight)

b) Nastaboi 3 Creatureless Azorius Combo-Control (four) - ChristophO 0 Abzan Pattern-Rector (five)

c) r4nd0m 3 Azorius Control (three) - Maqi 2 4c Blood (six)

d) goblinpiledriver 2 Azorius Control (two) - Tazi 3 UGr-Scapeshift (seven)

Semifinals:

Vazdru 3 Dimir Control (eight) vs Nastaboi 2 Creatureless Azorius Combo-Control (four (four)
r4nd0m 0 Azorius Control (three) vs TaZi 3 UGr-Scapeshift (seven)

Finals:
Vazdru 2  Dimir Control (eight) vs  TaZi 3  UGr-Scapeshift (seven)


Highlander: TaZi


gl to the partipants:

1. Payron - Runner-Up Metagame Masters, Online Champion 2013
2. goblinpiledriver - Champion HL Grand Prix Nr. 8, Runner-up HL Grand Prix Nr. 9, Runner-Up German HL Nationals 2011, Reigning Online Champion
3. r4nd0m - Top 8 + Top 16 Austrian Nationals, Online Champion 2012
4. Nastaboi - Champion Finnish HL Nationals 2011, Runner-Up Finnish Legacy Nationals 2013, Online Champion 2009 and 2010
5. ChristophO - Legacy GP Gent Top 32, German HL Nationals 2011 semifinalist
6. Maqi - Champion HL Grand Prix Nr. 15, Four-times HL Grand Prix Top 8, Runner-Up Metagame Masters
7. Tazi - Top 8 GP Utrecht, Champion HL Grand Prix Nr. 10, Top 20 German Nationals 2009, Reigning HLL Champion  
8. Vazdru - HL Grand Prix Top 8, Top 24 German Nationals 2011, Runner-Up Online Championship 2014