GPT Montreal Report

This was our first “Real” tourney — BNGx3 THSx3 sealed with a BTT draft top 8 (single elimination). Actually registered our decks n’ stuff. However, it was pretty low key because there was a simultaneous big standard tournament running and there were only 14 entries in the PTQ (probably 6 of which were trying to play both at once).

I had a very very scattered pool, I am not going to post it.
I had a Polukranos, World Eater, Xenagos, God of Revels and essentially no green creatures. What I did have was a bit of red and white (including Hundred-Handed One) and some artifactual fixing Astral Cornucopia, Springleaf Drum and 2xBurnished Hart.

I only ran one hart because my 3 drop slot was clogged. I had a couple removal spells and a couple tricks and a bunch of 1-drops (1 each shieldmate and rollicker). My only green cards were the 2 bombs, chronicler of heroes (15th dude), Fanatic of Xenagos, and Ordeal of Nylea. That’s awfully greedy but trust me my vanilla RW cards were not good.

I was running God-Favored General, Akroan Skyguard, and Bronze Sable as my only 2 drops. I did have some removal at least.

Weirdly my son ended in Naya (Heroic) too although I am not sure that was the only/best deck.

Match 1 was probably the best match, although I lost.
Game 1 was very close because my turn 3 Cornacopia got exiled with me needing it for both 2nd AND 2nd for HHO and PK. I did get them both out eventually, with him 3-for-1ing himself to kill PK (really a virtual 2-for-1 since the creature that died was going to die when I monstrofied next turn). but then double-blocking with coordinated assault to kill a monstrous Hundred-Handed One. I actually don’t remember how I pulled this one out.

Game 2 deck beat itself mulling to 5 and screwed.
Game 3 I again got my manalith exiled and actually managed to lose with Xenagod and world’s littlest Voltron (3/4 lifelink on 3 cards) out. He got me with Forgestoker Dragon in the end.

Only thing interesting about the last 3 matches was:
Had an The Incredible Stalled game against Archetype of Finality… but opponent literally played all 16 lands before I drew Lightning Strike
I boarded in Portent of Betrayal and used it to steal his Keepsake Gorgon for the win in game 2.

A surprising all-star was God-Favored General and Springleaf Drum. This is a pretty solid combo, I got 8-10 1/1 tokens in a couple of games, which is hard to overcome.

I ended up a 3-1 (could have ID’d round 4 but my opponent was playing standard and didn’t hear the pairings called… he had a game 1 loss for tardiness but too late for a draw so we played it out. He crushed me game “2” but couldn’t beat Polukranos in game “3”. I think this put me in 4th place…

The only rough part of the day was my son bubbled out in 9th. He was 2-1 and got paired down with a 1-1-1 who needed to beat him to make top 8 and did. At 2-2 he lost tiebreakers. I ended up giving him my draft spot (which probably invalidates the whole tourney) and he cracked a Kiora and won his first match to finish 3/4.

Most of my sealed deck (- a couple cards, I think a big red dude)