JSS Challenge- Gardiner, ME
Greenhouse Games
March 02, 2002

I love the first couple days of every month. Well, at least if that month is preceded by a set release. That way, those first couple of days are spend finding out what the top deck of the moment is, be it a selection of one of the net’s finest (Frog), or some rogue deck only a few know about (Fires), or maybe just an adaptation on a block deck (Tempo) or a current favorite (Psychatog). Or maybe people will just neglect to add new cards and go with the old version, hoping to find some good tech over the course of the action.

Alex Cunningham and I had each done very well at the JSS in Standish, two weeks ago. He got a T8 finish while I pulled 9th. This weekend we were determined that one of us was going to get an invite, so we took the long drive up to Gardiner. We each had tested extensively the night before, him deciding to play this G/U deck based on using counters for control and early Rootwallas and Mongrels to win. I played a deck I had made T8 at last weekends Standard cash tournament. I hadn’t really named it, but it centered on the synergy (is one with a 1653 Constructed rating even allowed to use this term?) between Braids, Cabal Minion, and Squirrels Nest; with blue added for extra support. And it allowed me much more power spells, and raised my must-counter list to a number higher than most counters are run in any given deck. If you are interested, here is a list:

Token-Braids

4x Llanowar Wastes
4x Underground River
4x Forest
4x Swamp
6x Island

4x Birds of Paradise
4x Squirrel Nest
3x Call of the Herd
3x Braids, Cabal Minion
4x Fact or Fiction
4x Memory Lapse
4x Syncopate
3x Repulse
1x Possessed Aven
2x Pernicious Deed
1x Spiritmonger
3x Shadowmage Infiltrator
2x Recoil

SB: 3x Gainsay
SB: 2x Insist
SB: 2x Divert
SB: 2x Slay
SB: 2x Lobotomy
SB: 2x Arcane Laboratory
SB: 2x Wash Out

I put Memory Lapse in the deck over Counterspell simply because Counter costs UU, and Lapse doesn’t let them draw another permanent for Braids. Arcane Laboratory? I wasn’t sure what the field was, and I was unsure about Upheaval or Tings showing up. As you’ll see later, it was a good choice.

Alex’s rating is 1830-1870 something. I think. Maybe it’s in the upper 1700s. I don’t know what it exactly is; I just know it’s up there. He is hoping that not many people show up, and when we get there first (from Standish), he gets really excited, since his rating is sorta “precious”. But then we find that the store isn’t opening until 10. I quick glance at the watch says its 8:45. So we sit there parked on the side of the road for an hour or so, until the owner and Mitch, resident head judge, arrive. We walk in and register as 1 and 2. A couple minutes pass and 3 more kids arrive for the event, two of them not having DCIs. When I tell this to Alex, his face lights up. However, it was not all sunny skies for Alex, as about a half hour later, two kids from New Hampshire show up. These two are good, one making top 8 at the Standish JSS. Alex and I figure, hey, Top 4 at the very least, right? There are 7 people now, but then Brendan Dorr, New Hampshire State Champion and winner of Standish JSS fame, walks in.

These seem to be the questions of the day:
1. Is Rage unrestricted?
2. Is Tings even viable now?
3. With 8 people, do we have to bother with swiss?
4. How many people will play U/G and use a madness card?
5. How many people stocked Anti-Tings
6. (This from Brendan Dorr) If you pour some butter on chicken, is it chickeny butter or buttery chicken?

So we get 8 people, with some decent competition. I hear there’s a Tings player among the first three, so I was happy with my Arcane Lab choice. And wouldn’t know?

Round 1
Brandon Johnson
Playing Tings

As I sit down, he says to me: “I really hate that card Spiritmonger.” I agree with him and we get started in what is to be a day of fairly casual play, since we all make top 8 and get 9 packs anyways. He plays Ancient Spring, Ancient Spring, Chromatic Sphere, third turn Archeological Dig followed by Balancing Act followed by Nimble Mongoose. This isn’t good. I topdeck three lands in a row with a Birds in my hand, so I recover fast. Eventually he beats me over the head with another Act that I couldn’t counter, leaving me with an Island. I go down to two, then play Braids, SMI, and finish with Spiritmonger. I side in Lobotomy and Arcane Lab. This game is shorter as I whomp him with the Braids lock followed immediately by Lobotomyizing his Obliterates. Fortunate, eh?

I am 1-0. Alex is 1-0. One of the NH guys is 1-0. The other two are 0-0-1, and the three others are 0-1. But no one is really bummed, since, well, we paid $15 for at the very least $27 worth of product.

Round 2
Dusty Soucie
Playing ???

We ID. It’s three rounds, everyone makes T8, and we’re hungry and want to go get food. I buy my trademark Sour Cream and Cheddar Doritos and he buys some soup thing. I also bought myself some fruit juice thing. But no one wants to know my diet. Alex beats the other 1-0 NH guy, as he’s concerned about his rating. Round three starts at about the time Round 1 would’ve ended in a regular tournament.

Round 3
Alex Cunningham
Playing “Cheap U/G”

It’s missing Birds, its missing Calls (They’re in my deck). So by default, that makes it cheap. Either way, I know this will be a tough matchup, since there are counters AND lots of little threats that put me on numerous clocks. He goes first turn Careful Study-Rootwalla-Rootwalla. I lose this game as I cannot produce an uncountered Squirrels Nest. Game 2 I lay third turn Possessed Aven followed by Braids. I sac lands and topdeck them in succession while Memory Lapsing his answers, so I take this one. Game 3, I lay third turn Nest, fourth Braids. He counters the Braids, but I insist one out next turn. He doesn’t concede, as he’s got some sort of answer sideboarded, but never draws it. He loses and takes the full hit to his monster rating. I go 2-0-1 and get the top seed.

Top 8
Me (Seed 1) playing Brandon Johnson (Seed 8)
Playing Tings

Hmm. Everyone got paired against their first round opponents. Heh, the irony. Game one goes quickly, as I Memory Lapse his turn 3 Act, and play turn 3 Braids. Second game, I lay an Arcane Laboratory and think all is good. He Obliterates me. I topdeck Braids, Wastes, Island and Call. I recover much faster than him, and he loses to Spiritmonger. Yep, he definitely hates that card.

Alex beats his Top 8 opponent, and Mitch lets him play his Top 4 opponent, as they’re both done. Alex beats NH guy before the last Top 8 match ends. So Alex gets a qualifier, which means I don’t have any more pressure on myself, since we were going to go down together anyways. Dusty ends up beating Brendan, so my Top 4 opponent is my Round 2 opponent, and if all went well, I would be playing my Round 3 opponent in the finals.

Top 4
Me (Seed 1) playing Dusty Soucie (Seed 4)
Playing Flag

I finally get to learn what Dusty is playing firsthand. Of course, I had known since the beginning, but it could’ve been G/B with a few Forges and Reefs, right? Nah, Dusty’s playing the standard Flag. In fact, I don’t remember seeing and Torment in his deck either. He counters all three Braids, and I am at a precarious position when I finally lay Possessed Aven (with threshold). Unfortunately, I am at 7 and he has 3 Rages in hand from assorted Bolts that I should have countered but didn’t. Game two is incredibly quick as I insist a fourth turn Braids with a second turn Shadowmage. He can’t draw any land, and so he quickly scoops to my superior card advantage. Game three is interesting as I am forced with the decision of keeping Braids or two lands. I keep two lands, and I think it might’ve been the wrong decision, as I don’t find Braids again when I have board control and he drops two double kicked Rakavolvers. I FoF twice, looking for a Wash Out, or Braids, or some bounce spell, but no luck. His Volvers flew in for the win.

So I go 3-1-1 for the day and get third. I remind myself that Alex Q’s so I go down, and that $15 for a half a box plus some foils isn’t bad. I do some trading with Mr. Tings and the gang. I get Foil Devastating Dreams and a playset of most good Torment rares from them and packs.

So is Braids a good choice for the post-Torment type 2? I still have no answer. It’s good against those decks from last month, at least. I’ll do some more testing, for sure. But for now, I’ll see all of you at Nationals weekend…only I’ll be at the kid’s table.