GP Madrid, part 2

Soo....


I had just built my deck. I was unsure though whether I did the best job I could. Another advantage of having 3 byes though (they keep feeling like cheating to me), is that you have lots of time play some games and discuss the job you did , building your deck.
You can also relax and take your time to have breakfast/lunch en get ready for the big show.

LET'S GET IT ON.

Round 4: Alberto
I was about to make a Samson & Gert joke to him, but since he was Spanish or whatever, it would have been a waste of my comical talent.
Oh, did I mention he was Spanish or whatever? And he had 3 byes. Yup, I was living the dream.
But of course Alberto crushed me for my arrogance. Both games were: turn 3 or 4 Augury Adept, followed by a Steel of the Godhead the following turn. Having outs doesn't make always make you a winner.

3-1

Crybaby as I am, I was immediately depressed. Losing to some random, because of Steel of the Godhead, while all the hybrid enchantments have gotten worse! I mean... Could I be any unluckier?

Round 5: Ivo Silva
I'm sure Ivo is a nice guy. But he was also pretty bad. He started game 1 with a Madblind Mountain.

Fo rizzle?
Fo shizzle.

Nuff said.

4-1

Round 6: Riccardo Bertellini
In the first game, he was manaflowed and didn't have Spitting Image. So he lost.
In the second game, I was manaflowed. But I however, did have Spitting Image. I had to bash through 2 Recumbent Bliss, but Spitting Image can do that...
The funny thing is that he sighed and complained every time I had another land. Starting from land # 7, all the way to # 14. Good times.

5-1

Round 7: Victor
He had what appeared to be a sick sealed deck. Nearly monored, splashing black for some nasty surprises.
In the first, I get completely demolished, by his Ashenmoor Gouger, RW Liege, Demigod of Revenge, Flame Jab, retrace, retrace draw...
To make things even worse, I had to mulligan to 5 in game 2, on the play. Victor kept his initial 7. Luckily, I went 2 drop, 3 drop, Noggle Bridgebreaker. Victor had the less impressive turn 4 Horde of Boggarts, turn 5 Beseech the Queen for Incremental Blight. I drew Sturdy Hatchling, and while I got 3-for-1'd, the untargetable Hatchling took it down.
In the third game, the villain had another subpar draw.

6-1

Round 8: Fabian
A chatty German, who assured me his deck was bad. But his opponents have been mulliganing all day long. So I went to 5 in the first game. But with a series of good spells, I was able to stablize: River's Grasp on his turn 4 play, discarding his Wickerbough Elder (since I had Recumbent Bliss in my hand). Gloomlance took out another fatty and his last card: Burn Trial. Recumbent Bliss swung the game in my favor. But a timely topdecked Wickerbough Elder # 2 later, I was shuffling for game 2. Which I won, since I drew the answers for his quality creatures like the previously mentioned Elder, but also guys like Wilt-Leaf Liege, Witherscale Wurm, etc...
In the third however, I didn't.

6-2

Fabian apparently felt bad for me.
"Do you want some candy?"
"Sure, I'll accept candy from strangers."
And then he gave me a cookie and some chewing gum. I declined an apple, since that's too healthy for a Magic tournament.

Round 9: Bruno
In the first game, Bruno got a decent start with some early beats. I was playing really tight to race his couple of fliers with my bigger creatures on the ground. When Selkie Hedge-Mage bounced one of his fliers, the game appeared to be in the bag. But Bruno had Hallowed Burial. I ran out of gas to win the game, so he easily dealt the last couple of points.
I won both the second and the third with a combination of draws a little less stellar on Bruno's side and me knowing that he has a Wrath in his deck.

7-2

And since 3 byes really is like cheating, my tie breaks were good enough to make day 2.