MTG Salvation

Was almost the hardest mach (until the final), the combination of recursion, some counters and land destrucion (via a recurred Acidic Slime and a Terastodon), proved to be hard to control (also I didn't had a proper SB against the deck).

A Blue Sun's Zenith for x=4 really help me to win some card advantage (also I redraw it in late game wich help me to play a Mystical Tutor in my turn, search for a Pongify play the Zenith for x=1 and remove his last blocker to attack ftw), and the Venser, Shaper Savant, was winning card against a three times played Glen Elendra Archmage.

Against a Level 2 judge. A turn 2 Remand to his Rampant Growth followed by a turn 3 Force of Will (removing an Snapcaster) to his Cultivate left him way behind in his ramp strategy; then flashed Vendilion at the end of his turn, taking away his Creeping Mold.

Turn 4 I play and equiped a Runechanter's Pike and attack for 5. In his turn he play his Rampant Growth and a Swiftfoot Boots. Nex turn I attack for 5 more. In his turn, he play his commander wich I counter, and a Birds of Paradise and equipped the bird. In my turn, I play and equiped a Umezawa's Jitte, he din't block. Next turn he play a Summoning Trap and find a Sylvan Primordial, destroying the Jitte and then equipping it with the boots. At this point my only card in hand was Sunder. Then, the Magic happens... I draw a Rapid Hybridization playing it on the Bird, and attacking, he blocks with the Primordial, and before the damage, I play the Sunder, (killing his creature thanks to the Runerchanters bonus of 8 now, and leaving the table without lands). He concede.

I won the dice again (3 of 3), and beggin playing an Island and a Mana Crypt, he plays a Grand Coliseum tapped. In the next turn I play a land and pass. He plays a tapped Godless Shrine and pass, at the end of turn I play Vendilion and saw: Vindicate, Swords to Plowshares, Martial Cup, Coalition Relic, two more lands, and dont remember what else (he din't play that either); I took the Swords. In my turn, I play Champion's Helm and equipped, and attack for 5, play land and pass. In his turn, he Vindicate my Helms. Next turn, I attack for 3 more, and play Riptide Laboratory and pass. His turn, land and play Merieke Ri Berit wich gets Hindered, and then play the Coalition Relic. Next turn, I attack again, and at this point the Mana Crypt has been dealing damage to me every turn. Next turn, the plays a Demonic Tutor and I Spell Snare it; I dont want let him search for Maze of Ith or something I couldn't counter. My turn, more damage from the Crypt, and I attack for 3 more, land and pass. In his turn he plays a Mimic Vat, and at the end of turn I play an Into the Roil on the Vat, both to draw a card (I was without counters at that time), and fearing some type of combo. My turn agains, first turn without taking damage from the crypt, attack 17 point of commander's damage, land (I guess) and pass. His turn, finally he gets the 7 mana to play the Martial Cup of X=5, he goes for it, and I use the Riptide Laboratory to unsummon my Vendilion. My turn, I draw some kind of counter, and pass. In his turn he plays nothing an attack for 5 with the tokens (I took the damage), At the end of his turn, I play Vendilion, saw his hand, an Enlightened Tutor here was the most problematic, but I choose don't take it, fearing giving him an instant-speed removal. My turn, attack, now he was at 20 points of commander damage, pass. He plays the tutor in his upkeep, and go for a Humility, he plays it and get countered. Game for me.

In this match the Vendilion Clique show how oppressor it can be. Basically I just let my opponent resolve what I want, when I want. This makes me fell more confortable; also with an score of 3-0 I was technically in the top 4.

Not a lot to say here, this deck was 3-0 too, so we made an "Intencional Draw" passing both to the top 4, and having some time to rest.

This Rhada deck, was one wich I fear most (alongside the Uril, the Miststalker wich was figthing his place in the top 4 against the Omnath deck. Uril ended winning), however I had a little advantage over it, cuase I play my self a French-Banned list version of that deck.

I was hoping not get paired neither with Rhada or Uril, and I was lucky again, my opponent was Ghave, wich I had no chance to see in play, but I was confidance because I have a solid sideboard against those colors.

This was a quick match, only twelve minutes. I wait until I have 4 lands, and one in my hand to play the Vendilion, seeing his hand and tooking a big creature (dont remember exactly). Next turn I play a sideboarded Sword of Light and Shadow (wich I got in my oppening hand) equip and attack. Three turns after that, my opponent concedes.

Note: At the other semi, Rhada was dominating a landless Uril's thanks to Dwarven Blastminer. Needless to say, Rhada won.

This was, by far, the hardest match in the tournament, and also one of the hardest I ever play in ANY tournament.

First, The sideboard: I took out the Spreading Seas, the Standstill and knowing that he wont have that many spot removals, the Champion's Helm and put in: Sword of Fire and Ice (for card advantage and control Rhada), Insight (for more card advantage) and Crucible of Worlds (to avoid his land destruction strategy). He think alot about his sideboard (like 7-8 minutes) and finally change 5 cards.

Now, The dice roll: The highest number in a d20 go first. He rolls 16. Damm, against Rhada that means, almost 2 turns of advantage against me. Then I roll... 19. My luck was still with me.

The beginnig: My hand was awful, Inkmouth Nexus and Maze of Ith was my only two lands, so I choose to change 5 cards of my hand: the two lands, a Long-term plans, a Vedalken Shackles and another one I don't remember; keeping on my hand Mental Misstep and Lotus Petal. I draw Academy Ruins, Telling Time, Sensei's Divining Top and 1 Island, I was happy with that, so I keep it. He took a long time thinking in his hand, but choice to keep (I guess it was to exploit the card advantage of my mulligan).

First turn: play land and pass (din't want to play the Lotus to keep more cards in my hand and bluff). His turn, forest, Fyndhorn Elves pass.

Second turn: draw another Island (Yey!), play the island and the petal (getting ready to flash the Vendilion at EoT). His turn, he plays Mishra's Factory so no red mana (thats why he was thinking about his first hand), he attacks with the elf. Now I choose no to play the Vendilion, and play the Telling Time (in search for more lands wich I found alongside a Mana Leak).

Third turn: play land the Top and pass. He draws the mountain he needs, but odd thing, he din't play the Rhada, he uses the forest to activate the Mishra, and attack with it and the elf. In that moment I knew he got something to destroy my Vendilion, nevertheless I play it, and he plays a Pyroblast and I answered with the Mental Misstep paying his phyrexian cost. All the people watching the duel goes: Ohhh... That was the play of the duel (for now). I look at his hand and took a Mishra's Helix.

Fourth turn: I draw a land, play it a and attack. He play a land, tap his four lands and the elf and cast a Rootgrapple in his turn, destroying my Academy Ruins, wich mana I use in response to activating the Sensei's Divining Top and putting a Capsize in the top of my library (I din't want to play the Mana Leak at that point, cause I want to save my islands more than my non-blue mana generators).

Fifth Turn: Draw the Capsize and attack (6 damage). he draws and play a Stingmoggie wich gets Mana Leaked; he attacks with the elf. I use the top, and find a Spell Pierce

Sixth turn: Draw the Spell Pierce and attack (9 damage). His turn, he plays a Acid Slime targeting one of my islands, and I play Capsize(whitout buyback) on it; at this point he says: this Vendilion plays as it were four! (people laugh). He pass. I top again and look for a Island.

Seventh turn: Draw the land, play it and attack (9 damage). He draws, play a his second mountain at that moment. Plays Rhada (luring me into counter it counterspell), the plays a Eternal Witness getting back his Pyroblast and using against the Vendilion inmediatly (thinking that I din't have counter spells), but then I use the Spell Pierce on it (second "Ohhh..." from the people looking the game, that now was the play of the game). He pass, I use the Top, and find and and Into the Roil.

Eighth turn: I draw the Into the Roil, attack (12 damage) and pass. In his turn, he dint play anything and attack with all his creatures, and the land for 7 points of damage, he pass, I use the top, and he responds with a Krosan Grip, well it was good while it last.

Ninth turn: I draw a land, play and attack (15 damage), pass. His turn, he attacks for 7 more points of damage, and play a Nevinyrral's Disk, wich I bounce with a kicked Into the Roil, he then say: "I lost"; and I knew it was almost that way, cause I draw a Intuition (but I need the sixth mana to search for any 3 cc:3 counters).

Tenth Turn: I draw the mana! i can feel the game, the tournament and that FTV Jace, the Mind Sculptor in my hands!; so I attack (18) and pass. He knew he need a answer to that Vendilion in his next draw, so I draw and show the card: Wildfire! And I show him the Intuition explain that I can search for 3 counters. He smile and we shacked hands.