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After 39 hours being awake, 7 hours of driving, 7 rounds of playing, 8 Coca-Cola's, and only 1 piece of pizza later, I suppose it was worth it. Actually, the hardest part of playing in the PTQ's for me is the wait between rounds - especially when only one more loss will mean elimination. Despite the lack of sleep and the nervously long games my opponents gave me, I can't say that the title should be read that I hate to make Top 8, because I greatly did enjoy it. Instead, it's a reference to the deck that I played this last weekend at an Extended PTQ - Hatetog. Designed by Brian Kibler it is basically a Scepter-Tog deck that uses a different mana base and supports a maindeck strategy of hate against some of the format's top contenders. While there are several matchups that are made weaker, as I shall mention later, the vast majority of the field will have nothing they can do except pray I receive a poor draw.
My story began a week before the qualifier. I had time to get my mind off of playing Scepter-Oath and to think about what I should play at the next Qualifier. Ben Rubin had just won with a B/U/W monstrosity named Dump Truck. It looked cute, so I threw it together and was getting some decent draws with it. I was not very experienced playing it against actual opponents, however, and still needed a few Finkels to finish off the roster. After going 0-2 drop with Twiddle-Desire at the last PTQ, I was also wary about playing something that I wasn't too comfortable with as far as consistency is concerned. So, I made myself a deal;
"If the Shadowmage Infiltrators (which I found for a lil less than four dollars each online) come in the mail on Friday, then I'll consider Dump Truck...Otherwise, fuck it, I'll play 'Tog," said I to myself...and I do have a tendency to talk to myself, so I very well could have said it outloud.
They didn't come on Friday. Simple enough. But what Tog to play? Well, obviously Psychatog, that's not what I'm talking about. I decided I like Scepter, and I hate losing to artifact decks. I don't like Force Spike, but I like how Daze sounded. With so little time, I just decided to trust Brian Kibler's deck from Brainburst, and I threw it together - changing only a single card from the Sideboard.
4 Psychatog
4 Brainstorm
4 Counterspell
3 Cunning Wish
3 Daze
2 Engineered Plague
3 Fact or Fiction
4 Fire / Ice
4 Isochron Scepter
1 Rack and Ruin
1 Shattering Pulse
3 Vampiric Tutor
4 Bloodstained Mire
8 Island
1 Mountain
3 Polluted Delta
1 Shivan Reef
3 Swamp
SB:
2 Annul
1 Back to Basics
1 Corpse Dance
1 Diabolic Edict
3 Duress
2 Engineered Plague
1 Shadow Rift
1 Fact or Fiction
2 Rack and Ruin
1 Shattering Pulse
There is a definite hate of artifacts here - but I doubt there's much I can say that Kibler didn't in his Brainburst article. So, to avoid being repetitive, and or plagiarize, I'll just move on to the tournament.
With about 80 people, the turnout was low for Chicago - most likely the format has something to do with it. My comrades and I hang around, shopping the dealers, waiting for the first round to start. Eventually, after several announcements, and Chris having to pay a "late fee" of five dollars, the first round pairings go up.
Sorry to all of my opponents, for not remembering to write down their names...or caring for that matter.
Round 1 : Tinker
Normally, you shouldn't know what your opponent is playing first round, but something I noticed throughout the day is that people just don't know how to shuffle. 6 out 8 matches I played, I could see cards as they shuffled away. And not even just a glimpse of a card. But, as in the case of this guy, I'd see a Metalworker, and Ancient Tomb, a Seat of the Synod - hmm, not much room for guessing on this one...Red Deck Wins? Seriously though, do people not realize the tactical advantage they give the opponent? Oh well, either way, this matchup just gave me a lot of confidence. It made me feel rather invincible against artifact decks. Even the first game, I'd simply tutor for Rack and Ruin, Cunning Wish for Shattering Pulse. Don't give them a chance to Upheaval, and they really don't have any game. After boarding out one Plague, the Wishes, a Tog, and a Daze, for the three artifact destruction cards and the Duresses, the games just got easier. He goes first and plays Tomb, Monolith, Monolith, Masticore. One would think I'd be more scared. Despite the fact that I get pushed down to four, I still feel constantly in control. I get a Scepter on Fire / Ice and make his kitty cold. He continues to ditch cards to Masty and basically seals his own fate after he tries to break Masticore lock with a Stroke that meets Daze.
Round 2: 'Tog
Shuffle, Shuffle - Hmm, a Scepter, hmm, a Psychatog. I wasn't looking forward to seeing those cards being shuffled in front of me. I'm not all that comfortable with the mirror. Essentially, the basic Tog decks will have more counters and card drawing like Accumulated Knowledge. It's even worse if they don't have Moxen or Scepters and leave me with both Rack and Ruin and Shattering Pulse dead, as well as the Plagues. I have one advantage though. I have Daze, Moxen, and that equals quick indestructible Scepters. First game, I get one in play eventually. I constructed a counter war during his end step over a Fact or Fiction that leaves him tapped out. With my Fire/Ice on a stick, I'm able to slowly make up for the lack of Knowledges and build up enough juice to force a Tog that sticks and eats away low enough to Fire my opponent out. This game was long, long, long, and gave us only 20 minutes for the rest of the match. Despite him being down a game, he showed no sign of trying to hurry up. He took two whole minutes looking at his hand and what to Brainstorm back. I was happy to oblige and play at his pace. The game ends in a draw in the extra turns, and I get the win 1-0.
2-0 overall
As an unexpected surprise, we get a lunch break between rounds. The guy I just beat wants to go in on a pizza, and I'm happy to get my friends to do so. My stomach isn't quite so happy, so I only take one slice. That was my food until about 11pm that night, so I'm glad I at least got something.
Round 3: Rock
I see a Pernicious Deed being ruffled around, so I know I'm in for rocky waters (teehee, an unintentional pun). With all the card-disadvantage this deck generates itself early, it's hard to win the war with Rock. When they have more answers to your threats than you have counters and threats, you've got a problem. His first hand was just Duress, Cabal Therapy, Duress, Cabal Therapy, flashback Cabal Therapy...needless to say, I lost that one. The next game isn't much better. He gets to Naturalize a Scepter and he forces me to counter a Baloth. Unfortunately, it was just bait - Haunting Echoes sealed it the next turn. Simple games, simple outcome. My deck plays into his deck's strategy, and without him making mistakes, I don't think you can win it with average hands.
2-1 overall
Round 4: RDW
Now I'm down one and am hoping for some good matchups. To be fair, this gentleman was being careful while shuffling, and the only card I could see was Bloodstained Mire. I looked at him. He either was playing the same Tog as me, or Red Deck Wins. I pegged him as a RDW player. First turn he cracks a Mire to put out Lavamancer. Looks like I was right. Honestly, it never even hit me until this round, but I was actually fearing a Dustbowl against the Rock. I absolutely love this mana base. There is only one land, a Shivan Reef, that isn't basic or a fetchland. Wasteland can't slow me down, and fetchies are good at getting around Port. I get a Scepter on Fire / Ice. Take the Lavamancer down with a Plague set to Wizards, and cast an early Tog. He has no way to deal with it and I start Fact or Fictioning into goodies. I Fire a morphed creature, burning the Cat to death, and simply attack with Tog for the win. I get to side in more Engineered Plagues and out some of that artifact hate. I get going with another Scepter, which gets Pillaged, but it's irrelevant. I get Plague for cat, and he draws lands. I kick myself for not bringing in Back to Basics. He has three wasteland, three ports, an Ancient Tomb, and only two mountains. Again, it wasn't important. A Tog gets into play and swings. I play around anything funny he could throw at it, because I can't think of what he could have been holding. Maybe artifact hate? Nonetheless, Psychatog hits for a lot, and bites him to zero, proving that no, Red Deck does not Win.
3-1 overall
Round 5: Charbelcher
I look at the pairings and head to my seat. As I get closer, I see a sight I could have done without. I get to play the same guy I lost to two weeks ago in St. Charles. He was a total bastard then. He looks kinda cool, like a guy you could get along with. Instead he shows no humor, laughs at your mistakes, and argued rules with me. It's people like this guy that make me not want to play. I walk behind him and go inform Mr. Shumard who my opponent is, as Chris played him last tournament too, making fun of his deck. I go back, sit down, and say in the Sean Connery accent, "We meet again." He doesn't smile or even do anything except look pissed off, say "yeah" in a asshole tone, and ask if I was playing the same thing. I say "sure" in my obviously I'm not tone, and he replies "me neither." He's a careful shuffler, but happens to mess up and spill some cards out of his deck. One of which is City of Traitors. I do a few mental victory laps, as that means some artifact deck. Turns out he has first turn Talisman, which means Charfelcher. He plays pieces of his combo, I counter one here, destroy some artifacts there. He gets the Charbelcher going randomly without the Severance. He gets a lucky one and takes me to two. I am able to destroy it just in time and Fire him to two life, preventing him from using that Ancient Tomb which took him down so far. I then play a tog. He tinkers, finds nothing, and that's game. I side in all the hate. Out go the Wishes for Duress. Out goes Plague for Rack and Ruin. Out goes a Daze, Fire and Scepter for Shattering Pulse and Annul. With this setup, I think he'd have trouble even getting started. I draw a decent hand, as Chris observed and commented on after the game. I handily destroyed artifacts left and right. He Severanced, and I stunted his mana by Rack and Ruining two Talismans, or is it Talismen? From there, Tog comes and finishes him. Simple enough. Sweet, sweet revenge.
4-1 overall
Round 6: Tinker
I don't even care at this point. I'm happy to have beaten him. But I still am in a precarious position. I can't lose this round. If I win, I can draw to Top 8. If I lose, I'm out. This guy shuffles pretty well, but I think I see a Seat of the Synod. It was barely a glimpse, and after he plays Island, go, Island, go, Island, I think I might have been wrong. but it turns out he plays Metalworker. More mental victory laps. I don't have an answer right away, as all I have is Rack and Ruin. He asks in a pissy tone "You've got it don't you? You're undefeated (which I wasn't, but ok)." I don't know what he was referring to as "it." I could have Smother, I could have Fire, I could have Shattering Pulse. I passed back at him, and he looked even more annoyed, as though I was making a mistake. He reveals three good artifacts, including Platinum Angel, Dynamo, and Mindslaver. He plays Dynamo and tries for the Angel. I don't have a problem with it. I eot Rack and Ruin the Angel and Metalworker. On my turn I draw Duress and get rid of the Mindslaver. From here on, it's all downhill for him. I FoF a few times and just build my position to get Tog. One swift swing does it. I sideboard as usual. Throughout this match I try and be friendly and get no response. I'm friendly even when I lose; I just don't get how some people can be so pissy. Second game I get Scepters on Counterspell and Shattering Pulse. From there, he's basically screwed. He tries a Chalice for two, but I have Rack and Ruin to deal with it. After the game's over I hear him talking to his friend about how stupid it was to put Shattering Pulse on Isochron Scepter, and how he "hates to lose when his opponent is making mistakes. Whatever jackass - if you're so good, then thanks for the rating points and an easy matchup. I'll defend my plays that game, as I was trying to be mana efficient, and not have to pay buyback constantly.
5-1 overall
Hurray, I thought. I can draw in.
Round 7: Tog
I talk to the guy I'm supposed to play and ask if he wants to draw. He seems unsure, since he's in eighth and has bad tiebreakers. I look and it doesn't look very bad. This is where the gay stuff starts. His friends seem convinced he has to win. The people to the right of us state that "if you guys ID, then we'll concede to make sure that you don't get in." So, we have to play. The first game goes ok, until he just casts Togs and beats with em. He has traditional Tog, something that is pretty good against me. Fire/Ice is a nice card. But if it's not on Scepter, Smother is better in this matchup. I side in the Duress and out the Plagues and artifact removal. I brought Back to Basics in for shits and giggles. I go imprint crazy this game. I have double Mox by mid-game, and cast a Scepter. He counters. I do it again the next turn, and get one on Brainstorm. I get another one on Fire/Ice. After Icing a Tog for awhile, he Chains my Scepter, then I push it back out on Counterspell. I just pray he doesn't have Upheaval. I get my own Tog, and after thinking for a bit, he asks how much time is left in the round. "About twenty-five minutes" the judge says. He looks at his hand and quickly packs up his cards. Then he asks the judge to watch me for stalling. He completely changed moods now that he's rushed. I can go for a draw, or a win now. Either way, I'm set. I just hate it when people go from joking moods to being asses. I play at a regular pace. Ok, a little slower than I usually do, mostly out of spite. About sixth turn, he's still stuck on three lands, but has a full hand. I have more lands and start casting card drawing. When he feels it's not going well for him (he Brainstorms into no lands), he looks over and notices the guys next to us are done. He's thinking the same thing as me. My opponent asks the judge if they could record the match as something different than happened, to which he says "no." They get all pissed off and argue for awhile. My opponent offers the draw and I accept. It turns out that the other guys come back and the head judge let them change their results. My opponent wants to appeal, as one would think it's falsifying match results. I think it would be. Either way, I'm still pretty good to go. By the time my opponent comes back they are ready to post standings, and lo and behold, despite the guys to my right being asses, my opponent still made Top 8 over them. He thanks me, shakes my hand, and apologizes to me for being a jerk. I guess he wasn't so bad after all.
5-1-1 overall
Top 8:
I overhear people saying that match results are not public. Whatever, if that's so then how could the people say they'd concede if my opponent and I I.D. I choose to ignore it. After all that collusion that they got away with, they only screwed themselves, so I can't help but laugh.
I play Tog - again not something I want to meet. There really isn't that much to say. He counters my Scepters and has real card drawing. He Smothers my 'Togs when try and attack, and I just generally never get any game going against him. I side my usual, and the same happens. I can't feel too bad though. I got my first Top 8, and a box of Mirrodin. Not to mention the culmination of every ounce of energy put into this tournament, the energy spent reading articles, playtesting, and thinking about the format are all focused into a cheap 5 cent pin that Wizards had mass produced in China. Thanks, boys. But, as a matter of fact, I feel happy enough to sell the packs for a buck each, so we can draft this Saturday, or later this week. If you mention the secret words "card advantage" to me, I'll sell you three packs for only two dollars instead. So, feel free to save a dollar for listening to me ramble. Have a Merry Christmas and don't forget to feed your Togs.
-Adam Whitlatch-
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