The Gamer's Podcast

NQ data Part 3: UW control

2010-03-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks all for your patience- yesterday's update was delayed whilst we got some important data!

As reported on Monday, a slight error in the Top 8 lists occurred. The missing decklist was the UW control list of Russ Davies. We presented Rob Davies' list in error- sorry for the confusion! The correct, qualifying list:

4 Tectonic Edge
4 Plains
3 Island
3 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Celestial Colonnade
4 Halimar Depths
4 Tectonic Edge
4 Everflowing Chalice

1 Path to Exile
1 Journey To Nowhere
2 Negate
4 Treasure Hunt
3 Spreading Seas
3 Oblivion Ring
2 Cancel
3 Jace, the Mindsculptor
2 Day of Judgment
3 Baneslayer Angel
2 Mind Spring
3 Martial Coup
1 Iona, Shield of Emeria

Sideboard:
4 Celestial Purge
3 Flashfreeze
1 Pithing Needle
2 Mind Control
1 Deft Duellist
2 Kor Firewalker
1 Kiss of the Amesha
1 Marshals Anthem

Let's look at the matchups for this deck.

Overall, UW did very, very well. It had an overall record of 25-15-2, winning almost 60% of its matches. Its record was also consistent with the die roll- it went 12-7-2 on the play, and 13-8 on the draw.

In specific matchups, it wasn't all the same story. Just to recap Tuesday, against Burn, UW went 5-4, with 5-1 on the play and 0-3 on the draw.

Against Jund, the boogieman of the format, UW scored 5-3-1. On the play, that was a 2-2 split; on the draw, Jund's aggressive discard saw it slip to 1-3-1.

The mirror looked to be a real skill-tester, although in our tournament we had only 4 such matches. They went evenly, 2-2, depending on the die roll.

Finally, against the Naya decks, UW found itself at 5-1. It was a stonking 4-0 on the draw against this deck, and split games on the play 1-1.

Join us tomorrow when the Naya and Jund stats are revised and revealed.

Til then,

~David

(incidentally, if you want to know more about this project, the podcast, or anything else related, the address to email is savia dot wanderer at gmail dot com!)

NQ data Part 2: Burn

2010-03-23T14:38:00.001-07:00

Ok, let's Burn.

This category includes a few noticeably separate variations, but they are all very similar and hence grouped together for the purposes of this analysis.

These decks almost all play Lightning Bolt, Burst Lightning, Goblin Guide, and Ball-Lightning. The majority splash black for Blightning and friends, but some are pure red.

A well-performing variant also picked up white, for Ajani Vengeant and Refraction Trap.

These decks are very, very aggressive. Let's see how that translates into success for the 9 players that took it to our event.

Overall, the deck went 31-23, winning a respectable 57% of its matches. Predictably enough, it didn't draw once.

That record is hugely skewed based on the die roll. On the draw, the deck went a pretty average 13-14. On the play, it took matches at a rate of 18-9. How's that for speed?

MATCHUPS

In our event, Burn only faced off against the ubiquitous Jund. The score was 5-4 in Burn's favour, but again the die roll was a big factor. On the play, Burn achieved a score of 4-1. On the draw, it got only 1-3.

This skew was carried on to the UW matchup, where a 1-5 record on the draw contrasted with a 3-0 on the play.

Naya, another popular deck, had a more even result: 5-2 on the play, and 3-2 when burn was on the draw.

Sadly, we only had 2 Burn mirrors, not enough data to draw anything interesting from. The matches were split evenly between the play and the draw- but with more data as the season rolls on, we'll see if that continues.

From the fastest deck in the format, to one of the slowest. Come by tomorrow for all the data on UW control.

Statistics from NQ Reading Part 1: General data

2010-03-22T15:14:00.000-07:00

Hi all.

In the first installment of statistical data from this tournament, some generic information about the event.

In total, we had 7 rounds of play. 184 matches were completed and entered into our data pool, and that's what's getting presented here.

I.D.s and matches won by a non-present opponent weren't included.

First of all, let's look at the path to victory. Here's what each qualifying player faced on their way to the slot:

Aaron Cadwallader (playing UW control, won 2 die rolls out of 7):

UW control, won

Naya, won

UW control, won

Burn, lost

Naya, lost

Vampires, won

Naya, won

Kris Pietron (playing Jund, won 5 die rolls out of 6):

Burn, won

UW control, lost

Jund, won

Elves!, won

Jund, won

Naya, won

I.D.

Arun Banghar (playing Burn, won 3 die rolls out of 6):

UW control, lost

Jund, won

Vampires, won

Open the Vaults, won

Naya, won

I.D.

Gary Lynch (playing Jund, won 2 die rolls out of 6):

Boros, won

GW junk, won

Elves!, won

UW control, won

I.D.

UW control, won

UW control, lost

James Mills (playing UW control, won 4 out of 6 die rolls):

Naya, won

Open the Vaults, won

Jund, won

White Weenie, won

Jund, lost

I.D.

Dominic Penton (playing Jund, won 4 out of 7 die rolls):

UW control, won

Jund, won

Mythic, won

UW control, lost

Jund, won

Naya, won

Jund, won

Steve Bains (playing Burn, won 4 out of 7 die rolls):

Jund, won

Elves!, lost

GW junk, won

Jund, won

UW control, won

Burn, won

UW control, won

Now, some more stats for you.

Out of those 184 matches played, 5 were natural draws.

The remaining 179 matches were split 93-86 in favour of the draw. That's right, the player on the draw won around 53% of the time.

Now, a quick statistics lesson- with this size of sample, that result isn't what's termed statistically significant. That is, you can't draw a conclusion like "drawing is better", because there's not enough of a skew and not enough data to support that. But, it is excellent evidence that, on the whole, the die roll is not a major factor in the current Worldwake Standard metagame.

But what about specific matchups? Which decks win more, and which care more about that die roll?

Join us tomorrow, when we talk about Burn.

Nationals Qualifier, March 21st

2010-03-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

This event was a special one.

We had 68 players competing for 8 slots over 7 rounds of Swiss play. As always, the top lists will follow.

What is different about this is that, thanks to all the players contributing a record of who won or lost the die roll, and a thorough metagame breakdown, we have a lot of extra information about this event!

We're going to start with just the meta breakdown and the qualifying lists. Then, each day this week, we'll update with some more statistics on the tournament.

So, without further ado:

METAGAME BREAKDOWN

Jund 15

Naya 10

UW control 10

Burn 9

Elves! 4

White Weenie 4

Open the Vaults 3

Mythic 2

Vampires 2

Allies 1

Boros 1

Goblins 1

GW control 1

GW Junk 1

Mill 1

Monowhite control 1

TurboFog 1

Valakut 1

The Top 8 looked like this (in no particular order):

Steve Bains

4 Burst Lightning

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Searing Blaze

4 Blightning

1 Banefire

3 Earthquake

/20 spells

4 Hellspark Elemental

4 Goblin Guide

4 Hell’s Thunder

4 Ball-Lightning

/16 creatures

4 Arid Mesa

4 Lavaclaw Reaches

4 Dragonskull Summit

4 Scalding Tarn

7 Mountain

1 Swamp

/24 lands

//60 cards

SB:

4 Goblin Ruinblaster

2 Doom Blade

3 Dragon’s Claw

4 Deathmark

2 Slave of Bolas

Dominic Pietron’s “Jund”

4 Putrid Leech

4 Bloodbraid Elf

4 Sprouting Thrinax

2 Broodmate Dragon

2 Master of the Wild Hunt

/16 creatures

4 Blightning

4 Lightning Bolt

3 Maelstrom Pulse

3 Bituminous Blast

2 Garruk Wildspeaker

2 Terminate

1 Burst Lightning

/19 spells

4 Savage Lands

4 Verdant Catacombs

3 Dragonskull Summit

2 Raging Ravine

2 Rootbound Crag

2 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood

3 Mountain

3 Swamp

2 Forest

/25 lands

//60 cards

SB:

3 Doom Blade

3 Goblin Ruinblaster

3 Jund Charm

2 Thought Hemorrhage

1 Maelstrom Pulse

3 Malakir Bloodwitch

Updated 23rd March: Sorry, but due to human error, Rob Davies' White Weenie deck was listed as qualifying instead of Russ Davies.

Correct decklist to follow ASAP. Mea culpa.

Rob Davies’ “Plan Z”

3 Kor Duelist

2 Kor Skyfisher

4 White Knight

4 Kor Firewalker

2 Stoneforge Mystic

3 Knight of the White Orchid

2 Devout Lightcaster

2 Emeria Angel

/22 creatures

1 Basilisk Collar

1 Hammer of Ruin

1 Sigil of Distinction

3 Path to Exile

2 Brave the Elements

2 Oblivion Ring

2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant

2 Ajani Goldmane

2 Day of Judgment

/16 spells

13 Plains

3 Dread Statuary

2 Emeria, the Sky Ruin

2 Arid Mesa

2 Marsh Flats

/22 lands

//60 cards

SB:

1 Path to Exile

3 Relic of Progenitus

1 Brave the Elements

3 Celestial Purge

2 Devout Lightcaster

1 Oblivion Ring

3 Scepter of Dominance

1 Day of Judgment

Gary Lynch

4 Bloodbraid Elf

2 Broodmate Dragon

4 Putrid Leech

4 Sprouting Thrinax

1 Borderland Ranger

2 Siege-Gang Commander

/17 creatures

2 Terminate

4 Blightning

3 Bituminous Blast

4 Maelstrom Pulse

4 Lightning Bolt

/17 spells

4 Verdant Catacombs

4 Savage Lands

4 Raging Ravine

1 Rootbound Crag

3 Swamp

3 Mountain

3 Forest

1 Lavaclaw Reaches

3 Dragonskull Summit

/26 lands

//60 cards

SB:

1 Basilisk Collar

3 Malakir Bloodwitch

4 Goblin Ruinblaster

4 Deathmark

1 Mind Rot

2 Duress

James Mills’ “Dan Barrett is the best friend ever!”

4 Baneslayer Angel

2 Iona, Shield of Emeria

3 Knight of the White Orchid

/9 creatures

4 Mind Spring

4 Martial Coup

2 Divination

2 Treasure Hunt

3 Path to Exile

3 Day of Judgment

3 Oblivion Ring

4 Everflowing Chalice

3 Fieldmist Borderpost

/28 spells

4 Celestial Colonnade

4 Glacial Fortress

6 Island

8 Plains

1 Tectonic Edge

/23 lands

//60 cards

SB:

1 Kor Firewalker

2 Celestial Purge

2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

3 Negate

3 Flashfreeze

1 Marshal’s Anthem

2 Mind Control

1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant

Arun Banghar’s “RDW”

4 Goblin Guide

4 Plated Geopede

4 Hell’s Thunder

4 Ball-Lightning

4 Hellspark Elemental

/20 creatures

4 Burst Lightning

4 Searing Blaze

4 Lightning Bolt

3 Earthquake

/15 spells

4 Scalding Tarn

4 Arid Mesa

3 Teetering Peaks

1 Terramorphic Expanse

13 Mountain

/25 lands

//60 cards

SB:

3 Rakka Mar

3 Unstable Footing

4 Journey to Nowhere

1 Plains

4 Chandra Nalaar

Kris Pietron

4 Bloodbraid Elf

2 Broodmate Dragon

4 Putrid Leech

3 Siege-Gang Commander

4 Sprouting Thrinax

/17 creatures

4 Blightning

2 Garruk Wildspeaker

4 Lightning Bolt

3 Maelstrom Pulse

2 Rampant Growth

2 Terminate

/17 spells

3 Dragonskull Summit

3 Forest

1 Lavaclaw Reaches

3 Mountain

4 Raging Ravine

1 Rootbound Crag

4 Savage Lands

3 Swamp

4 Verdant Catacombs

/26 lands

//60 cards

SB:

4 Goblin Ruinblaster

1 Terminate

2 Master of the Wild Hunt

3 Deathmark

2 Malakir Bloodwitch

3 Great Sable Stag

Aaron Cadwallader’s “Bunch of Jaces”

1 Iona, Shield of Emeria

/1 creature

4 Everflowing Chalice

2 Oblivion Ring

1 Essence Scatter

2 Flashfreeze

2 Negate

3 Path to Exile

4 Cancel

4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor

2 Mind Spring

2 Martial Coup

3 Day of Judgment

4 Treasure Hunt

/33 spells

1 Scalding Tarn

2 Marsh Flats

3 Island

4 Tectonic Edge

4 Celestial Colonnade

4 Halimar Depths

4 Glacial Fortress

4 Plains

/26 lands

//60 cards

SB:

1 Essence Scatter

1 Luminarch Ascension

1 Negate

1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant

1 Plains

2 Celestial Purge

3 Kor Firewalker

2 Flashfreeze

3 Baneslayer Angel

Come back Monday for the first of our statistics!

PTQ San Juan, Reading 20/2/2010

2010-02-20T15:01:00.000-08:00

Hi all!

We had a record 103 players turn out to sling spells in Extended today, at Reading's Eclectic Games. The judge staff kept all the balls in the air, and the players brought bottomless enthusiasm, their best decks, and a lot of dual lands!

Let's kick off by looking at how the metagame looks:

Zoo 13

Faeries 11

Thopter Depths 9

Scapeshift 8

Elves 6

Affinity 5

Bant 5

Living End 5

Thopters 4

Hypergenesis 4

White Weenie 4

Boros 4

UW control 3

Dark Depths 2

RDW 2

AIR 2

Dredge 2

Rock 2

Smallpox 2

Storm 1

B/W aggro 1

Reveillark Combo 1

Bloodchief Burn 1

Fish 1

Jund 1

Pyro Ascension 1

4CC 1

Treasure 1

KCI 1

So there you have it. Using a very rough analysis, another way of looking at this is:

Control 23

Combo 38

Aggro 42

The Top 8 reflected that a little:

1 Doran

1 Scapeshift

1 Affinity

1 Thopter Depths

1 Elves

3 Zoo

Here's how it panned out.

First of all, our quarterfinalists:

Tim Hows

1 Plains

1 Forest

1 Swamp

4 Verdant Catacombs

4 Marsh Flats

4 Misty Rainforest

1 Horizon Canopy

1 Ghost Quarter

1 Treetop Village

1 Godless Shrine

2 Temple Garden

2 Overgrown Tomb

/23 lands

4 Tidehollow Sculler

4 Noble Hierarch

4 Doran, the Siege Tower

4 Knight of the Reliquary

4 Tarmogoyf

3 Birds of Paradise

2 Qasali Pridemage

2 Baneslayer Angel

/27 creatures

2 Umezawa’s Jitte

2 Smother

2 Putrefy

4 Path to Exile

/10 spells

//60 cards

SB:

3 Cranial Extraction

4 Thoughtseize

3 Extirpate

2 Loxodon Hierarch

3 Deathmark

Jake Wheatley’s “Bath Magic Loves Hungry Spriggan”

4 Grove of the Burnwillows

2 Treetop Village

4 Stomping Ground

1 Swamp

6 Mountain

2 Valakut , the Molten Pinnacle

1 Oran-Rief, the Vastwood

5 Forest

/25 lands

4 Kitchen Finks

4 Sakura-Tribe Elder

4 Bloodbraid Elf

4 Tarmogoyf

/16 creatures

4 Search for Tomorrows

4 Scapeshift

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Punishing Fire

3 Umezawa’s Jitte

/19 spells

//60 cards

SB:

4 Volcanic Fallout

4 Blood Moon

4 Ancient Grudge

3 Thought Hemmorhage

Christian Bateman’s “Blood Zoo”

4 Misty Rainforest

4 Arid Mesa

2 Marsh Flats

1 Scalding Tarn

2 Stomping Ground

1 Temple Garden

1 Sacred Foundry

1 Ghost Quarter

1 Treetop Village

2 Forest

2 Plains

1 Mountain

/22 lands

4 Noble Hierarch

4 Wild Nacatl

4 Qasali Pridemage

4 Tarmogoyf

4 Knight of the Reliquary

4 Bloodbraid Elf

/24 creatures

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Path to Exile

2 Umezawa’s Jitte

4 Blood Moon

/14 spells

//60 cards

SB:

1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant

2 Tormod’s Crypt

1 Bojuka Bog

1 Ghost Quarter

3 Baneslayer Angel

4 Chalice of the Void

3 Aven Mindcensor

Nathaniel James’ “Bad Robot”

2 Great Furnace

4 Vault of Whispers

4 Seat of the Synod

1 Island

3 Blinkmoth Nexus

4 Ancient Den

/18 lands

4 Ornithopter

4 Arcbound Ravager

4 Frogmite

4 Master of Etherium

2 Ethersworn Canonist

4 Arcbound Worker

4 Myr Enforcer

/26 creatures

4 Springleaf Drum

4 Chromatic Star

4 Cranial Plating

4 Thoughtcast

/16 spells

//60 cards

SB:

4 Extirpate

4 Thoughtseize

1 Chalice of the Void

4 Path to Exile

2 Ethersworn Canonist

Next up, the semifinalists:

Jonathan Hagan’s “Zoo”

1 Treetop Village

1 Plains

1 Forest

1 Hallowed Fountain

1 Sacred Foundry

1 Steam Vents

1 Stomping Ground

2 Temple Garden

4 Scalding Tarn

4 Misty Rainforest

4 Arid Mesa

1 Mountain

/22 lands

4 Loam Lion

4 Kird Ape

4 Wild Nacatl

4 Tarmogoyf

3 Knight of the Reliquary

3 Qasali Pridemage

2 Ranger of Eos

/24 creatures

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Path to Exile

2 Lightning Helix

2 Bant Charm

1 Oblivion Ring

1 Umezawa’s Jitte

/14 spells

//60 cards

SB:

2 Bant Charm

3 Negate

1 Ranger of Eos

3 Damping Matrix

1 Umezawa’s Jitte

4 Ethersworn Canonist

1 Jötun Grunt

Dom Harvey’s “We Love Hungry Spriggan”

4 River of Tears

4 Sunken Ruins

5 Island

3 Tolaria West

1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

1 Ghost Quarter

1 Academy Ruins

1 Swamp

1 Dark Depths

/21 lands

4 Dark Confidant

1 Vampire Hexmage

/5 creatures

4 Thoughtseize

4 Chalice of the Void

4 Muddle the Mixture

4 Thirst for Knowledge

4 Thopter Foundry

3 Sword of the Meek

2 Repeal

2 Engineered Explosives

1 Into the Roil

1 Smother

1 Slaughter Pact

4 Chrome Mox

/34 spells

//60 cards

SB:

2 Sphinx of Jwar Isle

1 Vendilion Clique

4 Leyline of the Void

2 Duress

2 Darkblast

4 Deathmark

The runner-up:

Finalist

Yi Ming Lai’s “Domain Zoo”

4 Scalding Tarn

4 Arid Mesa

4 Misty Rainforest

1 Verdant Catacombs

1 Hallowed Fountain

1 Godless Shrine

1 Sacred Foundry

1 Temple Garden

1 Steam Vents

1 Breeding Pool

1 Stomping Ground

1 Forest

1 Plains

/22 lands

4 Kird Ape

4 Wild Nacatl

3 Loam Lion

4 Tarmogoyf

3 Qasali Pridemage

3 Knight of the Reliquary

1 Ranger of Eos

/22 creatures

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Path to Exile

4 Tribal Flames

4 Bant Charm

/16 spells

//60 cards

SB:

4 Meddling Mage

3 Negate

4 Ancient Grudge

2 Ranger of Eos

2 Umezawa’s Jitte

And last but certainly not least, congratulations to Richard Bland, the winner of PTQ San Juan in Reading!

Richard Bland’s “Elves”

4 Misty Rainforest

4 Verdant Catacombs

5 Forest

1 Pendelhaven

1 Temple Garden

2 Horizon Canopy

/17 lands

4 Nettle Sentinel

4 Heritage Druid

4 Elvish Archdruid

4 Elvish Visionary

4 Llanowar Elves

4 Arbor Elf

2 Boreal Druid

1 Regal Force

1 Eternal Witness

1 Ranger of Eos

1 Essence Warden

/30 creatures

4 Glimpse of Nature

4 Summoner’s Pact

4 Cloudstone Curio

1 Primal Command

/13 spells

//60 cards

SB:

4 Ghost Quarter

4 Umezawa’s Jitte

3 Ranger of Eos

1 Gaddock Teeg

1 Burrenton Forge-Tender

1 Loaming Shaman

1 Viridian Shaman

Report from PTQ Nottingham

2010-01-17T02:29:00.000-08:00

Hi all! We're going to be bringing some coverage to your today from the first English PTQ for San Juan and the Extended format, in Nottingham.

First of all, this was the first time Nottingham had been the host to a PTQ in some years. Dave Sisson, the TO, played host to a great turnout of 78 players. Everyone felt that the venue, in Nottingham Uni's student bar, was great and the event ran very smoothly.

Now, let's get on to some data!

First of all, here's a breakdown of the metagame by rough archetype:

Dark Depths 1 / T

Dredge 2 / T

Faeries 8

Hypergenesis 1

UW Tezz control 8 / TT

UG control 1

Scapeshift 8 / TT

Martyr 3

Zoo 16 / TT

Swath Shot 1

Living End 2

Hive Mind 1

Gifts Rock 3

Bant 4

Goblins 1

RDW/burn 6

Restore Balance 1

AIR 2

Rock 1

Misc 3

Those numbers are the total number represented in the field, and the Ts indicate how many of that archetype made Top 8.

Now, let's proceed to that Top 8!

The roster was:

Gavin Goh, playing Zoo

Stephen McIntosh, playing Dark Depths

Richard Bland, playing Scapeshift

James Corwood, playing Tezz / Thopters

Hari Mukautheran, playing Zoo

Rob Wagner, playing Tezz / Thopters

Bruno Panara, playing Scapeshift

Tom Harle, playing Dredge

The quarterfinals went like this:

Goh beats McIntosh 2-1

Bland beats Mura 2-0

Wagner beats Corwood 2-0

Panara beats Harle 2-1

And here are our quarterfinalist's decks:

Steven McIntosh's “Dark Depths”

4 Dark Confidant

4 Vampire Hexmage

3 Vendilion Clique

/11 creatures

4 Muddle the Mixture

4 Beseech the Queen

3 Chalice of the Void

2 Engineered Explosives

4 Thoughtseize

1 Duress

2 Repeal

1 Echoing Truth

4 Chrome Mox

/25 spells

4 Dark Depths

4 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

1 Swamp

4 Tolaria West

4 River of Tears

4 Sunken Ruins

2 Underground River

1 Ghost Quarter

/24 lands

//60 cards

SB:

1 Tormod's Crypt

3 Bitterblossom

1 Doom Blade

1 Chalice of the Void

1 Slaughter Pact

1 Yixlid Jailer

1 Pithing Needle

2 Cranial Extraction

2 Damnation

1 Thopter Foundry

1 Sword of the Meek

Hari Mukautheran's “Naya”

4 Baneslayer Angel

4 Wild Nacatl

4 Knight of the Reliquary

4 Tarmogoyf

4 Noble Hierarch

/20 creatures

1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant

4 Punishing Fire

4 Lightning Bolt

3 Oblivion Ring

4 Path to Exile

/16 spells

1 Ghost Quarter

1 Treetop Village

4 Arid Mesa

3 Verdant Catacombs

4 Marsh Flats

4 Grove of the Burnwillows

2 Sacred Foundry

1 Temple Garden

1 Stomping Ground

1 Plains

1 Mountain

1 Forest

/24 lands

//60 cards

SB:

2 Ancient Grudge

2 Gaddock Teeg

3 Ravenous Trap

3 Yixlid Jailer

4 Kitchen Finks

1 Blood Crypt

James Corwood

1 Baneslayer Angel

2 Trinket Mage

/3 creatures

1 Ritual of Restoration

1 Day of Judgment

1 Wrath of God

1 Tormod's Crypt

3 Path to Exile

2 Engineered Explosives

2 Gifts Ungiven

4 Thirst for Knowledge

1 Time Sieve

2 Mana Leak

2 Cryptic Command

2 Muddle the Mixture

3 Spell Snare

1 Sword of the Meek

2 Thopter Foundry

1 Vedalken Shackles

2 Tezzeret the Seeker

1 Chrome Mox

/32 spells

1 Arid Mesa

1 Marsh Flats

2 Scalding Tarn

2 Misty Rainforest

2 Hallowed Fountain

2 Steam Vents

1 Watery Grave

1 Mystic Gate

1 Academy Ruins

1 Tolaria West

1 Vault of Whispers

1 Ancient Den

2 Seat of the Synod

1 Snow-Covered Swamp

1 Snow-Covered Plains

2 Snow-Covered Island

2 Island

1 Plains

/25 lands

//60 cards

SB:

1 Engineered Explosives

1 Path to Exile

1 Ghost Quarter

1 Chalice of the Void

1 Deathmark

3 Firespout

1 Flashfreeze

2 Pulse of the Fields

3 Extirpate

1 Baneslayer Angel

Tom Harle

4 Narcomoeba

4 Stinkweed Imp

1 Sphinx of Lost Truths

4 Hedron Crab

4 Golgari Grave-Troll

3 Bloodghast

4 Drowned Rusalka

1 Iona, Shield of Emeria

1 Flame-Kin Zealot

1 Dryad Arbor

/27 creatures

4 Bridge from Below

3 Dread Return

3 Ideas Unbound

1 Life from the Loam

4 Glimpse the Unthinkable

/15 spells

1 Steam Vents

2 Breeding Pool

3 Watery Grave

3 Verdant Catacombs

3 Scalding Tarn

4 Misty Rainforest

2 Island

/18 lands

//60 cards

SB:

1 Life from the Loam

2 Ancient Grudge

3 Thoughtseize

2 Darkblast

2 Echoing Truth

3 Leyline of the Void

1 Bloodghast

1 Iona, Shield of Emeria

Moving on to the semifinals, the results were:

Bland beats Goh 2-0

Wagner beats Panara 2-1

And the semifinalists decks were:

Gavin Goh's “Eternal Zoo”

4 Noble Hierarch

4 Wild Nacatl

4 Knight of the Reliquary

4 Tarmogoyf

3 Baneslayer Angel

2 Gaddock Teeg

/21 creatures

4 Path to Exile

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Bant Charm

2 Lightning Helix

2 Umezawa's Jitte

/16 spells

1 Ghost Quarter

4 Arid Mesa

4 Misty Rainforest

3 Scalding Tarn

2 Stomping Ground

2 Temple Garden

1 Sacred Foundry

1 Steam Vents

1 Hallowed Fountain

1 Forest

1 Island

1 Plains

1 Treetop Village

/23 lands

//60 cards

SB:

4 Negate

1 Gaddock Teeg

3 Meddling Mage

2 Ravenous Trap

1 Tormod's Crypt

3 Rhox War Monk

1 Baneslayer Angel

Bruno Panara

4 Sakura-Tribe Elder

4 Coiling Oracle

4 Wood Elves

/12 creatures

4 Scapeshift

4 Remand

4 Peer through Depths

3 Ponder

3 Cryptic Command

3 Repeal

3 Firespout

1 Gigadrowse

/25 spells

4 Steam Vents

4 Stomping Ground

2 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle

4 Forest

3 Island

1 Mountain

2 Misty Rainforest

1 Breeding Pool

2 Flooded Grove

/23 lands

//60 cards

SB:

4 Kitchen Finks

3 Negate

1 Gigadrowse

3 Ravenous Trap

1 Sudden Shock

1 Magma Jet

1 Rude Awakening

1 Cloudthresher

So finally it came down to Richard Bland versus Rob Wagner for the prize- a flight and slot at Pro Tour: San Juan. In the end, Wagner's Thopters put up too much pressure for Bland, and Rob took the match 2-1 - despite having a broken hand!

Congratulations to Rob, and good luck in San Juan!

Here's the finalist, Richard Bland's, deck:

Richard Bland's “Scapeshift”

4 Sakura-Tribe Elder

4 Coiling Oracle

4 Kitchen Finks

/12 creatures

4 Scapeshift

4 Condescend

3 Peer through Depths

3 Firespout

3 Remand

3 Into the Roil

2 Hunting Wilds

1 Ponder

/23 spells

4 Steam Vents

4 Stomping Ground

4 Misty Rainforest

4 Forest

3 Island

2 Mountain

2 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle

2 Breeding Pool

/25 lands

//60 cards

SB:

4 Ravenous Trap

3 Vendilion Clique

2 Tormod's Crypt

2 Engineered Explosives

2 Boseiju, Who Shelters All

1 Into the Roil

1 Firespout

And the champion's:

Rob Wagner

2 Trinket Mage

/2 creatures

1 Tezzeret the Seeker

3 Chrome Mox

2 Engineered Explosives

1 Pithing Needle

2 Sword of the Meek

3 Thopter Foundry

1 Tormod's Crypt

1 Vedalken Shackles

2 Cryptic Command

1 Day of Judgment

2 Gifts Ungiven

3 Mana Leak

1 Muddle the Mixture

3 Path to Exile

4 Spell Snare

4 Thirst for Knowledge

1 Wrath of God

/35 spells

1 Academy Ruins

1 Ancient Den

1 Ghost Quarter

2 Hallowed Fountain

3 Island

3 Marsh Flats

2 Misty Rainforest

2 Mystic Gate

1 Plains

1 Scalding Tarn

1 Seat of the Synod

2 Snow-Covered Island

1 Snow-Covered Plains

1 Tolaria West

1 Watery Grave

/23 lands

//60 spells

SB:

1 Chalice of the Void

3 Cranial Extraction

1 Engineered Explosives

3 Kitchen Finks

2 Negate

2 Pulse of the Fields

1 Tormod's Crypt

2 Vendilion Clique

Thanks all and tune in next time for more coverage!

Episode 26 - Season's Beatings

2009-12-13T10:51:00.000-08:00

Hi all,

Welcome to our last episode of 2009, episode 26 of The Gamer's Podcast.

This week DLS joins me to discuss the first few cards from worldwake, as well as looking at blue's role in the history of magic.

Hope you enjoy listening. 2009 has been a brilliant year for us and we've been delighted to have you as listeners. Thank you and we look forward to bringing you more top news, decks and discussions in 2010!

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode 25 - The end of the Worlds as we know it.

2009-11-30T09:24:00.000-08:00

You guys can thank DLS for the name!

We hope you enjoy listening to episode 25 of The Gamer's Podcast, where the three of us discuss the World Championships in all it's glory, ranging for champions, to decks, to strange happenings and disqualifications.

Remember that if you have any feedback for us (good or bad) or have any topics you'd like us to discuss then please email us at thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com

Thanks for listening!

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode 24 - Worlds is on the Horizon

2009-11-15T05:50:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys!

Enjoy listening to episode 24, where we discuss worlds, the recent pro tour, white's place and identity in magic and some changes to the standard metagame.

Enjoy!

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode 23 - Happy Halloween!

2009-10-30T18:41:00.000-07:00

Hi guys!

Episode 23 is up, with a frank discussion about aggro in zendikar standard, the role of black in magic and a round up of current news.

Enjoy!

Episode 22 - Combo Magic

2009-10-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys,

Welsome to episode 22 of The Gamer's Podcast, this week we discuss the choices you may have when it comes to new standard decks, checking in on time sieve, warp world, polymorph and a cheeky deck using pyromancer's ascension. We also continue our feature on how magic has evolved since alpha, this time covering red.

Hope you enjoy listening, remember that we appreciate any feedback or questions on our facebook group or on our email thegamerspodcast.blogspot.com

Thanks

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode 21 - Controlling Standard

2009-10-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

Hi guys!

Another new episode for you, they're coming thick and fast now! We've switched technologies recently to reduce turnaround time on episodes and we hope it's working well.

Today David and Calum join you to discuss the new standard format in depth, starting with the role of control decks. We also start the first of a five part special report on the nature of each colour in todays magic compared to what they were when the game was first made a decade and a half ago. Today: Green!

Thanks for listening everyone, we love having you as listeners.

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode 20 - Priceless Treasures or Deadly Traps?

2009-09-29T14:56:00.001-07:00

Hi guys,

Thanks for being patient for the few weeks while work/college/zendikar has taken over our lives and we had to miss a few episodes. Carl and Calum are back this week with a discussion about Zendikar, the prerelease, the new standard format and the rising price of Magic.

Thanks for listening, as always email us at thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com if you want us to answer any questions or talk about anything in particular (a certain deck or strategy for example).

Thanks!

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Cube Invitational Popular Vote Results

2009-09-15T14:11:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Carl for winning the 2009 Cube Popular Vote. Here are the full results.

First Round

Rob beat Paul 8-2
Cyrus beat Aaron 7-3
Mark beat William 10-1
Ian beat Tim 7-3
David beat Greg 7-3

Calum, Carl and Chris got a bye.

Quarter Finals

Rob beat Chris 7-3
Calum beat Cyrus 7-3
Ian beat Mark on a tiebreaker at 5-5
Carl beat David 9-1

Semi Finals

Calum beat Rob 10-0
Carl beat Ian 6-4

Final

Carl beat Calum on a tiebreaker at 5-5

(Tiebreaker was previous cube champion Greg Squire's vote)

So congratulations to the winner below and thank you to all others who submitted. Hope you enjoy our card designs.

Carl Ansell - Winner

Calum Stephenson - Second place

Rob Elkin - Semi Finalist

Ian Pirouet - Semi Finalist

Chris Cooper - Quarter Finalist

Cyrus Bales - Quarter Finalist

Mark Lailey - Quarter Finalist

David Lyford-Smith - Quarter Finalist

Paul - First Round

Aaron - First Round

William - First Round

Tim - First Round

Greg - First Round

The winners!

2009-09-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

Ian beats Paul 3-1!

Congratulations to Ian Pirouet, winner of the 2009 Cube Invitational! His card, Time Vortex, goes permanently into the Cube. In addition, he wins a personalised trophy, and a guaranteed slot at the 2010 Invitational event!

Furthermore, congratulations to Carl Ansell, whose card Dr Jekyll // Mr Hyde won the popular vote by the narrowest of margins to also go into the Cube.

Thanks for tuning in and look out for the detailed results of the popular vote, along with all the competing card designs, in a post coming up soon.

CUBE INVITATIONAL FINALS- Solomon draft

2009-09-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Here's the picks from the finals, Solomon draft. This format works as follows: each player is assigned 45 random cards, from which they make their 1st pick. The remaining 88 cards are then shuffled together. Player A then reveals 4 cards to Player B, who picks one. Player A picks two cards, and the last card goes to Player B. They then swap roles and continue in this way until all the cards have been drafted.

This year's finalists were Paul Nonis, and serial runner-up Ian Pirouet, now in his 3rd consecutive final!

Here're their picks and decks.

*FIRST PICKS*

Ian: Sol Ring

Paul: Umezawa's Jitte

P: Flametongue Kavu

I: All Sun's Dawn & Kokusho, the Evening Star

P: Pulse of the Fields

I: Mind Twist

P: Loxodon Hierarch & Vexing Shusher

I: Plateau

P: Tangle Wire

I: Rakdos Signet & Opportunity

P: Goblin Legionnaire

I: Triskelion

P: Keiga, the Tide Star & Dismantling Blow

I: Serum Visions

P: Sensei's Divining Top

I: Standstill & Faceless Butcher

P: Kjeldoran Outpost

I: Wall of Blossoms

P: Goldmeadow Harrier & Duress

I: Night's Whisper

P: Stomping Ground

I: Swords to Plowshares & Black Knight

P: Sphinx of the Steel Wind

I: Vampiric Tutor

P: Spike Weaver & Gaea's Cradle

I: Sudden Death

P: Harmonize

I: Tranquil Thicket & Platinum Angel

P: Stifle

I: Temple Garden

P: Llanowar Elves & Bosh, Iron Golem

I: Capsize

P: Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker

I: Bone Shredder & Necropotence

P: Exhume

I: Liliana Vess

P: Profane Command & Goblin Warchief

I: Dimir Signet

P: Forgotten Ancient

I: Knollspine Invocation & Memory Lapse

P: Confiscate

I: Priest of Titania

P: Knight of Meadowgrain & Rugged Prairie

I: Seat of the Synod

P: Sacred Foundry

I: Mirri the Cursed & Underground Sea

P: Lonely Sandbar

I: Squee, Goblin Nabob

P: Mogg Fanatic & Mother of Runes

I: Azorius Signet

P: Nekrataal

I: Smother & Gilded Lotus

P: Jushi Apprentice

I: Saproling Burst

P: Silklash Spider & Fire // Ice

I: Oona's Prowler

P: Black Lotus

I: Time Walk & Gorilla Shaman

P: Breath of Life

I: Savannah

P: River Boa & Tooth and Nail

I: Secluded Steppe

P: Goblin Piledriver

I: Boros Garrison & Withered Wretch

P: Ethersworn Canonist

I: Engineered Explosives

P: Gush & Zuran Orb

I: Momentary Blink

Paul's Deck:

Tangle Wire

River Boa

Umezawa's Jitte

Mogg Fanatic

Knight of Meadowgrain

Llanowar Elves

Tooth and Nail

Bosh, Iron Golem

Black Lotus

Harmonize

Loxodon Hierarch

Fire // Ice

Silklash Spider

Sensei's Divining Top

Forgotten Ancient

Goldmeadow Harrier

Mother of Runes

Flametongue Kavu

Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker

Keiga, the Tide Star

Goblin Warchief

Goblin Legionnaire

Vexing Shusher

Goblin Piledriver

Sacred Foundry

Gaea's Cradle

Stomping Ground

Kjeldoran Outpost

Rugged Prairie

4 Forest

3 Plains

4 Mountain

Ian's Deck:

Swords to Plowshares

Mind Twist

Triskelion

Withered Wretch

Black Knight

Saproling Burst

Faceless Butcher

Engineered Explosives

Sudden Death

Sol Ring

Gilded Lotus

Vampiric Tutor

Night's Whisper

Liliana Vess

Rakdos Signet

Dimir Signet

Smother

All Suns' Dawn

Kokusho, the Evening Star

Wall of Blossoms

Mirri the Cursed

Time Walk

Platinum Angel

Bone Shredder

Tranquil Thicket

Savannah

Underground Sea

Temple Garden

6 Forest

7 Swamp

The Cube Invitational - Rotisserie draft decks and records

2009-09-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

A quick update whilst I have the time. Below are the decklists that the 12 Invitationalists drafted and played for the final Cube Invitational format, Rotisserie. Each player made 30 picks, and the deck's win/loss record is alongside the name of its user. Remember that most people played 3 rounds, but that some had to play 4 due to some pairings issues on the first day : )

The draft order was:

Rob Elkin

Carl Ansell

Ian Pirouet

Paul Nonis

Cyrus Bales

Chris Cooper

David Lyford-Smith

Aaron Ansell

Calum Stephenson

Mark Lailey

Tim Willoughby

Greg Squire

David Lyford-Smith: 4-0

Mind's Desire

Mana Crypt

Oona, Queen of the Fae

Treachery

Simic Signet

Force of Will

Ancestral Recall

Jace Beleren

Timetwister

Turnabout

High Tide

Braingeyser

Future Sight

Compulsive Research

Time Spiral

Gush

Heartbeat of Spring

Frantic Search

Deep Analysis

Cryptic Command

Wayfarer's Bauble

Early Harvest

Brain Freeze

Palinchron

Windswept Heath

Simic Growth Chamber

Breeding Pool

Lonely Sandbar

11 Island

1 Forest

SB:

Harrow

Repeal

Carl Ansell 3-0

Juggernaut

Elspeth, Knight Errant

Spectral Lynx

Cursed Scroll

Aether Vial

Soltari Monk

Soltari Priest

Knight of Meadowgrain

Exalted Angel

White Knight

Goldmeadow Harrier

Shining Shoal

Sword of Fire and Ice

Samurai of the Pale Curtain

Mother of Runes

Ajani Goldmane

Isamaru, Hound of Konda

Swords to Plowshares

Skullclamp

Ronom Unicorn

Dismantling Blow

Savannah Lions

Stillmoon Cavalier

Umezawa's Jitte

16 Plains

Kjeldoran Outpost

Faith's Fetters

Humility

Ethersworn Canonist

True Believer

Genju of the Fields

Ian Pirouet 1-2

Karn, Silver Golem

Mox Sapphire

Thran Dynamo

Mindslaver

Sundering Titan

Izzet Signet

Staff of Domination

Pentad Prism

Mind Stone

Mana Vault

Prismatic Lens

Darksteel Colossus

Tangle Wire

Vedalken Shackles

Metalworker

Grim Monolith

Goblin Welder

Fire // Ice

Brainstorm

Mystical Tutor

Tinker

Trinket Mage

Mana Drain

Counterspell

Thirst for Knowledge

Tolarian Academy

Academy Ruins

Great Furnace

Volcanic Island

Seat of the Synod

10 Island

Paul Nonis 2-1

Archon of Justice

Armageddon

Prison Term

Solitary Confinement

Balance

Enlightened Tutor

Orim's Chant

Land Tax

Acidic Slime

Cold-Eyed Selkie

Ohran Viper

Viridian Shaman

Regrowth

River Boa

Vexing Shusher

Viridian Zealot

Qasali Pridemage

Crucible of Worlds

Icy Manipulator

Engineered Explosives

Squee, Goblin Nabob

Stone Rain

Ajani Vengeant

5 Plains

6 Forest

1 Mountain

Plateau

Library of Alexandria

Thawing Glaciers

Horizon Canopy

Mox Emerald

SB:

Naturalize

Smash to Smithereens

Chris Cooper 0-3

Nevinyrral's Disk

Tendrils of Agony

Phyrexian Processor

Yawgmoth's Will

Necropotence

Psychatog

Shadowmage Infiltrator

Demonic Tutor

Doom Blade

Night's Whisper

Terror

Dimir Signet

Scroll Rack

Fellwar Stone

Contagion

Lotus Petal

Dark Ritual

Innocent Blood

Mind Twist

Stroke of Genius

Yawgmoth's Bargain

Memory Jar

Liliana Vess

Mox Jet

Barren Moor

Lake of the Dead

Watery Grave

Polluted Delta

Underground Sea

11 Swamp

SB:

Meloku, the Clouded Mirror

Rob Elkin 1-2

Carnophage

Sarcomancy

Elves of Deep Shadow

Birds of Paradise

Sakura-Tribe Elder

Tarmogoyf

Chainer's Edict

Diabolic Edict

Troll Ascetic

Pernicious Deed

Phantom Centaur

Plague Sliver

Snuff Out

Sickening Shoal

Black Lotus

Garruk Wildspeaker

Braids, Cabal Minion

Chameleon Colossus

Harmonize

Creakwood Liege

Masticore

Spiritmonger

Plow Under

Overgrown Tomb

Volrath's Stronghold

Golgari Rot Farm

City of Brass

7 Forest

5 Swamp

SB:

Loxodon Warhammer

Caller of the Claw

Aaron Ansell 0-4

Time Walk

Fact or Fiction

Gifts Ungiven

Djinn of Wishes

Academy Rector

Yosei, the Morning Star

Oona's Prowler

Recurring Nightmare

Kokusho, the Evening Star

Noble Hierarch

Tinder Wall

Fyndhorn Elves

Wild Mongrel

Survival of the Fittest

Great Sable Stag

Tooth and Nail

Bogardan Hellkite

Mirari's Wake

Maelstrom Nexus

Angel of Despair

Hellkite Overlord

Empyrial Archangel

Gilded Lotus

Cascade Bluffs

Mystic Gate

Wooded Bastion

Twilight Mire

Taiga

Tropical Island

Scrubland

2 Island

2 Plains

2 Swamp

3 Forest

1 Mountain

Calum Stephenson 1-2

Goblin King

Taurean Mauler

Goblin Matron

Figure of Destiny

Furystoke Giant

Zo-Zu, the Punisher

Goblin Recruiter

Siege-Gang Commander

Mirror Entity

Goblin Warchief

Goblin Ringleader

Goblin Lackey

Goblin Chieftain

Goblin Piledriver

Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker

Goblin Sharpshooter

Goblin Sledder

Greater Gargadon

Condemn

Path to Exile

Sword of Light and Shadow

Lightning Bolt

Banefire

Sacred Foundry

Rugged Prairie

Chrome Mox

Wooded Foothills

1 Plains

12 Mountain

SB:

Pithing Needle

Lightning Greaves

Disenchant

Greg Squire 3-0

Fireblast

Bitterblossom

Dark Confidant

Magma Jet

Sensei's Divining Top

Flame Javelin

Chain Lightning

Char

Blood Oath

Urza's Rage

Pulse of the Forge

Volcanic Fallout

Pyromancer's Justice

Dealbreaker

Firebolt

Wheel of Fortune

Earthquake

Tombstalker

Grim Lavamancer

Sulfuric Vortex

Rhystic Lightning

Molten Rain

Incinerate

1 Blood Crypt

1 Bloodstained Mire

1 Graven Cairns

1 Badlands

1 Mox Ruby

1 Barbarian Ring

1 Forgotten Cave

6 Swamp

4 Mountain

Mark Lailey 3-1

Selesnya Signet

Sol Ring

Mox Diamond

Mox Pearl

Genesis

Eternal Witness

Wall of Blossoms

Thornweald Archer

Loxodon Hierarch

Kitchen Finks

Akroma's Vengeance

Hallowed Burial

Wrath of God

Cage of Hands

Oblivion Ring

Harm's Way

Baneslayer Angel

Calciderm

Windborn Muse

Eternal Dragon

Maelstrom Pulse

Vindicate

Animate Dead

Shriekmaw

Solemn Simulacrum

Savannah

Flooded Strand

Godless Shrine

2 Swamp

4 Forest

7 Plains

SB:

Reanimate

Watchwolf

Cyrus Bales 0-3

Golgari Signet

Orzhov Signet

Wall of Roots

Life from the Loam

Sudden Death

Profane Command

Sinkhole

Thoughtseize

Damnation

Vampiric Tutor

Duress

Beacon of Unrest

Phyrexian Arena

Mortify

The Abyss

Death Grasp

Hymn to Tourach

Nostalgic Dreams

Putrefy

Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

2 Plains

Stalking Stones

Rishadan Port

2 Forest

Fetid Heath

6 Swamp

Wasteland

Strip Mine

Mishra's Factory

Bayou

Mutavault

Treetop Village

Maze of Ith

Tim Willoughby 2-2

Reveillark

Body Double

Venser, Shaper Savant

Cloud of Faeries

Silver Knight

Man-o'-War

Karmic Guide

Vesuvan Shapeshifter

Triskelion

Mulldrifter

Memory Lapse

Moat

Daze

Mana Leak

Impulse

Azorius Signet

Serum Visions

Sacred Mesa

Remand

Ponder

Capsize

Isochron Scepter

Altar of Dementia

Tundra

6 Plains

10 Island

SB:

Crystal Shard

Opposition

Stifle

Paladin en-Vec

Wall of Nets

The Gamer's Podcast Episode Nineteen - The Cube Invitational!

2009-09-12T15:31:00.000-07:00

Hi!

Welcome to episode nineteen, an epsiode recorded after day one of the cube invitational 2009, we're discussing how we did and the format of the cube invitational. Join us tomorrow when the tournament is done and we will bring you the final results!

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Breaking news - PTQs for San Diego

2009-09-11T02:30:00.001-07:00

Hi all.

The PTQ schedule for San Diego has been announced. These are Sealed deck events.

17/10/2009 - Dublin
18/10/2009 - Manchester
01/11/2009 - Gravesend
07/11/2009 - Cambridge
14/11/2009 - Birmingham
28/11/2009 - Southampton
05/12/2009 - Dundee
02/01/2010 - London

Episode Eighteen - Zendikar Previews

2009-09-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hi there guys,

welcome to episode 18 of the gamer's podcast, where Carl and Calum talk about the new zendikar cards on the horizon.

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Finalist, winner, and last decklists

2009-09-03T01:03:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Peter Mottram, winner of PTQ - Coventry!

WINNER

Peter Mottram's “Combo Elves”

2 Noble Hierarch

4 Devoted Druid

4 Nettle Sentinel

4 Heritage Druid

4 Elvish Visionary

4 Elvish Archdruid

4 Regal Force

4 Ranger of Eos

1 Burrenton Forge-Tender

1 Cloudthresher

32 creatures

4 Primal Command

2 Manamorphose

6 spells

3 Mosswort Bridge

13 Forest

4 Sunpetal Grove

2 Plains

22 lands

60 cards

SB:

3 Path to Exile

4 Great Sable Stag

2 Oversoul of Dusk

1 Qasali Pridemage

3 Burrenton Forge-Tender

2 Gaddock Teeg

FINALIST

Charlie Grover's “Merfolks”

3 Stonybrook Banneret

2 Sygg, River Guide

4 Silvergill Adept

4 Wake Thrasher

4 Merrow Reejerey

2 Merfolk Sovereign

3 Sower of Temptation

4 Reveillark

26 creatures

2 Harm's Way

4 Cryptic Command

4 Path to Exile

1 Sage's Dousing

11 spells

9 Island

4 Glacial Fortress

4 Mutavault

4 Wanderwine Hub

2 Mystic Gate

23 lands

60 cards

SB:

2 Baneslayer Angel

3 Burrenton Forge-Tender

2 Harm's Way

3 Guardian Seraph

2 Glen Elendra Archmage

3 Vendilion Clique

Thanks again for tuning in! We'll see you again soon!

Semifinalists + decklists

2009-09-03T01:01:00.000-07:00

Daniel Royde

4 Time Sieve

4 Open the Vaults

4 Time Warp

1 Font of Mythos

4 Howling Mine

2 Jace Beleren

2 Tezzeret the Seeker

4 Elsewhere Flask

3 Kaleidostone

4 Pollen Lullaby

4 Cryptic Command

4 Fieldmist Borderpost

4 Mistvein Borderpost

44 spells

3 Plains

7 Island

3 Swamp

3 Mystic Gate

16 lands

SB:

3 Silence

4 Ethersworn Canonist

2 Vedalken Outlander

2 Meddling Mage

2 Pithing Needle

2 Tidehollow Sculler

Peter Dun's “WU Lark”

4 Knight of the White Orchid

3 Plumeveil

4 Mulldrifter

2 Glen Elendra Archmage

3 Wall of Reverence

3 Baneslayer Angel

2 Reveillark

2 Oona, Queen of the Fae

23 creatures

3 Broken Ambitions

2 Negate

4 Cryptic Command

3 Path to Exile

4 Fieldmist Borderpost

16 spells

4 Mystic Gate

3 Glacial Fortress

6 Plains

8 Island

21 lands

60 cards

SB:

4 Vendilion Clique

1 Glen Elendra Archmage

1 Path to Exile

1 Negate

2 Hallowed Burial

2 Austere Command

2 Oblivion Ring

2 Sower of Temptation

Coventry PTQ Quarterfinalists + decklists + BONUS fun deck!

2009-09-02T11:36:00.002-07:00

QUARTERFINALISTS

Bogi Hujgaard

2 Maelstrom Pulse

4 Bituminous Blast

3 Volcanic Fallout

4 Lightning Bolt

3 Sign in Blood

16 spells

2 Sygg, River Cutthroat

4 Bloodbraid Elf

4 Kitchen Finks

4 Boggart Ram-Gang

4 Putrid Leech

1 Anathamancer

19 creatures

4 Savage Lands

2 Vivid Crag

1 Vivid Marsh

3 Vivid Grove

4 Reflecting Pool

2 Swamp

1 Fire-Lit Thicket

2 Graven Cairns

3 Twilight Mire

2 Forest

1 Mountain

25 lands

60 cards

SB:

3 Shriekmaw

3 Anathemancer

4 Great Sable Stag

3 Thoughtseize

2 Maelstrom Pulse

Stuart Horden's “White Knights”

3 Ranger of Eos

4 Knight of the White Orchid

1 Mirror Entity

4 Knight of Meadowgrain

2 Elite Vanguard

4 Figure of Destiny

1 Burrenton Forge-Tender

3 Cloudgoat Ranger

1 Baneslayer Angel

23 creatures

3 Spectral Procession

1 Ajani Goldmane

4 Honor of the Pure

3 Path to Exile

3 Harm's Way

14 spells

19 Plains

4 Windbrisk Heights

23 lands

60 cards

SB:

4 Ethersworn Canonist

3 Stillmoon Cavalier

1 Harm's Way

4 Lapse of Certainty

3 Burrenton Forge-Tender

Mick Edwards' Lark

4 Figure of Destiny

4 Shriekmaw

4 Kitchen Finks

1 Sower of Temptation

1 Glen Elendra Archmage

4 Mulldrifter

2 Baneslayer Angel

2 Reveillark

22 creatures

4 Path to Exile

4 Cryptic Command

3 Makeshift Mannequin

1 Hallowed Burial

12 spells

2 Swamp

2 Island

3 Plains

2 Vivid Meadow

1 Vivid Marsh

1 Vivid Creek

4 Reflecting Pool

4 Arcane Sanctum

3 Mystic Gate

2 Fetid Heath

2 Sunken Ruins

26 lands

60 spells

SB:

2 Austere Command

2 Identity Crisis

4 Infest

1 Jace Beleren

2 Sower of Temptation

2 Stillmoon Cavalier

2 Glen Elendra Archmage

Rob Catton's “Merfolk”

4 Stonybrook Banneret

4 Silvergill Adept

3 Sygg, River Guide

4 Meddling Mage

4 Merrow Reejerey

4 Merfolk Sovereign

2 Reveillark

25 creatures

3 Sage's Dousing

4 Path to Exile

4 Cryptic Command

11 spells

4 Mutavault

4 Wanderwine Hub

4 Glacial Fortress

2 Mystic Gate

2 Plains

8 Island

24 lands

60 cards

SB:

4 Burrenton Forge-Tender

2 Sower of Temptation

2 Glen Elendra Archmage

3 Silence

2 Sleep

1 Reveillark

1 Baneslayer Angel

BONUS FUN DECK!!

Francois Hauchard

2 Progenitus

2 creatures

4 Broken Ambitions

4 Bitterblossom

4 Cryptic Command

4 Ponder

3 Peppersmoke

4 Polymorph

4 Thoughtseize

3 Sage's Dousing

2 Agony Warp

3 Jace Beleren

35 spells

4 Island

1 Swamp

4 Mutavault

2 Springjack Pasture

4 Drowned Catacomb

4 Sunken Ruins

4 Secluded Glen

23 lands

60 cards

SB:

2 Sleep

3 Deathmark

3 Snakeform

2 Duress

3 Infest

2 Beckon Apparition

Round 5 feature match!

2009-09-02T11:36:00.001-07:00

Richard Bland writes...

Round 5 Feature Match: Daniel Royde vs. Peter Dun

Daniel and Pete suffer the annoyance of having to play a friend in the elimination bracket. Pete is at 4-0-1 and hoping to qualify for Austin after narrowly missing out on making the Nationals team with the UW lark deck he is playing today. Daniel is playing his Time Sieve combo deck and is at 4-1, so a loss would likely eliminate him.

Daniel wins the roll and both players keep their opening hands.

Daniel's leading play of Time Sieve meets with a Broken ambitions, with the unfortunate side-effect of filling up Dan's graveyard with Borderposts. Peter stalls on 4 lands, until Daniel's Font of Mythos helps him find the fifth, but Pete doesn't make a play and discards a Mulldrifter. Daniel lays more artifacts including a howling mine, but his Time Warp is Negated. Pete makes up for lost time with a ramping Knight of the White Orchid, while Daniel lays another Howling Mine and more cantripping artifacts. Pete bounces the Font with Cryptic Command at end of turn, then lays an Oona, with 2 mana up. Dan takes the opportunity to play Time Warp and replay the Font. Drawing 5 cards the next turn, Dan flashes a Cryptic and Open the vaults, and Pete scoops up his cards, remarking “I'm pretty sure you won't mess up from here”. “Do you even know me?” laughs Daniel as they reach for their sideboards.

Daniel 1-0 Peter

Daniel removes his Pollen Lullabies and a few artifacts for some disruption in Tidehollow Scullers, Silences and Pithing Needles. Pete removes a pile of removal spells and Baneslayers for Vendillion Cliques and counterspells.

Pete sends his hand back twice with a sigh, while Daniel is happy with his opening seven. Both players lead with Borderposts, followed by a Pithing Needle on Glen-Elendra Archmage for Daniel. Pete can't find a 3rd land though, and Dan accelerates with another borderpost and a Time Sieve, A Tezzeret from Daniel prompts the scoop, as Pete's deck refuses to give him another land. “My only way to win is for him to not draw land,” Daniel says apologetically. Pete will need a win to make the top 8, and a draw should be good enough for Daniel.

Daniel 2 – 0 Peter

Round 4 feature match from Coventry

2009-09-02T11:27:00.001-07:00

Richard Bland writes...

Round 4 Feature Match: Peter Mottram vs. Bogi Hojgaard

Bogi is currently undefeated with his Jund Aggro deck and is generally seen around the top16 on UK nats and has been paired down to Peter, who sits on 6 points with his Elf deck. Peter will be looking to continue his run of good results, having finished 3rd at this year's nationals.

Bogi wins the roll, and keeps his 7, as does Peter. A Putrid Leech from Bogi, while Pete lays a Heritage Druid and an Elvish Visionary. Bogi gets in with the Leech and a 'gang ram' the next turn, sending Pete to 13. Peter, undaunted, lays a pair of Elvish archdruids, putting his team out of Volcanic Fallout range. Bogi replies with another Ramgang and serves with the team, trading one with an Archdruid.

Bogi passes, declaring that Pete will probably go off. Peter obliges and plays a Ranger of Eos, fetching a pair of Nettle Sentinels, but can 'only' drop 3(!) Nettle Sentinels and pass the turn, after swinging for a cheeky 4. Bogi taps his deck and plays Bituminous Blast on the Archdruid, cascading into Maelstrom Pulse on the 3 Sentinels and swings Peter down to just 2 life. Peter draws and quickly passes the turn back, seemingly out of gas. Bogi drops more guys, and Peter is soon in chump-block mode. One more swing and Peter drops his hand of 3 lands in concession.

Bogi 1- 0 Peter

Bogi makes no pretence of his plan to side out his Anathemancers, as Peter's deck played all basics Game 1, while Peter shuffles out a few random elves, and in his Oversouls of Dusk and Burrenton Forge-tenders.

Peter keeps his 7. Bogi is less certain, but keeps also. Nettle Sentinel leads off, and is followed by devoted Druid, which Bogi quickly Lightning Bolts, while laying taplands. Mosswort Bridge shows Peter does in fact play non-basics, and Heritage Druid joins the team, to give Nettle sentinel vigilance. Bogi drops land and passes, and peter adds a Ranger of Eos to his board, finding a spare nettle Sentinel and a Forge-tender. Bogi fallouts at end of turn, before the Forge-tender can blank it, then lays a Kitchen Finks to get back to a respectable 13.

Peter thinks for a moment, then Primal Commands a Vivid back on top of Bogi's deck, and grabs a Ranger of Eos from his own deck. Bogi quickly replays the land and gets in with the Finks. Peter drops the Ranger and again grabs the Sentinel-Tender combo, and adds the Tender to the board. Bogi replies with a Bloodbraid Elf into a Ramgang, and drops Peter to 12 with the team, trading the Goblin for Peter's Ranger. With 6 lands in play, Peter decides to give it a go, and lays down the Sentinels, and plays a second Primal Command on Bogi's Vivid and searching up a Regal Force to reload next turn.

Bogi can only play another Ramgang, and Peter drops an Archdruid followed by Regal force for 5 the next turn, drawing and playing a second Archdruid, before passing. Bogi finally gets to draw a card that isn't his vivid grove – a vivid marsh! Mosswort bridge spits out an Oversoul at end of turn, prompting a shrug from Bogi, who insists his hand has 'good ones' Peter sends in with the team and Bogi shows he wasn't lying, Bituminous Blasting one archdruid, cascading into Pulse, which Bogi casts on the other archdruid, allowing him to block and not die, falling to 4. Bogi goes into the tank on his next turn, and decides to pulse a pair of nettle sentinels. Peter sends in again and Finks and Ramgang do some chumping, leaving a persisted Finks versus 15 power of guys. One more attack levels the match.

Bogi 1- 1 Peter

Bogi declares that he's 'decided to win this game' and keeps his 7, as does Peter. Peter drops down a Nettle sentinel and Devoted druid, while Bogi's first play is a Ramgang. Peter curves out with a Ranger of Eos, fetching Heritage Druid and a second Sentinel. Bogi plays a second Ramgang and serves, trading one with the Ranger, dropping Pete to 1. Peter drops a heritage druid and explodes with mana on his next turn. Bogi bolts a nettle sentinel to try and throttle Peter's development, but Peter still ends the turn with a pair of Archdruids and 4 other Elves in play. Bogi can only play a Finks and pass. Peter plays out a Primal command, grabbing a Ranger, which grabs a Forge-Tender, then plays another Command, prompting the concession from Bogi, who bemoans his elusive Volcanic Fallouts.

Bogi 1-2 Peter

First update from PTQ Coventry

2009-09-02T11:19:00.000-07:00

First round starts at 1225, with about 50 players in the event.

-David Lyford-Smith

Awesome EDH story time! The judge staff were playing a 4-player game before the event started. Charlie Hurrell had a Mass Hysteria, an Upwelling, and general Karona on the battlefield. Come my turn, I floated mana until I had 10, then cast Storm Herd. 40 Pegasus tokens, each 2/2 from Crovax, Ascendant Hero. All with haste. All getting +3/+3 from Karona, False God... 200 damage and all other players are out of there! What a classic!

-DLS

Faeries is dead right? Not today, it appears as if at least 10 pilots didn't get the message, including myself I chose to run the normal U/B list rather than the new fangled splash red... and it's going OK, I'm currently 2-0 having top decked my 3rd Scion of Oona to win a damage race with Anathemancers and Stags... of course I only run 3 Scions, what do you mean lucky?! I probably should mention my first match win came off the back of a deck registration game loss for my opponent after he mana flooded in game one, so I could, so easily be 0-2 and drafting, let's see where we go from here.

- James Allingham

That may have been the worst sideboard decision ever. Gaddock Teeg out against Maelstrom Nexus combo, which he essentially stops single handedly. He screwed out game 1, so I didn't see his deck. Thankfully still pulled game 2.

- James Grover

I was amazed to see 75% of the room today had decided to bring on the control. I myself chose to play G/W tokens and it felt that I was vindicated in my decision to put Great Sable Stag in the main. Won first two rounds against fae before losing to Bant Aggro, maybe on another day I would have won that too but at 2-1 I may still make Top 8. Let's see, eh? P.S. Casting silence on turns 4 and 5 is good apparently.

- Ben Heath

Episode Seventeen - Today is the Day of Judgment

2009-08-23T03:11:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Welcome to episode 17 of The Gamer's Podcast, where we discuss the huge news from Zendikar, you ready for it?

...

...

...

...

...

...

POW!

We discuss this bombshell and about the upcoming events.

Thanks

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Finalist, winner, and last decklists

2009-08-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

The tournament is all done! Congratulations to Cyrus Bales, the champion!

Cyrus Bales' “Drastic Inquiry”

4 Hellspark Elemental

4 Shambling Remains

4 Dregscape Zombie

4 Viscera Dragger

4 Extractor Demon

4 Sedraxis Specter

24 creatures

3 Drastic Revelation

4 Terminate

2 Volcanic Fallout

4 Burning Inquiry

13 spells

4 Crumbling Necropolis

2 Drowned Catacomb

1 Dragonskull Summit

1 Vivid Marsh

1 Reflecting Pool

1 Sunken Ruins

3 Graven Cairns

1 Island

5 Swamp

4 Mountain

23 lands

60 cards

SB:

2 Earthquake

4 Deathmark

3 Black Knight

3 Thoughtseize

3 Thought Haemorrhage

Calum Stephenson's “Time Colander”

1 Glassdust Hulk

1 creature

3 Silence

4 Time Sieve

4 Time Warp

2 Tezzeret the Seeker

2 Jace Beleren

4 Elsewhere Flask

3 Kaleidostone

3 Cryptic Command

3 Pollen Lullaby

4 Open the Vaults

4 Howling Mine

4 Fieldmist Borderpost

4 Mistvein Borderpost

44 spells

3 Mystic Gate

3 Swamp

3 Plains

1 Reliquary Tower

6 Island

16 lands

61 cards

SB:

2 Disperse

1 Silence

1 Pollen Lullaby

1 Dispeller's Capsule

3 Vedalken Outlander

3 Negate

4 Ethersworn Canonist

Semifinalists + decklists

2009-08-15T08:20:00.000-07:00

Carl Ansell's “Steve”

4 Oona's Prowler

4 Black Knight

4 Stillmoon Cavalier

3 Shriekmaw

15 creatures

4 Tendrils of Corruption

3 Sign In Blood

4 Bitterblossom

4 Thoughtseize

2 Duress

4 Doom Blade

3 Corrupt

24 spells

19 Swamp

3 Gargoyle Castle

22 lands

61 cards

SB:

2 Duress

3 Pithing Needle

3 Relic of Progenitus

1 Shriekmaw

3 Trip Noose

3 Dragon's Claw

Hubert Remillard's “Barnslayaa!”

3 Baneslayer Angel

3 Meddling Mage

2 Reveillark

4 Knight of the White Orchid

4 Mulldrifter

4 Vendilion Clique

4 Glen Elendra Archmage

24 creatures

4 Path to Exile

4 Fieldmist Borderpost

3 Broken Ambitions

4 Cryptic Command

15 spells

8 Island

6 Plains

4 Glacial Fortress

3 Mystic Gate

21 lands

60 cards

SB:

2 Reveillark

2 Austere Command

4 Ethersworn Canonist

2 Hallowed Burial

2 Celestial Purge

3 Burrenton Forge-Tender

Quarterfinalists + decklists

2009-08-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

David Stiles' “Kithkin”

4 Figure of Destiny

4 Goldmeadow Stalwart

4 Wizened Cenn

4 Knight of Meadowgrain

4 Cloudgoat Ranger

20 creatures

4 Spectral Procession

4 Honor of the Pure

3 Ajani Goldmane

4 Path to Exile

15 spells

4 Rustic Clachan

4 Windbrisk Heights

2 Mutavault

15 Plains

25 lands

60 cards

SB:

4 Burrenton Forge-Tender

2 Reveillark

2 Ranger of Eos

3 Stillmoon Cavalier

2 Elspeth, Knight-Errant

2 Ethersworn Canonist

David Turner's “Hot Birds”

4 Swans of Bryn Argoll

4 Magma Phoenix

8 creatures

4 Ajani Vengeant

4 Lightning Bolt

4 Flame Javelin

4 Intimidation Bolt

3 Hallowed Burial

3 Volcanic Fallout

3 Pyroclasm

2 Banefire

27 spells

4 Mutavault

4 Rugged Prairie

4 Reflecting Pool

4 Jungle Shrine

4 Plains

5 Mountain

25 lands

60 cards

SB:

1 Hallowed Burial

2 Banefire

1 Volcanic Fallout

1 Pyroclasm

1 Austere Command

4 Kitchen Finks

2 Manabarbs

3 Runed Halo

David Brannon

4 Mistbind Clique

3 Scion of Oona

3 Sower of Temptation

3 Spellstutter Sprite

2 Vendilion Clique

15 creatures

4 Agony Warp

2 Broken Ambitions

4 Cryptic Command

2 Essence Scatter

3 Jace Beleren

4 Bitterblossom

3 Thoughtseize

22 spells

4 Mutavault

4 Drowned Catacomb

4 Secluded Glen

4 Sunken Ruins

5 Island

2 Swamp

23 lands

60 cards

SB:

1 Scion of Oona

1 Thoughtseize

1 Vendilion Clique

3 Negate

3 Infest

3 Deathmark

3 Flashfreeze

Michael Parker's “HuRR DURR!”

4 Ranger of Eos

4 Elvish Archdruid

1 Cloudthresher

1 Burrenton Forge-Tender

2 Noble Hierarch

4 Elvish Visionary

4 Heritage Druid

4 Llanowar Elves

4 Regal Force

4 Nettle Sentinel

4 Devoted Druid

36 creatures

4 Primal Command

4 spells

1 Plains

3 Mosswort Bridge

8 Forest

4 Wooded Bastion

4 Sunpetal Grove

20 lands

60 cards

SB:

4 Gaddock Teeg

4 Path to Exile

2 Burrenton Forge-Tender

1 Cloudthresher

4 Great Sable Stag

Magic 2010 Game Day update #2

2009-08-15T07:18:00.000-07:00

Carl writes...

Times I've won the game with Sign in Blood – 2 out of 4

Spotter on the floor has seen Time Sieve vs. transmuter... we're here for the duration.

Tim Willoughby writes...

Just won a game where my opponent had two Where Ancients Tread in play. I feel pretty lucky right now.

Louise writes...

The owls won me a game – at last!

Calum writes...

That's why I played that deck! Two incredibly tight wins against transmuter control (game two I killed him from 92 life by just taking extra turns) and bant means that I just I.d. In to top eight with, what is frankly, a bad deck. The top eight is this:

Kithkin

Elves combo

Faeries

Reveillark

RW Swans

Unearth

Sui Black

Time Sieve combo

I really need to avoid the Reveillark and Faeries decks in the top 8, and hope the other players knock them out! Here we go!

Magic 2010 Game Day update #1

2009-08-15T04:14:00.000-07:00

Hi all and welcome to the Magic 2010 Game Day in Eclectic Games, Reading!

We'll be bringing you live updates from the tournament floor all throughout today, and Top 8 decklists when we get them.

HJ's update: David writing. We have 16 players fighting for the title today, with foil Mycoid Shepherds for the Top 8 and a certificate for the winner.

Robert Elkin writes...

11:10 and we're off.

Cyrus Bales against the younger Ansell promises to be the early match to watch, with the new tech Cyrus brings to the table likely to shape the format for months to come.

Calum writes...

Why did I play Time Sieve!!!! My deck is a time sieve combo deck whose worst matchups are decks that both attack and have counterspells. Unfortunately I just got paired against a Reveillark deck which sacrificed Glen Elendra Archmages 6 times in game two.... My estimate is that I can beat about 6 decks in the 16 deck field. Why did I choose such an awful deck!!!!!

Episode Sixteen - It's a trap!!!!!!!

2009-08-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

The Gamer's Podcast team is back with the news of GP Brighton and the 2009 National Championships, as well as some great news about From the Vault: Exiled and ZENDIKAR!

Please email us at thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com with any discussion topics or views on our content or discussion. We'd love to hear from you.

But remember, IT'S A TRAP!!!

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Special Report: Coverage of Aaron Ansell vs Shuuhei Nakamura

2009-08-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

The impossible has happened. At GP Brighton Tim Willoughby set up a grudge match between Aaron Ansell and Shuuhei Nakamura, and The Gamer's Podcast has the exclusive match report right here!

Coverage by Calum Stephenson

GP Brighton, August 10^th 2009

So, we're finally here, I really can't believe this is happening, but Aaron Ansell has just sat down and begun shuffling his deck opposite one of the world's greatest players, Shuuhei Nakamura.

This whole match begun win an innocuous comment from Aaron Ansell regarding his skills as a 5 Colour Control player. As sure as the sun rises, this lead to comparisons between Mr Ansell and Mr Nakamura by the other Reading local players. As these comments got rather out of hand, Mr Tim Willoughby decided to take it upon himself to set up a showdown between the Tank of Reading, and Nakamura of Japan.

A big crowd has gathered round, muttering in disbelief at what they are seeing.

The players shuffle up and Aaron is wondering how he got himself into the mess he's in. Everybody is expecting an absolute schooling from the Japanese pro, but Magic has ways of throwing up a surprise or two.

The players roll some digital dice on trading expert Matt Light's smartphone, and Aaron rolls a max 12 and gets to play first. Unfortunately due to time limits we're looking at only one game, instead of a three game match.

Aaron takes a mulligan after some thinking hard with a hand of 2 cryptic commands, 2 hallowed burial and 3 lands. Shuuhei keeps his seven, 3 lands, cryptic command, agony warp, Plumeveil and hallowed burial. A mulligan is not an ideal start for Aaron in the most daunting of matches, but the six card hand is better but not by much.

Vivid lands from both followed by five colour lands mean that both players are developing their mana whilst playing draw go. On Aaron's turn five, Shuuhei drops a Plumeveil at the end step. The first spell is player after 9 turns of the match. Another two turns go by before Aaron taps three for a Jace Beleran in his main phase. With 4 mana open, Shuuhei plays cryptic command, which counters it and draws a card. Aaron could have countered back and resolved the blue planeswalker, but decides against it as it might lead to him getting targeted by Cruel Ultimatum on Shuuhei's next turn.

Another couple of turns of land-go means that this match is going to lead to an explosive finish as both players stockpile their best cards. Esper charm draws two cards for Aaron, but doesn't stop the land-go play. Extra counters are drafted in from passers by to cover the shortage from the mass of vivid lands on the table.

By the time the match kicks off there are 25 lands split between the players. Aaron attempts to play the new threat of Baneslayer Angel. Shuuhei plays Esper Charm in response but lets it resolve. Shuuhei attempts to get rid of the angel with Hallowed burial, which is hit by negate from Aaron. The Baneslayer Angel gets over its summoning sickness and crashes in to the red zone. Met by a previously played Plumeveil and an Agony Warp from Shuuhei almost takes down the angel, only for the Agony Warp to be countered by Cryptic Command. Shuuhei thinks about a response but chooses to let the Plumeveil bite the dust, The life totals are 25-20 in Aaron's favour.

Seven mana is tapped and Cruel Ultimatum resolves for Shuuhei, reversing the life totals and causing a huge swing in card advantage. The three cards Shuuhei draws are far more important than the return of Plumeveil, which gets discarded during the cleanup step. Aaron discards down to a just a few cards and Mulldrifter for Shuuhei puts him further ahead. The next turn Aaron plays Esper Charm in an attempt to get back in to the game, after the aptly named seven mana sorcery.

An Ajani Vengeant resolves and locks down a Vivid Meadow, but with so many lands Shuuhei is unfazed. As he has a Mulldrifter in play it doesn't look likely that the gold cat will be destroying any lands any time soon. Mulldrifter attacks Ajani the next turn, which Aaron attempts to get a blocker in with Plumeveil but it's met with Essence Scatter. Ajani loses two counters and a Volcanic fallout deals the final damage to Ajani putting the life at 20-23. Aaron continues to draw two cards with more Esper Charm. Both players have a lot of lands open, but not much action is happening. Shuuhei plays an end of turn Esper Charm, draws what he needs and follows it with a Volcanic Fallout, making him ahead in the life stakes by 21-18. But then Shuuhei untaps, and calmly puts a Banefire on the table, taps all his lands and announces “Banefire you, for 20”, Aaron extends his hand and the game is over!

Banefire, always one of the most powerful weapons in a 5CC mirror means that Shuuhei doesn't have to give up any of his reputation just yet, and Aaron returns to Reading with his head held high, knowing that the game was still bigger than almost anyone else in his area has experienced.

Shuuhei Nakamura 1- 0 Aaron Ansell

Special Report: Interview with Greg Squire

2009-08-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is the interview I did with Greg Squire after he played in the top eight of Nationals.

Stay tuned for coverage of Grand Prix Brighton.

The Gamer's Podcast

Special Report: British Nationals 2009

2009-08-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

The Gamer's Podcast is reporting to you live from Great British Nationals 2009. We have the top 8 and the semi finals are currently being played. The top 8 breakdown looks like this:

3 Elves!
1 Doran
1 Kithkin
1 RW Control
1 Jund Aggro
1 UW Reveillark

There are 3 Elves decks in the semi finals and there is guaranteed to be an Elf combo mirror in the final. Daniel Gardner awaits the winner of Peter Mottram and Chris Rossiter (an elves mirror that is taking a loooong time).

The Gamer's Podcast had the pleasure to talk to Berkshire local player, and reigning Cube Champion Greg Squire, after he finished his quarter final match against Mick Edwards. The interview will be uploaded in the next few hours. We'd like to congratulate Greg for doing so well at the tournament and representing us.

The event has been going on for three days already and for the next two days, The Gamer's Podcast members will be spending the next day (or hopefully two) playing and reporting from GP Brighton. Check back for updates tomorrow.

Look forward to the interview with Greg, and we hope to have more from you soon.

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Fifteen - A New World

2009-07-25T06:54:00.000-07:00

Hi there!

Welcome to epsiode fifteen of The Gamer's Podcast, with an in-depth look at the new standard metagame and how M10 might affect your National Championships. We also discuss the results from Japanese/Spanish and Australian Nationals, as well as the recent M10 prerelease and release events.

Remember to e-mail us any feedbakc or discussion topics that you'd like us to talk about to thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com!

Thanks

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Fourteen - 2010 is here already.

2009-07-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

It's that time of year again! Get ready to listen to our best picks and overall thoughts on the new Magic set, Magic 2010. We've also got some tips if you're going to a prerelease this weekend.

Apologies to anyone who's had problems downloading the podcast for the last few days, but our bandwidth problems are sorted now and everything is working great!

Hope to see you in Reading or London this weekend, remember to wear your fun boots and email us with any suggestions, feedback or stories from the prereleases. The address is, as ever, thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Thirteen - Driving down the M10

2009-06-27T13:46:00.000-07:00

Here we are again, driving down the M10 motorway towards New Set City, we have a huge chunk of cards to discuss this week. Also we have news about Duels of the Planeswalkers, the updated penalty guidelines and Dominion: Intrigue. Hope you enjoy it!

The Gamers Podcast Team

Winner, finalist, and decklists!

2009-06-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

WINNER

Stuart Wright

4 Swamp

4 Treetop Village

3 Fire-Lit Thicket

3 Forest

2 Mountain

2 Sulfurous Springs

3 Savage Lands

3 Twilight Mire

24 lands

4 Fertile Ground

3 Jund Charm

3 Garruk Wildspeaker

3 Bituminous Blast

4 Maelstrom Pulse

17 spells

4 Broodmate Dragon

2 Chameleon Colossus

1 Sprouting Thrinax

4 Putrid Leech

4 Kitchen Finks

4 Bloodbraid Elf

19 creatures

60 cards

SB:

2 Terminate

3 Cloudthresher

4 Anathemancer

3 Lignify

3 Infest

FINALIST

Ian Pirouet

4 Bitterblossom

4 Cryptic Command

3 Jace Beleren

2 Thoughtseize

2 Agony Warp

2 Peppersmoke

2 Broken Ambitions

1 Nameless Inversion

20 spells

2 Sower of Temptation

4 Mistbind Clique

4 Spellstutter Sprite

3 Scion of Oona

2 Vendilion Clique

15 creatures

4 Secluded Glen

4 Mutavault

4 Sunken Ruins

4 Underground River

7 Island

1 Swamp

1 Faerie Conclave

25 lands

60 cards

SB:

3 Infest

3 Flashfreeze

3 Puppeteer Clique

3 Plumeveil

2 Thoughtseize

1 Sower of Temptation

Congratulations to Stuart Wright!

Semifinalists + decklists

2009-06-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

Steve Bernstein's “Zebra Assault”

4 Tidehollow Sculler

4 Kitchen Finks

2 Murderous Redcap

3 Cloudgoat Ranger

13 creatures

4 Spectral Procession

3 Thoughtseize

4 Bitterblossom

2 Zealous Persecution

2 Path to Exile

4 Glorious Anthem

3 Ajani Goldmane

22 spells

2 Swamp

3 Plains

3 Mutavault

2 Caves of Koilos

3 Arcane Sanctum

4 Reflecting Pool

4 Fetid Heath

4 Windbrisk Heights

25 lands

60 cards

SB:

2 Stillmoon Cavalier

3 Paladin en-Vec

2 Puppeteer Clique

2 Wrath of God

2 Identity Crisis

2 Runed Halo

1 Path to Exile

1 Zealous Persecution

Michael Parker's “Better than a Box Swans”

2 Graven Cairns

2 Mutavault

1 Vivid Marsh

4 Reflecting Pool

2 Rugged Prairie

4 Vivid Grove

4 Vivid Crag

4 Spinerock Knoll

4 Cascade Bluffs

1 Shivan Reef

1 Karplusan Forest

1 Battlefield Forge

1 Island

1 Mountain

4 Fire-Lit Thicket

3 Vivid Creek

3 Treetop Village

42 lands

4 Bloodbraid Elf

4 Swans of Bryn Argoll

1 Enlisted Wurm

9 creature

3 Bituminous Blast

2 Primal Command

4 Seismic Assault

9 spells

60 cards

SB:

1 Enlisted Wurm

4 Tidehollow Sculler

4 Blightning

3 Cryptic Command

3 Maelstrom Pulse

Quarterfinalists + decklists

2009-06-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

Adam Barnett's “Fae”

7 Island

3 Swamp

2 Underground River

4 Sunken Ruins

4 Secluded Glen

1 Faerie Conclave

4 Mutavault

25 lands

2 Peppersmoke

2 Thoughtseize

4 Bitterblossom

3 Jace Beleren

1 Terror

4 Cryptic Command

4 Broken Ambitions

3 Agony Warp

23 spells

3 Spellstutter Sprite

1 Sower of Temptation

4 Scion of Oona

4 Mistbind Clique

12 creatures

60 cards

SB:

2 Thoughtseize

3 Deathmark

3 Flashfreeze

3 Puppeteer Clique

2 Plumeveil

1 Sower of Temptation

1 Loxodon Warhammer

Christian Bateman

4 Mutavault

4 Treetop Village

4 Llanowar Wastes

4 Gilt-Leaf Palace

3 Forest

3 Swamp

2 Twilight Mire

24 lands

4 Imperious Perfect

4 Wren's Run Vanquisher

4 Llanowar Elves

4 Putrid Leech

3 Civic Wayfinder

3 Chameleon Colossus

2 Wilt-Leaf Liege

1 Cloudthresher

1 Noble Hierarch

26 creatures

4 Maelstrom Pulse

3 Thoughtseize

2 Profane Command

2 Nameless Inversion

11 spells

61 cards

SB:

3 Loxodon Warhammer

3 Cloudthresher

2 Puppeteer Clique

3 Terror

3 Snakeform

1 Thoughtseize

Jon Burland's “G/B Aggro”

2 Llanowar Elves

1 Noble Hierarch

4 Birds of Paradise

4 Troll Ascetic

4 Kitchen Finks

4 Putrid Leech

4 Chameleon Colossus

2 Cloudthresher

25 creatures

3 Profane Command

4 Thoughtseize

4 Maelstrom Pulse

2 Garruk Wildspeaker

13 spells

4 Twilight Mire

4 Llanowar Wastes

4 Mutavault

1 Treetop Village

7 Forest

2 Swamp

22 lands

60 cards

SB:

1 Thornling

1 Obelisk of Alara

1 Cloudthresher

4 Guttural Response

4 Shriekmaw

4 Naturalize

Jason Savage's “Jund Elves”

4 Anathemancer

4 Bloodbraid Elf

4 Boggart Ram-Gang

3 Chameleon Colossus

2 Kitchen Finks

4 Noble Hierarch

4 Putrid Leech

4 Wren's Run Vanquisher

29 creatures

4 Maelstrom Pulse

3 Nameless Inversion

7 spells

3 Auntie's Hovel

2 Fire-Lit Thicket

4 Gilt-Leaf Palace

2 Karplusan Forest

1 Llanowar Wastes

1 Mutavault

4 Treetop Village

3 Twilight Mire

2 Forest

1 Mountain

1 Swamp

24 lands

60 cards

SB:

2 Pithing Needle

2 Lignify

2 Cloudthresher

2 Terror

3 Infest

3 Thoughtseize

1 Kitchen Finks

Second Swiss update from PTQ Southampton!

2009-06-27T09:59:00.000-07:00

Mike Parker writes...

4-000000000000000000000000000000000!!!!!!!!!!!! How about this Cascade:

Bituminous Blast into Elf into Pulse on his Pithing Needle naming Seismic Assault, then play Swans and win :)

Andrew D writes...

1-3 drop. Everyone is playing tokens! Main deck Volcanic Fallout seems strong....

Steve Bernstein writes...

6.5-7/10 for the venue hot dogs. Nice sausage, good amount of sauce, pappy and stodgy rolls a let down. Cheap and cheerful.

HJ's update: Nearly at the Top 8!

Hello from PTQ Southampton!

2009-06-27T06:29:00.000-07:00

ROUND 1 BLOG

Rob Elkin writes...

7 more for a vintage side event

HJ update: 47 players, 6 Swiss rounds... and no decklist penalties! Hooray!

ROUND 2 BLOG

Michael Parker writes...

If Swans were a lady, I would marry her.

Elijah Hemmingway-Brown writes...

Go Parker rarrrr

Judges & Pres have pizza. We recommend.

Paul Nonis writes...

Ian T. Pirouet has defeated me for the 2nd tournament in a row. This is untenable. He even beat me in the exact same way, by being a masterful human and bear like man. In order for this to not be deleted and such I will add some cursory game details. He beat me with Mistbind Cliques both Games 2 and 3 about the neck, chest, and face area; with the help of that fine gentleman Jason T. Beleren. He drew Ian T. Pirouet actually infinite cards, which provided all the answers. I disagree with this decision to keep in Jace as I have many ways of dealing with him but unfortunately I didn't draw any because I am really bad at Magic. I would be angry but I like Faeries and I like Ian T. Piroeut as he is cuddly like a bear. So yeah.

Rob Elkin writes...

So I kept a fine hand, but with no Force of Will, after all you can't always draw it... My opponent on the play makes City of Brass, Crop Rotated it into a Strip Mine, tapped it to play Mana Vault and used that to play Crucible of Worlds. Thanks DCI for the unrestrcitions. I like having no lands.

Finalist, winner, and last decklists

2009-06-20T13:45:00.000-07:00

FINALIST

Peter Dun's “Lark”

3 Path to Exile

3 Broken Ambitions

2 Negate

4 Cryptic Command

12 spells

4 Knight of the White Orchid

2 Mistmeadow Witch

3 Plumeveil

4 Mulldrifter

3 Wall of Reverence

3 Sower of Temptation

4 Reveillark

23 creatures

4 Fieldmist Borderpost

8 Island

5 Plains

4 Mystic Gate

4 Adarkar Wastes

25 creatures

60 spells

SB:

4 Meddling Mage

4 Windborn Muse

4 Glen Elendra Archmage

1 Austere Command

1 Path to Exile

1 Sower of Temptation

WINNER

Carlos Moral's “Porridge Revisited”

4 Mistbind Clique

4 Scion of Oona

3 Spellstutter Sprite

3 Sower of Temptation

14 spells

4 Bitterblossom

4 Cryptic Command

4 Agony Warp

3 Peppersmoke

3 Thoughtseize

2 Jace Beleren

1 Loxodon Warhammer

21 spells

1 Faerie Conclave

3 Swamp

3 Underground River

4 Secluded Glen

4 Sunken Ruins

4 Mutavault

6 Island

25 lands

60 cards

SB:

3 Infest

3 Flashfreeze

3 Puppeteer Clique

3 Deathmark

1 Plumeveil

1 Jace Beleren

1 Thoughtseize

Semifinalists + decklists

2009-06-20T12:58:00.001-07:00

Marco Orsini Jones

4 Spellstutter Sprite

4 Scion of Oona

4 Mistbind Clique

1 Sower of Temptation

13 creatures

4 Bitterblossom

4 Cryptic Command

4 Agony Warp

4 Broken Ambitions

2 Thoughtseize

2 Remove Soul

2 Jace Beleren

22 spells

4 Sunken Ruins

4 Secluded Glen

4 Mutavault

3 Underground River

3 Swamp

6 Island

1 Faerie Conclave

25 lands

60 cards

SB:

3 Deathmark

2 Flashfreeze

1 Loxodon Warhammer

1 Jace Beleren

2 Thoughtseize

3 Puppeteer Clique

2 Plumeveil

1 Sower of Temptation

Guy Southcott's “UW Reveillark”

4 Mind Stone

4 Cryptic Command

4 Path to Exile

4 Wrath of God

16 spells

4 Reveillark

4 Kitchen Finks

4 Mulldrifter

3 Sower of Temptation

2 Glen Elendra Archmage

4 Meddling Mage

21 creatures

4 Arcane Sanctum

4 Adarkar Wastes

4 Mystic Gate

6 Plains

5 Island

23 lands

60 cards

SB:

3 Windborn Muse

2 Pithing Needle

3 Plumeveil

2 Negate

2 Jace Beleren

2 Paladin en-Vec

1 Austere Command

Quarterfinalists + decklists

2009-06-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

QUARTERFINALISTS

Ben Scoones' “The Jundernaut”

4 Reflecting Pool

4 Savage Lands

4 Vivid Marsh

2 Treetop Village

4 Twilight Mire

2 Graven Cairns

2 Swamp

2 Mountain

24 lands

3 Thoughtseize

3 Magma Spray

4 Maelstrom Pulse

3 Jund Charm

1 Volcanic Fallout

2 Primal Command

1 Incendiary Command

17 spells

4 Putrid Leech

3 Sygg, River Cutthroat

4 Boggart Ram-Gang

4 Anathemancer

4 Bloodbraid Elf

19 creatures

60 cards

SB:

4 Kitchen Finks

3 Snakeform

3 Infest

2 Puppeteer Clique

1 Volcanic Fallout

2 Deathmark

Michael Parker's “The Gin Sharks”

4 Seismic Assault

3 Bituminous Blast

1 Deny Reality

2 Primal Command

10 spells

4 Swans of Bryn Argoll

4 Bloodbraid Elf

8 creatures

4 Cascade Bluffs

1 Vivid Marsh

4 Spinerock Knoll

4 Fire-Lit Thicket

3 Treetop Village

2 Rugged Prairie

1 Battlefield Forge

2 Graven Cairns

1 Karplusan Forest

1 Island

1 Mountain

1 Shivan Reef

2 Mutavault

4 Vivid Crag

4 Reflecting Pool

3 Vivid Creek

4 Vivid Grove

42 lands

60 cards

SB:

3 Enlisted Wurm

1 Primal Command

3 Maelstrom Pulse

3 Cryptic Command

2 Captured Sunlight

3 Wrath of God

Daniel Gardner

4 Bloodbraid Elf

4 Swans of Bryn Argoll

8 creatures

4 Seismic Assault

2 Ad Nauseum

1 Bituminous Blast

2 Captured Sunlight

2 Primal Command

11 spells

1 Mountain

2 Battlefield Forge

2 Cascade Bluffs

4 Fire-Lit Thicket

2 Ghitu Encampment

4 Graven Cairns

4 Reflecting Pool

4 Rugged Prairie

4 Spinerock Knoll

4 Treetop Village

4 Vivid Crag

4 Vivid Grove

1 Vivid Marsh

1 Vivid Meadow

41 lands

60 cards

SB:

4 Countryside Crusher

2 Vexing Shusher

2 Wickerbough Elder

2 Aura of Silence

2 Maelstrom Pulse

1 Bituminous Blast

2 Wrath of God

Shifeng Teng's “Nicol Bolas”

4 Vivid Creek

4 Vivid Meadow

1 Vivid Crag

1 Vivid Marsh

4 Reflecting Pool

1 Plains

2 Island

2 Exotic Orchard

1 Crumbling Necropolis

1 Mystic Gate

1 Sunken Ruins

1 Fetid Heath

1 Cascade Bluffs

1 Adarkar Wastes

25 lands

1 Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker

1 Jace Beleren

1 Liliana Vess

2 Ajani Vengeant

4 Cryptic Command

4 Broken Ambitions

3 Esper Charm

3 Path to Exile

2 Volcanic Fallout

1 Hallowed Burial

1 Maelstrom Pulse

1 Wrath of God

1 Obelisk of Alara

2 Negate

27 spells

1 Ethersworn Adjudicator

1 Broodmate Dragon

1 Wall of Reverence

1 Plumeveil

2 Wall of Denial

3 Mulldrifter

9 creatures

61 cards

SB:

2 Runed Halo

1 Austere Command

1 Glen Elendra Archmage

1 Infest

1 Story Circle

1 Double Negative

1 Jace Beleren

1 Scepter of Fugue

1 Identity Crisis

1 Path to Exile

2 Thoughtseize

1 Volcanic Fallout

1 Wild Ricochet

End of Swiss update

2009-06-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Carlos Moral writes...

Hello, my name is Carlos and I am a Spanish exchange student that happens to be very happy to say that I will be playing in the Top 8 for this tournament. It happens to be the last one I will play in my stay, mainly because I will go back to Spain on Wednesday. David, the Head Judge, told me to write something for the blog during the last round while I wasn't playing... fair enough. The problem is I didn't know what to write about. That was until I saw judges pulling two players apart out of their seats after a deck check, separately, only for both players to tell the judges the same thing: That's not my deck!

After a couple funny faces from the judges... Head Judge David Lyford-Smith said the funny words... SWAP PEOPLE!

The rest of the deck check was handled normally; there were some penalties because of some issue with at least one of the lists, but that's maybe something a judge should tell you about.

So until the next time...wish me luck for the top 8!

HJ's note: the problem arose as the player's decks were very similar and each sideboard had ended up with the wrong player's deck. Hence we had problems identifying which deck was which!

Iain Shepherd writes...

Well, the last round is over and after starting feeling sick and quickly slipping to a 0-2 record I recovered my dignity and finish 4-2 after playing Fog, Elves, 5CC and finally Elves! (combo) which is nice =D Bring on Southampton next week!

R5 update

2009-06-20T09:12:00.001-07:00

Quick update here:

Cyrus Bales' Time Sieve decklist, though down on the 2-3 bracket, did a super impressive play in R5. Time was called, and he managed to take all five of the extra turns, and then used Tezzeret to take it home!

Here's his list:

4 Time Sieve

4 Chromatic Star

4 Elsewhere Flask

4 Howling Mine

4 Kaleidostone

4 Mind Stone

4 Etherium Sculptor

3 Tezzeret the Seeker

3 Rings of Brighthearth

3 Font of Mythos

1 Sculpting Steel

1 Thopter Foundry

4 Mistvein Borderpost

4 Fieldmist Borderpost

2 Veinfire Borderpost

4 Swamp

8 Island

SB: 2 Thopter Foundry

2 Pithing Needle

2 Platinum Angel

2 Inkwell Leviathan

4 Tempest of Light

3 Hurkyl's Recall

2009-06-20T07:50:00.000-07:00

Judge William K writes...

In response to Anathemancer's Unearth ability, the player plays Cryptic Command - to return his own nonbasic land, survive the turn, and win!

Iain Shephard writes...

2-2, bringing it back. Bitterblossom is pretty tech apparently...

Judge Kevin H writes...

Seismic Swans player needs the last card in his library in order to win... uh oh.

Aaron Ansell writes...

When you're on 1 and need the 14th land for the Banefire win, don't tap your Adarkar Wastes to play Path to Exile.

Judge Stelios K writes...

Interesting situation arose when Player A claimed his opponent had one extra card in his deck after sideboarding. This turned out to be true and after dispensing a Game Loss for Deck/Decklist Mismatch got the HJ to have a quiet word.

HJ's comment: It turned out the player had made a last minute change to his sideboard and left a card that was cut from the deck in his box. This lead him to believe he had 15 cards in the sideboard, and therefore 60 main, when he started shuffling. Just one of the many pitfalls of carrying extra cards in your deckbox!

Elijah Hemmingway-Brown writes...

More warnings for Slow Play at PTQ level. Slow Play hurts; I am a nice guy, too nice for my own good sometimes when I should call a judge and be hard. Raargh!

R3 update

2009-06-20T06:40:00.000-07:00

Judge William K writes...

Time Sieve has won a game. Come on [deck designer] Cyrus Bales, keep up the crazy!

Ben Diesel writes...

Well, just won my last match. Opening hand of 2 Treetops, 2 Mutavaults, 2 Gilt-Leaf Palace, and a Llanowar Wastes. His first play? "Thoughtseize." *reveals hand* "Oh, that's weird. I guess I take 2!" Win for Team Diesel!

Iain Shephard writes...

1-2 boo, guess not sleeping last night didn't pay off! Also, Transformers (why I didn't sleep) is rubbish, don't go watch it!

Judge Kevin H writes...

Sieve player: "Swing for 65?"

Opponent: "Me or Ajani?"

A win for Time Sieve!

Aaron Ansell writes...

Bye! Oh yeah! And on the seventh day, God created Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker, and my opponent's head asplode!

HJ update: Metagame breakdown time!

Bloodbraid aggro decks: 7

Elves: 6

Faeries: 5

5CC: 3

Kithkin: 3

B/W Tokens: 3

Doran: 3

Bant: 2

U/W Lark: 2

Cascade Swans: 2

And a lot of other decks with only one player.

2009-06-20T05:33:00.000-07:00

Judge William K writes...

I'm on lunch break now. For the next 25 minutes, I am not a judge; I am a man with a hunger for bagel. Om nom nom.

Mike Parker writes...

Predicted to lose next round. Expect to Top32 or Top64.

Chris Cooper writes...

Realm Razer is surprisingly good. Yeah!

HJ update: 10 players on 6 points going into round 3. Our first Game Loss given that round : (

R1 update from PTQ Reading

2009-06-20T04:21:00.000-07:00

Rob Elkin writes:

A Thirst for Knowledge walks into a bar, and the barman says "Where are your friends?"

HJ update: 45 players and 6 Swiss rounds. The actual blue envelope is a popular choice!

Judge William K writes...

Time Sieve spotted on the tournament floor. I wonder how that deck will fare.

Update: Time Sieve loses in Round 1. There're still five more rounds...

Judge William K writes...

It turns out that if Alice activates Putrid Leech and then during the same turn Bob gains control of it, Bob can't activate it that turn.

From the floor:

Stack damage? What stack damage?

HJ update: Only 2 warnings for decklist penalties, and no game losses. Very happy!

Episode Twelve - A Public The Rack Enquiry

2009-06-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

Hi there,

So we're back again, with news of some new M10 cards, as well as a review of Pro Tour: Honolulu, and some advice for players approaching standard PTQ's.

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Eleven - The Sky is Falling!!!

2009-06-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

Episode 11 of The Gamer's Podcasts sees us discussing the new raft of changes that Magic 2010 will bring in this summer. We have all the news and views that you'll be needing to hear about!

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Ten - Cascade Madness!!!

2009-05-29T10:24:00.000-07:00

This week we discuss the results from GP Barcelona and US Regionals, including an overview of the standard metagame before PTQ's for Austin begin.

Apologies for missing out a few weeks everyone, but we have been having communication and technical issues that have stopped us from getting to you, but everyone's favourite threesome are back giving you the lowdown on Barcelona.

Hope you all enjoy.

As magic is entering a slightly quiet period, then to keep us going please email any discussion topics or decks youd like us to talk about to thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com as well as any feedback for us. We'd love to hear from you.

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Nine - Prerelease Stories

2009-05-09T06:36:00.000-07:00

Hey,

Yeh, we missed a week, apologies, but we're back with episode nine of our brilliant podcast! Today we're discussing our thoughts on Alara Reborn from a player's and a judge's perspective.

Card of the week is Manafall from Cyrus Bales:

Please send us feedback and thoughts on our Facebook group or email us at

thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com

Thanks
The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Eight - Pre-Pre Release of Alara Reborn

2009-04-24T02:59:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

What an episode we have for you this week! We've reviewed Alara Reborn and picked our top cards for limited AND constructed, meaning that if you're playing in a prerelease and want to win, or want to know the best cards to put in your decks, this is the episode for you!

And here are our top lists for you all to enjoy. All pictures are courtesy of Wizards of the Coast's visual spoiler.

Constructed

David (In alphabetical order)

1. Anathemancer - 1BR
Creature - Zombie Wizard (U)

When Anathemancer comes into play, it deals damage to target player equal to the number of nonbasic lands that player controls.
Unearth - 5BR
2/2
33/145

2.

3.

4. Soul Manipulation - 1UB
Instant (C)

Choose one or both - Counter target creature spell; and/or return target creature card in your graveyard to your hand.
29/145

5.

Calum

1.

2.

3.

4.

5. Lorescale Coatl - 1UB
Creature - Snake (U)

Whenever you draw a card, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Lorescale Coatl.
2/2
101/145

Carl

1
.

2.

3.

4. Cerodon Yearling - RW
Creature - Beast (C)

Vigilance, haste
2/2
96/145

5. Mind Funeral - 1UB
Sorcery (U)

Target opponent reveals cards from the top of his or her library until four land cards are revealed. That player puts all cards revealed this way into his or her graveyard.
26/145

Limited

David

1.

2.

3. Deadshot Minotaur - 3RG
Creature - Minotaur (C)

When Deadshot Minotaur comes into play, it deals 3 damage to target creature with flying.
Cycling {R/G}
3/4
52/145

4. Gorger Wurm - 3RG
Creature - Wurm (C)

Devour 1
5/5
56/145

5.

Calum

1.

2.

3.

4. Enlisted Wurm - 4GW
Creature - Wurm (U)

Cascade
5/5
68/145

5. Soul Manipulation - 1UB
Instant (C)

Choose one or both - Counter target creature spell; and/or return target creature card in your graveyard to your hand.
29/145

Carl

1.

2.

3. Soul Manipulation - 1UB
Instant (C)

Choose one or both - Counter target creature spell; and/or return target creature card in your graveyard to your hand.
29/145

4. Colossal Might - RG
Instant (C)

Target creature gets +4/+2 and gains trample until end of turn.
51/145

5. Skyclaw Thras - 3UR
Artifact Creature - Viashino Warrior (U)

Whenever Skyclaw Thrash attacks, flip a coin. If you win the flip, Skyclaw Thrash gets +1/+1 and gains flying until end of turn.
4/4
89/145

As you can see, if you open a Behemoth Sledge or a Bituminous Blast at the prerelease you should probably be playing them! We recommend you try and trade for some Jenara, Asura of War and Maelstrom Pulses/Thought Hemorraghes, as we all agree those cards are going to be big in constructed.

Thanks for listening everyone. Remember that if you want to enter our card of the week contest with a card you've designed, or you want to give us any feedback or suggestions then please email us at thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com. Remember to join our facebook group for the latest news.

Thanks
The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Seven - Here Comes Alara Reborn!

2009-04-18T05:36:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to episode seven of The Gamer's Podcast. We're discussing the first third of Alara Reborn today and recapping our failures and successes at our recent Nationals Qualifier in Oxford.

Today's card of the week is from Rob Elkin, congratulations Rob:

Next weeks episode will be done before the prereleases, it'll be up as soon as possible on Friday night so that if you want to listen to it before you go (or perhaps, even on the way to the prerelease) then tune in for our top tips!

Thanks
The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Six - A New Standard Deck for Nationals Qualifiers

2009-04-10T13:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to episode six of The Gamer's Podcast, we're still going strong. Please enjoy a talk from me and David regarding the standard format and our new deck as below.

4 Incinerate
4 Flame Javelin
4 Path to Exile
4 Volcanic Fallout
2 Wrath of God
3 Austere Command
2 Elspeth, Knight Errant
2 Ajani Vengeant
1 Crucible of Worlds
2 Runed Halo
3 Banefire
4 Mind Stone

4 Mutavault
3 Ghitu Encampment
3 Terramorphic Expanse
4 Rugged Prairie
4 Battlefield Forge
4 Mountain
3 Plains

Sideboard
2 Wrath of God
4 Wispmare
2 Runed Halo
2 Wild Ricochet
1 Banefire
3 Stillmoon Cavalier
1 Relic of Progenitus

And our card of the week is from Cyrus Bales (again):

If you think you can do any better then please email your custom card designs, or anything you'd like us to discuss/talk about to thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com

If you are at the Oxford Nationals Qualifier then please look out for us, we will be handing out flyers to try and drum up interest.

Thanks for listening,
The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Five - The beginning of the end of Alara block

2009-04-04T08:26:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,

Welcome to episode five of The Gamer's Podcast. Tonight David and I are discussing our pick of the new Alara Reborn cards we know about.

Card of the week is from David himself:

We hope you enjoyed listening to us. Please email us at thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com with questions or discussion topics.

Thanks
The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Four - GP Singapore, Alara Reborn and WotC announcest the autumn block.

2009-03-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

Hi Guys,

Welcome to episode four of The Gamer's Podcast. This week we're discussing Alara Reborn as well as GP Singapore, and some bad plays of the week.

As mentioned in the podcast, here are scans of the Alara Reborn prerelease and release promos. We also hae a scan of the new Maze of Ith judge promo.

Please email us your questions, judge questions, any topics you want us to discuss and feedback. the email is as usual, thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com. Also, please join our facebook group!

Also, our card of the week comes from Cyrus again, enjoy!

Thanks
The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Three - From the Vault: Exiled, Alara Reborn and GP Hanover

2009-03-20T12:06:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

It's that time of week again, episode three of The Gamer's Podcast is up. Please listen to it and give us feedback on this site, the iTunes store and on email at thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com. Also, you can join our facebook group!

This week we're discussing our picks for From the Vault: Exiled, some early Alara Reborn info and David tells us about his time at GP Hanover.

This weeks card of the week comes from William Kotarski:

If you're a budding card designer and think you have what it takes, then please email your ideas to our email as above!!! We'll pick our favourite card every week and discuss it on the podcast.

Thanks

The Gamer's Podcast Team

Episode Two - MTGO, Standard, Chicago and Something Quite Different

2009-03-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

First off we'd like to apologise if anyone has any problems hearing certain members this week, I'm still getting used to recording and editing and it might not sound as good as it did last week!

So we've got through a week and here is another episode of the podcast for you. This week we're discussing some changes to MTGO, GP Chicago and the legacy format, Standard and some other things.

As discussed in the podcast, here is the new deck we've been looking at this week.

Reveillark Bant

4 Mulldrifter
4 Reveillark
4 Noble hierarch
3 Birds of paradise
4 Rhox war monk
3 wall of reverence
4 Doran the siege tower
4 Wilt leaf liege
3 Sower of temptation

4 Nameless inversion

2 Treetop village
4 Ancient ziggurat
4 Reflecting pool
4 Murmuring bosk
2 Yavimaya coast
1 Brushland
1 Adarkar wastes
1 Caves of koilos
1 Wooded bastion
1 Flooded grove
1 Plains
1 Forest

And here is the Card of the Week courtesy of Cyrus Bales.

Tyrant's Crown - 3
Artifact
Each creature with the highest converted mana cost has "T: Destroy target nonland permanent".
"The only thing more destructive than a tyrant, is a stronger tyrant."

Good luck to David and Mark who are in Hanover for the grand prix.

Please email us, join our facebook group, subscribe to us on iTunes and give us feedback and reviews!

Enjoy!

The Gamer's Podcast Team

PS We forgot to discuss the upcoming events this week! So on Saturday 14 March there is a Dominion tournament at Eclectic Games in Reading. On Sunday we have an EDH tournament and on Saturday 21 March there is an extended PTQ in London.

Episode One - PT Kyoto, Standard and EDH

2009-03-07T01:20:00.000-08:00

Episode One

Welcome to the first episode of The Gamer's Podcast! Today we discuss Pro Tour Kyoto as well as some stories from a judges perspective. We talk about the standard format, EDH, the changes that Magic 2010 brings us and our favourite conflux cards,

Please give us any feedback on thegamerspodcast@googlemail.com. We need to know how to get better aws this is our first attempt at anything like this.

Thanks for Listening!