MKM Series Frankfurt May 2016 – Vintage Main Event 23rd of 57

Played in the Vintage Main Event at MKM Series in Frankfurt May 2016. More information can be found on series.magiccardmarket.eu

I played an unpowered Abzan Hatebears Deck (list below) as there was an additional prize of 150 EUR for the highest finishing non-powered deck (power included Workshop and Bazaar here). Here is a summary of the 6 rounds played.

Round 1 – 2:1 Win versus Titan Stax

Game 1 the Stax deck was not fast enough and there was a back and forth between creatures. Ultimately it was just 2 Deathrite Shaman bashing in 7 times to seal the deal

Game 2 I keep a weak hand and basically never play anything and ultimately get beaten down

Game 3 starts brutal for my opponent with land+crypt+sphere. However there is not much coming after that. I merely am able to keep 1 Deathrite Shaman on the board, but he loses 5 Mana Crypt Flips in a row. Combined with one Ancient Tomb activation and three Deathrite attacks for one the game was won in ludicrous fashion.

Round 2 – 0:2 Loss against U/R Delver

Game 1 I mull to 6 and get quickly overrun

Game 2 I mull to 5 and the same thing is basically happening. Never had a chance this match

Round 3 – 2:0 Win against B/G Loam Depths

Game 1 He is just not in a position to capitalize on loam enough as I take out Maze of Ith for one turn each to bash in with Thalia, Abolisher and Confidant

Game 2 Is a very long drawn out game where he just takes too much damage from his Dark Confidants. He was constantly on the brink of getting Dark Depths going but I started with a Karakas on my board which was later joined by 2 Wastelands. With an active Rest in Peace he was not able to mount any offensive while the Confidant slowly killed him.

Round 4 – 0:2 Loss against Eldrazi

Game 1 and 2 Eldrazi Smasher is just bigger than everything I can muster and without drawing Swords or Knight of the Reliquary I cannot match it.

Round 5 – 2:1 Win against Dredge

Game 1 I hold a bit against thanks to Deathrite Shaman, Wasteland and Gaddock Teeg, however ultimately I succumb to what Dredge is just doing

Game 2 with all the hate in, I start strong with Grafdiggers Cage and Pithing Needle, but Serenity flushes that away. However later I lock him out with Rest in Peace.

Game 3 He has to mull low and Rest in Peace and Ravenous Trap finishes it

Round 6 – 0:2 against Stax

Game 1 he has turn 1 Smokestack. I draw a lot of land plus an active Deathrite to keep on fighting the good fight, but he adds Tabernacle and seals the deal

Game 2 is basically a rerun of game only that I have just 1 land and he has tabernacle plus 2 Smokestacks on turn 2

So 3-3-0 total resulting in a 23rd of 57 finish. All my 3 losses placed relatively high (3rd, 4th and 13th) so I landed on the top spots of the 9 pointers. All in all fun games, however the losses always felt like I had zero chances.

Unpowered Abzan Hatebears

Creatures (25)
Dark Confidant
Deathrite Shaman
Elvish Spirit Guide
Gaddock Teeg
Knight of the Reliquary
Grand Abolisher
Eidolon of Rhetoric
Containment Priest
Qasali Pridemage
Spirit of the Labyrinth
Thalia, Guardian of Thraben

Spells (14)
Abrupt Decay
Demonic Tutor
Swords to Plowshares
Thoughtseize
Lotus Petal
Stony Silence
Lands (21)
Bayou
Savannah
Scrubland
Cavern of Souls
Karakas
Marsh Flats
Verdant Catacombs
Windswept Heath
Strip Mine
Wasteland

Sideboard (15)
Abrupt Decay
Choke
Containment Priest
Grafdigger’s Cage
Rest in Peace
Ravenous Trap
Illness in the Ranks
Pithing Needle
Disenchant
Eidolon of Rhetoric

The fantastic miscellaneous world or the teachings of nothingness unto the universe