round 1: Naya with huntmaster and battlefield medic. I didn't get red early enough in game one, so I couldn't remove his medic, and that pressure made his Huntmaster on turn 5 absolutely a killer. I was on the play.
Game two was better. I'm on the play and he mulligans. I play Militant, Geist, Domri, and it was all over. I was on the front foot and between Domri and Spear he never had a chance.
Game three kept a two land hand. Played out an experiment, then voice, but missed my third land. He was mounting some pressure but I was ok. Played another voice and he dropped land four and a Huntmaster. Missed the land drop again, and was forced to use a Boros Charm to keep the Huntmaster from flipping. Turn five I miss the land drop but now I am out of action, Huntmaster flips and the game and match are over. L 1-2 (0-1)
round 2: I'm up against a guy playing a homebrew jund list. Game one I come out smashing and he doesn't stand a chance. I win without taking a point of damage. Game two I mulligan a 1 lander and then keep. It's still a pretty spicy opening so I'm feeling good. After a few turns he's down to 12 and I'm at 16 from shocking. I've got three dudes on the board and I'm feeling good. Then he proceeds to play a Thragtusk three turns in a row. While I proceed to draw, land, land, land. On to game 3.
We both keep our starting 7 and I am on the play, I open with Dryad, Voice, and then pass. He comes back with nothing and then drops a Vampire Nighthawk. I hold back on turn four with my hand being Restoration Angel and Ghor-Clan Rampager. He rumbles in I block and blink my defender with Restoration Angle, no damage or life gain. I swing back at him and the score is now 16-4. He rips his top card and concedes. W 2-1 (1-1)
round 3: Alright he wins the roll and I mulligan a 0 lander, sweet! I get an awkward two land hand and decided to keep. He plays his first card and I realize I should have mulled. He is playing R/G blitz. On turn 3 he swings for 6 and I go to 14. I swing back for 6 (14-14). But he has a hellrider for turn 4, I go to 2. Now all he has to do is swing and the Hellrider triggers kill me. I don't draw an answer so we move to game 2.
I bring in Unflinching Courage from my board and have it in my opening hand along with Geist and a Smiter. My game plan is simple, chump early with the Geist. Smiter on turn three. Bash with the Courageous Smiter on turn 4. Profit. And that's exactly what happens. We are both playing our early dudes and racing. 20-20, 20-16, 12-16. Smiter! He has to sit back for a turn and uses a spell to blow a dude. Unflinching Courage bash for 6 gain 6 (another dude gets in as well) 18-8. He rips a bonfire and crushes my board, except for the huge smiter. Which is not enough. I take it on home.
I'm on the draw so I'm a little worried but then I look at my opening hand, 2x Voice, Geist, and Rampager. Let's Party. I shock myself on turn two to drop a voice and go to 18. He rumbles in with a 2/2 and we trade. Next turn I drop a couple dorks and get in with the 3/3 token from the Voice. 18-17. He plays Emmissary and Barfs out a 3/3 Flinthoof Boar. I drop my Geist and swing with the team. He's feeling the heat and blocks my boys. I rampager wisely and it is now 18-7, and his board is wrecked. He windmills his draw but it isn't a Bonfire. W 2-1 (2-1)
round 4: I loose the die roll but my hand is pretty good, some action on the first three turns plus the appropriate lands. I shock my self to 18 and start my plan. My opponent doesn't do anything the first two tuns but drop some R/U lands. I'm not sure what's going on. Turn three he drops a
But I'm bashing away and he's under pressure. His life totals were: 20,18,16,4,2,dead. He never even got a swing off. I think I see what his deck is doing with this guy. He had a bunch of cheap spells with flashback.
Game two is pretty similar except he has boarded in pillar of flame so he can blow up my dudes. I make the decision when the score is 18-14 to bash. I have some dudes, he has a couple Cyclops. After the dust settles it's 18-10 and he has one Cyclops left. He cracks back for 7 and goes to one card in hand. It's now 11-10 and I figure he can't hit me for 11 next turn so I rumble and it's now 11-4. Well I was wrong. He rips a land, and shocks himself down to 2. Then proceeds to rock 4 spells, some flashed out of the yard and crashes in for the win. I resolve that now I understand and won't fall for it next game.
I do fall for it next game. I play out my hand aggressively and on turn 5 all I need to do is rip a land and my Rampager Bloodrush is lethal. I don't get it and settle for taking him to 8, keeping some stuff back to kill him next turn. He rips a bonfire and wipes my board :( and still has enough land to pump his dude to 13 power. I go to 7. Next turn I gotta hold back because I no longer have lethal and his graveyard is threatening to kill me by flashing back enough power for the Cyclops. Unfortunately he digs, and digs, his guy is now lethal, he digs again and then smiles, he ripped Artful Dodge,
and the game is his. L 1-2 (2-2) I coulda played around the board wipe and easily taken the last game. Total boner by me.
I think this is a pretty poor writeup, will endeavor to be better next time.
Lessons: Domri is awesome, I should totally rock 4. Don't keep awkward hands against aggro. I now know how to play against this Cyclops deck. Watch out for board sweepers.
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