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Discoransom defeats Shantak AI 2-0 (Discoransom +2 pts)
Shantak defeats Discoransom AI 2-0 (Shantak +2 pts)

Discoransom
Round 1 : Started with a wonderful hand of 3 Tidehollow Sculler. I exiled all the threats while playing my Scullers and won thanks to them.
Round 2 : AI played Ivory Tower + Phyrexian Arena which caused me problem to deal with. But AI was creature short and finally a non-removed Tombstalker did the job.


Shantak
Round 1 : a tough match. 2 early Hymn to Tourach made me naked. Fortunately, an Ivory Tower and a Phyrexian Arena helped me compensate for my bad start. It was a long race of removals and discards, then I draw bitterblossoms and an another Ivory tower, I can played my early drawn Eldrazzi Monument and killed AI.
Round 2 : I was creatures short. I could remove all the opponent's threats but my Phyrexian Arena almost killed me. I had only 1 life left and had to use a 9-swamp tendrils on my own faerie to survive. However, Phyrexian Arena gave me enough card advantage to win with a final 13 swamps Corrupt (I had only 9 cards left in my library, was hot )

The two decks were nice to play.


I still have to play my own match against Nyktorion but I'll keep the score for myself. I just don't want to be player and referee in the same time.
So please consider I have finish all the matchs of the first round.

I can't believe my deck made it past the aww mirror match. So now I am rewarded with... another mirror match! For the other people that chose Natural Order decks, did anyone test if the AI will kill its own Progenitus by searching for another one? I didn't have time to test, so I only included 1 copy. If the AI is smart enough, though, I would have included 2. The again, if I understood the rules of the tournament better at the beginning, I would have included more cards to help the human, like tutors and Brainstorms. My deck looks like an underdog to Taron's since he has more Progenitus, but perhaps my card draw will help me again.

In the end, I just built this deck on a whim. I figured if Salbei won the last tournament with 12 walls, I would try to win with 20 walls! 1 round down, 3 to go!

Shantak wrote:Match B:
Salbei vs Scherbchen (AI)
Turn 4 Progenitus for AI. Tried Damnation, but AI had a Force of Will (probably should have cast Tendrils of Corruption at that Kitchen Finks first to see if he would blow a counter there and do Damnation next turn). I'm dead two turns later, AI at 10.
0-1

Next game, it's Progenitus on turn 5. I have again Damnation in hand, but decide to try the waters with a Corrupt first. Yep, that was countered with a FoW. The next turn I'm at 8 and try Damnation. It works and I'm saved for now and at 7 life. I draw cards with Arena, get life from Tendrils and cast a Meekstone to hinder possible further biggies. When I Drain Life from opponent's Woodfall Primus, the creature Persists, but somehow becomes cloned and now opponent has 2 5/5 Primuses. Also, when they return to play, one destroys my Meekstone. AI's beasts (from a Garruk AI emptied) untap and the whole crew attacks me. I guess I'd have a right for rematch if the Primus thing was a bug, but I was losing anyway, so the bug only brought it one turn sooner, I think.
0-2

similar thing happened to me with my Woodfall Primus though it was me playing my own deck. got 2 extra copies of Primus for a total of 3, nuked two of my own lands (had lots in play by then), debug-killed the extra creatures and went on from there. now with the bug on the AI side things get a bit trickier depending on how you set your auto-stops. in this case I'd suggest replaying the match unless it was a done deal.

jatill wrote:I can't believe my deck made it past the aww mirror match. So now I am rewarded with... another mirror match! For the other people that chose Natural Order decks, did anyone test if the AI will kill its own Progenitus by searching for another one?

look at my report further up. I was actually surprised when the AI sacced one which was lockdowned to get another one. almost killed me that way.

PS: going to be able to play the remaining games tomorrow during football-time-off

scherbchen1 wrote:

jatill wrote:PS: going to be able to play the remaining games tomorrow during football-time-off

Me toooo!

jatill wrote:I can't believe my deck made it past the aww mirror match. So now I am rewarded with... another mirror match! For the other people that chose Natural Order decks, did anyone test if the AI will kill its own Progenitus by searching for another one? I didn't have time to test, so I only included 1 copy..

I was hoping my progenitus deck would do better... :p When I looked at everyone's decks, I actually thought it might go all the way, and now it loses in the first round, lol. I never did test if the AI would grab a 2nd progenitus, but I was scared stiff that it might do that... I don't think the opportunity actually comes up very often, so even if it is that stupid, it would only happen in maybe one in a few dozen games. The original version of my deck only had one progenitus (because I was scared of that, and didn't want dead draws of extra progenitus) and then 4 brainstorm and 4 ponder and a few other blue goodies, but the AI didn't know what to do with them. If I were going to do Progenitus again, I'd probably splash black for Pernicious Deed and Maelstrom Pulse, because green has virtually no creature removal, unless you count crazy things like Desert Twister.

Shantak wrote:Match F:
aww1979 Jundinator vs TheDrigo (AI)
Aggressive Jund attacking with a Tarmogoyf. I destroy what AI brings to play and even decide to Maelstrom Pulse two Lotus Petals just to keep him manascrewed. Not afraid of Progenitus since I have two Diabolic Edicts in my hand. Tarmo keeps growing to 5/6 an it's soon a game.
1-0

It's plays like this that remind me the AI plays like my 9 year old son. Since the AI doesn't realize he can just sacrifice the lotus petal to save the second one.

match E

as cognis: no real pressure by either of us in the beginning but the single Wall of Reverence keeps me safe while Skyfishers rule the air.

match 2 is a repeat of game 1 minus the comfort of the wall.

as monopoman: have to mull to 6. luckily the AI starts to attack with a flying creature as soon as possible so we are off to a race which the gobo cardadvantage machine wins. really wanted to be able to matron-tutor for a lord at one point though.

match 2 I get most of my early goblins rfg'd but more are forthcoming. at one point the AI puts up a fight with Bloodbraid Elf into Kitchen Finks but cycled Incinerator plus suicide goblins and sharpshooter ensure that in the end the goblins are still standing. as am I.

match F

as thedrig: go with a risky turn 3 NO but no edict shows up for the (or rather the black mana).

match 2 I have no beats but counter the first two threats the AI plays and we draw off the top with an empty board. draw into both Progenitus and have to tutor for a Brainstorm to shuffle them away again. have no answer to Broodmate Dragon -.-

match 3 I wait till I have an extra creature on the board to defend against edict and NO for the win with counterspell backup.

as jundinator: decent hand with access to all 3 mana types and the AI gives me some more. cascade rocks, no NO for the AI and Thrinaxes beat down.

match 2 remove all eraly creatures which turns out to be key as the AI discards a NO to a cascaded Blightning.

bracket G

as discorandom: need to mull to 4 first game to even get some mana. almost make a comeback when the AI gets Eldrazi Monument plus a Bitterblossom (which I managed to skull on turn 2) with the AI at 6 life and me with a Tombstalker and two Buddes in play. Corrupt on the Tombstalker spells my doom, alas. I suicide the Buddes into immortal faeries looking for an answer but find none. have to play a Vindicate on the Bitterblossom of all things hoping to get rid of the faes and thus the monument which actually works. life is 4 for the AI (two Ivry Tower and Arena in play) and 6 for me. at this point I have 14 lands in play and Arena just takes over with the AI getting slowly back his life. that is all he does somehow and ends up decking himself. very weird game.

match 2 is another yawnfest with the AI hiding behind Ivory Tower s and scarcely playing anything proactive. luckily I can Vindicate a Phyrexian Arena and finally get some discard going midgame. takes forever, though.

as shantak: surprisingly you can win with this deck if you actually PLAY SPELLS instead of gaining life with Ivorz Tower! details include Damnation, tokens and Eldrayi Monument (which I actually wanted to build a deck with but the AI sucks at playing Mycoloth)

match 2 AI throws tons of removal at my faerie tokens and actually does some damage to me by doing so. Pulse and Tendrils the big guys and eventually scare off the smaller ones with tokens. hang my head in shame as I actually have to stop playing spells for a bit to pay off Bitterblossom via Ivory Tower -.- eventually win with tokens plus Overrun.

last bracket!

as nyktorion: game 1 merely point Figure of Destiny at the opponent and stack exalted defenders on defense while the AI gets one single Taiga into play.

match 2 meh, play cost-effective critters, throw around removal and have more critters than the opponent when the dust clears.

as yggdrasil: Woolly Thoctar is surprisingly huge. he gets turned sideways a lot while removal flies everywhere but at him.

match 2 Thoctar only gets to smash twice but the AI merely gets two critters out which get helixed. well, okay the goyf needed two of them. eventually win by reloading on Figures with a Ranger of Eos.


cognis +2 points
monopoman +2 points
thedrigo +1 point
jundinator +2 points
discorandom +2 points
shantak +2 points
nyktorion +2 points
yggdrasil +2 points

I'll give more in depth match details now that I have more time. Sorry for the very short comments from earlier matches

Match E:

Cognis vs Monopoman

game 1: 2 Fetch, 2 Plains, Scute Mob, Ajani G., Path. Against human Goblins this is an auto-mulligan. Against AI, it's close. Mull to 6 no lands. Mull to 5 with fetch, forest, Nacatl, Wall of Reverence, Eternal Witness. Fantastic 5 card hand all things considered.

AI opens with 2 bushwhackers and I play an early Skyfisher. I could be in trouble but at least turn 3 won't send a goblin lord down my throat.

I trade Nacatl for 3 goblins. With Witness and Wall of Reverence in hand I am no doubt playing control. I even hold back the fisher for now.

AI goes Ringleader turn four, but I go Elspeth and start jumping the Witness, leaving back big blockers. Nothing AI can do- he is too slow this game.


game 2: I mull a (plains) one lander, a zero land 6-card hand, and go into the tank on a 5 card hand with Savannah, Nacatl, Finks, Wall of Reverence and Elspeth. Keep, barely

I go land, land, Finks, Witness, Finks. My attacks keep his board clear and I'm almost 30 life. Easy win from here.


2-0


Monopoman vs Cognis

game 1: I mull a no-Lackey one-lander. I mull another 1 lander with no early plays. I tank with a miserable one lander with double Gempalm, Dragon Fodder, and Ringleader. Mull to 4. Land, Bushwhacker, Incinerator, Ringleader. Slightly worse than the 5 card hand- terrible luck. AI slowly gets out giant monsters and my late ringleaders hit nothing. Perhaps keeping 5 was correct, but even that hand would have crumbled to the AI curving out.

game 2: Three fetch, Mountain, Piledriver, Ringleader, Siege-Gang. Not happy with this hand but it has to be kept against AI. AI plays Skyfisher and I know I'm winning. He attacks over my Piledriver and a Warchief, then I play Siege-Gang and just kill him.

game 3: My opener is perfect Goblin curve. AI has THREE one mana removal and kills two lackey and a piledriver, but I still have Ringleader and he's going to be dead soon. Ringleaders fill my hand and Gempalms clear the road and no card in the opposing deck can stop the assault.


2-1


Cognis: 2 points
Monopoman: 1 Point


I enjoy playing both Goblins and Naya so these decks were fun. I feel crappy about the mull from 5 to 4 in Goblins game 1, but with Goblins, you just cannot play Gempalm/Dragon Fodder control against that Naya deck.

Match F:

AwwJund vs TheDrigo

game 1: Keep 2 lander with 3 blightning, bolt, and Thrinax. I just blightning his face off with Diabolic Edict back up and eventually beat down for an easy win with Goyfs. Jund + Goyfs is SOOOOO disgustingly sick


game 2: 3 lands, Bloodbraid, Bit Blast, Broodmate, Terminate. I kill a mana creature and get a bloodbraid down, which gets pathed. He plays a Lotus Cobra, ready to go off. I bit blast into Bloodbraid and it's over pretty quick, but not before I have to fight through removal and counters.


2-0


TheDrigo vs AwwJund

game 1: I immediately have a tough decision. Land, Fetch, Heirarch, Cobra, Pridemage, Counterspell, Force of Will. Sounds good right? Well, if I count on 2 of my 3 creatures getting removed, and pitch my Counterspell to Force...well I am just up shit creek unless I luck into Natural Order. I only keep the hand because of the weakness of the AI- Jund often has funky mana, even with beta dual lands, so I keep.

I get down Noble and Cobra, and Force of Will a Bolt aimed at the Noble. I want him to use one more piece of removal in case I draw my wincon. Odd play but I think it's correct.

I path a Thrinax and play Goyf, so AI is now in big trouble. He Bit Blasts my Goyf into Goyf (OUCH!) I brainstorm, crack my fetch to shuffle back crap, play another Noble and attack with a Cobra that is bigger than his Goyf thanks to exalted.

AI Bloodbraids into Pulse targeting my Cobra (!) thank god because I had 2 Noble Heirarchs on the field. He Terimates my lethal Pridemage and plays another Goyf...I have to draw Natural Order very soon. I draw Counterspell and lose.


game 2: No land. Mull to 6...one fetch and 3 brainstorms along with Cobra and Counterspell. I have to keep it

Brainstorm shenanigans get me my land drops and the combo in hand. Meddling Mage is a crappy insurance policy but I'll take it. Luckily Jund is very slow early. With luck I'll have a Mage on Diabolic edict and Progenitus turn 4.

He bolts both the Mage and the Cobra and I'm in trouble, despite having the Combo with counter backup in hand, and my opponent with no permanents in play (other than land). Jund is just relentless!

I play Pridemage who survives a turn, but I realize I don't have double green. I hold Counterspell and 2 Natural Order and pray it's enough. I draw green and combo off. He plays Bloodbraid into Goyf and all of a sudden I can't attack with Progenitus! I draw Noble Heirarch and the math works unless he holds alot of action, so I attack and cross my fingers. He blightnings and attacks me to three life and I barely win.


game 3: I draw 2 Natural Order, 2 land, a Path, a Petal, and a Counterspell. Very tough decision. I decide to play to topdeck a creature and play him with counter backup, so I keep.

I draw Natural Order number 3. Crap. Eat a blightning and discard 2 Natural Order. I'm all in now, and I have to pray I don't get hosed by Edict plus other removal.

I play a second Lotus Petal to bait out a Maelstrom Pulse, and end up Pathing a Bloodbraid (into bolt) instead. Still waiting on a creature...any one or two mana guy wins. Topdeck nothing but land and AI plays nothing. He's holding removal obviously. I brainstorm into Heirarch and enough mana to play him plus Natural Order with Counterspell back. I'm at 9 life so this game is definitely not over.

I play Progenitus and immediately counter Diabolic Edict. Opponent plays a Goyf with 5 cards in hand. I'm dead to a number of things, but none of them show up and I win on little life.


2-1

AwwJund: 2 points
TheDrigo: 1 Point


Holy shit, what an intense match! I was forced to play as well as I could and just barely squeaked out two wins. Jund is a horrible matchup for this Natural Order build- which is an interesting and good build, by the way.

My deck is up next, so I'll make some comments on it...

I am really proud of myself for such a good meta prediction. I expected Natural Order and Goblins, and a touch of Zoo. My deck does very well against all of them...however my match against Phyrexian Arena with tons of removal and sweepers is horrible. I knew this going in (I almost played a deck similar to Shantak's) and sure enough I drew my worst match...of course so did some other people so I can't complain too much.

Solemn Simulacrum is the only card choice I don't love. I think in hindsight I would have been better playing Damnation/Wrath. But he helps the Goblin matchup in a subtle and powerful way, so I felt I had to keep him.


Match G:


Discoransom vs Shantak

game 1: First action is Shrieking Grotesque, which gets pulsed, after which I play another one (Value Town). I get Eldrazi Monument and Damnation into the grave. He plays Garruk so I Hymn to Tourach, swords the beast token, and kill Garruk. I win the early game, but the late game is still to come.

He plays another Garruk- I kill it with my flyer and play a Tomstalker. AI then plays a bad Eldrazi Monument and I win.


game 2: I just curve out with discard plus discard creatures and think I'm going to win. But then one turn away from winning, I get screwed by a bug. AI targets my Tidehollow Sculler with Tendrils of Corruption. I Swords to Plowshares my Sculler in response. Net result...AI gains the tendrils life AND my Shrieking Grotesque gets randomly plowshared. Uh...that blows. I play a Baneslayer with Tombstalker backup in hand and win.

2-0


Shantak vs Disco


game 1: I mulligan to zero because I want my deck to win.

Actual game 1: Keep a two lander with 2 Tendrils, Arena, Pulse, and Duress. I just need Arena to hit play and i will probably win.

I Duress away Diabolic Edict and see Simulacrum and Shrieking Grotesque. Sweet news for the control deck. I hold an Ivory Tower in case I need discard fodder after Grotesque steals my Eldrazi Monument.

Simulacrum comes out and so does my Arena. I need to fire off my Tendrils soon. I draw Damnation and clear the board. I trade Tendrils with AI creatures and play Bitterblossom.

He plays Tomstalker. I yawn, Tendrils it, and play Night's Whisper plus Ivory Tower and settle in for an easy win- with Regrowth backup in hand. Ivory tower is so good I'm able to play a second Bitterblossom, and it's over eventually.

game 2: I draw a potentially amazing hand with 3 land, Blossom, Corrupt, Damnation, and Arena. I keep, but I know my hand can go from awesome to horrible very quickly.

turn 2 I draw a very awkward Ivory Tower. At this point I have to choose a line of play. Suicide Blossom Arena, or Tower Arena Corrupt Control. It's a close call but nobody ever scoffed at a turn 2 Bitterblossom so I take the suicide line. I get hit with Hymn to Tourach and I know I made the right play.

I miss my next land drop and Duress away one of two Vindicates. If only the AI were smart enough to Vindicate my land, it would be game over.

Bitterblossom stays on Forcefield duty and I know a Baneslayer Angel is coming. So it's defense for now until I make my land drops. Suicide strategy becomes control. I hold back the Arena because the easiest way for me to lose is to my own upkeep. Funny game this Magic...

Once I make my fourth land drop I play Arena with Damnation backup. The AI will play a Baneslayer as soon as it hits 2 white mana, and I'm going to wreck his world with either Damnation or Corrupt.

I miss another land drop so I Damnation right now, get my Regrowth back from the Sculler, and sit back on a ton of powerful cards.

AI draws bomb after bomb and soon I'm at 3 life and 3 cards in hand facing a Tomstalker. I have Tendrils and can stabilize as long as the AI doesn't keep hitting jackpots. He draws nothing good and I win.


2-0


Disco: 2 points
Shantak: 2 points


I think that puts Shantak a point ahead of me, so I anticipate him winning our match. Congrats on a very cool deck!

Match H:

Nyktorion vs Yggdrasil

game 1: I took a chance on a hand with plateau and 6 one mana r/w cards. I end up pathing my own lavamancer early. I clear off his board and he clears mine, then I drop a big Goyf with Path and Chain Lightning and hold on for the ride. We trade Goyf and Firewalker with our removal spells and start topdecking, me with a one card advantage, and the AI at 6 life (me at 17).

I play another goyf, he plays another firewalker. I path his guy because I hold chain lightning and can burn him out soon. He has Birds of Paradise and needs a big topdeck. He plays nothing so I Path, Swing, and Burn ftw.


game 2: I keep another 1 lander Lavamancer hand. I play a second Lavamancer and a Kird Ape (still on one land) and he Bloodbraids into Qasali Pridemange...ouch. I draw land and clear his board with Mancers and burn. He plays a Thoctar. I almost Path it, but use a Mancer activation and a bolt instead, holding my path for bigger threats. I still have three creatures in hand. He plays two guys, I clear his board, then he clears mine.

Now I hold Path, Goyf and 2 Pridemages to his 10 life and two cards. Just when I think it's over he Bloodbraids into figure, and then Rangers the next turn. All of a sudden I'm in huge trouble. His Figure goes ultimate. At 2 life I topdeck Chain Lightning with him tapped out and win a very close one.


2-0


Yggdrasil vs Nyktorion

game 1: I keep a two lander with 2 Bloodbraid, Ranger, Birds, and Bolt. I end up going Bloodbraid turn 3 and 4, then Balefire, then another Bloodbraid, then a Ranger...GG

game 2: I mulligan a five lander with figure and Pridemage. Keep 3 lands, Thoctar, Figure, and Pridemage...gonna get spicy. The AI managed to clear about a million creatures off of my board, but a Balefire came down and Figure went ultimate.


2-0

Nyktorion: 2 points
Yggdrasil: 2 points


Nyktorion's deck was super solid as expected. I have to compliment Yggdrasil on fitting Balefire Liege into the Naya shell. I tried to make a Balefire deck myself and never saw this as a possibility. It works great, and hat's off to you.

Some more final results:

Bracket E:
Salbei: cognis +2 monopoman +1
Brandon: cognis +2 monopoman +2
taron: cognis +5 monopoman +0
serbitar: cognis +2 monopoman +2
cognis: cognis +2 monopoman +2
monopoman: cognis +2 monopoman +1
yggdrasil: cognis +7 monopoman +0
juzamjedi: cognis +2 monopoman +2
thedrigo: cognis +2 monopoman +2
aww1979: cognis +2 monopoman +2
shantak: cognis +2 monopoman +1
nyktorion: cognis +2 monopoman +2
scherbchen: cognis +2 monopoman +2
discoransom: cognis +2 monopoman +1
TOTAL: COGNIS 36 vs MONOPOMAN 20

Bracket F:
nyktorion: aww1979 +2 thedrigo +2
brandon: aww1979 +5 thedrigo +0
scherbchen: aww1979 +7 thedrigo +0
taron: aww1979 +0 thedrigo +5
juzamjedi: aww1979 +5 thedrigo +0
serbitar: aww1979 +0 thedrigo +6
thedrigo: aww1979 +0 thedrigo +4
yggdrasil: aww1979 +0 thedrigo +5
monopoman: aww1979 +5 thedrigo +0
salbei: aww1979 +7 thedrigo +0
aww1979: aww1979 +5 thedrigo +5
shantak: aww1979 +4 thedrigo +0
scherbchen: aww1979 +2 thedrigo +1
discoransom: aww1979 +2 thedrigo +1
TOTAL: AWW1979 44 vs THEDRIGO 29
(fortunately my bad play with thedrigo's deck didn't cost this match, but it would have made the score closer, in the best case scenario for drigo it would be a 2-1 win for 39-30, or 42-29 if I'd lost the game 3 and it was a 1-2 loss)

edit: found all the 'missing' reports except for thedrigo and yggdrasil on Bracket H, so I'll post the Bracket G final results now:

Bracket G:
taron: discoransom +1 pts shantak +1 pts
brandon: discoransom +2 pts shantak +2 pts
juzamjedi: discoransom +2 pts shantak +2 pts
cognis: discoransom +2 pts shantak +2 pts
thedrigo: discoransom +2 pts shantak +2 pts
salbei: discoransom +1 pts shantak +1 pts
nyktorion: discoransom +2 pts shantak +2 pts
shantak: discoransom +1 pts shantak +2 pts
aww1979: discoransom +1 pts shantak +1 pts
yggdrasil: discoransom +2 pts shantak +2 pts
scherbchen: discoransom +2 pts shantak +2 pts
discoransom: discoransom +2 pts shantak +2 pts
serbitar: discoransom +2 pts shantak +2 pts
monopoman: discoransom +2 pts shantak +1 pts
TOTAL: DISCORANSOM 24 vs SHANTAK 24

edit: blah ok mis-transcribed one of the results from my record to the post, which is why the math disagreed :p It really is 24-24. I had mistranscribed monopoman's result from my record to the forum. This means I will in fact play a sudden death match with these two decks, after England whoops USA tomorrow. I will play one game (best of 1) as human with each deck. If both win, or both lose, I will repeat the process. If one wins and one loses, the winner advances to round 2. (just like world cup sudden death penalty kicks, if my explanation is no good)

Bracket H: This isn't completed, but with thedrigo still to test (unless I missed his post) and yggdrasil not testing this one, right now yggdrasil is ahead by 10 points, so yggdrasil is most likely the winner here.

aww1979 wrote:Some more final results:
Bracket G:
shantak: discoransom +1 pts shantak +2 pts
TOTAL: DISCORANSOM 24 vs SHANTAK 25

edit: can't add :p it is 24-25, not 24-24. All players got the same scores in all matches except one, where shantak got +2 and disco got +1. Extremely close!

I feel kind of conflicted, since it was me playing my own deck that got one more point for me. Maybe we should all do like yggdrasil and decline playing our own decks in the tournament?

Sorry, check again :p I had to edit my post due to a typing error. It really is a tie after all. I'd added the math in my records to get the 24-24, but due to the typo, when I doublechecked adding the numbers in the post, I got 24-25, but Monopoman in fact earned you only one point, not two, so it is truly a tie.

Also, I don't really see an issue with people playing their own decks. If people are going to be dishonest, not playing their own deck won't solve the problem, as they could just purposely lose matches with decks they fear they might encounter in the future.