Jan Tournament (SSA) Results - round 3 ends Jan 31

[jatill]

Round 2:
jatill vs Salbei: 2-1
Game 1: Hymn + Mindstab + dudes = win
Game 2: All the Hymns in the world don't stop the AI from topdecking lands into bombs, and I get outclassed. I concede from 30 life.
Game 3: Double Hymn, but still had to fight through Inferno Titan and Chandra to barely win.

Salbei vs jatill: 2-0
Game 1: Turn 2 Order would have gone the whole way if I didn't draw Platinum on the last possible turn. Thrull Retainer laughed at Day of Judgment.
Gane 2: Turn 2 Hymn missed my land (phew), and I landed Inferno Titan 1 turn before double Order nuked me.

240 vs juzamjedi: 2-0
Game 1: Both sides had some tricky plays to make, but Rocket Launcher + Candleabra was the decider.
Game 2: Time Elemental blocked my Battering Ram AI made a comeback, but Umezawa shoed up too late to save him.

Juzamjedi vs 240: 2-0
Game 1: I cast Umezawa, but the AI Strip Mine'd 3 Swamps, and then reshuffled the Mines with Feldon's Cane! So I never cast another spell, but Time Elemental + 3/3 got the job done.
Game 2: I was Swampless again most of the game, but Time Elemental was still boss.

[Salbei]

Group C:
Not playing it.

Group D:
240sxForever vs Juzamjedi 2-0
Game1:Factories + Candelabra "tricked" the AI a couple times.
Game2:2 early Strip Mines cut off Juzams Mana early so i won without much of a fight.

Juzamjedi vs 240sxForever 2-0
Game1:Was a pretty long game. Had some trouble to deal with his Clockwork Avian that almost killed me.
Game2:His Factories took a major chunk of my hp. Had to use a couple dirty tricks to not loose this one.

[Shantak]

Round 2

Group C
jatill
Salbei

Match25 finished

jatill vs Salbei | Open

Game1:
clear win
Score: 1-0
Notes: Mindstab Thrull took out three bombs (Magma Phoenix, Serra Angel, Day of Judgment). Order of Ebon Hand and Necrite do good damage and Trull Champion helps later. AI doesn't get to cast anything.

Game2:
clear loss
Score: 1-1
Notes: I start with 2x Hymn to Tourach and feel I'm winning this, but AI opens with Serra Ascendant while in 30 life. With no removal (Necrite could have done it but I didn't get any) I have no chance.

Game3:
clear win
Score: 2-1
Notes: AI gets Serra Ascendant one turn too late. I make him discard some lands and beat with my bigger army.

Summary:
Always disturbed AI's hand enough to hurt his manabase and he never got to cast his bombs.
Result: 2-1

Match26 finished

Salbei vs jatill | Open

Game1:
open game
Score: 1-0
Notes: Was Hymned twice but luckily got Ember Hauler in play to block (or threaten to block). I slowly draw more land, then cast Sun Titan (which works great with Ember Hauler) and Hoarding Dragon. When I draw Chandra AI loses few turns faster than otherwise.

Game2:
open game
Score: 2-0
Notes: No early Hymn, I get to cast Hoarding Dragon but it has to remain as a blocker. AI builds a 3/3 Thrull army, but then I get Inferno Titan. After that the Thrulls are easy pickings.

Game3:
-

Summary:
If I get an early creature out to keep AI from attacking, the rest is easy once bomb hits the play.
Result: 2-0

Group D
240sxforever
Juzamjedi

Match27 finished

240sxforever vs Juzamjedi | Open

Game1:
open game
Score: 1-0
Notes: Even after one mulligan I only have 2 lands, but in few turns I get the missing Urza land and start casting good with Candelabra of Tawnos. Still with just three lands I get Colossus of Sardia in play and he smashes AI in a few turns. If not for Candelabra, I might have lost.

Game2:
open game
Score: 2-0
Notes: AI gets Tetsuo Umezawa but I kill him when he blocks my Mishra's Factory, which I then untap with the Candelabra and pump. After some turns, when I tap out to cast Shapeshifter, AI then kills it and Clay Soldier with Pyrotechnics (I was afraid of that, but not enough, it seems). I recover with Dragon Engine and Clockwork Avian and win.

Game3:
-

Summary:
Candelabra of Tawnos with Urzatron was key to my win in both games. With 30 life buffer it might have worked even without it, but would have been harder.
Result: 2-0

Match28 finished

Juzamjedi vs 240sxforever | Open

Game1:
clear win
Score: 1-0
Notes: I have Tetsuo Umezawa out on third turn. He can and does kill everything AI puts to play. AI has full Urzatron in play but casts nothing after the initial creatures so he has likely given up.

Game2:
open game
Score: 2-0
Notes: I take hits for some turns while discarding AI's hand with Gwendlyn Di Gorci. After that, simple beatdown. or finisher, I use Nicol Bolas.

Game3:
-

Summary:
Seemed like AI didn't cast all it could even early in the game. With enough pseudo-removal, there was no difficulty winning.
Result: 2-0

Points

Group C
Salbei - 2
jatill - 1

Group D
240sxforever - 2
Juzamjedi - 2

[aww1979]

Round 2:

Group C

40sxForever vs Juzamjedi (DONE) | Open

Game 1: Playing first, I get a pretty sweet hand. 1 each of Urza's Tower, PPlant and Mine, Primal Clay, Coral Helm, Clockwork Avian, Su-Chi and Yotian Soldier.
Turn 1: Play Urza's Tower. AI plays island.
Turn 2: Draw Candelabra of Tawnos. Wow, this is going to be a slaughter. Play Urza's Mine, Candelabra. AI plays swamp, Zephyr Falcon.
Turn 3: Draw Mishra's Factory, play Urza's Powerplant. Tap urza set for 7, tap 3 to candelabra and untap it and retap urza's for 7 more, for 11 mana total. Cast Primal Clay (3/3) Su-Chi and Yotian Soldier. AI plays mountain, attacks for 1, and casts Tetsuo Umezawa.
Turn 4: Draw Shapeshifter, play Mishra's Factory, tap lands, untap urzas with candelabra (12 mana in pool) and cast Clockwork Avian and Shapeshifter. (3/4) Attack with everything. (hoping AI doesn't get a second black land to activate Tetsuo; even if it does, I'm still going to overwhelm it very quickly) AI blunders and blocks Yotian Soldier with both creatures (rather than Su-Chi or saving tetsuo for when it gets another swamp) and I lose the soldier but kill the falcon, and AI takes 7 damage. AI plays Mountain and passes.
Turn 5: Draw Ornithopter, cast Coral Helm. Animate Mishra's Factory, tap the rest of urza set and untap them all with the candelabra. Attack with everything. Tetsuo blocks Mishra's, and I throw Ornithophter to Coral Helm (only card in hand) to pump Mishra's to 4/4. Tetsuo dies and AI takes 14 damage. AI plays Mountain and passes.
Turn 6: Make shapeshifter 6/1, draw Strip Mine, animate Mishra's, pump mishra's with itself, untap it with candelabra, use Coral Helm (throwing strip mine) to pump mishra's, and attack wiht everything for 21 damage for the win. 1-0
Game 2: Drawing first, I pick up another very sweet hand with Onulet, Colossus of Sardia, Mishra's Factory, Strip Mine, Dragon Engine, and 1 each of the urzalands.
Turn 1: AI plays Island. Draw/play Urza's Tower.
Turn 2: AI plays Mountain, Zephyr Falcon. Draw/play Ornithopter, play Urza's Mine.
Turn 3: AI plays Island, Chain Lightning on Ornithopter, and attacks for 1. Draw Primal Clay, play Urza's Powerplant (all urza's out) and cast Dragon Engine; AI casts Remove Soul on it. Then I cast Primal Clay as a 2/2 flyer.
Turn 4: AI plays Swamp. Draw Staff of Zegon, play Urza's Tower and Colossus of Sardia. AI casts Mana Drain on it. FFFuuuccc.... Attack for 2 with Primal Clay.
Turn 5: AI plays Island, swings for 1, and passes. Draw Urza's Mine, play/sac Strip Mine on Swamp, cast Onulet and Staff of Zegon and attack for 2.
Turn 6: AI plays Mountain (I guessed right on which land to strip last turn!) and attacks me; I use Staff of Zegon on the falcon to prevent the damage. Draw/play Mishra's Factory and attack for 4.
Turn 7: AI plays Swamp (oh, guess it didn't matter too much after all) and attacks; I use the staff again to prevent it. Draw Triskelion, play Mishra's Factory, Triskelion, animate/pump Mishra's to 3/3 and attack with everything for 7.
Turn 8: AI plays swamp and attacks; Triskelion spends a counter to kill the falcon. AI casts Time Elemental. Draw/play Urza's Powerplant, animate both mishra's and attack with everything. AI idiotically blocks Triskelion with Time Elemental, and so takes 13 damage total, losing the elemental. AI is now at 2 life (would've been at 4 life had it NOT blocked) and so I just throw the other 2 triskelion counters at it for the win. 2-0

Wow, talk about the dream hand both games. Even with two counterspells in game 2 on my two best cards, I still cleaned house.

Juzamjedi vs 240sxForever (DONE) (AI completely threw away game 2; sorry) | Open

Game 1: Playing first, I get dealt Mountain, 2x Swamp, Pyrotechnics, Force Spike, Carrion Ants, Infernal Medusa, Giant Strength. Not exactly ideal, but the ants and pyrotechnics are pretty good limited cards, so I'll keep and hope I can get them out.
Turn 1: Play swamp. AI plays/sacs Strip Mine on it.
Turn 2: Draw/play Island. AI plays Urza's Mine and Feldon's Cane; that's so crappy a card I let it resolve.
Turn 3: Draw/play Mountain. AI plays Urza's Powerplant and Ornithopter.
Turn 4: Draw Fallen Angel, play Swamp. AI plays Mishra's Factory, activates Feldon's Cane, and casts Dragon Engine; I Force Spike it.
Turn 5: Draw/play Swamp (YES) and cast Carrion Ants. AI plays Urza's Powerplant and Coral Helm, then animates mishra's even though it's already tapped...
Turn 6: Draw Mana Drain, play Mountain. Cast Giant Strength on Carrion Ants and attack, then pump to the max when it isn't blocked for 5 damage. AI plays/sacs Strip Mine on one of my Mountains, then casts Clay Statue.
Turn 7: Draw Time Elemental. Attack with carrion ants and pump to 6/7 when AI doesn't block. AI attacks for 3 with Clay Statue and passes.
Turn 8: Draw Walking Dead, attack with Carrion Ants. AI doesn't block and I pump to 6/7 again. (27-13 life) AI plays Urza's Tower (that's all 3 now) and attacks for 3 with the statue, then casts Clockwork Avian.
Turn 9: Draw/play Mountain. Attack with Carrion Ants; Ornithopter chump blocks; it has no way of knowing this is the first time I've been able to use my mana for something else productive, and was just as happy it picked that turn to chump. Cast Fallen Angel. AI attacks with avian and statue; I take the 7; AI passes after that.
Turn 10: Draw/play Swamp, attack with ants and angel, pumping ants to 8/9 when mishra's doesn't block, for 11 damage total. (17-2 life) AI attacks me for 6 with statue/avian, casts Rocket Launcher, and then stupidly throws Triskelion to Coral Helm to pump Clockwork Avian postcombat...
Turn 11: Draw Greed, attack for the win.

Game 2: Drawing first, I get dealt... 3x Island, 3x Mountain, and 2x Swamp. Given the high casting cost of the cards in this deck and the four strip mines in the AI deck, I'll keep it.
Turn 1: AI passes, no land drop even. Draw Tor Wauki, play Island.
Turn 2: AI plays/sacs Strip Mine on island. Draw Greed, play Mountain. (I'd played Island first in case I drew Mana Drain early, but now I'm just baiting more strip mines)
Turn 3: AI plays/sacs Strip Mine on Mountain. Draw/play Swamp.
Turn 4: AI plays Mishra's Factory. Draw Carrion Ants, play Island.
Turn 5: AI plays Urza's Powerplant. (no attack? wtf?) Draw Pyrotechnics, play Mountain.
Turn 6: AI plays Urza's Powerplant. Draw/play Swamp, cast Carrion Ants.
Turn 7: AI passes, discarding Mightstone EOT. (at least it picked what is almost certainly its worst card in hand to throw) Draw Force Spike, play Island and Tor Wauki.
Turn 8: AI plays Urza's Tower and still no spells. Draw Fallen Angel, attack with everything, pump ants to 6/7 for 9 damage.
Turn 9: AI plays Urza's Mine (now it's got boatloads of mana, 10 to be precise) but it STILL passes. Draw Infernal Medusa, play swamp and attack with everything, pumping ants to 7/8 for 10 damage.
Turn 10: AI plays Urza's Tower and PASSES. It can cast every damn card in the deck at this point, hasn't played a spell all game, hasn't attacked with Mishra's, and it either has no land in hand or isn't playing it, based on the turn 7 discard. I feel like I'm playing solitaire this game, and truthfully, I am. Draw Giant Strength, play Mountain and Giant Strength on Tor Wauki, then attack with everything. AI finally wakes up and chumps Carrion Ants with Mishra's Factory, so I pump it twice only, and AI takes 5 from Tor Wauki. I've got 4 mana sitting here so I cast Greed just for fun. (keeping U open for Force Spike against 12 mana looks pretty stupid as the alternative)
Turn 11: AI passes, discarding Su-Chi EOT. Face smashes into palm. When I regain consciousness, draw Psionic Entity and attack for the win. (if you can call it that; AI literally did nothing) 2-0

Well... game 1 I felt I had to actually work for a bit, at least more so than playing on the other side. Game 2... well, that was just bullshit. Sorry, 240sxforever, but the AI is just a dumbass some days.

Group D

Jatill vs Salbei (DONE) | Open

Game 1: Playing first, keep 4x Swamp, Mindstab Thrull, Draconian Cylix, Ebon Praetor, Aeolipile.
Turn 1: Play swamp. AI plays Mountain, Brittle Effigy.
Turn 2: Draw/play swamp, cast Aeolipile. AI plays mountain.
Turn 3: Draw Order of the Ebon Hand, play Swamp, Mindstab Thrull. AI plays mountain.
Turn 4: Draw Thrull Retainer. Play swamp, Order, and then cast Thrull Retainer on it before realizing that was a waste due to the Brittle Effigy. Oh, well. Attack with the thrull and sac it to force AI to discard 3 cards; they are Baneslayer Angel, Juggernaut, and Condemn. AI passes.
Turn 5: Draw/play swamp, swing with order and pump twice for 5 damage. AI plays Mountain and sacs Brittle Effigy to kill the Order; it is removed from game so Thrull Retainer cannot save it.
Turn 6: Draw/play Swamp. I could cast Ebon Praetor, but I have nothing to sac to it; however, anything I get will probably be better than it, so I cast it anyway; I'll try to sneak 4 damage in. AI passes.
Turn 7: Praetor shrinks, draw/play Swamp, cast Draconian Cylix, attack for 3. I'll start hoarding lands in hand, including the one I have left, in case I want to use the cylix. AI plays Plains and Fireball on Ebon Praetor for 4. That's not even worth discarding to regenerate so I let it die.
Turn 8: Draw swamp, pass. AI passes.
Turn 9: Draw swamp, pass. AI casts Ember Hauler.
Turn 10: Draw/play Necrite. AI plays Mountain. I'm not sure what it could be sensibly holding, other than double-white spells.
Turn 11: Draw Order of the Ebon Hand. Attack with Necrite. (I didn't want to play the order first in cast the Ember Hauler sacced to kill it) AI blocks to trade with Ember Hauler. I use the Cylix to regenerate Necrite (discarding swamp), then cast the Order. AI casts Serra Ascendant.
Turn 12: Draw Mindstab Thrull, attack with Necrite and Order. Pump order twice and AI takes 6, then cast Mindstab Thrull. AI casts Inferno Titan, and does 2 damage to the Order and 1 to the Necrite, so I lose just the Order. (wtf? why not the other way around?)
Turn 13: Draw/play Zelyon Sword. Very, very nice draw, and boy am I glad I saved Aeolipile like a good little boy. Attack with Necrite and Mindstab Thrull. AI blocks Mindstab Thrull with Inferno Titan; I sacrifice the unblocked Necrite to bury Inferno Titan. (had it gone the other way around, using Zelyon Sword and Aeolipile would have combined to do 6 damage to the titan, but this way I can still use the mindstab thrull to eat the AIs hand) AI attacks with Serra Ascendant; I sac Aeolipile to kill it. (if I don't, it might hit me for several turns before I draw a creature, as I hope to use the thrull to force a discard) AI casts Cyclops Gladiator, and EOT I use Zelyon Sword on Mindstab Thrull.
Turn 14: Draw Hymn to Tourach. Attack with Mindstab Thrull; AI blocks to trade, and I use the cylix to regenerate my thrull (should've played the hymn first, but I was thinking it might choose not to block) All is well, as the Cylix makes me discard only a swamp. Cast Hymn to Tourach on AI, who discards Plains and Platinum Angel. Face hits palm again. AI passes.
Turn 15: Draw/play Elven Lyre, attack for 4. (not saccing; I'm going to try and kill AI directly, plus it has only 2 cards in hand so the thrull won't get its full effect) AI plays Plains and passes.
Turn 16: Draw swamp, attack for 4. AI passes.
Turn 17: Draw swamp, attack for 4, but the game locks up and I have to restart. Sorry One more turn unopposed and jatill would've won, but salbei had ways to get out of it, so I think the best thing is just to replay it in this case.
Game 1b: Play first, get a very nice hand with 3x Swamp, Necrite, Mindstab Thrull, Ring of Renewal, Hymn to Tourach, and Thrull Retainer.
Turn 1: Play swamp. AI plays Plains, Brittle Effigy.
Turn 2: Draw/play swamp, cast Hymn to Tourach; AI discards Plains and Sun Titan. AI plays Mountain.
Turn 3: Draw/play Swamp, cast Mindstab Thrull. AI plays Plains.
Turn 4: Draw Hymn to Tourach, play swamp and hymn; AI loses Ajani Goldmane and Serra Angel and has no hand left. Attack for 2 (this time remembering to save Thrull Retainer until the effigy gets sacced) AI casts Blinding Mage.
Turn 5: Draw/play swamp, attack for 2, and cast Necrite. AI plays Mountain and sacs the effigy to kill Mindstab Thrull.
Turn 6: Draw Soul Exchange. Play swamp, Ring of Renewal, and Thrull Retainer on Necrite, then attack for 3. AI plays Mountain and attacks for 1.
Turn 7: Draw Swamp, activate Ring of Renewal, discarding Soul Exchange at random to draw Swamp and Derelor; play Swamp and attack for 3. AI attacks for 1.
Turn 8: Draw/play Swamp, cast Derelor, attack for 3. AI casts Magma Phoenix.
Turn 9: Draw/play Elven Lyre. Activate Ring of Renewal, discarding swamp (only card in hand) to draw Order of the Ebon Hand and Hymn to Tourach. With only 1 mana untapped, I can't play them, but I do have the Elven Lyre available. Attack with Necrite and Derelor. AI blocks Derelor with Blinding Mage and Magma Phoenix. I then realize I perhaps should have read Magma Phoenix more closely; it will do 3 damage to everything when it dies. I have a few options about whether to sac necrite or not and whether to use the lyre or not, but I decide to use neither; I will let the Phoenix explode and I regenerate the Necrite by saccing Thrull Retainer. (life totals now 25-11) AI casts Hoarding Dragon.
Turn 10: Draw Ebon Praetor. Cast Ebon Praetor and Order of the Ebon Hand. AI attacks for 4 with the dragon and passes.
Turn 11: Sac Necrite to Ebon Praetor (6/5 now) and draw/cast Hymn to Tourach; AI discards Plains and Platinum Angel and now has no hand, meaning I've won. Pump Order 3 times and swing for 11, which is just enough to win. 1-0

Game 2: Drawing first, keep 2x Hymn to Tourach, Necrite, 2x Swamp, Elven Lyre, Aeolipile, Zelyon Sword.
Turn 1: AI plays Mountain. Draw/play swamp.
Turn 2: AI plays mountain. Draw Order of the Ebon Hand, play Swamp and Hymn to Tourach. (AI discards Mountain, Fireball)
Turn 3: AI plays Terramorphic Expanse and sacs it for Plains. Draw/play swamp, cast Hymn to Tourach; AI discards Pacifism and Day of Judgement and has no hand.
Turn 4: AI plays plains. Draw Thrull Champion, play Swamp, Order of the Ebon Hand, and Aeolipile.
Turn 5: AI plays Plains. Draw Ebon Praetor, play Necrite and attack for 2.
Turn 6: AI casts Magma Phoenix. Draw Draconian Cylix, play Elven Lyre, attack with the Order, and pump to 3/1 when Magma Phoenix blocks it; they both die, and phoenix blows up, killing necrite. (I really should've attacked with Necrite too; not sure wtf I was thinking) Fortunately, I expect to win this game anyway, despite my blunder.
Turn 7: AI passes. Draw/play Swamp, cast Thrull Champion. Love that card; so much nostalgia for the old days.
Turn 8: AI passes. Draw/play Mindstab Thrull, attack with Thrull Champion. Sadly, AI casts Condemn on it. Poor Thrull Champion; I will miss you...
Turn 9: AI casts Ember Hauler. Draw Necrite, attack with Mindstab Thrull; Ember Hauler blocks to trade, and I decline to use my lyre to save it, since AI could just sac the hauler. Cast Necrite.
Turn 10: AI passes. Draw/play swamp. I could cast Ebon Praetor, but I can also cast/activate Zelyon Sword on Necrite, and that's what I do, and then attack for 4.
Turn 11: AI plays Mountain. Draw/play swamp, cast Ebon Praetor, attack for 4.
Turn 12: AI plays mountain and Vengeful Archon. Not pretty, but I can handle it, with some smarts. Untap Zelyon Sword, decline to sac to the praetor (3/3 now) and draw/play Swamp, cast Draconian Cylix, attack with Necrite and Ebon Praetor. AI blocks the praetor with the archon, and I use Zelyon Sword and Elven Lyre to pump the praetor to 7/5 first strike! Praetor pwninates the archon and Necrite hits for 2. (I didn't see it until after, but I could've sacced necrite to bury the archon, and then the ebon praetor with trample would've hit the AI, but I think the way I did it is better; it does less damage this turn and costs my lyre, but keeps my necrite around)
Turn 13: AI casts Inferno Titan, and splits the damage 1 to the Necrite and 2 to the Ebon Praetor, and neither die. Okay, some AI misplays I can maybe see as being too complex, but that's just fail on any level. Ebon Praetor shrinks (3/1 with sword) when I don't sac to it, draw swamp, which I keep in hand for cylix fodder. Attack with Necrite and Ebon Praetor. AI blocks the praetor with the titan, and I sac Necrite to bury it. AI should have taken 3 trample damage, but due to a bug, the 3 damage is done to the Inferno Titan instead, even though it's dead.
Turn 14: AI casts Baneslayer Angel. Untap Zelyon Sword, Ebon Praetor dies, draw Hymn to Tourach. AI has 1 card in hand, but I'll bet it's an unplayed land, so I wait. When I pass the turn, however, it locks up, and never gets to the AIs next turn. Sadly, I must restart this one, too. I suppose it's only fair; jatill's nearly sure win crashed game 1, and now salbei's nearly sure win crashed, and wouldn't even needed to have been played had jatill's nearly sure win played out. (unless jatill managed to lose it somehow)

Game 2b: Playing first, keep 3x Swamp, Order of the Ebon Hand, Thrull Champion, Hymn to Tourach, Thrull Retainer, Draconian Cylix.
Turn 1: Play swamp. AI plays Mountain.
Turn 2: Draw/play swamp, cast Hymn to Tourach. (AI discards Plains and Mountain) AI plays Plains.
Turn 3: Draw Ebon Praetor, play Swamp, Order of the Ebon Hand, and Thrull Retainer on it. AI plays Mountain and Fireball for 2 on the Order; I sac the Thrull Retainer to regenerate it.
Turn 4: Draw/play swamp, attack and pump order twice for 4 damage. AI plays Mountain and Serra Ascendant.
Turn 5: Draw Derelor, play Swamp, cast Thrull Champion. (not derelor, as if i don't topdeck swamp, I can't cast the champion after) Attack with the Order for 2. AI passes.
Turn 6: Draw Soul Exchange, cast Derelor, attack for 5. AI casts Brittle Effigy.
Turn 7: Draw/play Swamp, attack with everything, and pump Order 3 times; AI takes 13, not blocking. AI sacs Brittle Effigy to exile Thrull Champion, then foolishly attacks with Serra Ascendant.
Turn 8: Draw Hymn to Tourach, pump Order three times and attack for the win. 2-0

Ugh, two crashes in the same match. Bad enough when there's one... Fortunately, unless there a miracle topdeck occurred in game 1, the end result would've been 2-0, just as it is now, so hopefully nobody feels cheated. I had to fight tooth and nail to win with jatill's deck, even though it's very fast and disruptive with the hymns, while salbei's is very slow, but has deadly cards once they hit play. I thought this would be a walk in the park for jatill, but it was very tough to get those wins.

Salbei vs Jatill (DONE) | Open

Game 1: Playing first, keep 2x Plains, Ajani Goldmane, Mountain, Fireball.
Turn 1: Play plains. AI plays swamp.
Turn 2: Draw Pacifism, play Mountain. AI plays Swamp, Elven Lyre.
Turn 3: Draw Chandra Nalaar, play Plains. AI plays Swamp, Necrite.
Turn 4: Draw/play Plains, cast Pacifism on Necrite. It's useless against Orders, so that's a good chance to put it to some use. AI plays Swamp and Derelor. Oh... darn.
Turn 5: Draw/play Mountain (nice) and I can either kill Derelor with Fireball or Chandra Nalaar. I opt for Chandra and use 4 loyalty. AI plays swamp and Ring of Renewal.
Turn 6: Draw/play Mountain. Chandra boinks AI for 1, cast Ajani Goldmane and misclick, and miss my chance to gain 2 life; hopefully that won't matter. (I thought I'd clicked on Ajani, then pressed 'enter' to pick the first choice, but it turns out I misclicked and 'enter' passed my turn :p) AI casts Thrull Champion.
Turn 7: Draw/play/sac Terramorphic Expanse for Mountain. Gain 2 life with ajani (for real this time) Since chandra is at 3 loyalty, I think it's better to use the fireball on the thrull champion instead of using up chandra, so Fireball roasts the Thrull Champion and Chandra Nalaar does 1 damage to AI. AI plays Swamp and activates Ring of Renewal. (discarding Order of the Ebon Hand)
Turn 8: Draw Condemn. Chandra does 1 damage to AI and gain 2 life with Ajani. AI activates Ring of Renewal. (discarding Swamp)
Turn 9: Draw/play Hoarding Dragon, and select Juggernaut. Sac Ajani to make an avatar token, and do 1 damage to AI with Chandra. (had I not snafued on turn 6, I'd have won right now) AI plays Swamp, activates Ring of Renewal (discarding Mindstab Thrull) and passes.
Turn 10: Draw Mountain, attack for 38 damage for the win! 1-0

Game 2: Drawing first, get almost the same hand as last time. 2x Mountain, Plains, Ajani Goldmane, Ember Hauler. Keep.
Turn 1: AI plays swamp. Draw Terramorphic Expanse, play Mountain. (this is important to play mountain first, so that I can get turn 2 ember hauler instead of turn 3 if I fetch plains with TE, which I need for Ajani turn 4)
Turn 2: AI plays swamp, Order of the Ebon Hand. Draw Condemn, play Mountain, Ember Hauler.
Turn 3: AI plays swamp, Necrite. Draw Serra Angel. Now I have a choice between Plains and TE; one lets me play Ajani turn 4 for sure and the other lets me have Condemn open. I'll play TE and sac for Plains, since the Ember Hauler can help with an attack if it happens.
Turn 4: AI plays swamp and Derelor. Draw/play Plains and pass so that W is open for Condemn on Derelor.
Turn 5: AI casts Hymn to Tourach (I lose Plains and Ajani Goldmane) and then attacks with Derelor and Order of the Ebon Hand, which it gives first strike to. I could get fancy and block derelor and then sac to kill the order, but since I'll need to Condemn the Derelor next turn anyway, I might as well do it now. Cast Condemn on Derelor, sac Ember Hauler to kill Order of the Ebon Hand. Draw/play Plains, cast Serra Angel
Turn 6: AI plays swamp. Draw/play Magma Phoenix, attack for 4 with Serra. (good thing the angel doesn't tap when attacking, or without that phoenix I'd have to sit on it due to Necrite)
Turn 7: AI plays swamp, Elven Lyre. Draw Platinum Angel, attack for 7.
Turn 8: AI casts Thrull Retainer on Necrite and passes. (It really should've attacked and used Elven Lyre if I blocked with serra...) Draw Cyclops Gladiator (can't cast, I have RRWWW) and attack for 7.
Turn 9: AI plays Swamp and Ebon Praetor. Draw/cast Juggernaut, attack for 7. (it may seem silly to play that, but it forces AI to either sac necrite to the praetor or use the lyre to deal with juggernaut)
Turn 10: AI sacs Necrite to Ebon Praetor and attacks; I take the 6. Draw/play Plains, attack for 12 and win. 2-0 (AI should've kept the praetor back to buy a turn by blocking juggernaut, but the deck had no way of dealing with two flyers this late in the game anyway, so it doesn't matter.)

Well, I definitely felt it was easier to win with salbei's deck in this matchup. Salbei's deck has the advantage in that it is dead simple for the AI to play; it's pretty hard not to figure out what to do with some fat flyer when it's time to attack, whereas jatill's deck had to pull all kinds of tricks to deal with the creatures. (none of which the AI could figure out from that side of the table)

RESULTS | Open

240sxforever = 2 pts
Juzamjedi = 2 pts
Jatill = 2 pts
Salbei = 2 pts

Based on the games I played and how the AI did with the decks, I suspect that 240sxforever and salbei will be in the finals. (at least assuming the AI doesn't completely bend over for the human like it did in game 2 in the juzamjedi vs 240sxforever match)

In the finals, it's a bit harder to say. I think salbei will probably win it, though, as his deck, as I said, is much easier to play. 240sxforever's deck doesn't take a lot of skill, either, but there are the occasional little nuances that the AI will probably miss that will likely give the edge to salbei.

[Aswan jaguar]

Group C
240sxForever - Juzamjedi 2-0

Game1:3strip mines in opening hand deny blue and red mana crippling AI,Urza's assembly+Candelabra allow Triskellion,Clay Statue,Colossus of Sardia to make a walk 30-0.
Game 2 Again 2 Strip Mine s I draw first 2t deny blue,red mana so AI just casts Carrion Ants,before the turn I finish him off. Triskellion,Dragon Engine,Colossus of Sardia end this.

Juzamjedi-240sxForever 2-0
Game 1:I have 5 lands in opening hand so I am not afraid the 2 Strip Mines that hit me.I get Tetsuo Umezawa in play,then Fallen Angel,so Colossus of Sardia and AI's bigger artifact army are controlled.
Game 2: AI casts a 5\2 Shapeshifter who swigs 1,I get mana to cast Pyrotechnics and kill it.Then I dominate the table+ AI gives up 2t later.

Group D

Jatill - Salbei 2-0
Game 1: Hymn to Tourach(Mountain,Pacifism),Mindstab Thrull sacs for (Inferno Titan,Sun Titan,Vengeful Archon) Mindstab Thrull and Order of the Ebon Hand end it.
Game 2 1)Hymn to Tourach (Vengeful Archon,Baneslayer Angel) 2)Hymn to Tourach for (Mountain,Magma phoenix)3) Hymn to Tourach for (Serra Ascendant,Ancient Hellkite).2 Order of the Ebon Hand and a Mindstab Thrull win this.

Salbei - Jatill 2-0
Game 1:Blinding Mage earns me time,2 Hymn to Tourach stall me a bit but when Cyclops Gladiator comes in clears AI's board.
Game 2: Cyclops Gladiator make it through 2 Hymn to Tourach and win this by himself.

Group C points:
240sxForever 2p
Juzamjedi 2p

Group D points:
Jatill 2p
Salbei 2p

[240sxforever]

Points
Jatill -- 2
Salbei -- 1
Juzam Jedi -- 2
240sxforever -- 2


Round 2:
Group C
240sxforever vs Juzamjedi

| Open

Game 1
Win
Unloaded tetravus+might stone=win.

Game 2
Win
Mishra's factory beat down.

Final: 2-0

Juzam Jedi vs 240sxforever

| Open

Game 1
Win
Stalled the board, with Infernal Medusa + Giant Strength and fallen angel swung in for lethal.

Game 2
Win
If the AI had been even mildly competent it would have won this match, but that is how it goes.

Final: 2-0

Group D

JATILL VS SALBEI

| Open

Game 1
Easy Win
Discarded so many cards, that I got to use Mindstab thrull as a 2/2 body.

Game 2
Win
Close game, but an 8/1 pro white ended the game in Jatill's favor.

Total: 2-0

SALBEI VS JATILL

| Open

Game 1
Easy Win
Sun Titan + Ember Hauler is amazing.

Game 2
Loss
Discarded into oblivion, beaten to death by a rather large Order of the Ebon Hand.

Game 3
Easy Win
25/25 Avatar token, and Sun Titan + Ember Hauler sealed this match easly.

Final: 2-1

[jatill]

Looking for 2 more results by the end of the day today. Otherwise I'll have to use an ugly point tie-breaker for group C, and Salbei will advance from D with 1 extra point.

[Cognis]

I'll play the matches but I don't have the time to do reports.

[Cognis]

Group C went 2-0, 2-0.
Group D was 1-0 for Jatill and the second match was a marathon when the game froze but the AI should've won many times but I think I would've won, unfortunately the game breaks and slows down to a crawl whenever I play with Jatill's deck and I have to go to bed now so I won't be playing that match again.

[jatill]

Ok, the finals are Salbei vs. 240sxforever. Have at it!

[Cognis]

I see from your post that the scores in group C were tied, both matches I played were 2-0 for players so if I got it right it should still be tied unless you used a tie breaker.

[jatill]

Yes, the tie-breaker was most point in round 1.

[jatill]

Salbei vs 240:
Game 1: I kept 5 land and eventually drew beef. The AI refused to play spells in hand.
Game 2: I kept a 1-lander on the advice of Salbei, and got punished with Strip Mines. I discarded a bunch and died to Yotian Soldier and crew.
Game 3: The Ai got me to 11 before I got to 5 mana and could play relevant spells. From there it was a breeze.

240 vs Sablei:
Game 1: AI makes a stunning 7 land drops in a row, but thanks to a sicko hand, I Strip the first 4 and win easily.
Game 2: I keep no Strip Mine, but the entire Tron. I make 6-drops every turn, and the AI drew 9 land and 2 small spells. It couldn't keep up.

Scores:
240: 2
Salbei: 1

Can teh Antiquities deck really win this thing? I assumed Salbei was a lock.

[Shantak]

Final

Salbei
240sxforever

Match29 finished

Salbei vs 240sxforever | Open

Game1:
clear loss
Score: 0-1
Notes: Starter with one land and was struggling. At three lands, AI already had Urzatron and was emptying his hand. With one more Plains I could have cast Day of Judgment, but then AI got a Strip Mine. And then draw the land I would have needed. I was able to cast nothing but one removal spell the whole game. Should have mulliganed then, but it could have turned even more against me.

Game2:
open game
Score: 1-1
Notes: Looks likea repeat of the last game as I don't draw lands and AI gets a Strip Mine, but luckily I get Ember Hauler to play first. Then AI Strip Mines another of my lands. Luckily it doesn't have bigger attackers than my blocker and so doesn't attack. Then I get Juggernaut to do some attacking for me. Juggs and my Cyclops Gladiator beat AI easily. In the end, AI didn't cast anything and was discarding (evne Ornithopter).

Game3:
clear win
Score: 2-1
Notes: Started with Serra Ascendant. Finished with Serra Ascendant.

Summary:
Small hand really hurts me if AI can destroy my initial lands with Strip Mines. If there's enough mana, there's no problem.
Result: 2-1

Match30 finished

240sxforever vs Salbei | Open

Game1:
open game
Score: 1-0
Notes: Mishra's Factories bring AI to 17 life until it gets Magma Phoenix in play. I gather Urzatron and summon some bigger guns (Rocket Launcher, Shapeshifter) which do the kill once AI is tapped out.

Game2:
tough win
Score: 2-0
Notes: Turn 1 Serra Ascendant. No chance. No way. Or so I think until I draw Tawnos's Coffin and use it when I'm in 6 life, AI at 51. I try to make it, Strip Mining a Plains. AI remains in three lands while I get some attack power from Mightstone and beat with medium creatures and bring AI down as my army grows. AI remains without white mana, so Strip Mine paved my way to a difficult victory.

Game3:
-

Summary:
Card Advantage and Strip Mines do wonders against M11. Lack of removal can be really difficult - if I hadn't gotten that Tawnos's Coffin then, I would have lost the second game.
Result: 2-0

Points

240sxforever - 2
Salbei - 1


Similar trend in both my and jatill's scores. Mana denial can really hurt M11 deck with just five hands and plenty of big creatures. This is much more exciting than I first believed.

[aww1979]

FINAL

Salbei vs 240sxforever: (done) | Open

Game 1: Playing first, keep Serra Ascendant, Ember Hauler, 2x Plains, Mountain. That looks like game :p
Turn 1: Plains, Serra Ascendant. (6/6!) AI plays Mishra's Factory.
Turn 2: Draw Baneslayer Angel, play Mountain, attack for 6. AI plays Urza's Powerplant and attacks for 2 with mishra's, then casts Ornithopter.
Turn 3: Draw Condemn, play Plains, attack for 6. AI plays Mishra's Factory and Dragon Engine.
Turn 4: Draw/play Plains, attack for 6. AI attacks with Dragon Engine and pumps once for 2 damage; I don't bother with Condemn, as AI has a multiple of 6 life, so that would give it an extra turn.
Turn 5: Draw/play Mountain, cast Baneslayer Angel, attack with Serra Ascendant; AI chumps with Ornithopter. AI plays Urza's Mine and Staff of Zegon.
Turn 6: Draw Juggernaut, attack for 11. AI is at 1 life, so I play Ember Hauler and sac it at the AIs face for the win. I have 61 life :p 1-0

Game 2: Drawing first, keep Plains, 2x Mountain, Ember Hauler, Magma Phoenix.
Turn 1: AI plays Mishra's Factory, Candelabra of Tawnos. Draw Inferno Titan, play Mountain.
Turn 2: AI plays Urza's Tower and attacks for 2 with mishra's. Draw Vengeful Archon, play Mountain and Ember Hauler.
Turn 3: AI plays Strip Mine and Onulet. Draw Mountain, play Plains and pass.
Turn 4: AI plays Strip Mine and Clay Statue. Draw/play Mountain, sac Ember Hauler to kill Clay Statue while AI is tapped out.
Turn 5: AI plays Urza's Mine, sacs both strip mines to destroy 2 mountains, and attacks with Onulet for 2, then casts Yotian Soldier. Draw Chandra Nalaar, play Mountain.
Turn 6: AI attacks for 3. Draw/play Mountain.
Turn 7: AI plays Mishra's Factory, attacks for 3, and casts Primal Clay as a 2/2 flyer. Draw/play Brittle Effigy.
Turn 8: AI attacks for 5. Draw Baneslayer Angel and pass.
Turn 9: AI animates one Mishra's, and attacks with everything. I use Brittle Effigy on Mishra's Factory and take 5 from the rest. Draw/play/sac Terramorphic Expanse for plains.
Turn 10: AI plays Urza's Mine, attacks for 5, and casts Clockwork Avian. (life totals 5-30) Draw Serra Ascendant, cast Baneslayer Angel, just in time!
Turn 11: AI attacks with everything, which would work except that Baneslayer Angel has lifelink. I block and kill the avian and take 5 damage, but gain 5 life back. AI casts Dragon Engine postcombat. Draw/play Plains, cast Inferno Titan, killing Dragon Engine, then attack with Baneslayer Angel for 5.
Turn 12: AI attacks with Primal Clay for 2. Draw/play Ajani Goldmane, play Serra Ascendant, activate Ajani's 2nd ability. Attack with angel and titan, killing onulet and dealing 1 damage to AI with the titan's ability. Pump titan once when AI doesn't block; AI takes 14 more damage. (life totals 14-12, including +2 from Onulet's death)
Turn 13: AI plays Mishra's Factory and Shapeshifter as a 2/5. Draw Blinding Mage. Use ajani's 2nd ability, play Chandra Nalaar, spend 3 loyalty to do 3 damage to Yotian Soldier. Attack with everything; titan finishes the soldier and kills primal clay. Sadly, the damage just kind of floats in limbo so the AI blocks with 'dead' creatures, and only takes 7 from the Baneslayer Angel, managing to block the rest with 'dead stuff'. Fortunately, it won't matter.
Turn 14: AI casts Wall of Spears. Draw Platinum Angel, and Baneslayer makes the kill, helped by her friends. 2-0

Had the AI gotten the urza's set during that game, I probably would've lost, as the creatures would have come fast enough I couldn't have handled it. Fortunately, AI was stuck on 3 Urza's Mines and a Tower, and I got that baneslayer out on the last possible turn.

240sxforever vs Salbei: (done) | Open

Drawing first, keep Candelabra of Tawnos, Onulet, Su-Chi, 2x Urza's Mine, Urza's Tower, Urza's Power Plant, Feldon's Cane.
Turn 1: AI plays Plains. Draw Mishra's Factory, play Urza's Tower and Candelabra of Tawnos. (I want to get the urza set out asap rather than some early mishra's damage)
Turn 2: AI plays Mountain. Draw Shapeshifter, play Urza's Mine.
Turn 3: AI plays Mountain. Draw Tetravus, play Urza's Powerplant, tap all lands for 7, untap all lands for 3 with Candelabra, tap all lands for 7 more and cast Su-Chi, Shapeshifter as 0/7 and Feldon's Cane.
Turn 4: AI passes. Change Shapeshifter to 6/1, draw Urza's Mine, play Mishra's Factory, cast Tetravus, untap 2 lands with candelabra and cast Onulet, then attack for 10.
Turn 5: AI casts Blinding Mage. Change Shapeshifter to 5/2, draw Colossus of Sardia. ROFL! Play Urza's Mine, animate Mishra's, and attack with everything. AI chumps Shapeshifter with Blinding Mage and takes 12 damage. I hold the colossus in hand in case AI pulls off Day of Judgement; I don't need it to win next turn.
Turn 6: AI casts Brittle Effigy. Draw Triskelion, animate Mishra's and swing for lethal. 2-0

That first game was darned close, but man that second one sure wasn't :p I'm not sure which deck is going to win the final; I think it's pretty even, and will come down to mostly luck.

results | Open

Salbei = 2 pts
240sxforever = 2 pts