Out in the wider MtG world it’s the weekend of the Liverpool Grand Prix. Technically I think this is the last one before the become MagicFest. These sort of events (for me) are over priced. Especially once you add in travel and accommodation. I find events like UKGE much better value.

So while all those wanna be pro players were in Liverpool, I was taking part in my FLGS Standard Showdown again.

Due to road works I nearly didn’t make the start of the Showdown on time. So a call was made to let John know I was on my way and might be 5 minutes late. On the journey over I thought I had left one of my Carnage Tyrants in my big green stompy Commander deck. And part of the journey over was working out what would replace it. A Doom Whisperer would be the obvious choice. But luck would have it when I finally arrived at the store and checked my deck, I had put it back. Phew!

Let battle commence, the first round pair ups were announced…

Round 1 Kar-fai mono red

If my deck hadn’t decided to screw me over I would have done better! Being mana screwed is one of those things you live with in MtG. It’s an aspect of the game you accept. To be fair sometimes it’s not a fun experience. But what characterises every MtG player while they are experiencing the mana draught or mana flood (too much land opposed to too little/none) is the optimism that the next card will be the one you need. That mana that enables you to start playing. But the longer the draught goes on, the harder it becomes to turn things round. Until it gets to the point of no return, and saving the game becomes impossible and the optimism ebbs away to be replaced by accepting the inevitable. Luckily at that point the suffering is soon over as your opponent puts you out of your misery.

That describes two of the three matches I had with Kar-fai. The third game (which in reality was game 2 iirc) which I won was one of those games that I managed to stabilise and grab the win.

Result: Loss 2-1

Round 2 – bye

My loss meant I got to sit back, take some photos, and spectate the games being played.

Result: Win

Round 3 – Andy red white knights

Remember me describing in-eloquently above what it’s like to be mana screwed? Work with me here, it was a couple of sentences back or so. Recent history, from as far back as 40 minutes before, decided to repeat itself. I know I have mana in the deck, I’ve seen it. But once again it decided to play hide and seek.

By the end of our first game I think I’d resigned myself to the fact it was going to be one of those days, or to use an over used cliche, “a bad day at the office”. As dad used to be fond of saying “shit happens”. Indeed it does, and how we handle things after the shit happening, defines the sort of person that we are.

I’m not going to rush out and change my deck because of a bad result or two. I think it has already proved that it can on it’s day hold it’s own. I’m happy with this version of the deck, which won’t get changed until the next set rotation.

It won’t put me off playing in more Standard Showdowns either.

What I’m basically saying is I’m picking myself up off the floor, dusting myself down, and continuing to play.

It’s that trying again. Not being put off by failure. The determination to succeed. It’s been a really useful skill that has defined me since an early age, and been crucial as a programmer.

Oh bugger this is getting deep, I better change the mood quickly. I lost both games, for reasons that have already been discussed.

Result: Loss 2-0

Friendly Game 1 – Andy’s Mono Blue Mill Deck

Andy had come across an article about playing mill at FNM, which also happened to be a budget deck, and he had the majority of the cards. So he built the deck. And that’s what I played against here. I recognised the cards that formed the mill engine (Psychic Corrosion and Drowned Secrets) I’d seen them put to good use in a series 5 game of Spellslingers with Day 9 playing the deck. Strictly Better MtG also did a deck tech on it also. But I hadn’t come across the article Andy had mentioned.

Andy got a copy of both the core cards of the deck out, and I was milling cards. Just not fast enough for it to really effect the end result. My creatures with nothing to block them swung in unopposed. And were doing damage faster than I was being milled.

I have to admit I like the idea of the deck. And I was tempted to build a version of the deck myself when I first saw the episode of Spellslingers. Now I know I am going to create a version too. I’ll use the same core engine. But I’d love to know why no millstone.

Result: Win

Friendly Game 2 – Dean Mono Green Aggro

Dean finished top 3 with his deck. So I was curious to see how my deck would do against it. Especially since we shared cards.

Taking out Dean’s Llanowar Elf early on was a very wise decision. It slowed him down. My battlefield was building up faster than his, my big hitters were coming out. But so was Dean’s. We would soon be getting to that crunch point of a reckoning. A reckoning based on the current board state I’d win, but the board would be decimated. With Vivien Reid out I was able to keep my hand full of creatures to play. Then being able to ultimate her was enough to give me the game. This was the first time I’ve ultimated Vivien. Usually if I can use her a couple of times to get a creature or remove something then I’m happy.

Result: Win

So once the dust had settled and the WotC software finished its advanced calculations my final position was…

Final Position: 5th out of 7 (Kar-fai took top spot)

Prize: 1 participation pack (took a Battlebond booster) and a Standard Showdown booster (pulled a Crucible of Worlds).

After the showdown Kar-fai played some Keyforge with me. This was Kar-fai’s first time playing, so a learning experience. We used the following two decks of mine Evie, Desperado of the Melancholic Haven vs Blindingly Fanatical Erkki. Kar-fai played Erkki, and I played my latest arrival Evie.

Our first game was a white wash for Kar-fai. The Evie deck did all the work, but I forged 3 keys before Kar-fai had forged one. I did feel a bit guilty. Had I inadvertently used an over powered deck? This new deck was a voyage of discovery for me. I liked it. It was fun, especially the 3 warped wormholes that it had. I even enjoyed the mars side of the deck, a house I’ve not really played.

Afterwards we swapped decks.

This was a completely different game. I took an early lead, Kar-fai pulled back level. This game was dragging on. Neither of us could make that break through to forge the third and final key. We’d get the ember needed, but the other player on their go would be able to do enough to stop the key being forged. Whether it was decimating the opponent’s ember supply, capturing just enough ember, or even stealing it.

In the end we called the game a draw. Mainly because John wanted to shut up shop, it was closing time.

But despite that, and the twinge of guilt from the first game. I had a blast playing the games. That back and forth in the last game was intense and a blast. Plus Kai-far enjoyed playing, and is potentially looking at grabbing a couple of decks.

Despite my deck hating me today I had a great day of MtG and Keyforge.