It’s Standard Showdown season once more. Naturally I went along to the first one at my FLGS The Hobbit Hole.

When I arrived at the store a X-Wing “mini” competition had started. The game still looks lovely when out on the table. Shame I was never able to get the game to the table and sold out of it. Well exchanged my collection for a couple of games I wanted. But I still miss the models, they are stunning. I don’t miss buying models just for the cards.

John and I tried to have a friendly game to test our decks, but with having to serve customers it was frequently interrupted. In the end John conceded with a dominant board state on my side ready to swing in.

This Standard Showdown was a pretty well attended one for a Saturday, with 10 entrants.

Round 1 – John (merfolk)

Sadly I was unable to continue the success of our earlier test game into the tournament.

I won the first game. But it was down hill from there. The second game saw me desperately play 3 Nexus of Fates to try and draw into an answer and snatch the win. But it was to no avail and just delayed the inevitable. Our third and final game was better for me. However John still managed to get into a superior position and get the win.

But close, fun games. I like those sort of games.

Result: Loss 1-2

Round 2 – Kar-Fai

Our first game must have been frustrating for Kar-Fai. He had me down to 2 life, before I stabilised and snatched the win from him.

You would have thought having won the first game so dramatically I would have remembered I had won it. But by the time I won the second game it had totally escaped me that I had won. The draw backs of old age.

Result: Win 2-0

Round 3 – Sophie (pirates)

Sophie had built her deck the day before. It still needed work. But the idea was good, and it has promise. Being more consistent and having more than one copy of cards would be the first improvement to make.

This was an easy match up for me. My deck walked all over it because of the reasons given above.

A bit more work and this deck will cause me problems.

Result: Win 2-0

Round 4 – Dean (dinosaurs)

My deck just didn’t fire in this match up. In some ways I need to be faster. But not sure exactly how. But my deck does struggle against fast aggro like decks. Something I need to look into. Fast aggro does seem to be a strong force in our meta.

Result: Loss 0-2

Afterwards Dean and I played a friendly game. This time I did much much better. But his Vivien Reid ultimate kicking in was the inevitable end for me. Trying to pump out oozes to delay things until I could hit a Krasis was futile.

Friendly Loss

After getting beat again by Dean but at least putting up more of a challenge, I played my mono blue mill deck against Kar-Fai in another friendly game. Which I lost. I hit none of my walls. So was at the mercy of Kar-Fai’s deck.

Friendly Loss

Final position: 7th with a 2-2 record

I only got a participation pack this time. Too many entrants to also get a Showdown pack. But I pulled a Repudiate//Replicate. That’s a sweet card for my deck. A strong card for going into the sideboard.

But another great afternoon playing MtG.