Hey everyone,
Canadian Nationals happened a week ago, and I managed to place 8th. This finish is huge for me, as I feel like I’ve been improving my game greatly in recent years, but my finishes have not been where I’ve wanted them to be. I keep repeatedly losing in the last possible round playing for day 2 in GPs, losing in the quarterfinals of PTQs, doing average at Nationals for the last two years, etc. etc. I’m doing well enough, but not quite getting to where I want to be, as I feel like I could be competing at the Pro Tour level. Top 8ing Nationals is a step in the right direction though, and I’m hopeful this will help me be more successful in the future.
I guess when you top 8 Nationals, it’s a good time to write a tournament report, so here it is. I’m not a fan of the long play-by-play, so I figured I’d just talk about interesting parts of the tournament, my deck choice, and thoughts on the formats.
It’s of no surprise to people that know me that I chose to play Red Deck Wins (RDW). I’ve got a lot of experience and success with the deck over the years, and I’d like to think I’m pretty good at tuning aggro lists. My testing for the tournament basically consisted of this:
– Check to see recent high-placing decklists and articles.
– See that red still isn’t getting the respect it deserves.
– Go back to watching GSL / Game of Thrones / etc.
Needless to say, I didn’t test as much as I should have, and I probably could have tuned the board better with a little more testing. The few games I did test against decks like Caw-Blade went well though, and I was confident since RDW is stronger than it has been in a long time.
Here’s the list I went with:
[deck title=Red Deck Wins by Paul MacKinnon]
[Land]
4 Arid Mesa
4 Scalding Tarn
4 Teetering Peaks
11 Mountain
[/Land]
[Creatures]
4 Goblin Guide
4 Grim Lavamancer
4 Spikeshot Elder
4 Kargan Dragonlord
4 Ember Hauler
1 Hero of Oxid Ridge
[/Creatures]
[Spells]
4 Lightning Bolt
4 Incinerate
4 Searing Blaze
4 Shrine of Burning Rage
[/Spells]
[Sideboard]
4 Mark of Mutiny
1 Act of Aggression
4 Combust
3 Dismember
3 Manic Vandal
[/Sideboard]
[/Deck]
I think this list is excellent and very consistent, and if I had to redo it I’d play the same thing, except with a 4th [card]Dismember[/card] in the board and a couple more Heros in the board over the [card]Manic Vandal[/card]s. I would highly recommend the deck, and I think it’s better than most other red lists out there (though not suited too well for the mirror, I didn’t expect to run into a lot of it).
Notable things about the deck:
4 [card]Spikeshot Elder[/card]: This guy was MVP for me. It’s a one-drop that gives you such reach, shooting down hawks, soldier tokens, birds, cobras, etc., and also giving you something constructive to do with excess mana. Late game it also combos well with [card]Teetering Peaks[/card].
4 [card]Kargan Dragonlord[/card]: MVP #2. Early game don’t let yourself get caught over-committing on him, but late game he can win games all on his own. He’s like [card]Baneslayer Angel[/card] in that respect – sure he can die to removal, but if they don’t have it, they just die.
Cards I didnt play: [card]Chandra’s Phoenix[/card], [card]Koth of the Hammer[/card], [card]Furnace Scamp[/card], [card]Kiln Fiend[/card], [card]Plated Geopede[/card], [card]Flame Slash[/card], among others.
I’ve seen decks with these cards, but I don’t think any of them are any good. Just because you’re a fast deck, doesn’t mean you have to go all-in with fast cards like [card]Kiln Fiend[/card] and [card]Furnace Scamp[/card] that get blanked so easily. You’re much better off with cards like Spikeshot and Dragonlord that have some reach. Koth doesn’t do enough for its cost, a red deck wants things to cost at maximum 2-3 unless the card has a huge enough impact (which rarely happens. The notable exception is [card]Hero of Oxid Ridge[/card] now that [card]Timely Reinforcements[/card] exists). The best type of cards for red decks are things like [card]Kargan Dragonlord[/card], which can come down on curve before 4, but still have a significant impact later on. [card]Chandra’s Phoenix[/card] isn’t great because it doesn’t have enough of an impact for a card that costs more than 2. The rebuy clause isn’t that useful either, because you usually don’t want to throw burn at the opponent until you’re doing the final points of damage.
You know what? Now that I’ve started talking about RDW, I’d like to go into an aside about red decks before talking about the actual tournament.
The Truth About Red Decks
I feel like there are a lot of misconceptions about red decks:
Misconception #1: Red decks just lose to [card]Timely Reinforcements[/card], [card]Obstinate Baloth[/card], [card]Kitchen Finks[/card], etc.
So many people are scared off of RDW so easily. They see a little bit of hate and assume that red can’t win, or at least it will be very difficult to win. I don’t know why people are scared away from red decks so much easier than they are off of other decks. Every known deck sees a bit of resistance. Most Valakut players don’t just jump ship because they have to deal with [card]Tectonic Edge[/card]. I don’t know why I hear people say things like “Red deck just loses to [card]Timely Reinforcements[/card].”
The truth is that most hate cards only offer the red deck a little bit of resistance, and are easily beat. I’ve won many games against Caw-Blade where they cast [card]Timely Reinforcements[/card], [card]Day of Judgement[/card], and [card]Gideon[/card]. I won games during Nationals where opponents cast more than one [card]Timely Reinforcements[/card] in the same game and got full value off of them. As long as the red deck is built properly, with a bit of reach (ex: [card]Spikeshot Elder[/card]), then these “hate cards” are just speedbumps and nothing more.
The relationship between RDW and hate is like Dredge and its hate. [card]Leyline of the Void[/card] and [card]Yixlid Jailer[/card] can basically shut the deck completely, just like [card]Kor Firewalker[/card] and [card]Leyline of Sanctity[/card] can just shut down RDW. A [card]Tormod’s Crypt[/card], however, can just be shrugged off by Dredge, just like a [card]Timely Reinforcements[/card] can just be shrugged off by RDW. In fact RDW shrugs off these hate cards even easier than Dredge does. Unless people are packing the few cards that truly ruin RDW, it’s a viable and often good deck.
Note: Even Firewalker isn’t that bad now that [card]Dismember[/card] and Shrine exist. The only card in Standard that truly sucks for RDW is [card]Leyline of Sanctity[/card].
Misconception #2: Red decks are easier to play.
Red decks are hard to play well. They’re easier to play at an average level, which makes it easier for new players to get some wins, but they are hard to play well enough to win at a tournament like Nationals. Since they don’t have as much built in card advantage, and weaker cards in the abstract, your resources are very limited and extremely valuable. Making mistakes with RDW is extremely unforgiving, as you need to maximize your resources as much as possible if you want to win. Decks like Caw-Blade can afford its pilot to make mistakes, as the sheer power of its cards can compensate for poor play. Also, a good red deck pilot has to be able to recognize when they need to maximize their resources, or when they need to throw away their resources for tempo. It’s a fine line, and failing to identify that exact point can cost games.
Misconception #3: Players who play RDW are bad / Only bad players play RDW
Sometimes RDW is one of the best deck choices for a tournament, and skilled players should try more often to recognize when this is true and take advantage of it.
The Tournament
Nationals started out pretty well, with a round 1 feature match against Dan (DMac) MacDonald. He had bad hands two games in a row, so it was a pretty quick win. That’s one thing RDW does well…punish bad hands. Unfortunately I chose the wrong seat to sit in so it was the match that wasn’t covered on Wizard’s site, but oh well.
I picked up my first loss against Nassim Ketita, playing Caw-Blade. I took down game 1 single-handedly on the back of [card]Hero of Oxid Ridge[/card], and after this game I started regretting not putting more in the list, at least in the sideboard. I ended up losing a very close game three, after multiple [card]Timely Reinforcements[/card], and only because at the most inopportune time I drew three lands in a row, which made it so my [card]Shrine of Burning Rage[/card] wasn’t lethal and had to be wasted on a Colonnade to keep me alive. I didn’t feel too bad after this loss, it was close, and I could afford a few.
After beating a Pod deck (despite him having [card]Spellskite[/card]s, Firewalkers, Baneslayers and Baloths in his 75, yeesh) I was heading into the first draft 2-1, playing well, and feeling good.
My first draft deck was, simply put, insane. It included such hits as 2x [card]Fireball[/card], 3x [card]Gorehorn Minotaurs[/card], [card]Day of Judgement[/card], [card]Pentavus[/card], [card]Warstorm Surge[/card], [card]Gideon’s Lawkeeper[/card], [card]Shock[/card] and other strong cards. The card quality dropped off for the last couple cards though, which were filled in by 2x [card]Mighty Leap[/card] and [card]Roc Egg[/card].
I took the next two rounds fairly easily, with a hilarious game happening against my round 4 opponent. My board was a 5/5 [card]Gorehorn Minotaurs[/card] and a small creature, and his board was a small creature. I don’t think he had an answer to my 5/5, so he dropped a [card]Call To The Grave[/card]. Unfortunately for him, I untapped, sac’d my little guy, then dropped [card]Pentavus[/card], which made him slump in his chair. On his turn, he realized that his own enchantment was going to lock him out of the game while I had tons of 1/1s to throw away, so he played a [card]Rune-Scarred Demon[/card] to look for an answer. I untapped, sac’d a [card]Pentavite[/card], then hilariously drew [card]Roc Egg[/card] which I played. On his turn he had to sac his own demon to his enchantment, then played an [card]Acidic Slime[/card] targeting [card]Pentavus[/card], but I had the mana to make a bunch of 1/1s. He probably should have targeted his own enchantment, because it basically locked him out of the game while I had an endless stream of guys to throw away on my end.
At Round 6 I’m 4-1 and feeling pretty good because my deck is insane, and I got paired against Shaun McClaren, one of the best Albertan players. Here’s where the problems started for me, as the worst part of my game is keeping my cool and not tilting. Game 1 I got severely land-screwed, and lost with a handful of strong cards which would have easily taken over the game. Game 2 I didn’t get land-screwed and easily won the game. Game 3 I got land-screwed and lost with a handful of strong cards which would have easily taken over the game. After game 1 though, I was tilting like crazy, and playing so poorly. To quote my opponent later on, “You were playing like a total donkey.”
This game reminded of some advice my friend (and excellent player) Will Ma once gave me, and that was that if you’re deck is very strong, you should err on the side of more lands. Who cares if you get slightly flooded, your powerful cards will balance that out, and more lands will ensure you can play those powerful cards. During this tournament, Sam T later looked through my sideboard and gave me the same advice, saying I should have played a [card]Buried Ruin[/card] I had as an 18th land over chaff like [card]Mighty Leap[/card], possibly to get back a [card]Pentavus[/card]. I’ll remember it for next time.
I was annoyed going 2-1 with a deck that should have 3-0d, but I tried to calm myself down. I thought to myself “I’m still very much in this, time to untilt and focus on the next draft.” I ended up drafting another pretty insane deck, this time green-red aggro, with such hits as [card]Overrun[/card], 3x [card]Cudgel Troll[/card], 3x [card]Incinerate[/card], [card]Shock[/card], [card]Jade Mage[/card], [card]Crimson Mage[/card], [card]Stormblood Berserker[/card] and a great curve.
To me, this draft showed what more people should remember when drafting. I think too many decent players overthink drafting, or outwit themselves. They try to “solve” draft formats and force things, or worry too much about the signals they are sending. More people need to stop worrying about these things, and just take the best cards they see. Stay flexible, and open to any colour. If you have to abandon a pick or two, do it. In M12 a lot of people try to avoid green because they think it’s bad, and that’s when I end up getting passed triple [card]Cudgel Troll[/card]s.
Round 7 I got paired against Ontario ringer Sam T. He loses a ridiculous game 1 to [card]Jade Mage[/card] which he couldn’t find an answer for, despite many many turns to draw one, visibly irking him quite a bit. Games 2 and 3 however, he proceeded to play turn 3 and turn 4 [card]Dungrove Elder[/card]s both games, followed up with [card]Divine Favour[/card]s and [card]Lure[/card]s, and squished me like a bug.
So end of day 1, I was 4-3, and not feeling great about it, thinking that I should have a better record than I did. Last year at Nats I went 4-3 day 1 and basically just gave up, went out drinking heavily that night, slept in, and missed day 2. This year I was determined not to do the same thing. I was going to keep trying and go for it no matter how unlikely my chances were.
I’m glad I did, because day 2 went extremely well. I had to run perfect, and run perfect I did. After getting out of the second draft with a 2-1 record, I was pretty confident my constructed deck was good enough to pull off a 3-0, and I was back in the zone and playing well again.
I beat a Caw-Blade player single-handedly on the back of a [card]Kargan Dragonlord[/card]. I had it in my opening hand, but made sure to play all my other threats first. Everything I played got [card]Dismember[/card]ed, countered, wrathed, etc. until my opponent’s hand was exhausted. Then I just dropped the Dragonlord and it went to town. It’s amazing how with a little mana, how fast an unanswered Dragonlord can win an entire game. I don’t know why other red decks aren’t playing four of this guy.
In the win-and-in round, I got paired against Ontario player Kyle Smith playing BUG-Pod. I’d never met him, but I’d heard his name before and he seemed like a nice guy and a good player. After he took game 1, I had a crowd watching behind me, and I started letting nerves and my good old friend tilt get to me again, and my level of play started to drop again. I managed to take game 2, and then in game 3 I was very close to closing out the match.
Neither of us had a hand, his board was just a [card]Sea Gate Oracle[/card], while my board was [card]Ember Hauler[/card], 2x [card]Goblin Guide[/card], and a Lavamancer, with no cards in the graveyard. He’s at 8 life. I attack with everything and he’s forced to block a 2/2, dropping to 3, while [card]Goblin Guide[/card] revealed [card]Birthing Pod[/card] on top of his deck. I have the win on board, all I have to do is finish off his Oracle with my Hauler and he’s helpless. So what do I do? Say “go.” I say “go,” let him untap, then immediately realize that I messed up. I then embarrassingly start bugging out at this point. Thoughts are going through my head like “you blew it,” “you had the win but you messed up, no top 8 and cash prize for you.” I’m getting real upset with myself, how could I be so stupid?
Kyle then played the Pod, and turned his Oracle into a [card]Obstinate Baloth[/card], going back to 7. I’m so upset with myself, and then I draw a freaking land. But I think, “Calm down Paul. You can still do this. Just keep it together.” So I look at the board and realize, “Oh, I actually still just have the win on board.” Attack with everything.
Maybe Kyle deserved to win this match more than me, but I was happy I was able to keep it together enough to not completely blow it. If there’s one thing I can take from this tournament, it’s that the biggest hole in my game is my mental game.
My breaks are good, and I squeeze into 8th place.
The quarterfinals were fairly anti-climactic. I was a little nervous. My draws were sub-par, my opponent’s weren’t. I made a few minor mistakes, my opponent didn’t. Like I said earlier, RDW is not forgiving of minor mistakes, and I don’t think I deserved to go further than I did.
Overall, despite just missing a Worlds invite, I was pretty happy with my finish, especially after my day 1 record. Like I mentioned earlier, I feel like I’ve been playing at a decently high level lately and that I should have had a solid finish before now but haven’t managed to, so it feels good to finally do well at a major event. I think having a finish like this will help me going forward, as I probably have “less to prove,” and this will help me battle nerves in the future. Obviously I needed some luck to go my way to do well, and this showed that it sometimes does go my way, so hopefully that will help me deal with tilt in the future too.
You’d think at this point I’d be exhausted, but I’m a Magic player, so I obviously jump straight into a team draft. I end up going 3-0 with green-red again, because when a colour is deemed bad (like green currently is), that’s exactly when you want to start drafting it and reap the rewards of it being more open than it should be (assuming you see it being passed to you).
That about sums it up. Congrats to everyone who did well at the tournament, especially the guys who made the national team, and hopefully I’ll see a bunch of you at GP Montreal. (Editor’s note: in light of Finkelgate, here’s what he looks like, ladies – it’s not an Okay Cupid profile, but it’s a start… say hi 🙂 )
Cheers,
Paul MacKinnon
