Magic-League Coverage: July 3rd ABC Trial Finals: Sandoiche vs. IvanDano

Written by neosystems on July 04, 2009

Alara Block Constructed - July 3rd, 2009 Trial Finals

Sandoiche’s road to the finals:

Round 1: 2-0 vs. Lunari

Round 2: 2-0 vs. Capoeira02

Round 3: 2-0 vs. Duodax

Quarterfinals: 2-1 vs. Shyft

Semifinals: 2-0 Received a Bye

IvanDano road to the finals:

Round 1: 2-0 vs. figazin

Round 2: 2-0 vs. Unseen

Round 3: 2-0 vs. |eric|

Quarterfinals: 2-1 vs. bludwurk

Semifinals: 2-0 vs. platinum1 (opponent did not show up)

Both players have a 10-1 record, 8-1 not counting their free pass through the semifinals. With the scores perfectly tied, it’s time to find out who will take two byes for the upcoming Master and who will have to settle for one.
Game 1:
After exchanging pleasantries, both players tossed a d20 onto the table. Sandoiche came up with an 18, while IvanDano only rolled a 12. Sandoiche decided to play first and drew his seven. Both players were satisfied with their initial hands. Sandoiche dropped an Exotic Orchard onto the table and passed the turn. IvanDano’s turn was a little more explosive as he played a Forest, using its green mana for a Noble Hierarch. Sandoiche quickly fixed his own mana with a Rupture Spire and was now able to produce any color of mana he desired. On IvanDano’s turn, he played a Plains and tapped all of his cards for a Rhox War Monk (affectionately known to many as Pancake Flipper). Sandoiche could do nothing more on his turn than to play another Rupture Spire. IvanDano seized this opportunity and crashed into the Red Zone with the Monk for 4, gaining himself 4 life (16 – 24). Before ending his turn, he played a Valeron Outlander, hoping to deal even more damage next turn.

Sandoiche was ready on his turn as he sent Pancake Flipper to the grave with a Maelstrom Pulse. IvanDano could only attack with the Outlander on his turn for three (13 – 24) before passing. Sandoiche played land-go after searching up an Island with Traumatic Visions, while IvanDano attacked again for three with his outlander once again (10 – 24). Sandoiche drew two cards off of an Esper Charm, played a land on his turn, and passed again. IvanDano then dropped a game-breaking Elspeth, Knight-Errant which promptly met a Traumatic Visions. He still got an attack through, dropping his opponent to seven (7 – 24). The next two turns were an exact repeat of the last two: land-go from Sandoiche, and an Elspeth which was countered by Traumatic Visions once again. An attack from the outlander once again dropped Sandoiche further (4 – 24). After another land-go from Sandoiche, IvanDano began prepping an attack, when a Bituminous Blast destroyed his Noble Hierarch and netted Sandoiche an Ajani Vengeant in the process. However, it was still IvanDano’s turn, and his Outlander dropped Sandoiche to two (2 – 24). Before ending the turn, IvanDano used an Oblivion Ring on the Ajani Vengeant, which was hit with Esper Charm, which was countered by a Bant Charm at the End of Turn. Sandoiche, needing more board presence, played Kathari Remnant into a Wall of Denial.
IvanDano and Sandoiche played land-go and draw-go until IvanDano played a Noble Hierarch which was promptly hit with a Bituminous Blast into a second Wall of Denial. Bloodbraid Elf into Maelstrom Pulse destroyed the Oblivion Ring, returned Ajani which Lightning Helixed the Outlander, and got Sandoiche back into the game as he attacked with his Bloodbraid Elf (5 – 21). IvanDano did not have a play for two more turns and Sandoiche took advantage of that, as he crashed in twice with his Elf (5 – 15). IvanDano played another Valeron Outlander, which was met by another Lightning Helix from Ajani and attack from Bloodbraid Elf, further swinging the life totals (8 – 12). Dauntless Escort came down for IvanDano, but was hit by a Bituminous Blast into Esper Charm. Sandoiche tried to Esper Charm two cards out of IvanDano’s hand, but IvanDano made quick use of those two cards, playing Bant Charm, targeting the Bituminous Blast still on the stack, and using Path to Exile on the Bloodbraid Elf.

Sandoiche played another Bloodbraid Elf into Wall of Denial and used the Elf to trade for the Dauntless Escort when it attacked. As another Bloodbraid Elf comes down for Sandoiche, IvanDano’s life drops to 9, then 6 on the next turn. During the second main phase, Ajani’s Lightning Helix hit him down to three, and Cruel Ultimatum took the rest to put Sandoiche 1-0 in the match in a grinder of a match.

Sandoiche: 1

IvanDano: 0
Game 2:
This game started out much like the first, but instead of Rhox War Monk as the first play of the game, it was a Dauntless Escort. IvanDano attacked with Hierarch (19 – 20). After another land-go from Sandoiche, IvanDano attacked with Dauntless Escort and laid a Jenara, Asura of War on the table (15 – 20). Needing to keep his defenses, sandoiche played a Wall of Denial and passed. IvanDano attacked with the Escort and Jenara, getting in for three (12 – 20), played a Deft Duelist and Noble Hierarch and passed the turn again. Sandoiche, looking to make a comeback like last game, played a Bloodbraid Elf into a second Wall of Denial. IvanDano Bant Charmed the Elf to the bottom of his opponent’s deck, and sent in his team, getting in for five (7 – 20). Sandoiche played a Maelstrom Pulse targeting Jenara, but IvanDano decided to use Dauntless Escort to save her. He pumped Jenara to a 4/4, played a Rafiq of the Many, and sent in a Jenara, now capable of killing Wall of Denial. Sandoiche chump blocked with one of his walls and played a Kathari Remnant into Esper Charm to draw two cards on his own turn. He then played Maelstrom Pulse with the intent of getting rid of Rafiq. IvanDano had other plans, and sacrificed his Dauntless Escort to save it. Oblivion Ring came down, removing the pesky Kathari Remnant, and IvanDano attacking with a 5/5 Jenara. The second Wall of Denial chump blocked Jenara, and IvanDano passed the turn. Sandoiche played another Bloodbraid Elf into Esper Charm, drawing two and ended his turn. IvanDano sent in a 6/6 Jenara with Double Strike, and sandoiche could do nothing but shuffle up for game 3.

Sandoiche: 1

IvanDano: 1
Game 3:
Both players kept their opening hands, and played lands for a few turns until IvanDano played a Deft Duelist. Deft Duelist got in for two damage (18 – 20) a turn later. Sandoiche played a Bloodbraid Elf into Wall of Denial, and cracked back for even more (18 – 17). IvanDano was hoping for his MVP from last game to pull him through again, as he played Jenara, Asura of War. Sandoiche was not about to let Jenara seal his fate as dropped Ajani Vengeant on the table and Lightning Helixed the Jenara (21 – 17). Celestial Purge took care of Ajani one turn too late, while Sandoiche began drawing cards off of Esper Charm. The second planeswalker of the game hit the table, this time, Elspeth from IvanDano, who put a soldier token into play. Sandoiche played a card of equal game breaking ability during his next turn – Obelisk of Alara. He did not have the mana to activate it, however, so he simply had to pass. IvanDano put a second soldier token and a second Deft Duelist into play. Sandoiche knew he had to get rid of Elspeth, so on his turn, he played a second Ajani, did three damage to Elspeth and then finished it off with Obelisk of Alara (24 – 17). Ajani was hit with a Celestial Purge, again, a little too late. Bant Charm took care of the Obelisk, and the team of Deft Duelists got in for two damage (22 – 17). Sandoiche got in with Bloodbraid Elf for three (22 – 14), and dropped a backbreaking Cruel Ultimatum afterward (27 – 9).

IvanDano tried to attack strategically with the remnants of his team, but only managed to get in for one (26 – 9). Sandoiche further reinforced his defenses with another Wall of Denial and passed. IvanDano had a Rhox War Monk to play, which would help out his life total at the very least. Sandoiche built his defenses for another turn as he played a Kathari Remnant into a third Wall of Denial. IvanDano attacked (27 – 12), and tried to get a second Rhox War Monk on the table which ran into a Traumatic Visions. Sandoiche locked down the first War Monk with a newly played Ajani and passed. IvanDano played his second Elspeth, desperately trying to find a way to break through three Walls of Denial and a Kathari Remnant. Maelstrom Pulse from Sandoiche quickly took care of Elspeth, and before passing the turn back, Sandoiche loaded his Ajani with its sixth counter. His opponent could only play a second Jenara and pass. Ajani was loaded with its seventh counter, ready to Armageddon his opponent when he next got a chance. On IvanDano’s turn however, he was ready to make use of his resources before Ajani got his chance at them. He tapped all of his mana for a Martial Coup with X = 6, leaving six solider tokens and a regenerated Kathari Remnant on the board. A quick Maelstrom Pulse next turn took care of the soldiers and Sandoiche passed, putting counter number 8 on Ajani.

IvanDano could only play Noble Hierarch before watching helplessly as every land played this game by him was sent to the graveyard by Ajani. A 4/4 Caldera Hellion right afterward was enough for IvanDano and he conceded the game and the match.
Sandoiche: 2

IvanDano: 1
After 43 minutes and 59 seconds of play, Sandoiche wins the trial and two byes for the upcoming master, while his opponent, IvanDano receives one bye for being a finalist.

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