PTLA Draft 4 and Feature Match Bob Maher Jr. vs. Alan Comer

**PTLA Day 2 Final Draft of Swiss:

"No, Baby Huey, we want YOU to make top eight." The players and the cards both seemed to be saying that at table four during the second draft of day two. In the first pack, Raphael Levy decided to pick Armadillo Cloak over Breath of Darigaaz, and Huey was more than happy to snap it up in second position. After that the pack went in color alternation mode with Shackles, then Firebrand Ranger, then Galiana's Knight, then Pincer Spider, then Ancient Kavu then Shoreline Raider and Opt. Tim McKenna's decision to take Firebrand Ranger instead of Pincer Spider clearly indicates he intends to go B/R instead of R/G with it, which means it is a pure 2/1 for two mana. He also drafted B/R at the last table covered on Mindripper, and got one of the best decks at that table, but it seemed like a natural decision there instead of being forced. Here it's clear what the plan is, and everyone else lined up accordingly. A Wayfaring Giant joined the Pincer Spider to indicate W/G, a Nightscape Apprentice with the Ancient Kavu indicated a second B/R mage at the table, and Tsabo's Web went what can only be described as a little bit early for a two mana cantrip that does almost absolutely nothing.

In the second pack, Huey opened Agonizing Demise so his choice was once again easy. That still left McKenna a Smoldering Tar after PS3 received a Pincer Spider in third position to go with his Shackles. This made it likely that McKenna's force would end up creating a table with three R/B mages. PS5 got a Llanowar Knight in fifth position to go with his Galiana's Knight and his five bucks (I mean Tsabo's Web), then PS6 took a Hooded Kavu away from the pantheon of B/R wizards, leaving PS7 to take Phyrexian Broodlings. Strength of Unity went to PS8 in eighth, and Levy wheeled Tangle and Fertile Ground, leaving nothing of note left in the pack. Pack three contained Distorting Wake, and PS3 decided to integrate it into his previously W/G looking deck. This gave McKenna the table's second Breath of Darigaaz, a Thornscape Apprentice to PS5 and more good stuff still left for everyone else. In order, they drafted Yavimaya Barbarian, Soul Burn, Stormscape Apprentice and Explosive Growth before Huey had to settle for Urborg Phantom. For pack four McKenna stuck to the plan with a Shivan Zombie, with the interesting aspect of this pack being that PS8 took Recoil as his first black card. In pack five PS5 opened a Rout in a pack with something for everyone. Pack six had an Angel of Mercy which PS6 decided to snatch up, reaffirming his three color status. PS8 continued to lean into black with Do or Die, and the issue would be settled two packs later when he opened Agonizing Demise.

The players were pretty much locked in at this point, but the table had a fundamental problem of too many B/R players. The cards just can't support three of them, although in this case they tried really hard to and almost succeeded. McKenna was the one who lost out the most, as he was forced to take multiple Serpentine Kavus in order to have a workable deck. Huey on the other hand was rewarded with pure gold, getting gifts like a sixth pick Cinder Shade and a (first pick) Pyre Zombie to back up what would still be a very solid deck without them. His bombs are incredible, and he's clearly the favorite to win the table. No one else appears to have anything spectacular to work with, so there really isn't much other than bad draws that seems to be separating Huey from the top eight at this point.

Round 10 Feature Match: Bob Maher Jr. vs. Alan Comer

There are advantages to covering matches where the players are having a bad day - there's less tension and the matches tend to be more friendly. This round, Bob Maher Jr. and Alan Comer faced off with what Bob called "the two best decks at the table," but so far they had won a combined total of one game. There's no question after looking at it that there's no way Bob's deck deserved to be doing so badly, and for this match it finally remembered how good it was. Alan came out on turn one with the all-powerful (and unlikely first pick) Sunscape Apprentice , which served until it was Zapped away. Alan kept playing more Plains , and Bob put out two Ancient Kavus. As Alan put it when playing his fifth land, "this one isn't a Forest ." Or as Bob put it, "we suck." It's vital to keep a good sense of humor about the game, even as your second spell of the game with six Plains out is a sixth turn Obsidian Acolyte and it gets killed by Scorching Lava right before you do. During sideboarding, Bob noted that "I got land in my sideboard if you want it." Alan responded "So do I!"

Game two Alan had his green and any other color he wanted with a second turn Nomadic Elf , then played a third turn Sunscape Apprentice which died to Zap again. Alan tried putting Armadillo Cloak on the Elf while still stuck at three lands, but Bob killed it on the next turn with Malice and Alan didn't have anything else he could cast without more lands. Bob put out an Ancient Kavu , and Alan managed to put Shackles on it after it combined with Scorching Lava to take out a Benalish Heralds . A Shivan Zombie came out, then it was joined by Halem Djinn. Alan finally found some lands and cast a Sulam Djinn . The Djinns battled off, and by making Ancient Kavu colorless Bob killed off the Sulam after combat and put out a second Shivan Zombie . Alan put out a Razerfoot Griffin, and Bob hit for four and put out Kavu Runner . Alan tried to put out a Glimmering Angel and at least double block the Runner, but a Scorching Lava killed off both flyers while saving the Runner. Alan finally drew Crimson Acolyte way too late, after which Bob Zapped Alan and even found Cursed Flesh to kill off the Acolyte.

Since that was all done in about, oh, ten minutes, they decided to play game three. This is yet another advantage of this kind of match - normally there wouldn't be a game three. Alan once again came out with his mighty Sunscape Apprentice , and this time Zap decided to hit Obsidian Acolyte instead to combat Alan's larger than usual beatdown machine. A Rampant Elephant came out to start attacking, and an Ancient Kavu traded with Alan's Battery token. Bob put out Duskwalker , Alan put out Benalish Heralds and Bob used Do or Die to force Alan to give up his other two creatures to preserve it. A Kavu Runner added to the attack, and Alan didn't even have a continuous source of blue mana for the Heralds. A Quirion Sentinel let him draw with it once, but that would be all his deck could do.

Bob Maher, Jr. 2 (3) - Alan Comer 0

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