World's 96 - a desaster for UK - Oliver Schneider's Stormbind deck - more about girls and MtG
U Stroinski
My thoughts about this years world championships - a detailed analysis of a
tournament winning Stormbind deck - more girls than in any other issues of
my weekly report
What a desastrous weekend! USA claims the teams title, but only just over
the Czechs (impressive) and Switzerland. Our team ended up on a split 18th
place (with Mexico. Hurray! We are as good as Mexico!) out of 28 teams
(only 24 full). That leaves us with the observation that only 2 teams in
europe performed worse (Italy and Spain. Greece and Portugal sent no complete
teams) and the question whether our team could have done better.
No!
Reasons? Our team was determined in a 256 player type II tournament. The format
was effectively KO, ie you had to win 8 matches in a row to be a member of
our national team. No booster draft, no type 1.5 (I don't like OOP MtG)
required. Did we get the best possible team?
No, of course not!
If we want to compete on international level we should start to send our
strongest players overseas (I am not talking about Oliver and Rob, they did
reasonably). It is really no big deal to see that Clint Oldridge or Jason
Nicoll should have been in our team.
At least ....
we will not be flooded by us mails about how much better us players are,
since the new world champion comes from Australia. His name is
Tom Chanpheng (I couldn't get an "official" confirmation about this. Please
correct me if I am wrong). Apparently he played a W deck with lots of
Prot:B creatures to kill the US Necros. (Aeolipile? What's an Aeolipile?)
The other finalist was Mark Justice who proved once again to be one of
the world's best players.
Before we get to the interesting part of this weeks report (the Stormbind
deck and .... the girls ;-) some technical stuff. Last week I checked my
email account ma...@bath.ac.uk and found more than 50 unanswered mails
related to MtG. Sorry Jared, Steve, John, Paul, Mark, Chris ... the forward
didn't work. I DO answer posts. Please send them to uw...@maths.bath.ac.uk.
One post was particularly interesting. W.D. Fardell (sp?) was thanking me
for the cards. I have no idea what he/she was refering to. Please do
not ask me for deck listings (I won't answer) and do not ask me about
upcoming tournaments in UK (check http://wotc.ukonline.co.uk/index.htm)
The mail of the week award goe to Michael Pusateri
> Uwe,
>
> I just wanted to drop you a line to say thanks for the tourney posts
> you routinely sumbit to the net. Unlike many other tourney report
> writers, you include a good flavor for the personalities and
> significance of the matches. I live in Southern California and the
> local tournament scene revolves around "The Saturday Gathering", where
> many top players, including the (in)famous PCL. The tourney flavor
> you write about is similar to what goes on here. Lots of
> competiveness during matches, but everyone can share a beer after all
> is said and done.
>
> I also thank you for not sharing the exact contents of the
> "Baublebind" deck with the net. People are actually having to think
> about how to put a deck together rather than blindly copying a proven
> deck design.
>
> Keep up the good work,
I try.
>
> Michael Pusateri
Such response makes it much easier for me to write this "bloody" report every
Monday morning (well knowing that some of you read it only because of the
"girls" part). Nevertheless I understand those of you who were "hammering"
me with requests for Clint & Mark's BaubleBind deck. Often enough I was on the
other end, people claiming to have the ultimate deck, but not reveiling
details.
To shorten the time until we get the exact contents of BaubleBind I present
you the listing of another tournament winning Strombind deck. With this deck
Oliver Schneider won the type II event at PT II and finished 2nd at the UK
nationals. Most of you know it by heart, but for those who don't:
Artifacts (12) Sideboard (15)
4 Barbed Sextant 3 Gloom
4 Nevinyrral's Disk 2 Red Elemental Blast
1 Black Vise 3 Shatter
1 Feldon's Cane 2 CoP:R
1 Ivory Tower 3 StP
1 Zuran Orb 2 Reclamation
Red (14)
2 Earthquake
3 Fireball
4 Incinerate
4 Lightning Bolt
1 Orgg
Green (4)
4 Erhnam Djinn
White (5)
1 Balance
2 Blinking Spirit
2 Land Tax
Gold (2)
2 Stormbind
Land (27)
4 Mishra
4 Strip
7 Mountain
3 Plains
4 City of Brass
4 Karplusean Forest
1 Brushland
64 cards
Remember, the deck is pre Land Tax restriction with the 5 of all sets rule.
Newer versions have a more effective sideboard against PowerStasis (after
Jamie Badman beat him 2:0).
The first thing we observe is the number of cards. 64! Why doesn't he play
with 60 cards like all the other players? Mario Robaia (after his loss
against Oliver) even wrote: "The fact that he played with more than 60
cards in his deck tells me something" (about UK MtG, ed.) We will probably
never know the real reason, but a possible explanation is that after
constructing a 60 card deck Oliver realized that he forgot to
include Strip Mines (or was it Mishra's). He add the Mines just in time
before the tournament started and he won the tournament. "Never change
a winning team".
8 colorless mana in a 3 color deck seem to be too much, but his deck is
actually R with only splashes of G and W. 4 Barbed Sextants help to get the
right color (in most cases he needs G). The high amount of damage land is
indeed a problem and I have seen Oliver killing himself more than once.
No forests for obvious reasons.
The G component is pretty solid. No comments on that.
In W you will find no Disentchants (the Stp are in the sideboard).
His only defense against entchantments and artifacts are 4 Disks
(and 2 Shatter in the sideboard). That is a major weekness of this deck
and I could exploit that in the final of a small London tournament, where
my opponent (playing Olivers deck under precise instructions of Oliver
in the background) couldn't get rid of an early Ivory Tower. 35 life
and playing necro is like ... Xmas and easter on one day.
Only 2 Land Tax because of the lack of basic land.
The R component is not exactly what I would call a masterpiece
of deck construction. 8 Bolts + Fireballs and Earthquake. The Orgg
however is very important. Oliver's goal is to get rid of nasty permanents
and then to kill you with Orgg or Blinky or Mishra or Erhnam). If that
doesn't work, he Binds or Balls you.
To complement Sextants and Disks he chooses all the good stuff. No surprise.
Now the sideboard. Gloom in the sideboard is one of the smartest moves
I have seen in MtG. Oliver's deck does astonishingly well against Necro,
but has big problems against W/G. In come StP and Gloom, out go Blinky
and ... that's my homework for you. How does he beat W/G?
<drumroll> The part on girls and MtG.
Last weeks laws on girls and MtG have provoked many responses.
Most of them were pretty depressing (no girls for MtG playes left), but
I got 2 1/2 (Joe Fulgham I only count you 1/2 since you still haven't
mailed the phone number of the girls) responses of MtG resistant boy/girl
relations. I am currently working on making that 3.
And now ... <double drumroll> The girl.
I have promised you more girls than in any other issue of my weekly report
and as you know me I keep my promises. The Assassins - UK's premier MtG team
are pround to announce:
Lucy Hewitt
as their first female team member. Again the Assassins prove to be one of the
most innovative competitive MtG teams around. "Strength combined with charm",
says Jamie Badman team captain of the UK Assassins, "will enable us to stay
ahead of all the other teams in this ever so competitive environment".
Next week I will play Master of Magic II in London/Ealing.
Hope to see you.
Uwe Stroinski
uw...@maths.bath.ac.uk
Jamie C. Wakefield
Actually, I hate to burst your bubble, but Team Quarterstaff had the
first female team member and I have tons of proof.
Anyone that has read a Team Quaterstaff report is familiar with
Michelle (serra girl) Denault-Reynolds.
Wife to Hilary Denualt-Reynolds - also a Team Quarterstaff member.
This can be proven by the Pro tour one insert for the Duelist.
"She can do Magic" quoted Michelle numorous times and even had a picture
of her.
Later
Jamie
Also, great report as usual.
thanks
U Stroinski
"Jamie C. Wakefield" <the...@Sover.net> wrote:
>Actually, I hate to burst your bubble, but Team Quarterstaff had the
>first female team member
Actaully the quote in my report is
>The Assassins - UK's premier MtG team
>are pround to announce:
>
>Lucy Hewitt
>
>as their first female team member. Again the Assassins prove to be one of the
>most innovative competitive MtG teams around. "Strength combined with charm",
>says Jamie Badman team captain of the UK Assassins, "will enable us to stay
>ahead of all the other teams in this ever so competitive environment".
I do not claim we are the first team ever with female member (nevertheless
it's true) ;-)
>and I have tons of proof!
Send them in. I give you a chance ;-)
>Anyone that has read a Team Quaterstaff report is familiar with
>Michelle (serra girl) Denault-Reynolds.
>Wife to Hilary Denualt-Reynolds - also a Team Quarterstaff member.
You count wifes? Desperate? I am talking about REAL members ;-)
>This can be proven by the Pro tour one insert for the Duelist.
Are you talking about this US-MtG magazine? I have heard people are
actually reading it in the states. What is it like?
>"She can do Magic" quoted Michelle numorous times and even had a picture
>of her.
They have pictures of girls in the Duelist?
>Later
>Jamie
I guess we have to play that out. I propose the teams event at Thames
Valley XI. Let's see whether team Quarterstaff can back up their WILD
claims with deeds ;-)
Uwe
Greg Cantori
Jamie C. Wakefield (the...@Sover.net) wrote:
: Michelle (serra girl) Denault-Reynolds.
: Wife to Hilary Denualt-Reynolds - also a Team Quarterstaff member.
Isn't Hilary a girl's name?
--
Greg Cantori gr...@jolt.mpx.com.au
Chris Pikula
I was one of the DCI Top 25 players who Oliver Schneider beat at the
Type II tourney in Long Beach. He beat me in the 4th round. He was
not playing Stormbind. He was playing a 68 card red/black/white deck
with white for Land Tax/STP/Disenchant, black for Knights/Hymns, and
red for 8 bolts. I played a version of Matt Place's G/W armegeddon
deck and sideboarded poorly- it was the only tourney I've ever played
G/W.
I would also like to say it is cool to not post the Baublebind deck
listing. I love seeing the terrible Baublebind decks the strategy
list people create. I especially liked the one that couldn't fit
Balance in the deck.
Chris Pikula
DCI #28 in Type II
Top 32 at 2 Pro Tourneys
U Stroinski
Chris Pikula <cp...@cornell.edu> wrote:
>I was one of the DCI Top 25 players who Oliver Schneider beat at the
>Type II tourney in Long Beach. He beat me in the 4th round. He was
>not playing Stormbind.
>He was playing a 68 card red/black/white deck
>with white for Land Tax/STP/Disenchant, black for Knights/Hymns, and
>red for 8 bolts.
>I played a version of Matt Place's G/W armegeddon
>deck and sideboarded poorly- it was the only tourney I've ever played
>G/W.
>I would also like to say it is cool to not post the Baublebind deck
>listing.
It's not really my choice. I don't have it.
>I love seeing the terrible Baublebind decks the strategy
>list people create.
>I especially liked the one that couldn't fit
>Balance in the deck.
Have you seen the one without Erhnams?
Julian's Stormbind deck is actually pretty tough to
beat. I don't like the Stromgald idea, but a draw against
Jason Nicoll is not too bad.
>
>Chris Pikula
>DCI #28 in Type II
>Top 32 at 2 Pro Tourneys
Uwe Stroinski
DCI #270239 (no joke)
Top 8 at Polycon, Crusade, Thames Valley, Mox a Month, Worthing, Swindon ...
(I still need Ealing and Doncaster, if you have them I would give you 1 Thames
Valley)
Jamie C. Wakefield
Team Quarterstaff will meet you anytime - anywhere!
Of course, you'll have to pay the airfare :-)
Yes, Michelle is married to Hillary and let me tell you, that was weird
at a recent batpism when the godparents were named Hilary and Michelle
and Michelle just happened to be standing next to Kim when they were
introduced.
The minister was a little flustered, but yes, Kim is female, michelle is
female and hilary is a male.
Damn - :-)
but anyway, you should hear their answering machine about hilary and
michelle living together.
hmmm.
later
jamie
The UK Assassins
On Mon, 19 Aug 1996 21:06:12 -0400, "Jamie C. Wakefield" <the...@Sover.net>
wrote:
>Actually, I hate to burst your bubble, but Team Quarterstaff had the
>first female team member and I have tons of proof.
>Anyone that has read a Team Quaterstaff report is familiar with
>Michelle (serra girl) Denault-Reynolds.
>Wife to Hilary Denualt-Reynolds - also a Team Quarterstaff member.
>This can be proven by the Pro tour one insert for the Duelist.
>"She can do Magic" quoted Michelle numorous times and even had a picture
>of her.
>Later
>Jamie
>Also, great report as usual.
>thanks
...but Uwe's talking about The Assassins which is a UK team (the premier, no
less!) and Team Quarterstaff are in the US so I don't think they have much claim
to being the first team in the UK to have a female member!
Jamie.
Simeon Jones
In article <DwHFKq.7IA...@bath.ac.uk>, From U Stroinski
<ma...@bath.ac.uk>, the following was written:
> Uwe Stroinski
> DCI #270239 (no joke)
> Top 8 at Polycon, Crusade, Thames Valley, Mox a Month, Worthing,
> Swindon ... (I still need Ealing and Doncaster, if you have them I
> would give you 1 Thames Valley)
Garret ( But only if still in original Wrapper ;-)
Simeon Jones
sim...@waverider.co.uk