I end up coming home from college (it’s my first year) and when I get there, it turns out that the Japanese [[Abeyance]] I ordered came in! I begin to goldfish my list for when [[Ponder]] is released from Lorwyn using [[Serum Visions]] as proxies. In order to add in the slots, I had to trim down on the main deck copies of [[Empty the Warrens]]. The issue is this is all just wasted time as I can’t use the [[Ponder]] this upcoming weekend. I look back at my last tournament report and realize how often I am siding in [[Dark Confidant]] and just decide to play them in the main deck instead of the sideboard.

EPIC Dual Land Draft

Round One – Zared Zimmer (willo) with “Tarmo”-still

Game One:

Jared plays turn one [[Tropical Island]] into [[AEther Vial]] before passing the turn. I play turn one [[Gemstone Mine]], pitch [[Simian Spirit Guide]], cast [[Rite of Flame]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lotus Petal]], and then [[Ill-Gotten Gains]] (holding a [[Burning Wish]] in hand). I get back [[Dark Ritual]], [[Rite of Flame]], and [[Burning Wish]] meanwhile Jared returns a pair of [[Tarmogoyf]] and a [[Standstill]]. I [[Burning Wish]] for [[Empty the Warrens]].

Sideboarding: -1 [[Empty the Warrens]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], -2 [[Simian Spirit Guide]], +3 [[Pyroblast]], +1 [[Red Elemental Blast]]

Game Two:

I start out very slow and end up [[Burning Wish]] for [[Infernal Contract]]. I end up casting all four copies of [[Dark Ritual]] (I end up chaining them with two [[Infernal Tutor]] to increase the Storm count) and a [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]]. I then play [[Infernal Contract]] (sacrificing [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]] for ), but I end up drawing two [[Lotus Petal]], [[Chrome Mox]], and a [[Simian Spirit Guide]]. This was my opening and I missed it.

Game Three:

Jared mulligans and I play a first turn [[Dark Confidant]] into a turn two [[Dark Confidant]]. Jared can’t keep up with insane card advantage while I’ve also attacked Jared’s life-total down to eight. I then play an [[Orim’s Chant]], [[Force of Will]] from Jared, I cast another [[Orim’s Chant]], the response is the same, I then play [[Abeyance]], [[Counterspell]], I counter with [[Pyroblast]]. [[Orim’s Chant]] resolves. I then play [[Dark Ritual]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], into [[Infernal Tutor]] for [[Tendrils of Agony]].

Round Two – Mike with Reanimator

Game One:

Mike begins with a [[Careful Study]] discarding [[Simic Sky Swallower]] and [[Akroma, Angel of Wrath]]. I’m running hot with another turn one [[Dark Confidant]]. Mike then plays an [[Animate Dead]] on [[Simic Sky Swallower]]. [[Reanimate]] on [[Akroma, Angel of Wrath]] and attack with both creatures leaves me very low on life. I reveal a [[Dark Ritual]] to [[Dark Confidant]] leaving me now at three life. I tap [[City of Brass]] going down to two life to cast the [[Dark Ritual]], [[Rite of Flame]] off of a [[Simian Spirit Guide]], [[Burning Wish]] for [[Infernal Contract]], I cast another [[Dark Ritual]], and then [[Infernal Contract]]. My life total is now at one. The draws off of [[Infernal Contract]] are [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Brainstorm]], [[Lotus Petal]], and [[Dark Confidant]]. I cast [[Brainstorm]] into [[Infernal Tutor]] and [[Dark Ritual]] to seal up the game.

Sideboarding: -1 [[Empty the Warrens]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], -2 [[Simian Spirit Guide]], +3 [[Pyroblast]], +1 [[Red Elemental Blast]]

Game Two:

[[Careful Study]] discards an[[Akroma, Angel of Wrath]] and then on the second turn a [[Reanimate]] brings her back. My opening hand was: [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Infernal Tutor]], [[Burning Wish]], [[Gemstone Mine]], and [[Undiscovered Paradise]].

Round Three – Zach Tartell (LonelyBaritone) with Enchantress

Game One:

An early [[Dark Confidant]] while eventually builds into a [[Tendrils of Agony]].

Sideboarding: -2 [[Abeyance]], -2 [[Orim’s Chant]], +1 [[Infernal Contract]], +3 [[Pyroblast]]

Game Two:

Turn one [[Dark Confidant]] again. I [[Burning Wish]] for [[Hull Breach]] after Zach plays [[In the Eye of Chaos]]. I reveal a [[Pyroblast]] to [[Dark Confidant]] and pay the tax to destroy [[In the Eye of Chaos]]. Zach casts [[Replenish]]. I [[Hull Breach]]. He plays an [[Aura of Silence]] and then [[Sterling Grove]]. The thing is, Zach is at eight life from [[Dark Confidant]] and I have [[Tendrils of Agony]] in hand — I just need some mana! I cast [[Brainstorm]] into [[Dark Ritual]] and [[Rite of Flame]].

Round Four – Jesse Robison with Goblins

Game One:

I keep a hand with [[Burning Wish]], [[Simian Spirit Guide]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Chrome Mox]] and three lands. The thought process is I have [[Cave-In]] and will have time to recover. This just wasn’t the case with all of the mana denial from [[Wasteland]] and [[Rishadan Port]].

Sideboarding: -1 [[Abeyance]], +1 [[Infernal Contract]]

Game Two:

I mulligan and then start off on: [[Lotus Petal]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Simian Spirit Guide]], [[Dark Confidant]], [[Infernal Tutor]], and then cast a second [[Dark Confidant]]. I am empty handed. Jesse plays [[Mogg Fanantic]] and passes. I reveal a pair of lands, play one, and pass. On Jesse’s turn, a [[Gempalm Incinerator]] kills one [[Dark Confidant]] and then the [[Mogg Fanatic]] kills the other. I am stuck being able to do anything, from here on out it’s just a barrage of Goblins and [[Wasteland]].

Round Five – Dave with Lands

Game One:

I begin with a main-phase [[Brainstorm]] as I’m very close to winning. Dave uses [[Wasteland]] on my land leaving me with only one mana source. Several turns go by and I’m now at four life from [[Mishra’s Factory]]. I hit the top of my deck asking for a red source and the [[Simian Spirit Guide]] was there! I play a flurry of [[Rite of Flame]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], into [[Burning Wish]] for the win.

Sideboarding: -4 [[Orim’s Chant]], +3 [[Shattering Spree]], +1 [[Infernal Contract]]

Game Two:

The main-phase [[Brainstorm]] once again, but just short. On the second turn, I play [[Gemstone Mine]] into [[Rite of Flame]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Infernal Tutor]] (Reveal: [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]]), [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Burning Wish]] (sacrifice the pair of [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]] for ) for [[Ill-Gotten Gains]]. Cast [[Ill-Gotten Gains]] returning [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], and [[Infernal Tutor]].

Round Six – Trevor Brown (Getsickanddie) with Affinity

Top Eight – Zared Zimmer (willo) with “Tarmo”-still

Game One:

I’m just getting lucky at this point with another first turn [[Dark Confidant]]. This one is generating so much card advantage I need to discard [[Tendrils of Agony]] on my third turn. On Jared’s third turn, a second land is found. On my turn, I cast [[Orim’s Chant]], in response Jared activates [[Flooded Strand]], in respond with [[Abeyance]]. I then play a pair of [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Rite of Flame]], [[Burning Wish]], and then [[Burning Wish]] for [[Tendrils of Agony]].

Sideboarding: -1 [[Empty the Warrens]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], -2 [[Simian Spirit Guide]], +3 [[Pyroblast]], +1 [[Red Elemental Blast]]

Game Two:

I fizzle on a [[Diminishing Returns]].

Game Three:

Only a second turn [[Dark Confidant]] this time. [[Burning Wish]] for [[Infernal Contract]] on the next turn, I end up having to discard and discard [[Tendrils of Agony]]. Jared plays [[Extirpate]] on [[Tendrils of Agony]]. On my turn, I play [[Orim’s Chant]], Jared counters, I [[Orim’s Chant]] again. I play [[Rite of Flame]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Burning Wish]] for [[Empty the Warrens]].

Top Four – Tariq White (Spiderfreak) with UWb Landstill

Game One:

An early [[Dark Confidant]], this one is meant with [[Force of Will]] (removing [[Stifle]]). Then another [[Dark Confidant]] and then another [[Force of Will]] (removing [[Stifle]]). The game is dragged out, I attempt to win with an [[Orim’s Chant]] and an [[Abeyance]] — they’re both countered. I decide to go for it but there’s a third [[Stifle]] for [[Tendrils of Agony]].

Sideboarding: -1 [[Empty the Warrens]], -1 [[Chrome Mox]], -2 [[Simian Spirit Guide]], +3 [[Pyroblast]], +1 [[Red Elemental Blast]]

Game Two:

Another early [[Dark Confidant]] which is met again by [[Force of Will]] (removing [[Stifle]]). This time the second [[Dark Confidant]] sticks but is killed bu a [[Smother]] a few turns later. I manage to resolve a [[Diminishing Returns]] when Tariq is tapped out, I’m lucky enough to draw the [[Tendrils of Agony]] in my seven cards.

Game Three:

I keep a no land hand that is able to put two [[Dark Confidant]] into play on the first turn. I’m thinking, “Tariq can’t always have the [[Force of Will]], right?” Tariq actually had two copies of [[Force of Will]] for each of my [[Dark Confidant]]s. The game goes very long and I’m able to rebuild under a [[Standstill]], it gets to a point where Tariq tapped low on mana to attack with [[Mishra’s Factory]]. This is it, I go for it. Somewhere in the turn, Tariq plays a [[Brainstorm]] and then a [[Spell Snare]] to tap out completely. I slam [[Tendrils of Agony]] on the table.

Finals – Brian Diefendorf (Ewokslayer) with RG Survival Advantage

Game One:

Brian mulls to three. Brian opens on a [[Birds of Paradise]], into a turn three [[Anger]], and then a turn four [[Flametongue Kavu]] on [[Anger]]. During all of this I kept a solid hand that would’ve won with a mana source, if I had drawn one… Once again, I knock on the top of my deck and it’s there! [[Dark Ritual]], [[Dark Ritual]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]], remove [[Simian Spirit Guide]], and [[Burning Wish]] for [[Ill-Gotten Gains]], get back [[Infernal Tutor]] and a pair of [[Lion’s Eye Diamond]]. Play all of these into a lethal [[Tendrils of Agony]].

Sideboarding: -1 [[Abeyance]], +1 [[Infernal Contract]]

Game Two:

Brian wrecks me with a [[Duress]] into triple [[Cabal Therapy]]. I pick them up early.

Game Three:

I get a busted hand and go off on turn 1 or 2, can’t remember anything about this game.

At the end of the day, I walked away with 4 [[Tundra]] and 4 [[Badlands]] making it a collective 24 dual lands that I’ve won this year! I’m really happy with TES and could see this going somewhere.

Until next time, keep storming!