Both players, Jan Vincent Tan and Reynerio 'Rey' M. Estacio Jr.,
sounded very familiar with each other, trading pleasantries while shuffling up,
with Mr. Tan even writing a shout-out mentioning "CHAGI last na!
Hehehe" ("CHAGGI this is the last! Hehehe"). Though it seemed
both were relaxed at that point, the following seconds immediately turned
serious magic business as they started the first game of their quarter-final
match.
Jan Vincent, who was of higher seed (3rd), had the choice of
either to play or draw on the opening turn, and opted to play first.
Game 1
Both players shuffled up. Both Keep.
First action goes to Jan, who summons Jace, Vryn's Prodigy to his
side. On Rey's turn, he answers with a Fleecemane Lion, Jan untaps with Jace
alive, loots, then casts Lightning Strike on the Fleecemane Lion. On Rey's
turn, he plays a swamp for his third land and simply casts Hangarback Walker
for 1, though we all know there's nothing simple about the new metagame-defining
card.
For his fourth turn, Jan plays his fourth land, casts a Soulfire
Grandmaster then casts a Lightning Strike on the Hangarback Walker. He gains 3 life in the process. Adding up
fetchland and painland activations, they land at 20-19 in favor of Jan. The following turn, Rey
missed his crucial fourth land and simply swings in with his token.
Mr. Tan asks how many the cards in Rey's hand were, gets an answer of "6",
then loots with Jace. Rey responds with a Dromoka's Command, choosing to put a
+1/+1 counter on his Thopter, and to fight and kill Jace, Vryn's Prodigy. He then casts a Mantis Rider, and together with
the grandmaster, attacks for 5 damage, two of which are lifelinking, making the scores
20-13.
Although getting his much needed fourth land in play, it entered
the battlefield tapped, albeit giving Rey a peek at the top of his library. He
casts a Dromoka's Command and chooses to put another +1/+1 counter on the
Thopter, making it 3/3, for it to fight the opposing Soulfire Grandmaster. The grandmaster falls,
but not until it gains Jan another 2 life from fighting the bigger thopter.
As a retaliation, Jan summons another Jace, Vryn's Prodigy. Rey swoops
with his 3/3 Thopter token, and post-combat finally gets to summon his Siege
Rhino, making the scores closer at 16-14, though still in favor of Jan.
His opponent tapped out, Jan uses his Jace and loots, flips him
into Jace, Telepath Unbound, Digs Though Time and adds 2 more cards in hand,
making it 4. He then proceeds to play a scry-land, scrying the card to the
bottom. Jan follows to activate
Jace, Telepath Unbound's '-3' ability, recasts the lightning strike from his
graveyard on the 3/3 Thopter token of Rey which flavorfully gets electrocuted.
Not done yet, Jan attacks with Mantis Rider unblocked. Big. Turn.
Rey managed to Abzan Charm the Mantis Rider to exile, then attacks
with his Siege Rhino, steering its horned snout to Jan, evening their life totals
to 10 apiece.
Jan makes use of the Telepath, Unbound's +1 ability on Rhino, shrinking
it to 2/5; casts a Stormbreath Dragon and hastily attacked Rey to 6. Rey attacks Jace, Telepath Unbound to 1 loyalty,
then removes the Stormbreath Dragon via Hero's Downfall.
Jace shrinks the Siege Rhino again for a turn, Jan slams a Goblin
Rabblemaster, then attacks with its Goblin Token unblocked. Things were
immediately getting urgent, however, Rey considers what options he had, and settled
for a 2/2 Hangarback Walker.
Upon getting back his turn, Jan plays his sixth land, activates
Jace's '+1' to give Hangarback -2/-0, then taps six mana for Elspeth,
Sun's Champion, immediately using its '-3' ability to destroy the elephant, er,
Rhino in the room! Jan enters combat step, Goblin Rabblemaster creates 1 more
goblin, attacks with both tokens, one gets blocked by the 0/2 hangarback walker,
the other pinching Rey to 4.
At this point, Rey plays Sandsteppe Citadel with Dromoka's
Command, Fleecemane Lion, Sorin, Solemn Visitor, and Abzan Charm in hand. He calls
Sorin to his aid, activating its +1 ability, then passes the turn. Was it too
late?
Jan untaps, uses +1 ability of Jace on Hangarback Walker, casts
Mantis Rider, creates 3 soldiers from Elspeth, attacks with the bunch and takes
game 1.
 |
| The jovial Rey Estacio, Jr. Photo by Johann Guasch |
Between games, Rey said through friendly banter that he
contemplated attacking the Jace, Telepath Unbound, to which Jan replied
"[my opponents] tend to neglect that card"...
Game 2
Both players were again blessed with 'keeps' of seven cards
each.
Rey opted to play first, plays a Sandsteppe Citadel. Jan: Mystic
Monestary, go. Rey: Hangarback Walker for 1, go. Jan: Hangarback Walker for 1,
go.
Willing to take the lead, Rey Dromoka's Command's a +1/+1 counter
on his Hangarback Walker, fighting the opposing one, effectively killing it,
though leaving a Thopter token for Jan. Rey attacks, unblocked, then Thoughtseizes, making Jan discard
another copy of Hangarback Walker from his hand. Rey lists the remaining cards:
2x Mantis Rider, Ojutai's Command, Goblin Rabblemaster, and Jeskai Charm.
Jan plays Shivan Reef, taps Shivan Reef and Battlefield Forge for
colored mana, making the life counts 16-17 in favor of Rey, casts Jeskai Charm on Hangarback Walker, sending
it to the top of Rey's library. Jan then attacks with his Thopter token to even the life count
to 16.
Rey replays Hangarback Walker for 1, missing a land. Jan taps for
Mantis Rider mana, painfully so, but gets to attack unblocked with his thopter. Rey falls to 12.
Poor Rey simply drew and passes the turn with no fourth land to
play. Jan untaps, draws and immediately attacks again, bringing the scores to
14-8 in favor of him. Rey responds to Jan's end step: Hangarback Walker
activation (+1/+1 counter), making it 2/2.
Although late once more, Rey finally draws a fourth land, plays
it, then summons his siege rhino draining him back to 10. Jan untaps, plays another Shivan Reef, attacks with both his
creatures making the scores 11-6.
Rey has Ultimate Price, Wingmate Roc and Hero's Downfall and a
scry-land in hand. He plays the scry-land, leaves the card on top. Rey attacks
with rhino. It was left unblocked. Jan goes to 7.
Jan fetches, uses painland mana, then casts a second Mantis Rider, leaving two
mana open. Smelling blood, Jan attacks with everybody. Rey activates Hangarback
Walker's ability; attempts to destroy his Hangarback Walker with Hero's Downfall
and hopes spawn 3 thopters to survive. Jan shows him Negate.
 |
| Jan Vincent Tan. Photo by Johann Guasch |
Jan Vincent Tan
16 Creatures3 Soulfire Grandmaster
3 Jace, Vryn's Prodigy / Jace, Telepath Unbound
2 Hangarback Walker
2 Stormbreath Dragon
4 Mantis Rider
2 Goblin Rabblemaster
19 Spells
3 Lightning Strike
2 Stoke the Flames
2 Wildslash
1 Magma Spray
3 Ojutai's Command
2 Valorous Stance
1 Tragic Arrogance
1 Jeskai Charm
1 Disdainful Stroke
2 Dig Through Time
1 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
25 Lands
4 Mystic Monastery
4 Flooded Strand
3 Shivan Reef
3 Battlefield Forge
3 Temple of Triumph
3 Temple of Epiphany
2 Island
2 Plains
1 Mountain
15 Sideboard
2 Anger of the Gods
2 Arashin Cleric
2 Outpost Siege
1 Negate
1 Disdainful Stroke
1 Stratus Dancer
1 Roast
1 Valorous Stance
1 Tragic Arrogance
1 Glare of Heresy
1 Hangarback Walker
1 Revoke Existence
Rey Estacio
21 Creatures4 Siege Rhino
4 Anafenza, The Foremost
4 Hangarback Walker
2 Wingmate Roc
3 Den Protector
4 Fleecemane Lion
13 Spells
2 Ultimate Price
2 Sorin, Solemn Visitor
4 Dromoka's Command
2 Heroes Downfall
3 Abzan Charm
26 Lands
4 Sandsteppe Citadel
4 Windswept Heath
3 Temple of Malady
3 Temple of Silence
3 Llanowar Waste
2 Caves of Koilos
2 Plains
2 Forests
1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
1 Temple of Plenty
1 Swamp
15 Sideboard
3 Thoughtseize
2 Elspeth, Sun's Champion
2 Duress
2 Infinite Obliteration
2 Self Inflicted Wound
1 Ultimate Price
1 Evolutionary Leap
1 Feed the Clan
1 Arashin Cleric
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