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As much as I wanted to join the Philippine Open (because I’ve missed it last year), I was not able to. Not only because of conflicting schedules but also due to the fact that I don’t have any competitive deck. Errr, even if we’re almost done with my Runeflare deck, I lack practice/playtests.

I was in Batangas last weekend unlike in the past major tourneys that me and my boyfriend were able to drop by at the tournament venue. I did not check for Neutral Ground’s Facebook update either so I just got the news from their website. Congrats to Caesar Famorcan a.k.a. ungas for being this year’s Philippine National Champion. I remember him because he’d beaten my Soldier deck once (using his Jund) during one of the FNMs. We have also bought some cards from him. I think the first set of cards we bought from him are Oona’s Prowler.

Anyway, here’s his topnotch deck list:

Game matches and deck lists can be found here.

Image source: NG’s FB Fan Page

August 30th, 2010 by eldraLIZ | No Comments »

Finally, MTGirl is back online. Well, up and running on its new server to be exact. So let me update this blog again with my M11 Prerelease experience.

*decks to follow*

July 21st, 2010 by eldraLIZ | 6 Comments »

Quick Recap

Round 1:

Mythic Bant: 0 – 2

Round 2:

Planeswalkers Control a.k.a Superfriends/Justice League: 1 – 1 – 1

Round 3:

Jund: 1 – 2

Round 4:

Jund: 0 – 2

Round 5:

Soldier Deck : 2 – 0

Round 6:

Mythic Bant: 1 – 2

Finished 1-4-1. Sucks. Haha. But it was enjoyable nonetheless. My boyfriend finished 3-3 and my younger sister is with us all day long during the tournament. We’re not twins. We are teaching her how to play MTG. Yay! She already knew the basic and now we’re exposing her to a brand new gaming environment.

June 29th, 2010 by eldraLIZ | 1 Comment »

I’m a fan of Neutral Grounds on Facebook so it is understandable if I keep on liking and sharing their status and albums (as if I am retweeting them). So yeah, I did wear a patriotic shirt during the event, not only because I wanted to, but also due to the fact that what I’ve got during the GP pre-registration is on oversized shirt. I expected it anyway, it’s either US size or men’s size… never for a female. Haha.

Even though SMX Convention Center opened in as early as 10AM, we were not able to be part of the first few registrants. We arrived there at 2PM and I did not expect the long queue of magic players! I was like, “Oh, really? So we have to wait for HOURS?!”

And yeah, we did! I lost track of time (even if at the back of my head, I am aware that we spent 3 hours… more or less) since my boyfriend and I became busy chatting with other players and every time I got tired of standing, I’d go walking around or seating in the nearby chairs. I was tempted to power on my laptop and do a pre-registration coverage. Haha. But no, I could save it for later, that’s what I thought.

Now, let’s move on to the Independence Day Special, also known as my very first Grand Prix! Yay! Congratulations to me. LOL.

I was overwhelmed with the number of MTG players who joined this GP Manila 2010 – whooping 1071!

Before I proceed with my own tournament report, let me say thanks to Neutral Grounds, Wizards of the Coast, SMX, and all players for making this event possible, and in my case, memorable.

Here we go:

Round 1:

Jund: 2 – 1

A match with a local player. First game was mine, second was his. Third game, boarded an extra Dauntless Escort, can’t stand the downpour of his removals.

Round 2:

Planeswalkers Control a.k.a Superfriends/Justice League: 1 – 1

This game is the most challenging not only because I was playing against a Singaporean but also because it was my first time to deal with the kind of deck he was using.
Game 1 took 40 mins. Why? He got Ajani Vengeant, Elspeth, Knight-Errant, Jace, The Mind Sculptor, and Gideon Jura in play while I had all sort of Allies plus TALUS PALADIN.
I kept gaining life and he kept redirecting damage to Gideon Jura and blocking my creatures with Elspeth’s token.

Second game was so smooth. Beated him in just few turns and I was able to zeroed his life just before the timer rings. We’re not able to play game 3. Will last 5 turns be applicable if we started the third game?

Important Lesson: Don’t be overwhelmed with planeswalkers in play. Attack the player instead as long as you know that the said PW will not give you problems as of the moment.

Funny Experience: He was asking, “Cards in hand”, but due to language barrier, I just said OK. HAHA. And then he demonstrated it, showed the number of cards in his hands so I did the same thing. Haha!

Round 3:

Planeswalkers Control a.k.a Superfriends/Justice League: 0 – 2

He got game one, and despite my sideboards on game two (3 Manabarbs, 2 Pithing Needle, 3 Dauntless Escort, 2 Oblivion Ring) he still won. Why? He was able to Negate my Manabarbs then casted Martial Coup for 8 on his next turn. Ouch. I was able to successfully play my next Manabarbs but it was too late. I was already enduring the pain from those weenies amped with the flying power of Elspeth.

Round 4:

Elfdrazi: 2 – 1

He won the first game with his OVERRUN. Second and third became mine with my MVP – Kabira Evangel. Hurray! His Fog did not last for long eh…

Round 5:

Valakut Control 2 – 0

I can’t feel any sense of accomplishment on this one for I was paired against a 12-year old. Please don’t take it negatively, but for some reason I feel like being a bully even if I am not and I did not. Haha. Ian has been playing since Ravnica so he must be a good player, too. He was polite and English-speaking. Cute, especially when he asked, “What’s your name?” but he was not able to write it on his scoresheet probably because he did not know how to spell it. Thanks to the official game slip, names and DCI numbers are automatically printed.
Oh no, I am not a cradle-snatcher. He just reminds me of my brother. He even extended his hands and congratulated me after our match just before the he leave the table and bring the result slip to the score keeper. Gosh, what did I do to him. I felt he was in a hurry to go away from me and that table. I asked him, “Would you like me to bring it there instead?” He just shook his head saying “No, it’s OK.” So I was really surprised when he returned and asked me for a playtest.
“Would you like  to play test while waiting?”, he asked.
“Sure!”, I answered with a bright smile on my face. Haha. It made me feel better. There’s nothing to be guilty about.

Important Lesson: All players are created equal. Show respect and be fair at all times.

Side Comment: My new acquaintance sat beside me and watched our play tests. He heard me when I whispered, “Gosh, I feel bad. I don’t know how to handle situation like this.” This is after winning against the kid. He assured me that’s alright. With this kind of remark, “It’s OK. If you feel guilty because you defeat a kid, how much more will a guy feel given the same situation against a girl. As much as we want to favor our opponent at times like this, it can’t be helped. It’s just a game and you must do everything you can to win. A guy would love to beat each of his opponent including girls, but if they lose, that’s the time to feel different. Hehe”.
Long remark? The important lesson above sums it up!

Round 6:

Planeswalkers Control a.k.a Superfriends/Justice League: 1 – 2

Yeah, I know my fate. Each time he PTEd my Dauntless Escort, DOJ or Martial Coup’s next.

Round 7:

Jund: 1 – 2

I am not a sore loser. I am just aware that if I had been careful of my response and mindful of cards in play, I should have won this match. My misplays was when I miscalculated my life points during the phase of assigning blockers. Considering that he will pump Putrid Leech, I still thought I’d be down to 1 and can beat him on my turn. Yup, he had empty hands so I was safe from bolts. Thing is, he dealt exact damage to zeroed my life. I also overlooked Kor Firewalkers ability to gain life each we casts red spells. Keyword: MAY. And that makes a big difference. MAY. I MAY win, but not if I am careless. Haha.

Round 8: Drop

Round 9: Drop

I finished 3-3-1-Drop. My boyfriend had a good start, a standing of 4-1 but after 2 more losses he also dropped the game. In between rounds, he was able to let rk post signed our cards. I have 10 unsigned cards because I was not able to squeeze it in during the event. Imagine being paired to a control deck. Whew. Gives me no way for extra restroom breaks.

But hey, I got a good shot of him! Haha. He noticed that I struggle a lot in looking for a perfect angle while he was busy signing. He candidly said, “Want me to pose for you?” and he did! Quick click and here’s the result:

Cool guy. Here’s another shot. I was wondering if he’s the one who designed his tattoo. My boyfriend voiced it out and I heard rk post’s answer. No. It is not his artwork. He just told the tattoo artist that he wants skull, this and that and that’s it!

Whew, I know it’s a long read and it was overdue. Haha. By the way, I used NAYA ALLIES with modified sideboards. Since my boyfriend is working on my new sideboard plan, I will just post an updated deck list later instead of the one I used last Grand Prix.

Yay! I really enjoyed this event! For complete event coverage, check out the article about Grand Prix 2010 – Manila.

June 18th, 2010 by eldraLIZ | 3 Comments »

Tomorrow will be the most awaited GP Manila 2010 and my magical stuff are ready! Here we go!

My boyfriend and I will go to SMX later for an early registration.

June 10th, 2010 by eldraLIZ | 5 Comments »

Are you ready to face the big fight? I’m not that prepared but still, I’m so excited. This would be a major event in my MTG life so I need full coverage. Kidding.

All the mental notes are still fresh on my mind so that’s good. I just have to condition myself physically, emotionally then. Enough of being anxious, oh well, sorry, can’t find the right term. What do you expect from a first-timer like me? Haha. I’m so happy that my applied Vacation Leave for Friday got approved! Yay. It means that I can get enough sleep that day. Time to loosen up a bit.

I better prepare my MTG stuff now. And oh, what should I wear? June 12th is Philippine’s Independence Day and I want to be part of that commemoration, rather celebration by wearing patriotic shirt. Hmm. Got no spare on my wardrobe. Will go for plain shirts of either red, blue, white or yellow colors.

Speaking of shirts, here’s the winning design on NG’s contest:

And the second placer which is also admired by many (including me and I wish I can wear it on that main tourney…):

June 10th, 2010 by eldraLIZ | 2 Comments »

Just realized that ever since 2010 begun, I’ve been joining very few events and I can name them all right now – Worldwake PR, Rise of the Eldrazi PR, and NCR Regionals. What I’m excited about is the upcoming GP Manila 2010.
Question is, am I ready?

No. Not yet.

Being a first-timer, my excitement sometimes fade every time I log on to MTG forums and can’t relate to some of the posts. There goes prominent names of the Pros, best deck to use, extraordinary game play and the like. Whew. Nosebleed.

Good thing, I stumbled upon these friendly reminders:

*BE ON TIME*
Whether for the registration, tournament proper or even pairings, you have to be mindful of the time. Once pairings are posted check your table number and your opponent then go to your assigned table. Once pairings are posted you usually have 3 mins. to go to your assigned table. You will also be helpful to other players who are checking their pairings if you dont waste time on it as they can see theirs faster.

To those who finish their matches early, be mindful of the time left during the round.(There will be a big timer in front of the Head judges table). A lot of you who will finish their matches early will want to eat, go to the bathroom or even smoke. Just make sure you return before the next round or else you receive a match loss or even a game loss.

*PROPERLY FILL OUT YOUR DECKLISTS*
Decklists that are either incomplete, having the wrong card names, incomplete number of cards in the mainboard and the sideboard and even some using abbreviations are not allowed. Some players write DOJ or BBE in their decklists and when given game losses try to appeal and say that it is understood. For heaven’s sake, how hard is it to completly fill out your decklist. is it that hard to write down those extra letters that will save you from having a game loss because you were stubborn?

*Deckboxes*
Make sure that when you start your match you don’t have any other cards in your deckbox aside from the 75 cards registered in your decklists. Well of course you could put tokens in there but it is better to have them in a separate place.

*Communication*
Just a quick reminder on communication. Make sure you communicate with your opponent what you want to do and what you want to happen. One of the scenarios involving players not telling their opponent what they want to happen: Oblivion Ring targeting a Dauntless Escort then the player not specifically saying whether he sacrificed it or exiled it). Make sure both of you know what is happening during the course of the game.

*TRY TO PLAY FASTER*
I’m not saying that you should play like the Japanese who are very fast-paced. There are some mannerisms like slowly peeking the card every time you draw it – these take so much of the 50 minute round time alloted to you during the match. avoid these and you will finish your matches earlier. Some players should have won their matches but because of certain habits that take their round time, they end up drawing the game. Remember 3 points is so much better than 1 point especially if you want to make day 2.

*Always Call a Judge*
If there is something that seems unclear during the course of the game, always call a judge.

*Shuffling*
Make sure that when you shuffle your deck or your opponents deck you do not see the card face. you could either pile shuffle or riffle shuffle just don’t look at the cards. Also make sure that you sufficiently randomize your deck as well as your opponent’s.

*Enjoy the Event*
Lastly, make sure that you enjoy the event. Next GP MANILA is 2012. (Hopefully). It’ll be another 2 years so make sure that you have fun during the Grand Prix. There are a lot of things to do like having your cards signed by the guest artist, having side drafts, even seeing your idolized pros in person.

Hope you guys enjoy your GP MANILA 2010 experience. See you there.!!!

Quoted and edited from Pat Bausa’s GP Manila 2010 Reminders. Thanks for sharing!

P.S.

Because the rainy season is here, this is such a very timely reminder:
Bring rain gear or something to protect your cards from getting wet. Reminds of Ondoy incident. I ended up protecting my cards instead of my cellphone which got soaked and became nonfunctional that Zendikar PR day.

June 3rd, 2010 by eldraLIZ | 11 Comments »

I was really happy that Saturday because I was able to play again. Lots of familiar faces, imagine more than 190 players that I don’t see every weekend joined this event. Great. I’ve joined the Regionals last year and I ranked 20th. Not bad.

I was with my boyfriend and I even told him that there are so many pro-players around and for me, it’s like my first time again joining the tourney. Hehe.  He said that there’s nothing to be worried about because we’re there to enjoy and to play-test our deck. So true! I used my new deck on the Regionals – Naya Allies. Because it was my first time to pilot it, I had so many misplays and I really took long before playing my cards. Whew.

This is not an official tournament report. I just wanna share my match up and the results:

Round 1:

Bant Conscription: 0 – 2

What I hate about his deck: Eldrazi Conscription and Baneslayer Angel.

Round 2:

Elfdrazi: 2 – 0

Game highlight:  For 3 consecutive turns, Fog prevented the 20+ damage from my allies.

Round 3:

Open The Vaults: 0 – 2

Misplays:

Forgot to attack Bloodbraid Elf when opponent was already down to 1.

And, my TukTuk Scrapper did not deal damage to him after destroying one of his artifacts.

We should have a game 3.

Round 4:

Open The Vaults:  2 – 1

Lesson learned, right?

Round 5:

Open The Vaults: 2 – o

Here come’s revenge! LOL

Round 6:

Vampire: 0 – 2

Not a good match. I hate the flying and Pro-white creatures. How about Vampire Hexmage? Argh. Worse, he crushed me on game 2. SBed: Deathmark, Smother, Doomblade. LOL. So much for gaining protection from any color of my choice. haha.

Round 7: Drop

Round 8: Drop

I was actually sleeping on the table in between rounds and when Round 7 came, I told my boyfriend that I wanna go home coz I can’t play anymore. Since were both in a night shift, we didn’t get any sleep before the tournament. I had second thoughts because there were 2 more rounds and I want to make the most out of this day. Hey, I paid for the entrance fee to play test this deck. Haha.

But then again, as much as I wanted to play, my brain was no longer working, my head was like spinning around and my eyes struggled to stay open. Settled. We went home together. It was  my very first time to DROP in a tournament and I’m not happy about it. *sigh*

I learned a lot and the most important lesson I’ve learned is to get acquainted with your deck first before playing. Piloting Allies was a LOT different from Kithkins. Also, get enough rest and sleep. Hehe.

May 24th, 2010 by eldraLIZ | 6 Comments »

I intend to use the Monowhite Allies this Regionals if I will be able to join but my boyfriend insists that Naya Allies is better so he build this one. My fear? I might be joining without playtest again. Rather, WE.

May 20th, 2010 by eldraLIZ | 6 Comments »

Since my host moved to a different server, I was not able to access this blog for few days. Thanks to Pinkville, I was able to post a screenshot of my unused deck.

This is my official err personal MTG blog so I am posting that deck again here.

I really feel bad about it. We spent money to buy Elspeth and then I was not able to use them in the tournament. How sad. I miss playing. I don’t care how much I paid for those cards, all I want is to enjoy the game once again. I am not even sure if I will be able to join the Regionals this weekend. I wish I could. Who has a spare Bloodbraid Elf?

May 18th, 2010 by eldraLIZ | 2 Comments »