Casual Net Gaming: June 2015

After returning from GP Omaha earlier this year, I'd be lying if I didn't say I was completely defeated. My friend Stephen and I traveled the country and charged onto GP Baltimore, Denver, and Omaha within a 5 week time span. We were madmen back then and we wanted Grand Prix success at any cost. Although it was awesome to spend time with my friends, Paul and Josh, it was hard to overlook my 6-3 and 6-2-1 finishes in Baltimore and Denver respectively along with a mauling 3-3-1 Modern record at Omaha. During GP Omaha, I became really ill and couldn't care enough to test or prepare a remotely good deck for the tournament. I started to succumb to exhaustion and a sad reality started to hit me; maybe I wasn't good enough.

Coming back home, I was thrown back into school and was forced to take a break from Magic for a few months. It actually felt really great, since I spent a lot of time working with MEDLIFE in Spring and took lead in organizing our school's mission trip to Riobamba, Ecuador. Even though I missed GP Memphis and Miami, it didn't really matter, I was enjoying everything that I was doing. I learned a lot about being patient and being positive, even when times were difficult. I think these are some of the most important things I've ever learned.

After the Spring semester ended, I was eager to return to playing Magic again and started planning out my summer starting with GP Toronto and Las Vegas in May and Charlotte, NC in early June. I planned to go to Vegas and Charlotte with friends, but I wanted to go to GP Toronto by myself, kind of like a soul-searching trip. After finishing up classes, I flew out to Toronto and lived out of a backpack throughout the week, visiting relatives and exploring the city. I had a blast doing it and learned a lot about myself along the way. In Round 9 of GP Toronto, I was 6-2 and live for Day 2 with just one more win. After piloting Esper Dragons for most of the day, I was really exhausted and my deck didn't leave me much time in between rounds. I could feel fatigue affecting my play and I made costly mistakes, which led to a R9 defeat and a repeat 6-3 record x(

GP Toronto Esper Dragons (6-3)

I spent the next few days with family and sight-seeing across the city of Toronto, which was fantastic. The city is gorgeous and there's so much diversity and culture there to experience. As I was traveling about, realized that my body wasn't conditioned for tournament Magic. I don't eat healthy foods and I don't go to the gym; how could I compete at the highest level if I wasn't preparing my body to do so? I wanted to change that. When I returned back to Orlando, I created an exercise schedule, started waking up earlier and going to bed earlier, and started cutting out french fries, regular soda, and other foods out of my diet. I switched to eating more vegetables, fruits, etc. Obviously, it was difficult to find motivation to go to the gym most days, but I kept remembering how badly I wanted to do well in Magic, so that discipline helped push me through those tough mornings getting out of bed. It paid off though, I felt great both mentally and physically, which was a first in a very long time.

A couple weeks later, Felicea, Sandro, and I flew out to compete at GP Las Vegas. I was really excited for this one because of all the hype surrounding Modern Masters 2015 and obviously getting to open booster packs of all these historically powerful cards. Furthermore, I was traveling with friends again, which was a great feeling, especially since this was Felicea's return to competitive Magic and Sandro's first GP. We arrived in Vegas Wednesday night and while our other friends, Greene, Jesse, etc. on the plane were heading to their resorts and what not, we opened the doors to our very 'quaint' hotel in an interesting part of town. We walked around adjacent areas and quickly realized this was the sketchiest areas Vegas had to offer. It was hard not to laugh at the situation we put ourselves in, but our hotel was surprisingly very comfortable, affordable, and walking distance to the venue, so it was perfect for what we wanted.

On Thursday, we headed over to the venue to get in some Mini Masters events in and we got to relive the old days of Khans of Tarkir limited. Luckily, I got that format on lock, so it was a fun tournament for me. Sandro even made the finals of his event and took home a 2nd place finish along with a Siege Rhino and Sorin, Solemn Visitor in his boosters as door prizes. Felicea and I did a MM15 draft later that day and then we came back on Friday to slay a few more events. Felicea even opened me a Tarmogoyf in prize packs that we all celebrated over. We got to explore the strip and see a handful of the casinos as well, where we lost Felicea and Brandon to gambling addiction.

After battling Magic cards for two days, we were ready for Saturday morning. Brandon and I watched some of Felicea and Paul's rounds before we started slogging in the trenches ourselves. I got to a quick 4-1 record and then the stressful rounds started coming. Travis and I were both at 6-2 entering Round 9 and I was really nervous. I had been in this spot before in GP Toronto and I did NOT want to go home again. My aggro deck had put up some really strong starts, so I took Game 1. My opponent took G2 off of stalling the board and swinging in with a Ulamog's Crusher to destroy all of my permanents. I thought about Game 2 and considered splashing Black for a Spread the Sickness and Bone Splinters to kill his larger creatures and I started sleeving up a pair of Swamps. Then it hit me: 'what if I just kill him before he does anything relevant?' Then I started unsleeving the Swamps and started lowering my curve so I could overwhelm him with creatures earlier. With a few missed land drops, my opponent offered the concession and I finally had my first Day 2! I was so excited, I could not believe it. It took a long time, but I finally got there and felt like my hard work had started to pay off.

Day 1 Sealed R/W Equipment (7-2)

Naturally, I was pretty excited, but I had no expectations of going 6-0 in drafts, so we went out to dinner and explored the city some more that evening. Felicea, Sandro, and I talked over our matches in the hotel and just enjoyed the moment, which was really fun; it was a type of camaraderie I had missed from the old PTQ days that we don't really get to share anymore. I didn't get a ton of sleep, but I ate a hardy breakfast and prepared to rare draft my way through Day 2 for value, because what are the odds of doing well?

Jumping into Day 2, my first draft deck was a train wreck. I forced a R/G ramp deck, an idea in my head that I had made when I was first looking over all the spoilers, since I wasn't exactly sure what to do in this format. I drafted all of these giant 6+ mana spells in Pack 1, rare drafted a Dark Confidant in Pack 2, and picked up a bunch of durdly Green creatures to go alongside my low-quality, multiple copies of Tribal Flames in my two-color deck. The deck didn't look anything like how I had imagined it in my head xD I spoke to my friend, Jakob who also was in Day 2 and we both agreed that my deck looked awful. I was going to get slaughtered.

Day 2 Draft #1 R/G Ramp (3-0)

After climbing uphill for 3 rounds and defeating the most insane B/W Spirits deck I had ever seen, I found myself at 3-0. I was oddly really quiet at this point and was thinking of how strange that my rare-drafting got me through that pod. Felicea and Sandro were rooting for me on the sidelines and were bringing food and water throughout the day, so I was really grateful. Maybe that's what kept me going. As we sat for Draft 2, one of the players in my pod was smiling and looked so excited. I couldn't figure out why until he said 'Guys, this is so exciting! It's like we're in a PTQ Top 8.' He was right.

At 13-2, no matter what your placement is, it grants you an invite to the Pro Tour. I found myself at 10-2 and at that moment, a switch turned in my head. I'm not sure how to explain it, but I wanted to 3-0 that pod so badly, to get back on the Pro Tour. I was focused in on that draft as if there was nothing in the room but me and each pack of cards as they went through my hands. I found an open archetype, G/B Sacrifice after a first-pick Nameless Inversion and finally passing a Dark Confidant in Pack 2. Later additions included a foil Pelakka Wurm and foil Bitterblossom that would become all stars in my deck. As I was building, the deck felt very powerful. I thought to myself: 'If there's a deck that can 3-0 this pod, this is the one.'

After stomping through Rounds 13 and 14, I found myself at 12-2 in the tournament. I was on the verge of shaking; I was so nervous and the coveted 13-2 was so close. And then the announcement: Feature Matches #, #, 7, #, # and I looked at my table number and there I was. I moved over to the feature match area and I could see Felicea and Sandro just beyond the barrier. My opponent, Donald Smith, sat across from me. We were relatively quiet because we both knew what was on the line, but he was very pleasant and we discussed where we were from and how our friends were doing. In Game 1, I was blown out by two copies of Mana Leak and a flurry of aggression. In Game 2, I was able to bludgeon him to death with small creatures with him having no pressure on the board. In Game 3, we were called over to the main feature area and we started shuffling for what would be an amazing Game 3, which you can see here:

My Gameplay Starts at 25:37

That Bitterblossom did so much work during that game, it's ridiculous. Afterwards, I shook his hand, we talked over the plays and I was completely overwhelmed. After leaving the feature match area, I hugged Felicea and Sandro and just started crying. I couldn't believe it, I was going to another Pro Tour.

I didn't know if I made Top 8 or not, since there were so many people at the tournament, it was hard to tell. When they started announcing Top 8, I heard my name in 7th seed. I could not believe it. My phone blew up, people were congratulating me. It was an amazing feeling, I'm not sure how to put it into words. We had photos taken and were interviewed (I was interviewed by Walking the Planes, but I'm not sure if that will be published). Shortly after, they had us sit for our Top 8 Draft and I decided to stick to my guns and force a Green/X deck if it was open since I thought Kozilek's Predator was the best common in the set.

Cutting the story short a little, I sat next to Pascal Maynard in the draft and was on his right side, so in Pack 2, when he opened the foil Tarmogoyf that would start #goyfgate, I was actually the theoretical recipient of said Tarmogoyf. If he had passed it for the Burst Lightning. There's no doubt in my mind that I would have taken it (I was already in Green, it's playable, right?).

I ended up defeating Peter Maginnis 2-1 against his R/B Bloodthirst deck in the Quarter Finals and losing to Aaron Lewis 0-2 with his U/W Flyers deck in the Semis. I am extremely proud of this performance and more importantly, I broke my Day 2 curse! The following couple days we explored Las Vegas, went to some pretty bad ass restaurants and overall had a great time. This trip was amazing and I can't wait for us to have the chance to go back.

A couple weeks later, we went out to GP Charlotte to battle Modern where I sleeved up Jund Midrange playing 2 Fulminator Mage maindeck. I went 5-4 with the deck and was very disappointed in the list. If I could go back, I would have played something a little more comfortable for me, like Junk Midrange and cut Siege Rhino for cheaper threats and more land disruption. I was really happy for my friend, Rob who went 11-4 with Affinity to clinch some cash and his first Pro Point. Also, my new friend, Donald from R15 in Vegas made Top 8 with Mono Red Burn and he queued for PT Battle for Zendikar later this year!

Celebratory Post Day 1 Dinner

Although Charlotte didn't go super well, I'm looking positively on everything. I'm surrounded by great friends, my body is feeling great, and this upcoming month is filled with Magic. This article may not have been as detailed as I would have liked because I'm leaving for GP Montréal in a few hours, but I wanted to update everyone on what's been going on since the Pro Tour last year and a quick look at the preparation I have left to do. Once the Magic Origins Prerelease drops, I'll have a couple weeks to learn both Limited and the new Standard format for GP Dallas-Fort Worth in late July and the PT in Vancouver the week after. I even started a GoFundMe page for helping me fund GP Dallas/Fort Worth. If you have a second to leave a donation or just send a message of encouragement, it would be greatly appreciated :)

I'm really grateful for the opportunity to be able to play Magic and see the world while doing it. After doing so many GPs, I make it a priority to explore the city and try new things. Not only is playing great Magic really important, but to really immerse yourself in different cultures and see everything there is to see in the world makes you the real winner of the Grand Prix grind. Thank you to everyone who continues to support me and I hope to bring home some great stories and make you all proud.

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-David J.

Record: 4th Place at 14-3 (65.8%)

Sealed - R/W Equipment

R1: Bye

R2: Bye

R3: 2-1

R4: 2-0 (R/B Bloodthirst)

R5: 0-2 (R/G Ramp)

R6: 2-0

R7: 1-2 (B/W Spirits)

R8: 2-0 (Bant)

R9: 2-1