History
The state championships have always had a special appeal to me. I spent six years in the navy, and I traveled across the country. Due to my busy schedule, I could never get time off to go to big events like Pro Tours and Grand Prixs, and I was always finding myself in situations where I would concede to a friend in the top 8 of a PTQ since I couldn't go. Since states didn't qualify you for anything, it was one of the few big tournaments each year I could win outright, so I always tried hard.The first states I played in were in 2003 and 2004, both in Texas. I played Goblins the first year and KCI the second year, putting up respectable finishes for me at the time, but no top 8s. In 2005, I was home on leave for the Texas states that year, and played a Searing Meditation deck I picked up the day of the event to a 2nd place finish. You can read more about the interesting finals matchup here.
After that, I took back to back two headed giant states titles, in two completely different states: 2006 in South Carolina with fellow multi-title holder AJ Fields, and 2007 in Hawaii. Still, the individual title has eluded me. An undefeated swiss record in the 2009s saw me lose in the quarterfinals. A couple of bad deck choices cost me at other times. I wanted this year to be different.
The Called Shot
If you are a baseball fan, you know of Babe Ruth's “called shot” homerun in game 3 of the 1932 World Series. If not, you can read about it here. The magical ability to call your shot, or guarantee a win a la Joe Namath has a special appeal.I found out about this year's state championships on September 12, when it was posted to the Texas Magic Zone bulletin boards. This is what I had to say:
“Don't bother showing up, I'm winning this.”
The Deck
Until FNM the night before states, I hadn't played any standard with Innistrad. I had mostly been focused on limited for the PTQ season, and grinding the local drafts to get those Planeswalker Points. The night before the tournament, I played a casual version of BantPod from TCGplayer columnist Zach Krizan's article to a 3-2 record. I learned a lot about the format, but was still undecided on what to play. I considered Solar Flare on David Thomas's recommendation, but Robert Berni was pushing for Wolf Run Ramp. I put my collection of Standard legal cards into my car, and went to sleep still undecided.The morning of, I awoke and showered, then checked twitter. I saw GP Brisbane coverage was up and had decklists for the GPT winners. A couple of the decks were mono green splashing Kessig Wolf Run, to accommodate Dungrove Elder. Berni and I had been trying to work this card into the SB, and when I saw these lists I knew I wanted them main.
I drove to the site, and after circling forever for parking, I managed to get inside to get a deck registration sheet. As I ate breakfast at the donut shop next door, I started the list with things I wanted in my deck: 4 Dungrove Elder, 4 Beast Within, 4 Garruk, Primal Hunter, 4 Green Sun's Zenith. After a bit of tinkering, and making sure I had all the cards I was writing down, this is the final list I decided on:
Wolf Run Green by Timothy Thomason
Finished 1st Place at 2011 States - Texas
Main Deck
1 Acidic Slime
1 Birds of Paradise
4 Dungrove Elder
3 Primeval Titan
3 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
4 Viridian Emissary
2 Wurmcoil Engine
4 Garruk, Primal Hunter
1 Batterskull
4 Beast Within
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Rampant Growth
18 Forest
2 Inkmoth Nexus
2 Kessig Wolf Run
2 Mountain
Sideboard
3 Acidic Slime
3 Ancient Grudge
1 Batterskull
1 Birds of Paradise
3 Sword of Feast and Famine
1 Sword of War and Peace
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
2 Tree of Redemption
The deck has been talked about elsewhere, but I'll Reiterate it here: Dungrove Elder is AMAZING. Aggro decks can't attack into him, Control decks have to wrath him or lose, and the other ramp decks can't compete with his size. I think Owen Turtenwald had a better version overall if you are looking to play it.
The Tournament
203 People showed up to a venue that can maybe hold 150 on a good day. Several matches happened outside behind the building. These were obviously the lower numbered tables, so it gave a good incentive to win! Many of the big names of Texas magic were there, including Nathan Zamora, Zach Krizan, David Thomas, and Robert Berni. Notably absent: defending champion David Cook, national team member Haibing Hu, GP finalist (and my roommate) William Lowry, and the infamous Phu Q. Dao.Round 1 - Robert Gorke, RW Equipment, possibly Puresteel Paladin
I lose the first game to Mirran Crusader and multiple pro-green swords. The 2nd game I win because he mills an Ancient Grudge with his Sword of Body and Mind, and I get Batterskull onto Dungrove Elder. Game 3 I draw all three Ancient Grudges, so I still had all DeEz!
1-0
Round 2 - Chris Morris, Shape Anew
I know what he is playing, and I'm not too happy about it. Game 1 he goes for it turn 4 after turn 3 Blade Splicer, but I get him with Beast Within. He has ponder to find second Shape Anew on his Inkmoth Nexus, and then Day of Judgement to clear the way for Blightsteel Colossus. Game 2 is more of the same, this time he waits for Apostle's Blessing backup before going for it.
1-1
Round 3 - Timothy Ivey, Bant Pod
Once I figure out he's playing BantPod, I know he doesn't have many outs to Dungrove Elder. I just need to avoid getting locked by Venser and Stonehorn Dignitary, if he's even playing it. A couple of Elders each game make short work of him.
2-1
Round 4 - Simon Gilgenbach, Wolf Run Ramp
Simon is a good local player, but I've never played against him before. Here I get to see for the first time just how good Dungrove Elder is in the mirror. It was better than I thought!
3-1
After this round we found out it was only 1x PWP multiplier. With less on the line, it was time to have a couple shots in between rounds...
Round 5 - Will Sheeran
Maybe it was the shots, but I don't remember this round at all. Might have been another Wolf Run Ramp.
4-1
Round 6 - Kris Baxter, RW Control?
He plays the following cards: Incinerate, Blade Splicer, Hero of Bladehold, and Karn Liberated. None of those could beat Dungrove Elder and Wurmcoil Engine. Game 2 I think he was manascrewed.
5-1
Round 7 - Orry Swift, Mono Red
This was my first real test against an aggro deck to see if cutting Slagstorm would come back to haunt me. An early Dungrove Elder allows me to chump his Stormblood Berserkers with Emissarys without fear of getting blown out. Garruk draws a bunch of cards and Wurmcoil puts the game out of reach. Game 2 he gets stuck on 2 lands with double Manabarbs in hand, and I get there with Batterskull and Dungrove.
6-1
Looking at the standings, I'm the last of the 18 pointers. There is 1 17 pointer, and a handful of 16 pointers, so most people have to play the final round.
Round 8 - Roy Xu, Solar Flare
Game 1 he plays Spellskite and follows up with turn 5 Jace, Memory Adept. He mills himself, but hits nothing. The next turn he mills himself again, and hits only Unburial Rites, but no creature. The third time he hits Sun Titan, getting back Oblivion Ring on my Garruk. He then starts milling me, but makes a mistake and taps out letting me Beast Within his Spellskite EOT, and kill him with Inkmoth Nexus in one shot. Game 2 he doesn't draw blue mana.
7-1, first after swiss
The top 8 looked favorable for me, I only wanted to dodge Nathan Zamora's UB Control deck, since he's a good player and has access to 4 Tribute to Hunger after SB. Also didn't want to play against Robert Toups's Human deck, since I didn't have access to Slagstorm.
Quarterfinals - Dominic Le, Mage Blade
Dominic makes the comment that he's never beaten me at a sanctioned tournament. This is a good sign, I think. I take a quick game 1 when he doesn't draw blue mana. Game 2 he Mana Leaks my first 3 plays, thanks to Snapcaster Mage, and then gets me with Gideon and Sword of Feast and Famine. Game 3 I play multiple Acidic Slimes to keep him off of Day of Judgement mana, and he doesn't draw out of it.
8-1
Semifinals - Jeffrey LaRue, Solar Flare
His deck almost seemed like Esper Planeswalkers. He had Karn and Elspeth to go with his Lilianas, as well as Jace in the SB I think. Game 1 I kept a hand of Rampant Growth, Inkmoth Nexus, Kessig Wolf Run, and 4 forests. Nexus allows me to pressure his Liliana, and he keeps having both players discard. Eventually I stick a Garruk, then GSZ for Acidic Slime on his O-Ring to get it back and take over the game. Game 2 I play 3 Garruks; the third one finally kills him.
9-1
Finals - Alex Fan, Wolf Run Ramp
Alex has been running hot lately, having finished 2nd place at the PTQ the week before. He's made comments that he didn't want to face me, but if you want to be the champion, you are going to have to beat the best.
I offer both boxes for the title and the plaque, but he doesn't accept. He claims he has no use for boxes.
Game 1 I have double Dungrove Elder and double Primeval Titan, so eventually my guys were too big for him to deal with. I skillfully assigned damage away from his Viridian Emissaries when he would double block, denying him the mana that is so important in the mirror.
After game 1 I offer the split again, and this time he wisely accepts. And now I'm the Heavyweight Texas State Champion Of The World.
Aftermath
My birthday was on the next Monday, so we went out for double celebrations. I made a single post to my facebook, announcing the win.In US National Team member Haibing Hu's tournament report, he called me the best Magic player in Texas. Now I have the plaque to prove it.
Props:
Glen Goddard and Sunmesa Events for keeping states alive. 3 years and more popular than ever!
Juan Loya for repping Texas and sniping the Oklahoma States title with an almost identical deck!
Everyone that lent me cards, especially Casual Chad. Too bad you're still banned from the store!
Everyone that didn't play because they knew I would win!
Slops:
David Cook - I know I said I would win, but you can at least attempt to defend your title!
Andrew Krug - For never going to anything anymore ever.
EH Events / 3rd Coast Cards - Usually a good tournament from these guys, but having people play outside is kind of ridiculous.
Wizards of the Coast / DCI - Whoever decided that this couldn't be done with a higher PWP multiplier. I got 36 points from my 3-2 performance at FNM the night before, and 35 points from my 10-1 championship run.
