Regional Championship Calgary Tournament Report
This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Calgary in Alberta to play in the Round 7 Regional Championship. The format was Pioneer, and I had been prepping the past couple of months trying out various decks. A deck I had played previously to some success was the Rakdos Prowess deck, or Rakdos Mice/Aggro. I played the deck in standard, had most of the cards, so naturally was the easiest to play in Pioneer as most of the cards are the same. In testing I had started to do well with the Green/White Selesnya Company deck but that started to balance out more. I was winning a lot in MTGO Leagues with some okay-ish Challenge results with Rakdos Prowess, and with the limited time I had left I asked some friends for help with my final list and came to this:
I ended up locking in Rakdos Prowess due to the reasonable matchup vs Izzet Phoenix and the Sacrifice decks. Golgari Food had just won the European RC, with Jund Sacrifice finishing in 2nd, so I thought this deck was a good place to be. Ending with a record of 10 wins and 3 losses, this put me in 12th place by a tiebreaker difference of 0.5%, which is good for an invitation to ProTour Aetherdrift in February 2025! Here’s how my matches throughout the tournament went:
Chris Brackley – Jund Creativity (2-0): 1-0
Yes, it’s the Chris Brackley we all know and love! We both took a 5-hour flight across Canada just to sit across from each other in round 1 of the 13-round event. I win the die roll, allowing me to apply pressure fast. I’m able to deal a big chunk of damage fast and end with a Burn Together to the face. Game 2 I see my side boarded Thoughtseize allowing me to take his deck’s namesake card to make sure I don’t die on turn 4. Chris is able to set up later, fighting through some of my threats. He uses his solved Case of the Stashed Skeleton to tutor for a card, which I can only assume is another Creativity. Luckily, I’m able to deal lethal damage before he gets to cast it.
Ting – Izzet Phoenix (2-0): 2-0
My memory of some of these matches is a little hazy, especially some early on ones like this. I know it’s not a terribly exciting match as my opponent mulligans multiple times and my hands are very well equipped to fight through the Phoenix deck’s damage-based removal. Game 2 my opponent mulligans to 5 and I can end the match quickly. Even with our deck check, we’re left with lots of time to spare in the round.
Sheldon Chin – 4-Colour Zur (2-0): 3-0
I am a little worried when I see my opponent’s deck list as almost all the Zur deck’s removal suite is exile based, meaning my Heartfire Heroes and Claim // Fames will be much worse. Game 1 I get a Kumano Faces Kakkazan in play, followed by a Heartfire Hero with a counter. My opponent plays a tapped land, and then Up the Beanstalk. On turn 3 I Titan’s Strength my Hero, attack for 8, and then Burn Together my Hero at their face, dealing another 12 damage thanks to the Kumano +1/+1 counter. Game 2 I mulligan to 5 so I feel a little defeated. I get Slickshot Show-Off and Emberheart Challenger down and my opponent taps out for a blue Overlord. I have 3 pump spells, more than enough for lethal.
Scott Polsky – Jund Sacrifice (1-2): 3-1
I like the matchup I see, thinking this will be favorable for me. I keep a kind of land heavy hand on the draw. Sadly, my opponent is able to Thoughtseize away my crucial threat, buying enough to time to set up and kill me. Game 2 I board in my Thoughtseizes, seeing that they have a lot more removal, including The Meathook Massacre. I have a very fast hand on the play and get game 2. Game 3, I’m able to get some damage in early, but I get Meathooked. My follow ups aren’t quite enough to get there before the Ygra combo wins them the match.
Sean Hunter – Izzet Phoenix (2-0): 4-1
Both games are incredibly grueling, as I had to play around much more main deck and post board removal than my first Phoenix opponent. This opponent is prepared, having multiple copies of Into the Floodmaw. I feel like I’m playing Modern Infect, holding my pump spells for the right moment, or to protect against removal. Eventually my opponent has to tap low to bring back some Phoenixes to block. That’s when I see my opportunity to get my damage through thanks to Monstrous Rage. Game 2 is a long game with my opponent doing a great job to stabilize late, turning the corner to pressure my life total putting it on me to end the game. I’m able to attack with 2 Heartfire Heroes and Infuriate one after my opponent blocks to bait a removal spell. He does so and fully taps out, allowing me to Monstrous Rage my other Hero through the other blocking Phoenix to deal the last few points of damage.
Adrian Shalchi – Rakdos Demons (2-1): 5-1
The matchup I’m most afraid of. Game 1 goes about as I would expect, they’re able to find enough removal to wear down all my threats, as they build their board full of Bloodtithe Harvesters, Fable of the Mirror-Breakers, and then Annex and Mutavault to gain life and deal me enough damage to win. Game 2, I’m on the play and I’m able to bring in more threats, and I overwhelm my opponent before they can get all my creatures off the board. Game 3 my opponent doesn’t do anything for the first 3 turns. I have a Heartfire Hero in play that I’ve attacked with going into my turn 3. As I untap, my opponent asks if Screaming Nemesis has Haste. I tell them it does. Figuring this means my opponent is preparing to use removal on a potential Nemesis, I use my turn 3 to pick up my Jegantha instead. I also just drew my 1-of side boarded Heartless Act, trying not to foam at the mouth at the thought of a potential Archfiend of the Dross. My opponent instead plays a Sheoldred, so I then play my Screaming Nemesis. They’re next turn, they Anger of the Gods, forgetting that my Nemesis then gets to deal 3 more damage, also killing their Sheoldred. I play Jegantha, then they play Archfiend of the Dross. I look at my Heartless Act and have never cast a spell so fast in my life. I pass and they have no answer to their own Archfiend.
Liam Kane – Jund Sacrifice (2-0): 6-1
I recognize my opponent’s name, knowing this will likely be a tough match to win. I look at their deck list, a little worried that this deck is my only loss, but thankful to see no Meathook Massacres in the sideboard. Game 1 goes how I would normally think the matchup plays out. My opponent gets Cat + Oven in play, but I find enough Monstrous Rage’s to make it not matter. Game 2 my opponent mulligans, and I’m able to deal them lethal damage before they find anything to get going.
HyacintheK – Selesnya Company (2-1): 7-1
Another matchup I feared running into. Game 1 my opponent finds a lot of Archon of Emeria’s but I’m able to play in a way where they had to play around the different kinds of pump spells I could represent. Eventually they had to block with their last Archon, and in my 2nd main phase I could cast another spell, which was Burn Together for lethal. Game 2 the board gets completely gummed up, but they have Virtue of Loyalty to eventually break through. Game 3 I have a very fast start. I get to the point where I’m attacking with a Swiftspear, a Slickshot and Kumano. My opponent Companies into double Brutal Cathar, picking my Slickshot and Swiftspear. They stack their triggers, I lose my Slickshot, but thanks to Revolt, I get to kill the 2nd Cathar without losing my Swiftspear. They make a block, but I have Monstrous Rage, I get my Slickshot back and kill them next turn. I’m overjoyed to end Day 1 at a stellar record of 7-1, my friends congratulating me after the match.
Yizl1 – Jund Sacrifice (0-2): 7-2
Game 1 I’m getting flashbacks from my first Jund Sacrifice loss in Round 4. My hand has more threats but also more lands than I’d like. My opponent mulligans to 5, but they did the right thing as they find multiple removal spells to deal with my threats before setting up the Ygra kill. Game 2 is more of the same as I get their life total almost all the way down but then I draw into many lands, with my Jegantha not being enough to get the job done. My mental takes a hit with my 2nd loss in the first round of Day 2, but I take a break and try to regroup.
Daniel Goresht – Azorius Control (2-1): 8-2
I recognize my opponent’s name from Discord as well as my RC Top 8 in Edmonton, where we both Top 8’d with Monogreen Devotion. We chat as we get deck checked with no issues on either end. I begin with the usual Rakdos Prowess start, pressuring my opponent. I’m only on 2 lands, so I tap out every turn. One of my end steps, my opponent uses Field of Ruin to destroy my Den of the Bugbear. This is fantastic, as I look at my Turn Inside Out in hand. My opponent untaps, casts Supreme Verdict, and I’m able to make another threat with the Duskmourn pump spell. I have enough pump spells left over to deal lethal damage, as my opponent recognizes the mistake. Game 2 my opponent plays a Chrome Host Seedshark which takes over the game, making blockers as they remove my threats. Game 3 I apply pressure early and follow up with an Ob Nixilis with Casualty for 2. They find a Beza but eventually have to block and trade with a pumped-up threat. I fight through a Shark Typhoon token, but then they deploy another Seedshark. Their life total is low, as I attack with 2 Ob Nixilis Devils. They block both with the Seedshark and its token, but I get to trample through for 1, putting them to 2. The death triggers off my tokens deal 1 each and end the game.
Maxim Bélanger – Jund Sacrifice (2-1): 9-2
The 4th Jund sacrifice matchup. Again, I am happy to see no Meathook Massacres as we check each other’s deck lists before Game 1. I get my board going, but I have no trample to get through the Cat + Oven combo. They don’t take too much damage before eventually setting up multiple Cauldron Familiars for their Ygra combo. Game 2 they really don’t have a lot of early plays. I attack each turn, until they try to make a Fountainport Fish token. I show a removal spell to end the game. Game 3, my opponent has a Scavenger’s Talent, Witch’s Oven, and Mayhem Devil, but no removal for my Heartfire Hero into Manifold Mouse. I play a Slickshot Show-Off and attack. They throw the Mayhem Devil in front of my double-striking Hero, and I Monstrous Rage to push 12 damage through. They can’t answer all my threats, and I win the match.
Dustyn Nogueira – Acererak Combo (1-2): 9-3
I recognize good pal Dustyn as this is the 3rd RC we have now faced each other in. I’m both sad and relieved as I joke around with my opponent, but I know one of us must lose. I lose the die roll and as I look at my opponent hand with the potential of 20 damage on turn 3, I hope I don’t just get combo killed. I play my Manifold Mouse on turn 2 and then attack pumping it 3 times to a double striking 10 power. My opponent blocks with an elf, Collected Companies into the combo, goes to 1, untaps, and kills me. Game 2, I’m able to assemble a fast enough kill to get a game 3. Game 3 I’m able to get multiple threats down. I choose to Burn Together my opponent’s Gwenna as to try and not die on their turn before presenting lethal my self the following turn. My opponent already has a Relic of Legends in play, and sadly his last 2 cards are Tamiyo’s Safekeeping to protect Gwenna and the last needed piece, Acererak. I know now my chances at a good finish have decreased tremendously.
Shawn Yang – Izzet Lotus Field (2-1): 10-3
As we sit down and look at each other’s deck lists. My opponent asks if it’s okay that he’s chatty while we play. I assure them that’s more than welcome, as I am also just a silly little guy. I’m glad that we can have a kind of fun last match even though there’s a massive amount of pressure and stakes, with the winner having an outside chance of making the Top 12 cut to a ProTour invite. My opponent jokes about how horrible the matchup is, and in my head, I can’t help but think about how good I thought my Jund Sacrifice matchup was, only going 2-2 against that deck in the tournament. My opponent wins the die roll, and I put them in a spot where they must find lethal. Artist’s Talent finds them what they need, and they beat me with a Niv-Mizzet. Game 2 I’m able to present a kill well before they get anything off the ground, never getting to untap a Lotus Field. Game 3 I Thoughtseize their Anger of the Gods while I setup my board. They get exactly one turn with Lotus Field in play but are forced to set up and hope I don’t have lethal. I look at my hand and see that I can kill even through the potential removal they may have with one mana up. I attack for lethal; they have the Into the Floodmaw, but I have the pump spell to win.
The following 45 minutes to an hour felt like an eternity. Going through all the stages of grief, I mentally prepare myself for the potential 13th place finish. Knowing my tiebreakers weren’t the best up until I took my 3rd loss, I don’t think I’ve ever stressed so much waiting for a round to finish. I check a group chat message on my phone to see the words “congrats” and it doesn’t really sink in. I get more messages, and my friends come running to hug me. I haven’t even looked at the standings yet, refusing to believe it’s true until I see it with my own eyes. I fumble through the webpage to load the standings, my hands shaking. There it is. My username next to 12th place. It couldn’t have been much closer with just half of a single percent of Opponent Match Wins separating me from 13th place. I hug all my friends in disbelief that I get to play another ProTour. The feeling of achieving your dream surrounded by friends is the greatest thing you can possibly feel, and I am incredibly blessed to get to experience this twice. Hopefully this time I can win more than none matches!
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Written By: Travis Benedict Pro Tour Competitor, Cat Lover |
