GP Winner’s Report by Shahar Shenhar
About
Winner GP San Diego 2011
Winner GP Salt Lake City 2012
Winner GP Houston 2013
Top 8 GP Columbus 2012
Top 8 GP Verona 2013
More Posts (1)
Hey guys,
My name is Shahar Shenhar, I Started playing magic in Lorwyn block and immediately fell in love with the game… Ever since I’ve been playing magic as much i could, and just last year I decided to devote all I have to the game.
Notable Finishes
• Grand Prix Houston 2013 Champion
• Grand Prix Salt Lake City 2012 Champion
• Grand Prix San Diego 2011 Champion
• Top 8, Grand Prix Verona 2013
• Top 8, Grand Prix Columbus 2012
• Multiple Pro Tour cashes
So now that we got all that covered, lets get to the tournament report…
Day 1.
My sealed deck was nothing out of the ordinary, I registered a Boros deck splashing for Lyev Skyknight, Lavinia of The Tenth, TurnBurn, and Skymark Roc. Notable Boros cards are Assemble the Legion, and Truefire Paladin. I also tried out of the sideboard a 5 color control deck with a ton of removal and bombs with decent fixing.
Round 1-3 byes
Round 4 – vs. Oliveira, Thiago [BRA]
Thiago was playing a BWR deck straight three colors with a lot of removal and decent creatures. Game 1 I lost pretty handily to creatures and removal (he was able to race turn 5 Assemble the Legion). Game 2-3 was not very close he had bad draws and I had access to Lavinia of the Tenth and Assemble the Legion on turn 5.
4-0
Round 5 – vs. Hinojosa, Rolaund D [USA]
Rolaund was also playing a BWR deck. Game 1 he played a Pack Rat on turn 2 but I was able to beat it thanks to Rubblebelt Maaka, Cobblebrute, Lavinia of the Tenth, and Act of Treason. Game 2 I boarded into 5 color and had a great control draw to his slow one, I killed all the relevant creatures he played then played Lavinia into Maze Glider…
5-0
Round 6 – vs. Utter-Leyton, Josh W [USA]
Josh had a great deck that he ended up going undefeated into day2. Game 1 I mulled to oblivion and didn’t play a spell. Game 2 I boarded into 5 color again and was equally screwed.
It was not a close match, but it ended very quickly so we had time to get food with Luis (lsv), Efro, and Pat Cox right outside of the convention center.
5-1
Round 7 – vs. Turtenwald, Owen [USA]
This round I played against another friend. Game 1 I had a quick draw and when he played Assemble the Legion turn 5 on the draw it was just too slow. Game 2 I boarded into 5 color again and died very quickly to his decent draw after I stumbled on mana. Game 3 I boarded back into the boros deck and beat him down again similarly to game 1 except this time he killed some dudes and stabilized, but I just played my Assemble the Legion the following turn and he conceded quickly after.
6-1
Round 8 – vs. Larsson, Joel [SWE]
Joel had a very slow deck featuring Seek the Horizons. Game 1 we both had a good draw but the board became a stalemate, he eventually played one more creature and was able to attack with Loxodon Smiter a couple times. Two turns later he made a crucial mistake by attacking with too many creatures, it put me pretty low but I was able to kill him on the backswing due to Skymark Roc, and Firefist Striker (both on board tricks). Game 2 was much less interesting, I played dudes followed up with more dudes and he eventually died to my Lavinia of the Tenth
7-1
Round 9 – vs. White, Paul [USA]
I dont remember this match too much (sorry). Game 1 he played Trostani’s Summoner and killed me. Game 2 I killed him due to fliers and removal. Game 3 I won thanks to Lavinia of the Tenth and fliers, and a bit of removal.
8-1
So I finished the day with a great record. Matt Nass, and Jacob Wilson (friends staying in the same hotel room) also made day 2. We went to dinner, came back to the room and fell asleep early for day 2.
Day 2.
I drafted this
Lands
1 Swamp
7 Island
7 Plains
1 Orzhov Guildgate
1 Azorius Guildgate
Creatures
1 Deputy of Acquittals
1 Frostburn Weird
1 Keening Apparition
1 Syndic of Tithes
1 Armored Transport
1 Haazda Snare Squad
1 Seller of Songbirds
1 Vassal Soul
1 Volatile Rig
1 Armory Guard
1 Zarichi Tiger
1 Haunter of Nightveil
1 Jelenn Sphinx
1 Leyline Phantom
1 Scion of Vitu-Ghazi
1 Maze Glider
Spells
1 Aerial Maneuver
1 Dramatic Rescue
1 Orzhov Charm
1 Dimir Cluestone
1 Angelic Edict
1 Debtor’s Pulpit
1 Syncopate
Sideboard
2 Murmuring Phantasm
1 Guildscorn Ward
1 Selesnya Sentry
Round 10 – vs. Rivera Morales, Humber [MEX]
His deck had 3 Truefire Paladins and was probably the best deck in the pod, but my deck was geared quite well against him and had some reasonably powerful cards. Game 1 I played Volatile Rig Into Scion of Vitu-Ghazi and he wasn’t able to recover. Game 2 I boarded in the Murmuring Phantasms and was able to hold the fort while attacking with some fliers.
9-1
Round 11 – vs. Carolan, Chris L [USA]
Chris had a sweet 3 color control deck and the games were very close. Game 1 he killed all my creatures and burned me out with Blast of Genius discarding Morgue Burst yeah… Game 2 I killed him with fliers and Haazda Snare Squad tapping his only blocker. game 3 I was stuck on lands for a while, I was getting hit for two every turn and milled for one every turn by Doorkeeper. I was able to kill his other threats while being mana screwed and when I drew lands eventually I overwhelmed him with 5 drops.
10-1
Round 12 – vs. Lalague, Marc [USA]
Marc’s deck was insane, he had a ton of extort creatures, Stab Wounds, and One Thousand Lashes. Game 1 I died to exactly those cards. Game 2 during sideboarding I was highly debating boarding in Guildscorn Ward against his Tithe Drinkers and One Thousand Lashes but decided against it. The board state was this right before the game ended An untappped Tithe Drinker, untapped Vassal Soul on his side, Leyline Phantom enchanted by One Thousand Lashes, He is at 4 life and me at 3, I drew Armory Guard (the card I would have boarded out for the Guildscorn Ward if I decided to do so).
10-2
In the second draft I drafted this
Lands
1 Gruul Guildgate
1 Stomping Ground
8 Plains
7 Mountain
Creatures
1 Rakdos Cackler
1 Bellows Lizard
1 Truefire Paladin
1 Skinbrand Goblin
1 Rakdos Shred-Freak
2 Gore-House Chainwalker
1 Firefist Striker
1 Burning-Tree Emissary
1 Armored Transport
1 Skyknight Legionnaire
1 Viashino Firstblade
1 Viashino Racketeer
2 Millennial Gargoyle
1 Tajic, Blade of the Legion
Spells
1 Beckon Apparition
1 Electrickery
1 Rootborn Defenses
1 Warleader’s Helix
1 Gruul War Chant
1 Angelic Edict
1 Gleam of Battle
Sideboard
1 Razortip Whip
Round 13 – vs. Ho, Fang [USA]
Game 1 I won with an incredible draw. Game 2 I had the same draw, Gore-House Chainwalker into Skyknight Legionnaire, into Tajic, Blade of the Legion into Viashino Firstblade, except it didn’t go my way this time, he played a turn 5 Blood Baron of Vizkopa, into 2 Dinrova Horrors following up the next two turns and I eventually died to fliers and the Blood Baron. Game 3 was very close but I eventually grinded him out with Gleam of Battle and filler creatures like Bellows Lizard and Millennial Gargoyle
11-2
Round 14 – vs. Manfield, Seth [USA]
Game 1 I was color screwed and died quickly to some creatures. Game 2 I had a great draw and he coudn’t compete with it. Game 3 was much more interesting, we were both in a position of winning the game but he made a bad mistake which cost him the game, the board state was this I was at 7 life and him at 8 life, I had a Gruul War Chant, Truefire Paladin, Millennial Gargoyle, a Viashino Racketeer, and a Bellows Lizard in play he had a 11 Savageborn Hydra, a 33 token, and a Towering Thunderfist, he has 7 lands untapped when he played a Batterhorn killing my Gargoyle. He attacks with the three creatures with two untapped mana and I block the Towering Thunderfist with my Bellows Lizard (this puts lethal on the backswing because I don’t have to block with my only other untapped creature Truefire Paladin) he goes to pump his Hydra before damage and I point out that it’s a sorcery, he gets pretty frustrated and I go to 2 and kill him with the Truefire Paladin on my turn. If he had pumped his Hydra before attacking I would have had to block the Bellows Lizard and the Truefire Paladin then the game would have been way different and I would have to draw a creature to stay in the game…
12-2
Round 15 – vs. Minard, Darin L [USA]
We intetionally drew into top 8..
In the top 8 I drafted this
Lands
1 Blood Crypt
1 Rakdos Guildgate
1 Gruul Guildgate
6 Mountain
8 Forest
Creatures
1 Frostburn Weird
1 Korozda Guildmage
1 Skarrg Guildmage
1 Zhur-Taa Druid
1 Armored Transport
1 Battering Krasis
1 Warmind Infantry
1 Scab-Clan Charger
1 Scorchwalker
1 Rubbleback Rhino
1 Towering Thunderfist
1 Zhur-Taa Ancient
1 Gruul Ragebeast
Spells
1 Electrickery
1 Tower Defense
1 Gruul Cluestone
1 Gruul Keyrune
1 Aerial Predation
1 Verdant Haven
1 Traitorous Instinct
1 Chorus of Might
1 Punish the Enemy
1 Explosive Impact
My matches were covered here www.wizards.commagicmagazinearticle.aspxx=mtgdailyeventcoveragegphou13welcome
But I will quickly elaborate a bit,
In the Quarterfinals I played against Shuhei Nakamura piloting this
Lands
1 Transguild Promenade
2 Swamp
7 Mountain
7 Plains
Creatures
1 Azorius Arrester
1 Boros Mastiff
1 Rakdos Shred-Freak
1 Syndic of Tithes
1 Wojek Hellberdiers
1 Ember Beast
1 Guttersnipe
1 Haazda Snare Squad
1 Skyknight Legionnaire
1 Splatter Thug
1 Viashino Firstblade
1 Tajic, Blade of the Legion
2 Blaze Commando
1 Steeple Roc
1 Tenement Crasher
Spells
1 Beckon Apparition
1 Martial Glory
1 Rakdos Cluestone
1 Auger Spree
1 Mark for Death
1 Morgue Burst
1 Trostani’s Judgement
Game 1 he had a quick start but my turn 4 Rubbleback Rhino stopped him cold, he couldn’t do anything literally! I eventually played more creatures and killed him with Chorus of Might. Game 2 he had a similar start with a Syndic of Tithes, Skyknight Legionnaire, and Splatter Thug. I played a turn 4 Zhur-Taa Ancient, while he followed up with a Skull Rend and nothing more, I played two removal spells and another fatty, an attack from the Zhur-Taa Ancient put him at 14, he swung back to put me very low but on my turn I Traitorous Instincted his only blocker to finish him off.
In the Semifinals I played against Phu Dao piloting this
Lands
1 Overgrown Tomb
6 Plains
4 Swamp
6 Forest
Creatures
1 Dryad Militant
1 Wasteland Viper
1 Disciple of the Old Ways
1 Greenside Watcher
1 Gutter Skulk
1 Tithe Drinker
1 Loxodon Smiter
1 Slaughterhorn
1 Trestle Troll
1 Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
1 Knight of Obligation
1 Pontiff of Blight
2 Trostani’s Summoner
Spells
1 Swift Justice
1 Prophetic Prism
1 Selesnya Charm
1 Golgari Cluestone
1 Orzhov Cluestone
1 Selesnya Cluestone
1 Common Bond
1 Rootborn Defenses
Game 1 we traded creatures for a while and I slowly grinded him out with Skarrg Guildmage for 4 damage every turn while he couldn’t attack back through the Rubbleback Rhino. Zhur-Taa Ancient and Traiterous Instinct is what finished him off. Game 2 he again had a quick start but I was able to stabilize by playing Rubbleback Rhino and Towering Thunderfist. Gruul Ragebeast dealt the final blow this game once I hit the 7th mana source.
In the Finals I played against Tom Ross piloting this
Lands
1 Izzet Guildgate
1 Sacred Foundry
4 Plains
6 Island
5 Mountain
Creatures
1 Frilled Oculus
1 Goblin Electromancer
1 Nivix Guildmage
1 Boros Reckoner
1 Lyev Skyknight
1 Nivix Cyclops
3 Wind Drake
1 Hussar Patrol
1 Keymaster Rogue
1 Leyline Phantom
1 Maze Glider
Spells
1 Blustersquall
1 Prophetic Prism
1 Aerial Maneuver
1 Dramatic Rescue
1 Soul Tithe
1 Mindstatic
1 Totally Lost
1 Explosive Impact
1 Trostani’s Judgement
Game 1 he was mana screwed and I played 3 creatures and he died. Game 2 took longer though. I played some early creatures and the most important turn is when he passed the turn with four mana untapped and I didn’t attack with my Korozda Guildmage into his Hussar Patrol which he indeed had. I killed some creatures and he killed some of mine but a Traitorous Instinct put me in the the driver’s seat again and I was able to finish him off with Punish the Enemy once he tapped himself out to play a creature.
I hope you enjoyed this, and hopefully ill have a good enough finish at the World Championship to do another tournament report.
Till next time,
Shahar Shenhar