Magic the Gathering in Ontario - Cube Pro Tour

The top 4 players have been divided into 2-man teams that will now compete in a Booster draft for all the fame and glory and "You Make the Cube Card" (but especially the $80 ante!)

Finals Draft: Mark Zajdner by Steve Cassell
Pack 1: Mark takes Mox Emerald over not much else first, and then is passed another mediocre pack and takes Mox Diamond. He’s happy to grab Pernicious Deed 3rd. 4th pick Thornscape Battlemage and 5th pick Kavu Titan puts him solidly into 5cg - not surprisingly. Mark takes Seal of Cleansing next, then a mana smoother in Mind Stone. Gurzigost comes late and so does Plow Under. He now has a high end to go with his mana producers. Orcish Settlers, Plague Spitter and Dromar round out the pack.

Pack 2: He takes Masticore first over Hymn. Followed by Upheaval which will most certainly make the main deck. 3rd pick foil Coast proves how much MTGO Mark has been playing lately. Mark takes a Vindicate, then a Seedtime, then a Mishra's Factory to add to his playables. A Divert for the sideboard and a Su-chi for the main deck followed by a whole lotta nuthin'. He did manage to get a 13th pick Purple Hippo - the good one.

Pack 3: Mark opens Mox Sapphire, Regrowth, Sylvan and Werebear. He takes the Mox knowing one of those others is definitely coming back. Mark is happy to see the staple Impulse 2nd, takes Tolarian Academy 3rd, Windfall 4th, followed by the Sylvan he passed earlier (crossing his fingers that the Regrowth would make one more trip). A Bayou is next for his Deed and Vindicate. Karn, Icy Manipulater and Yawgmoth's Will round out the playables. This deck has all the usual tricks for Mark and I predict he will do well with it.

Christian’s deck has multiple power spells and this team is already the favourite to take the title.

Finals Feature Match: JoshR vs Mark Zajdner
After some minor corruption is resolved the match gets under way with a winning die roll for JoshR who elects to play first. Josh throws it back, Zajdner sees island, forest, Gaea's Blessing, Seedtime, Deed, Icy and Ice Storm. JoshR plays Elf turn one. Mark draws Sylvan Library, plays forest, go. JoshR plays Spike Feeder next to apply some pressure. Mark plays Sylvan and says go. Josh’s turn 3 play of Fellwar Stone was trumped by Mark's Gaea's Blessing shuffling back crap. Flametongue provided a much better play for Rider to kill Mark's unkicked Kavu Titan.

Mark continues to Sylvan while setting up for Deed as JoshR Man o' Wars his own Flametongue Kavu. Unfortunately Mark is at 4 but Deed resets the board and he plays out a Masticore. Mark Z considers saving Mana for Seedtime but instead opts to play out Icy. JoshR puts out a Wall of Roots for defence and Rushing Rivers both Artifacts after Mark discards. Mark gladly plays his Seedtime. He goes down to one card to replay his Icy.

JoshR: You Masticore locked?
Mark: Ya.
JoshR: Ok.

Masticore continues to hit when Mark realizes he's at 4 and JoshR has a threshholded Werebear with nothing in its way. For some reason Mark chose not to just use the Icy on it. Mark looks at the land in his hand and the 7 in play and scoops.

Josh 1 - Mark 0

JoshR: I think I outplayed you.
Mark: No, I'm just stupid.

Game 2
Neither player mulligans and Mark opens with Mox, Mind Stone, turn 2 Ice Storm. JoshR plays a Fire Diamond when he reaches 2 mana and Mark plays out a Basalt Monolith. Werebear joins the team for JoshR. Mark brings out Karn which Josh quickly Man o' Wars then plays a Yavimaya Elder. When Karn is replayed it gets Force of Willed (pitching Forbid), Mark Diverts then casts Seedtime. JoshR is effectively naked. He forgets that Basalt Monolith can untap anytime and loses his Man o' War in combat. Yavimaya Elder is then sac'ed as Josh digs for gas, he finds it in Flametongue for the 3/3 Monolith. Mark puts a Factory into play and holds his Upheaval with only one blue source. The board in now stable. Until Mark draws Gurzigost.

JoshR casts Sleight of Hand looking for that ever elusive gas. But rips again and puts down Tradewind Rider. Mark draws Sylvan and swings with Gurzi. Sylvan hits play. Mark takes island over Windfall and forest; his Gurzi is returned, is replayed and he says go. Mark makes another mistake when he forgets to pay Gurzigost's upkeep. He then chooses to Upheaval with 2 mana floating, playing an island and casting Windfall for 16. Josh is left with one card in his library and scoops.

Game 3
JoshR plays first and both players keep. Josh plays second turn Legacy’s Allure.

Mark: go f**k yourself.

Mark plays turn 2 Mox, Mox Diamond, Su-chi. JoshR calmly lays out Wall of Roots followed by Powder Keg next turn. Mark plays a Masticore which is a dangerous play considering his luck remembering upkeeps so far. Josh plays a purple hippo (the weak one), activates the Keg on the Moxes and asks for the scoop. Zajdner laughs. Su-chi becomes blocked by the 'griff and when Mark tries to use his 4 colourless mana to pay for Icy Manipulator Josh reminds him he just mana burned for 4 and Mark looks at his hand full of crap and scoops it up.

JoshR 2 - Mark Zajdner 1

At this point the Team Highly Unlikely, JoshR and Kyle Reid, are up 2 matches to nothing as Kyle was able to mana screw Christian. Mark and Christian need to go 2-0, then win the tiebreaker to win the Cube Pro Tour.

Feature Match: Christian Antonescu vs JoshR
Neither player Mulligans and Josh starts us off. Christian plays turn 1 Sol Ring and JoshR replies with Standstill, which Christian breaks with Lotus then Laquatus’ Champion. Josh Rushing Rivers it back to his hand, then is the recipient of a Bog Down no kicker. Josh plays Spike Feeder then FTK’s Christian’s freshly-played Laquatus’ Champ. Josh follows up with Memory Jar while Christian can only summon an Albino Troll. Werebear now has Threshold and Christian decides to take 4 instead of tapping his mana. Christian puts a Nether Void into play and receives a “How Lucky” from Josh as he top decks Phyrexian Processer with just enough mana to cast it. Unfortunately Josh’s Ghitu Fire made it all moot.

JoshR 1 - Christian 0

Kyle Reid also won his first game and it looks like Team Highly Unlike Kyle (as opposed to Highly Unlike LEE) looks to have this in the bag. Apparently their team cube draft skills are unmatched in this basement. Between every game a split is discussed but how weak is splitting the cube PT? I mean c’mon.

Game 2
Both players keep and Christian gets another fast start with Sol Ring turn 1. Then Lotus, Phyrexian Arena and Phyrexian Negator. Josh plays Llanowar Elf then Pygmy Hippo. Christian draws and plays Cursed Scroll with 3 mana open and 2 cards in hand. He Regrows the Lotus, plays it, shows only Diabolic Edict to have just enough mana to kill both of Josh’s creatures. JoshR tries to compete with Centaur Chieftain but Christian just draws his Laquatus’ Champion to acquire the scoop. On turn 4!

Josh 1 - Christian 1

Josh plays first and neither player mulligans. Christian miraculously only has forest for turn 1 and says go. His turn 2 Charcoal Diamond isn’t much more threatening. Josh takes this obvious opportunity to trash talk as much as possible. Christian tries City of Solitude but Arcane Denial stops it. Christian plays out an Albino Troll, Rancors it and plays Cursed Scroll. JoshR, never short of answers, FTK’s it and laughs. He can taste victory and his opportunity to add a card to the cube, not to mention the cash. Christian is clearly distressed but manages to draw Deranged Hermit swing the board in his favour. During this time Kyle loses to Mark and apparently the best Windfall ever and JoshR knows only he can create his own destiny. He apparently doesn’t realize this as he forgets to sac his Yavimaya Elder in response to a Bog Down losing Memory Jar and Centaur Chieftain. He trades his Flametongue for a squirrel and waits for the gas that always comes through for him. Purple Hippo answers his call. JoshR is at 14 Christian is at 12. Christian adds to his side with Phyrexian Negator and JoshR Forbids with buyback, discarding land and Standstill. JoshR’s life total quickly depletes due to rampant squirrels and the Cursed Scroll.

JoshR 1 - Christian 2

So it all comes down to a finals between Christian and his large stack of power vs JoshR.

Kyle questions JoshR’s capability but Josh’s determination and youthful innocence are enough to sway the more established PT competitor to let him play.

Feature Match: Tie Breakers - Christian Antonescu vs JoshR
JoshR attempts to play mental games before the match to gain any advantage he can, but Christian is used to playing under the harshest conditions and isn’t fazed. Christian doesn’t peel the Lotus to start the beats and it’s good times for Josh… Phyrexian Processor for 7 means Josh is SOL and when Christian backs it up with Nether Void it’s good times for the busty Romanian. Josh questions the Nether Void play as all he can do is mutter to himself and stare at a hand full of uncastables.

JoshR: You can quote me, that was a legitimate Bad Beat.
Christian: I let my play do the talking, so you best keep on walking.

JoshR 0 - Christian 1

Game 2
JoshR plays first and both players keep. Josh leads off with an Elf, and again Christian has no Lotus or Sol Ring but he does Chainer’s Edict the Elf when all it does is attack. Turn 3 Wall of Roots is met by Phyrexian Arena. Josh can only watch as it resolves. He tries to even the card advantage with Memory Jar and Christian considers his options for turn 5, he has a few. He decides on City of Solitude. JoshR sacs his Memory Jar and sticks his finger in the air calling to the gods of all things gaseous. A dangerous thing with Ferney sitting beside him. Josh finds Werebear and Capsize and has to choose between Arena and City of Solitude. He chooses Arena and says go. Christian answers right back with his ball-breaking Laquatus’ Champion. JoshR plays a Flametongue targeting the Champion and when he tries to regenerate it Josh reminds him of the City of Solitude then smiles. Christian doesn’t care he just plays Spiritmonger and Rancors it.

JoshR: You’re Dead!
JoshR: Hold on let me count something...
JoshR: Ya, your dead.

Centaur Chieftan and Ghitu Fire quickly dispatch the disgruntled Romanian.

JoshR 1 - Christian 1

Because of earlier discussions concerning Josh’s decision to board in Powder Keg for game 2 Christian doesn’t allow him to bring it in when Kyle again reminds him of its interaction with the Romanian’s tokens.

Game 3
Christian keeps and plays land, JoshR does the same. Turn 2 Elf leaves something to be desired but Josh begins the trash talk. And when he Flametongues Christian's turn 3 Negator he begins screaming like a madman. Tell me when that happens at a PT. Christian tries a few more draws but knows it’s futile and is ready to go home.

JoshR 2 - Christian 1

So Team Highly Unlike Kyle pulls through by dominating the cube draft format. I expect to see continued success for both teams in future cube competitions. And next year I’m definitely top 4'ing.

Quick Interview #4:
Who is the most hurtingest guy?
Kyle: Moxboy
Christian: Zajdner
RichH: D_Goat
Mark: Lee
JoshR: The Kunkler
Colin: The Bieu Beau Be Bu (Ari Goodman)

The Wrap up
It’s now 3am on Monday morning and events have come to a close. A Cinderella story that emerged with Josh Rider and Kyle Reid having been crowned the Pro Tour champions. They both earned it the hard way by playing in all 4 drafts of the day as both players needed to grind in. This just goes to show you miracles do happen. Congratulations guys!

M:tgOntario thanks Christian Antonescu, Richard Hoaen, Steve Cassell, Josh Rider and Mike Ferneyhough for their play by play coverage of this landmark tournament. We hope all the readers enjoyed it as much as we did. We look forward (with all the Cubists) to people running for "target drink"s during next season's league. Cubing is thirsty work!