Games Haven Monthly $1K Series 2019
9th February 2019
Games Haven Paya Lebar
Number of players: 33
Format: Ravnica Allegiance Standard
Achieved title: Most chillax 1K Series event yet
Most seen card: Still Hydroid Krasis
The breakout deck that surprised no one: Nexus of Gate
The deck that no one would have expected 2 weeks ago: Esper Midrange
The deck that just won't die no matter how much insecticide you use: Mono Red
# of Hydroid Krasises casted: Honestly I lost count at 30
#1 quote of the day: "I DON'T WANT TO SPLIT."
#2 quote of the day: [Redacted]. Hint - it's related to a certain Go-Jek meme.
Top 8 Decklists
1st Place - Tay Wen Kai
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Esper Control
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Thought Erasure. Drop opponent's win con and gives extra info for future turns.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Thought Erasure. Especially multiples over consecutive turns.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Land drops and inexperience in sideboarding.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Too many Krasis in Kelvin's hand.
Most underrated and most overrated RNA card?
Underrated - Gate support cards
Overrated - Krasis
What is the reason you would or would not give Hydroid Krasis an ang pao?
Not married so no need give.
Esper Control - Main Deck
4x Drowned Catacomb
4x Isolated Chapel
4x Glacial Fortress
4x Godless Shrine
4x Hallowed Fountain
3x Watery Grave
1x Plains
1x Swamp
1x Chromium, the Mutable
1x Angel of Grace
4x Thought Erasure
4x Absorb
4x Kaya's Wrath
3x Mortify
3x Vraska's Contempt
3x Chemister's Insight
2x Moment of Craving
2x Negate
1x Cast Down
1x Precognitive Perception
4x Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
2x Search for Azcanta//Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin
Sideboard
3x Basilica Bell-Haunt
4x Thief of Sanity
3x Duress
2x Hostage Taker
2x Lyra Dawnbringer
1x Unmoored Ego
2nd Place - Foo Zhi Jie
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Esper "TWICE" Midrange. Thanks David for recommending me deck and fixing
my sideboard.
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Dead (Hero of Precinct One) and Alive (Seraph) TWICE tokens.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Dovin. Dig Through Time is surprisingly easy to enable.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Starting hand all checkland, no shockland.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Not having sufficient TWICE tokens to use thanks to Hero of Precinct One.
Most underrated and most overrated RNA card?
Most underrated: Dovin, Grand Arbiter
Most overrated: Hydroid Krasis
What is the reason you would or would not give Hydroid Krasis an ang pao?
Who wants to buy my playset of Japanese Hydroid Krasis? That'll be my ang pao.
Esper Midrange - Main Deck
4x Watery Grave
3x Drowned Catacomb
4x Hallowed Fountain
4x Glacial Fortress
3x Godless Shrine
4x Isolated Chapel
1x Plains
1x Swamp
4x Hero of Precinct One
4x Deputy of Detention
4x Basilica Bell-Haunt
3x Seraph of the Scales
1x Hostage Taker
3x Thief of Sanity
3x Lyra Dawnbringer
4x Thought Erasure
2x Cast Down
3x Discovery/Dispersal
4x Mortify
1x Dovin, Grand Arbiter
Sideboard
2x Duress
2x Negate
1x Disdainful Stroke
2x Moment of Craving
2x Vraska's Contempt
1x Thief of Sanity
1x Plaguecrafter
1x Settle the Wreckage
2x Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
1x The Eldest Reborn
Top 4 - Faizal Rosmaruddin
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Nexus of Gate
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Gates Ablaze.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
The Goat.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
You're always behind because tapped lands.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Three Gate Colossus in one turn.
Most underrated and most overrated RNA card?
Most underrated: Goat
Most overrated: Judith
What is the reason you would or would not give Hydroid Krasis an ang pao?
Is it coz I'm Malay?
Nexus of Gate – Main Deck
1x Breeding Pool
4x Izzet Guildgate
3x Selesnya Guildgate
4x Gruul Guildgate
4x Plaza of Harmony
4x Simic Guildgate
4x Azorius Guildgate
1x Forest
1x Island
3x Hydroid Krasis
2x Archway Angel
2x Deafening Clarion
4x Gates Ablaze
3x Circuitous Route
4x Nexus of Fate
4x Growth Spiral
2x Expansion/Explosion
2x Chemister's Insight
4x Wilderness Reclamation
4x Guild Summit
Sideboard
2x Archway Angel
3x Negate
4x Gatebreaker Ram
2x Disdainful Stroke
3x Gate Colossus
1x Hydroid Krasis
Top 4 - Sunny Lie
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Watermelon Red
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Gruul Spellbreaker. Haste, Hexproof, large body.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Kraul Harpooner. Beatstick with reach. Helped me beat 2 mono-blue decks.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Experimental Frenzy showing lands.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Lost Round 3 to 12 Bolts, and he had kept a 1-land hand.
Most underrated and most overrated RNA card?
Hydroid Krasis.
What is the reason you would or would not give Hydroid Krasis an ang pao?
I only play red.
Gruul Aggro - Main Deck
4x Stomping Ground
4x Rootbound Crag
13x Mountain
4x Fanatical Firebrand
4x Ghitu Lavarunner
4x Runaway Steam-Kin
4x Viashino Pyromancer
4x Goblin Chainwhirler
4x Gruul Spellbreaker
4x Shock
4x Lightning Strike
4x WIzard's Lightning
3x Experimental Frenzy
Sideboard
4x Lava Coil
4x Cindervines
4x Kraul Harpooner
3x Deathgorge Scavenger
Top 8 - Daston Lam
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Mono-Red Aggro
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Skewer the Critics, because I have to skewer the critics...
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Spear Spewer. Enables all my spells with Spectacle.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Opponents having maindeck life gain.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Archway Angel gaining 14 lifepoints versus me.
Most underrated and most overrated RNA card?
Most underrated: Guild Summit
Most overrated: Incubation Druid
What is the reason you would or would not give Hydroid Krasis an ang pao?
Can we just ban Hydroid Krasis already? Hydroid Krasis needs to give me an ang pao.
Mono-Red Burn - Main Deck
20x Mountain
1x Goblin Chainwhirler
4x Ghitu Lavarunner
4x Spear Spewer
4x Viashino Pyromancer
4x Electrostatic Field
3x Risk Factor
4x Light Up the Stage
4x Shock
4x Lightning Strike
4x Wizard's Lightning
4x Skewer the Critics
Sideboard
2x Experimental Frenzy
2x Goblin Chainwhirler
2x Diamond Mare
2x Lava Coil
2x Fight with Fire
1x Legion Warboss
1x Fiery Cannonade
1x Act of Treason
1x Mountain
Top 8 - David Tan
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Wet Weenie because Lunyi said so
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
History of Benalia
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Ajani, Adversary of Tyrants
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
All the lands, this game is meaningless.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Glenn played 3 Gate Colossus in 1 turn.
Most underrated and most overrated RNA card?
Most underrated: Unbreakable Formation
Most overrated: Deputy of Detention
What is the reason you would or would not give Hydroid Krasis an ang pao?
No, because I don't have.
White Weenies - Main Deck
12x Plains
4x Glacial Fortress
4x Hallowed Fountain
4x Skymarcher Aspirant
4x Dauntless Bodyguard
4x Snubhorn Sentry
2x Hunted Witness
4x Adanto Vanguard
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Venerated Loxodon
2x Unbreakable Formation
4x Legion's Landing//Adanto, the First Fort
4x Conclave Tribunal
4x History of Benalia
Sideboard
1x Island
4x Negate
3x Baffling End
4x Tocatli Honor Guard
3x Ajani, Adversary of Tyrants
Top 8 - Mark Ng
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Mono-red aggro - 12 lousy Bolts.
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Experimental Frenzy.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Hijack, because no one expects it.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Facing Wildgrowth Walkers and endless lands off Frenzy.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Glenn full-foiled his Gate deck, best, Number 1.
Jap foil Hydroid Krasis sia, who would fully foil a Standard deck except Glenn.
Most underrated and most overrated RNA card?
[From Glenn] Rakdos Guildgate, secret tech in the Gate deck.
What is the reason you would or would not give Hydroid Krasis an ang pao?
[From Glenn] This card the best, $38 card in a deck you make right out from your expensive card binder, throw money at the kitchen table Magic.
Mono Red Aggro - Main Deck
21x Mountain
4x Ghitu Lavarunner
4x Viashino Pyromancer
4x Runaway Steam-Kin
4x Goblin Chainwhirler
4x Shock
4x Lightning Strike
4x Light up the Stage
4x Skewer the Critics
4x Wizard's Lightning
3x Experimental Frenzy
Sideboard
2x Banefire
4x Electrostatic Field
3x Lava Coil
3x Collide/Colossus
2x Hijack
1x Fiery Cannonade
Top 8 - Joseph Tan
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Sultai Midrange
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Hydroid Krasis of course! It lives up to the hype!
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Detection Tower, because I beat Kelvin Chew with it.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
It is kinda grindy so you need to have stamina to play it.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Gate decks are actually the real deal!
Most underrated and most overrated RNA card?
Guild Summits and Gates Ablaze are the real deal and I think they are underrated. Hero of Precinct One is a little overrated.
What is the reason you would or would not give Hydroid Krasis an ang pao?
Of course I would give Hydroid Krasis a big ang pao! It won me many games.
Sultai Midrange - Main Deck
4x Forest
4x Breeding Pool
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Woodland Cemetery
4x Watery Grave
2x Drowned Catacomb
1x Memorial to Folly
1x Detection Tower
4x Llanowar Elves
1x Incubation Druid
2x Ravenous Chupacabra
4x Wildgrowth Walker
2x Carnage Tyrant
4x Jadelight Ranger
4x Hydroid Krasis
4x Merfolk Branchwalker
2x Cast Down
3x Find/Finality
2x Vraska's Contempt
1x Karn, Scion of Urza
3x Vivien Reid
Sideboard
2x Negate
1x Disdainful Stroke
4x Duress
2x Cry of the Carnarium
2x Thrashing Brontodon
1x Entrancing Melody
2x Assassin's Trophy
1x Moment of Craving
