Games Haven Monthly $1K Series 2019
14th July 2019
Games Haven Paya Lebar
Thanks to the renovation, the pictures are staring to look a LITTLE different now. 37 Standard players joined us on Sunday for the M20 Standard 1K Series Event! Partly due to early discussions enabled by early release of the set on Magic Arena, the mood was slightly more tense - a telltale sign that there weren't many or any homebrews in the room. So, armed with the latest and greatest from Arena and the Internet, what does M20 Standard look like in hot-as-Chandra Singapore?
We are currently at the densest point of Standard, the glorious golden moment just before rotation where 2 Core Sets are legal and all hell breaks loose. Some newer players might not be familiar with the pattern as we had a pretty long gap with no Core Sets after Magic Origins, but basically, what one really needs to know is that anything goes. Yes, the tried and true strategies will still attempt to assert themselves. Yes, historically Core Sets don't shake up Standard THAT MUCH. But generally, with the card pool at its largest, you typically find the wackiest builds at this timing (that actually work).
Say hello to Risen Reef. Whomever told you that Core Sets don't impact Standard that much needs to take a reality check and get locked in a room with Risen Reefs lining the walls. In the early release of the set on Arena, Elemental Tribal absolutely demolished all the lower-to-middle ranks of Arena ranked and looked to establish itself as a Standard powerhouse. Risen Reef does much to carry the deck, with its Coiling-Oracle-on-steroids impression giving steady card advantage for each and every elemental that enters. And that's not even talking about multiples. However, perhaps its own spotlight worked against it, because there were barely any Elemental decks on Sunday, implying that either everyone was overprepared for it, or they wanted to play Elementals but thought that everyone would be overprepared for it. Didn't matter either way, two Elemental decks still smashed their way into the Top 8.
The really surprising resurgence was Mono-Blue Tempo. With new toys like Aether Gust, Spectral Sailor and Brineborn Cutthroat, they find their late game bolstered a bit as compared to before. Aether Gust also carries the day's record for the most ruling questions - no less than 7. You might consider adding this to your sideboards for the confusion-fu factor (please don't, not for that reason at least).
However, perhaps the biggest beneficiary of these cards is a total newcomer, Simic Flash. Depending on build, the deck operates entirely or almost entirely at instant speed and due to this quality, makes cards like Brineborn Cutthroat and Nightpack Ambusher insane. The deck does take some getting used to though, as it is not truly a tempo deck in the vein of Mono-Blue, instead playing out closer to the more midrangey flash decks of old. Restoration Angel and Spell Queller would be proud.
Beyond that, it was the rest of Standard that we already knew, with differing degrees of M20 updates. The little tweaks are usually the fascinating part of Standard, because as we know, sometimes a deck is really just missing one piece of cardboard glue to tie a deck together and become truly formidable. In that vein, there were a hearty number of RG Dinosaur decks on Sunday, an Ixalan fan-favourite that has reappeared for one last hurrah before rotation, having been bolstered by just one more dinosaur, Marauding Raptor. The angry bugger turned out to be a pretty good enabler, as one of the key problems of the dinosaur deck was that you would always struggle to gain enrage payoffs as almost all your moves would be telegraphed and your opponent would not play into them. With Marauding Raptor, the fact that the moves are telegraphed won't matter one bit. I'm drawing that card off Ripjaw Raptor unless you kill it now. Can you? CAN YOU? RAWWWWRRRR!!! And so on. The problem is that starts without Marauding Raptor tend to make your blood run cold (geddit?). The deck may or may not roar one last time before rotation turns it extinct, but it sure is fun to play. Unlock your inner Timmy!
Don't be alarmed at the prospect of having to drop cash on a whole new deck though, the old ones work just fine. Esper Hero, Mono-Red, Mono-White, Mass Manipulation - they were all there, the bulwark of Standard, probably Standard's most lasting legacy of archetypes up till rotation hits. There's plenty to choose from till then, so we're confident you'll find something you like (even if it's the same deck you were playing in War of the Spark Standard).
It was even one of the old guard that made it to the top of the event! Ju Yaqiong, Queen of the Pride, Drawer of Lions, Craig Wescoe's biggest fangirl, took down the event with an incredible display of sustained skill, using classic White Weenie deck whose only M20 cards were the tokens! Many congratulations! Now if you'll excuse me, I need to run away from some Savannah Lions.
Top 8 Decklists
1st Place - Ju Yaqiong
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Savannah Lions x 20.
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
20 one-drops. To clock faster and interrupt the opponent's game plan.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Demystify in the sideboard. No one saw it coming!
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Which one-drop to play first.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Kelvin Chew playing Mono-Blue.
What is your favourite M20 card, and why?
Chandra, Awakened Inferno. MTGA bots passed me 3 copies.
Are you a believer in our Lord and Saviour Risen Reef?
Nope.
White Weenies - Main Deck
20x Plains
4x Law-Rune Enforcer
4x Snubhorn Sentry
2x Tomik, Distinguished Advokist
4x Dauntless Bodyguard
4x Skymarcher Aspirant
4x Benalish Marshal
4x Venerated Loxodon
4x Legion's Landing//Adanto, the First Fort
4x History of Benalia
2x Baffling End
4x Conclave Tribunal
Sideboard
2x Unbreakable Formation
2x Ajani, Adversary of Tyrants
3x Gideon Blackblade
2x Baffling End
4x Tocatli Honor Guard
2x Demystify
2nd Place - Kyler Jia Jie
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Jurassic Park Dinosaurs (RG Dino)
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Shifting Ceratops. Mono-Blue dies. Shoutout to Loh Han Boon.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Shifting Ceratops. So good pro blue!
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
NOT ENOUGH SLEEP.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Kelvin Chew Aether Gust my Shifting Ceratops [spell] 3x in a row.
What is your favourite M20 card, and why?
Vilis. Always win pack war with it.
Are you a believer in our Lord and Saviour Risen Reef?
NO.
RG Dinosaurs - Main Deck
4x Stomping Ground
4x Rootbound Crag
8x Forest
8x Mountain
4x Marauding Raptor
4x Regisaur Alpha
4x Otepec Huntmaster
3x Ghalta, Primal Hunger
4x Ripjaw Raptor
4x Shifting Ceratops
1x Thrashing Brontodon
1x Charging Monstrosaur
4x Commune with Dinosaurs
3x Collision//Colossus
3x Domri, Anarch of Bolas
1x Chandra, Awakened Inferno
Sideboard
2x Fry
3x Thrashing Brontodon
3x Flame Sweep
1x Shapers' Sanctuary
2x Chandra, Awakened Inferno
2x Veil of Summer
2x Lava Coil
Top 4 - Calvin Ong
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Sultai Elementals
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Cavalier of Night. Nearly always 2-for-1 and also reanimates Jadelight Ranger or
Risen Reef.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
See above.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Never drew lifegain against monored.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Killed my own Cavalier of Thorns to put Hydroid Krasis on top of my library.
What is your favourite M20 card, and why?
Yarok, doubles all my triggers.
Are you a believer in our Lord and Saviour Risen Reef?
YES.
Sultai Elementals – Main Deck
1x Temple of Malady
4x Overgrown Tomb
4x Breeding Pool
3x Watery Grave
2x Forest
4x Woodland Cemetery
3x Hinterland Harbor
4x Drowned Catacomb
4x Wildgrowth Walker
4x Merfolk Branchwalker
4x Jadelight Ranger
4x Risen Reef
3x Hydroid Krasis
2x Cavalier of Thorns
2x Cavalier of Night
2x Yarok, the Desecrated
2x Cast Down
2x Assassin's Trophy
2x Command the Dreadhorde
2x Vraska, Golgari Queen
2x Nissa, Who Shakes the World
Sideboard
3x Duress
2x The Elderspell
1x Tamiyo, Collector of Tales
1x Narset's Reversal
2x Negate
1x Unmoored Ego
2x Veil of Summer
2x Cry of the Carnarium
1x Liliana, Dreadhorde General
Top 4 - Joseph Tan Boon Kiat
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Temur Elementals
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Split between Risen Reef and Chandra, Awakened Inferno
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Living Twister. Screws up opponent's combat math!
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Keeping Risen Reef alive in the early game.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Staring down at 2 Rotting Regisaurs on turn 4!
What is your favourite M20 card, and why?
Risen Reef is like Rogue Refiner, except that the value never ends if it stays alive!
Are you a believer in our Lord and Saviour Risen Reef?
Yes!
Temur Elementals - Main Deck
4x Steam Vents
3x Sulfur Falls
4x Stomping Ground
4x Rootbound Crag
4x Breeding Pool
1x Hinterland Harbor
2x Temple of Epiphany
2x Temple of Mystery
1x Forest
2x Cavalier of Thorns
2x Living Twister
4x Omnath, Locus of the Roil
4x Risen Reef
4x Creeping Trailblazer
4x Leafkin Druid
1x Hydroid Krasis
2x Lava Coil
3x Lightning Strike
3x Shock
2x Chandra, Awakened Inferno
4x Nissa, Who Shakes the World
Sideboard
1x Veil of Summer
3x Fry
2x Negate
2x Disdainful Stroke
2x Lava Coil
2x Thrashing Brontodon
2x Ripjaw Raptor
1x Mass Manipulation
Top 8 - Kok Gao Le
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?
Goblin Chainwhirler. Mainly because it has first strike and there are a lot of 1-toughness
creatures and planeswalkers that will go down to 1 loyalty from their abilities. They will
all get hit by its ability and cause a lot of difference in the game.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
FRY. When I fought some matchups today, I won because it was instant speed and it can
remove blue/white creatures & planeswalkers effectively.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
When you fight Gruul or Elementals or Sultai it is quite hard due to all the 4-or-more-toughness out there.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Sometimes just don't be greedy and slam Experimental Frenzy on turn 4 [regardless of hand size].
What is your favourite M20 card, and why?
Fry, because it removes blue and white creatures and planeswalkers easily.
Are you a believer in our Lord and Saviour Risen Reef?
No.
Mono Red Aggro - Main Deck
19x Mountain
4x Goblin Chainwhirler
4x Runaway Steam-Kin
4x Viashino Pyromancer
4x Ghitu Lavarunner
4x Fanatical Firebrand
2x Skewer the Critics
4x Wizard's Lightning
4x Light up the Stage
4x Lightning Strike
4x Shock
2x Experimental Frenzy
1x Chandra, Fire Artisan
Sideboard
2x Shivan Fire
2x Fry
2x Lava Coil
2x Fight with Fire
3x Dire Fleet Daredevil
4x Legion Warboss
Top 8 - Derrick Koh
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Simic Flash (Wolves for the win!)
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Wolfpack Ambusher! [Nightpack Ambusher]
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Quench.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Mono-Red is hard to win.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Elementals are strong.
What is your favourite M20 card, and why?
Risen Reef.
Are you a believer in our Lord and Saviour Risen Reef?
Yes!
Simic Flash - Main Deck
4x Hinterland Harbor
4x Breeding Pool
2x Temple of Mystery
8x Island
6x Forest
4x Frilled Mystic
4x Nightpack Ambusher
4x Spectral Sailor
4x Merfolk Trickster
4x Brineborn Cutthroat
4x Sinister Sabotage
2x Syncopate
3x Unsummon
4x Quench
3x Mu Yanling, Sky Dancer
Sideboard
4x Cerulean Drake
4x Aether Gust
2x Flood of Tears
2x Thrashing Brontodon
3x Shifting Ceratops
Top 8 - Kelvin Chew
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Mono Blue Aggro
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Spectral Sailor, flash creature for Curious Obsession and helps to draw cards in
the late game.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Aether Gust, helps to delay Shifting Ceratops
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Opponent casting Shifting Ceratops on Turn 3.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Nope.
What is your favourite M20 card, and why?
Chandra, Awakened Inferno. Pack war eat all.
Are you a believer in our Lord and Saviour Risen Reef?
Yes sir.
Mono Blue Tempo - Main Deck
19x Island
4x Spectral Sailor
4x Siren Stormtamer
2x Pteramander
3x Brineborn Cutthroat
3x Merfolk Trickster
3x Tempest Djinn
4x Opt
3x Dive Down
3x Spell Pierce
4x Lookout's Dispersal
2x Wizard's Retort
2x Unsummon
4x Curious Obsession
Sideboard
4x Aether Gust
3x Cerulean Drake
3x Entrancing Melody
2x Negate
3x Surge Mare
Old picture reused because we'd
really like it if you could purchase a Challenger deck or two :)
Top 8 - Tay Wen Kai
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Good old Esper
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Obviously Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Anticipate, helped me look for answers and filter my hand.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Not drawing lands.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Kelvin Chew drew the 3rd Lookout's Dispersal after I discarded 2.
What is your favourite M20 card, and why?
Noxious Grasp and Aether Gust. Cheap removal.
Are you a believer in our Lord and Saviour Risen Reef?
Not really considering I saw none today.
Esper Control - Main Deck
4x Isolated Chapel
4x Glacial Fortress
4x Drowned Catacomb
4x Hallowed Fountain
4x Godless Shrine
4x Watery Grave
1x Swamp
2x Basilica Bell-Haunt
2x Kaya's Wrath
4x Thought Erasure
3x Anticipate
2x The Elderspell
1x Dovin's Veto
2x Cast Down
1x Noxious Grasp
1x Command the Dreadhorde
1x Mortify
1x Cry of the Carnarium
1x Despark
2x Oath of Kaya
1x Search for Azcanta//Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin
1x Bolas's Citadel
4x Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
3x Teferi, Time Raveler
3x Narset, Parter of Veils
Sideboard
2x Aether Gust
2x Noxious Grasp
1x Lyra Dawnbringer
2x Duress
2x Nightveil Predator
1x Cavalier of Gales
1x Ixalan's Binding
2x Cry of the Carnarium
2x Despark
