Games Haven Monthly $1K Series 2019
17th March 2019
Games Haven Paya Lebar
Matthew (Lightning Bolt) Yee
40 players gathered on Sunday for the 12th in a marathon of monthly $1K Series events. After 12 months, we have reached the end of our 1K Series League, and we are ready for the Series Championship next month! Well, not exactly ready, there's still a few more LCQs left for those hopeful for a shot at the whopper of a prize pool we have reserved for those who battled their way for the top. But that's a topic for the Facebook page. We chose to end the year-long league with the format that all the locals are the most vocal about (you can deny it, but we can hear it :P ), Modern! Fresh off the banlist update which changed absolutely nothing, what could we expect?
We've had enough time to adapt since the Krark-Clan Ironworks ban 2 updates ago. The ban caused a storm of inventive fury that led to an unholy fusion of the KCI deck, the old Thopter-Sword deck and the Lantern Control of old, giving rise to the new breed of Ensnaring Bridge deck, Whir Prison. It should be no surprise to many of the local competitive Modern players, but by now the decklists for Whir Prison have been more or less refined and they are a force to be reckoned with. In a Modern metagame where everyone is watching out for the graveyard strategies and the decks that can combat them, Whir Prison makes the most of its new and fresh (for now) angle of attack and clogs up the board before their opponents can hit with their threats, and then slowly shores up the best possible offense - an unbreakable defense. Or you know, Battle of the Bridge for 50.
Amusingly, it seems as if a lot of players on Sunday read the primer article on StarCity Games about the current state of the Modern metagame. (It is actually very fascinating reading, so if you readers are interested you should absolutely check it out at http://www.starcitygames.com/articles/38419_The-Top-Tier-Of-Modern-In-2019.html ) Our metagame on Sunday almost followed the article to a T, exactly as predicted by Emma Handy in a seemingly clairvoyant declaration from across the globe. Case in point - Kelvin Chew on Izzet Phoenix. To quote one of the other players on Sunday, "I stun. See him T1 Scalding Tarn fetch Island cast Serum Visions. If there's one thing that [surprised] me it was Chew on Phoenix."
Metagame analyzers worth their salt know that to combat the current Modern metagame, there are two things you must absolutely be prepared for - artifacts, and the graveyard. Never before in a Modern event at Paya Lebar have so many Shatterstorms been seen and casted. Maindeck Relics of Progenitus also abounded as a cheap cantrip that could momentarily slow down a graveyard strategy, and for a more surgically precise (heh) method, there were numerous copies of everyone's favourite $80 card Surgical Extraction as well.
But this is sunny, sunny Singapore, and that means our metagames have that bit of local flavour that makes our own metagame uniquely us, just as the Tourism Board likes to claim. This means Burn. Burn and Burn galore. But aside from throwing 3 damage at the face, we also had most of the classics with us as well. Storm, Teferi Control, Tron, Affinity and tribal decks maintained their presence, lending weight to the old adage that Modern is such a wide format that you are just as rewarded for knowing your own deck inside and out, as you are for knowing the current state of the format inside and out.
And indeed, one of the classics was the winner of our 12th $1K Series. Ang Ding Hui, one of the many Burn pilots, took down the event, and has secured his spot in the Series Championship! Many congratulations to him, and we will see all of you qualified players and future LCQ winners in April!
Top 8 Decklists
1st Place - Ang Ding Hui
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Burn.
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Scalding Tarn, lets me play my lands and my spells.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Skullcrack. Acts as if [the card text is] deal 3 damage to target player and counter target
lifegain spell.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Mirror matches are quite skill intensive.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Mulled to 4 and died.
What is your greatest hope for Modern Horizons, now that they've announced direct prints into Modern?
CHAIN LIGHTNING!!
Team Faithless Looting, Team Ancient Stirrings, or Team Mox Opal? Shout out some encouragement to your team!
Team Mox Opal. Please don't ban it!!
Boros Burn - Main Deck
3x Arid Mesa
3x Bloodstained Mire
2x Scalding Tarn
4x Inspiring Vantage
1x Wooded Foothills
1x Stomping Ground
2x Sacred Foundry
3x Mountain
1x Grim Lavamancer
4x Monastery Swiftspear
4x Goblin Guide
4x Eidolon of the Great Revel
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Lava Spike
4x Skewer the Critics
4x Rift Bolt
4x Searing Blaze
4x Lightning Helix
4x Boros Charm
Sideboard
2x Kor Firewalker
1x Searing Blood
1x Ensaring Bridge
3x Rest in Peace
3x Skullcrack
1x Path to Exile
1x Deflecting Palm
3x Cindervines
*An earlier version of this article had the Skullcracks listed as Stony Silences. It was a misreading of the decklist paper on our part. The error has been corrected, and any inconvenience caused is regretted.*
2nd Place - Wu Yi Kai
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
UR Storm.
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Thing in the Ice.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Thing in the Ice.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Counterspells.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Not much.
What is your greatest hope for Modern Horizons, now that they've announced direct prints into Modern?
3 mana Arclight Phoenix. [Editor's Note: Sooo...... Arc Reactor Phoenix?]
Team Faithless Looting, Team Ancient Stirrings, or Team Mox Opal? Shout out some encouragement to your team!
Team Arclight Phoenix. [Editor's Note: Which is Team Faithless Looting lah.]
UR Storm – Main Deck
4x Spirebluff Canal
4x Steam Vents
4x Shivan Reef
2x Snow-Covered Island
2x Island
1x Mountain
4x Baral, Chief of Compliance
2x Goblin Electromancer
4x Opt
4x Serum Visions
4x Sleight of Hand
4x Desperate Ritual
4x Pyretic Ritual
4x Manamorphose
2x Grapeshot
1x Empty the Warrens
1x Unsubstantiate
1x Remand
1x Repeal
4x Gifts Ungiven
2x Past in Flames
1x Noxious Revival
Sideboard
2x Empty the Warrens
2x Thing in the Ice
1x Abrade
1x Shatterstorm
3x Pieces of the Puzzle
1x Wipe Away
1x Echoing Truth
2x Lightning Bolt
1x Flame Slash
1x Swan Song
Top 4 - Abdul Hafiz
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Jeskai Burn
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Lightning Bolt.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Jace, Architect of Thought [Editor's Note: seeing Jace on curve just after the Storm player
casted Empty the Warrens gives a strange case of schadenfreude.]
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Didn't draw Merfolk.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
T1 fetch shock Bolt.
What is your greatest hope for Modern Horizons, now that they've announced direct prints into Modern?
Back to Basics on a Merfolk.
Team Faithless Looting, Team Ancient Stirrings, or Team Mox Opal? Shout out some encouragement to your team!
Team Merfolk.
Jeskai Counterburn – Main Deck
1x Glacial Fortress
1x Sulfur Falls
2x Steam Vents
2x Hallowed Fountain
1x Sacred Foundry
3x Field of Ruin
4x Scalding Tarn
4x Flooded Strand
1x Mountain
1x Plains
3x Island
2x Celestial Colonnade
1x Vendilion Clique
4x Snapcaster Mage
1x Mana Leak
1x Spell Snare
1x Logic Knot
1x Negate
2x Remand
3x Cryptic Command
2x Peek
3x Path to Exile
3x Lightning Helix
1x Settle the Wreckage
1x Supreme Verdict
1x Wrath of God
4x Lightning Bolt
2x Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
1x Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1x Jace, Architect of Thought
2x Search for Azcanta//Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin
Sideboard
1x Lyra Dawnbringer
1x Batterskull
1x Condemn
1x Timely Reinforcements
1x Celestial Purge
1x Dispel
1x Negate
1x Disdainful Stroke
1x Ancestral Vision
1x Spell Snare
1x Echoing Truth
1x Engineered Explosives
1x Abrade
1x Anger of the Gods
Top 4 - Ian Teoh Yuan Hao
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Boros Burn
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
None. All burn spells are good!
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Skewer the Critics. I replaced my Rift Bolts with Skewer. If they were still Rift Bolts, I
would have lost against Tron and the Burn mirror today.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Decks with maindeck life gain, specifically UW Control.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Kudos to Joshua Yang. He played well by anticipating I had only Searing Blazes in hand. Because of that, I could not deal him lethal damage as he would not play any creatures. And his Chalice made the game drag on for many many turns.
What is your greatest hope for Modern Horizons, now that they've announced direct prints into Modern?
Playable anti-lifegain cards!
Team Faithless Looting, Team Ancient Stirrings, or Team Mox Opal? Shout out some encouragement to your team!
Team Mox Opal!!
Boros Burn - Main Deck
3x Arid Mesa
4x Bloodstained Mire
3x Wooded Foothills
3x Inspiring Vantage
3x Sacred Foundry
3x Mountain
4x Goblin Guide
4x Monastery Swiftspear
2x Grim Lavamancer
4x Eidolon of the Great Revel
4x Lightning Bolt
4x Lava Spike
1x Rift Bolt
3x Skewer the Critics
4x Searing Blaze
4x Boros Charm
4x Skullcrack
3x Lightning Helix
Sideboard
3x Smash to Smithereens
1x Rest in Peace
2x Relic of Progenitus
2x Searing Blood
2x Kor Firewalker
2x Path to Exile
1x Deflecting Palm
2x Risk Factor
Top 8 - Daston Lam
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
RG Titanshift
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle. All my mountains become Lightning Bolts.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Khalni Heart Expedition. Allowed me to combo off sooner than usual.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Aggro and fast combo decks are a real problem, considering Titanshift is a slower combo deck.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Pinging my round 3 opponent with Valakut for the win without Prime Time or Scapeshift.
What is your greatest hope for Modern Horizons, now that they've announced direct prints into Modern?
Make Red-Black Reanimator great again.
Team Faithless Looting, Team Ancient Stirrings, or Team Mox Opal? Shout out some encouragement to your team!
Team Faithless Looting. No ban hammer please.
RG Titanshift - Main Deck
1x Windswept Heath
3x Misty Rainforest
4x Wooded Foothills
6x Mountain
2x Forest
4x Stomping Ground
4x Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
3x Cinder Glade
1x Courser of Kruphix
4x Sakura-Tribe Elder
4x Primeval Titan
2x Explore
3x Farseek
1x Flame Slash
2x Anger of the Gods
3x Lightning Bolt
4x Scapeshift
4x Search for Tomorrow
2x Summoner's Pact
2x Khalni Heart Expedition
1x Relic of Progenitus
Sideboard
1x Rending Volley
1x Hour of Devastation
1x Nature's Claim
1x Vexing Shusher
2x Ancient Grudge
1x Tireless Tracker
2x Damping Sphere
3x Obstinate Baloth
3x Relic of Progenitus
Top 8 - Joshua Yang Zhijian
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Azorius Control.
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Jace the Mind Sculptor. It has 4 abilities!!
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
None, all the cards played their role well.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
It's weak to Burn.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Teferi -3 on opponent's Bottled Cloister. It's like a Wit's End!
What is your greatest hope for Modern Horizons, now that they've announced direct prints into Modern?
Counterspell.
Team Faithless Looting, Team Ancient Stirrings, or Team Mox Opal? Shout out some encouragement to your team!
None! Please ban all these so Azorius Control can rule!!
UW Control - DECKLIST WITHHELD BY REQUEST
Top 8 - Lucas Wong
Top 8 Profile
What deck did you play today?
Frenzy Affinity
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Mox Opal. It helps to achieve T2 Karn, Scion of Urza (with Springleaf Drum).
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
None, all the cards complement each other.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
When I Thoughtseized my opponent, and saw Ancient Grudge, my heart sunk.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
Able to slaughter Kelvin Chew in Swiss rounds.
What is your greatest hope for Modern Horizons, now that they've announced direct prints into Modern?
Price of Progress!!
Team Faithless Looting, Team Ancient Stirrings, or Team Mox Opal? Shout out some encouragement to your team!
Team Mox Opal, of course!! Opal, Opal, all the way!
Mono Red Affinity - Main Deck
4x Blinkmoth Nexus
4x Inkmoth Nexus
4x Darksteel Citadel
4x Spire of Industry
1x Mountain
2x Memnite
4x Ornithopter
4x Signal Pest
4x Vault Skirge
4x Arcbound Ravager
4x Steel Overseer
2x Etched Champion
4x Galvanic Blast
4x Cranial Plating
4x Mox Opal
4x Springleaf Drum
2x Experimental Frenzy
1x Karn, Scion of Urza
Sideboard
1x Ancient Grudge
2x Wear//Tear
2x Rest in Peace
2x Dispatch
2x Ghirapur Aether Grid
2x Etched Champion
1x Karn, Scion of Urza
2x Thoughtseize
1x Damping Sphere
Top 8 - Jereme Mah
Top 8 Profile [with add-ons by Matthew on request]
What deck did you play today?
Amulet Titan.
What would you say was the best card in your deck, and why?
Titan.
What card in your deck would you say performed unexpectedly well today, and why?
Manamorphose.
What were some of the challenges you faced while piloting this deck?
Drawing the bombs in the deck.
Any interesting plays you made or witnessed today at the $1K Series?
N/A.
What is your greatest hope for Modern Horizons, now that they've announced direct prints into Modern?
More interesting lands.
Team Faithless Looting, Team Ancient Stirrings, or Team Mox Opal? Shout out some encouragement to your team!
*disinterested shrug*
Amulet Titan - Main Deck
1x Radiant Fountain
1x Boros Garrison
1x Khalni Garden
1x Cavern of Souls
1x Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion
1x Gruul Turf
1x Vesuva
1x Bojuka Bog
1x Ghost Quarter
1x Botanical Sanctum
1x Slayers' Stronghold
2x Forest
2x Temple of Mystery
3x Gemstone Mine
3x Tolaria West
4x Simic Growth Chamber
4x Selesnya Sanctuary
1x Walking Ballista
1x Zacama, Primal Calamity
1x Reclamation Sage
3x Azusa, Lost but Seeking
4x Primeval Titan
4x Growth Spiral
4x Explore
4x Summoner's Pact
4x Manamorphose
1x Engineered Explosives
4x Amulet of Vigor
Sideboard
3x Path to Exile
2x Spell Pierce
1x Obstinate Baloth
1x Grafdigger's Cage
1x Kabira Crossroads
1x Carnage Tyrant
1x Hornet Queen
1x Chameleon Colossus
1x Cavern of Souls
1x Ruric Thar, the Unbowed
1x Engineered Explosives
1x Pithing Needle
