Just got home...

...from the "Shards Of Alara" midnight pre-release tournament held at Good Games in the CBD. Hadn't played "Magic: The Gathering" competitively in years, nor had I studied the spoiler list. Surprised myself by how well I did...

Due to the small number of entrants (you'd have to be mad, right?), it was only a three-rounder. I constructed a B/G/R deck with a decent mana curve - accelerated from weenies and fixers into removal and fatties. Biggest bully was a dragon who brought a buddy to the battle. A spectator christened him "Double Dragon".

My first opponent was playing what his mate described as "five-colour bombs". It was tight - he had an artifact with a Wrath Of God effect AND a way to recycle it - but somehow I won 2-1. The second dude's deck was like a weaker version of mine (he said so himself) - 2-0 to Addster. Opponent three was exploiting the new "exalted" mechanic* in a U/G/W build. His strategy was superior and I went down 1-2.

Winning 2/3 matches (5/8 games) earnt me a booster pack, which contained a "mythic rare" to add to the one I'd opened in the tourney. That's now the top level of rarity - the expansion symbol on such cards is metallic orange in colour.

Having caught a bus and walked to the shop, I allowed myself the luxury of making the return journey by taxi. Thanks to me being positively chuffed, the driver got a generous tip.

Anyhoo, that's the reporting done. Wake us for the AFL grand final. I'll be barracking - against the odds - for Hawthorn. I'm sick of Geelong.


*Creatures that bestow a (cumulative) bonus on a lone attacker. Works great with a flyer or unblockable and, because it doesn't require the others to tap, leaves them as a defensive line.