2019 MTG Old School World Championships ***Finals***, Game 1 The Deck vs. Esper Hive Control.
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- Опубліковано 10 вер 2024
- Alright everyone, it's finally here, the first game of the 2019 Magic the Gathering Old School World Championship Finals! Eight rounds are completed, just two 8-0 undefeated decks remain.
This final match showcases a classic mirror, Esper Control vs. Esper Control. I'm utilizing my personal build of my namesake design "The Deck", while my opponent Jonathan Salem is using something a bit less traditional. Jonathan and I have outlasted everyone else in this event to face each other in the finals, it promises to be one for the ages.
Sam Tang and I pick up the action on turn one, with Jonathan winning the die roll and opting to play first. We hope you've enjoyed our coverage and commentary of this historic Old School Magic event.
It would be amazing if somehow you guys can interview this opponent regarding his control mirror deck choices. He went 8-0 to get to the finals, so he's GOTTA have some interesting insights to share, for sure! Thanks again for your video series!
I love the narration offered on these games. It’s insightful and delivered well. I’ll definitely be going through your past videos looking for more Old School analysis.
Insightful and interesting insight throughout! Thanks Brian, always cool to see your perspective on these killer high end old school matches! The Mind Twist for 5 was rough!
This commentary is insanely good. It points out plays that most people would just shrug off as "whatever" but the implications are huge, especially in control mirror where it's a game of attrition and the guy who's ahead by two/three cards clearly wins the game...not counting mana sources in play, counting cards in play and cards in hand, in the end someone will have 0 relevant cards and someone will have 2/3 relevant cards. You're in a fight and it's 2 vs 0, you auto lose.
It's so easy to watch your play and analysis, agreeing fully with them and become lulled into thinking that I'm a better player than I actually am. In the same way that a young person might sit on their parent's lap, holding the steering wheel with them and believe that they are driving.
I'd love to know, when you think over your own games and decisions, what perspective do you take to continue to improve your play, best practices, decision making?
If you're playing seriously today, do you find that with the experience, you are as hungry to improve as before, given how busy your life has become with other endeavors?
Thanks, as always.
Great game and great commentary. Thank you for posting, Brian.
This being the Finals and both players have already played through 8 rounds of control, fatigue may explain a lot of the opponent's plays where he just throws cards out without thinking. He may be a bit intimidated too.
Regarding the "protect Sol Ring or not" question, in a deck where you run Power Sink, The Hive, 3 Tomes, a Scepter, etc. Geyser and given Sol Ring's unique ability...yeah, why run spell counters if not to protect his most important permanents.
Opening hand, opponent has solution for creature but none for artifact or enchantment. Looking at this type of deck, I think the first thing that could be worrisome as an artifact would be Black Vise. Ankh Of Mishra would be annoying too. Problem is, he's playing Brian W, not exactly a player running those cards.
His play reminds me of someone who has hit a plateau in development at the B+ or A- level of excellence. Based on the decisions he made, I doubt he gets to test against a GrandMaster often, and that's what he needs to get to A+ playing from where he seems to be at. Unfortunately for him, he's getting tested in the finals, rather than before the event. 😂
I agree with your viewpoint that this format is often a battle of mana. this game demonstrates that concept quite well.
I hope that guy never watches this video. Or maybe he should and he'll be a better player after like I think I am now. Thanks for the breakdowns and tactics discussion.
Haha, I tried to do what I always do in these videos, which was being objective and fair. If he watches it, he may indeed look at some of the play decisions and his general Magic habits in a different way. I am so glad my commentary helped you improve as well. The goal is to entertain and educate, but educate foremost.
Funny how all of this bla…bla…bla talking on what your opponent hypothetically might be playing, and what he might be drawing and holding in his hands and what his strategy might be etc… etc… would easily be resolved with a simple one drop artifact card: Glasses of Urza. Never understood why top quality tier one WBU control decks, which are basically the best decks in old-school pretty much never use that card.
Haha, funny you mention that card. I actually ran Glasses of Urza during my first few months or so playing Magic, back in 1994.
After a while, I realized I had a pretty good sense of what my opponent was holding most of the time, and that kind of obsolesced the Glasses. If you can avoid playing Glasses of Urza and get 80% of their normal benefit, think of the card advantage you gain!
So they're a decent learning tool for people getting started in Old School. But after you've put in 30,000 hours or whatever, they're not worth the slots at all, or the turn you take drawing and casting them.