The play-by-play

I wonder how easy it is to execute a play-by-play analysis of a game of Magic: The Gathering.  Is this something that I can do in the context of a timed event?  One option is to record the game in video, but will my opponent be open to that?  I would like to provide this kind of analysis so that better players than me can be critical of my play and inform me when I make mistakes.  (Starcitygames.com has videos played out on Magic: Online, but I have no desire to use that software after trying to run it for 3+ hours)  Learning from mistakes is the best way to learn, in my opinion.

So flashback time.  I went to FNM with a Red/Blue (RU) Delver deck.  I do not recall the exact decklist, but it is ever-changing and I try to keep it up to date on Deckbox.org.

Round one I faced a Black/Red Zombie deck.  This deck featured a lot of 2 power, one cost Zombies and some heavier creatures (such as Geralf's Messenger and Phyrexian Obliterator).  I got out to an early lead with a transformed Delver and never looked back.  In the next two games, the exact opposite occurred.  I got lucky in game one and was simply outraced in games two and three.  To combat this limitation (which would also be apparent in round four) I put in a few Bonfire of the Damned, for mass one-sided removal.

Round two I faced a younger player with a mono-white deck.  His deck was not what I would consider great (but my own knowledge is very limited) but due to my low damage output (I drew no Delvers, only Invisible Stalkers) I was not able to maintain control with removal alone.  On my final turn, I was at 1 life, my opponent was at 10, I top-decked a Runechanter's Pike, played it, equipped it, and swung for 11.  Talk about close.  Game two was not as close as I was able to get a delver going, use Zealous Conscripts to break "soulbinds" and easily took control.

Round three I faced a deck known as "Turbo-fog".  The idea is that the player of TurboFog has around 16 fog-like effects (Fog prevents combat damage, for those not in-the know) and wins games by decking their opposition (with Jace's Erasure and mass card drawing effects).  In both games, I came out way too quickly for my opponent and was able to counter the Fog-spells with Negate or Mana Leaks.  Delver really showed his power here as he almost single-handedly won this match.  This is also a game where a sideboard would have been useful.  I was holding a lot of useless Unsummons in my hand.

Round four I faced another mono white deck.  Unlike round two, this guys deck was quite good, IMO.  My deck was not equipped to deal with the speed and ferocity of his deck, I did what I could, but I was severely outmatched.  Hopefully, adding more Bonfire of the Damned to my deck can help alleviate these types of matches.  (Seriously a Bonfire for 3 would have given me great board control)

I went 2-2 finishing with a game record of 5-4.  I enjoyed myself and learned a lot, both about what decks are doing well and which ones are popular.

Until next time.