The past two weekends. Red/White/Black Control

I grew tired of Bant X-men and wanted to try something different.

I found a Red/White/Black control list online that I mostly liked.  I moved some of the cards around and came to this.

4 Boros Reckoner
2 Olivia Voldaren
2 Restoration Angel
2 Obzedat, Ghost Council
2 Thundermaw Hellkite
1 Aurelia, The Warleader
1 Angel of Serenity
2 Dreadbore
3 Mizzium Mortars
2 Rakdos's Return
2 Ultimate Price
3 Liliana of the Veil
4 Lingering Souls
2 Sorin, Lord of Innistrad
2 Unburial Rites

4 Blood Crypt
3 Clifftop Retreat
4 Dragonskull Summit
4 Godless Shrine
4 Isolated Chapel
2 Mountain
4 Sacred Foundry
1 Vault of the Archangel

Side:
3 Appetite for Brains
2 Cremate
3 Electrickery
1 Aurelia's Fury
2 Underworld Connections
2 Slaughter Games
2 Assemble the Legion

I went 5-3 at the SCG Classic in Hagerstown, MD placing in top 32.

I then took this to the World Magic Cup Qualifier held in Washington DC (WMQCDC).

Round 1: Gabby Izsak with Bant Hexproof
In game one, his deck did what it was supposed to do.  I died quickly.
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-Angel of Serenity (too Slow)
-2 Dreadbore (too slow, no walkers)
+3 Electrickery (kills Fencing Ace and Avacyn's Pilgrim)
In game two I kept a 5 land opener and peeled 3 more off the top.
0-2

Round 2: Chris Calhoun with Junk Reanimator
In game one he was on the play jumped out early and hoofed me for lethal.
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-3 Liliana of the Veil (don't want him discarding)
-2 Rakdos's Return (don't want him discarding)
+2 Slaughter Games
+2 Cremate
+1 Electrickery
In game two, I was on the play, used Slaughter Games and Cremate to great effect and won it out.
In game three, I was able to cast Slaughter Games getting rid of his Unburial Rites, but he then dropped Seance with Trostani in play.  Angel of Serenity+populate wrecked my board and I was run over.
1-2

I dropped to play in the Elite IQ.  Same deck, same sideboard.

Round 1: Chris Morningstar with America (RWU) Control
In game one he took mulligans down to five cards and did not recover the card advantage.  He is also playing only 24 lands which he exclaimed was "too much, even for him".  I feel 26-28 would be better, but alas.
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-3 Liliana of the Veil (making him discard when he can cast Sphinx's Revelation seems poor)
-2 Rakdos's Return (see above)
-1 Angel of Serenity (too few targets)
+2 Underworld Connections
+2 Slaughter Games
+2 Assemble the Legion
In game two I got out some Lingering Souls tokens and an active Assemble the Legion.  Chris had out Jace, Architect of Thought to shut down the 1/1's with his +1 ability.  When Chris used Jace's ultimate, he stole my Thundermaw Hellkite and his Aurelia, the Warleader.  Ouch.
I made the following sideboard adjustments.
-2 Lingering Souls (worthless to jace)
+2 Appetite for Brains

I was on the play and wasted no time getting Sorin to make me a +1 Emblem.  I then used Thundermaw, Aurelia, and Obzedat to put a lot of pressure on him.  I topdecked an Overloaded Mizzium Mortars to clear his field so that Obzedat could get through.
2-1

Round 2: James Ramsey with R/G aggro.
In game one James was on the play and I lost.
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-2 Unburial Rites (too slow)
-1 Aurelia, the Warleader (too slow)
-1 Angel of Serenity (too slow)
+3 Electrickery
+1 Aurelia's Fury
In game two, I was on the play and got Boros Reckoner to stick, stabilized and won.
In game three, he was on the play, I kept a one land mull to 6 and did not make a third land drop by the time I died on turn 5...
1-2

Round 3: Kyle Brunette with the Aristocrats!
In game one I got the drop on him and was able to plow through for the win. (He may have kept a questionable hand)
I made the following sideboard adjustments:
-4 Lingering Souls
+2 Electrickery
+2 Appetite for Brains

In games two and three, I lost because I could not block Falkenrath Aristocrat.  Siding out my Lingering Souls was likely a mistake.  Perhaps I should have sided out Ultimate Price.
1-2

I dropped.
For the remainder of the day, Nick and I grabbed dinner and I did two booster drafts where I lost game one both times...

I had a monstrously bad weekend playing magic.  I still enjoyed myself as my opponents were all cool; we were able to have some drinks and generally have a good time.

I ended up 2-6 on the weekend, I think I need to play more games.  I missed a lot of magic between Mercadian Masques and M13, to get better I feel like I need to catch up.

Until next time.