Tournament Report: Geeks & Gamers 1k Invitational Qualifier, 24/03/19

It’s been a long time since we sleeved up for a competitive event in Scotland, hasn’t it?

While we wait for the information to trickle out about Mythic Championship Qualifiers, the Scottish community has started to mobilise. 

Falkirk’s Geeks & Gamers announced their 1k series a few weeks ago and this past weekend was the inaugural qualifier tournament, with the finals to  be held at the end of the year.

53 players sat down to play the first competitive tournament in Scotland since January – everyone from Mythic Championship competitors and WMC team members to local players taking their first foray into competitive Magic, which was great to see.

Here’s what the metagame breakdown looked like at the event:

After six rounds of Swiss we had our top eight, all taking home a box of Ravnica Allegiance! Top 8 decklists are listed further in the post.

The final was an Esper control showdown, with Martin Porter defeating Duncan Tang 2-0 to claim the first victory of the qualifier series.

The feedback I’ve seen from the community has been extremely positive. The loss of PPTQs has left the Scotland desperately looking for something to bring the band back together, and judging by the comments this is exactly what we’ve been needing.

It was also my first outing as a Competitive REL head judge, which I’ll talk about in more detail later in the week.

Next up is the Modern qualifier on Sunday 31st March, and based on how much fun the Standard one was, you’re going to want to be part of it. Event details can be found here. I’ll be hanging out in the arcade and potentially slinging some spells. It’s going to be great.

Paper Magic ain’t dead, folks. As long as the community turns out for great events like this one, it goes on.

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Winner – martin porter

Esper control

Spells (34)

4 Thought Erasure
3 Cast Down
2 Search for Azcanta
1 Negate
4 Absorb
3 Mortify
2 Cry of the Carnarium
1 Kaya, Orzhov Usurper
4 Chemister’s Insight
3 Vraska’s Contempt
3 Kaya’s Wrath
4 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria

Lands (26)

4 Godless Shrine
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Watery Grave
4 Drowned Catacomb
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Isolated Chapel
1 Island
1 Swamp

Sideboard

1 Deadeye Tracker
2 Duress
2 Negate
4 Thief of Sanity
2 Basilica Bell Haunt
2 Hostage Taker
2 Lyra Dawnbringer

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runner up – duncan tang

Esper control

Spells (34)

2 Fungal Infection
4 Thought Erasure
2 Search for Azcanta
2 Negate
1 Cast Down
4 Absorb
3 Mortify
2 Cry of the Carnarium
1 Kaya, Orzhov Usurper
3 Chemister’s Insight
3 Kaya’s Wrath
3 Vraska’s Contempt
4 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria

Lands (26)

4 Godless Shrine
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Watery Grave
4 Drowned Catacomb
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Isolated Chapel
1 Island
1 Swamp

Sideboard

2 Duress
1 Negate
1 Moment of Craving
4 Thief of Sanity
1 Unmoored Ego
1 Basilica Bell Haunt
1 Kaya’s Wrath
2 Hostage Taker
2 Lyra Dawnbringer

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Semi finalist – andrew rayner

Azorius aggro

Creatures (26)

4 Snubhorn Sentry
4 Dauntless Bodyguard
4 Skymarcher Aspirant
4 Tithe Taker
2 Adanto Vanguard
4 Benalish Marshal
4 Venerated Loxodon

Spells (14)

4 Legion’s Landing
4 History of Benalia
2 Unbreakable Formation
4 Conclave Tribunal

Lands (20)

4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Glacial Fortress
12 Plains

Sideboard

2 Spell Pierce
3 Baffling End
2 Negate
2 Adanto Vanguard
1 Disdainful Stroke
3 Deputy of Detention
1 Ajani, Adversary of Tyrants
1 Settle the Wreckage

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Semi finalist – craig stewart

Temur reclamation

Creatures (2)

2 Niv-Mizzet, Parun

Spells (33)

4 Shivan Fire
3 Opt
2 Syncopate
4 Growth Spiral
2 Search for Azcanta
4 Sinister Sabotage
2 Fiery Cannonade
2 Gift of Paradise
4 Wilderness Reclamation
2 Chemister’s Insight
4 Expansion // Explosion

Lands (25)

4 Breeding Pool
4 Steam Vents
3 Stomping Grounds
4 Sulfur Falls
3 Hinterland Harbor
2 Rootbound Crag
3 Island
2 Mountain

Sideboard

2 Negate
2 Lava Coil
1 Disdainful Stroke
1 Blink of an Eye
1 Entrancing Melody
2 Legion Warboss
1 Gift of Paradise
1 Crushing Canopy
1 Fiery Cannonade
2 Biogenic Ooze
1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun

---

quarter finalist – Dani anderson

temur reclamation

Creatures (3)

3 Niv-Mizzet, Parun

Spells (31)

4 Opt
3 Shivan Fire
4 Growth Spiral
2 Lightning Strike
2 Search for Azcanta
2 Sinister Sabotage
2 Fiery Cannonade
1 Gift of Paradise
4 Wilderness Reclamation
4 Chemister’s Insight
3 Expansion // Explosion

Lands (26)

4 Breeding Pool
4 Steam Vents
4 Stomping Grounds
4 Hinterland Harbor
4 Sulfur Falls
3 Rootbound Crag
2 Island
1 Mountain

Sideboard

2 Negate
2 Lava Coil
1 Kraul Harpooner
2 Atzocan Archer
2 Crushing Canopy
1 Gift of Paradise
2 Rekindling Phoenix
2 Biogenic Ooze
1 Nezahal, Primal Tide

---

quarter finalist – luke greenslade

jeskai control

Creatures (3)

2 Sailor of Means1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun

Spells (32)

3 Syncopate
2 Opt
2 Seal Away
1 Revitalize
1 Lava Coil
1 Blink of an Eye
1 Search for Azcanta
1 Justice Strike
4 Ionize
4 Deafening Clarion
1 Sinister Sabotage
2 Chemister’s Insight
4 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
2 Cleansing Nova
3 Expansion // Explosion

Lands (25)

4 Sacred Foundry
4 Steam Vents
2 Hallowed Fountain
4 Clifftop Retreat
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Sulfur Falls
2 Island
1 Mountain

Sideboard

2 Banefire
3 Negate
1 Disdainful Stroke
2 Legion Warboss
2 Karn, Scion of Urza
1 Settle the Wreckage
2 Lyra Dawnbringer
1 Cleansing Nova
1 Niv-Mizzet, Parun

---

quarter finalist – duncan hayward

mono blue tempo

Creatures (19)

4 Pteramander
4 Siren Stormtamer
3 Mist-Cloaked Herald
4 Merfolk Trickster
4 Tempest Djinn

Spells (22)

4 Curious Obsession
4 Opt
3 Dive Down
3 Spell Pierce
2 Essence Capture
1 Blink of an Eye
1 Chart a Course
4 Wizard’s Retort

Lands (19)

19 Island

Sideboard

3 Negate
2 Surge Mare
2 Entrancing Melody
2 Faerie Dualist
1 Disdainful Stroke
2 Deep Freeze
1 Jace, Cunning Castaway
2 Sleep

---

quarter finalist – stuart ravenshear

esper control

Spells (34)

4 Thought Erasure
2 Search for Azcanta
2 Cast Down
1 Negate
1 Moment of Craving
4 Absorb
3 Mortify
2 Cry of the Carnarium
3 Vraska’s Contempt
3 Kaya’s Wrath
3 Chemister’s Insight
1 Karn, Scion of Urza
3 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria
1 Precognitive Perception
1 The Eldest Reborn

Lands (26)

4 Godless Shrine
4 Hallowed Fountain
4 Watery Grave
4 Drowned Catacomb
4 Glacial Fortress
4 Isolated Chapel
1 Island
1 Swamp

Sideboard

2 Duress
1 Moment of Craving
1 Negate
4 Thief of Sanity
1 Kaya, Orzhov Usurper
3 Hostage Taker
2 Lyra Dawnbringer
1 The Eldest Reborn