Semifinals - Stephen Campbell vs. Hugh Karp

by Michael Doecke

Stephen, the most innovative deck builder in Australia, is playing an original and interesting blue/white deck he has nicknamed "Boojum" utilizing Monk Idealist and Parallax Wave for a lock, which is crippling to most creature based decks.

Hugh Karp, a new player to the Australian tournament scene is playing a standard mono green trinity deck.

Game 1

The game begun with Stephen playing a Seal of Removal which was immediately used to bounce a Llanowar Elf. The recast Elf, a Bird and a Rofellos provided Hugh with enough mana cast a second Tangle Wire after the first was Memory Lapsed. Hugh then forced through a Poacher and on the next turn thawed out a Deranged Hermit.

The first Hermit was replaced by another on the next turn with a squirrel swarm bringing Stephen down to 10, although Stephen had drawn his one Counterspell for the re-drawn Tangle Wire. This left Stephen with exactly enough land to cast Wrath of God through a 1 point Tangle Wire as Hugh had used his port to thaw out the next Elf.

The Wrath left Hugh with only 3 forests in play all of which were dealt with by Stephen's 2 ports and Ring of Gix.

Although Hugh was able to draw and cast several more threats including another Hermit, Stephen quickly answered with another Wrath.

Finally, Stephen's Monk Idealist/Parallax Wave/Seal of Removal combo kicked in and 10 turns later the game was over.

Game 2

Another first turn elf was dealt with by seal, then a second turn Cursed Totem left Hugh's 2 Birds, Vine Trellis and Rofellos attacking every turn.

Not drawing past 2 land for several turns made Stephen's job incredibly easy and by the time Hugh had the mana to cast a Plow Under, Stephen already had a trade routes and 8 land in play and was able to bounce them back to his hand.

Blastoderm proved the only obstacle to Stephen's total board control and after a Wrathing and Armageddoning the game was all but over. "Where did all you stuff go" was the comment by The Gasman as he walked past to table to see a permanent count of 11 to 0. Although it took him another 15 or so turns due to his 4 Idealists being in the bottom 10 cards of his library the result was a forgone conclusion in this very one sided game.

2-0 Campbell