Junior Super Series Championship

Quarterfinals Feature Match

Stephen McArthur vs Sebastien Laurent

McArthur was confident going into the match. He strongly feels that his version of Necro should beat, nay, crush Sligh. Conventional wisdom suggests otherwise, and so Laurent is confident as well.

McArthur cast a first turn Duress that surely did not make him happy. Among other cards he saw Laurent holding two Mountains and three Ball Lightnings. Laurent went on to play those lands but failed to draw a third land for several turns in a row.

Meanwhile McArthur, who drew all four Urza's Baubles, was going through his library frantically searching for answers to the threats he knew Laurent to be holding. Fortune was with McArthur as he drew the one card that would turn the game in his favor - Persecute! He cast it naming red and got a Viashino Cutthroat, Goblin Lackey and all four of Laurent's Ball Lightnings!

Having gained so much card advantage was not enough for McArthur. He went on to play Yawgmoth's Will recasting all four of his Baubles. Pretty soon he was able to finish the game thanks to an insane amount of card economy he achieved.

McArthur sideboarded out four Necros and four Duress to bring in Bottle Gnomes and Terrors. Laurent brought in Impending Disasters.

A first turn Lackey held promise of a great start for Laurent. Indeed, he dropped a free Flunkie and cast Goblin Patrol, coming up with a perfect start. Still, McArthur had an answer. He played a turn 2 Nevinyrral's Disk via a Dark Ritual and blew away the Goblins. McArhtur was able to avoid taking much damage for the rest of the game - he always seemed to have a Terror or Diabolic Edict for Laurent's Ball Lightnings and Viashino Sandstalkers. Bottle Gnomes held off the smaller creatures and eventually a Skittering Skirge went all the way.

Game three was very similar to game two. A second turn disk was there to remove the early creatures, Yawgmoth's Wills gained McArthur card economy and Laurent was unable to draw much of anything, except land. McArthur was able to deal a lot of damage with his creatures. Toward the end of the game he showed Laurent his hand which consisted of three Drain Life and the french player conceded.

McArthur 3 - Laurent 0