Dennis Bentley def. Ben Rubin, 2-1 Gary Krakower def. Kurt Burgner, 2-0 Bob Maher, Jr. def. Peter Leiher, 2-0 Casey McCarrel def. Ryan Fuller, 2-0
Casey McCarrel (USA) vs. Ryan Fuller (Canada)
Before the match, the two players smilingly complained that they always had to meet in tournaments. The two top eight finishers from 1998 Pro Tour Chicago were also playing somewhat similar decks, both were blue and red Academy decks.
McCarrel won the coin flip, and he chose to go first. He had to mulligan once, but that didn't matter much, as Fuller mulliganed twice.
The American got a pretty good start, he cast a turn two Grim Monolith, Worn Powerstone, and a turn three Voltaic Key. Fuller got out a Goblin Welder, but McCarrel Arc Lightninged it then Tinkered for a Phyrexian Processor, paying ten life to make 10/10 Minion Tokens.
Fuller Frantically Searched for an answer, but he couldn't find any, and conceded.
McCarrel 1 - Fuller 0
Ryan Fuller chose to play first in the second duel, but again, he had to mulligan, this time only once. He cast a turn one Goblin Welder and attacked twice, and then he cast a turn three Viashino Heretic.
McCarrel, who had played a Grim Monolith during turn two, had an answer to that, though. He played an Island and cast Wildfire, destroying everything on the table but his own Grim Monolith.
During the next turns, Fuller drew only one island, while McCarrel had an amazing recovery. He played a Tolarian Academy, four more lands, a Weatherseed Faeries and a Ring of Gix that he used to tap down Fuller's one land during his upkeep.
Fuller drew a mountain, played it and a Goblin Welder, but at that time, McCarrel had drawn a Morphling and enough mana to cast it, and Fuller conceded.
McCarrel 2 - Fuller 0