In the only all-Pro clash of the quarter finals, the talented Tommi Lindgren from Sweden takes on Shuhei Nakamura of Japan. There may not be much left to say that's new about Nakamura, but something that perhaps doesn't get said enough is that he's a BRILLIANT Magic player.
Coming into the weekend on 38 Pro Points, only a win here would bring him within realistic range of Brad Nelson in the Player of the Year Race. That win looked almost mythical when there were 1,284 potential opponents.
It doesn't look mythical now.
Nakamura opened with a Forest , while Lindgren had the first play of the match, a Sylvok Lifestaff off an Island . Flight Spellbomb , Horizon Spellbomb , and Loxodon Wayfarer followed, with Nakamura settling for Ferrovore and Leaden Myr , the Ferrovore dealing first damage.
Nakamura's Molder Beast was quickly back in his hand, with Lindgren sending it back via Lumengrid Drake , the flyer commencing the aerial assault the following turn.
 Shuhei Nakamura
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Things were progressing steadily until Lindgren unloaded Venser, the Sojourner , blinking out his Lumengrid Drake to once again send away Nakamura's Molder Beast . A Japanese Oxidda Scrapmelter destroyed the Sylvok Lifestaff , Nakamura completing the turn with Tumble Magnet .
Although Nakamura made Furnace Celebration , there wasn't much to celebrate, as Lindgren continued his Venser/Drake shenanigans, adding a Neurok Replica via a manabase that looked more like Ravnica than
Mirrodin: Plains , Plains , Island , Island , Mountain , Razorverge Thicket .
The Furnace Celebration eventually combined with Tumble Magnet to kill Lindgren's Lumengrid Drake , and a second 2/2 flyer fared no better, with Nakamura sacrificing Clone Shell to Ferrovore , getting Molder Beast in the process. By this time Venser had reached eight loyalty, so Nakamura was forced to send the Leaden Myr , via Furnace Celebration , to the Planeswalker. Nonetheless, the red Enchantment was doing lots of good things for the Japanese standout, and eventually Lindgren had to accept that his Planeswalker had been dealt with, just before it could do dastardly Ultimate things.
A second Clone Shell for Nakamura threatened yet more Imprint fun and games, with Lindgren now attempting to sculpt a plan with very limited tools – a Loxodon Wayfarer , and Auriok Replica , which soon died to Furnace Celebration , the Clone Shell this time revealing Saberclaw Golem . Bloodshot Trainee and Tangle Angler piled on the misery, moments before the end.
Furnace Celebration 1 – 0 Tommi Lindgren.
 Tommi Lindgren
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Leaden Myr appropriately 'lead' off for Nakamura, with further acceleration thanks to Gold Myr . Throne of Geth was next, and then a turn four Molder Beast , which is apparently quite good with a Throne of Geth ...
Lindgren meanwhile had Neurok Replica , Sylvok Lifestaff , and the Loxodon Wayfarer that had spent 97% of game one on the battlefield.
I'm surprised it wasn't exhausted really.
Nakamura Imprinted Clone Shell , but elected not to sacrifice it to Throne of Geth , settling on the Molder Beast dealing five damage.
Lindgren cast Auriok Replica , equipping it with the Lifestaff.
Nakamura forced the issue the next turn, sacrificing the Clone Shell to reveal Saberclaw Golem , Lindgren duly obliging by sacrificing his Auriok Replica to blunt a huge Molder Beast assault.
That was a temporary reprieve, however, since Nakamura delivered both Bloodshot Trainee and Furnace Celebration to the battlefield.
Suspecting what was coming, Nakamura held out a Trigon of Rage , which Lindgren countered with Stoic Rebuttal . That allowed Nakamura to cast Tumble Magnet , which wasted no time in tapping down a potential blocker. Already Lindgren was down to eleven, and facing a horrendous position, which his own Saberclaw Golem seemed unlikely to help.
Furnace Celebration killed the Golem with the help of a sacrificed Leaden Myr , the Tumble Magnet tapped down Neurok Replica , leaving Nakamura to pile in with Molder Beast , Bloodshot Trainee , and Saberclaw Golem . Now Lindgren was at two, with Nakamura adding both Gold Myr and Vulshok Replica to the battlefield. That's Vulshok Replica , that sacrifices to deal damage.
Furnace Celebration , sorry, Shuhei Nakamura 2 – 0 Tommi Lindgren.