Creature (20)
2 Darting Merfolk 4 Lord of Atlantis 4 Merfolk Looter 4 Merfolk of the Pearl Trident 4 Vodalian Merchant 2 Waterfront BouncerArtifact (4)
4 Static OrbEnchantment (4)
4 OppositionLand (20)
20 Island60 Cards
Sideboard (15)
3 Hibernation 3 Mana Maze 2 Misdirection 2 Prodigal Sorcerer 1 Rushing River 2 Teferi's Response 2 Wash OutBlue (51)
2 Darting Merfolk 4 Lord of Atlantis 4 Merfolk Looter 4 Merfolk of the Pearl Trident 4 Vodalian Merchant 2 Waterfront Bouncer 4 Counterspell 4 Gush 4 Opposition 4 Thwart 3 Hibernation 3 Mana Maze 2 Misdirection 2 Prodigal Sorcerer 1 Rushing River 2 Teferi's Response 2 Wash Out75 Cards
1 (4)
4 Merfolk of the Pearl Trident2 (25)
2 Darting Merfolk 4 Lord of Atlantis 4 Merfolk Looter 4 Vodalian Merchant 2 Waterfront Bouncer 4 Counterspell 3 Mana Maze 2 Teferi's Response55 Cards
Common (43)
20 Island 2 Darting Merfolk 4 Lord of Atlantis 4 Merfolk Looter 4 Merfolk of the Pearl Trident 4 Vodalian Merchant 4 Opposition 1 Rushing RiverUncommon (21)
2 Waterfront Bouncer 4 Counterspell 4 Gush 4 Thwart 3 Hibernation 2 Prodigal Sorcerer 2 Wash Out75 Cards
a:19:{i:0;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:6:"Island";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:4:"land";s:10:"deck_count";s:2:"20";}i:1;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:15:"Darting Merfolk";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:8:"creature";s:10:"deck_count";s:1:"2";}i:2;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:16:"Lord of Atlantis";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:8:"creature";s:10:"deck_count";s:1:"4";}i:3;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:14:"Merfolk Looter";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:8:"creature";s:10:"deck_count";s:1:"4";}i:4;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:28:"Merfolk of the Pearl Trident";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:8:"creature";s:10:"deck_count";s:1:"4";}i:5;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:17:"Vodalian Merchant";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:8:"creature";s:10:"deck_count";s:1:"4";}i:6;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:18:"Waterfront Bouncer";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:8:"creature";s:10:"deck_count";s:1:"2";}i:7;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:12:"Counterspell";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:7:"instant";s:10:"deck_count";s:1:"4";}i:8;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:4:"Gush";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:7:"instant";s:10:"deck_count";s:1:"4";}i:9;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:10:"Opposition";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:11:"enchantment";s:10:"deck_count";s:1:"4";}i:10;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:10:"Static Orb";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:8:"artifact";s:10:"deck_count";s:1:"4";}i:11;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:6:"Thwart";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:7:"instant";s:10:"deck_count";s:1:"4";}i:12;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:11:"Hibernation";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:7:"instant";s:10:"deck_count";i:0;}i:13;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:9:"Mana Maze";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:11:"enchantment";s:10:"deck_count";i:0;}i:14;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:12:"Misdirection";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:7:"instant";s:10:"deck_count";i:0;}i:15;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:17:"Prodigal Sorcerer";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:8:"creature";s:10:"deck_count";i:0;}i:16;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:13:"Rushing River";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:7:"instant";s:10:"deck_count";i:0;}i:17;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:17:"Teferi's Response";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:7:"instant";s:10:"deck_count";i:0;}i:18;O:8:"stdClass":3:{s:9:"card_meta";O:8:"stdClass":2:{s:5:"title";s:8:"Wash Out";s:22:"field_card_image_front";a:0:{}}s:4:"type";s:7:"sorcery";s:10:"deck_count";i:0;}}
Alex Borteh made the Top 8 of U.S. Nationals, then a few months later repeated the feat at the World Championships with his innovative Merfolk Opposition deck. Early Merfolk backed by a smattering of counters allowed him to control the battlefield. His end game featured Opposition to lock his opponent out of the game. Read more about the event in the official event coverage archives.