Johannsen Ramps to Glory in Germany

2010 National Germany Championship

Johannsen Ramps to Glory in Germany

August 21-22, 2010

2010 National Germany Championship

On a sunny Sunday morning in Aschaffenburg, Dennis Johannsen's smile outshone the midday sun as he received the winner's trophy for the German Nationals 2010. Three years after a second place finish his wish had finally come true: Leading the German National team at the World Championships. It was also Johannsen's twelfth Nationals attendance, which made him the player with the most German Nationals ever under his belt.

Come Chiba, Johannsen will be joined by a strong team. Jörg Unfried, 2006 team member, is looking forward to his return to the Worlds stage. And finalist Tobias Gräfensteiner is ready to seize this opportunity for parity with his brother Daniel, who set the bar with his Top 8 appearance at Pro Tour: San Diego. The two brothers squared off in the quarterfinals, where Tobias defeated his older brother in five games.

Of course, being brothers, they were card-perfect on each other's decklist – small wonder, as they played the exact same 75 cards. The deck they played ascended through the standings until all five pilots finished inside the Top 32, including the 2009 National Champion Sebastian Thaler. It is a regular Pyromancer Ascension deck, but includes a transformational sideboard that brings in Polymorph and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn. The plan worked, as the two Gräfensteiner brothers could well attest to on Sunday morning.

German Nationals 2010 is in the books, Grand Prix: Göteborg and Pro Tour: Amsterdam are next up on the schedule. Join us then and there here on dailymtg.com – and next year for German Nationals 2011!

TOP 8 BRACKET

Quarterfinals

(1) Dennis Johannsen

(8) Sebastian Potyka

(4) Florian Pils

(5) Jörg Unfried

(2) Christian Hauck

(7) Tobias Dreger

(3) Tobias Gräfensteiner

(6) Daniel Gräfensteiner

Semi-finals

Dennis Johannsen, 3-2

Jörg Unfried, 3-1

Christian Hauck, 3-2

Tobias Gräfensteiner, 3-2

Finals

Dennis Johannsen, 3-2

Tobias Gräfensteiner, 3-1

Champion

Dennis Johannsen, 3-2

3rd Place Playoff

Jörg Unfried

Christian Hauck

3rd Place

Jörg Unfried, 3-2

 

EVENT COVERAGE

  • by Florian Koch
    Third Place Play-Off
    Jörg Unfried vs. Christian Hauck
  • by Tobias Henke
    Decklists With Winning Records
     
  • by Hanno Terbuyken
    Finals
    Dennis Johannsen vs. Tobias Gräfensteiner
  • by Tobias Henke
    Legacy Side Event
    Top 8 Decklists
  • by Tobias Henke
    Semifinal
    Dennis Johannsen vs. Jörg Unfried
  • by Hanno Terbuyken
    Semifinal
    Christian Hauck vs. Tobias Gräfensteiner
  • by Tobias Henke
    Quarterfinal
    Sebastian Potyka vs. Dennis Johannsen
  • by Hanno Terbuyken
    Quarterfinal
    Florian Pils vs. Jörg Unfried
  • by Event Coverage Staff
    Top 8:
    Player Profiles
  • by Event Coverage Staff
    Top 8:
    Decklists
  • by Event Coverage Staff
    Day 2:
    Event Coverage
  • by Event Coverage Staff
    Day 1:
    Event Coverage
  • by Event Coverage Staff
    Info:
    Day 1 Playerlist
  • by Event Coverage Staff
    Info: Fact Sheet

pairings, results, standings

Final

Pairings

14 13 12 11 10 9 8

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Results

14 13 12 11 10 9 8

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Standings

14 13 12 11 10 9 8

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Top 8 - Decklists

by Event Coverage Staff

Dennis Johannsen
Decklist Stats Sample Hand
Creature (9)
4 Avenger of Zendikar 4 Primeval Titan 1 Rampaging Baloths
Sorcery (12)
4 Rampant Growth 4 Explore 4 Cultivate
Instant (7)
4 Harrow 3 Summoning Trap
Enchantment (4)
4 Khalni Heart Expedition
Land (28)
1 Verdant Catacombs 4 Forest 4 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle 4 Terramorphic Expanse 4 Evolving Wilds 11 Mountain
60 Cards
Sideboard (15)
1 Swamp 3 Thought Hemorrhage 4 Obstinate Baloth 3 Gaea's Revenge 4 Pyroclasm
Deal Another Hand

Christian Hauck
Decklist Stats Sample Hand
Planeswalker (2)
1 Elspeth, Knight-Errant 1 Ajani Vengeant
Creature (30)
1 Baneslayer Angel 2 Birds of Paradise 4 Bloodbraid Elf 2 Cunning Sparkmage 4 Fauna Shaman 4 Knight of the Reliquary 2 Lotus Cobra 4 Noble Hierarch 1 Obstinate Baloth 2 Sovereigns of Lost Alara 1 Stoneforge Mystic 3 Vengevine
Artifact (1)
1 Basilisk Collar
Enchantment (2)
2 Eldrazi Conscription
Land (25)
4 Arid Mesa 1 Terramorphic Expanse 4 Forest 4 Misty Rainforest 2 Mountain 2 Plains 2 Raging Ravine 2 Sejiri Steppe 1 Stirring Wildwood 2 Sunpetal Grove 1 Island
60 Cards
Sideboard (15)
1 Cunning Sparkmage 1 Obstinate Baloth 3 Celestial Purge 3 Dauntless Escort 1 Linvala, Keeper of Silence 3 Manabarbs 1 Qasali Pridemage 1 Kor Firewalker 1 Realm Razer
Deal Another Hand

Tobias Gräfensteiner
Decklist Stats Sample Hand
Sorcery (20)
3 Foresee 2 Call to Mind 3 Time Warp 4 See Beyond 4 Preordain 4 Ponder
Instant (14)
4 Burst Lightning 2 Into the Roil 4 Mana Leak 4 Lightning Bolt
Enchantment (4)
4 Pyromancer Ascension
Land (22)
5 Mountain 4 Scalding Tarn 10 Island 3 Khalni Garden
60 Cards
Sideboard (15)
3 Dispel 2 Flashfreeze 1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn 1 Progenitus 4 Polymorph 4 Spawning Breath
Deal Another Hand

Florian Pils
Decklist Stats Sample Hand
Planeswalker (5)
3 Jace, the Mind Sculptor 2 Jace Beleren
Creature (10)
4 Baneslayer Angel 2 Sun Titan 4 Wall of Omens
Sorcery (3)
3 Day of Judgment
Instant (14)
2 Flashfreeze 4 Mana Leak 2 Deprive 2 Jace's Ingenuity 4 Path to Exile
Enchantment (2)
2 Oblivion Ring
Land (26)
4 Celestial Colonnade 4 Tectonic Edge 4 Sejiri Refuge 4 Glacial Fortress 3 Plains 1 Arid Mesa 5 Island 1 Misty Rainforest
60 Cards
Sideboard (15)
1 Jace's Ingenuity 1 Oblivion Ring 1 Gather Specimens 2 Negate 2 Celestial Purge 3 Kor Firewalker 3 Relic of Progenitus 2 Spell Pierce
Deal Another Hand

Jörg Unfried
Decklist Stats Sample Hand
Creature (17)
4 Sprouting Thrinax 4 Putrid Leech 4 Bloodbraid Elf 2 Obstinate Baloth 2 Siege-Gang Commander 1 Master of the Wild Hunt
Sorcery (8)
4 Maelstrom Pulse 4 Blightning
Instant (8)
4 Lightning Bolt 2 Terminate 2 Bituminous Blast
Land (27)
1 Rootbound Crag 3 Mountain 3 Swamp 4 Forest 2 Dragonskull Summit 2 Lavaclaw Reaches 4 Verdant Catacombs 4 Raging Ravine 4 Savage Lands
60 Cards
Sideboard (15)
3 Duress 4 Cunning Sparkmage 3 Basilisk Collar 3 Doom Blade 1 Slave of Bolas 1 Thought Hemorrhage
Deal Another Hand

Daniel Gräfensteiner
Decklist Stats Sample Hand
Sorcery (20)
3 Foresee 4 See Beyond 4 Preordain 4 Ponder 2 Call to Mind 3 Time Warp
Instant (14)
4 Burst Lightning 4 Lightning Bolt 2 Into the Roil 4 Mana Leak
Enchantment (4)
4 Pyromancer Ascension
Land (22)
10 Island 5 Mountain 4 Scalding Tarn 3 Khalni Garden
60 Cards
Sideboard (15)
4 Polymorph 4 Spawning Breath 3 Dispel 2 Flashfreeze 1 Progenitus 1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
Deal Another Hand

Tobias Dreger
Decklist Stats Sample Hand
Planeswalker (6)
2 Jace Beleren 4 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Creature (2)
2 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
Sorcery (12)
4 Polymorph 4 Preordain 4 Ponder
Instant (14)
4 Mana Leak 2 Deprive 2 Dispel 1 Essence Scatter 1 Negate 4 Into the Roil
Enchantment (2)
2 Awakening Zone
Land (24)
9 Island 3 Forest 4 Misty Rainforest 2 Scalding Tarn 4 Khalni Garden 1 Halimar Depths 1 Gargoyle Castle
60 Cards
Sideboard (15)
1 Jace Beleren 2 Dispel 4 Obstinate Baloth 1 Iona, Shield of Emeria 2 Mass Polymorph 3 Unsummon 2 Flashfreeze
Deal Another Hand

Sebastian Potyka
Decklist Stats Sample Hand
Planeswalker (2)
2 Sarkhan the Mad
Creature (17)
4 Putrid Leech 4 Sprouting Thrinax 4 Bloodbraid Elf 3 Obstinate Baloth 2 Grave Titan
Sorcery (8)
4 Maelstrom Pulse 4 Blightning
Instant (6)
4 Lightning Bolt 2 Terminate
Land (27)
4 Savage Lands 4 Verdant Catacombs 4 Raging Ravine 3 Dragonskull Summit 3 Forest 3 Mountain 3 Swamp 2 Lavaclaw Reaches 1 Rootbound Crag
60 Cards
Sideboard (15)
4 Duress 3 Doom Blade 4 Goblin Ruinblaster 2 Consuming Vapors 2 Malakir Bloodwitch
Deal Another Hand

Top 8 Player profiles

Dennis Johannsen

Age:

30

Occupation:

Teacher

What's your favorite Magic artwork?

Sheep token

What do you think about the new Extended format, which will be played at Pro Tour Amsterdam in two weeks?

I like the format, because it has so many equally powerful decks.

Christian Hauck

Age:

25

Occupation:

Student

What's your favorite Magic artwork?

Ajani Vengeant

Where do play FNM?

Wizard's Well Mannheim

What do you think about the new Extended format, which will be played at Pro Tour Amsterdam in two weeks?

Good change. I didn't know a lot about the old Extended and now, at least, no one knows anything anymore.

Tobias Gräfensteiner

Age:

22

Occupation:

Assistant tax consultant

What's your favorite Magic artwork?

Polymorph

Where do play FNM?

Funtainment Nürnberg

What do you think about the new Extended format, which will be played at Pro Tour Amsterdam in two weeks?

I really don't know. I haven't tested at all.

Florian Pils

Age:

23

Occupation:

Student

What's your favorite Magic artwork?

Flying Men

What do you think about the new Extended format, which will be played at Pro Tour Amsterdam in two weeks?

No idea. I really should start testing.

Jörg Unfried

Age:

30

Occupation:

Forest manager

What's your favorite Magic artwork?

Cunning Sparkmage

What do you think about the new Extended format, which will be played at Pro Tour Amsterdam in two weeks?

I don't know yet. Shame on me, testing starts on Monday.

Daniel Gräfensteiner

Age:

23

Occupation:

Astronaut

What's your favorite Magic artwork?

Foresee

Where do play FNM?

Funtainment Nürnberg

What do you think about the new Extended format, which will be played at Pro Tour Amsterdam in two weeks?

I like the format, because it has so many equally powerful decks.

Tobias Dreger

Age:

19

Occupation:

Student

What's your favorite Magic artwork?

None

Where do play FNM?

Spieleland Hamburg

What do you think about the new Extended format, which will be played at Pro Tour Amsterdam in two weeks?

It's more interesting than the old format because it has less sets.

Sebastian Potyka

Age:

21

Occupation:

Student

What's your favorite Magic artwork?

Bloodbraid Elf

Where do play FNM?

Brühl bei Köln

What do you think about the new Extended format, which will be played at Pro Tour Amsterdam in two weeks?

Nice and tidy!

Quarterfinal: Florian Pils vs. Jörg Unfried

by Hanno Terbuyken

Florian Pils is already qualified for Worlds in Chiba, but that didn't stop him from aiming for the Nationals title. Jörg Unfried was also highly motivated to take a slot on the team for Japan, if only to remedy himself for Worlds 2006. Four years ago, Unfried was left hanging as the rest of the German National team got themselves disqualified.

Game 1:

Unfried came blazing out of the gates on curve in the first turns: Putrid Leech, Sprouting Thrinax, Obstinate Baloth – Unfried had gas enough. Unfortunately for him, gas prices went through the roof as Pils had Oblivion Ring, Condemn and Deprive in turn to stop Unfried in his tracks – despite taking a mulligan to six cards. Jace, the Mind Sculptor promised to rebuild Pils' ressources, but Jace met Blightning after after brainstorming once, and the battlefield was barren again.

Unfried saw an opening and presented Obstinate Baloth, which stuck, gaining four life. While Pils was drawing cards with Jace's Ingenuity, Unfried was putting the pressure on. Attacking with Lavaklauen-Gebiet and the Baloth, Pils used his Tectonic Edge to remove the land, but went to 15 from the Baloth's attack.

Florian Pils vs. Jörg Unfried

Unfried knew that victory for him lay on the battlefield, not in drawing cards. Sprouting Thrinax joined his ranks, but had to expend its energy to kill Pils' second Jace, the Mind Sculptor. Unfried's next play was Siege-Gang Commander. Apparently, Pils' U/W deck had severe hiccups, as it failed to cough up a way to deal with the Siege-Gang.

Florian Pils 0 – 1 Jörg Unfried

Pils sideboarded IN 2 Celestial Purge, 1 Jace's Ingenuity and OUT 2 Jace Beleren, 1 Jace's Ingenuity.

Unfried sideboarded IN 3 Doom Blade, 3 Duress, 1 Slave of Bolas, and OUT 3 Lightning Bolt, 2 Obstinate Baloth, 1 Bituminous Blast, 1 Terminate.

Game 2:

Unfried equalled out the mulligan count and proceeded sedately with Sprouting Thrinax on turn three. Pils shrugged, let the critter resolve and dispatched it with Oblivion Ring. Tapped out, Pils had no chance to stop Unfried's Bloodbraid Elf. Cascade revealed Duress, which saw Day of Judgment, Deprive, Jace's Ingenuity, Island, Plains. Unfried decided to deny Pils potential options and to keep him from gaining more unknown information, so he took the card drawer. Pils went to 17 from the attack.

Unfried tried Maelstrom Pulse to get Oblivion Ring off the Thrinax. Pils countered that with Deprive. Another Bloodbraid Elf from Unfried revealed another Maelstrom Pulse, and now the Thrinax did come back. Pils tried to block with Celestial Column, which fell to Doomblade. Pils fell to 6 life. He held Day of Judgment still in hand, but also Baneslayer Angel, and had to decide which one to play. The white sorcery would kill both Bloodbraid Elves and the Sprouting Thrinax, but also leave three Saproling tokens in play that Pils still would have to deal with.

On the other hand, Pils also had Celestial Colonnade in play, which would be enough to keep him alive through a full-on attack, so Pils decided on Baneslayer Angel. Even after Unfried added Putrid Leech to his side, Pils would stay alive. But Unfried had Blightning, and Pils discarded the two lands he held together with Day of Judgment. He had staved off that attack and turned his Baneslayer Angel sideways to gain some breathing room. He could afford to leave himself open that way because his next play was – Baneslayer Angel! Even through the floor, the crowd in the video room could be heard.

"Sorry," Unfried said, and the crowd went ballistic as he pointed his own topdeck, Maelstrom Pulse, at the Baneslayer Angels.

Florian Pils 0 – 2 Jörg Unfried

Game 3:

Jörg Unfried

Jörg Unfried expressed severe discontent at his opening hand and shuffled it back into his library. With six cards on the draw, Unfried opened with Duress. Pils' decision to play first paid back, as he had the mana to Mana LeakDuress. Wall of Omens was next from Pils and the game finally seemed to go his way.

Catching a glimpse of Pils' hand, he was well set up with Day of Judgment, Baneslayer Angel, Flashfreeze and even Celestial Purge to remove Putrid Leech. Unfried tried Master of the Wild Hunt. Pils picked the card up and read it thorougly, then pointed Flashfreeze at it.

Turn five Baneslayer Angel from Pils looked solid, but Unfried's Blightning took away Day of Judgment, a land and three life and Doomblade slayed the bane of Baneslayer Angel. Both players were now playing from the top.

Raging Ravine and Putrid Leech from Unfried marched to the red zone, blocked by Celestial Colonnade and Wall of Omens. Pils waited until Unfried had pumped the Leech and played Path to Exile to save his Wall.

Strong on removal, Pils used Tectonic Edge to kill the Ravine a turn later, and the Wall of Omens successfully prevented Unfried's new hasty Bloodbraid Elf from attacking, though Cascade gave him Blightning. Pils fell to 15. Another turn later, a second Bloodbraid Elf revealed Sprouting Thrinax, which Pils had a freshly drawn Mana Leak for.

Still, the two Bloodbraid Elves were one too many for Wall of Omens, and they pecked away at Pils' life. But Jace, the Mind Sculptor let Pils check the top card of his library and build up loyalty counters, essentially creating a virtual blocker. Unfried wanted to kill that Jace, so both Elves attacked Jace. Wall of Omens blocked one, though Blightning finished the Planeswalker.

15, 12, 9 – Florian Pils' life totals were dominated by the three-power Bloodbraid Elves. Like any good control deck, though, Pils had card drawing. Jaces's Ingenuity gave him a second Wall of Omens and protection from Bloodbraid Elf, as well as Mana Leak, Celestial Colonnade and Oblivion Ring off the Wall.

Now all Pils had to do was win somehow. Celestial Colonnade took a chunk of four out of Unfried's total, down to 11, then to 7. Unfried had Terminate against the Colonnade, which Pils let resolve, because Sun Titan came his way and returned the land! Unfried's removal was not exhausted yet, though, with Doomblade killing the Titan. With two cards left in his hand, Unfried fell to 3 from the Colonnade before used Doomblade on it. That one also went through, and Pils simply reloaded with Baneslayer Angel, saving his Mana Leak.

But he didn't need it: Unfried had nothing and died.

Florian Pils 1 – 2 Jörg Unfried

Game 4:

Florian Pils

This time, Pils went to Paris – twice, because in his six cards, he found three Baneslayer Angels and decided that was far too clunky. Unfried's start was Putrid Leech turn two. Pils had Deprive for it, with the rest of his hand being Jace's Ingenuity, Baneslayer Angel, Sun Titan, Path to Exile and Glacial Fortress. A tough situation when Unfried player Blightning. Pils discarded Path to Exile and Baneslayer Angel, dropping to 17 life.

Unfried continued the slaying with Bloodbraid Elf into Duress, revealing that he had drawn another Path to Exile. Even though Pils had just three land in play, Unfried decided to get rid of the five mana card drawer, and the remaining Path to Exile took out Bloodbraid Elf.

Unfried had enough mana to smash in with Raging Ravine, drew Putrid Leech of the top and took the life totals to 16-13 in his favor. Sprouting Thrinax joined the battlefield, while Pils was unable to draw a fourth land for four consecutive turns. 14-6 stood the life totals in Unfried's favor before Pils had Path to Exile for Sprouting Thrinax. Still, Putrid Leech took him to 2.

After missing six land drops in a row, Florian Pils had no chance to survive the onslaught that was the unsatisfying game four, and Jörg Unfried advanced to the semifinals!

Florian Pils 1 – 3 Jörg Unfried


Quarterfinal – Sebastian Potyka vs. Dennis Johannsen

by Tobias Henke

Potyka won the die-roll, but "lost" one of his opening seven. He didn't seem too excited about his six-card hand either, but kept anyway. Meanwhile, Johannsen thought long and hard and sighed and finally kept a very land-heavy hand.

Potyka mutterred something about his "slow draw", laying four lands in a row before casting his first spell. However, the first spell was in fact two spells: Bloodbraid Elf plus Blightning. Johannsen went down to 14 and proceeded to cast just another land search spell.

A second Bloodbraid Elf missed (Maelstrom Pulse), but connected on the attack to bring Johannsen to 8. Johannsen summoned Primeval Titan and got a pair of Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle onto the battlefield. Too late! Potyka smoothly cast a third Bloodbraid Elf got in for 6 damage and clinched the first game with Lightning Bolt.

Sebastian Potyka 1 – 0 Dennis Johannsen

Johannsen sideboarded Obstinate Baloth and, unsurprisingly, Potyka took out his Blightnings.

And again, Potyka had to mulligan. This time, both players had a quick draw, Potyka with Putrid Leeches on turn two and three, Johannsen with Rampant Growth and Cultivate. With six mana available on turn four, he was certainly hoping for Primeval Titan. All he got, though, was Avenger of Zendikar, and that had to wait in his hand for one more turn. The Leeches smashed in again and, with a little help from Lightning Bolt, brought Johannsen down to 5. The Avenger came down and planted eight Plant tokens on the battlefield.

Maelstrom Pulse got rid of extraneous vegetation and one Leech came through for another 4. Johannsen had no play and just passed the turn right back. Bloodbraid Elf was already enough to finish him off at that point, but to add insult to injury its cascade ability also revealed Doom Blade to kill the Avenger.

Sebastian Potyka 2 – 0 Dennis Johannsen

Sebastian Potyka

A good omen for Potyka: for the third time in a row he started the game with six cards. Johannsen began with Terramorphic Expanse and Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle, having no two mana available on turn two. Potyka's second-turn Duress, however, revealed two Primeval Titans and two Khalni Heart Expeditions in Johannsen's hand, along with one Cultivate, which went to the grave.

While Potyka summoned Putrid Leech, Johannsen's green spells worked their Magic, and they would have gotten him to six mana in record time, if it wasn't for Potyka's kicked Goblin Ruinblaster. All Johannsen could do was to deploy a second and third Khalni Heart Expedition (he had already used up the first one) and hope for the best.

Potyka's attack only got him down to 2. Johannsen summoned Primeval Titan and cracked his Khalni Heart Expeditions. Two Expeditions equal four Mountains, two Valakuts equal 24 damage.

Sebastian Potyka 2 – 1 Dennis Johannsen

Dennis Johannsen

The fourth game saw Johannsen mulligan extensively for a change. "First no land, and then no green source," Johannsen complained.

"You're playing 28 of them. Maybe you should have just kept," joked Potyka.

But all mulligans aside, Johannsen's draw was quite good, especially when compared to Potyka's, who had no plays for the first four turns and then an underwhelming Sarkhan the Mad. On the other side of the table, Johannsen made Khalni Heart Expedition on turn two, Cultivate on turn four, Primeval Titan on turn five, and killed his opponent on turn six.

Sebastian Potyka 2 – 2 Dennis Johannsen

Before the final game, there was some additional sideboarding: Potyka brought back Blightning.

The fifth and final game saw both decks back in full swing. Potyka had Putrid Leech and Duress, Johannsen Explore and Harrow, revealing a hand of more Harrow, Rampaging Baloths and two Primeval Titans. Primeval Titan came down on turn four, fetched two Valakuts and died to Doom Blade. End of turn, Potyka cast two Lightning Bolts to put Johannsen at 6. At this point, one more Bolt, Goblin Ruinblaster, Blightning, or Bloodbraid Elf would spell doom for Johannsen. Potyka slowly looked at his topdeck and visibly sagged. Johannsen went down to 2 and summoned his second Primeval Titan to take the game and match.

Sebastian Potyka 2 – 3 Dennis Johannsen


Semifinal – Christian Hauck vs. Tobias Gräfensteiner

by Hanno Terbuyken

The home stretch! Christian Hauck had started to play tournament Magic just a year ago, and already, he had a crack at winning Germany's most prestigious title with his Naya deck centered on Fauna Shaman. Tobias Gräfensteiner, on the other hand, looks to equalize with his brother Daniel, whom he beat in the mirror match in the quarterfinal. The Ascension deck that both brothers ran featured a transformational sideboard into Polymorph, and the expectation was that Gräfensteiner would beat Hauck.

Game 1:

Tobias Gräfensteiner

Tobias Gräfensteiner won the die roll, and before Hauck had anything but land in play, Gräfensteiner already had Pyromancer Ascension in play and played See Beyond, followed by Preordain, putting all the cards he escried on the bottom of his library. Hauck's first action of the match was Bloodbraid Elf into Noble Hierarch, to little effect as Gräfensteiner killed the elf with Lightning Bolt.

Gräfensteiner spent two Mana Leak to prevent Knight of the Reliquary, and a third Mana Leak gunned for Hauck's second Knight the next turn. Hauck paid the three extra mana, tapping out, and was rewarded with the resolution of his 4/4 Knight.

Pressure was Hauck's game as he added Bloodbraid Elf to the board, cascading into Basilisk Collar. Cunning Sparkmage joined the fray to remove one of Gräfensteiner's two Plant tokens (courtesy of Khalni Gardens). Hauck attacked, with 6/6 Knight and Bloodbraid Elf. Calmly, Gräfensteiner dispatched the Knight with double-kicked Burst Lightning and threw his last Plant in Bloodbraid Elf's way.

Still, Hauck was on the forward move. Attacking with Raging Ravine and Bloodbraid Elf took Gräfensteiner to new lows, and Ajani Vengeant came to Hauck's side to finish Gräfensteiner off.

Christian Hauck 1 – 0 Tobias Gräfensteiner

Gräfensteiner sideboarded IN 1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn, 2 Flashfreeze, 4 Polymorph, 4 Spawning Breath, and sideboarded OUT 4 Pyromancer Ascension, 3 Foresee, 3 Time Warp, 1 Call to Mind.

Hauck sideboarded IN 1 Cunning Sparkmage, 1 Quasali Pridemage, 1 Realm Razer, and OUT 1 Baneslayer Angel, 1 Obstinate Baloth, 1 Sejiri Steppe.

Game 2:

Gräfensteiner chose to play first, Hauck chose to mulligan. Spawning Breath, See Beyond and Preordain for Gräfensteiner set the stage for turn four Polymorph, revealing Emrakul, and that was the second game gone in seconds, as Hauck was done for.

Christian Hauck 1 – 1 Tobias Gräfensteiner

Both players shuffled their entire sideboards into their decks, then took 15 cards out again, masking any eventual changes. In actuality, none of the players changed their decks at all from what they had sideboarded after game one.

Game 3:

Again, Hauck mulliganed, then kicked off with Noble Hierarch and Fauna Shaman. Gräfensteiner filtered with Preordain and Ponder, then dismissed Hauck's Fauna Shaman with Burst Lightning. Hauck hit Noble Hierarch with an unlucky Bloodbraid Elf, played Quasali Pridemage and watched one of his Hierarchs die to Spawning Breath. Gräfensteiner tapped four mana and exchanged his plant for Emrakul once more with Polymorph.

Hauck untapped. What could he do? Not much but pass the turn. Annihilator 6 got rid of all his land and Quasali Pridemage, and Emrakul took him to 4. What scarce hope Hauck had passed quickly, and Gräfensteiner took game three.

Christian Hauck 1 – 2 Tobias Gräfensteiner

Hauck changed nothing in his deck, Gräfensteiner however took out the second Call to Mind and put a Foresee back into his deck.

Game 4:

Christian Hauck

Hauck hoped for his first play on the play, Fauna Shaman to stick, but no: Burst Lightning took care of that. Flashfreeze from Gräfensteiner countered Noble Hierarch, gaining Gräfensteiner a little bit of tempo, just as Spawning Breath on Hauck's new Lotus Cobra did. Mana Leak countered Cunning Sparkmage. Gräfensteiner was trying to protect his Eldrazi Spawn token while trying to find Polymorph with Preordain and See Beyond.

Hauck was short on mana, as Gräfensteiner's tactic of dispatching all the acceleration worked out well. Hauck tried Fauna Shaman twice in a row, but with Into The Roil and Burst Lightning, Gräfensteiner kept the Shaman away.

Hauck hadn't drawn a land in four turns straight, and when he finally found a Forest on top of his library, he was quick to play it and tap four lands for Bloodbraid Elf. Cascade... and the first card was another Fauna Shaman!

Gräfensteiner stayed his course. Mana Leak countered Bloodbraid Elf, Into The Roil with Kicker took temporary care of the Fauna Shaman before Flashfreeze sent it off the field. Ponder for Ponder, Gräfensteiner dug deeper into his library, looking for Polymorph. Hauck saw his out in getting damage on the table, and hard-cast Vengevine to take Gräfensteiner to 15, followed by a second Vengevine that Gräfensteiner had to block with his Plant token. At 11 life, Gräfensteiner had to deal with double Vengevine.

The way to do that is to play Polymorph before your last token dies as a chump-blocker, and that's exactly what Gräfensteiner did. Emrakul, the Aeons Torn thundered to the battlefield. Hauck attacked into it with his two Vengevines on some forlorn hope that Gräfensteiner wouldn't block. Gräfensteiner went to 7, then Emrakul attacked and cleared Hauck's board save for a lonely forest, and that was it! Tobias Gräfensteiner was the first finalist of German Nationals 2010!

Christian Hauck 1 – 3 Tobias Gräfensteiner


Semifinal – Dennis Johannsen vs. Jörg Unfried

by Tobias Henke

One more (and last) time the match-up is Valakut Ramp versus Jund. Dennis Johannsen had just dispatched the other Jund deck in his quarterfinal and was rather optimistic about his chances here. But then again, he was optimistic anyway: "I am still undefeated with this deck. 7-0-2 now."

The first game went extremely unfortunate for Unfried, with a mulligan and subsequent mana screw. Even stuck on one Mountain and one Swamp, the amiable Unfried was good-humored about it, whistling some unidentifiable tune while Johannsen went through the motions and finished him in short order.

Dennis Johannsen 1 – 0 Jörg Unfried

This time around, Unfried had all three colors right from the start, with Savage Lands and Raging Ravine. Johannsen, meanwhile, made Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle, Forest, and Rampant Growth for his first of what should better be a lot of Mountains.

Unfried summoned Sprouting Thrinax, Johannsen Obstinate Baloth. Unfried had a Baloth for himself, then Bituminous Blast to kill Johannsen's, and attacked for 7 damage. Johannsen fell from 24 to 17, and to 16 when he used Verdant Catacombs.

Next up, Johannsen went one size larger with Primeval Titan. He already had two Valakuts on the battlefield before but, even with some titanic help, only managed to get to three Mountains. Things got even worse for him, when Unfried gleefully cast Slave of Bolas. He took the Titan and attacked for 13 damage.

Dennis Johannsen

Johannsen had Avenger of Zendikar and passed the turn. "Do you have anything?" he asked.

"Not yet," Unfried answered truthfully, "but there are sooo many cards in my deck now."

After drawing his card, he started counting his lands. Johannsen let out a sigh of relief: "So, that's at least no direct damage, then."

"Actually, it is," Unfried replied, revealing Siege-Gang Commander, "I just needed to make sure I actually had the nine mana."

Dennis Johannsen 1 – 1 Jörg Unfried

The next game was one of these very short affairs the Valakut / Jund match-up seems to come up with from time to time. All of Unfried's lands entered the battlefeld tapped, so his first play was Sprouting Thrinax on turn four. On the other side of the table, Johannsen had Avenger of Zendikar, seven Plant tokens, with Verdant Catacombs and Terramorphic Expanse still up and ready to boost the vegetation to enormous proportions. All by turn five. Unfried cast Bloodbraid Elf looking for Maelstrom Pulse and missed.

Dennis Johannsen 2 – 1 Jörg Unfried

A quick start for both: Putrid Leech and Sprouting Thrinax for Unfried, Khalni Heart Expedition and Explore for Johannsen. Duress revealed the latter to be holding no noncreature spell, but also no more lands.

Without land, Johannsen could not cast the Obstinate Baloth in his hand, instead he needed to spend his turn on the topdecked Cultivate.

Unfried's seven-power army went into the red zone again to put him at 2. If Johannsen drew an untapped land now, he would be able to summon two Obstinate Baloths and survive the onslaught. He drew Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle. One Baloth was not nearly good enough. Unfried had the removal and attacked for the win.

Dennis Johannsen 2 – 2 Jörg Unfried

Jörg Unfried

Unfried had the optimal start of turn two Putrid Leech, turn three Sprouting Thrinax, but Johannsen's was even better. Much better, in fact, with Khalni Heart Expedition, Harrow, and another Khalni Heart Expedition. By turn four, Johannsen controlled one Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle, two Forests and three Mountains, as well as the remaining Khalni Heart Expedition with two counters. He played another Valakut and summoned Primeval Titan. The Titan fetched a third Valakut and a fourth Mountain.

"So, now you can shoot some of my creatures?" asked Unfried, innocently.

"Well, no. Now I just kill you."

Khalni Heart Expedition got another two Mountains and each of these triggered all three Valakuts. (When the fifth and sixth Mountain enter the battlefield simultaneously, they both "see" five other Mountains.)

Two (Mountains) times three (damage) times three (from each Valakut) equals 18. And 18 life was exactly what his own Putrid Leech had left Unfried with. Not a perfect turn-four kill (not 20 damage), but a turn-four kill nevertheless!

Dennis Johannsen 3 – 2 Jörg Unfried


Legacy Side Event – Top 8 Decklists

by Tobias Henke

Yesterday, 204 players joined the German Legacy Championships. Although the tournament was played with no Top 8 play-offs, the grueling nine rounds were finished well after the main event's last swiss round had already been concluded. That's why you had to wait till now to get these beautiful Top 8 decklists.

Bernhard Klinger
Decklist Stats Sample Hand
Planeswalker (2)
2 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Creature (7)
4 Phyrexian Dreadnought 3 Trinket Mage
Instant (23)
2 Daze 2 Trickbind 4 Spell Snare 4 Force of Will 4 Stifle 4 Brainstorm 3 Predict
Artifact (4)
1 Engineered Explosives 3 Sensei's Divining Top
Enchantment (4)
4 Counterbalance
Land (20)
4 Polluted Delta 4 Flooded Strand 3 Volcanic Island 1 Underground Sea 1 Tundra 4 Wasteland 3 Island
60 Cards
Sideboard (15)
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor 1 Engineered Explosives 1 Plains 4 Swords to Plowshares 2 Perish 3 Firespout 3 Pyroblast
Deal Another Hand

Christoph Alsheimer
Decklist Stats Sample Hand
Creature (2)
1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn 1 Street Wraith
Sorcery (19)
4 Ponder 3 Doomsday 4 Burning Wish 4 Duress 1 Infernal Tutor 1 Ill-Gotten Gains 1 Tendrils of Agony 1 Ideas Unbound
Instant (12)
4 Dark Ritual 4 Brainstorm 3 Daze 1 Chain of Vapor
Artifact (11)
4 Sensei's Divining Top 4 Lion's Eye Diamond 3 Lotus Petal
Land (17)
1 Shelldock Isle 2 Underground Sea 2 Volcanic Island 1 Badlands 1 Bayou 1 Tropical Island 1 Island 4 Polluted Delta 1 Misty Rainforest 3 Scalding Tarn
61 Cards
Sideboard (15)
1 Doomsday 1 Infernal Tutor 1 Ill-Gotten Gains 1 Tendrils of Agony 1 Ideas Unbound 3 Xantid Swarm 3 Carpet of Flowers 1 Pulverize 1 Wipe Away 1 Empty the Warrens 1 Deathmark
Deal Another Hand

Michael Seubert
Decklist Stats Sample Hand
Creature (2)
1 Street Wraith 1 Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
Sorcery (17)
4 Ponder 3 Infernal Tutor 4 Doomsday 1 Ideas Unbound 1 Ill-Gotten Gains 1 Tendrils of Agony 3 Duress
Instant (15)
2 Lim-Dûl's Vault 4 Dark Ritual 2 Cabal Ritual 4 Brainstorm 3 Orim's Chant
Artifact (9)
1 Lotus Petal 4 Lion's Eye Diamond 4 Sensei's Divining Top
Land (16)
4 Polluted Delta 4 Flooded Strand 1 Verdant Catacombs 1 Tundra 1 Scrubland 2 Tropical Island 1 Island 1 Swamp 1 Shelldock Isle
59 Cards
Sideboard (15)
4 Xantid Swarm 3 Carpet of Flowers 2 Vexing Shusher 1 Krosan Grip 1 Serenity 1 Cloud of Faeries 1 Chain of Vapor 1 Echoing Truth 1 Hurkyl's Recall
Deal Another Hand

Michael Steinecke
Decklist Stats Sample Hand
Planeswalker (1)
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Creature (8)
4 Tarmogoyf 4 Knight of the Reliquary
Sorcery (2)
2 Life from the Loam
Instant (18)
4 Brainstorm 4 Force of Will 4 Daze 2 Intuition 4 Swords to Plowshares
Artifact (7)
4 Mox Diamond 3 Sensei's Divining Top
Land (24)
3 Tropical Island 2 Tundra 4 Wasteland 1 Cephalid Coliseum 2 Maze of Ith 1 Forest 1 Island 3 Lonely Sandbar 4 Misty Rainforest 2 Windswept Heath 1 Karakas
60 Cards
Sideboard (15)
2 Spell Pierce 2 Counterbalance 2 Engineered Explosives 3 Rhox War Monk 1 Academy Ruins 1 Bojuka Bog 1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale 2 Trygon Predator 1 Tormod's Crypt
Deal Another Hand