Game 1
Losing the die roll, Alex kept his six while Darien hold onto the full seven. Both players opened on dual lands, but Darien’s fetch land during his second turn met a Stifle. Alex played the first creatures of the game, a Nimble Mongoose and a Tarmogoyf while Spell Snaring Darien’s Stoneforge Mystic. The Nimble Mongoose, a lowly 1/1, and Tarmogoyf, a 3/4, applied pressure as Darien’s second creature – a Dark Confidant – hit another Spell Snare. A Wasteland from Alex, hitting Darien’s Plateau, was the seventh card for the Mongoose, growing it into a 3/3. Darien could only muster a Grim Lavamancer. Alex sealed the deal with a second Tarmogoyf.
Alex 1, Darien 0
Game 2
Darien opened up the second game with an Inquisition of Kozilek, revealing Alex’s keep of Brainstorm, 2 Spell Pierce, a Tarmogoyf, a Misty Rainforest and a Tropical Island. Darien binned the Tarmogoyf. Alex drew his card for the turn and played the Misty Rainforest. Darien played a Plains then cast a Grand Abolisher. That drew a second look from Alex, and he fetched for a Volcanic Island to play Brainstorm. He pitched a Spell Pierce to a freshly drawn Force of Will to counter the Grand Abolisher. The countered Grand Abolisher paved the way for Dark Confidant to hit the battlefield and start generating card advantage for Darien.
Alex had no choice but to let Bob resolve, and he Brainstormed, looking for answers to the Dark Confidant. He played a Wasteland and ridded Darien of his only red source, a Badlands, but Darien used the Badlands one last time to cast a Lightning Bolt, bringing Alex down to 15. Bob revealed a Marsh Flats then attacked Alex down to 13. Finally, Alex played a Tarmogoyf but it was sent farming with a Swords to Plowshares. Bob revealed a Thoughtseize, then Darien cast it, which sent Alex into a flurry of actions. Alex cast Snapcaster Mage in response, flashing back a Brainstorm, then he cast a Surgical Extraction on Darien’s Lightning Bolt, revealing a Swords to Plowshares, Vindicate, Elspeth, Knight-Errant, and a Wasteland in Darien’s hand. It exiled only 1 more Lightning Bolt in Darien’s deck. Alex then cast a Lightning Bolt on the Dark Confidant, then allowed the Thoughtseize to resolve, revealing the lone card in his grip – a Stifle, which Darien took, then played Elspeth, Knight-Errant and made a Soldier token.
Alex landed a Nimble Mongoose the next turn, but the game was all but lost when Darien took out Alex’s red sources with a Vindicate and Wasteland, and proceeded to jump his creatures with Elspeth for the game.
Alex 1, Darien 1
Game 3
Alex led off with a Delver of Secrets, but the scientist met a Lightning Bolt to the face from Darien. The Delver couldn’t catch a break as Darien cast Surgical Extraction on it, exiling the rest of the 3 from Alex’s library and revealing Alex’s grip of two Wasteland, Brainstorm, Sylvan Library, and Ponder. Alex drew his card for the turn then Wastelanded Darien’s lone Plateau, then Pondered and chose to keep his 3 on top. Darien played a basic Plains and passed. Alex played his second Wasteland then resolved Sylvan Library. Darien decided to match the Library with a Dark Confidant, however Alex cast Force of Will, pitching Brainstorm, stopping Bob from hitting the table.
Alex, drawing his three cards from Sylvan Library, decides to mount the offensive as he pays 8 life to keep the extra two cards from Sylvan Library, then playing a Nimble Mongoose, already five cards to threshold, but Darien makes Alex’s graveyard smaller by casting another Surgical Extraction, this time targeting Wasteland. The Extraction revealed Alex’s hand of a Daze, a Spell Pierce, and a Ponder.
Hurting for mana, Darien drew into a Badlands which allowed him to play Stoneforge Mystic, but Alex stopped it with Daze. He drew into a Wasteland and attempted to use it on a Tropical Island but it met a Stifle from Alex. Darien played a second Stoneforge Mystic, which resolved this time, and fetched a Sword of Feast and Famine. However, the Mystic didn’t stay alive for long as Alex Dismembered it, dealing 4 more damage to himself. Alex kept up the tempo with newly thresholded Mongoose and took Darien down to 9 life, then cast a Tarmogoyf. With no opposing pressure from Darien and despite dealing 14 damage to himself, Alex manages to take the game and match.
Alex 2, Darien 1