Top 4: David Benner (UW Stoneblade) vs James Hansen (SneakShow)

Game 1

David 1, James 0

Game 2

David 1, James 1

Game 3

David ponders a moment before deciding to mulligan to 6 cards. After choosing to keep, he drops a Wasteland and passes the turn. James plays an Island and Ponders, choosing to re-order the cards and not shuffle. David draws his card for the turn and passes, missing his second land drop; “Sorry”, James says as he begins his turn. He casts a Brainstorm, and then drops and cracks a Misty Rainforest, fetching an Island.

David draws a card, and then immediately ends the turn; James casts another Brainstorm off the Island that was fetched by the Misty Rainforest last turn, then during the end step, David discards a Path to Exile.

James takes his turn, playing another Misty Rainforest and cracking it for an Island. He attempts a Show and Tell, but David counters with a Force of Will. Eager to protect his combo piece, James counters back with a Force of Will. David counters yet again with another Force of Will. James returns an Island to Daze in response, but David finally taps his lone Wasteland for mana to pay for the Daze. Out of counters, James is forced to have his Show and Tell countered and passes the turn.

In an odd turn of events, David drops a Karakas and passes the turn; the Emrakul sitting in James’ hand now looks like a cheap piece of cardboard. James casts a main phase Brainstorm and then passes the turn. David, still struggling on mana, passes the turn without doing anything; James casts an Impulse at the end of David’s turn.

Both players elect to draw-go for the next several turns until James attempts an Intuition at the end of David’s turn, but David counters immediately, hoping to keep James off of his combo. Both players yet again drawing blanks play several turns of draw-go until David finally finds a third land: a Misty Rainforest. James Brainstorms during his own turn, then follows up with a Volcanic Island into a Show and Tell. David fetches in response for a Tundra, casting a Brainstorm. Failing to draw an answer with the Brainstorm, the Show and Tell resolves, with David putting in a Snapcaster Mage into play, and James putting in a Sneak Attack.

David finds yet another land, a Volcanic Island, then taps all four lands for a Jace, the Mind Sculptor and uses Jaces’ Brainstorm.

James, seeing an opportunity to sneak Emrakul into play, does so; seeing as David would lose all 6 of his permanents and be at 1 life, David concedes the game, match, and finals finish to James.

David 1, James 2