Magic The Gathering - Malaysia

WIZARDs OF THE COAST to Debut magic: the gathering® - Duels of the planeswalkers at Penny Arcade Expo

Magic: The Gathering Brand Extends Fantasy Gaming Options to Xbox 360


SEATTLE, WA.—August 27, 2008 — Wizards of the Coast, Inc. a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS) and a leader in entertaining the lifestyle gamer today announced the unveiling of Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers, a video game extension of the successful Magic: The Gathering franchise for Xbox LIVE® Arcade. Scheduled for official release in Spring 2009, this year's Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) attendees can demo the game at Wizards of the Coast's booth (No. 1123) during the show taking place at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle August 29-31.

“We're excited to bring the Magic brand to new platforms and give gamers new ways to experience this great property,” said Jared Gustafson, Brand Director for Magic: The Gathering at Wizards of the Coast. “The game successfully brings Magic's inherent strategic game play to the Xbox LIVE community.

Developed by Stainless Games, Ltd., Duels of the Planeswalkers lets players simulate the Magic: The Gathering Trading Card Game through an interactive digital experience. Players take on the role of a Planeswalker, a powerful wizard who battles others for glory, knowledge and conquest. Each Planeswalker has an arsenal of spells and creatures showcased by virtual cards. Players can either choose to battle against the computer or compete online against real life opponents using Microsoft's Xbox LIVE service offerings. With endless game play scenarios, including multiplayer game mode, Duels of the Planeswalkers offers an unrivaled depth in which each game is different from the last.

Magic: The Gathering, introduced in 1993, is the premier and original trading card game that inspired an entirely new game genre. Combining the dynamics of a strategic card game with the excitement of fantasy art, trading and collecting, Magic offers fun for casual play, as well as the option of highly competitive tournaments.

For additional information on Duels of the Planeswalkers, please visit: www.magicthegathering.com.

Sounds great and all... but XBox Live Arcade only...?

Meh.Read more!

Where 64 others have failed, only one of the remaining 4 will succeed. Many great players have tried – but in the end, there can be only one National Champion. Win, and win the chance to achieve what so many others can only dream of doing. Lose, and all you can do is to fight for the rest of the scraps.

This is the 2008 Malaysian Nationals Semifinals.



Semifinals – Au Yong Wai Kin vs. Jason Yap

Jason Yap’s unique twists on the popular Mono-Red that’s burning up the metagame (sorry, pun intended) has proved to be very effective, as Disintegrate proved itself that it is worth the slots in the deck, having played quite a part in sending off Terry Soh’s nationals challenge. In fact, Jason showed brilliant mastery of the deck as he dispatches Terry in 3 quick games.



Player Name: Jason Yap
Deck Name: Jacob's Biscuit

21 Snow-Covered Mountain
2 Keldon Megalith
4 Figure of Destiny
3 Tattermunge Maniac
4 Skred
2 Magus of the Scroll
2 Disintegrate
4 Blood Knight
4 Incinerate
4 Flame Javelin
3 Ashenmoor gouger
3 Magus of the Moon
4 Demigod of Revenge

Sideboard -
2 Faerie Macabre
4 Sulfurous Blast
2 Pithing Needle
3 Martyr of Ashes
1 Disintegrate
3 Sulfur Elemental

On the other hand, Au Yong Wai Kin will be hoping the games will be long as he is playing a Reveilark Combo deck. A control deck at heart, the deck has a combo element that serves as it’s main threat. With 3 Aven Rfitwatchers, and a host of other control cards, Reveilark is one of the few decks that can confidently go into a fistfight with the aggressive but beefy Mono-Red decks out there in the field. However the deck is not easy to play as the options are many and the decisions you have to make while playing the deck, difficult. Au Yong has masterfully displayed his playing skills to many unfortunate opponents on his way to the top 8, including his opponent on the way to the Semifinals, a skilled veteran, Kok Kim Yin during the Quarterfinals.



Player Name : Au Yong Wai Kin
Deck name : Reveilark Combo

5 Island
3 Plains
4 Battlefield Forge
3 Vivid Creek
1 Reflecting Pool
4 Mutavault
4 Mystic Gate
4 Mulldrifter
2 Mind Stone
2 Prismatic Lens
4 Reveillark
3 Greater Gargadon
3 Body Double
3 Sower of Temptation
3 Rune Snag
2 Venser, Shaper Savant
2 Pact of Negation
2 Wrath of God
2 Bonded Fetch
3 Aven Riftwatcher
1 Momentary Blink

Sideboard -
3 Crovax, Ascendant Hero
2 Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir
1 Wrath of God
2 Pyroclasm
2 Faerie Macabre
2 Condemn
2 Remove Soul
1 Kitchen Finks

Decklists are courtesy of MTG-Malaysia.com


Game 1



Jason makes the first play as he Incinerates Au Yong and plays an Ashenmoor Gouger. A strong start that spells doom for Au Yong, especially so when he misses his 3rd land drop. When the 3rd land did came, Au Yong puts it to work, evoking a Mulldrifter, digging for much needed lands. A Flame Javelin and an attack for the 4/4 Gouger sends Au Yong down to 7, and a Magus of the Moon threatens to seal the game for Jason. Venser comes into play to help stabilize the board position for Au Yong, but meets a Skred and when Jason plays his Demigod, Au Yong concedes in this blazing fast game.



Au Yong Wai Kin 0 – Jason Yap 1

In fact the game was so fast, the time both players used for shuffling between games were longer than the first game.

Game 2

Obviously hoping to continue his winning streak, Jason kept the tensions high has he drops a Figure of Destiny for the game’s first play after just a land from Au Yong. The Figures went into the red zone for 2 and after an evoked Mulldrifter, Jason’s Magus of the Moon threatens to lock the game up while the Figure goes in for another 2 damage, taking Au Yong down to 16.



After Au Yong passed the turn without doing anything with 4 mana open with two of the lands being Islands, it made Jason pause and think, after which he only sent in his Figure of Destiny into the red zone, and his intuition proved to be heads on as Au Yong plays Venser, giving him a better control of the board. On his fifth turn, Au Yong plays a Body Double, copying his Mulldrifter, and looks to be in a great shape with a fistful of cards and an unthreatening board. Jason would have none of that, and plays Ashenmoor Gouger and Blood Knight in quick succession. But it was all for naught, as Au Yong plays his plains, suspends his Greater Gargadon, plays a Reveillark, and it was enough to earn a concession from Jason as he understands how by using the sacrifice outlet from Greater Gargadon, Au Yong has access to infinite recursion of his two-powered creatures, and is able to bounce every permanent he has into his hands with Venser and draw enough cards with Mulldrifter to ensure than he will never have a fighting chance.

Au Yong Wai Kin 1 – Jason Yap 1

While Jason and Au Yong talked about how Au Yong managed to topdeck the plains he needed to ‘go off’ with his combo, keen-eyed spectators noticed how there was a lack of judges around the tournament tables. A quick whiff of the air however leads one straight to the answer – a sight to behold for the hungry – a table full of pizzas and the judges all around it.

Mystery solved.

Game 3

Au Yong has to brace himself as Jason takes advantage of starting first with a Magus of the Scroll right out of the gates. The Magus attacks, and Jason plays a Pithing Needle, naming Greater Gargadon, hoping to keep a blowout game for Au Yong like the last out of his reach before adding a Magus of the Moon into his side of the board. Au Yong calmly plays a couple of Mind Stones and then an Aven Riftwatcher, giving him a much needed life-gain cushion against the scorching heat of Jason’s burn spells and monsters. Aven Riftwatcher would also serve as a valuable roadblock to Jason’s monsters, or at least, that would have been what it was to be if Jason didn’t send a Flame Javelin to it. But thanks to the Riftwatcher, even after another attack, Au Yong was still on a healthy 19 life left. Sacrificing one of his Mind Stones, Au Yong found a valuable Island, plays it and plays a Prismatic Lens, lessening the disruptive effects of Jason’s Magus of the Moon.


Au Yong’s manabase consisted of an Island, a Plains, a Prismatic Lens, a Mind Stone and two ‘Mountains’.

When Jason continues to push for damage with his Magus of the Moon, it met a Condemn, easing Au Yong’s mana issues, but Magus of the Scroll deals 2 damage to Au Yong as Jason is determined to not let up the pressure on Au Yong. A Reveillark for Au Yong threatens to change the role aggressor between the two players, but Jason fires off an Incinerate on Au Yong, along with a bolt from Magus of the Scroll’s ability taking him down to 12. A Javelin gets temporarily delayed by Venser, which Jason responded with another Magus of the Scroll ability that takes Au Yong down to 10. Au Yong continues to dig for cards with an evoked Mulldrifter while he attacks with his Reveillark and Venser. With damage on the stack, Au Yong Condemns his own Reveillark, which lets him get back a Mulldrifter and a Riftwatcher, further solidifying his board position with more life and cards. Not willing to let the game slip past him, Jason plays Sulfurous Blast, clearing the board, and making the life totals lower for both players, with Au Yong back up to 14, and Jason 9. Looking to play the long game, Au Yong suspends his Greater Gargadon into an empty board.



He then plays a Body Double, copying Mulldrifter again. Meanwhile, Jason tries to play a Figure of Destiny, but it seems it’s destiny came sooner than it expected as Au Yong as a Remove Soul for it. Au Yong evokes a Reveillark targeting Venser (so that he can bounce the Needle and go off) and Riftwatcher, but Jason is not ready to hand over the game yet as he uses Fearie Macabre to remove those two cards from the game. A Flame Javelin takes Au Yong down to 10, and when Au Yong attacks with just with a Mutavault and his Mulldrifter, Jason was goading Au Yong to attack with his second Mutavault too. Experience and skill taught Au Yong to do otherwise and he was awarded for his intuition when his attackers really met a Sulfurous Blast. When Jason plays a Tattermunge Maniac, Au Yong doesn’t seem to want to take any chances as he kills it off with a Wrath of God. Au Yong has a Mulldrifter, casting it for full effect, which led him to a Reveilark and an Aven Riftwatcher and it spelt game over for Jason as he concedes knowing that he has no way out.

Au Yong Wai Kin 2 – Jason Yap 1


In the meantime the other two Semifinalists battle to see who gets to be a Finalist. (And walk away at least US$800 richer)

Game 4

Jason fires off the gates again as he plays a turn 1 Figure of Destiny. The Figure took 2 and then took 4 before taking another 4 life from Au Yong again as all Au Yong did was lay lands, play a Mind Stone and evokes a Mulldrifter. A Flame Javelin threatens to end the game soon as it puts Au Yong down to just 6 life left, but he calmly plays a Riftwatcher. Jason refusing to let it stand in his way quickly casts Sulfurous Blast for 3 damage across the board. However, the Blast means that the Figure cannot attack because Au Yong has the mana and an untapped Mutavault.



A Wrath of God sends Figure of Destiny to his destiny and Jason decides to go for it as he Disintegrated Au Yong for 3, leaving him with just 3 life left. Au Yong knows that his time is up if he doesn’t do anything, and the suspends a Gargadon and plays a Body Double copying Riftwatcher, gaining him 2 life, and the access to another 2 if he needs it, which immediately elicits a groan from Jason. It turns out that Jason does have a second Disintegrate and was hoping to finish Au Yong off with it. Instead, Jason has to make do with Disintegrating Au Yong for 4 damage, leaving him at 1 life.



Still in a very precarious situation, Au Yong sacrifices his Mind Stone and dug for more options. Jason, worried about a Reveillark, asks Au Yong whether or not he has it. Au Yong chose not to play it if he had it, and plays another Body Double copying the Riftwatcher again, bumping Au Yong’s life to 3 while his last Body Double / Riftwatcher attacks Jason to 15.



A Blood Knight from Jason meets a Remove Soul but a Magus of the Moon makes it through the countermagic only to find himself being taken away by Au Yong’s Sower of Temptation thanks to his Islands and is promptly sacrificed to the Gargadon, paving the way for Au Yong’s Mutavaults to attack Jason along with his ‘Riftwatchers’, taking him down to 9. Jason plays a Tattermunge Maniac and an Ashenmoor Gouger as a last-ditch attempt at throwing Au Yong off his game, but as Au Yong sacrifices enough permanents to put the Greater Gargadon into play, Au Yong’s forces were too numerous for Jason and Jason’s blazing trail towards being National Champion was doused and stopped in it’s tracks by Au Yong Wai Kin and his Riftwatchers who just refused to let Jason win.

Au Yong Wai Kin 3 – Jason Yap 1

Au Yong Wai Kin wins the Semifinals match defeating Jason Yap 3-1!

Complaints and feedback will be very greatly appreciated and can be sent to qj.wong@gmail.com or posted at mtg-malaysia.com's forums.Read more!

The long wait is over.

In just 3 more rounds of play Malaysia will crown her new National Champions and find out who is the best Magic player in the country in 2008. 68 players played 12 long Swiss rounds in order to find out who are the best 8 players of the tournament. and the top 8 players will then have to play through 3 rounds of single elimination Standard Constructed before they are able to take home the title of Malaysia’s Best Magic Player in 2008.



The top 8 modified Single Elimination finals have no time limit. The matches will be best three out of five games; with the two non-advancing semifinalists playing off to determine the third- and fourth-place finisher.
The pairings for the top 8 are as follows:

Adrian Kuan – ‘Swan's Combo’
vs
Chong Kin Leong – ‘5C Reveilark’

Nico – ‘Dragonstorm’
vs
Ng Wei San – ‘Cheap Deck Wins’

Jason Yap – ‘Jacob’s Biscuit’
vs
Terry Soh – ‘Elf’

Kok Kim Yin – ‘B/G Elves’
vs
Au Yong Wai Kin – ‘Reveilark Combo’

Quarterfinals – Terry Soh vs. Jason Yap



Jason Yap is playing the deck that is smoking hot in the metagame at the moment (pardon the pun), tearing nationals after nationals apart; a Mono-Red aggro monstrosity which is also the most played archetype in the tournament. Jason and his team put up a really unique twist on the deck, and it has proven to be very successful for Jason.

Player Name: Jason Yap
Deck Name: Jacob's Biscuit

21 Snow-Covered Mountain
2 Keldon Megalith
4 Figure of Destiny
3 Tattermunge Maniac
4 Skred
2 Magus of the Scroll
2 Disintegrate
4 Blood Knight
4 Incinerate
4 Flame Javelin
3 Ashenmoor gouger
3 Magus of the Moon
4 Demigod of Revenge

Sideboard -
2 Faerie Macabre
4 Sulfurous Blast
2 Pithing Needle
3 Martyr of Ashes
1 Disintegrate
3 Sulfur Elemental



Meanwhile, Terry is also playing a very popular deck which lost much of its popularity with the surge of Mono-Red decks due to the inability for Terry’s G/B Elves to deal with the black and big creatures like the Ashenmoor Gouger and Demigod of Revenge. However, Terry’s tweak of replacing the cheaper Terror for Eyeblight's Ending seems to be the key for a reemergence of the deck, and it has clearly serve Terry well for in this tournament.

Player Name : Terry Soh
Deck Name : Elf

3 Swamp
3 Forest
4 Mutavault
4 Llanowar Wastes
4 Gilt-Leaf Palace
4 Treetop Village
1 Pendelhaven
4 Thoughtseize
4 Profane Command
3 Eyeblight's Ending
1 Slaughter Pact
2 Nameless Inversion
4 Wren's Run Vanquisher
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Tarmogoyf
3 Chameleon Colossus
1 Birds of Paradise
4 Kitchen Finks
3 Civic Wayfinder

Sideboard -
1 Shriekmaw
1 Murderous Redcap
1 Razormane Masticore
2 Primal Command
2 Sudden Spoiling
2 Faerie Macabre
1 Slaughter Pact
1 Squall Line
2 Cloudthresher
1 Extirpate

Decklists courtesy of Mtg-Malaysia.com - http://mtg-malaysia.com/smf2/index.php?topic=342.0

There was plenty of cheerful vibes from both sides as the players shuffled up their decks with idle chatter between the two. As pieces of paper with their names that were printed out in large bold letters are put at the end of their table as makeshift public scorecards, the Head Judge announced that there will be no sharing of decklists for this event before the start of the match.



Both players seemingly unconcerned continued their shuffling and got ready for the match. Both players seem already clear about what each other are playing, and what to expect from each other. In fact, earlier, Jason had tactically conceded a round during the Swiss rounds so that he can arrange the top 8 pairings to be in his advantage, and successfully and brilliantly maneuvered a matchup that was desirable to him.

Game 1

Jason won the die roll and unsurprisingly elected to go first. What was surprising however was that he had no plays for his first 2 turns and Terry instead, made the first move by playing a Tarmogoyf off a painland. It became obvious why Jason kept his hand however as he plays a Magus of the Moon which was quickly followed by an Ashenmoor Gouger. Meanwhile, Terry’s board position is looking bleak as he misses a land drop and only had a board of ‘mountains’ and a harmless Tarmogoyf.



Jason took Terry down to 17 with an attack with the Magus, and was ready to add another 6 more with his team, but Terry was ready for it. A Slaughter Pact hits the Magus, which gave Terry access to his mana so that he could cast an Eyeblight’s Ending on Jason’s Gouger, taking only 1 damage from his painland rather than the intended 6. Terry’s Tarmogoyf, no longer just a table decoration, stepped in to deal 3 damage to Jason, but Jason keeps the tension high despite just having seen his team all sent to the ‘yard with painful end of turn Javelin and Incinerate, dropping Terry down to 8. A Maniac joined Jason’s board, but Terry had to take another damage from his own lands as he taps it for a green mana to cast his late Civic Wayfinder so that he can look for a forest and hopefully stop his reliance on the painlands. But the damage from the painlands are to be fatal as Jason plays another 2 Incinerates on Terry’s end of turn that takes him down to one. And when Jason plays his Keldon Megalith, Terry knows it was but just a matter of formality and concedes.

Jason Yap 1 – Terry Soh 0

Jason jokingly points out that Terry gave him a free Flame Javelin with the 4 damage he took from his painlands. All Terry could do was smile and shrug. Jason also commented on the Eyeblight’s Ending instead of the more common Terror, both agreed it being a great choice in the metagame especially how Gouger and the Demigod is both resistant to Terror.

With sideboarding done, the players quickly moved into game 2.



Game 2

Terry takes the first turn, playing a Treetop Village, while Jason’s first turn Figure of Destiny spells trouble for Terry. All Terry had was a Llanowar Elf and he takes 2 as the Figure of Destiny becomes a 2/2. Terry then tries to take control of the board with a turn 3 Chameleon Colossus, but is denied by Jason with an end of turn Flame Javelin. The Figure takes another 2 off Terry, and Terry relentlessly kept up his play with a Civic Wayfinder and a Wren’s Run Vanquisher. Jason passes his turn without doing anything, and Terry attacks cautiously with just his Vanquisher. The elf took Jason down to 17, and Terry plays another Colossus. Again however, the Colossus was forced to meet an early demise as Jason has a Skred for it.



It was then clear however why Jason was playing such a patient game as he plays his Sulfurous Blast during his main phase, clearing the board and taking both of them down another 3. Terry however calmly puts a Razormane Masticore into play who takes a huge chunk of Jason’s life that takes him down to 9.



Terry then adds another Tarmogoyf to his party. Meanwhile, things are not looking too good for Terry as well as Jason now has two Figure of Destiny to his side and enough mana to make them 8/8 monsters. With 6 mana available, Jason took some time to think and chose to burn the Masticore away with a Disintegrate instead of investing the mana into the Figures. Terry, obvious to the fact that his grasp on the game is quickly slipping away and Jason is poised to steal the game, attacks with his Tarmogoyf, taking Jason down to 5 before playing another Tarmogoyf. But things does not seem to be going in Terry’s way as Jason strengthens his board position, playing two Blood Knights, and laying a land, emptying his hand. Terry knows the turn to do or die is coming up soon and he too empties his hand, playing a Wren’s Run Vanquisher.



At a critical turn, Terry spends a very long time thinking, aligning both sides’ creatures through possible combat situations, and in the end, sent his army into the red zone.



Jason blocks calmly, allowing damage to go through to put him down to 1, but ultimately his survival led to the demise of Terry as Jason invests the mana to make both of the Figures of Destiny 8/8 Kithkin Spirit Warrior Avatar with flying and first strike, to do 16 damage in a turn to Terry.



Jason Yap 2 – Terry Soh 0

Game 3

Terry leads off with a Llanowar Elves, while Jason started with a Figure of Destiny. The elf takes 1 off Jason while Jason’s Figure of Destiny takes 2 from Terry as Jason invests the mana into the Kithkin. A Nameless Inversion sends Jason’s Figure of Destiny to his destiny, and Terry animates his Mutavault to chip into Jason’s life totals. Jason plays his second Figure of Destiny, sends it into combat to take Terry down to 16, players his third Figure of Destiny, and passes his turn. Luckily for Terry, he has a Shriekmaw, that he casted in full, which took care of one of the Figures.



Not willing to let up on his assault, Jason attacks with the Figure for another 2 damage, Incinerates Terry’s Shriekmaw, and even Llanowar Elves was not spared as he met a Disintegrate, clearing Terry’s side of the board. Undaunted, Terry plays Primal Command choosing to tutor up a Tarmogoyf and deny Jason a draw by placing one of Jason’s lands onto the top of his library.



Determined to pile on the damage, Jason’s surviving Figure of Destiny attacks for 4, taking Terry down to 10. Terry then tries to hold the ground with a Tarmogoyf and a Kitchen Finks, but Jason decides to take the fight to the air, and plays a Demigod of Revenge that takes Terry down to 7. Terry knows it’s all but over as he attacks with his Tarmogoyf, and another attack from the Demigod takes Terry down to 2 and Jason shows Terry his Disintegrate that seals the game.

Jason Yap 3 – Terry Soh 0


Terry, Jason and his teammates recounts and chats about the match that just concluded.

Jason Yap wins the Quarterfinals match defeating Terry Soh 3-0!

Complaints and feedback will be very greatly appreciated and can be sent to qj.wong@gmail.com or posted at mtg-malaysia.com's forums.Read more!

68 best players of the country descended upon the tournament hall in Cititel Mid Valley Hotel on 16th and 17th of August, 2008, for the chance to take home part of the 7,000 US Dollars in cash prizes, the chance to represent the country to the World Championships and the title, Malaysia’s best Magic player in 2008 – but only one will prevail.



After 12 grueling rounds of Standard Constructed and two different formats of Booster Drafts and almost 2 tiring days of play, only 8 remain as the dust settles – and what a great representation of the best Magic players in Malaysia it is.



Stars and established veterans of the game headlines the top 8 players who made it to the elimination rounds, with the most famous Malaysian player ever, Magic Invitational 2005 winner, Terry Soh. Thanks to multiple Pro Tour and Grand Prix top 8 finishes, Terry is the undisputed biggest star ever in Malaysian Magic community and the country’s leader in lifetime pro points with over 100 pro points.



Not far behind is one of the most respected players in the country, Au Yong Wai Kin, although sadly never made many headlines except for a 3rd place at GP KL, 2000 and a unfortunate 9th place at the 2005 World Championships, the respect he gets from his peers are the testament to his playing skills. A seasoned veteran who had played on the highest level of the game for years, Au Yong will also be seeking his 2nd Malaysian National Champion title.



Also making the top 8 is PTQ maestro Jason Yap. Although never making a splash on the international scene, and therefore, a virtual unknown outside of the country, it is by no means an indicator of his playing skills and capabilities. Top finishes at continuous PTQs solidifies Jason as one of the country’s best players but despite his recent PTQ Hollywood win Jason never was quite willing to make the investment required to make the trip to the Pro Tour.



Adrian Kuan has been in the Magic: The Gathering scene for a very long time now and he is no stranger to the spotlight. A member of the 2007 National Team, Adrian’s 2007 World Championships campaign is sadly not very successful. Nonetheless Adrian is eager to make amends and he is now ready to take another shot at glory in the World Championship, hoping for a back to back appearance.



Plucky Nico Surinindran doesn’t want to just beat the rest; he wants to be National Champion in style. So while everyone one picks up the best decks in the format that’s already proven their worth in Nationals after Nationals, Nico decided to play a different tune. It has served him very well so far, only time will tell whether or not is it good enough to take him all the way.



Chong Kin Leong is one of the earliest players to qualify for the Nationals, right behind the automatic invitations given to the previous year’s National Team, thanks to a stunning performance in the country’s first City Champs almost half a year ago in March. After another breakthrough performance during the Swiss rounds, this young upstart is ready to pull off an upset in his challenge to snatch the crown from his more experienced and established peers in the Top 8.



Season veteran Kok Kim Yin has several PTQ wins to his name, but unfortunately nothing majorly significant beyond that. He will be seeking a breakout performance in today’s Nationals, after a stunning 2nd placing after the 12 Swiss rounds.



Last but not least, rounding up the top 8 is Ng Wei San, another seasoned veteran players without any major significant achievements. He is however a force to be reckon with as he has 3 Nationals top 8 to his name. It has been another brilliant tournament for him, making 4th after the 12 Swiss rounds.


For decklists, results and metagame statistics, please visit the link provided here -> http://mtg-malaysia.com/smf2/index.php?topic=342.0

Stay tuned for more coverage on the 2008 Malaysian Nationals Top 8 Elimination Rounds.

Complaints and feedback will be very greatly appreciated and can be sent to qj.wong@gmail.com or posted at mtg-malaysia.com's forums.

Read more!

David Larsson Wins Grand Prix Copenhagon



























David Larsson set fire on his opponents all day long, defeating 610 other players in a red hot metagame that consisted a whopping 120 mono-red decks to win GP Copenhagon and US$4000.

Full official event and match coverage can be found here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgevent/gpcop08/welcome

Top 8 Decklists to be found here: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgevent/gpcop08/top8decks
Read more!

It's raining Magic! There's so many things to write about and I'm having trouble keeping up! I just finished some major work related stuffs so I'm free to write now, but it's going to take time. I'm severely behind schedule on my nationals report and top 8 coverage as it is!

But I digress!

Hit the link below if you want to be spoiled about the Shards of Alara Prerelease Card!

Say hello to... Ajani!



http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/arcana/1660

Prereleases are September 27 and 28, and Launch Parties are October 3, 4, and 5, and this special mythic rare alternate-art promo is stamped with the date the set goes on sale.

There will be no more separate pre-release promo and launch party promo, instead they will be the same. Launch Party and Pre-release locations are to be announced in the very near future!Read more!

The 2009 Pro Tour Schedule has been announced!










Highlights from http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/daily/bd346!

Number of Pro Tours remains the same! 3 PT and a Worlds! (No surprise there)

ALL Pro Tours will be SPLIT FORMAT! Half constructed, half limited! :shock:

Top 8s will be sometimes constructed, sometimes limited!

The PTs are:

Kyoto, Japan
February 27-March 1, 2009
Formats: Standard, Booster Draft
Top 8: Standard
QT Format: Sealed Deck
QT Dates: October 4 - December 28, 2008

Honolulu, USA
June 5-7, 2009
Formats: Block Constructed, Booster Draft
Top 8: Booster Draft
QT Format: Extended
QT Dates: January 3 - April 19, 2009

Austin, USA
October 16-18, 2009
Formats: Extended, Booster Draft
Top 8: Extended
QT Format: Standard
QT Dates: May 2 - September 6, 2009

Worlds
Rome, Italy
November 19-22, 2009
Formats: Standard, Booster Draft, Extended
Top 8: Standard

Looks like Wizards is continuing the trend of cost-cutting.

Kyoto, Honolulu and Rome are all cool famous cities, but Austin...? Maybe for Americans, but I really think it doesn't mean that much to everyone else.

It sure looks like exciting times ahead with CCEgames providing us with excitement for September, while Shards of Alara will start off October with a bang before everyone starts cracking packs for a chance to go to Kyoto!Read more!

Restructuring at WotC
Results in Job Cuts
August 20, 2008

Wizards of the Coast announced today that it is restructuring “to focus on key growth strategies for core brands,” which will result in job eliminations. A spokesperson for the company declined to reveal the number of positions eliminated, or their departments, but did say that the total job cuts were less than 5% of the workforce.

The renewed focus on its core businesses, specifically Dungeons and Dragons and Magic: The Gathering, has been driving a lot of decisions at the hobby gaming powerhouse recently, including cutbacks in its fiction program (see “WotC Refocuses Its Publishing Program”) and the shutdown of its ambitious Gleemax online initiative (see “WotC Pulls the Plug on Gleemax”). This focus is also part of a larger strategy at parent Hasbro.

WotC President Greg Leeds said of the changes: “As a company, we will continue to be the leader in entertaining the lifestyle gamer. Re-aligning resources ensures we achieve this goal for our most powerful brands.”

While some positions were eliminated as part of the restructuring, the company is also recruiting to fill open positions elsewhere in the company.

http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/13126.html

Looks like it's tough times for the company as the US economy is set to see hard times in the near future. But it's not all doom and gloom.

The good news is, this is probably a positive thing because the jobs they're cutting are most probably them cutting off the flops that Wizards been making over the years like Dreamblade, Duelmasters and the like. Also, refocusing on their keybrands is good - DnD and Magic deserves to be better, and if they want to get new players and keep the old, it has to be. The news also mentions new job openings, so hopefully Wizards will give priority to the people who lost jobs into the new jobs.Read more!

presents....

RM1,500 MAGIC THE GATHERING ARENA LEAGUE



Starting from September 2008, in appreciation for its loyal customers, CCEGAMES.COM wants to give back to the MTG Community with the return of the first RM1,500 ARENA League.

Win cash prizes via two ways:

RM1,000 Standard Constructed Challenge
RM 500 Booster Draft Challenge

RM1,000 STANDARD CONSTRUCTED CHALLENGE

Competition Rules and Terms & Conditions

1. Competition is open to all players provided each participant have a valid DCI number
2. Players may compete in both the Standard Challenge as well as the Draft Challenge
3. Competition runs for a total of 4 weeks with the final day of competition on the 27th September.
4. Points are accumulated during regular standard tournaments on these pre-determined dates:

Matchday 1 - 6th September Saturday (Start 1:30pm Minimum 8 persons)
Matchday 2 - 7th September Sunday (Start 1:30pm Minimum 8 persons)
Matchday 3 - 13th September Saturday (Start 1:30pm Minimum 8 persons)
Matchday 4 - 14th September Sunday (Start 1:30pm Minimum 8 persons)
Matchday 5 - 20th September Saturday (Start 1:30pm Minimum 8 persons)
Matchday 6 - 21st September Sunday (Start 1:30pm Minimum 8 persons)
Matchday 7 - 27th September Saturday (Start 1:30pm Minimum 8 persons)

5. Points are awarded for matches won/drawn during the matchdays and are accumulated.
6. 3 points will be awarded for each match win and 1 point for each match drawn.
7. Standings will be posted on our website every Monday after Matchday 2, 4 and 6.
8. The final standings and prize giving ceremony will be on the 28th September 2008 in conjuction with the SHARDS OF ALARA Pre Release!!!

Prizes
1st Prize = RM500 cash!!!
2nd Prize = RM250 cash!!!
3rd Prize = RM125 cash!!!
4th Prize = RM 75 cash!!!
5th Prize = RM 50 cash!!!
6th to 16th Place = Eventide Booster Packs

RM500 BOOSTER DRAFT CHALLENGE

Competition Rules and Terms & Conditions
1. Competition is open to all players provided each participant have a valid DCI number
2. Players may compete in both the Standard Challenge as well as the Draft Challenge
3. Competition runs for a total of 4 weeks with the final day of competition on the 27th September.
4. Points are accumulated during 8-man sactioned booster drafts (format of your choice) on these pre-determined dates:

Matchday 1 - 6th September Saturday (From 1:30pm 8-man sanctioned draft)
Matchday 2 - 7th September Sunday (From 1:30pm 8-man sanctioned draft)
Matchday 3 - 13th September Saturday (From 1:30pm 8-man sanctioned draft)
Matchday 4 - 14th September Sunday (From 1:30pm 8-man sanctioned draft)
Matchday 5 - 20th September Saturday (From 1:30pm 8-man sanctioned draft)
Matchday 6 - 21st September Sunday (From 1:30pm 8-man sanctioned draft)
Matchday 7 - 27th September Saturday (From 1:30pm 8-man sanctioned draft)

5. Points are awarded for matches won/drawn during the matchdays and are accumulated.
6. 3 points will be awarded for each match win and 1 point for each match drawn.
7. Standings will be posted on our website every Monday after Matchday 2, 4 and 6.
8. The final standings and prize giving ceremony will be on the 28th September 2008 in conjuction with the SHARDS OF ALARA Pre Release!!!

Prizes
1st Prize = RM250 cash!!!
2nd Prize = RM125 cash!!!
3rd Prize = RM 75 cash!!!
4th Prize = RM 50 cash!!!
5th to 8th Place = Eventide Booster Packs

What's the format/fee/prize payout for our events?

FORMAT: Standard Constructed (3 round swiss)
FEE: RM8 per person
PRIZES: 1st Place - 2 Booster Packs and 1 Booster Pack for top half of standings
OTHERS: Special DCI foils for top 4 participants for each day as well!
WHEN: Saturday & Sunday 1:30pm start time

FORMAT: 4-2-1-1 Booster Draft
FEE: RM32 per person
PRIZES: 1st Place - 4 Boosters, 2nd - 2 Boosters, 3rd & 4th - 1 Booster and DCI Foils down to 8th
WHEN: Saturday & Sunday 1:30 onwards

So come on down and show your worth and be part of the CCEGAMES.COM MTG cash giveaway!

Check out our website at http://www.ccegames.com
Visit our store @ Old Klang Road....
Email us at ccegames@gmail.com

>>> end of announcement / advertisement <<<

Looks like the guys at CCEgames.com are organizing a pretty cool event with a even cooler prize payout - RM1.5k cold hard cash! Go and attend an event or two to show support for more exciting incentives to play like these even if you don't plan to go all out for the 1.5k due to time constraints or other commitments!Read more!

A quick update on the Malaysian Nationals:

Au Yong Wai Kin won his second Malaysian Nationals, beating Chong Kim Leong in a long Lark mirror finals.

Rounding up the national team is Jason Yap with Mono Red (Jacob's Biscuits, he calls it) beating Nico who was playing a storm deck in 3 very quick games in the 3rd place playoffs. (The finals, which started at the same time haven't even finish their first game.)

The unfortunate 4 that crashed out the first elimination round is Terry Soh, Adrian Kuan, Ng Wei San, Kok Kim Yin, playing Elves, Swans, Elves, Elves respectively.

This Nationals was a huge emotional melting pot for me - my tournament report and top 8 coverage to be written after I finish a major project at work that is taking up all of my time.Read more!

Held each year, National Championships are the highest level competition for a particular country. In 2008, players from 66 countries will compete in Magic: The Gathering National Championships for the right to represent their countries at the 2008 World Championships held in Memphis, USA on December 11-14, 2008.

-Wizards of the Coast, http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=events/magic/nationals





The annual battle for money, bragging rights, or the honour to represent the country at the World Championships is coming this weekend!

LOCATION
Matahari III, IV & V – Level 5
Cititel Mid Valley
Mid Valley
Lingkaran Syed Putra
59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

TOURNAMENT
The 2008 Malaysia National Championship is open by invitation only. Invitations are extended to qualified players who meet the eligibility requirements.

INVITATION CRITERIA
The 2008 Malaysia Nationals invitation list is comprised as follows:

* 2007 Malaysia National Champion
* Members of the 2007 Malaysia national team
* Players who attain the status of Pro Player Club Level 2 and above
* Top 4 finishers of the following 2007 Malaysia Regional Championships held on
o Sunday, May 18, 2008 @ Kuala Lumpur (ccgorganizer@myjaring.net)
o Sunday, May 18, 2008 @ Penang (terence_lee13@yahoo.com)
o Sunday, May 18, 2008 @ Sibu (emagiccorner@gmail.com)
* Top 4 finishers of the following Nationals Qualifier tournaments
o Sunday, June 29, 2008 @ Ipoh (ntneko@hotmail.com)
o Sunday, June 29, 2008 @ Miri (jimmyhws@gmail.com)
o Sunday, June 29, 2008 @ Kuala Lumpur (ccgorganizer@myjaring.net)
* Top 75 DCI Composite ranked players.

FORMAT AND STRUCTURE
The 2008 Malaysia Nationals will be a split-format tournament.

1. Saturday, August 16: Three 60-minute Swiss rounds of Standard Constructed followed by three 60-minute Swiss rounds of Lorwyn-MorningtideTM block Booster Draft (Lorwyn- Lorwyn -Morningtidet) played in pods; followed by the second Booster Draft of Shadowmoor-EventideTM block Booster Draft (Shadowmoor-Shadowmoor -Eventide) in new pods and one 60-minute round of Swiss play; All players will advance to Day 2 of the Nationals with continuous match points and tiebreakers.

2. Sunday, August 17: Two 60-minute Swiss rounds of Shadowmoor-Eventide block Booster Draft continued from Day 1; Players must use the same Draft deck from the second Booster Draft pod used in Day 1 of the Nationals followed by three 60-minute Swiss rounds of Standard Constructed; Players must use the same Standard deck used in Day 1 of the Nationals; the Top 8 players advance to the Finals.

3. As of July 25, 2008 Standard Constructed will comprise of 10th Edition, Coldsnap, Time Spiral, Planar Chaos, Future Sight, Lorwyn, Morningtide, Shadowmoor and Eventide.

Top 8 Finals: Standard Constructed; Players advancing to the finals must continue to use the same Standard deck used in Day 1 of the Nationals; Top 8 modified Single Elimination finals have no time limit. Top 8 Matches will be best three out of five games; with the two non-advancing semifinalists playing off to determine the third- and fourth-place finisher.

RULES ENFORCEMENT LEVEL
The 2008 Malaysia Nationals will use REL 4. Players are expected to have a thorough understanding of all tournament rules and procedures, including, but not limited to, the DCI Universal Tournament Rules, the DCI Universal Penalty Guidelines, and the Magic: The Gathering® DCI Floor Rules.

PRIZE PAYOUT
The total prize payout for the 2008 Malaysia Nationals is USD 7,000.

Place Payout Pro Points

1st USD 2,100 10
2nd USD 1,600 8
3rd USD 1,100 6
4th USD 800 6
5th-6th USD 400 4
7th-8th USD 300 4
9th-10th 36 boosters 2
11th-12th 18 boosters 2
13th-16th 9 boosters 1
TOTAL USD 7,000

PRIZES

* The Top 4 finishers of the 2008 Malaysia Nationals will receive invitations to compete in the 2008 Magic: The Gathering World Championships, 11 – 14 December in Memphis, U.S.A.
* The Top 3 finishers will comprise the 3-member national team representing Malaysia, with the fourth-place finisher becoming the designated alternate.
* Product prizes will be awarded from 9th to 16th place.

Source, more information and full list of invited players: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=events/nationals/malaysia

QJ: Call me naive - but for me, nationals has always been money second, and the chance to go to worlds and represent the country first and foremost. I've never put so much effort into the game before, as little as it may seem compared to all the other veterans in the game locally today, although I can hope that it will be enough that I won't be making a fool out of myself like PTQ Berlin.

I also sincerely hope that team Malaysia, whoever it may be, can put back our country's name back into limelight in Memphis later this year, which has been lacking ever since Terry Soh last made his huge splash on the Pro Tour scene.

Hopefully I will be bringing you stories and scenes from Nationals in the near future although I can't promise anything. I also hope to be covering the top 8 elimination rounds, if the tournament organizer and head judge allows, altough I would prefer to cover the competition all the way to the finals from a first person point of view. ;)

Good luck everyone, let's all have a great time there!Read more!

The DCI® is giving players in a growing number of countries and stores the opportunity to play in a weekly event and have a shot at cool FOIL prize cards in the process.

Stores around the world are running Friday Night Magic nearly every week. Check the list of participating stores to find a location near you. Please contact the store to check for participation dates and starting times.

- Wizards of the Coast, http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=events/magic/fnm

You can find out where to play here or contact us via the contact us link near the bottom of the site's banner.

This month, get a chance to grab a really hot (pardon the pun) Desert:



September's promo has also been spoiled. If you don't want to know, don't click the link below!

Thanks to mtgsalvation.com's Rumour Mill, we know that September's FNM promo will be Thirst For Knowledge.



With Shards of Alara rumoured to have a sub theme of artifacts, it is speculated that Thirst For Knowledge will be reprinted in the set.

Exciting times ahead to look forward to. :)Read more!

After 6 long rounds, out of 39, only 8 remain. Each of these 8 players must win another 3 rounds to win the ultimate prize, or be eliminated if they lose.

This is the top 8 coverage of PTQ: Berlin, The Comics Corner Tournament Center II, 3rd August 2008.



The top 8 players are made out of entirely veteran players, including PTQ top 8 regular Jason Yap, the 2007 Malaysian Champion Wong Weng Sheng, and Malaysia’s own international Magic star, multiple premiere event top 8s, Magic Invitational 2005 winner, and the Malaysian leader in lifetime Pro Points, Terry Soh. Also making top 8 is Manawerx co-founder Victor Gan. Rounding up the rest of the top 8 are veterans Ong Whey Whey, Loco, Arif and Jo.

The top 8 consists of a Faeries, 2 Mono-Red, 4 Kithkins and a Light From Within deck.

The matchups for the quarter finals are:

Left Bracket

(Faeries) Terry Soh VS Wong Weng Sheng (Kithkin)

(Mono-Red) Victor Gan VS Jo (Kithkin)

Right Bracket

(Mono-Red) Jason Yap VS Loco (Kithkin)

(Kithkin) Arif VS Ong Whey Whey (Kithkin)

The winners of each matches plays each other in the same bracket after the first round. The winners of each brackets plays each other for the finals.

Quarterfinals – Terry Soh VS Wong Weng Sheng

Game 1



Arguably the two most well-known players in the top 8 are paired up against each other for the first elimination round. Both players were cheerful and there was smiles all around as they chatted with each other and spectators. Before long however, both players got serious and the table quiet down as they shuffled each other’s decks and presented their decks.

The players drew their opening seven and Weng Sheng was content with his hand filled with many high casting costs creatures while Terry took a mulligan. Terry decided to keep his six and the players are ready to start the quarterfinals. Weng Sheng has nothing for his first turn while Terry made the first move with a Thoughtseize that presented him with a choice from 2 Cloudgoat Rangers, a Spectral Procession and a Thistledown Liege which he chose the earliest threat from the 4. Weng Sheng took first blood when his Wizened Cenn attacked for 2, and an end-of-turn Vendilion Clique took away Weng Sheng’s Liege. Terry passed the turn without doing anything and after spending a lot of time thinking about it, Weng Sheng played a second Wizened Cenn which was countered by Terry’s Cryptic Command. Weng Sheng pushed hard for damage as he attacked with his Wizened Cenn that got traded with Terry’s 3/1 Clique.



On his turn, Terry took one of Weng Sheng’s 2 Cloudgoat Rangers with a 2nd Thoughtseize, while Weng Sheng continued to put pressure on the board with a freshly drawn Figure of Destiny and Cloudgoat Ranger that got countered by Terry with a Broken Ambitions. A 4/4 Figure of Destiny made it in for 4, but was bounced back into Weng Sheng’s hand at end of his turn. Passing another turn without doing anything on his turn, Terry could only watch as Weng Sheng played Figure of Destiny and a Knight of Meadowgrain that promptly went slamming into the red zone the next turn. Facing a 4/4 Figure with 6 untapped white mana sources, Terry blocked the Knight with his 2 animated Mutavaults.



Unfortunately for Terry, Weng Sheng has a Rustic Clachan which he put to good use, giving the Knight a +1/+1 counter, surviving the double-block thanks to first strike damage. Weng Sheng turned the Figure of Destiny into an 8/8, and continued his assault on Terry’s life totals with his creatures. After chump blocking with his remaining Mutavault, untapped, drew, Terry failed to find an answer for the upcoming onslaught and conceded game 1.

Terry Soh 0 – Wong Weng Sheng 1

While the players reached out for their sideboards and mull over what cards to take out and what to take in, a quick glance around the room reveals that..



From a table away from the match, Whey Whey and Arif are locked into a grand battle with a huge army on each side.



Meanwhile next to them, Jo made quick work of Victor Gan in two very quick games and is very proud that his rather unorthodox deck is doing so well.



A few tables away, Loco and Jason Yap prepared for another game to see who goes through.

Quarterfinals – Terry Soh VS Wong Weng Sheng

Game 2

Terry starts off game 2 with an Island, while Weng Sheng played the Lorwyn white hideaway land, drawing into a Figure of Destiny which was quickly played on the following turn. It however made a quick trip to the graveyard thanks to Terry’s Nameless Inversion. Weng Sheng drew and played another Figure and attacked with his Mutavault. Terry ready to turn the tide of the battle, played a Sower of Temptation, gaining control of Weng Sheng’s Figure of Destiny. Playing hard to keep pressure on Terry, Weng Sheng played a Spectral Procession unopposed while Terry was tapped out.



Trying to keep up the pressure, Weng Sheng played a Cloudgoat Ranger on the following turn which met a Broken Ambitions from Terry. Not wanting to let up, the Spectral Procession tokens sneaked in 2 damage, with Terry’s Sower blocking and killing one of them.



Terry’s Sower and Figure went on the offensive, and during Weng Sheng’s upkeep, a Mistbind Clique gave Terry a free turn that gave the opportunity to take a huge chunk of Weng Sheng’s life away with the Clique. Weng Sheng tried to play another Spectral Procession but it met a Cryptic Command, which however allowed Weng Sheng to sneak a Figure under Terry’s counter magic. Terry however, untapped, drew and played Incremental Blight, clearing Weng Sheng’s side of the board. A last ditch attempt from Weng Sheng, he plays a Cloudgoat Ranger. Unfortunately for him, Terry has a Cryptic Command ready for it, which prompted Weng Sheng to concede game 2.

Terry Soh 1 – Wong Weng Sheng 1

Quarterfinals – Terry Soh VS Wong Weng Sheng

Game 3

Weng Sheng mulligan’ed to see 3 Wizened Cenns but only 1 land in his 6 card hand. Playing it safe, he decided to take another mulligan, flipping over the next card to see what he’ll be drawing, revealing plains and regretted it immediately. He eventually settled on his next hand. A first turn Figure of Destiny managed to quickly take first blood before being dealt with by a Nameless Inversion before it got out of Inversion range. Weng Sheng played a Knight of Meadowgrain which was followed by a Goldmeadow Stalwart that Weng Sheng had to pay 3W for, which got countered by a Broken Ambitions. A Spectral Procession managed to resolve while Weng Sheng’s Knight kept chipping down Terry’s life total. A Mistbind Clique on Weng Sheng’s upkeep however gave Terry a critical turn as he untapped to play Incremental Blight clearing all but 1 creature on Weng Sheng’s side. Weng Sheng, not ready to give up yet, drew a Reveillark, played it while Terry was tapped out from casting the Blight. Fortunately for Terry, he had a Bitterblossom whose tokens then chump blocked Weng Sheng’s Reveillark every turn, losing one life instead of 4 if he hadn’t have the enchantment.

Attempting to turn the situation around to his advantage, Weng Sheng tried to hide the Bitterblossom under the pile of boosters that is supposed to go to the loser of the match. (See picture below – the Bitterblossom is under the boosters.)



Unfortunately for him, Terry did notice where his missing enchantment went.

Weng Sheng attacked hard every turn but when Terry played a Plumeveil to stop all of Weng Sheng’s creatures but Reveillark from attacking, and with Terry’s Mistbind Clique doing 4 a turn, the game was slipping out of Weng Sheng’s hands. When Terry drew and played his Sower of Temptation, gaining control of the Reveillark, with no way out of the situation he landed in, Weng Sheng conceded.

Final result: Terry Soh 2 – Wong Weng Sheng 1

Terry Soh advances to the semifinals!

In the meantime, Whey Whey and Jason Yap emerged as winners of their respective quarter finals matches.

Semifinal – Terry Soh VS Jo

Game 1

Jo mulligan’ed to 5 but made the first play of the game when he played a Kitchen Finks. The Finks managed to knock 3 life off Terry, and Jo plays a Wilt-Leaf Cavaliers while Terry only plays a Scion of Oona at end of Jo’s turn.



The next turn when Jo attacked however, his Cavaliers ran head on into an unexpected Mistbind Clique that killed off Jo’s 3/4. A Wilt-Leaf Liege got countered by a Cryptic Command and a Bitterblossom threatens to spell doom for Jo unless Jo finds an answer or win before Terry does. Jo dropped a Figure of Destiny, which got countered by a Spellstutter Sprite. Undeterred, he drops another, only to get countered by another Sprite, much to his chagrin. Jo had to settle with a Safehold Elite before passing the turn. Terry then played a Vendilion Clique, targeting himself, while his army of fliers swung in for a huge amount of damage. When Jo tried to play his Divinity of Pride, Terry showed him what he drew off the Vendilion Clique: a Cryptic Command. With the game complete out of his hands, Jo concedes.

Terry Soh 1 – Jo 0



Jo has another ominous start when he mulligan’ed a 1 lander into a 5 lander before settling on another 5 card hand. Jo starts off with a Figure of Destiny and a Wilt-Leaf Cavalier while Terry plays a turn 2 Bitterblossom. Jo quickly piles on his damage while Terry does little until he plays a Vendilion Clique on Jo, taking away an Unmake. Over the next few quick turns, with his Clique and Bitterblossom token, Terry closes the gap between both players’ life totals while the Figure got killed by a Shriekmaw. Jo plays another Cavalier but this time it got countered by a Sprite. Jo’s ¾ Cavalier got chump blocked by a token, while Terry continues his aerial assault. A Knight of Meadowgrain and a Kitchen Finks met a Fearie Trickery and a Spellstutter Sprite respectively which prompts Jo to concede a game that he has lost control of.

Final result: Terry Soh 2 – Jo 0

Terry Soh makes it to the finals!

Meanwhile, on the other bracket, Whey Whey conceded to Jason in the other semifinals.

Finals – Terry Soh VS Jason

Not interested in going to Pro Tour Berlin, Jason conceded to Terry Soh after reaching a mutual understanding.

Terry Soh is the winner of this PTQ!

As usual, thank you very much for reading and my sincere apologies to everyone mentioned if I messed up the details and/or your names. I’m also very sorry if you didn’t like to be mentioned in the report nor have your pictures posted. Please contact me at QJ.wong@gmail.com and I’ll remove them as soon as I can. Comments, suggestions or complaints are all very appreciated and welcomed.Read more!