Magic The Gathering - Malaysia

The writer can be contacted for feedback at qj.wong@gmail.com or here.

GPT Singapore @ Manawerx Mar 1 2009 - Quarterfinals
Vincent Gan vs Chong Kin Leong

Game 1


Vincent Gan

Before the start of the match Vincent laughingly lamented that every match this writer tend to cover on him resulted in him losing matches.

Kin Leong unfortunately registered a wrong deck list and had to start the quarterfinals with one game down with both players happy with their opening hand.

Vincent Gan 1 - Chong Kin Leong 0

Game 2

Kin Leong started off the game with a cracked Flooded Strand for tapped Breeding Pool while Vincent had a Polluted Delta. Kin Leong cracked a Windswept Heath on his following turn for another Breeding Pool while Vincent went for a Watery Grave from his Delta. A Mutavault is Vincent's next play while Kin Leong played another Windswept Heath. Vincent then played an untapped Secluded Glen revealing a Sower of Temptation, while Kin Leong continued building his mana base cracking his Windswept Heath for a Plains before playing an Vendilion Clique on the end of Vincent's turn. Vincent responded with a Vendilion Clique of his own, sending both to the graveyard with Vincent's Clique ability triggered first, taking away a Troll Ascetic from a hand of Path to Exile, Bant Charm, Umezawa's Jitte and Spell Snare. While Vincent's hand showed Kin Leong 2 Smothers, Riptide Laboratory, Cryptic Command, Mistbind Clique and a Mana Leak which was sent to the bottom of Vincent's library.

Kin Leong then played a Troll Ascetic which resulted in a disgusted face from Vincent despite already sending one of the hard to deal with creatures into the bottom of Kin Leong's library. Kin Leong then played a Hallowed Fountain untapped while all Vincent did was to play a Polluted Delta. Vincent took 3 from the Troll to go down to 16, and when Vincent tried to crack his Delta for an Island, Kin Leong took a chance to push for another Vendilion Clique that took away Vincent's Cryptic Command. Vincent then killed it immediately with a Smother right after his spell got taken away before starting his turn and playing another Island and a Bitterblossom, which is then followed by a Jitte that met a Spell Snare.


Chong Kin Leong (left most)

Kin Leong then played a Jitte, equipped it to his Troll and attacked Vincent to take him to 13 before his own Bitterblossom took him to 12 while giving him a 1/1 Faerie token, played a Riptide Laboratory. Kin Leong then tried to kill the token 1/1 with his Jitte's -1/-1 ability after spending sometime to consider it, he allowed it. When the Troll tried to attack again, Vincent blocked it with his Mutavault this time which resulted in Kin Leong pumping his troll +2/+2 with his Jitte after which Vincent tried to return it into his hand with his Laboratory to prevent Kin Leong from gaining more Jitte charge counters but the ability met a Stifle from Kin Leong. Vincent then played Smother on his Mutavault to ensure that Kin Leong would not get the charge counters. Vincent then suspended an Ancestral Vision on his following turn and played another Mutavault.

When Vincent animated his Mutavault to block the attacking troll again, Kin Leong played a Path to Exile on the Mutavault before blockers which caused Vincent to try to return to his hand again with his Laboratory. Bant Charm made sure it stayed out of the way, while Vincent took another 3 damage before losing another point from his Bitterblossom. When Kin Leong attacked with his troll again, Vincent blocked with his Faerie token and then before damage again he played a Mistbind Clique which prompted Kin Leong to kill the blocking Faerie token with his Jitte's -1/-1 ability, forcing Vincent to champion his Bitterblossom instead of the token.



Kin Leong then tried to add a Noble Hierarch to his board but it got countered by a Spellstutter Sprite. The troll attacked yet again, and this time Vincent blocked with his Clique, bouncing it with his laboratory yet again causing Kin Leong to shake his head, having to pump it +2/+2 and regenerate it. On Kin Leong's following combat phase, Vincent sent his Sprite in front of Kin Leong's troll this time before championing it with Mistbind Clique to keep the counters away. One of Vincent now returned and active Bitterblossom's tokens attacked into Kin Leong while his troll got blocked and returned to hand yet again. Kin Leong then tried to play a Kitchen Finks but a Cryptic Command laid waste to that plan, countering the spell and bouncing the Jitte which was immediately replayed.



Failing to draw and put more threats onto the board proved to be Kin Leong's doom as Vincent's 1/1 faeries went into the red zone and took blood from Kin Leong. When a Mistbind Clique forced Kin Leong to tap all of his lands, he floated 4 mana but drew no answers as he was forced ot spend the mana paying for his Troll's regeneration ability and scoop up all of his cards when Vincent's army of flying menace swoop in for the kill.

Vincent Gan 2 - Chong Kin Leong 0

Vincent Gan proceeds to the Semifinals beating Chong Kin Leong 2-0!