Magic The Gathering - Malaysia

The third Magic Weekend of 2011 comes to Philadelphia, featuring wall-to-wall gaming and exclusive previews of Innistrad. Combine that with the third Pro Tour of the season, fantastic public events, appearances by director of Magic R&D Aaron Forsythe and artist Eric Deschamps, and tons of other activities and Magic Weekend has something for fans of all ages and play skill.

MagicMalaysia.net wishes Matthew Wong and recent 2011 Nationals finalist Hiew Chee Choong good luck and that they'll bring Malaysia back on the PT spotlight!

If you're heading there, you might wanna pay attention to the details on the following two links!

Magic Weekend Philadelphia Event Information

Magic Weekend Philadelphia 2011 Public Event Information

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2011 Malaysian Champion - Lee Eing Yung


2011 Malaysian National Championships Top 8 (L-R): Tommy Cheaw, Au Yong Wai Kin, Chye Yian Hsiang, Hiew Chee Choong, Joe Soh, Rick Lee, Lee Eing Yung, Nico Surinindran

Valakut made a huge resurgence to the top of the metagame but it was 'Penang-Kia' Lim Eing Yung's unique Valakut variant: putting the Exarch-Twin combo in the good ol' Primeval Titans and Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle shell that took the title, crushing Hiew Chee Choong's White Weenie chance to taking down the title with a rogue deck.

It was a good weekend for Hiew however, with this 2nd place finish he is now assured of a back to back Pro Tour appearance after recently being qualified for Pro Tour Philadelphia.

The Top 8 consisted of 3 Valakut, 2 Tempered Steel, 1 Valakut-Twin, 1 White Weenie and 1 UG Cobra deck.

Meanwhile, Rick Lee relegated 4-time National Team member Au Yong Wai Kin to just alternate status in the 3rd place playoff to book his spot as the 3rd member of the National team in a Valakut mirror match.


Top 4, L-R: Au Yong Wai Kin, Hiew Chee Choong, Lee Eing Yung, Rick Lee

2-time champion Joe Soh barely missed the mark to make the Top-4 3 years in a row when he was knocked out by Rick Lee in the quarters, piloting another unique rogue deck to the top of the national competition, a blue green Cobra concoction.

Notable players Tommy Cheaw, Chye Yian Hsiang, both piloting Tempered Steel decks, Nico Surinindran with Valakut fills out the rest of the top 8.

Top 8 Decklists

Quarterfinals - Hiew Chee Choong vs Nico Surinindran - Coverage Report

Semifinals - Hiew Chee Choong vs Au Yong Wai Kin - Coverage Report

Finals - Lee Eing Yung vs Hiew Chee Choong - Coverage Report

Photo Gallery

End of Report

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2011 Malaysian Nationals Finals
Lee Eing Yung (Valakut-Twin) vs Hiew Chee Choong (White Weenie)

Game 1



Lee had a rocky start as he mulligan twice while Hiew led off with a turn 2 Lynx along with a Marsh Flats. Hiew's Lynx punched in for 4 as he cracked his Marsh Flats before summoning a Gideon’s Lawkeeper.

Lee then summoned an Oracle of Mul Data to see a Deceiver Exarch on top of his library as Hiew’s Lynx punched in for another 4 before a Hero of Bladehold joined Hiew's board. Lee’s Oracle then revealed a Misty Rainforest which got played, revealing Deceiver Exarch on top, which led Lee to crack the Rainforest for an Island. He then found a Terramorphic Expanse to play on top, which gave way to a Harrow.

As Hiew tried to attack, Lee cast Harrow sacrificing the Expanse to summon a Deceiver Exarch to hold back the Hero of Bladehold, leaving an Overgrown Battlement on top. Hiew then exiled the Exarch an Oblivion Ring but Lee then summoned Primeval Titan to threaten to put the game out of Hiew’s reach.

Hiew then summoned Student of Warfare and used his Tectonic Edge on Lee’s Valakut. Misty Rainforest was revealed and played after Lee drew the revealed Exarch to see Avenger of Zendikar on top. Before he could attack with his Primeval Titan, Hiew tapped it down.

Lee then Explore-d to draw his revealed Avenger to reveal a Valakut that got played which then revealed a Primeval Titan which eventually got summoned on the following turn. The Titan killed off Hiew’s Hero of Bladehold and Gideon’s Lawkeeper with the help of his Valakut triggers.

The writing was on the wall for Hiew but it took an Avenger of Zendikar to get 12 plant tokens before he was finally willing throw in the towel.

Hiew Chee Choong 0 – Lee Eing Yung 1

Game 2

Hiew’s first turn Steppe Lynx and 2nd turn Student of Warfare delivered some quick beats on Lee as he Explore-d into a Misty Rainforest. Lee however then played Harrow into a Deceiver Exarch to put Hiew’s offense to a screeching halt as he tapped down the Lynx and blocked the 3/3 Student.

Primeval Titan was then summoned and along with Harrow, quickly made short work of Hiew and his title challenge, and with that, Lee Eing Yung is 2011 Malaysian National Champion!

Hiew Chee Choong 0 – Lee Eing Yung 2
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2011 Malaysian Nationals Semifinals
Au Yong Wai Kin (Valakut) vs Hiew Chee Choong (White Weenie)

Game 1


Au Yong Wai Kin

Hiew started off with a first turn Steppe Lynx which was quickly followed by a levelled Student of Warfare on the 2nd turn before a 3rd turn Honor of the Pure quickly put the pressure on Au Yong who only had Rampant Growth and Cultivate to show.

Hiew then played Tectonic Edge to destroy a Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle and added Gideon’s Lawkeeper to his team. Au Yong tried to find some breathing space with Obstinate Baloth, but that plan got Dismember-ed as the players pack the cards in for game 2.

Au Yong Wai Kin 0 – Hiew Chee Choong 1

Game 2

Hiew played a first turn Student of Warfare, thought hard before levelling twice, shaking his head as he does, and as he expected, a Lightning Bolt came thundering down.

Au Yong's Overgrown Battlement is followed by another Student of Warfare and Gideon’s Lawkeeper from Hiew. Au Yong’s Harrow fetched two Mountains before he Pyroclasm-ed Hiew’s team away before Primeval Titan and Harrow quickly closed the game away in Au Yong’s favour to split the match.

Au Yong Wai Kin 1 – Hiew Chee Choong 1

Game 3


Hiew Chee Choong

Hiew summoned a couple of Steppe Lynx to set a very quick clock as Au Yong received a Slow Play Warning from the Head Judge as he agonized over his options before he settled on a Rampant Growth. Student of Warfare was summoned and gained a level, with Hiew once again conspicuously leaving a single white mana source untapped since the last couple of turns while Au Yong then summoned a pair of Overgrown Battlements.

Hiew’s Marsh Flats however spelt bad news for Au Yong, and with the Student gaining a 2nd level, Hiew sent them all into the red zone. Another long moment spent by Au Yong to organize his defense against the onslaught led to another Slow Play Warning which prompted Au Yong to block the Student with his Battlement, while taking 8 damage from the cats.

Au Yong then summoned an Avenger of Zendikar who made 4 2/3 Plant tokens through a fetchland, but a fully levelled Student of Warfare and a Brave the Elements was enough to push Hiew through to the finals!

Au Yong Wai Kin 1 – Hiew Chee Choong 2
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2011 Malaysian Nationals Quarterfinals
Nico Surinindran (Valakut) vs Hiew Chee Choong (White Weenie)

Game 1



Hiew started off the game with a Gideon’s Lawkeeper as Nico summoned a Birds of Paradise. Hiew denied Nico mana acceleration by tapping the bird with his Lawkeeper on the following turn but Nico could land an Overgrown Battlement anyway.

A Hero of Bladehold was summoned onto Hiew’s side of the battlefield before Nico summoned a 2nd Battlement to enable the first to tap for a Rampant Growth. Gideon’s Lawkeeper tapped the untapped Battlement and attacked with his Hero to take 7 from Nico before a 2nd Hero of Bladehold entered the battlefield for Hiew.

A Slagstorm cleared the board of soldiers, and along with an Avenger of Zendikar - Nico established a foothold on the game with 5 2/3s Plant tokens thanks to a Verdant Catacombs. An Oblivion Ring prevented the plants from getting any bigger, but Nico’s Plant token army kills off both Hero of Bladeholds as Hiew pushed Nico’s lifetotals to 2. Hiew then summoned a Mirran Crusader who threatened to close the game for him but a Lightning Bolt was enough to put that plan on hold.

Both players played draw-go for a while as Hiew added a Steppe Lynx and Gideon’s Lawkeeper to his side of the battlefield, while Nico found lands with Cultivate. Steppe Lynx killed off a Battlement through an Arid Mesa before Nico summoned an Oracle of Mul Daya to reveal a Slagstorm off the top of the library. Oblivion Ring took the Oracle away as Nico Slagstorms away Hiew’s team.

Nico’s reprieve was short lived however, as Hiew summoned a couple of Squadron Hawks to send the match to game 2.



Hiew Chee Choong 1 – Nico Surinindran 0

Game 2

Hiew’s turn 1 Steppe Lynx gets Lightning Bolt-ed while his 2nd turn Student of Warfare gets Pyroclasm-ed. His 3rd turn Gideon’s Lawkeeper managed to stick around however along with a 4th turn Hero of Bladehold while all Nico could do was to cast Green Sun’s Zenith for 4 to fetch an Oracle of Mul Daya, revealing a Mountain on top.

Hiew’s soldiers and knight slams in for 9 points off Nico before Hiew chose to Tectonic Edge Nico’s Valakut and sent the Oracle to oblivion through an Oblivion Ring. Nico then summoned Primeval Titan but it was all for naught as Hiew tapped the titan with his Lawkeeper before he cast Honor of the Pure and sent his team to kill off Nico’s shot for a spot on the 2011 Malaysian national team.

Hiew Chee Choong 2 – Nico Surinindran 0
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2011 Malaysian National Championships Top 8 (L-R): Tommy Cheaw, Au Yong Wai Kin, Chye Yian Hsiang, Hiew Chee Choong, Joe Soh, Rick Lee, Lee Eing Yung, Nico Surinindran

Top 8 Decklists below :-

Champion - Lee Eing Yung
Deck Name - RUGkutwin
Deck Designer - [Left blank]

10 Mountain
4 Forest
1 Island
2 Terramorphic Expanse
2 Evolving Wilds
4 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
4 Misty Rainforest

4 Lotus Cobra
4 Overgrown Battlement
4 Explore
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
3 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Primeval Titan
4 Deceiver Exarch
1 Acidic Slime
1 Avenger of Zendikar
3 Harrow
3 Splinter Twin
1 Summoning Trap

Sideboard

2 Creeping Corrosion
3 Naturalize
3 Slagstorm
2 Obstinate Baloth
1 Acidic Slime
1 Back to Nature
2 Summoning Trap
1 Terastodon

Finalist - Hiew Chee Choong
Deck Name - White Weenie
Deck Designer - Hiew Chee Choong

4 Student of Warfare
4 Gideon's Lawkeeper
4 Steppe Lynx
4 Honor of the Pure
4 Squadron Hawk
4 Mirran Crusader
4 Hero of Bladehold
3 Dismember
3 Oblivion Ring
2 Leonin Relic-Warder
13 Plains
3 Tectonic Edge
4 Marsh Flats
4 Arid Mesa

Sideboard

2 Leonin Relic-Warder
3 Timely Reinforcements
3 Celestial Purge
3 Leonin Arbiter
1 Revoke Existance
3 Brave the Elements

3rd Place - Rick Lee Hup Beng
Deck Name - Valakut Bug
Deck Designer - MTGBug.com

10 Mountain
5 Forest
3 Terramorphic Expanse
3 Evolving Wilds
4 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
2 Verdant Catacombs
1 Raging Ravine

4 Rampant Growth
4 Overgrown Battlement
1 Birds of Paradise
3 Explore
2 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Primeval Titan
4 Solemn Simulacrum
1 Avenger of Zendikar
2 Wurmcoil Engine
3 Beast Within

Sideboard

1 Creeping Corrosion
3 Nature's Claim
3 Memoricide
4 Pyroclasm
1 Swamp
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Gaea’s Revenge
1 Obsinate Baloth

4th Place - Au Yong Wai Kin
Deck Name - [Left blank]
Deck Designer - [Left blank]

11 Mountain
5 Forest
4 Terramorphic Expanse
2 Evolving Wilds
4 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
2 Verdant Catacombs

4 Rampant Growth
4 Overgrown Battlement
1 Birds of Paradise
2 Explore
2 Harrow
1 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Primeval Titan
2 Avenger of Zendikar
3 Lightning Bolt
3 Cultivate
1 Obstinate Baloth
1 Summoning Trap

Sideboard

2 Creeping Corrosion
2 Nature's Claim
3 Memoricide
4 Pyroclasm
1 Swamp
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Gaea’s Revenge
1 Obsinate Baloth

Quarterfinalist - Nico Surinindran
Deck Name - Vala-Good
Deck Designer - [Left blank]

10 Mountain
5 Forest
4 Terramorphic Expanse
2 Evolving Wilds
4 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
2 Verdant Catacombs
1 Raging Ravine

4 Rampant Growth
4 Cultivate
3 Overgrown Battlement
1 Birds of Paradise
1 Explore
1 Acidic Slime
4 Oracle of Mul Daya
4 Green Sun's Zenith
4 Primeval Titan
2 Slagstorm
2 Lightning Bolt
2 Avenger of Zendikar

Sideboard

3 Creeping Corrosion
3 Nature's Claim
3 Memoricide
3 Pyroclasm
1 Swamp
1 Back to Nature
1 Thrun, the Last Troll

Quarterfinalist - Chye Yian Hsiang
Deck Name - U/W Aggro
Deck Designer - [Left blank]

4 Inkmoth Nexus
9 Plains
4 Seachrome Coast
3 Glacial Fortress

2 Hero of Bladehold
4 Memnite
4 Ornithopher
4 Signal Pest
4 Steel Overseer
4 Vault Skirge

4 Dispatch
4 Glint Hawk Idol
3 Mox Opal
4 Tempered Steel
3 Preordain

Sideboard

3 Journey to Nowhere
3 Spellskite
3 Leonin Relic-Warder
1 Glacial Fortress
1 Timely Reinforcements
2 Hero of Bladehold
2 Mana Leak

Quarterfinalist - Tommy Cheaw Chung Sung
Deck Name - [Left blank]
Deck Designer - [Left blank]

2 Contested War Zone
4 Inkmoth Nexus
12 Plains

4 Glint Hawk
2 Hero of Bladehold
4 Memnite
3 Ornithopher
3 Phyrexian Revoker
4 Signal Pest
4 Steel Overseer
4 Vault Skirge

4 Dispatch
3 Glint Hawk Idol
3 Mox Opal
4 Tempered Steel

Sideboard

2 Celestial Purge
2 Mental Misstep
2 Refraction Trap
3 Revoke Existance
3 Shrine of Loyal Legions
3 Spellskite

Quarterfinalist - Joe Soh
Deck Name - [Left blank]
Deck Designer - [Left blank]

4 Lotus Cobra
3 Birds of Paradise
2 Solemn Simulacrum
2 Consecrated Sphinx
1 Primeval Titan
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
1 Obstinate Baloth
1 Acidic Slime
1 Slyvan Ranger
4 Sword of Feast and Famine
4 Mana Leak
2 Beast Within
2 Dismember
2 Rampant Growth
3 Garruk, Primal Hunter
2 Green Sun's Zenith

4 Misty Rainforest
2 Verdant Catacombs
2 Island
4 Tectonic Edge
2 Inkmoth Nexus
4 Khalni Garden
7 Forest

Sideboard

2 Wurmcoil Engine
2 Acidic Slime
1 Thrun, the Last Troll
3 Creeping Corrosion
3 Nature's Claim
2 Obstinate Baloth
2 Surgical Extraction



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Tune in to http:/twitter.com/qjwong now and follow the #MYSNATS hashtag to get the latest developments of the top 8 live!

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For the first time, there will be a LAST CHANCE QUALIFIER for the National Championships right on the eve of the event!

10 slots up for grabs, with one firing every hour from 9AM onwards!

Details below!

Venue:
Cititel Hotel Midvalley
Matahari IV and V (Level 5)
Cititel Hotel
Midvalley Mega Mall

TIME:
Starts 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm
(ON DEMAND STANDARD /SEALED)...

FORMAT / ENTRY FEE:
SINGLE ELIMINATION TOURNAMENT
1. STANDARD CONSTRUCTED RM30 (ON DEMAND - Maximum 32 Players)
2. M12 SEALED RM60 (ON DEMAND - Maximum 32 Players)

PRIZE:
1st PLACE for EACH SESSION 36 M12 Boosters and Invitation to 2011 Malaysian Nationals

Please call or SMS me (012 260 8438) if there are any questions.

Michael Toh
KL TORead more!

Watch the nation's best play at Cititel Mid Valley Hotel, Matahari III, IV & V – Level 5 on July 23-24, 2011!

Held each year, National Championships are the highest level competition for a particular country. In 2011, players from 69 countries will compete in Magic: The Gathering National Championships for the right to represent their countries at the 2011 World Championships held in San Francisco, USA on November 17-20, 2011.

Prizes
1 USD1500
2 USD1100
3 USD700
4 USD500
5-6 USD350
7-8 USD250
9-10 36 Boosters
11-12 18 Boosters
13-16 9 Boosters

As usual MagicMalaysia.net will strive to bring you as much coverage from the National Championships as possible.

Head down for a recap of previous MagicMalaysia.net coverage of Nationals and take a trip revisiting the history of Malaysian Magic!

2010 Malaysian Nationals Coverage
2009 Malaysian Nationals Coverage
2008 Malaysian Nationals Coverage - Intro
2008 Malaysian Nationals Coverage - Finals
2008 Malaysian Nationals Coverage - Semifinals
2008 Malaysian Nationals Coverage - Quarterfinals
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Epic Toyz M12 Pre-release!

Date: 9 July 2011 (Saturday)

Time:

10AM – Morning Session
2PM to 3 PM – Lunch Break
3PM – Afternoon Session

Date: 10 July 2011 (Sunday)

Time:

10AM – Morning Session
2PM to 3 PM – Lunch Break
3PM – Afternoon Session

Entry Fee: RM70 / session

Tournament Structure: Sealed Deck with 4 Swiss Rounds
(All players will be provided with 6x M12 Packs. Build a 40-card deck, basic lands provided.)

Prizes:

4 Wins – 6x M12 Boosters
3 Wins – 4x M12 Boosters
2 Wins – 2x M12 Boosters
0 – 1 Wins – 1x M12 Booster

All participants will receive a Pre-release Participation Promo card (card images below) while stock lasts and a achievement card.

Booster Drafts available, subject to stock availability.

Complete all achievements to win an EXTRA booster pack!

Pre-release Promo: http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg%2Fdaily%2Farcana%2F728

As usual, for more information you can contact QJ Wong @ 0173479512 or EpicToyz@gmail.com!Read more!

Congratulations Darren, David, Izzaidi and E-Foong!

Photo Gallery - HERE

Decklists will not be posted due to this being a 2-week long format before it becomes M12-legal Standard/

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