Michael Smith and Michael Carney have become quite familiar opponents in previous events, but both were adjusting to an interesting role reversal in this event. Normally a burn or control player, Smith was being the beatdown on this day, brandishing a Grixis Vampires deck that had been dominating opponents throughout the Swiss and led him easily into the top 8. On the other hand, Carney, who had won two previous Standard events with aggro, was playing a blue/white token control deck with Elspeth Tirel as it's lynchpin. Carney's road to the top 8 was a bit more arduous, but he managed to advance to the playoff rounds at a 3-1-1 mark.
Smith won the roll, and both players took a mulligan before keeping their six-card hands. Smith led with a Duress, which removed Jace Beleren from Carney's hand. Smith followed up with a Pulse Tracker, the first creature of the match, and it got in for two damage on the following turn (20-18). Carney put out a Wall of Omens to slow the bleeding, but though Wall of Omens could block it easily, Pulse Tracker still got a point of damage through upon attacking (20-17).
Smith then went for some card advantage, casting Jace, the Mind Sculptor and using his second ability to "Brainstorm," drawing three cards and then putting two cards from his hand on top of his library. Carney had no plays on his next turn, allowing Smith to Brainstorm again and then cast Kalastria Highborn. Pulse tracker again got blocked by Wall of Omens but got a point of damage through thanks to his ability (20-16).
Carney continued to whiff, doing nothing but play lands, and Smith was content to continue Brainstorming. He then sent Pulse Tracker and Kalastria Highborn into the red zone. The Highborn got Condemned, and Pulse Tracker was blocked by the Wall yet again (22-15). Carney cast a Preordain on his next turn and put out a Celestial Colonnade that maybe could deal with Jace later on.
Smith played a second Pulse Tracker and then attacked again with the first one, but this time it got Condemned (23-14). Carney finally went for a big play, tapping out for a Wurmcoil Engine, but it was met by a Mana Leak from Smith. Smith then went on the offensive, casting a second Kalastria Highborn and an Inquisition of Kozilek, which took Negate from Carney's hand. He then attacked yet again with his Pulse Tracker, who was unsurprisingly blocked by Wall of Omens as the players continued their quest to see how many times the same attack and block can occur in the same game (23-13).
Carney animated his Celestial Colonnade and used it to finally take out Jace, but found his postcombat Wall of Omens countered by a Mana Leak. Smith animated his own man-land, a Creeping Tar Pit, and attacked with it, Pulse Tracker, and Kalastria Highborn. Wall of Omens was overjoyed to get to block something other than Pulse Tracker, but despite preventing the damage from the Highborn, he still took 5 points of damage from the attack (23-8).
Needing a way out, Carney cast a Day of Judgment, which dealt with the field but allowed Smith to drain 4 life from him with two activations of his Highborn (27-4). With his opponent now in range of lethal damage, Smith animated his Tar Pit again and attacked for 3 (27-1). "Bolt?" he asked, finally showing what the red in his deck was for, and when Carney had no counter, it was on to the second game.
Michael Smith 1, Michael Carney 0
Carney chose to play first, and both players kept their opening seven this time. Smith had the first play of the game with a Vampire Lacerator, who dealt Smith a point of damage on his next turn, but successfully got into the red zone (19-18), and this was repeated again on turn 3 (18-16). On his fourth turn, Carney cast a Wall of Omens to stop the Lacerator, which again pinged Smith on his upkeep (17-16).
With Carney sitting on just one untapped land, Smith attempted to resolve Jace, the Mind Sculptor, but had it countered by a Spell Pierce. Carney then cast a planeswalker of his own, Elspeth Tirel, and used her -2 ability to make three 1/1 Soldier tokens. After another ping from Lacerator (16-16), Smith animated his Creeping Tar Pit and used it to take down Elspeth. Carney was content to pass on his next turn, giving the turn back to Smith, who took another point from his Lacerator (15-16).
Smith cast a Bloodghast and a Pulse Tracker on his turn, but Bloodghast was quickly disposed of with a Journey to Nowhere. Smith attempted to add more to his board on the following turn (14-16) by casting a Kalastria Highborn. He then attacked with Lacerator and Pulse Tracker (14-15). Lacerator was stopped by Wall of Omens, while Pulse Tracker traded with a Soldier token. Smith used the Highborn's ability to drain 2 life upon his Pulse Tracker's death (16-13).
Carney continued to embrace his control strategy by playing draw-go, and on his next turn (15-13), Smith decided to animate his Tar Pit and attack, trying to get his opponent to 10 to stop the constant Lacerator damage, but it was Condemned (17-13). Carney finally decided to go on the offensive, attacking Smith with his Celestial Colonnade (13-13). After taking another point from Lacerator (12-13), Smith attacked with Highborn, Lacerator, and a second Tar Pit.
Carney went into the tank on how to block, eventually choosing to Condemn the Tar Pit, block Lacerator with Wall, and trade his two remaining soldier tokens for the Highborn, who drained two more life upon its death (16-11). Carney attacked again with Colonnade (12-11), and Smith took another point from Lacerator at his upkeep (11-11). Smith animated yet another man-land, this time a Lavaclaw Reaches, but it soon met its end from Carney's Tectonic Edge. Smith cast a Pulse Tracker and passed.
Carney cast a Jace Beleren on his turn, using his -1 ability to draw a card, and then passed back. Smith took his point of damage (10-11) and then cast Memoricide, which was promptly countered by a Mana Leak. Smith attacked Jace with Lacerator and Pulse Tracker (10-10). Wall of Omens blocked Lacerator and Jace went down to 1 loyalty. Carney used that last loyalty to draw another card, put down a Mystifying Maze, and cleared the field with a Day of Judgment.
Smith finally found a threatening creature in the form of Wurmcoil Engine, but Carney attacked back through the air with his Colonnade (6-10). On his next turn, Smith used a Scalding Tarn to find a land (5-10), animated a second Lavaclaw Reaches, and attacked with both. Mystifying Maze took Wurmcoil Engine out of the picture, but Carney had no answer to the Reaches, which Smith pumped 3 times (5-5). Carney had no play on his next turn.
Smith animated the Reaches again and made the same attack. Carney again used Mystifying Maze to stop Wurmcoil Engine's attack, and this time used his Colonnade on defense to trade with the Reaches, who Smith pumped to 4 power to ensure the trade. Smith cast a Vampire Lacerator and passed the turn.
Searching for answers, Carney played a Preordain, and found a Journey to Nowhere to exile the Wurmcoil Engine. He then passed the turn, needing enough mana available to activate his Maze. Smith drew Inquisition of Kozilek, and used it to take Jace Beleren from Carney's hand. He then played an unkicked Gatekeeper of Malakir and passed. Carney had nothing to play on his next turn. Smith attacked with both of his 2/2's, and Carney used his Maze to stop one of them (5-3), but when Smith revealed a Lightning Bolt, Carney had no counter and Smith was on to the semifinals (5-0).
Michael Smith 2, Michael Carney 0
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