This semifinal featured two accomplished players playing fast aggro decks, with Jason D'Mellow running mono-green Elves and Michael Smith playing Grixis Vampires. Michael won the roll and chose to play first, and both players kept their opening hands.
Both players started quickly, Michael with a Vampire Lacerator and Jason with a Llanowar Elves. Michael took one from his creature (19-20) and then attacked unblocked (19-18). Jason attempted a second turn Elvish Archdruid, but it was Mana Leaked by Michael. After taking another point from Lacerator (18-18), Michael attacked it through again (18-16) and cast a Kalastria Highborn.
Jason spent his third turn casting Nissa Revane and using her +1 ability to search for a Nissa's Chosen. After another ping (17-16), Michael cast a Bloodghast and another Lacerator, but his assault was currently halted by the 2/3 on the other side of the table. On his turn, Jason fetched another Nissa's Chosen, putting her to 4 loyalty, and cast Elvish Archdruid and Arbor Elf.
Now taking two pings (15-16), Michael attacked Nissa to 1 with his Creeping Tar Pit and passed. Jason put Nissa Revane up to 2, finding a third Nissa's Chosen from his library. With his large amount of Elves, he had enough mana to cast both an Asceticism and a kicked Mold Shambler to destroy the Creeping Tar Pit. After taking 2 more at his upkeep (13-16), Michael attacked with the Bloodghast, used the Highborn's ability after it was blocked (15-14), and returned it to play with a land, and then played a second Bloodghast.
Michael had prepared a potential path to victory down the line, but Jason had a much quicker plan in mind. He played an Arbor Elf, and then tapped his Archdruid for 8 mana. He used 3 of it to cast Ezuri, Renegade Leader, and then used the remaining 5 to activate his second ability, giving all of his Elves +3/+3 and trample until end of turn. After doing some math, Michael realized that a full swing would be lethal and thus conceded the first game.
Jason D'Mellow 1, Michael Smith 0
Both players kept their 7 card hands again, and Michael started off game 2 with a Lavaclaw Reaches. Jason had a first turn Arbor Elf, but it soon met its end to a Burst Lightning, and the stunted mana development caused Jason to miss his second turn play. Michael had a Bloodghast on turn 3, while Jason had an Elvish Archdruid across the table.
Michael had a Lightning Bolt to remove the Archdruid, and attacked in with his Bloodghast (20-18). Jason, however, had a second Archdruid to replace the first one. Michael got in again with Bloodghast (20-16) and then cast Jace, the Mind Sculptor, using his third ability to return the Archdruid to Jason's hand. Jason spent his next turn casting Asceticism to prevent future burn and bounce effects on his creatures.
Michael used his turn to Brainstorm with Jace, keeping him at 2 loyalty, and used a Scalding Tarn to grab a Mountain and shuffle away the two unwanted cards from the Brainstorm (19-16). He then attacked again with Bloodghast, who connected again since Jason's field was empty (19-14), and played a second one. Jason rebuilt his field with another Archdruid and a Fauna Shaman.
Michael attacked with both Bloodghasts, one of which was destroyed by a 3/3 blocking Fauna Shaman while the other got through (19-12). Michael then used Jace to Brainstorm and cast a kicked Gatekeeper of Malakir, causing Jason to Sacrifice his Fauna Shaman. Jason came back with a big turn, however, as he cast Ezuri, Renegade Leader, Ezuri's Archers, Fauna Shaman, and Nissa Revane, using her second ability to gain 2 life for each of the 4 Elves in play (19-20).
Michael again used Jace to Brainstorm. He then played a Kalastria Highborn, attacked his 2 Bloodghasts into blockers, and used the Highborn's ability twice (23-16), then returning the Bloodghasts to play with a land. Jason cast another Archdruid and another Ezuri's Archer's on his turn, as well as using Nissa to search up a Chosen.
Michael repeated his previous turn, using a Brainstorm with Jace, attacking his Bloodghasts into blockers, and using the life drain from Kalastria Highborn (27-12) before returning his Bloodghasts by playing a land. However, Jason had bigger plans for his next turn, using Nissa Revane to find another Nissa's Chosen, then using his Fauna Shaman to search up everybody's favorite 15-drop: Emrakul, the I Win Lols. With two Archdruids in play, Jason had enough mana to cast Emrakul immediately, prompting a concession from Michael.
Jason D'Mellow 2, Michael Smith 0
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