Huddersfield Qualifer – Winners Interview

With a continuation on the qualifier season for cEDH UK, Huddersfield had a qualifier hosted by Gemini Games! 43 entries 4 rounds of Swiss, then a cut to Top Cut.

Gemini has been a consistent member of the cEDH circuit, with the Tournament Organiser being a forefront personality in the community.

What’s the next qualifier you’re most looking forward to?

Our winner in Huddersfield was Johnny, and as always, we’re going to have an interview below.

What’s your history and experience with cEDH?
I have played EDH/cEDH since much earlier days, when Leovold was just banned. I played through the Teferi Chain Veil, Karador Boomweaver and Flash Hulk metas. Original content creators like Lab Maniacs and when we used Tappedout as a resource.

I’m fortunate enough to have won UK Benfest/ am the current National Champion. I’ve also played in multiple events where I have been lucky enough to take away a few wins. So I’d like to say I’m well versed and have people to test with/bounce ideas off of.

What deck and why did you pick for the qualifiers?

Well, the short answer is Blue Farm, but the more in depth answer is Urza with a splash of Mardu. My current list runs 36 blue cards I believe and I really enjoy having permission spells. I do not enjoy playing the more stock lists or turbo variants of Blue Farm. I feel Tymna and Kraum allow me to facilitate this gameplay which suits my playstyle.

Gameplay report

Round 1: Kinnan (spice), Sisay, Me, Erinis, Gloom Stalker/Street Urchin Kinnan kept 1st 7, I played T1 Rhystic and got Pyroblasted. Kinnan and Sisay advance their boards I played T3 Tymna and got FOW. Kinnan wanted to close out the game next turn and wanted to turn off my Fierce/Rollick etc. Plus denying me a draw engine. Kinnan played Basalt. I Commandeer it (pitching a Fierce Guardianship). Sisay sets up further, I topdeck Verity Circle, which I wanted to test and had possibly best chance to do so. Kinnan did a flip, and dropped Jin Gitaxias (the counter one) and proceeds to play Seedborne, and Ernis searched a Dryad Arbor to save us from misery. Sisay proceeds to send it, though unfortunately misequenced their win. Which resulted in Verity Circle drawing me an answer and Kinnan flipped a Wandering Archaic. I cast Snuff Out and Sisay’s turn went down in flames. I couldn’t pull together a win, as had to use the Tainted Pact to find the answer and passed. Kinnan untaps with 29 green mana and plays every thick body creature with relevant text. Deadeye navigator, Terastodon, comboing with Great Oak Guardian.

0-1-0

Round 2: 3 player pod. Me, Sisay from r1 and Najeela. Sadly this game was a 3 player pod which really hurts Najeela, I mulled to 6, and had a gameplan of reverse Rhoracling. I play T2 Tymna with Dark Ritual and Najeela Toxic Deluged the board with a Rhystic out. As I was going through my library for Tainted Pact, checking the lands left and at the bottom was a Watery Grave to allow me to silence, then cast Thoracle with 2 cards left in library. 3 player pods suck, but wins a win.

1-1-0

Round 3: Kinnan, TNT, Me, TNK (Tremneks list) My opponents all want to ID on points 14, 8, 8 and I’m on 7 for 1 win. I can’t decline, as taking the draw here on table 1 gives me very high wr%/breakers because only 1 player was on 14 points. We played for fun and ironically would have been a draw regardless 8 points and highest 8 point player locked for top16.

1-1-1

Round 4: Hashaeton, Magda, Me and Inalla ID was discussed, but both Inalla and Haston needed to win. (spoiler Inalla made Top 16 anyway). The game was a slug, of Magda’s stax pieces holding people down, but not sending it into my interaction. The games final turn though was quite funny, as Inalla necro and then cast Borne into a Defense Grid. Inalla said they are not winning, shown me the hand and it was down to Hashaeton to try and win through 7 pieces of interaction alongside 2 stax pieces from Magda. Draw and giggles. GG

1-1-2 (9 points)