Champions Cup Store Qualifier – Sapporo ,Japan – Standard Top 8

Hey Code himself here again, hope you are doing wonderfully with no counterspells in your way, we are going to examine today a Standard Store Cup Qualifier from Japan, we might speak different languages but we all understand what – Untap – Upkeep – Draw – means so let’s get to it!

From the bottom to the top it goes

5th -8th

Mukai Takashi – Mono White Control

Sweep everyone away with removal, and let caretaker's talent play the endgame as a draw engine and in case of emergency your trusty Sunfall hide your pains away, and let the tokens run in one by one slowly but steady and it gets the job done.

Ōta Yūsuke – Gruul Aggro
your typical mono red standard splashed green Heartfire Hero, Monastery Swiftspear, Emberheart Challenger and the Manifold Mouse (such a cool name though), this deck is all about early game and tactical blitz with pump up power and protection spells Screaming Nemesis seals your opponent fate by not gaining life so at that point every point of damage counts.

Why did the Monk got three mice? – Slay into top 8

Yajima Tatsuaki – Gruul Aggro

Same as Ōta Yūsuke, but the key difference is the Lightning Strike flex options, so it might pilot better into simple decisions in the match.

Taniyama Takāki – Dimir Control
Sigh… you know how much I hate stalling blue decks, Floodpits Drowner is the key piece sending your opponents cards to the deck, as it cleans the board with removal and the little guys go in doing scratches until lethal.

I’ll approve this deck because it has only 3 counterspells -Code_Halcyon Seal of Approval-

3th – 4th

The Nameless One – Naya Aggro

What did the Monk say to the three Mice? – Let’s go get some wins!
Your usual suspects by now with the Slickshot Show-Off as flex spot and in my opinion one of the best charms to ever exist Boros Charm to protect your board or help you deal the final blow.

Kazutaka Oya – Gruul Aggro

Okay what did the Monk said to the three Mice? let’s get a lizard Hired Claw
Kazutaka Oya runs a simpler compact version of Ōta Yūsuke’s Gruul, committing to a simpler strategy 4 copies of only what you need and flex option of Screaming Nemesis I have talked little about Questing Druid its an excellent option to get some drawing going and utilizing the creature later on.

2nd

Miura Akiyoshi
I’m a sucker for Deep-Cavern Bat this deck aims to disrupt your opponents plan with surgical touches to hand and board state to deal scratches into lethal later on.

Again minimal realiability on counterspells -Code_Halcyon seal of approval-

1st

Takaoka Yusuke – Gruul Aggro
What did the Monk, three mice and a lizard got in common? They trusted the Screaming Nemesis to win the Top 8, I believe is no coincidence that a simpler strategy of 4 of everything got the win, its way simpler for you let your opponent worry about threats ratther than you flexing your options, its 4 of everyone, complete trust into the strategy and I am completely sure Burst Lightning seals the wins later on.

Final Thoughts

Jokes aside I think the usual suspects of mono red need some tinkering because they are heavily present in the same core recipe, Monk, Hero, Manifold, Challenger, its too much pressure unless you rely on good boardwipes, but then again you end up vulnerable to control decks.

I wouldn’t mind as much if I end up seeing different versions of Heartfire Hero but its getting to the point where is no fun, despite winning against them, I always recommend to turtle it out, remove one thing at a time, I have won games against mono red being at 1 life point from turn three on, they rely on heavy artillery the early game, from then on is easy, but these guys were able to protect their creatures enough for lethal, it really impresses me since Las Vegas MagicCon I thought we would see a lot more of Unholy Annex but it hasn’t been the case.

Until the next one, your boy CodeHalcyon is out, may your spells be forever protected against counterspells