Magic: The Gathering

**Anakron** · 2012-02-13 17:42

Where/how are you guys watching these matches?

**miokomioko** · 2012-02-13 17:46

Wizards streamed the Pro Tour. I haven't watched any of it, but it's been all over http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/default.aspx for a while. Not sure where to find the videos now though.

**Norellicus** · 2012-02-13 21:03

The takeaway I've picked up is that Finkel expected an Inferno Titan to be more likely than 3x Galvanic Blasts. With two Inkmoths on the table and Kibler at 4 life, he needed at least 4 tokens to swing in for a guaranteed lethal hit, and if he sacked a token to block the wolf he ran the risk of the Titan picking off three more of his tokens (he couldn't drop his Drogskol Captain either, as he knew Kibler had a Combust saved just for that).

So yeah, hindsight is that if he had blocked, he would have won. But in the moment if you're playing the odds, he theoretically made the right call if he wanted to guarantee a win on his next turn.

**Weltall** · 2012-02-13 21:33

He said himself twice afterwards if he would have taken longer to think it over, he blocks everytime.

**oldoldman** · 2012-02-13 21:37

The matches are on youtube.

**oldoldman** · 2012-02-13 21:44

Originally Posted by Norellicus

The takeaway I've picked up is that Finkel expected an Inferno Titan to be more likely than 3x Galvanic Blasts. With two Inkmoths on the table and Kibler at 4 life, he needed at least 4 tokens to swing in for a guaranteed lethal hit, and if he sacked a token to block the wolf he ran the risk of the Titan picking off three more of his tokens (he couldn't drop his Drogskol Captain either, as he knew Kibler had a Combust saved just for that).

So yeah, hindsight is that if he had blocked, he would have won. But in the moment if you're playing the odds, he theoretically made the right call if he wanted to guarantee a win on his next turn.

Is it really the best odds though? The way Kibler played it he clearly didn't have an Inferno Titan any turn before, so he was just hedging his bets on a top decked titan. Kibler wasn't shy with playing extra ramp cards so Finkel had to think about what he could have been holding onto in his hand for so many turns. The only thing that really made sense was multiple burn spells.

**Weltall** · 2012-02-13 21:47

He knew of at least 1 also because of probe.

**Norellicus** · 2012-02-14 01:21

Kibler knows Finkel's setup, if for no other reason than this being game 5, so it's reasonable to assume he might hold a titan to force Finkel into a corner with his tokens. Finkel knew two of the cards in Kibler's hand: Combust and Galvanic Blast. The odds that he'd have the other two Galvs as opposed to anything else were just not there. He probably would have felt less worried about the move if Kibler hadn't come into enough ramp cards to sustain the titan and the burn spells, but since he had the mana he had to be careful so his captain wouldn't just get blown up as soon as he played it.

That said, I would have blocked, but that's because playing the meta headgame shit is more work than I care to invest when I play

**Weltall** · 2012-02-14 10:41

He has to at least think he is holding 1 Slagstorm. He knew of 1 blast so you have to assume 1 slag 1 blast. In that situation, you say, what 3rd card beats me (its not Inferno titan because he didn't have 10 mana, but I could be wrong) and you play around that. He didn't.

**oldoldman** · 2012-02-14 14:50

The way the game was going I don't think it was reasonable to thin Kibler was holding an Inferno Titan.

**oldoldman** · 2012-02-16 13:24

Funny we just brought up the Mike Long story, Paulo Vitor just challenged it ever happening at around 17 minutes.

http://www.channelfireball.com/home/...ernal-moments/

**Weltall** · 2012-02-16 13:34

Patrick Chapin says it happened, and I will go with him, but it has been debated for over 10 years now. Some pros believe it and were there, and others discard it. Either way:

"In game five, Mark Justice cast Coercion and saw Long's sole copy of Drain Life. However, due to Long's crafty play in game one, Justice believed that Long had more than one copy of Drain Life, and operating under these false pretenses, Justice had Long discard a different card, allowing Long to win the game. Long ended up winning the game after drawing his entire deck and showing Justice that he only had one Drain Life."

This alone makes it the greatest set ever played.

**Norellicus** · 2012-02-16 15:03

http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/m..._And_More.html

Star City Games seems to support that it actually happened, though perhaps not in the exact way some of the rumors described it, so it's possible some of the opposition simply latches onto the fabricated bits and assumes the whole story can't be true simply from those elements

**Weltall** · 2012-02-16 15:10

Paula has only been playing for 10-11 years. How would he even know what happened in 1997 on a pro tour versus people who were actually there? Ignorant.

**oldoldman** · 2012-02-16 18:54

He says in the video that he was there watching it. He doesn't say that there wasn't a bluff just that Long didn't exile his only Drain Life to bloom as the legend goes.

**Weltall** · 2012-02-16 18:56

Why the hell does he always say he has only been playing competitive magic for 10 years? Lol..

**oldoldman** · 2012-02-16 19:43

IDK it always surprises me how long he has played though, he looks like a kid.

**miokomioko** · 2012-02-16 22:10

He's 24, but never made any professional achievements until 2003. Why would he have been in Paris in 97 at the age of 10?

**oldoldman** · 2012-02-16 22:20

Since there is no middle class in Brazil I assume he is loaded and can do whatever the fuck he wants.

**Weltall** · 2012-02-16 22:51

I still say bullshit he was there in the first place. I've heard him say several times he has only played for 10 years.

The guy wears Abercrombie T-shirts at his age; 0 chance he is filthy loaded.

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