Team Vintage Super League: Semifinals Round 1 - Team Cardsphere vs Snapcardster!

Howdy folks, it's Joe again and we're here with more sweet sweet Team Vintage Super League recap!

It's the big time folks! It's the TOP FOUR. That's right. Four teams will enter this round, but only TWO will emerge to the finals. And this semifinals round includes the HOME TEAM! That's right it's Team Cardsphere (Reid Duke, Randyb Buehler, Eric Froehlich) vs Snapcardster (Andreas Petersen, Michael Bonde, and Thomas Enevoldsen)! It's a battle to the death! Well, not literally, but who ever loses this round will not progress to the finals of TEAM VINTAGE SUPER LEAGUE! THE HYPE AS THEY SAY IN THE STREETS IS REAL!

As always, you can find this week's decklists right over here.

Bans were in effect again, with Team CS banning out Bargain Storm while Snapcardster banned out Sultai!

Unfortunately, Eric could not make it this week for Team CS, so the team tagged in Andrew Cuneo to play for him!

Semifinals Round 1 Recap - Team CS vs Snapcardster

 
You can watch the vod for this week here:

Right off the bat we've got tag-in Andrew Cuneo (on Jeskai) vs Michael Bonde (on Paradoxical Outcome)! Right off the bat, Michael goes right for a Turn 1 Ancestral Recall, having to end up discarding to hand size. Andrew goes on the Library of Alexandria plan immediately. Michael also plays a Library, running out a Voltaic Key. Andrew plays out a Polluted Delta and passes turn with Opt's and Flusterstorm's in his hand. Michael draws and plays a Mana Crypt, and then draws with Library. Michael casts Demonic Tutor, which gets into Andrew's Flusterstorm. Michael is able to pay for the Flusterstorm copies off of Mana Crypt and grabs a second Force of Will. Andrew attempts to run out Teferi, Hero of Dominaria, running into a Force of Will. Andrew runs out the second Flusterstorm, resolving Teferi. He pluses Teferi, drawing a Time Walk, and untapping his Volcanic Island and Tundra. Michael goes for the Tinker, while Andrew tries to dig for a counterspell, finding a Force of Will, that ends up getting Forced back by Michael. Tinker resolves, finding a Time Vault to seal Game 1.

Andrew starts off with a Tundra, while Michael goes on the powerful Library of Alexandria plan. Andrew draws into a Brainstorm and passes. Michael plays a Sol Ring and a Voltaic Key, untapping his Ring with the floating mana. Andrew goes on the Brainstorm at end step, keeping a Pyroblast and a fetch to draw into a second Force of Will after the fetch. He passes the turn and Michael starts digging with Ponder. Andrew keeps on the draw go plan, but Michael's Library plan quickly outpaces it. Michael tries to resolve Kambal, Consul of Allocation, and Andrew throws his Mana Drain at the wall to stop it. Michael responds with Force of Will, but Andrew tosses back a Pyroblast. Michael dumps a Flusterstorm, which Andrew allows to resolve before Forcing back the Kambal. Andrew draws and casts Monastery Mentor into Treasure Cruise, drawing a Dack Fayden. Michael casts Dig Through Time, which Andrew allows to resolve. Andrew locates a Mox Opal and a Time Walk. Michael goes for Paradoxical Outcome, which gets Force of Will'ed by Andrew. Michael Repeal's his Mox Opal, drawing deeper into his deck with Sleight of Hand and finding a Tolarian Academy for land for turn to cast another Paradoxical Outcome. That seals the deal and Snapcardster takes the early lead!

Up 1-0 for Snapcardster!

Reid Duke takes the charge on Bargain Storm for Round 2! Reid goes to an easy mulligan to 6 with some fast mana and a Duress. Michael starts things off with a Mana Vault into Sensei's Divining Top, using the extra mana to activate the Top. He draws with the Top and then shuffles away with a fetch. Reid starts with the Duress, taking Michael's Brainstorm. Michael casts Gitaxian Probe and then resolves Sleight of Hand to just resolve two Moxen. Reid draws a Vampiric Tutor and casts Sol Ring to pass turn. Michael draws with Night's Whisper and finds a Force of Will. Reid goes into a Vampiric Tutor to find Yawgmoth's Bargain. He goes for it, but it gets promptly hit by Force of Will hard cast off Tolarian Academy. Michael untaps and finds Paradoxical Outcome off Sleight of Hand to draw 5 cards into another Paradoxical Outcome. The second Outcome finds a Vampiric Tutor and a Time Vault, drawing into the lock to seal Game 1.

Reid kicks it off with a Preordain to find a Mana Vault. Michael resolves a Turn 1 Ancestral Recall finding a Mana Vault and Voltaic Key. Reid casts Brainstorm and then resolves Gitaxian Probe He goes into dropping Mox Pearl and Mana Vault, going deep into Demonic Tutor for Black Lotus to cast Yawgmoth's Will to recast Demonic Tutor for Tendrils of Agony to take the kill at 11 Storm count.

Michael starts off with a Mox Emerald and a land, with a Kambal, Consul of Allocation in hand. Reid drops some fast mana and a Preordain finding a Time Walk but is unable to cast it. Michael plays out the Turn 2 Kambal. Reid goes for the Yawgmoth's Bargain, but gets it Force of Will'ed by Michael. Michael runs out some more fast mana and a Paradoxical Outcome for 2 cards, finding some further answers. Reid casts Ancestral Recall, drawing not much other than a Tolarian Academy and a Mox Emerald. He casts Time Walk to take his extra turn. He draws a Yawgmoth's Bargain and casts it, going to 7 life. He cracks his Lion's Eye Diamond for triple black and digs with Bargain to find anything, but finds nothing to answer Kambal, choosing to kill himself with Bargain to give Michael the win.

Snapcardster in the firm command of 2-0!

Randy Buehler steps into the driver's seat on his own Paradoxical Outcome deck! Michael kicks off on a Brainstorm, with double Force of Will in hand. Randy goes for the Turn 1 Paradoxical Outcome, running into a triple Force of Will stack resolution. Michael does assemble some fast mana, but both players are stuck in topdeck mode. Randy tries to get ahead on a Repeal on his Mox Sapphire at least finding a Force of Will. He draws a second Force of Will while Michael continues to brick on draws. Randy draws into a Tinker however, finding a Blightsteel Colossus. Michael tries to Demonic Tutor finding Time Vault, getting it promptly Force of Will'ed by Randy in order to seal Game 1!

Michael kicks off with a Night's Whisper on Turn 1 with a double Force hand. Randy casts a Turn 1 Mana Vault, while Michael lacks a third artifact to turn on Metalcraft for Mox Opal. Randy casts Ponder into Sensei's Divining Top and attempts to resolve Monastery Mentor. Michael allows the Mentor to resolve, while Randy triggers with Gitaxian Probe, making a single Monk token. Michael doesn't see much off his Sleight of Hand and passes turn to Randy. He continues to just draw insane amounts of gas with Mentor pumping. He casts Repeal and gets plays a Force of Will subgame to make lethal with Mentor and one token.

Team Cardsphere on the board with 1-2!

Thomas Enevoldsen kicks it off with 5C Humans! He kicks it right off with Cavern of Souls into Noble Hierarch! Randy dumps out a Black Lotus and Mox Opal, while Thomas tries for a Null Rod which resolves. Randy plays a land and passes, where Thomas casts Thalia, Guardian of Thraben. Randy does nothing while Thomas just continues to jam out creatures, including a Dark Confidant. Randy Vampiric Tutor's for Tolarian Academy. Thomas reveals Meddling Mage off Confidant, and casts Kitesail Freebooter. Randy hits back with Hurkyl's Recall in response to get rid of the Null Rod. Thomas takes the Paradoxical Outcome and swings in. Randy casts Preordain, hunting for something but only coming up with a Mox Ruby. Thomas swings in and casts Meddling Mage, naming Paradoxical Outcome. Randy tries to hit a Sensei's Divining Top that gets Mental Misstep'ed into conceding to Game 2.

Randy goes for a Turn 1 Ancestral Recall, but it gets Mental Misstep'ed. He drops a Black Lotus and passes. Thomas goes on a Turn 1 Phyrexian Revoker naming Black Lotus. Randy passes turn doing nothing and Thomas tries to resolve a Thalia, Guardian of Thraben but gets it countered. Thomas slaps him around a bit with a Revoker while Wastelanding Randy's Tundra. Thomas also draws into a Strip Mine while continuing to put on the pressure. He tries to resolve another Thalia, but it also gets hit by Force of Will. Kitesail Freebooter comes down, stealing the Tinker. Randy continues to completely brick on draws, seeing absolutely no lands. Thomas swings in, bringing Randy to 3 life, and casting a second Revoker naming Mana Crypt. Randy draws nothing, and concedes.

Snapcardster in a firm command of the night at 3-1!

Randy Buehler is back in the hot seat, in control of Pitch Dredge! Randy begins the mulligan game, going to 2 cards to find a Bazaar of Baghdad. He plays the titular land, while Thomas goes to Wasteland him. Randy activates, finding a Stinkweed Imp. Randy goes on the slow dredge plan while Thomas resolves a Thalia, Heretic Cathar. He goes on the beatdown plan while Randy doesn't see a second dredger after his first dredge. He draws even more poorly, and doesn't see another Bazaar, conceding to Thomas.

Randy Serum Powder's his opening 7, finding a Bazaar of Baghdad and a Hollow One. Thomas goes for a Turn 1 Noble Hierarch and Wasteland's the Bazaar. Randy swings in and then casts Cabal Therapy in the blind, naming Containment Priest and hitting the one in his hand. Thomas does the thing and draws another Priest, jamming it right into play. Randy dredges and continues swinging for the fences with the Hollow One. Thomas swings in with Containment Priest for a few turns and then dumps Vithian Renegades into play to get rid of the Hollow One before using Strip Mine on Randy's Mana Confluence. Thomas continues to swing in, taking out Randy and earning the first place in the finals to Team Snapcardster!

Unfortunately the home team has to go home, but solid night by both teams!

Notable Decklists - Team Cardsphere

When it comes down to it, Team CS brought no real spice this week, instead sticking to their guns on what they knew best. Let's take a look at their lists.

Andrew Cuneo's Jeskai | Team Vintage Super League

2 Dack Fayden
1 Jace, the Mind Sculptor
1 Monastery Mentor
3 Snapcaster Mage
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Time Walk
1 Treasure Cruise
4 Opt
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
1 Dig Through Time
2 Flusterstorm
4 Force of Will
2 Lightning Bolt
2 Mana Drain
2 Mental Misstep
2 Pyroblast
1 Thirst for Knowledge
1 Mindbreak Trap
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
2 Search for Azcanta
1 Flooded Strand
1 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Misty Rainforest
1 Polluted Delta
4 Scalding Tarn
1 Strip Mine
2 Tundra
4 Volcanic Island
2 Teferi, Hero of Dominaria

2 Mental Misstep
1 Pyroblast
2 By Force
2 Containment Priest
1 Mountain
3 Shattering Spree
1 Moat
1 Balance
1 Supreme Verdict
1 Wear // Tear

Andrew's list had to take some of the unified construction rules to heart, having to run 4 Opt instead of Preordain, but the deck still is very sweet. The big takeaway here? Teferi, Hero of Dominaria. This guy is showing up in force in Vintage, and it shows.

Reid Duke's Bargain Storm | Team Vintage Super League

1 Dark Petition
1 Demonic Tutor
4 Duress
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Ponder
3 Preordain
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Time Walk
1 Timetwister
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Yawgmoth's Will
1 Windfall
1 Chain of Vapor
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
3 Cabal Ritual
4 Dark Ritual
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Black Lotus
1 Chrome Mox
2 Defense Grid
1 Lion's Eye Diamond
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
3 Yawgmoth's Bargain
1 Necropotence
1 Badlands
4 Polluted Delta
2 Scalding Tarn
1 Tolarian Academy
3 Underground Sea
1 Swamp
1 Bloodstained Mire

3 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Swamp
1 Empty the Warrens
1 Island
2 Pyroblast
1 Simian Spirit Guide
2 Bontu's Last Reckoning
3 Tormod's Crypt
1 Flusterstorm

Reid's list is very powerful, a classic Storm list in the truest sense. It's a deck that the Duke knows very well and his lines show it in every play.

Notable Decklists - Snapcardster

Snapcardster also stuck to their guns, bringing decks that all of their players play in real life for the most part, including the famous Esper Outcome from Michael Bonde.

Michael Bonde's Esper Outcome | Team Vintage Super League

1 Blightsteel Colossus
1 Monastery Mentor
1 Treasure Cruise
1 Time Walk
1 Merchant Scroll
2 Night's Whisper
1 Gitaxian Probe
1 Ponder
4 Sleight of Hand
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Tinker
4 Force of Will
1 Dig Through Time
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Brainstorm
4 Paradoxical Outcome
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Hurkyl's Recall
1 Repeal
2 Voltaic Key
1 Mox Pearl
2 Sensei's Divining Top
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Black Lotus
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mana Crypt
1 Sol Ring
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Emerald
1 Time Vault
3 Mox Opal
1 Tolarian Academy
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Tundra
1 Island
2 Polluted Delta
1 Scalding Tarn
1 Misty Rainforest
3 Underground Sea
2 Flooded Strand

2 Island
3 Hurkyl's Recall
2 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
2 Grafdigger's Cage
4 Tormod's Crypt
2 Flusterstorm

If anything, Snapcardster came prepared to battle some form of Dredge with 6 graveyard hate pieces in their sideboard alone for the matchup. This deck is however, super powerful, especially when it can land the dreaded Time Vault/Voltaic Key combo.

Thomas Enevoldsen's 5C Humans | Team Vintage Super League

4 Dark Confidant
4 Kitesail Freebooter
2 Kambal, Consul of Allocation
4 Noble Hierarch
4 Phyrexian Revoker
3 Scab-Clan Berserker
4 Meddling Mage
4 Thalia, Guardian of Thraben
1 Thalia, Heretic Cathar
4 Mental Misstep
1 Black Lotus
1 Chalice of the Void
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Thorn of Amethyst
1 Null Rod
4 Cavern of Souls
4 Mana Confluence
1 Strip Mine
4 Unclaimed Territory
4 Wasteland

4 Containment Priest
3 Grafdigger's Cage
3 Kataki, War's Wage
3 Vithian Renegades
2 Mindbreak Trap

If this looks like a Modern deck on steroids to you, well, it probably is. However, Humans is a fairly viable strategy in Vintage, given that the deck can land Turn 1 hate such as Meddling Mage, Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, and even Null Rod to shut its opponent out, all while doing so on the back of Cavern of Souls to make its creatures uncounterable.

Wrapping Up

Well, the dream had to end somewhere, and it did this week for Team Cardsphere. However, making it to the Semifinals is very real, so congrats to Randy, Reid, and Eric for taking us along on this ride up until now.

That being said, congratulations are in order for Team Snapcardster in moving up into the Team Vintage Super League Finals!

Join us again next week as we delve into the other half of the Semifinals: THE ACADEMY vs TEAM CHANNEL FIREBALL!

Until next time, may all your Magic be ETERNAL!