More Magic

I have done a lot of card playing lately. I was playing Magic with a few friends in Warwick on Friday afternoon, then went over to the Mana Core for FNM (Friday Night Magic). There were only 6 people so we ended up drafting and played 3 rounds. I went 2-1 and won 2 packs and foil promo. Not bad. I played ONE round of Standard (Type 2) for fun. I was considering going to a tournament tomorrow at Die Hard Games that was a Grand Prix Trial. The format was Standard, there were cool prizes, and the winner got 3 byes to the (real) Grand Prix in Pittsburgh, at the end of the month. Besides more prizes, which include $3,500 to the top spot, down to $200 for 64th, you can earn an invitation to the Magic Pro Tour. At which point you are playing magic for up to $40,000!!

But of course you have to win first...

I woke up late Saturday and was not even sure if I really wanted to go to the Trial. I had only played one match with my deck. I had never played a sanctioned Standard Event before. And it would be just me, no wife, no friends going. But I decided to give it a shot anyways. I ended up going 3-1-1 and was in 6th place after the 5 regular rounds, making the cut to top 8. I beat my first opponent but lost the next round, ending up in 4th place, and winning $40 in store credit. I didn't win the byes to the Grand Prix but I felt really good that I made it so far after I just started playing again. Joy had brought me BK for dinner, which was cold after all my matches, but I ate it anyways. It was really great to have her come bring me food. When you are playing Magic all day you get hyped up on adrenaline and either don't have time to eat, or don't feel like eating. But when you are done it all catches up to you.

We used up our store credit and headed home. Except we didn't go home because Joy's car wouldn't start. Great...but that is why we both carry jumper cables. I do some fancy maneuvering with our cars, including pushing hers, and hook up the cables. It gets some juice but still won't crank. We wait 5 minutes and try again. Nothing. The lights won't even turn on. We leave the cables on for 10 minutes and try. Still nothing. I wonder if I didn't get a good ground and try switching all around, but still nothing. Maybe the Orange Crush is not good at jumping cars? I know Joy's car has a new battery though so we call roadside assistance. The guy immediately notices that the negative terminal connector is loose. He tightens it with a screw and the car starts right up.Starts right up! I should have checked that. Yes I should have. Now I know!

Now it is Sunday. There is a Magic Gameday scheduled for 1 at the same place I played yesterday. It is supposed to be more casual, there are promo cards involved, and the winner gets a box (36 packs). I am iffy on going as I wake up late again. I had great success yesterday, but I kind of want to stay home. But if it is more casual then there may not be as many people that show up and I may have a better shot at winning. Hmmmmm. It gets later and Joy encourages me to go. So I do. I get there at 1, when they are supposed to start, but they have not started yet. It is the same format as last night and I get a foil promo just for signing up. There are 16 people playing, including a few from last night. Maybe I have a chance. And I do. I go 2-1-1 and am once again in 6th place after the swiss portion. They cut to a top 8 and we all end up splitting the prize and getting 7 packs each as well as a different foil promo. Victory is mine! Two Top 8 finishes in two days, in a format I just started playing for the first time. And coming out of retirement! I was really excited driving home, proud of actually winning some prizes. Next up is winning it all!

But first things first. Tomorrow we are leaving on our motorcycle trip. I have had enough Magic for a while. To the open road!