ZNR 61 Match 3

Game 1
MVP: Expedition Skulker 

• Opening Hand/Turn 1. Roost, 3 swamps to let me cast the Skulker/Skydancer. Reasonable start though I will need double blue. 
• Turn 2. Skulker - reasonable start.
• OP Turn 2. Brushfire - that maybe trouble if let unchecked.
• Turn 3. Field Research, let's get some ammunition. Shadow Stinger not a bad card against Brushfire, nice to get another Island as well. 
• Turn 4. Skitter-sneak good defense against brushfire Elemental. 
• OP Turn 4. I debated not blocking, then they said oops. Obviously could have been a bluff, where they have a combat trick and all that open mana. I took the chance to block and wow, that worked. OP might be tilting. 
• Turn 5. Chose to cast the Predation because I have no other kicker cards in hand. Happy to get rid of Shepherd of Heroes. Attack knowing I can Duelist to save the Skulker. Oh nice that I milled a Roil Eruption. 
• Turn 6. Nice to know what's exactly in their hand. Roost time! Can do roost after attack. 
• OP Turn 6. I guess they drew another land and knew the pain that was coming and conceded. 

Pretty good play - the Brushfire, could it have survived/made a difference? Who knows. 

Sideboard
Make the same changes I made last game:
Bubble Snare->Mana Drain
Roilmage -> Skulker

Game 2
MVP: Soaring Thought-Thief

• Opening Hand/Turn 1. 4 lands and 3 cards with CMC 3 or more. I'm worried about Brushfire Elemental coming out hard, but I can't really mulligan this. I'll just have to get to turn 3 quickly without too much damage. 
• Turn 2. No need to play Predation with all that land. Almost played a Swamp instead of Island fo Duelist. Using Duelist more than -2 damage but also trying to kill a creature. Grotag Bug-Catcher could be trouble
• Turn 3. Or two Grotag. I see some Skulker/Duelist surprises coming up for OP. 
• OP Turn 4. Was worried about combat tricks, but what are you going to do. Duelist and then Skulker to kill one. Interesting that it went straight to my turn after combat. They can't cast those 3 cards in hand. 
• Turn 4. Can only cast one of these. Predation to see 3 BLACK cards?!?!?! Huh! Still not doing a lot of damage to OP but hmm.
• OP Turn 5. Electromancer doesn't help when you get black cards in hand.
• Turn 5. Still can only cast 1 of the cards in my hand. Put out Stinger to block and tap Duelist to get Deathtouch. 
• Turn 6. Wait am I going to cast before combat. I do - NO! Skulker attacks by itself. 
• OP Turn 7. Shepherd of Heroes could be trouble. Skydancer at end of their turn.
• Turn 7. Oh look at that Soaring Thought-Thief and they are at exactly 6 cards in graveyard, a good time to cast it. Skulker attack will kill something on their side and get to 8. Geysermage next turn reduces cost for Stalker. We're good to go. 
• OP Turn 8 . Attended Healer scary.... but wait they resign. I think they screwed up their mana with the black cards. 

Wow 3-0 matches, 6-0 games. Roost is so powerful.

ZNR 61 - Match 2 (bo3)

Game 1 
MVP: Soaring Thought-Thief

• Opening Hand/Turn 1: Choice to Draw or Play First - I guess this is a best of 3 thing. Okay. I choose to go first. Roost and Thought-Thief to start, life is good. Only one blue mana in an MDFC, guess I'm going to play that first, so I can cast Thought-Thief turn 2.
• Turn 2. Swamp. Mistake, cast Thought-Thief right away. I forgot it's flash (haven't played a lot with it). Should have waited until end of their turn - this gives them a target, especially a Roil Eruption with GR open. 
• Turn 3. Need to put out an MDFC as land. Definitely not casting Roost, waiting for kicker (forgetting it's 2 blue) - can cast Stringer or Stalker next turn.
• Turn 4. Stringer for 1/4 and if I bubble snare, I can get through for 3 mill.
• Turn 5. I can cast Root, right? Damn it. Need two blue. Oops :D Bubble snare kicked needs two Blue as well. Fine make me cast the Stalker. 
• Turn 6. Nope, not a blue mana. Could have attacked with Stalker but would have used all my mana. Saved the bubble snare for kicker.
• Turn 7. There's the Island I need. Let's attack with the Thought-Thief first now that we get the +1/0 for Rogues. Then Roost it up. Moraug is something to worry about.
• OP Turn 7. Why did they play the land before combat. Oh uh, CInderclasm. Glad I was able to use the Skulker to death touch the Stinger for a possible attack from Moraug. Smart Cinderclasm by them. Though waiting for more Drakes might have been smart. Fine taking 4 from Teeterpeak. Could have killed it with Stalker. 
• Turn 8. Bubble snare the Moraug actually allows Stinger to get in and mill 3 extra. Get them down to 9 cards. 
• OP Turn 8. Did not realize that Land fall allows Moraug to untap at beginning of combat. OP should have done so much more damage this turn. Fine taking 4 damage. OP could have attacked twice and would they have won?
• Turn 9. Okay - this is actually when I realized that Moraug was untapped. If i had drawn an island, I could have lullmage's domination the mountain (funny to say). instead i think I missed it here. I could have stalker buffed for 4 damage and attacked with both fliers. Instead I get lucky on how bad OP is. Mind drain doesn't really help as much, though get OP down one. 
• OP Turn 9. Wow, I needed the flash Thief. 
• Turn 10. Whew. 

Pretty sure I should have lost this game if OP knew how to play Moraug optimally. Debated what changes to make. removed the Stalker and put the Roilmage in. Added the Bubble Snare for the Mind Drain. Trying to figure out if I could fit anti cognition in to fight Moraug. Just ran out of time and thought I could do it for Game 3 if necessary

Game 2
MVP: Roost of Drakes

• Opening Hand/Turn 1. Island + 2 MDFC (including Blue). Stringer is first card to be played turn 3. Okay, let's go. I'll keep the Roost in hand any day. 
• OP Turn 1. Um, okay Wayward Guide-Beast will only hurt your ramp. I'll take some 2 damage. 
• Turn 1. Play the Blue MDFC. 
• OP Turn 2. I guess you want to keep 2 mana open instead of attacking for 2?
• Turn 2. Need to play Predition because I have no black mana. When I pass, I notice OP basically wasted their mana. Guess they wanted to get to 3 lands.
• OP Turn 3. Tuktuk! Not a bad play/sideboard against Roost. Fine with taking 2 damage and not letting them build up a mana base.
• Turn 3. Debating Stinger vs Predation. In the end, I'll play the Skydancer on their turn. 
• OP Turn 4. More reach - smart. I'll take the 2 from the Guide-Beast
• Turn 4. Roost time! No need to attack with the Rubblefort reach. Want to get to 2 more mana to let me Lullmage's Domination one of OP's 3-CMC creatures. 
• OP Turn 5. Attacking with the Snarecaster when they are tapped out, I know they can't do a trick. Happy to take 2 to make them lose a land. 
• Turn 5. Gloomhunter is good to get life to offset this Guide-Beast. in Hindsight, I think I should have put the Predation down as land and kept the Island for land 6 for gloomhunter next turn. But I knew they had been holding cards back because of needing to discard lands, so time to get rid of a card. So what I did was right. Yeah Ashaya has to go!
• Turn 6. Lots of options. Kicked bubble snare to get the extra 2/2
• Turn 7. Domination the Rubblefort allows me to attack with my two Drakes and then next turn, let the fun begin with a kicked Gloomhunter. OP just doesn't have enough land. 
• Turn 8. Oh fun fun. That was fun.
• OP Turn 9. I guess they could have stolen the Gloomhunter and attacked and gotten 3 life. 
• Turn 9. Field Research to get some cards and then attack FTW.

Game 1 (Win vs UB Party on Draw)
MVP: Umara Wizard

• Opening Hand/Turn 1. At first I saw only one swamp and got worried. then I saw 3 MDFCs, though only one blue. I see Packbeast as Turn 2 and then Cunning Geysermage for Turn 3. So playing one MDFC on Turn 1 seems right. I'm also on the draw. Nice to draw the Island - allows me to play the Black MDFC then.
• Turn 2. Island. Packbeast, pretty straight forward. 
• OP Turn 3. Didn't block with Packbeast because worried about Duelist. 
• Turn 3. Swamp and then I could play Mana Drain, Geysermage or Field Research. Decide on Field Research to get more cards. But they have the open mana and the counter. I think that might be the worse of the 3. 
• Turn 4. Again open mana for OP. Play the swamp or should I play the MDFC - as land or spell? Okay. Small Mistake - should have played swamp and then the Predation to leave 1 mana open for Disruption. OP plays Deadly Alliance. If I had Mana Drained, they would have had kept Deadly Alliance anyways. Not a bad outcome. Blood Beckoning asking me to go get the Packbeast, no thanks.
• Turn 5. Want to get rid of Feed the Swarm or the 3rd card unknown. One has to go. 2 damage isn't bad.
• OP Turn 6. Field Research reloads their hand but only one open mana. 
• Turn 6. bring out the big Wizard, knowing that Blood Beckoning or Geysermage will make it fly.
• Turn 7. Draw the Island. Wondering if I should protect again Mind Drain. Realize that I am going to cast the Geysermage anyways. Bounce the Stalker to make OP cast again and delay one turn.
• Turn 8. Nice to get the Gloomhunter - flier, can be kicked, lifelink but doesn't trigger the flying. Happy to trade Geysermage for either. OP's Roilmage helps the Stalker. Surprised block with Stalker until they cast their trick. I had the Blood Beckoning as back up. 
• OP Turn 9. Oh darn, Into the Roil. I know the Wizard can block either of their creatures. Surprised OP didn't bluff. Not sure I would have blocked either. 
• Turn 9. Disruption is interesting if OP taps all out. Gloomhunter does prevent me from being able to cast Disruption, so just bring it out. 
• OP Turn 10. Yet another Into the Roil. Again they tap all their mana and I could have prevented the Packbeast, not sure I would have. But it does help their Stalker.
• Turn 10. Oooh. Zof Consumption for a win condition, or at least give me life. Let's bring out the Gloomhunter once again. Could have played the Disruption out as land, probably should have. 
• OP Turn 11. Find with using mana on the Stalker. Did leave open 3 mana, which funny enough gets used for Coralhelm Chronicler, which I could have blocked with Disruption if I had mana. OP did not find a kicker card, interesting.
• Turn 11. Skydancer draw is nice surprise. Chose to bring back the Geysermage kicked (which will let the Wizard fly) - just one creature with Blood Beckoning. Good play by me here. The Blood Beckoning by itself made the Wizard fly. I'm getting OP close to 4 life. Can cast Geysermage post combat. Made the Stalker go away because of it's unblockable ability. Pretty happy with my play on this turn.
• OP Turn 12. Nullpriest - wowzers, but luckily on ground. Sadly they brought back Gloomhunter and bubble snared my lifelink Gloomhunter. What a reversal but they are low on health and close to Zof range. I can take some hits too. But i'll take out one of their creatures. Coralhelm gives OP extra card draw on kicker - need to get rid of it. 
• Turn 13. Do the math, Bubble snare the Gloomhunter and I can still cast the Skydancer on their turn. Don't want them to get any more life. Attack with the Wizard so they block with Nullpriest or get into lethal range. Keep Skydancer to block, even with lifelink Nullpriest.
• OP Turn 14. If I don't block, I would be down to 2 life. I think in hindsight, should I have blocked - maybe given myself two options next turn to beat OP. 4 is still dead to Zof.
• Turn 14. Oh Roost. Best of 3, so let's not play it. Let's just Zof and hope last card isn't a counter. Notice that the extra Jwari Disruption land on board would have been useful. Whew. I guess Zof makes Wizard be able to attack as well without blockers.

Sideboarding. 
Felt like Mana Drain not as useful as a Bubble Snare. Mana Drain is a sorcery though to trigger Umara Wizard but bubble Snare is a kicker. OP never saw Lullmage's Domination, Roost, or Soaring Though-Thief

Game 2 (Win vs UB Party on Draw)
MVP: Soaring Thought-Thief/Umara Mystic

• Opening Hand/Turn 1. Again one land, 3 MDFC but this time more diversity of colors. Duelist is clear early play. Field Research would be nice. This might a bit tough to start. Again, start with Predation as land (especially since I draw another). 
• Turn 2. Can cast Duelist on OP turn to kill Roilmage or Jwari Disruption. 
• OP Turn 3. Chose not to block with Duelist and left it open for Disruption. Happy to disrupt their Stalker.
• Turn 3. Oh joy. Domination. Field Research when they are tapped out. Good fuel to make sure I can eventually cast the domination. 
• OP Turn 4. Missed a land drop, even after they cast Field Research.
• Turn 4. Skulker and then leave Duelist for OP's turn. 
• OP Turn 5. Duelist time. Another Stalker, glad we got rid of Wizard
• Turn 5. Wizard time as they are tapped out. Attack with Skulker with DT. Happily take that trade with this board.
• OP Turn 6. They draw a land and Mind Drain. We know we're keeping Domination. Then it's a question of Bubble Snare vs Blood Beckoning. I forgot which I chose, and I would have gone the other way. Bubble snare if I need to stop them. Blood beckoning if I value my creatures. I do have another bubble snare that I switched the Mind Drain for. 
• Turn 6. Not playing around another Mind Drain. Just hit.
• OP Turn 7. Uh oh the Gloomhunter is back and OP bubble snares my Wizard. I have domination in hand.
• Turn 7. Let's draw some cards. Happily trade the Duelist for the Gloomhunter. 
• OP Turn 8. They got a land. 
• Turn 8. They have all their mana open. 1 blue bubble snare. Not sure why I cast again before attacking. As I expected, they used all their mana on their turn with Deadly Alliance. Should I have played Skulker - worried about another Mana Drain? They are basically stopped, no worries about needing creatures. Probably best to keep Skulker. 
• OP Turn 9. 5 mana and they don't do anything. 
• Turn 9. Not afraid of Mana Drain, I guess they could have drawn. Blood Beckoning is probably most efficient use of my mana here. Flier and Stalker. And there's the counter. Might as well bring out Skulker if I don't have mana drain protection. 
• OP Turn 10. Into the Roil - don't like my creatures but also draw a card and get a land. And then Feed the Swarm to clear my bubble snare. 
• Turn 10. I can steal the Gloomhunter and bring out the Windrobber and just ping them. Not sure why I keep the Windrobber besides trying to be tricky. Should have brought it out.
• OP Turn 11. Geysermage - clever to bounce the Gloomhunter. 
• Turn 11. My own Geysermage. Would have been nice to have that Windrobber out. Let's get my Wizard back. Happy to trade on attack. Again, I don't bring out the Windrobber. Hmm.
• OP Turn 12. Kicked Gloomhunter not good.
• Turn 12. OOH Roilmage to get back the domination. The Wizard can wait. Attack first! Happy to get his party down. Bring out the party. I guess the Roilmage can wait. Get the board out. 
• OP Turn 13. Don't need to waste the Windrobber. though I could have blocked and sacrificed to prevent OP from getting 3 life. What are they getting back.. They're tapped out. Deadly Alliance - not as worried about that. 
• Turn 13. Oh hello Soaring Thought-Thief with 3 Rogues on the board. Realize I can cast Soaring Thought-Thief and the kicked Roilmage. Boom. OP need to block. This also removes a party member for their Deadly Alliance. Mistake - should have cast Roilmage after combat.
• Turn 14. Take the Stinger and swing with all. In hindsight, should have probably swung with less than all. And kept Windrobber back to block. 

Here's the Draft Log for ZNR Draft #61:
Since they don't currently save P1P1, here it is:

So if you didn't notice, I switched to Traditional. I didn't realize that Traditional does not use the ranking system. So I thought I would try it. I was worried because you need to play best of 3 games, which requires side boarding. I haven't done much side boarding in my career (guess time to learn). And it takes the time necessary to play up to 3 games (could be more than an hour). 

I also played one bo3 before writing these notes. But here are my thoughts on the draft

• P1P1. Phylath is very powerful but playing Red/Green is tough. Landfall. Soaring Thought-Thief is pretty good for UB Rogues. I'll take the better card here. 
• P1P2. Cleric of Life's Bond can really help a WB Clerics deck. Nothing else screams out as very strong. One rogue that I can get later. 
• P1P3. Windrobber works well with the Rogue deck. Into the Roil is a very strong contender as well. Vanquish the Weak good for either Black deck. Shepherd of Heroes is important for the WB Clerics deck as well. 
• P1P4. Gloomhunter probably the best of this bunch. The Stalker is good but in a Rogues focused deck not as much and I can probably get them later. 
• P1P5. Geysermage seems like the only card that'll go in either of these decks. Don't see much Clerics/white worth while here or Black in this pack.
• P1P6. Protector for the WB deck. Silencer maybe. But Glacial Grasp can help with mill. 
• P1P7. MDFC land. Counter spell (but it's not really that strong late). Roilmage is an option as well as Squid. Getting pushed into Blue heavy here. 
• P1P8. No blue now, Mind Drain works with the mill theme.
• P1P9. Mind Drain #2 works given this pack. 
• P1P10. Blight better than Raptor. Notice the Stomper if I had chosen Phylath (last pick had a Baloth as well).
• P1P11. Rare drafting with nothing useful
• P1P12-P14. Going to sideboard
• P2P1. Sea Gate Stormcaller - not a Wizard deck. Cleric of Life's Bond - haven't seen many Clerics. End up with the only card that kind of goes in a UB Rogues deck. Should I have taken the Stormcaller to see if there are opportunities to use it? 
• P2P2. Duelist for the Rogue. Skitter-Sneak is probably available later. Nothing else worthwhile. 
• P2P3. Feed the Swarm and Blood Beckoning. I think there are other ways to get removal but Blood Beckoning seems key in this deck. Already have a Predition but even that wouldn't be worth as much as Blood Beckoning
• P2P4. Zof Consumption. Relic Amulet is tempting. Bubble Snare another good option. Packbeast always does work. 
• P2P5. Skulker for the Rogue
• P2P6. Field Research to get the cards I need. 
• P2P7. Lullmage's Domination. Yes please. Mind Carver would be good if the Domination wasn't here.
• P2P8. Stalker works to get here. 
• P2P9. Eh, Riptide works .
• P2P10. Yep, and there' the Skitter-Sneak wheel. Roilmage wow. Bug-Catcher wheeled!!! Roilmage should have been more considered here given that I have Domination.
• P2P11. Predation wheeled. I'll take that
• P2P12. oh wow Bubble Snare wheeled, as did the Relic Amulet. Nobody wants Wizards/Spells!
• P2P13. Not horrible to get a Living Tempest in case I need it
• P2P14. Anticognition not bad for a mill deck. Reasonable value at the end of Pack 2.
• P3P1. Stinger. Maybe I should have taken a 2nd Blood Beckoning - though I hope it wheels. Field Research/Roilmage - good stuff to hope to wheel. I notice the first Kor Celebrant later.
• P3P2. Wow look at those Wizards and ROIL ERUPTION. Don't need a 3rd Mind Drain. Take the utility Packbeast.
• P3P3. Happily take the Skydancer
• P3P4. Second Skulker. Already have one Jwari Disruption. Stalker/Field Research. good options, but Skulker helps with Rogues.
• P3P5. Did debate taking the Silundi Vision but ended up with the Bubble Snare
• P3P6. Um YES 2nd Lullmage's Domination. That's good.
• P3P7. Umara Wizard, not terribly perfect but still an MDFC that can be a 4/3 sometimes flying Wizard. Good early or late. 
• P3P8. JAW DROP. Um. ROOST OF DRAKES?!??!?! Please. I have blue and I have some kicker. 
• P3P9. Roilmage wheels, Field Research does not. Nor does Blood Beckoning. Happily take Roilmage for Lullmage's Domination, Kicker.
• P3P10. Keep feeding the Roilmage. Wizards - no love
• P3P11. Electromancer for side board
• P3P12. Very happily taking 2nd Field Research on wheel at near end of Pack 3. 
• P3P13. Tempest, why not.
• P3P14. Cascade Seer - nobody loves Wizards/Blue Party

OMG for the value at end of packs/wheels. Roost of Drakes at Pack 3 Pick 8 - EVERYBODY passed on it. Let's see how this plays in bo3

ZNR 60 - Game 1 (Win vs UG Kicker on Play)
MVP: Expedition Skulker

• Opening Hand/Turn 1. 4 lands, though only one swamp and 3 black cards. 2 Expedition Skulkers + Blood Beckoning. Not perfect but we can do things early
• Turn 2. Skulker. Oooh Nullpriest draw. 
• Turn 3. If we have a choice, we should bring out Skulker to help with DT and who knows if we'll need the Nullpriest for graveyard retrieval. Though an argument could be made to get Nullpriest down to get lifelink and OP probably doesn't have more than one creature coming down. And I have Blood Beckoning in hand. At a minimum if I was playing Skulker I should have played pre-combat tp get DT just in case.  
• Turn 4. Not sure why I cast Nullpriest pre-combat. I need to really stop this from happening. It doesn't do anything pre-combat. Happy to trade one of the Skulkers for Brute, given that I have an Expert in my hand. And I can always Blood Beckoning it back. 
• Turn 5. I do want to bring out the creatures pre-combat now to get the DT bonus from the Rogue, but I want to bring out Bug-Catcher first to get as much of the Expert looking at their hand as possible. Get rid of the potential kicker big creature. 
• Turn 6. OP is stalled on land, push pedal to metal with the Blood Beckoning in hand. Nice to bring those creatures back in hand. 
• OP Turn 6. If I were OP and didn't have land, I would have cast the Reclaim the Waste. They are just stuck on land and at most I have two damage coming next turn without a trick. I would have kickered the Reclaim the Waste. 
• Turn 7. They're just currently screwed on not getting mana. I think Mana Drain is a perfect time to remove options if they start drawing lands. Also losing 1 life is important at this stage. They kept the Diviner but discarded Alliance. During game time, I was like wait what? Then I realize they don't have black mana. Now I'm perplexed by the turn before to attack for 4 and not go fetch 2 basic lands. Don't need to attack. 
• Turn 8. I can unload my entire hand but I'll start with Expert so I can get DT on Skulker. Kept Bug-Catcher back because Sneaking Guide is coming. Yum. 

I think OP didn't make the best plays and gave me opportunity to just keep pushing. 

ZNR 60 - Game 2 (Win vs UG Kicker on Draw)
MVP: My Deck not drawing lands/swamps

• Opening Hand/Turn 1. 2 Mountains but I have Bug-Catcher and Roil Eruption and at least one mana for the Molten Blast. Just need to draw a swamp in the first 4 turns and I draw first. Should be okay
• Turn 2. Bug-Catcher, let's go. 
• Turn 3. Coralhelm Chronicler needs to be removed. Nice to get the mountain to cast the Molten Blast. Save the Roil Eruption for a bigger creature/kicker/face
• Turn 4. Vine Gecko, target for the Roil Eruption and I can bring out the Sneaking Guide as well. Just need a swamp to get going. My creatures don't scare him enough to bubble snare. 
• Turn 5. Might as well attack and hope to get a swamp to help stabilize.
• Turn 6. Canopy Baloth is a threat from OP. Rockslide Sorcerer would be so useful if we could let the Skulker on the board, as it would be able to block the Baloth. Though it would probably get snared. 
• OP Turn 6. Get rid of my board to stay alive. I guess I could have kept the rogue so if i drew a swamp, i could bring out the Skulker to block (or get bubble snared). 
• Turn 7. Does not look good for the home team because I really needed to draw a Blood-Priest

7 cards in hand that I cannot get on turn 7. Sigh. Drew one land over 7 turns and not one was a swamp. Just one of those games. 

• ZNR Game 3 (Win vs WB Clerics on Draw)
• MVP: Malakir Blood-Priest
• Opening Hand/Turn 1. 3 lands, Mountain and Swamp. Expedition Skulker. Feed The Swarm/Cinderclasm for backup. Good but not great opening. Teeterpeak Ambusher - not a bad draw
• Turn 2. Swamp is good. Let's start the board.
• OP Turn 3. Where are the cards for OP, for white/black? 
• Turn 3. Ambusher will let Blood-Priest get 3 damage in. The pause when attacking I find out later is for the Practiced Tactics which isn't useful if there are no creatures on board. 
• Turn 4. I think we keep up the pressure and remove a 3/3 on board. I can at least double spell this turn. 
• Turn 5. I think it's time to see what's in their hand. I only great one choice really. Interesting they chose to cast the Subtle Strike and not the Vanquish the Weak that I am going to remove from their hand. Play the 2nd Predation as land so I can cast the Spellcraft next turn. 
• Turn 6. Let's take out the bigger Blight-Priest. I did not attack due to the Practiced Tactics. 
• OP Turn 6. Thanks for the card but that's another body on the board for OP.
• Turn 7. Okay, can't play both Rockslide Sorcerer and Bug-Catcher. So let's get the Sorcerer on board. OP got me in a defensive mode.
• OP Turn 8. Glad he just did 2 more damage to themselves. I know I can do 4 with the Blood-Priest in hand and I can get a pretty wide board. 
• Turn 9. Expedition Champion is a good card for me at this stage. 
• OP Turn 10. Skitter sneak, darn, it's a 4 toughness creature. 
• Turn 10. Oh nice top deck of the blood beckoning to be able to bring back the first Blood-Priest for lethal. Oh yeah sorcerer can help here with the ping as well. 

Nice play by me I think - I don't see anywhere I would have played differently besides not putting the Ambusher down before combat. But otherwise, good removal and blood beckoning to get the full party priest back. 

ZNR 60 - Game 4 (Loss vs WB Party on Play)
MVP: OP's Orah, Skyclave Hierophant

• Opening Hand/Turn 1. Not happy to be on the play with a 2 mountain, 4 black cards, and a 4 cmc red card. If those two mountains were swamps, This would be a very good starting hand. If I was on draw, I think I might keep this hand and pray. Mulligan -> 2+2 on lands and not great cards. This will have to do. 
• Turn 2. Molten Blast draw is eh, don't love it, but if I have to deal with a creature on the other side.
• Turn 3. Okay. Cleric of Life's Bond needs to be dealt with, and since I can't cast anything besides Molten Blast. Molten Blast it'll have to be.
• Turn 4. Okay, sorcerer or Scorch Rider. With all that untapped mana, I wonder if OP has some removal. Vanquish could definitely be in the range. I don't cast Sorcerer to protect it. Rider can start smashing for 4 as well. 
• Turn 5. Uh oh, 3/3 lifelink with ability. This is a threat I need to get rid of. I can possibly Rage here or even trade 1-1. Okay Sorcerer time. In hindsight, I should hold back so I can block Orah. Lifelink gives a 6 point swing, while Scorch is only 4. 
• Turn 6. Why do I keep attacking when I had such a non optimal start. Bug Catcher to build the board.
• OP Turn 6. Rage for the combat trick. It actually worked. But of course their Life's Bond comes back. And there comes the Shepherd of Heroes. Look at all that life gain. 
• Turn 7. Which do I feed the swarm. Attack first. Happy to trade off flying Shepherd of Heroes for Scorch Rider. Clear their board and feel good, though OP has 4 cards in hand. Put Scorch Rider back in my hand. 
• Turn 8.. Probably should have brought out Rider instead of Expert for bigger creatures and mana efficiency with 4 cards in their hand. They'll get to keep 2. I debated which to discard. I think the Emeria's Captain (flying 2/2 at least) is the right card to throw away for my party deck. Not sure how I feel about this attack by me. I think I need to develop my board at this stage, given it's turn 8. 
• OP Turn 8. Blood beckoning kicked for OP - this does not look good here. 
• Turn 9. Too aggressive given state of things, so I think should have held back. 
• Turn 10. Land. No help. And Lifelink 3/3 back on table. Sigh.
• Turn 11. Just too far behind after they bring out Shepherd of Heroes and I draw a Sneaking Guide. This deck needs to go fast. 
• Turn 12. Just not good. 

Should I have kept the initial hand and prayed for a swamp? Should I have mulliganed again. I think the right thing would have been to mulligan again. I need 2 drop creatures to make this deck work. 

ZNR 60 Game 5 (Loss vs BG Counters on Draw)
MVP: Nissa Zendikon

• Opening Hand/Turn 1: Good starting curve with Sneaking Guide, Grotag Bug-Catcher, Expedition Champion. Swamp would be nice. Would have played the Predation as land first if it wasn't for Sneaking Guide. 
• Turn 2. Grotag Bug-Catcher. Not much I can do about Gloomhunter. 
• Turn 3. Expedition Champion and keep Sneaking Guide there for Rogue
• Turn 4. Wish I had a swamp to have played on Turn 3. Would have cast the Predation here. This is a no-op turn sadly. Not sure why I made Grotag bug-catcher unblockable. Wonder if I would have rather lost the Bug-Catcher instead of Expedition Champion.
• Turn 5. Feeling good about Acquisition Expert and Roil Eruption. I think Hornbeetle is a bigger threat given its a counters deck. Zendikon seems more manageable. 
• Turn 6. Wish we drew more than just lands here. Decide to keep Expert back to chump block. 
• Turn 7. Teeterpeak in hindsight not a bad card, as it can buff to 5/3 - block either of their creatures. Should have made bug-catcher unblockable and attacked. Missed an attack. Teeterpeak can take the Survivor. 
• OP Turn 8. Can't block here with Teeterpeak, but can next turn. 
• Turn 8. I missed that Teeterpeak can buff to block Zendikon. Just noticed Bala-Ged Recovery is nice card to get back when creature dies. Not great trade but reasonable. 
• OP Turn 9. Should have blocked with Teeterpeak pumped. Just missed it. 
• Turn 10. Oh it wouldn't have made a difference with the top deck OP got. 

With this deck, there was some things I learned about curve, mulligan, and really understanding your cards.