Game Analysis - ZNR #61 Traditional - Match 1

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.