Game Analysis - ZNR #61 Traditional - Match 2

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.