Hello all!
My name is Joe, I recently made Top 8 Las Vegas 2026 Magic Con Pauper Cup. I’d like to share my tournament report.
There are no other events that offers such a variety of events none other than Magic Con. I instantly signed up for all the Pauper Events that was available. My deck of choice was Grixis Affinity, it was a deck that I was most comfortable playing with. The recent addition of Utrom Monitor I felt affinity was able to improve it’s matchups vs decks running sneaky snacker. An early sneaky snacker can result in a lot of damage really fast. Also Utrom Monitor provided more threats in the battlefield and gave a fighting chance against WW flyers.
The event had over 160+ players. It was going to be 7 rounds of Swiss into Top 8.
After 7 rounds of Swiss I was seeded #1 with a 6-0-1 record.
Round 1- Mono Red/ Goblin ( Match 2-1, Record 1-0)
My opponent started with an early Goblin Blast Runner and Molten Gatekeeper. I wasn’t familiar with what he was playing only knowing that I was up against an aggro red deck. I quickly was able to find out that he was playing an aggro plan and with creatures entering play dealing damage to me with combination of Molten Gatekeeper and Ralpael, Tough Turtle. It was a great game plan. Game 1 I was able to hold off his attacks with a Myr Enforcer in play. I continue to deploy another Myr Enforcer into the battlefield, with a comfortable life total over 10+ and multiple blockers in play. Catching me off guard, my opponent was able to finish me off with a surprise Goblin Grenade and Reckless Abandon. I did have a Reckoner’s Bargain in my hand but only had 1 land untap. I didn’t expect the Goblin Grenade and Reckless Abandon play. Knowing the fact that I can be dealt instantly 4-5 damage I played conservative holding back Reckoner’s Bargain to counter such burst damage suddenly. Game 2 and 3 I play very defensively and was able to over run him with bigger threats and clearing the board with krark Clan Shaman.
Sideboard
-2 Sewer- velliance Cam
-3 Nihil Spellbomb
-1 Utom Monitor
-1 Blood Fountain
+4 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 HydroBlast
+1 Unexpected Fangs
+1 Breath Weapon
Round 2- Mono Red/ Pinger ( Match 2-0, Record 2-0)
Game 1-My opponent was on the play and started with a turn 2 Kessig Flamebreather. I was preparing to face Monor R Madness, one of the top Meta decks in the format. Since he was tapped out I took the opportunity to cast Refurbished Familiar without getting hit with Fiery Temper. He did discard Lava Dart. As the game progress my opponent played Thermo-Alchemist. With this in play I know I was no longer playing Mono R Madness but playing against Pinger red. I know I had to deal with the Thermo ASAP because it can get ugly really fast. I was able to drew Gavanic Blast and destroy it. My opponent cast multiple Reckless Impulse throughout the game was didn’t find any threat to his game plan. I was able to win Game 1 clearing the battlefield with Utrom Monitor and Myr Enforcer in play. Game 2 my opponent came out aggressive with Kessig Flamebreahter and a surpise play of Guttersnipe. I quickly galvanic blast the Guttersnipe. The next turn my opponent play 2 Manamorphose fetching additional cards and dealing damage to me along with the kessig in play. I was at the turn where I calculated that I would be at exactly at 1 life and but he would have to sacrifice all his resource to get me down to 0. I had a Nahil Spellbomb in play and Reckoner’s Bargain knowing that if this was to happen I was able to gain 1 from the Spellbomb and stabilized. My opponent did exactly what I predict he would do but he didn’t expected the 1 life I would gain from Reckoner’s Bargin the spellbomb. I manage to stabilize as most of his resource was gone from sacrificing his lands to lava dart and fireblast.
Sideboard
-2 Sewer- velliance Cam
-1 Makeshift Munition
-1 Blood Fountain
-2 Nihil Spellbomb
+4 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 HydroBlast
+1Unexpected Fangs
Round 3- Mono Red/ Madness (Match 2-0, Record 3-0)
We both stated the game with mulligan to 5 cards, fortunately I was on the play. He started with a mountain and Voldaren Epicure. On back of my mind I just couldn’t avoid any Red decks. Knowing that I have a decent sideboard plan vs red I felt I had a good chance. My opponent was able to play Guttersnipe but I quickly removed it with Galvani Blast. With multiple creatues in play, Refurbised familiar and Utrom Monitor was too much for my opponent to deal with. Game 2 I had Misvault Bridge and Drossforge Bridge in play by turn 2, my opponent play Cast into the Fire targeting my Drossforge Bridge which I didn’t mind because I had Thoughtcast and Utrom Monitor in hand and I desperately need a Blue Mana source otherwise this would set me back significantly. My opponent followed up with guttersnipe which I counter with Blue Elemental Blast. He also tried to cast Grab the Prize but I counter him with Envelop. I was able to cast Unexpected Fangs into my Myr Enforcer and my opponent quickly conceded.
Sideboard
-2 Sewer- velliance Cam
-1 Makeshift Ammunition
-1 Blood Fountain
-2 Nihil Spellbomb
-1 Utrom Monitor
+4 Blue Elemental Blast
+1 HydroBlast
+1Unexpected Fangs
+1 Envelop
Round 4- Mono G/Elves (Match 2-0, Record 4-0)
My opponent started with an early elves. Finally a change of color! I know this matchup is all about finding Krark Clan Shaman and clearing the board. I had Toxin Analysis with my opening hand so I just need to find the last missing piece. My opponent quickly deploy a Priest of Titania in play, this would spell trouble for me as it would grant him a lot of green mana source. I was able to answer it with a Galvanic Blast. I was able to draw Krark Clan Shaman. My opponent continue to play swarms of elves with Quirion Ranger and Wellwisher. I waited for a well time Toxin Analysis into Krark Clan Shaman clearing the board. My opponent wasn’t able to recover from this, with my flyers and Myr Enforcer I was able to take Game1. Game 2 was definitely a game to remember for both of us. The game started with the standard elves and quickly into Quirion Ranger. I did manage to open my hand with a krark clan shaman and felt at ease. I think my opponent was playing cautiously as not to play too much creatures into play due to krark Clan Shaman. I didn’t have anything in play except the krark and a galvnic blast in hand. My opponent started to trickle down my life total all the way down to as low as 5. I was waiting for the opportunity to cast Krark against multiple creatures to get the most value out of it. My game plan vs elves was not to allow them to reach to 5 manas, with that amount of mana I was fearing Avenging Hunter. I constantly kept check on his mana base because of this, I didn’t want to use krark prematurely, I was able to draw galvanic blast and slowly killing his mana producer so he couldn’t reach that threshold of 5 mana. I had Myr Enforcer and Refurbished familiar in play and he was down to 6, at this time my life total was also at 6. My opponent drew the card I fear most in this matchup, Masked Vandal, he was able to get rid of my Myr Enforcer. At this time it It was race to finish him as he was not able to block my flyer refurbished. My opponent played a Nyxborn Hydra enchanting his Masked Vandal. This spell doomed for me as there was no way to get through damage to him and I was at low life as well. He was down to 4. I only had a selective few plays left. I did had a Nahil Spellbomb in play. The only way it seem to win out of this was to draw Galvanic Blast. With the Nahil Spellbomb in play I can draw a card with it or wait til next turn maybe I can draw my other draw spells. I thought for a few second sweating here, I decided to pop the spellbomb and with some luck I drew the Galvanic Blast just in time.
Sideboard
-2 Sewer- velliance Cam
-1 Utrom Monitor
-1 Blood fountain
+1 Breath Weapon
+1 Negate
+1 Envelop
+1 Extract a Confession
Round 5- Cycle Storm (Match 2-0, Record 5-0)
My opponent started with a tapped Barren Moor. My mind was like Cycle Storm. Oh boy combo deck, a matchup I had an idea how it works but not too confident in playing against it. The few things I know about this matchup entering this tournament was to watch out for the resolution of Reaping the Graves and the deployment of Rituals into Songs of the Damned. My game plan was to put pressure into my opponent and hopefully I can catch him off guard with Galvanic blast since he will be losing life points due to cycling from Street Wraith and Rowan’s Grim Search. The other plan was to prevent him from comboing off with correct timing when to use spellbomb. Game 1 he attempt to go off with Reaping the Graves but I had a spellbomb in play and time it to remove all his cycle cards from the graveyard. Game 2 my opponent was drawing mainly lands and wasn’t able to draw his combo pieces and I took this opportunity to deploy my threats and win the game.
Sideboard
-1 Toxin Analyis
+1 Negate
Round 6- Grixis Affinity/Intentional Draw (Match 1-1, Record 5-0-1)
Entering round 6 with a 5-0 record and placed #1 in overall swiss standings I feel a draw was the right move here to have a chance making into the Top8. Me and my opponent agreed to an intentional Draw.
Round 7-Grull Ramp (Match 2-0, Record 6-0-1)
I was paired down to the #14 player. I had to win this match to secure a spot in the Top8. Here we go!!! My opponent started with a Highland forest. I was thinking Grull Ramp and this can turn really ugly if my opponent follows up with arbor elf/enchanment. I was able to slow him down with my galvanic blast into this arbor elf which he play on turn 2. Eventually my opponent was able to gather enough mana to summon Writhing Chrysalis and I was able to fend that off with Toxin Analysis into krark Clan Shaman. He was able to summon Boarding Party but it only cascade into wild growth, I was able to blast the Boarding Party and finish him off as I was able to draw multiple threats from thoughtcast and reckoner’s bargain. Game 2 he didn’t have the explosive arbor elf/enchament play but he was aggressive with early multiple Eldrazi Repurposer in play. I was able to deploy my flyers to stabilize my life totals with reckoner’s bargain. I didn’t see any red mana which he needed for chrysalis. I was able to galvanic blast one of his repurposer, stabilize my life totals, fly through with my ultrom monitor/refurbished familiars for the win.
Sideboard
-3 Nihil Spellbomb
+2 Extract a Confession
+1 Breath Weapon
Top 8
I finished the Swiss Rounds with Seeded #1 heading into the Top 8
QuarterFinals- Mono U Terror (2-0)
My opponent started early with an early Delver of Secrets but he wasn’t able to flip it. I deploy my krark Clan Shamn in hopes of destroying it before it gets flip. He play another Delver but once again failed to get flip. I took this opportunity to activate my krark to detroy both delvers and deploy Myr Enforcer immediately. Follow up with my flyers my opponent conceded. Game 2 I started my hand with a krark and a blood fountain and other 5 were lands. Not the best hand but took the chance anyway. Once again I played my krark early. The blood fountain was easily counter by annul off the bat. My opponent aggressively played mental note and thought scour to find his threats but half the time those threats end up in the graveyard. I continue to draw lands as the game progress and didn’t see any draw spells or threats. The krark shaman on play was able to deal 5 damage to him. Each time I manage to find a draw spell or an artifact my opponent was ablet to counter it. This kept going for a few turns. My opponent was finally able to find his threats by playing Cryptic Serpent follow up by Delver. With Myr Enforcer in play I quickly activate shaman sacrifice one of my artifact lands for 1 damage to ger rid of the delver, with that 1 damage also to the Serpent I kept him in check from attacking because I can trade off with my Myr Enforcer. I was able to draw a Red Elemental Blast and I was able to depose of the serpent. My opponent was able to find a Terror but his life total was low against mine. After casting refurbished familiar and utrom monitor it was a race to the finish. My threats was too much and I won the game.
Sideboard
-4 Galvanic Blast
-1 Makeshift Munitions
-1 Sewer-velliance Cam
+4 Red Elemental Blast
+2 Extract a Confession
SemiFinals- Cycle Storm (0-2)
I play the same opponent in the round of Swiss. This is the opportunity for my opponent to have his avenge against me. I continue to follow my game plan which I mention previously. Game 1 I had to mulligan once. I defy the rule of never keeping a 1 mana hand, but with a krak clan shaman and 2 Galvanic Blast with a Great Furnace was too tempting to keep. In the end I decide to keep it, after all it is Vegas and got to roll with the dice. I play turn 1 krark and didn’t see any lands for the next few turns. My opponent quickly realized my dire situation he quickly deploy a Drannith Stinger and further punished me with a dark ritual into Horror of the Broken Lands. I kept back my galvanic blast in hopes of finding my second land. I was force to use one of the blast on the stinger. It was too late by the time I drew my second land. I concede. Game 2 was a granted a dream hand with everything I can hope for in this matchup with early threats, refurbished familiar and myr enforcer along with nihil spellbomb and a galvanic blast. Everything was going to plan. I open up with the following sequences, turn 2 refurbished familiar, turn 3 I decided to play sewer-velliance cam to up my affinity cam, I followed up with a myr enforcer next, my threats was able to brought him down to 4, as a reminder I had galvanic blast in hand, but the only problem was that I had no red mana source. With the Sewer-velliance cam I quickly activate it to draw 2 cards once I had the manas available. The only card in play at this time for my opponent was Page, Loose Leaf new card that just came out from Secrets of Strixhaven. I was exposed to this card from our previous game when we played each other during the swiss rounds and I know the potential of this card that would help him to dig for necessary spells to complete his combo. On the turn where he combo off and kill me he discard another Page, Loose Leaf and activated it’s ability he was able to locate a Siege Smash. My opponent was able to combo off and win the match. I openly flip the top card that I would draw on my next turn and sure enough was a Great Furnace.
Conclusion-
It was an experience that will continue to motivate me to be a better player. It was a pleasure playing each of my opponent as we got the chance to further discuss our gameplays and learn from each other. In addition I want to congratulate everyone in the Top8 as it is not an easy task and should be proud of this achievement. Thank you all and I wish to see you all again in the next Las Vegas Magic Con Pauper Cup!!