We all were aware of the typhoon days before the trip but didn't care. And heeding to Chye's advice I decided my weapon of choice for the GP - my trusty Merfolk. This was in line with the theme of the upcoming Flood and Spreading Seas. Ironically the next set is called "Gills" of Ravnica. So Chye took it as a divine signal and I followed without question.
So there I went, full of hope, full of promise. The Merfolk came and they conquered! I ended day 1 on 18 points (6 wins 2 losses) and the Merfolk were pumped for day 2 and to win the GP!
Then Typhoon Mangosteen happened.
Undeterred, the Fishmonger (me) braved the storm on foot to the site as no taxi would take me. In certain spots I even considered swimming but I didn't want my deck box to get wet.
I arrived at the site @ 9.29am with seconds to start. Body drenching wet in water and everyone was starring at me as I made way to my table leaving behind a trail of water and mud (my apologies to the cleaners). I pulled my chair and my kind opponent looked at me and with pity he said - "you can choose to start". I said thank you and pulled open my deck box. A gush of water poured out and I swore I saw a tiny frog leaping out as well. My deck was soaked. I caught a glimpse of my opponent letting out a little chuckle. But I was on a mission and nothing was going to deter me.
My opponent was on Humans and his turn one play was a very shiny masterpiece Aether vial. I had turn 2 Lord of Atlantis and he followed by activating his Vial for a Champion of Parish and upping it up to a 3/3 with a Thalia's Lieutenant. I untapped and played a Wanderwine Hub to cast my splashed Detention Sphere. I declared the Sphere and put the (dripping wet card) trigger on the stack. I surveyed the board and pick up his foil Aether Vial. My opponents eyes rolled a bit and he let out a small gasp. I considered slipping the Vial below the wet Sphere when suddenly my opponent scooped his permanents and conceded.
That was weird. In game 2 opponent started first and slammed a foil meddling mage on turn 2 with his foil expedition horizon canopy and basic island. He named Detention Sphere. Okay...
My turn 2 play - (a still very wet) Spreading Seas targeting Horizon canopy (expedition)...... Concede! Wuht???
Then it hit me.
For the next few rounds I was targeting money with my Spreading Seas and Detention Sphere. Expeditions, Masterpieces and foil mythics were my primary targets. My Round 10 opponent on a non-foil Eldrazi Tron was not spared as well and scooped in response to my Spreading Seas targeting his Eldrazi Temple. With 5 more rounds to play, he didn't wanna risk having a "marked card" in this deck. Soon I was well known in the event hall as the "Rain Man". Don't let the Rain Man touch your cards they say. Pray you don't get paired with the Rain Man.
By Round 11 my body and my deck was somewhat dry but I brought the deck to the washroom to "rehydrate" and kept on winning. It was so easy!!!
Round 15, win and in time. I was full of confidence and my (freshly hydrated) Merfolk deck was ready. Then judge picked up our decks for a deck check. No Biggie. 15 minutes later our decks were returned. But something was amiss... My deck was dry like a desert. I asked the judge what happened and he told me that a judge used a portable hair dryer (who carries one on him??) to "help me" dry my deck. Uh oh.
15 mins later, I got my head handed to me by Jund. The now dried Detention Sphere didn't do anything except exile a foil Liliana of the Veil while my opponent calmly replaced it. Without the power of the sea my deck was helpless. Master of Waves was essentially Master of Sand, throwing sand in the face of a 5/6 Tarmogoyf in a futile effort to stay alive. The Fish men was easily overpowered.
It was over. I came in 9th but still leave Hong Kong as the WMC Captain for Malaysia. Woot!
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This is what really happened in GP Hong Kong.
I played (queue boos) Mono Green Tron. I was kind of back and forth between Tron and Hardened Scales but felt Tron would have enough tools to the 11 wins I needed.
By end of Day 1 I was 6-2, losing to Infect (turn 2 on both games) and jeskai breach. Was an okay result and looked forward to 2nd day of play.
Then Typhoon Mangkhut happened.
I woke up at 7am. My plan was to make my way to the site around 745am, roughly a 15 minute taxi ride from my hotel. The winds were blowing and it already started to rain at 715. I rang the concierge and asked them to book me a taxi. At 730 they rang and said they couldn't get one and only way was for me to go to the streets and get one. At 740am the authorities issued a Signal 9 typhoon warning and the roads were on lockdown. I looked at the empty streets from the safety of my hotel lobby. The streets were now drenching in rain and eerie sound of gale winds echoed all around me. The concierge manager reminded me of how unsafe it was outside. I needed to make a decision.
I stayed indoors.
In my 20 years of MTG gaming, I have never given up. I fought through adversity and braved all challenges. But when your own life and safety was on the line, and with loved ones waiting at home for you, it's hard to take that level of risk for a mere game. Even it's a game that has defined my life for the last 20 years.
For a few minutes I felt disappointed. Not for missing out or wasting an opportunity but disappointed at disobeying one of my life's core principles. I probably should have known what I signed up for when I decided to board the flight. Whether I made the right decision is very debatable but as I'm writing this, I didn't regret the choice I had to make.
So being confined to my hotel room, all I could do is play the supporter role. Raymond Tan started the day at 7-1 but could only add 2 more wins to his total. Jack Teo had a poor start and Chung Wye couldn't convert his last 2 matches. Malaysia's hope rest with Quinton Lip on a Jeskai list he sleeved up on Thursday.
Quinton recently favours left field decks - evident from his deck choice for the recent Nationals where he piloted Esper Gifts. This GP was no exception as he sleeved up a 75 copy of a mtgo list and chugged ahead. Only a few days before the same Quinton was playing a Bant Goodstuff deck which had Lyra, Jace TMS, Aether vial AND Tarmogoyf. That's way further than left field, more like overshot to the next state. So when he showed up on Saturday I asked him what he finally decided on.
"Jeskai Miracles," he said. And then went on to add "I think I build my sideboard incorrectly. If only I had more time to test."
15 rounds later Quinton is in his first GP Top 8, cruised pass Jund in the quarters before bowing out to (queue boos) Mono Green Tron.
GP Hong Kong came to a close. I end the season on 9 pro points, 1 short of bronze and 2 short of captaincy.
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So the irony was GP Hong Kong winning deck was Mono Green Tron. While a few cards different from my list, the pilot also ended day 1 at 6-2 and went on an undefeated run in Day 2 to claim the trophy.
Chye said that easily could have been me, if and only if, I took the chance at Mangkhut.
Alternatively, I may have ended up like guy in the green (Hareruya?) shirt at the end of this video.
https://mobile.twitter.com/jenzhuscott/status/1041194682460430336/video/1
We will never know will we?
So while 2017 was a great year, 2018 can be considered a disaster (which ironically is capped by a Super Typhoon). I failed to hit any of my objectives. I don't feel bitter of missing out Worlds this year as I would rather be on a strong momentum heading into the team competition rather than limping across the cut-off line.
I plan to regroup myself, mentally and physically, to work on the small things to my game. I travelled way lesser this year compared to previous years but I'll reconsider my next move after a month of mandatory rest (and go back to day job).
Congrats to Quinton once again and all the best to Malaysian WMC squad to Barcelona.
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Side note: Lots of flights out of Hong Kong were delayed on Monday due to the after effects of the Typhoon. But Quinton's luck was still running hot and managed to get on the early flight on Monday. Just keep rollin'...
PM out
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