On the eve of MKM Series Hamburg, it was time for us to once again take a step back and review what happened so far … Just seven weeks ago, players from all over Europe gathered in Prague for the third stop of the MKM Series in 2017, including 76 stars of Standard.
Deck of the Tournament
In more than one way, Mono-Red was the Standard deck of the weekend. At the MKM Series in Prague, five of its pilots made the quarterfinals, three made it to the semifinals. However, one brave houldout evaded a fiery doom time and time again …
Lukas Paugsch brought a blue-red Zombies/Fevered Visions/emerge concoction which featured a slew of brand new cards in Strategic Planning and Champion of Wits—and which also featured an “awful matchup” against Mono-Red. Yet, somehow, Paugsch won three straight matches against Mono-Red in the Top 8 to claim the title and trophy!
Lukas Paugsch – Blue-Red Zombies
Main Deck:
- 4 Cathartic Reunion
- 1 Tormenting Voice
- 4 Strategic Planning
- 4 Advanced Stitchwing
- 3 Stitchwing Skaab
- 4 Prized Amalgam
- 3 Lightning Axe
- 1 Shock
- 4 Elder Deep-Fiend
- 3 Fevered Visions
- 3 Champion of Wits
- 4 Kozilek's Return
- 4 Spirebluff Canal
- 5 Island
- 5 Mountain
- 4 Wandering Fumarole
- 3 Sanctum of Ugin
- 1 Highland Lake
Sideboard:
- 2 Chandra's Defeat
- 2 Fiery Temper
- 1 Shock
- 2 Thing in the Ice / Awoken Horror
- 2 Dispel
- 1 Negate
- 2 Jace's Defeat
- 1 Abrade
- 1 Fevered Visions
- 1 Champion of Wits
Lukas Paugsch – Blue-Red Zombies
Main Deck:
4 Cathartic Reunion
1 Tormenting Voice
4 Strategic Planning
4 Advanced Stitchwing
3 Stitchwing Skaab
4 Prized Amalgam
3 Lightning Axe
1 Shock
4 Elder Deep-Fiend
3 Fevered Visions
3 Champion of Wits
4 Kozilek's Return
4 Spirebluff Canal
5 Island
5 Mountain
4 Wandering Fumarole
3 Sanctum of Ugin
1 Highland Lake
Sideboard:
2 Chandra's Defeat
2 Fiery Temper
1 Shock
2 Thing in the Ice / Awoken Horror
2 Dispel
1 Negate
2 Jace's Defeat
1 Abrade
1 Fevered Visions
1 Champion of Wits
Match of the Tournament
The final between Lukas Paugsch and Fabian Ghafouri demonstrated that the blue-red deck could be quite aggressive itself, and quick too. In the most memorable game, Paugsch discarded Advanced Stitchwing and Prized Amalgam to Cathartic Reunion on turn two, then returned the Stitchwing with three Prized Amalgam in tow the turn after! For once on defense, Earthshaker Khenra, Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, and Ahn-Crop Crasher found themselves fairly ill-equipped to contain the Zombie outbreak.
Notable Finishes
When the dust settled, eight quarterfinalists sat for their playoff matches for all of whom this was their first Top 8 at the MKM Series. With one Grand Prix Top 8 on his résumé, Thoralf “Toffel” Severin was likely the biggest name among them.
You can read more about Standard at the MKM Series Prague 2017 in our archives.
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