Piotr Głogowski won the Sapphire Division of the Magic Pro League’s Eldraine Split on Saturday with GB Adventure, defeating Jessica Estephan on Bant Food in two Grand Finals matches. The Sapphire Division is the first division to play in the Eldraine Split, which is the final split of the 2019 Magic Pro League season, with the winner of each division getting a bye to Day 2 of Mythic Championship VII in December.
Głogowski began his Top 4 in the Lower Semifinals after going 4-3 in the round robin portion of the split with GB Adventure. Unlike in other splits, the Eldraine Split required players to use the same deck during both the round robin rounds and during the Top 4.
Głogowski defeated Reid Duke on Selesnya Adventure in two games to advance to the Lower Finals, where he faced Rei Sato’s Bant Golos. Sato dropped to the Lower Finals after losing in three games to Jessica Estephan, who advanced to the Grand Finals, then also lost to Głogowski in three games, setting up Głogowski vs Estephan in the Grand Finals.
The Grand Finals
Game 1 of the Grand Finals began with Głogowski going first, starting with a Once Upon a Time to get a land, which Estephan matched by playing her own Once Upon a Time to get a land. Głogowski continued to make his land drops while on the other side Estephan played Leafkin Druid and Głogowski cast Once Upon a Time on her end step for a Questing Beast. He untapped and played a Lovestruck Beast and Estephan continued to build up her mana with another Leafkin Druid.
Estephan leveraged all of her mana to play Nissa, Who Shakes the World, animated a Forest, and passed the turn. Głogowski played Foulmire Knight which let him attack Estephan with Lovestruck Beast while the Swift End adventure to take down the Nissa.
Estephan followed up with a Gilded Goose and a Wicked Wolf, sacking the food token to make it indestructible and made it fight with the Questing Beast. The players continued to trade resources throughout the midgame, with Głogowski finally tipping the scales with a post-combat Massacre Girl to wipe the board and leave Estephan at four live. Estephan’s Teferi, Time Raveler ticked down to bounce Massacre Girl and then she played Nissa, Who Shakes the World and animated a land. But Głogowski found a hasty Rankle, Master of Pranks off the top and he took Game 1.
In Game 2, Estephan began with a Gilded Goose and a Leafkin Druid while Głogowski started with an Edgewall Innkeeper. Estephan was able to play and attack with an early Questing Beast, which Głogowski attempted to destroy but Estephan saved it with a timely Veil of Summer. Estephan then played Tolsmir, Friend to Wolves and a Nissa, Who Shakes the World, which Głogowski couldn’t match, and took Game 2.
Głogowski began Game 3 with another Edgewall Innkeeper and Estephan had a Gilded Goose. Estephan didn’t have a second land and had to use the food token to make the mana for a Leafkin Druid. Legion’s End from Głogowski exiled the Leafkin Druid but Estephan was able to find another land off the top. Noxious Grasp destroyed the Gilded Goose and Estephan couldn’t find more mana to deploy her spells while Głogowski played Lovestruck Beast and Questing Beast to win the first match.
In Match 2, Game 1, Głogowski kept a risky hand with no lands but he drew an Overgrown Tomb and found a Swamp from Once Upon a Time. Estephan built up her mana with Gilded Goose and Leafkin Druid for an early Nissa, Who Shakes the World. Głogowski played a Lovestruck Beast and attacked Nissa with two Foulmire Knights. Estephan played a Teferi, Time Raveler and bounced Lovestruck Beast and played a second Teferi to bounce the Edgewall Innkeeper. Wicked Wolf fought and destroyed a Foulmire Knight thanks to a food token giving it indestructible. Głogowski replayed his spells and found an Assassin’s Trophy for the Nissa but Estephan found a second Nissa and took Game 1 of the second match.
Game 2 Estephan played Gilded Goose into Leafkin Druid while Głogowski used Noxious Grasp on the Leafkin Druid and made a 1/1 token. Estephan found herself stuck on lands while Głogowski played a Lovestruck Beast and started to get in for damage. Estephan took a high variance play by playing Risen Reef in hopes of hitting a land off the top but didn’t find it. Głogowski deployed Rankle, Master of Pranks and Estephan couldn’t play anything relevant, evening up the match.
In the final game, Głogowski started with an Edgewall Innkeeper and a Foulmire Knight while Estephan was able to get a Turn 3 Questing Beast down. Tolsmir, Friend to Wolves killed Głogowski’s Edgewall Innkeeper and he played a Questing Beast of his own on his turn.
Głogowski got back his Edgewall Innkeeper with Order of Midnight and had a Noxious Grasp up to take down Esetphan’s Oko, Thief of Crowns. Głogowski then had a huge turn where he played two Edgewall Innkeepers and started drawing multiple cards a turn. Swift End took care of a Nissa, Who Shakes the World and then Murderous Rider itself triggered the two Edgewall Innkeeper letting him draw two more cards.
All Estephan had was a Gilded Goose and Głogowski played a Lovestruck Beast. A second Questing Beast was countered by a Disdainful Stroke from Estephan but Głogowski continued to draw more cards from the Innkeepers by playing Foulmire Knight. Głogowski buried Estephan in card advantage and finally drew and played Rankle, Master of Pranks, sealing Game 3 in his favor.
Piotr Głogowski is the first player to receive a bye to Day 2 for Mythic Championship VII. The next division to play is the Ruby Division, whose Top 4 will air on twitch.tv/magic 12 PM Pacific on October 26. All previous matches can be viewed at magic.gg.
Decklists
Check out all of the Sapphire Division’s decklists.
Piotr Głogowski's Standard Golgari Adventure
| Creatures (26) 4 Edgewall Innkeeper 4 Murderous Rider 4 Foulmire Knight 2 Order of Midnight 4 Questing Beast 3 Rankle, Master of Pranks 4 Lovestruck Beast 1 Massacre Girl Spells (11) 2 Find // Finality 2 Legion's End 4 Once Upon a Time 3 Assassin's Trophy | Lands (23) 4 Overgrown Tomb 4 Temple of Malady 5 Forest 8 Swamp 2 Fabled Passage Sideboard (15) 1 Massacre Girl 3 Duress 2 Disfigure 4 Noxious Grasp 2 Veil of Summer 2 Ashiok, Dream Render 1 Davriel, Rogue Shadowmage |
Jess Estephan's Standard Bant Food
| Creatures (23) 4 Gilded Goose 1 Arboreal Grazer 3 Wicked Wolf 4 Hydroid Krasis 2 Voracious Hydra 4 Leafkin Druid 3 Risen Reef 1 Paradise Druid 1 Deputy of Detention Spells (1) 1 Once Upon a Time Planeswalkers (12) 4 Oko, Thief of Crowns 4 Nissa, Who Shakes the World 4 Teferi, Time Raveler | Lands (24) 4 Breeding Pool 4 Hallowed Fountain 4 Temple Garden 5 Forest 1 Plains 1 Island 4 Fabled Passage 1 Temple of Mystery Sideboard (15) 1 Deputy of Detention 2 Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves 2 Glass Casket 2 Negate 2 Veil of Summer 2 Questing Beast 2 Agent of Treachery 2 Disdainful Stroke |