Adam Prosak (NO RUG) vs. Joe Veth (NO RUG)

Game 1

The NO RUG mirror match between Adam and Joe also began with mirrored plays – both played Noble Hierarchs and passed. However, Adam upped the ante when he cast a Vendilion Clique during Joe’s 2nd turn thanks to his Hierarch. Joe countered the legendary Faerie with a Daze. With the floating blue from the land he returned to his hand, Joe cast a Brainstorm, then shuffled away the chaff with a Green Sun Zenith for 1, summoning a Noble Hierarch from his library.

Adam began the clock on his 3rd turn by Natural Ordering for the legendary Hydra. The spell resolved, but the Progenitus wouldn’t have a chance to attack as Joe resolved his own Natural Order, killing the Progenitii and sending the game back into a stalemate.

A Scavenging Ooze was soon to enter the battlefield under Adam’s control. In a mirror match that usually features Tarmogoyf battles, the Ooze was certain to cause problems for Joe. Eager to find a response to the Ooze, Joe cast a Sylvan Library, then Iced the Ooze on Adam’s upkeep to prevent it from attacking. Joe then cast a Lavamancer and then fetched out a Goyf with a Green Sun’s Zenith, but the Scavenging Ooze was keeping Goyf’s size in check by exiling a Clique and a Natural Order. The Ooze got in for 6 damage on Adam’s turn, then Natural Order soon followed, attempting to transform his Noble Hierarch into the raging Hydra. Joe futilely cast Daze while Adam had open mana, and a couple swings with Progenitus from Adam was enough to take the game.

Adam Prosak 1, Joe Veth 0

Game 2

Joe began game 2 with a Dryad Arbor and Adam started his first turn with just a Misty Rainforest. This allowed Joe to get in for 1 damage with his Dryad Arbor the next turn. A Brainstorm a turn later by Adam was countered by Mental Misstep, but the Scavenging Ooze the next turn resolved, even through Joe’s Brainstorm. Joe added Tarmogoyf and Taiga to the field, and attempted to thwart Adam’s search for Natural Order by Pyroblasting Adam’s Brainstorm.

Joe kept up the pressure with a Natural Order for Progenitus, but turns out Adam didn’t have the Force of Will…but he did have the Natural Order as well. Fetching for a Dryad Arbor then sacrificing it to the Natural Order sent the game back to Adam’s favor as the Scavenging Ooze threatened to overpower Tarmogoyf. A swing from Tarmogoyf took Adam down to 11, but Adam added Vendilion Clique to his army during Joe’s draw step. Joe refused the Clique with Pyroblast. The Tarmogoyf hit Prosak for another 4 damage, but not before Adam exiled the recently-dead Clique and a Dryad Arbor with the Ooze, gaining 2 life in the process.

Joe Iced the Ooze to maintain control of its growing size during Adam’s upkeep. In the meanwhile, Adam added a Sylvan Library and Noble Hiearch to the battlefield. Joe’s Tarmogoyf crashed in again, taking Adam down to 5, and then Joe kept up the Tarmogoyf beatdown with another Tarmogoyf. With Adam at 5, one hit from either of the Tarmogoyfs could end the game in combination with a burn spell.

However, Adam had other plans. When Joe sent his two Tarmogoyfs into the red zone, Adam exiled a Dryad Arbor in a graveyard to grow his Ooze and going to 6 and cast Submerge on one of the Tarmogoyfs. The Submerge met a Force of Will from Joe, but Adam had the Force of Will as well and cleared both Goyfs out of the battlefield. The Natural Order the next turn only solidifying the victory for Adam.

Adam Prosak 2, Joe Veth 0