It's round two here at the Armada Games 3k in Tampa Florida and we're seeing Florida's best and some of the best from outside of Florida sitting down to sling spells against each other. This round we see Cedric Phillips, Pro Tour player and premium writer for StarCity against Robert Machado from Riverview Florida.

Both players start their pile shuffles. Cedric pile shuffles Robert's deck, and Robert repeatedly cuts Cedric's. They roll two dice and Robert wins, choosing to play. They each look through their hands and consider whether to keep. Robert chooses to mulligan and Cedric decides to keep his original seven. Mixing his hand back in Robert shuffles up again before passing to Cedric to again have it pile shuffled.

Cedric is a consummate professional player. He turns sleeved cards to have them all face the same direction in his opponent's deck.

Robert keeps his six card hand, and throws down a land. Passing to Cedric who drops a Plains and plays Figure of Destiny. Passing back we see lands dropped and the Figure swinging to deal first blood. On his second turn Cedric follows the attack with Knight of Meadowgrain. Turn three passes for Robert with just another land drop. Passing to Cedric who attacks, drops a Plains and plays a second Knight of Meadowgrain.

At the end of Robert's fourth turn Cedric pumps the Figure to its level 1 of the awesomeness. On Cedric's fourth turn he draws, plays a fourth Plains, swings with the team and kills Robert's just played Putrid Leech. Robert is down to 10 and Cedric is up at 26 life.

The Leech kills the Figure of Destiny, and after combat Cedric plays a Spectral Procession.

Robert seems mana screwed on just three lands as Cedric drops his fifth land to Path to Exile his opponent's Leech. Cedric swings and Robert is down to 5 life while Cedric has gone up to 30 life. Robert plays a Kitchen Finks to gain two putting him at 7. He pauses to consider and then passes the turn.

Cedric untaps his creatures, draws a card, and immediately dives into combat. First strike damage puts Cedric at 34. Robert, after blocking with the Finks, down to 2 and then up to 4.

Cedric hard casts a Goldmeadow Stalwart and then passes the turn. Robert lays his fifth land (the fourth from the Path to Exile) and taps two for Shriekmaw targetting one of the Knights of Meadowgrain before following with an Anathemancer.

Cedric untaps and swings, Robert blocks the two non-tokens with his two creatures, but it isn't enough as Cedric finishes him off and they scoop up readying to sideboard for game two.

Cedric knows exactly what he wants, pulling four cards from hsi sideboard while Robert is doing a bit more extensive work in sideboarding pulling out seven cards for sideboarding.

Quickly they begin pile shuffling readying for Game 2.

Game 2 - Cedric is up 1-0

They have a little small talk between games, Cedric is quietly trying to pump Robert to find out what he sideboarded in. Guessing Firespout or other board-clears. But Robert gives no hints, suggesting maybe his entire board is composed of answers to Cedric's deck. They again fall into silence as they shuffle their decks.

Robert is first to offer his deck, Cedric soon follows. They shuffle and pile shuffle respectively before handing the decks back to their owners. Robert chooses to Play again for game two. Drawing their initial seven and resetting their life sheets the game begins.

Both choose to keep their hands and Robert begins with a Vivid Grove. Cedric drops a Plains. Robert a second Vivid Grove on his turn. Cedric a second plains and then tapping one for Figure of Destiny, his hero.

Robert lays a Vivid Crag and passes his third turn. Cedric upgrades the Figure at the end of Robert's turn and then on his turn swings into the red zone. Cedric missed his third land drop as he passes the turn.

Robert lays his fourth land, a Forest and then plays a Bloodbraid Elf, cascading into a Kitchen Finks. Swinging with the Elf, Cedric drops to 17.

Passing the turn, Cedric again draws and this time drops Mutavault, but he does not attack choosing to instead keep the Figure of Destiny up for defense.

Robert draws, declares his intent to enter combat phase and then swings with both. Cedric has the Figure block the Kitchen Finks before playing Harm's Way redirecting the Fink's damage to the attacking Bloodbraid Elf. Robert considers, hoping to find a way to prevent this catastrophe. Nope, no answers. Cedric takes three and the Bloodbraid Elf dies, the Finks persists returning as a 2/1.

Robert drops another Vivid Crag and passes the turn. Cedric draws and shuffles the cards in his hand as he looks across the table considering his options. Tapping two Plains to drop the Wizened Cenn. Robert permits it, and Cedric swings with his 3/3 Figure of Destiny (2/2 from being upgraded and +1/+1 from the Cenn.) Robert declares no blockers and takes three dropping him to 19, with Cedric sitting at 14.

Robert takes the turn, draws and declares the Finks attacking, Cedric blocks with the Cenn. Killing both. Robert then plays Putrid Leech after combat in his second main and passes the turn.

Cedric draws, untaps and passes the turn. End of turn Robert Makeshift Mannequins his Finks back into play. Then in combat Robert swings with the Leech. Cedric blocks with the Figure of Destiny, Robert pumps the Leech and Cedric again Harm's Way. This time directing the Leech's damage to Finks, the Finks persists back into play. The Leech and Figure both die.

With a barren table Robert is able to swing in for two using his Kitchen Finks. Passing the turn at end of turn Cedric Unmakes the Finks. Obviously tired of his opponent gaining life off of it. Cedric during his turn Spectral Processions to create the three tokens, the only three creatures on the table. Passing the turn to Robert.

Robert draws, plays his seventh land, dropping a Bloodbraid Elf, to cascade into another Kitchen Finks. Robert's life is now 23. Robert pushes into combat and swings with the Elf. Cedric makes no blocks and is down to 9.

Cedric plays Path to Exile on Robert's Finks, and Robert exiles it before searching his library for a Swamp. Cedric plays Honor of the Pure, pumping all of his tokens and then goes into combat where Robert calmly Jund Charms, clearing the attackers.

Robert takes his turn to untap draw and do nothing. Cedric comes around and drops a Cloudgoat Ranger, again with three bodies on his side. Robert considers his turn, though he has the life advantage he clearly is losing ground.

Robert Maelstrom Pulse's the Ranger, and Cedric swings with three 2/2 tokens, putting Robert down to 17 life. Cedric considers and then passes the turn. Robert untaps and draws, dropping a Mountain and passing the turn.

Cedric untaps, draws, and plays a second Honor of the Pure. Robert responds with Volcanic Fallout clearing the board. On Robert's turn he plays Finks, but Cedric Unmakes it. Robert is at 19 after the Finks.

Cedric untaps and Ranger's again, now with four bodies, each +2/+2 from both Honor of the Pure. Robert counts the board and considers his actions. Cedric predicts a Bituminous Blast but instead sees a Caldera Hellion.

Cedric untaps, draws and taps two plains to play a Wizened Cenn before activating the Mutavault. Swinging with it and the Ranger to deal 8, taking Robert down to 9. Cedric holds steady at 7.

Robert draws considers and conceded game 2, Cedric Phillips wins game 2, winning the match 2 - 0.