Coming to you from Round 10 the Feature Match table: Paulo Vitor Doma da Rosa (PVD) vs. Robert van Medevoort

Game 1

They make the high roll, PVD wins and decides that he will play. He shuffles his hand and decides to mulligan down to six. He doesn't rush it, shuffling the grip back into the deck and then pile shuffling to disperse the cards in hopes of finding what he's looking for. After a few more riffles he presents the deck for Robert to cut. He has a frenetic energy as he draws the six but it doesn't help him as he quickly throws the hand back and goes to five. You can see he's frustrated, looking to move quickly as he doesn't want to lose the time in the round. Riffles and then piles, he presents again. After the cut he draws and he quickly decides to keep the fiver. Robert considers his hand and keeps.

PVD opens with a Mutavault. Rob suspends an Ancestral Visions. Paulo drops a Underground River and swings with the . Robert drops a [card]Bitterblossom and a Secluded Glen. PVD drops his own [card title="glen"]Secluded Glen" href="/p/Magic%3A+The+Gathering/Bitterblossom%22+href%3D%22%2Fp%2FMagic%253A%2BThe%2BGathering%2F.%2BRobert%2Bdrops%2Ba%2B%255Bcard%255DBitterblossom%22%3E.+Robert+drops+a+%5Bcard%5DBitterblossom%3C%2Fa%3E+and+a+%3Ca+class%3D%22card-tip%22+data-url%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fres.cloudinary.com%2Fcsicdn%2Fimage%2Fupload%2Ffl_lossy%2Cq_auto%2Fv1%2FImages%2FProducts%2Fmtg%2520art%2FLorwyn%2Ffull%2FSecluded%2520Glen.jpg%22+data-card-name%3D%22Secluded+Glen%22+href%3D%22%2Fp%2FMagic%253A%2BThe%2BGathering%2FSecluded%2BGlen%22%3ESecluded+Glen%3C%2Fa%3E.+PVD+drops+his+own+%5Bcard+title%3D%22glen%22%5DSecluded+Glen">Bitterblossom" href="/p/Magic%3A+The+Gathering/.+Robert+drops+a+%5Bcard%5DBitterblossom">. Robert drops a [card]Bitterblossom and a Secluded Glen. PVD drops his own [card title="glen"]Secluded Glen and brings out a Scion of Oona in his main phase. Robert takes the damage and creates a faerie during his upkeep. He plays a second Bitterblossom and suspends a second Ancestral Visions. Not looking good for PVD.

PVD swings with the Mutavault, and Robert chumps with the faerie token. Next upkeep he gains two tokens and passes the turn. Next turn his first Ancestral Vision resolves putting PVD at a severe disadvantage for cards. PVD draws and considers his hand, drops an Underground River and uses it to power up a Mutavault. Robert flashes a Vendilion Clique, which PVD [card title="Spellstutters"]Spellstutter Sprite" href="/p//Ancestral Visions. Robert drops a [card]Bitterblossom and a Secluded Glen. PVD drops his own [card title="glen"]Secluded Glen" href="/p/Magic%3A+The+Gathering/Bitterblossom%22+href%3D%22%2Fp%2FMagic%253A%2BThe%2BGathering%2F.%2BRobert%2Bdrops%2Ba%2B%255Bcard%255DBitterblossom%22%3E.+Robert+drops+a+%5Bcard%5DBitterblossom%3C%2Fa%3E+and+a+%3Ca+class%3D%22card-tip%22+data-url%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fres.cloudinary.com%2Fcsicdn%2Fimage%2Fupload%2Ffl_lossy%2Cq_auto%2Fv1%2FImages%2FProducts%2Fmtg%2520art%2FLorwyn%2Ffull%2FSecluded%2520Glen.jpg%22+data-card-name%3D%22Secluded+Glen%22+href%3D%22%2Fp%2FMagic%253A%2BThe%2BGathering%2FSecluded%2BGlen%22%3ESecluded+Glen%3C%2Fa%3E.+PVD+drops+his+own+%5Bcard+title%3D%22glen%22%5DSecluded+Glen">Bitterblossom" href="/p/Magic%3A+The+Gathering/.+Robert+drops+a+%5Bcard%5DBitterblossom">. Robert drops a [card]Bitterblossom and a Secluded Glen. PVD drops his own [card title="glen"]Secluded Glen and brings out a Scion of Oona in his main phase. Robert takes the damage and creates a faerie during his upkeep. He plays a second Bitterblossom and suspends a second Ancestral Visions. Not looking good for PVD.

PVD swings with the Mutavault, and Robert chumps with the faerie token. Next upkeep he gains two tokens and passes the turn. Next turn his first Ancestral Vision resolves putting PVD at a severe disadvantage for cards. PVD draws and considers his hand, drops an Underground River and uses it to power up a Mutavault. Robert flashes a Vendilion Clique, which PVD [card title="Spellstutters"]Spellstutter Sprite">Ancestral Visions. Robert drops a [card]Bitterblossom and a Secluded Glen. PVD drops his own [card title="glen"]Secluded Glen" href="/p/Magic%3A+The+Gathering/Bitterblossom%22+href%3D%22%2Fp%2FMagic%253A%2BThe%2BGathering%2F.%2BRobert%2Bdrops%2Ba%2B%255Bcard%255DBitterblossom%22%3E.+Robert+drops+a+%5Bcard%5DBitterblossom%3C%2Fa%3E+and+a+%3Ca+class%3D%22card-tip%22+data-url%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fres.cloudinary.com%2Fcsicdn%2Fimage%2Fupload%2Ffl_lossy%2Cq_auto%2Fv1%2FImages%2FProducts%2Fmtg%2520art%2FLorwyn%2Ffull%2FSecluded%2520Glen.jpg%22+data-card-name%3D%22Secluded+Glen%22+href%3D%22%2Fp%2FMagic%253A%2BThe%2BGathering%2FSecluded%2BGlen%22%3ESecluded+Glen%3C%2Fa%3E.+PVD+drops+his+own+%5Bcard+title%3D%22glen%22%5DSecluded+Glen">Bitterblossom" href="/p/Magic%3A+The+Gathering/.+Robert+drops+a+%5Bcard%5DBitterblossom">. Robert drops a [card]Bitterblossom and a Secluded Glen. PVD drops his own [card title="glen"]Secluded Glen and brings out a Scion of Oona in his main phase. Robert takes the damage and creates a faerie during his upkeep. He plays a second Bitterblossom and suspends a second Ancestral Visions. Not looking good for PVD.

PVD swings with the Mutavault, and Robert chumps with the faerie token. Next upkeep he gains two tokens and passes the turn. Next turn his first Ancestral Vision resolves putting PVD at a severe disadvantage for cards. PVD draws and considers his hand, drops an Underground River and uses it to power up a Mutavault. Robert flashes a Vendilion Clique, which PVD [card title="Spellstutters"]Spellstutter Sprite. Rob blocked with one of his tokens.

Rob's Ancestral Visions resolve, PVD has two cards in hand but only one mana untapped. Robert decides not to do anything though.

PVD draws, shuffles his hand, and again considers his position. He powers up the Man land and swings with it and the Spellstutter Sprite, keeping the Scion of Oona in reserve. Robert attempts to flash out a Mistbind Clique. PVD does not like it and considers his options. With three mana open PVD has options and he decides to Rune Snag it. Robert kills all three tokens, one ot chump the Mutavault and two to kill the sprite. Next turn he plays a Faerie Conclave.

PVD is relentless pushing his Mutavault into combat every turn killing off one of the faeries, letting Robert continue to take 2 a turn from the Bitterblossoms. Robert lays a Pendelhaven and plays Terror on the Scion of Oona. Robert swings for one and passes the turn. PVD draws and passes the turn with six mana up.

Robert attempts to play a Mistbind Clique which he champions one of the Bitterblossoms. PVD Terrors the Clique. Robert swings for four with three tokens, pumping with the Pendelhaven. PVD untaps, draws and passes. Robert takes one and makes a new faerie and swings for five, pumping one with the Pendelhaven. Taking PVD to 10.

PVD is having some sort of issue this is the fourth turn in a row he has untapped, drawn and passed. Robert goes through the motions, opens the attack phase and PVD considers what to do. He has a fistful of cards, five by my account. I can see a Cryptic Command, and what looks like a chinese Rune Snag though I'm not sure. PVD flashes out a Mistbind Clique which is countered by a Rune Snag from Robert, causing PVD to take 6 putting him at 4. PVD untaps and draws dropping an island before passing the turn.

Robert goes to five from the blossom and PVD signals him to stop before drawing. Robert has seven faeries, five of which are battle ready so he has to do something. He taps four and Cryptic Commands that is Rune Snagged which PVD spellstutter sprites for which Robert Rune Snagged as well. For which PVD scoops and they both proceed to Sideboard. He played the game as best he could trying to fight off the loss of cards and quick momentum a five mulligan and his opponent having two token generators in play will do to a man.

Game 2

PVD quickly shuffles while Robert takes a little while more to shift cards into and out of sleeves. PVD shuffles rigorously obviously aiming to avoid last game's card issues. For the majority of which his opponent is sideboarding. Game 1 took nearly twenty minutes so they still have plenty of time to finish the match. PVD chooses to play again.

Robert and PVD present their decks before drawing their opening grips. Robert actually pile shuffles PVD's deck, an unusual move but perhaps he is hoping to counter his opponent's mojo. PVD draws seven and considers his hand. Flipping the cards front to back he decides to keep and gives the thumbs up. Robert then considers his hand and mulligans, a much needed sign for PVD that lady luck hasn't completely deserted him. Robert pile shuffles and then proceeds to quickly riffle the deck several times. PVD riffles it quickly before passing the deck back. Robet draws six which he keeps.

PVD drops a river, taking one, to play Thoughtseize. Robert reveals three lands, Thoughtseize, Spellstutter Sprite and Cryptic Command[/card]. PVD removes the Thoughtseize to protect his hand. Robert drops the Faerie Conclave. PVD drops a Pendelhaven, takens one to tap the river and plays a Bitterblossom. Robert drops a Secluded Glen and passes the turn. PVD goes to fourteen to suspend an Ancestral Visions with his first token in play.

Robert drops a land and attempts to Thoughtseize, which PVD spellstutter sprites. PVD's turn, he gains a token and goes to 12. He's the only one doing damage to himself here, he asks Robert how many cards in hand, four. He swings with a token taking Robert to 18.

PVD draws, swings and pumps a token putting Robert at 11. The field has quickly evened on life totals and Robert has an empty board. He drops a land before passing the turn. PVD makes a token going to 10, draws a card and then announces his attack phase. Robert Cryptic Commands to bounce and draw a card. PVD considers it with his four untapped Mana. PVD takes two to Cryptic Command of his own. He counters Robert's command and bounces the Faerie Conclave. Robert is at 9 and PVD is at 8. Robert replays the Conclave before passing. Robert counters the resolving Ancestral Visions and taps all the creatures. PVD takes one, gets a flier, checks to make sure he can draw, then declares the attack phase. Robert scoops and we go into game three.

PVD laughingly notes he should have won last turn but missed it. Game two took just over ten minutes as they prepare for game three.

Game 3

Robert decides to play first. They both make quick sideboard swaps and then proceed to shuffling. Pile shuffles and riffle shuffles. Riffle shuffles and pile shuffles, they seem to go on forever, something more players should do to better their chances of a good grip. I'll rely on those smarter than me to explain why it is.

For opening hands we look to Robert first and he examines his hand before keeping. PVD decides to keep as well. Robert plays an island and suspends an Ancestral visions. PVD drops a Mutavault. Robert draws and plays an Underground River, using the lands to play a blossom.

PVD mirrors with an Underground river and a bitterblossom.

Robert goes to 18, to get a token, then during his main phase he Thoughtseizes. PVD reveals two rune snags, a Cryptic command, and three lands. The obvious choice being the command. Robert pauses to consider and agrees with my assessment selecting the command to be discarded. He passes the turn.

PVD gains a token and pauses before laying a tapped secluded glen, then passes the turn. Robert makes a token, draws and lays a mutavault. He attacks with a token, PVD takes 1 and goes to 17. He then passes the turn.

PVD goes to 16 and gains another token. Robert has three cards in hand to PVD's six. Robert also has a Ancestral visions resolving next turn. PVD considers his turn carefully, there's a crowd forming now with eager faces to see how this battle of faeries is going to end. PVD takes his time to consider all the possibilities and permutations, his hand gestures as he envisions combat scenarios many turns in advance.

He decides to drop and tap an island to suspend his own visions then passing the turn. Robert gains a token, and resolves his visions drawing three cards and then one for the turn. PVD nods his consent to both. PVD has five cards in hand. Robert has six in his grip. He makes a few considerations and drops a River of Tears then swings for two. He passes the turn. PVD is at 14, Robert at 13.

PVD goes to 13 for the blossom, he drops another token, then plays a Ruins and passes the turn. Robert goes to 12 for a token and lays his own Ruin. Robert declares attack phase and attacks with two tokens. PVD considers a flash from his hand but decides against it. This takes PVD to 11 before the change in the turn. PVD goes to 10 with Robert at 12. He makes a token and Robert Mistbind Cliques, which PVD Rune Snags. Robert pays and PVD Snags again. This time the spell goes away.

PVD stands up the Mutavault and swings with it and three tokens. He still has the visions two turns away and Robert considers the situation. Robert blocks two tokens and then takes three damage. Robert goes to 8 for his Blossom. He considers his attacks and swings with two tokens. PVD takes the damage.

The turn passes and PVD untaps, gets pemission to draw and pulls up his sleeves, ready for the heavy lifting to finish this game. He shuffles his grip of four cards, Robert having six in hand. PVD gets the visions next turns. He considers Robert's graveyard and his own, counting Rune Snags. PVD decides to Thoughtseize. Robert Spellstutter Sprites it.

PVD passes the turn and Robert goes to 7 for a token. Robert draws and then considers his attack. PVD makes no motion to stop him before attackers are declared. Robert swings in for three. Life totals are 7 to 2 in Robert's favor and PVD moves to pick up his pen as he considers the attack. PVD goes to 4.

PVD untaps and Robert counters the Ancestral Visions with a Cryptic command, also taps down the board. PVD draws, not too happy from the looks of it. He's in danger, we have to assume he has a Cryptic command of his own or nothing as he passes the turn. Robert untaps, goes to six for a token and draws. He asks permission to declare attackers to which PVD nods and then offers his hand as Robert swings with everybody to snag a win for this round.