After losing the first match of your local Dragons of Tarkir release tournament, you found yourself paired against Natalie for the second round. Since you’re playing some suboptimal cards in your Dromoka deck, you hoped that Natalie’s cards would give you an easier time. Unfortunately, it turns out that her defensive Ojutai deck isn’t going to go down quietly.

You’re now in the later stages of your third game. You managed to bring Natalie down to 4 life before she brought a Cunning Breezedancer into play; with the Breezedancer and a full grip of noncreature spells, she carved out huge chunks of your life total before you settled down to a stalemate.

Last turn, Natalie made her move: She cast Ojutai, Soul of Winter himself, tapping down your Abzan Skycaptain and dropping you to 4 life. Unless you do something quickly, she’ll be attacking you with a massive cadre of flyers next turn, clearing the way for your early exit from the tournament.

It is the start of your first main phase. Defeat Natalie this turn.

You are at 4 life with the following cards in play:

• Lightwalker
• Dragon-Scarred Bear
• Abzan Skycaptain (tapped) with Stormrider Rig attached
• Battlefront Krushok
• Ambush Krotiq
• Dromoka Monument
• 4 Forests
• 5 Plains

You have the following cards in your hand:

• Glaring Aegis
• Jeskai Barricade
• Epic Confrontation
• Dromoka's Gift

• Dromoka Dunecaster
• Territorial Roc
• Orator of Ojutai
• Updraft Elemental
• Ancient Carp
• Strongarm Monk
• Cunning Breezedancer (tapped)
• Ojutai, Soul of Winter
• 3 Plains
• 4 Islands

If you think you have a great solution in mind, you’re welcome to send it to puzzles at gatheringmagic dot com with the subject line “Puzzle — Ground Control”. We’ll include the best ones in next week’s article along with the next puzzle!