Serious Vintage Episode 12: TwaunSerious Invitational

Serious Vintage Episode 12 highlights a special event in the Vintage Magic the Gathering realm: the TwaunSerious Invitational. Unfortunately Twaun himself (@Twaun007 on Twitter) couldn’t join us because his apartment is from the 1850s and doesn’t include Internet (does include diphtheria!), but we did get de facto second-in-command Jerry Yang (@yangtrolls) to help us talk about the event and the mighty rivers of scotch that flowed there. Also, Geoff (@ThallidTosser) got interviews with each player of the TwaunSerious event, so enjoy listening to those.


Here’s the timestamped table of contents for your listening ease and enjoyment.
0:00:24 – Jerry Yang, Vintage Gentleman
0:00:44 – The TwaunSerious Invitational
0:27:44 – Eating and Drinking TwaunSeriously
0:38:34 – Tournament Interviews
1:28:16 – Outro
Total runtime: 1:28:48

Hosting a Twaun Style Event

Twaun’s Inaugural Address:

Yes, the TwaunSerious Invitational (TSI) was a ton of fun for everyone involved. We ate, we drank, we joked around, and we played several fun hours of the queen of MtG formats, Vintage. Twaun gave out more than he took in on prizes, thanks mostly to his generosity. (He did purchase much of the prize support years ago at a lower cost, but that doesn’t make it worth any less now.) There are plans in the works now for TSI:II, and we’re already looking forward to making the second installment even more serious.

It’s important to have events like these, where it’s possible and when the time is right. Especially with the loss or movement of the Vintage Championships from GenCon this year (which we knew about when we recorded but deliberately avoided as the dust settles), Vintage needs marquee events. Playing at the TSI brought several players out of retirement, as well as enfranchising some new ones in the Vintage community. It’s important to build this sense of community, since that’s what keeps many people in the format. After all, there are better prizes and more players elsewhere, so what else does Vintage have?

We touched on some strategies for hosting similar events and for making Vintage an experience, more than just a Magic tournament, moving beyond the $20-entry-for-cash-prize events that are common.

The TSI was created by Twaun, but there was a lot of encouragement and support from the rest of Team Serious as well. In the future, we would look to spread some of the burden around, pooling money for prizes, food, and beverages and so forth. Also in the future, I think we can look forward to hosting more players. This first event was capped at 24, which would have made Twaun’s apartment cramped, but that doesn’t mean we won’t expand.

Other events are starting to pop up (especially in light of the Vintage Champs situation) that could have a similar feel, and we look forward to encouraging, watching, and playing in those. If you aren’t aware of Nick Detwiler’s NYSE Open Power 8 tournament, for example, definitely check that out.

Eating and Drinking TwaunSeriously

After the tournament, everyone adjourned to Bar Cento in Ohio City for dinner. The original plan was to visit Market Garden Brewery, but it was packed—a good sign for the quality of the restaurant, but not for getting 13 hungry gamers seated in a timely fashion. Bar Cento served the pizzas and the drinks for the rest of the evening. The duck prosciutto and sunny-side-up pizza were especially well received.

As for drinks during the event, the Glenlivet 15 and the Ransom Old Tom Gin were very well received. Cardhu, Glenmorangie, and Johnnie Walker also provided courage for many a Vintage player.

Tournament Interviews and Top 8

Geoff recorded interviews with each player during the event when he was able to catch them between rounds. As such, the interviews provide individual slices of the TwaunSerious Invitational as it was experienced. Some of the audio isn’t great, since recordings were made in the echoing stairwell, but everything should be listenable. They are ordered by finish, from last to first.

These results and the ensuing commentary are also available on The Mana Drain, but the top eight played out as such:

Mike Solmossy (Burning Long) vs. Jacob Hilty (Garbage Aggro) – Solymossy wins
Jimmy McCarthy (Burning Long) vs. Nam Tran (Espresso Stax) – McCarthy wins
Charles Rolko (Grixis Control) vs. Randal Withrell (Belcher) – Rolko wins
Sam Krohlow(Belcher) vs. Eric Butler (UW Stoneforge) – Krohlow wins

Solymossy vs. Krohlow – Solymossy wins
McCarthy vs. Rolko – McCarthy wins

Solymossy vs. McCarthy – Solymossy takes it

Burning Oath, by Mike Solymossy

Business (29)
City of Brass
Forbidden Orchard
Gemstone Mine
Tolarian Academy
Mox Pearl
Mox Ruby
Mox Jet
Mox Sapphire
Mox Emerald
Mox Opal
Chrome Mox
Mana Vault
Mana Crypt
Sol Ring
Black Lotus
Lion’s Eye Diamond
Dark Ritual

Mana Sources (31)
Oath of Druids
Griselbrand
Burning Wish
Timetwister
Wheel of Fortune
Tinker
Memory Jar
Time Walk
Necropotence
Yawgmoth’s Bargain
Mind’s Desire
Brainstorm
Ponder
Ancestral Recall
Vampiric Tutor
Mystical Tutor
Demonic Tutor
Hurkyl’s Recall
Rebuild
Duress
Thoughtseize
Sideboard (15)
Thoughtseize
Shattering Spree
Diminishing Returns
Show and Tell
Yawgmoth’s Will
Tendrils of Agony
Mindbreak Trap
Nature’s Claim
Hurkyl’s Recall
Steel Sabotage
Ancient Grudge
unknown card

Burning Oath, by Jimmy McCarthy

Business (30)
Dark Ritual
Black Lotus
Lotus Petal
Mox Emerald
Mox Jet
Mox Pearl
Mox Ruby
Mox Sapphire
Mana Crypt
Sol Ring
Mana Vault
Lion’s Eye Diamond
Mox Opal
Chrome Mox
Tolarian Academy
City of Brass
Gemstone Mine
Forbidden Orchard

Mana Sources (30)
Burning Wish
Necropotence
Mind’s Desire
Yawgmoth’s Bargain
Timetwister
Windfall
Wheel of Fortune
Memory Jar
Tinker
Oath of Druids
Griselbrand
Duress
Brainstorm
Ponder
Ancestral Recall
Time Walk
Vampiric Tutor
Demonic Tutor
Hurkyl’s Recall
Sideboard (15)
Thoughtsieze
Yawgmoth’s Will
Tendrils of Agony
Empty the Warrens
Show and Tell
Diminishing Returns
Hurkyl’s Recall
Shattering Spree
Ancient Tomb
Laboratory Maniac

Belcher, by Sam Krohlow

Business (29)
Goblin Charbelcher
Burning Wish
Gitaxian Probe
Manamorphose
Goblin Welder
Yawgmoth’s Bargain
Necropotence
Vampiric Tutor
Demonic Consultation
Demonic Tutor
Imperial Seal
Wheel of Fortune
Tinker
Memory Jar
Pact of Negation
Empty the Warrens

Mana Sources (31)
Dark Ritual
Rite of Flame
Simian Spirit Guide
Elvish Spirit Guide
Mox Opal
Chrome Mox
Channel
Black Lotus
Lion’s Eye Diamond
Mox Pearl
Mox Emerald
Mox Jet
Mox Ruby
Mox Sapphire
Mana Crypt
Sol Ring
Mana Vault
Lotus Petal
Sideboard (15)
Leyline of Anticipation
Xantid Swarm
Empty the Warrens
Blightsteel Colossus
Grape Shot
Yawgmoth’s will
Time Twister
Balance
Shattering Spree
Mind’s Desire
Tendrils of Agony

Grixis Control, by Charles Rolko

Business (37)
Blightsteel Colossus
Dark Confidant
Snapcaster Mage
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Ancestral Recall
Brainstorm
Demonic Tutor
Flusterstorm
Force of Will
Hurkyl’s Recall
Lightning Bolt
Mana Drain
Mental Misstep
Merchant Scroll
Mystical Tutor
Nihil Spellbomb
Sensei’s Divining Top
Time Vault
Time Walk
Tinker
Vampiric Tutor
Voltaic Key
Yawgmoth’s Will

Mana Sources (23)
Black Lotus
Mox Emerald
Mox Jet
Mox Pearl
Mox Ruby
Mox Sapphire
Sol Ring
Mana Crypt
Island
Library of Alexandria
Misty Rainforest
Scalding Tarn
Snow-covered Island
Tolarian Academy
Underground Sea
Volcanic Island
Sideboard (15)
Grafdigger’s Cage
Ingot Chewer
Lightning Bolt
Mountain
NihilSpellbomb
Pithing Needle
Pyroclasm
Red Elemental Blast
Yixlid Jailer
Hurkyll’s Recall

Belcher, by Randall Withrell

Business (29)
Goblin Charbelcher
Burning Wish
Gitaxian Probe
Simian Spirit Guide
Goblin Welder
Street Wraith
Necropotence
Vampiric Tutor
Demonic Consultation
Demonic Tutor
Wheel of Fortune
Memory Jar

Mana Sources (31)
Manamorphose
Dark Ritual
Rite of Flame
Chrome Mox
Land Grant
Taiga
Bayou
Black Lotus
Lion’s Eye Diamond
Mox Pearl
Mox Emerald
Mox Jet
Mox Ruby
Mox Sapphire
Mana Crypt
Sol Ring
Mana Vault
Lotus Petal
Sideboard (15)
Tendrils of Agony
Empty the Warrens
Yawgmoth’s Will
Smelt
Pithing Needlt
Tormod’s Crypt
Vexing Shusher

RW Hatebears, by Jacob Hilty

Business (33)
Shattering Blow
Swords to Plowshares
Lightning Bolt
Batterskull
Stony Silence
Pithing Needle
Phyrexian Metamorph
Torch Fiend
Phyrexian Revoker
Goblin Welder
Porcelain Legionnaire
Stoneforge Mystic
Gorilla Shaman

Mana Sources (23)
Arid Mesa
Bloodstained Mire
Mountain
Plains
Plateau
Strip Mine
Wasteland
Black Lotus
Simian Spirit Guide
Sideboard (15)
Swords to Plowshares
Red Elemental Blast
Pyroblast
Grafdigger’s Cage
Ravenous Trap
Leyline of Sanctity
Shattering Blow

WU Stoneforge, by Eric Butler

Business (36)
Blightsteel Colossus
Stoneforge Mystic
Snapcaster Mage
Batterskull
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Tinker
Time Walk
Mystical Tutor
Mindbreak Trap
Force of Will
Mana Drain
Swords to Plowshares
Mental Misstep
Engineered Explosives
Echoing Truth
Merchant Scroll
Ponder
Enlightened Tutor
Spell Snare
Ancestral Recall
Rest in Peace

Mana Sources (23)
Tolarian Academy
Plains
Island
Tundra
Flooded Strand
Polluted Delta
Scalding Tarn
Misty Rainforest
Sol Ring
Black Lotus
Mana Crypt
Mox Pearl
Mox Emerald
Mox Jet
Mox Ruby
Mox Sapphire
Sideboard (15)
Steel Sabotage
Seal of Cleansing
Engineered Explosives
Mindbreak Trap
Pithing Needle
Ravenous Trap
Swords to Plowshares
Serenity
Disenchant
Rest in Peace

Espresso Stax, by Nam Tran

Business (31)
Chalice of the Void
Crucible of Worlds
Duplicant
Karn, Silver Golem
Lodestone Golem
Pithing Needle
Smokestack
Sphere of Resistance
Tangle Wire
Thorn of Amethyst

Mana Sources (29)
Mana Crypt
Mox Emerald
Mox Jet
Mox Pearl
Mox Ruby
Mox Sapphire
Sol Ring
Ancient Tomb
City of Traitors
Mishra’s Factory
Mishra’s Workshop
Strip Mine
Tolarian Academy
Wasteland
Serum Powder
Sideboard (15)
Grafdigger’s Cage
Helm of Obedience
Leyline of the Void
Pithing Needle
Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth

Conclusion

So that’s it for this week. Follow up with us on Twitter or at seriousvintagepodcast@gmail.com if you need more food and drink recommendations, or to let us know that our taste in whisky is terrible or to laugh at us for doing poorly at a serious Vintage event. We’ll look forward to hearing from you. Thanks!

The top four: Jimmy McCarthy, a very drunk Sam Krohlow, Mike Solymossy, and Charles Rolko.
TwaunSeriousWinnersLarge

The mood lighting in Twaun’s underground bunker makes Vintage look super classy.
SamvsSolyLarge

Twaun provided his guests with this delicious spread of meats and cheeses after round three.
TwaunSeriousFoodStuffsLarge

Players brought beverages to share, and Twaun graciously provided prize support.
TwaunSeriousPrizePoolLarge