Old School 93-94 at Eternal Weekend 2017 – ALL Decklists and Photo Report

The fourth annual Eternal Central Old School at Eternal Weekend tournament is history, and made history. 118 players came out to battle on game day, making this the largest Old School 93-94 tournament to date. There were many familiar faces, some players who came out of retirement, and many new players joining in the festivities for their first Old School event. Everyone seemed to have a blast.

The tournament was held on Thursday October 19 2017 at a conference room in the William Penn Omni Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh (PA, USA). Organizing for larger events more than 50 people is quite the challenge compared to finding a small venue, and this venue (and any others we could find in downtown Pittsburgh) was costly, so we charged an entry fee for the first time this year. Entrance fees covered this venue cost, some basic supplies, and the rest is being donated to Cornerstone Community Outreach Program. Prizes included a commemorative stamped Argothian Pixies for every player to have their opponents to sign each round, as well as Alpha and Beta Old School cards split up and awarded down to Top 16, in addition to another separate Top 8 awarded to the “Most Creative Deck” builders. We began this unannounced last year, but will be moving to more fully integrate that and focus on that in all future events we run. Some people want to play optimized and super competitive decks, and other people want to channel their creativity, do fun things, and occasionally imbibe along the way. We enjoy both, and will reward both.

Additionally, the winner of this year’s event (in standings, with the best record) was also awarded a slot and free entry in the prestigious Fishliver Oil Cup, held annually in the fall, in Italy next year. The organizers of the Fishliver Oil Cup have also extended an extremely generous offer of $500 to help cover costs of airfare for the winner, as well as 2 nights paid for in a local hotel, for the 2018 Fishliver Oil Cup. In addition to any other prize cards, the player with the MOST CREATIVE DECK was also awarded a badass trophy – a custom made deck box featuring Chaos Orb, meticulously hand-crafted by the fine folks at Leifkicker.com, and graciously donated by community member Matt Dennis.

Building on last year’s structure, this was run as a Straight Swiss + 1 event, rather than Swiss + Top 8 playoff. Swiss + 1 was how many of the original Magic tournaments were run (or single elimination), and with 118 people that meant 7 rounds, plus 1, for 8 total rounds of Swiss. Tiebreakers matter, as does playing out your rounds to try to keep winning points. This was also to keep the tournament flowing and not be around until super late. As is our policy at all events, we want the maximum number of rounds and matches played, and because of this, do not allow draws. If a match would otherwise be a draw after time is called (plus 5 turns), the match immediately goes to Sudden Death Chaos Orb flipping to determine a winner. There were anywhere from 1-4 matches determined per round by Chaos Orb flips, which was exciting.

Globetrotting New Zealander Gene Brumby ended up winning the Swiss rounds by being the only player to go undefeated over 8 rounds. Most surprisingly, Gene accidentally left home without his Old School deck before hopping on multiple flights across the world, and constructed a deck that morning, basically scrounging cards from his trade binder and borrowing a few things from a friend. But round after round he kept winning, and his UWR Weenie deck ended up beating everybody! The rest of the Top 16 featured everything from The Deck to 4C Aggro Control to Naya ChannelBall to Story Time (Shahrazad) and more. The field was diverse and featured many control decks, combo decks, aggro, and aggro control (see the sortable table directly below).

Metagame Breakdown

Here is a sortable table that shows all players and associated decks played (you can sort by name, deck type, or prize awarded)

First NameLast NameDecklistAwarded
JosephAlaneNaya ChannelBall15 Place After Swiss Rounds
TrevorBartlettPink Weenie
JeremyBatesJunk (BWG)
JasonBeaupreWhite Weenie
RyanBergemanUR Control
ChrisBergesonGoblins 4C
PezBothemTroll Disco
ScottBradleyTroll Disco04 Place After Swiss Rounds
PatrickBrennanPink Weenie
GeneBrumbyUWR Weenie01 Place After Swiss Rounds
DamyanBrunsonUW Control11 Place After Swiss Rounds
RandyBuehlerThe Deck
JustinBurdettUR Control
RobertBurtleThe Deck
MichaelButzenRG Atog Berserk Workshops
PaulCallisWorkshop Control
GrantCastletonWhite Weenie
ShannChaudhryNaya Birdman ControlMost Creative Deck 2nd Place
JeremyChienEureka
JamesCooneyMerfolk
JoshuaCramerRed White
SamuelCravenWhite Weenie
RyanCrouchGoblins Mono Red
DavidCruthirdsBlack Red
BryanDanielsGoblins Mono Red
EliotDavidoff5C Monster Mash
TristanDe LiegeStory Time (Shahrazad)12 Place After Swiss Rounds
MatthewDeeringMono Red Atog Trinket Repair
RyanDeMarcoStasis
MattDennisLiving Plane ControlMost Creative Deck 5th Place
PaulDeSilva5C Gas
DominicDotterrer5C DorkAGeddon
JamesEasteppeStasis
LorienEllemanPink Weenie
KevinElliottUnderworld Dreams Combo (Black-Red)
DanielErschMono Brown UrzaTron
DanielEspinozaMono Black
TylerEttersRed White
TimothyEverettUG Skies
BenjaminFarkas4C Aggro Control03 Place After Swiss Rounds
MichaelFinneganMono Black Rack
DaveFirth BardIcy ToolboxMost Creative Deck 3rd Place
MarcFloreGoblins Mono Red
AndrewFrankGoblins Grixis
DanielFriedmanGuardian Beast Control
ChristopherGeorgeUR Control
DairGrantStasis
JohnGrudzinaThe Deck05 Place After Swiss Rounds
CharlesHahnAtog Berserker RGBMost Creative Deck 4th Place
MattHahnUR Control
JonathonHammackThe Deck
EvanHartDECKLIST PENDING
DanielHumphreysDECKLIST PENDING
RajahJamesAll-In Reanimator
PhillipJankiewiczPink Weenie
AdamJourdanBlack White
MatthewJunkerDECKLIST PENDING
BenjaminKennedyMono Black
WilliamKirkwoodUnderworld Dreams Combo (5C)
MichaelKochisGoblins Grixis
SherrieKooneMono Green
GregKraigherGoblins Mono Red06 Place After Swiss Rounds
KyleLenoxPink Weenie
JaredLentzNether Void Grixis
DanLuchesaRUG Tempo
RyanMaddux8 Rakdos
BryanManolakos4C Aggro Control02 Place After Swiss Rounds
RayMattsonEureka
JimmyMcCarthyWorkshop Aggro GW
SteveMcGrewTwiddle Vault
AndrewMcLennanUW Skies
StephenMenendianUR Control08 Place After Swiss Rounds
MithWorkshop Aggro Grixis
JasonMorawskiPower Monolith Combo
MattMossEsper Skies
ShaneMottRed Green Sacrifice
ChrisMoyerUnderworld Dreams Combo (Grixis)
NathanMullenNaya Bazaar Zoo09 Place After Swiss Rounds
BenMurfinErhnam and Burn Em (RG)
EvanNyquistDisintegrated.dec
SeanO'BrienNether Void BG
WilliamParshallThe Deck
ChrisPepinMirror Universe Combo
BenjerminPerryEureka
CarterPetray4C Justice League LegendsMost Creative Deck 6th Place
NatePonceThe Deck
HunterPrendergastMono Red Workshop KoboldsMost Creative Deck 1st Place
HartPrendergastBerserk ReanimatorMost Creative Deck 7th Place
AndyProbascoUW Control
NicholasRauschWorkshop Aggro UR
JoeReuschelUR Control10 Place After Swiss Rounds
CharlesRolkoAll-In Reanimator
StephenRosenthalDECKLIST PENDING
JohnRyanPink Weenie
MichaelScheffenackerUR Atog Burn07 Place After Swiss Rounds
JasonSchwartzWorkshop Aggro Mono BlueMost Creative Deck 8th Place
ShaneSemmens4C Mirror Control
JoshuaShermanUR Control
JeffSimpsonNaya ChannelBall13 Place After Swiss Rounds
MattSlackRUG Tempo
JonathanSparksGrixis Control
ThomasSwindellUR Atog Burn14 Place After Swiss Rounds
JohnTadenaMono Black
MichaelTompkinsRed Green
NamTranThe Deck
ForestWaltonGauntlet of the Rock
OwenWatsonDECKLIST PENDING
MattWebsterUR Control
AaronWestStory Time (Shahrazad)16 Place After Swiss Rounds
JeffWestWhite Weenie
JohnWhiteMono Black
JDWilliamsErhnam and Burn Em (RG)
ZacharyWilsonBantamGeddon
CraigWinzerMono Green Berserk
RandallWitherellMono Black
DavidWojtkowskiMono Green
WinstonWoodTitania's Prison WG
StuartZiarnikGoblins Mono Red

Report Roundup

Bryan Manolakos with 4C Aggro Control (Sped Tempo)
Dave Firth Bard with Icy Venom
Grant Castleton with White Weenie
Stephen Menendian with UR Control
Jack Ryan with Pink Weenie

ALL Decklists, Alphabetically, by Last Name

Joseph Alane – Naya ChannelBall

Trevor Bartlett – Pink Weenie

Jeremy Bates – Junk (BWG)

Jason Beaupre – White Weenie

Ryan Bergeman – UR Control

Chris Bergeson – Goblins 4C

Pez Bothem – Troll Disco

Scott Bradley – Troll Disco

Patrick Brennan – Pink Weenie

Gene Brumby – UWR Weenie

Damyan Brunson – UW Control

Randy Buehler – The Deck

Justin Burdett – UR Control

Robert Burtle – The Deck

Michael Butzen – RG Atog Berserk Workshops

Paul Callis – Workshop Control

Grant Castleton – White Weenie

Shann Chaudhry – Naya Birdman Control (Most Creative Deck *2nd Place*)

Jeremy Chien – Eureka

James Cooney – Merfolk

Joshua Cramer – Red White

Samuel Craven – White Weenie

Ryan Crouch – Goblins Mono Red

David Cruthirds – Black Red

Bryan Daniels – Goblins Mono Red

Eliot Davidoff – 5C Monster Mash

Tristan De Liege – Story Time (Shahrazad)

Matthew Deering – Mono Red Atog Trinket Repair

Ryan DeMarco – Stasis

Matt Dennis – Living Plane Control (Most Creative Deck *5th Place*)

Paul DeSilva – 5C Gas

Dominic Dotterrer – 5C Dorkageddon

James Easteppe – Stasis

Lorien Elleman – Pink Weenie

Kevin Elliott – Underworld Dreams Combo (Black-Red)

Daniel Ersch – Mono Brown UrzaTron

Daniel Espinoza – Mono Black

Tyler Etters – Red White

Timothy Everett – Emerald Skies

Benjamin Farkas – 4C Aggro Control

Michael Finnegan – Mono Black Rack

Dave Firth Bard – Icy Toolbox (Most Creative Deck *3rd Place*)

Marc Flore – Goblins Mono Red

Andrew Frank – Goblins Grixis

Daniel Friedman – Guardian Beast Control

Christopher George – UR Control

Dair Grant – Stasis

John Grudzina – The Deck

Charles Hahn – Atog Berserker RGB (Most Creative Deck *4th Place*)

Matt Hahn – UR Control

Jonathon Hammack – The Deck

Evan Hart – DECKLIST PENDING

Daniel Humphreys – White Weenie (DECKLIST PENDING)

Rajah James – All-In Reanimator

Phillip Jankiewicz – Pink Weenie

Adam Jourdan – Black White

Matthew Junker – DECKLIST PENDING

Benjamin Kennedy – Mono Black

William Kirkwood – Underworld Dreams Combo (5C)

Michael Kochis – Goblins Grixis

Sherrie Koone – Mono Green

Greg Kraigher – Goblins Mono Red

Kyle Lenox – Pink Weenie

Jared Lentz – Nether Void Grixis

Dan Luchesa – RUG Tempo

Ryan Maddux – 8 Rakdos

Bryan Manolakos – 4C Aggro Control

Ray Mattson – Eureka

Jimmy McCarthy – Workshop Aggro GW

Steve McGrew – Twiddle Vault

Andrew McLennan – UW Skies

Stephen Menendian – UR Control

Mith – Workshop Aggro Grixis

Jason Morawski – Power Monolith Combo

Matt Moss – Esper Skies

Shane Mott – Red Green Sacrifice

Chris Moyer – Underworld Dreams Combo (Grixis)

Nathan Mullen – Naya Bazaar Zoo

Ben Murfin – Erhnam and Burn Em (RG)

Evan Nyquist – Disintegrated.dec

Sean O’Brien – Nether Void BG

William Parshall – The Deck

Chris Pepin – Mirror Universe Combo

Benjermin Perry – Eureka

Carter Petray – 4C Justice League Legends (Most Creative Deck *6th Place*)

Nate Ponce – The Deck

Hart Prendergast – Berserk Reanimator (Most Creative Deck *7th Place*)

Hunter Prendergast – Mono Red Workshop Kobolds (Most Creative Deck *1st Place*)

Andy Probasco – UW Control

Nicholas Rausch – Workshop Aggro UR

Joe Reuschel – UR Control

Charles Rolko – All-In Reanimator

Stephen Rosenthal – DECKLIST MISSING

John Ryan – Pink Weenie

Michael Scheffenacker – UR Atog Burn

Jason Schwartz – Workshop Aggro Mono Blue (Most Creative Deck *8th Place*)

Shane Semmens – 4C Mirror Control

Joshua Sherman – UR Control

Jeff Simpson – Naya ChannelBall

Matt Slack – RUG Tempo

Jonathan Sparks – Grixis Control

Thomas Swindell – UR Atog Burn

John Tadena – Mono Black

Michael Tompkins – Red Green

Nam Tran – The Deck

Forest Walton – Gauntlet of the Rock

Owen Watson – DECKLIST MISSING

Matt Webster – UR Control

Aaron West – Story Time (Shahrazad)

Jeff West – White Weenie

John White – Mono Black

JD Williams – Erhnam and Burn Em (RG)

Zachary Wilson – BantamGeddon

Craig Winzer – Mono Green Berserk

Randall Witherell – Mono Black

David Wojtkowski – Mono Green

Winston Wood – Titania’s Prison WG

Stuart Ziarnik – Goblins Mono Red

Tournament Action

Prize for Most Creative Deck: Awarded to Hunter Prendergast for his Mono Red Workshop and Kobold Aggro; photo courtesy of Jimmy Cooney

Prize for Hardest Drinker, in honor of 2015’s Hardest Drinker, Richard Lessman and 2016’s Hardest Drinker Ziggy Humphrey’s: Awarded to Dominic Dotterer

Chien (Eureka) vs. Wilson (BantamGeddon) – when Eureka resolves, but your opponent has 3 Swords to Plowshares in hand

Dennis (Living Plane Control) vs. DeMarco (Stasis)

Librarian and Lord

Semmens (4C Mirror) vs. Alane (Naya ChannelBall)

Mullen (Naya Bazaar Zoo) vs. Davidoff (5C Monster Mash) – King Suleiman vs. Mahamoti

Friedman (Guardian Beast Control) vs. Cramer (Red White)

Some of the New England Old School Crew

Slack (RUG Tempo) vs. Manolakos (4C Aggro Control)

Cooney (Merfolk) vs. Etters (Red White) – photo courtesy of Paul DeSilva

De Liege (Story Time) vs. Davidoff (5C Monster Mash) – many subgames deep

Dave Firth Bard’s Icy Prison Toolbox in action

Paul DeSilva Flashes the Old School Camera Technology

Sick Apparel

Buehler (The Deck) vs. Grudzina (The Deck) – double-checking how Chaos Orb vs. Disenchant in response works

Jimmy Cooney’s Dice City Games graciously donated a sick playmat, dice bag, and various swag for additional prize support – many thanks!

Pairings

Round 1 Pairings
Round 2 Pairings
Round 3 Pairings
Round 4 Pairings
Round 5 Pairings
Round 6 Pairings
Round 7 Pairings
Round 8 Pairings

Social Media Roundup and Closing Thoughts

The hashtag for social media for the event was #ECOldSchool2017, which you can use to find more on Twitter, Instagram, etc. Thank you to everybody who came out to play, and to those who graciously donated cards or assistance in setting the tournament up. For any comments, follow up, to add any pics from the event (or replace your decklist photo with a better one), or to donate any cards as prizes for next year, please email eternalcentral@gmail.com. Thanks for reading!