So for the Friday Release Sealed Event at ABU, I had some tough choices with what I opened.

I opened really solid cards in almost all the colors: Mind Control, 2 Ice Cage and some good creatures in Blue, Removal and Lilliana Vess in Black, Some cheap creatures in white plus a Honor of the Pure to make them bigger, and some really great creatures in Green including a Cudgel Troll. I also got some nice artifacts in Juggernaut and Whispersilk Cloak.

The problem was that the colors were all spread out so that I either didn't have enough creatures or bombs to support some of the colors. So in the end I chose to go with Black and White. Black gave me the removal in Doom Blade, Assassinate, and Corrupt. White had the most creatures, which included a Blinding Mage and some decent fliers, as well as Honor of the Pure to make them all bigger. However, most of my creatures that I ended up playing were pretty weak (I played a few bears because I figured getting creatures on the board fast was going to be the best way to win)

Here's what I sleeved up:

Nightwing Shade
Barony Vampire
Gravedigger
Child of Night
Lilliana's Specter
Lilliana Vess
Doom Blade
Assassinate
Corrupt
Cloud Cursader x 2
Palace Guard
Ajani's Pridemate
Blinding Mage
Silvercoat Lion
Stormfront Pegasus
White Night
Wild Griffin
Armored Ascension
Safe Passage
Honor of the Pure
Juggernaut
Whispersilk Cloak

8 Swamp
9 Plains

Not much in the form of sideboard cards, and with the creatures I was playing, I actually didn't know how I was going to do.

Round 1 vs. Michael

I know Mike as he usually plays at All About Games. He was playing a Green/White deck with fliers and and fattys.

Game 1 I was on the draw, but had to Mulligan to 6. My start was faster than his as I began to drop my small creatures to get some damage in before he played his big guys. I was able to clear the way with removal and won the game by having more creatures and pushing damage through.

Game 2 I was playing first, and had to mulligan to 6 again. I figured I would be okay as I had a Blinding Mage in my opening hand (I actually had him in my opening hands about 70% of the time throughout the tournament). He was able to survive long enough to get his big guns out and he even cast an overwhelming stampede on me. which ended with my losing that game.

Game 3 was much more in my favor as I started with a Stormfront Pegasus and Followed it up with a Lilliana's Specter for the dangerous start. My Creatures were too much for him to hanble and I won in a relatively short game.

1-0

Rounds 2 vs. Tyler

I started the game choosing to draw (wasn't sure the first game whether it was better to play or draw, but decided the card advantage was better most of the time). We each had pretty fast starts, but eventually it was my Blinding Mage coupled with Honor of the Pure and a few weenies that gave me game 1.

Game 2 he started out with a couple of those 0/1 creatures that gain you 4 life when they block. They really only served as a road bump for me as I played out my hand of 2 drops. He cast an Act of Treason on one of my creatures and I didn't block, which took me to 11, but he had nothing after that and it was a fast victory.

2-0

Round 3 vs. Paul

I recognize Paul as he has played in various events in the area for years. He was playing a red/black deck that I knew I was going to have trouble with. Game 1 luck was on my side and he mulliganed down to 5 cards before settling. He didn't have anything to really play against me, but a turn 4 Juggernaut followed by a turn 5 play and equip Whispersilk Cloak that ended the game quickly. I'M THE JUGGERNAUT, BITCH!

Games 2 saw a very scary start for me as his first play was a Black Knight, while I had a grip full of white creatures and 2 black creatures that wouldn't do much against him. He then played an Axe that he equipped to the Knight, and suddenly I was taking 5 a turn. I had to play Lilliana and immediately use her tutor ability to grab an Assassinate. He swung 1 more time before I Assassinated the Knight. We both traded some creatures so that it got to the point where all I had was a Blinding Mage and Lilliana that was at 3 counters and all he had was the Axe. He eventually drew a Cystal Ball, which was sick for him because it meant he could reload very quickly. He eventually played a couple of creatures, a Chandra's Spitfire (which he put the Axe on) and a Nighting Shade. In the end, I had to use Lilliana's last 2 counters to tutor up a Corrupt, which I used the next turn on the Shade. Soon after I played a Shade of my own that got him down to 1 before he killed it, but I still had the Blinding Mage, and he was unable to dig deep enough with his crystal ball to find an answer. I swung with the Mage when he was at 1 to win.

3-0

Round 4 vs. Alex

Alex works at ABU and I've played him enough times to know he is a tough opponent. I had no land in my opening hand while on the draw, and had to mulligan to 6. My hand was pretty weak, but I had to keep it. He started off with the 3/2 with trample for 2 mana. He followed that up with Garruk Wildspeaker, while all I was drawing was land. I quickly scooped once there was no way for me to take out his Garruk.

Game 2 I was on the play again and kept a two lander, but I did not draw any more for a couple more turns. By that time he had the 3/2 out again, while the only creature I played ate a Lightning Bolt. He played a Garruk, and then a 6/4 trampling wurm. My creatures were not holding up very well against his, and I was quickly defeated.

Overall: 3-1

Finished 3rd and got 3 packs (now I remember why I don't usually play at ABU), but considering how weak I thought my deck was, I think I did well.

Now to get sleep before the Grand Prix Trial tomorrow. I'll write up a report for that too (well, depending on how I do).