The Top 8 Plays in Magic: the Gathering History

[@uiluj13]

i understanding that topdecking answers in highstake games is exciting, but topdecking is not what i had in mind when i think of best plays.

[@LaPoubelle42]

Smart plays are made all the time, they were going for the most "memorable" plays here... The rare and unforgettable moments in competitive magic history

[@whorcares123]

Ford LaBoube If that is the case, then it should have been "Top 8 Memorable Plays" or "Top 8 Memorable Moments"

[@AnotherScone]

Red_Dragon_Scale In that case, you should be an actual red dragon scale.

[@user-uc9ud8tv2g]

I felt like you for 4 of the scenes

[@CGoody564]

Ford LaBoube exactly. playing well with a deck you understand isn't all that hard. what makes these plays memorable are the minimal odds of success, but somehow coming through. getting lucky on the draw is a lot less likely to happen than someone playing well with a deck they know, and another difference is you have complete control of how you play the cards you have; you do not have any control of what cards you end up with though, save for certain effects. if people are going to bitch about topdecks, they shouldn't be playing a game based on drawing cards from a randomized deck. they should be playing something where the tools are the same and the odds are relatively similar. don't like luck? then don't play a game that is 1/3 based on luck of the draw

[@rodrigomunoz3262]

It's very cool that they rented the set of "Between two ferns"

[@sbcguitarist]

The look LSV gives Kibbler after Bonefire is revealed is fantastic.

[@Brawler_1337]

One of my personal favorites is Frank Karsten Reclaiming a Gifts Ungiven, drawing it with Top, and then Giftsing for only Yosei and Kokusho. Gifts forces his opponent to put them both in the yard, where he will Goryo's Vengeance one next turn for the win due to his opponent's Form of the Dragon. It was apparently the first time that this particular trick with Gifts was used, so it leaves the commentators pretty stunned. Great topdecks are nice, but great skill teaches lessons.

[@AIMLESS-NAMELESS]

I hope you see this comment 6 years later. Check out rhystic studies most recent vid (abt gifts ungiven) ;)

[@basiliaspice]

Happy to see this back on my recommended. Such sweet plays

[@Supernov4]

The helix is overrated, that Nassif vs Chapin was 10x more entertaining. By far the best moment.

[@abj136]

Helix only wins because Randy goes bananas.

[@antalwahlers3574]

I don't agree with the "Helix was just a topdeck" argument. The whole point is that he could have charred a creature and improved his board position and "not lose" (at least not right the next turn). What makes the play so awesome is that he chose to forego the safe "don't lose" play and instead went for the high risk "if this works out I win - if it doesn't I lose" play by charring face and then topdecking. The topdeck is not the issue. The choice to bet the game on it is.

[@jondorsey2043]

@@antalwahlers3574 Well put. I couldn't agree more. This video is great fun. I hadn't seen LSV without the beard in years and i didn't recognize him.

[@zlodrim9284]

@Drew Biggah Topdecking is always exciting, especially on the biggest stage.

[@rendevoir4736]

The helix wins cause Jones wins. If Nassif had won that game, we would be looking at a different top

[@Ox5f3759df]

The best Magic advice: "You Char to the face and knock the top of your deck. That's the play."

[@CGoody564]

When playing it "safe" ends with you dead anyway, you take your chances.

[@Pringlesman]

My two favorite MTG plays of all time, Chapin's Profane Command giving fear to all his legal targets and Mike Long's "Do I really have to play this out?" when he had no way to win.

[@itskermitborne9904]

How did you guys not have Yugi moto drawing the last piece of exodia as #1

[@Rishkar-Peema-Pants]

Yugioh ≠ Magic the gathering Nice try :D

[@heckmegeck2428]

Bucket it was a joke

[@pokefreak627]

@@Rishkar-Peema-Pants r/wooosh

[@psymar]

his last name is Mutoh

[@mikedr0806]

Because Yugi doesnt plays Pokimon.

[@adria8107]

I'm 24 seconds in but I'm already overwhelmed by the social awkwardness of their interaction

[@duckingswan]

You have some difficulty coping with social interactions?

[@EuropeanQoheleth]

@@duckingswan 😒

[@KolegaMaistor]

too bad most of these clips were recorded with a calculator

[@dudexx5389]

nah it was a pencil

[@zacheriashelm]

It's as if the clips are all old. And recorded on what they had. Stupid people saying stupid things

[@subzero308]

They were just recorded back when magic was actually a good game. Now a days the game is pretty bad. The Internet ruined magic strictly because of prices of cards.

[@shot040]

LSV top decking Tamiyo in PT eldritch moon was pretty sick too.

[@KryXun]

I really want to watch that match again, anyone have a link?

[@odoacredacalcutta5085]

LSV has pretty much the same amount of similar 'top plays' in his career, to be honest

[@pierredupont1096]

Great list and glad the Lightning Helix play was tops, so memorable to this day.

[@SnackMuay]

Seeing the showmanship and calling out what card you wanna see is so cool. I can hardly imagine that ever being a thing in YGO (the card game I play). Maybe if you’re about to lose to deck out and your opponent has no backrow and no cards in hand, so you need to win on that specific turn? But even still it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the opponent wouldn’t be helped by having perfect knowledge of your hand. Even during your turn.

[@drpibisback7680]

It's pretty much an equally bad play in Magic. Laying your hand out on the board is a formal declaration of "it doesn't matter that you know what's in my hand - either what's coming next wins me the game and you can't stop me or I lose." Unless Yu-Gi-Oh has some tech I don't know about (I've never played the game, I just vaguely understand some of the ways it differs from magic), it's only slightly worse there because you're not using a resource on the board to fuel your plays, but a limited amount of plays per turn - so you can't cross your fingers as you reach out to draw the cards and get that Hail Mary, because you can't play them until your next turn.

[@geertmulder8881]

Makihito vs Paulo is the best one for me. takes a serious mindset to get your head back into the game where you did a fuck up and manage to get it to go your way after all.

[@Jules-vf1zq]

you guys should do a part 2 of this and include just amazing plays recently or ones that did not quite make that list

[@CGoody564]

Jules Kowalski there really aren't any recent amazing plays

[@demiurge2501]

@@CGoody564 how about now

[@Demogorgon7007]

After watching this, I feel like tournaments used to be a lot more exciting and energetic.

[@spa9876]

The commentators were better honestly. That's part of it for sure. I can't stand today's coverage compared the old school guys. Randy Buehler and Mike Flores were the best coverage duo imo.

[@JR-xv6mv]

spaz9876 I think having Randy Buehler and LSV doing commentary is pretty damn good.

[@Demogorgon7007]

I like Patrick Sullivan and Cedric Phillips. They're a decent combo.

[@carlosspencer5369]

I disagree, the world magic cup is still very entertaining to watch if only for the team celebrations at the end.

[@cheeseburgersuperior1874]

Ok sign is banned. Yeah... That's already sign that fun, excitement, and joy is dead.

[@Canadiandawg]

Great video, ty. Could you please explain these cards and how they work in future vids, I'm a noob and I have no idea what you're talking about lol

[@corriedebeer799]

I really enjoyed this video.

[@AIMLESS-NAMELESS]

His that windmill slam is so awesome, makes me smile every time

[@fo0liner1985]

death and taxes surviving 2 emrakul attacks and winning right after.. was pretty cool too if you ask me

[@markjohnston8691]

I believe he also had been attacked by a Griselbrand earlier in that game as well.

[@helderboymh]

fo0liner1985 :0 where can I find these

[@Adrianovaz2007]

I also want to watch that, any videos of the game?

[@aklepatzky]

Link

[@canman87]

Been on a bit of a "Magic TV retrospective" the last couple of days, hence the delay on this comment. One of the other cool stories that wasn't touched on from that Honolulu '06 match between Craig and Olivier is that Oli's brother Antoine had such a bad matchup with his Owling Mine deck vs Craig in the quarters that he ended up playing an Ancestral Recall on camera and still lost the match. In a nutshell, in game 2 Antoine was going for the kill in Craig's draw step with a Sudden Impact and responded to it with an Ancestral Recall, which would have put Craig up to the requisite number of cards to take lethal. The issue is that Antoine was at 5 and had only had Shivan Reef as his red mana access, so he had to take a point to cast Sudden Impact. After everyone took a second to laugh about Antoine playing the Ancestral Recall, Craig responds with Char (of course!) and domes Antoine to take game 2. Fittingly, Antoine sort of jokingly throws his hand on the table while everyone busts up again. Randy says something along the lines that not even siding in Type 1 cards was enough to take the game. So yeah, perhaps not top 8 worthy in this context, but it was hilarious nonetheless. One last thing to note was that Antoine had just crushed PT LA earlier that season, so he was on a bit of a tear that year. It was great to see a dude that was so jovial at the table also playing super tight in the LA tournament, but his Honolulu quarterfinals match was essentially him goofing off; that matchup was just insanely bad for him (probably like, 5/95 or something absurd like that).

[@owengoddard926]

Any chance you guys could do another one of these! Or just during the quarantine maybe put together a compilation of all the sickest plays in MTG history.

[@deadeyeridge]

I always loved how socially awkward these guys are, never ready for the other to make a joke

[@imprintex]

Top notch top decks. Great vid.

[@BrotherAlpha]

I did something similar to the pen trick. I was slowly losing and unless I got a miracle draw, I wasn't going to be able to come back. So I attacked with everything and said I won. I went through the possible blocks to show I had won, but I "realized" I made a mistake in my math and the game wasn't over. The next turn, my opponent attacked with everything, and I used Simulacrum on my Will 'o the Wisp and even regenerated it. Then when he was completely tapped out, I attacked again and I won for real. The only way for me to win was to get him to commit an all out attack, so I had to bluff.

[@WinstonKillDeath]

Bluffing is always an interesting decision. I usually only bluff when I KNOW I can win by either goading my opponent into attacking against a trick or having them hold off. Case in point, last time I drafted Khans of Tarkir my opponent had enough creatures to outright kill me but he held off because I had 4 blockers and a hand of 6 and 4 lands untapped. By putting a card to the front of my hand when he played his land for turn, I got him to assume I had a response to an attack so he stayed his forces. Next turn I Master of Way'd him, then swung with lethal in the air. So much fun.

[@KeeganMcKinney]

Are there any decks that still use topdeck strategies anymore?

[@demiurge2501]

Rats

[@jakehiggs9354]

Luis' face when the bonfire gets flipped is the best.

[@COJred1]

ikr

[@MarkAvo]

Would LSV's Settle the Wreckage moment make an extended and updated list?

[@benzappo1000]

#1 now is LSV gut shot.

[@ItsCayboo]

loghtning helix is still way better

[@ZakanaHachihaCBC]

Naw, it was a sick way to end the game, but it was already locked up at that point because of Sower.

[@alanyuan8565]

We should make a top 8 moment of randy beluher reactions. "What is on top of the deck?" OMG it's lightning helix etc...

[@TheOvermaster]

Patrick Dickmann's play vs. the Blue Moon deck - whilst not as high stakes as this - is probably my favourite of the actual skill wins. I mean damn - the guy knows how to run RUG Twin.

[@1234victorxD]

thats what makes magic so nice! its just a bunch of people playing an cardgame and having so much fun!

[@CoolRanchSociology]

Top 8 times someone got really lucky. This is not what I was expecting.

[@GsKillz818]

I used to be in love with magic coverage.

[@mikeynma]

No idea what is going on but they look like they are having fun and I am binge watching MTG vids now :)

[@SoDefCallidus]

Loved this video. Thanks for bringing top 8s back. It's why I subbed in the first place.

[@conkyjoe8932]

Pat Chapin is a genious. That pen trick was GODLIKE

[@h2ohappydude563]

Can we get a updated list? O_O It's been 5 years, and there should be more on there!!

[@DerangedHermit]

LSV can add his own, lol

[@BarbeqdBrwniez]

The amount of people watching this and commenting but missing the first 60 seconds where they say "this isn't top skilled plays, it's top sweet plays" is insane.

[@RiptornRory]

PVDDR having an early appearance. I wonder what his old self would say if he knew he ended up as a World Champ? But props to him for just being patient and seeing what Mihara had going on. Seen a lot of players scoop early against a combo deck, which is especially tricky if they didn't have it. But Makihito pulled it off. Great game.

[@maelstrom197]

Chapin vs Nassif is possibly my all-time favourite Magic moment. The fact that Nassif survives at 1 life with Chapin at 20, then proceeds to do his own Ignite Memories when Chapin had an 8 drop and two 9 drops is just insane.

[@MTG_Viking]

Would love to see Top 8 plays from 2013-2017^^

[@AugustusMayo]

Was really hoping to see Antoine Force Spiking a tog on this list :(

[@FuzzMustard]

0:12 is the plants name Darksteel Humphrey? o.O

[@RagingPoo]

10:30 Using "the pen trick" or anything even remotely in the same ballpark seems like a really scummy thing to do. There is a different between correctly and strategically concealing information from your opponent, (such as playing lands and spells during your second main phase) and intentionally misleading your opponent into believing something that you know damn well isn't the case. Borderline cheating and at the very least, dishonest. Yet here it is in the top plays of all time.

[@thebootknifer]

I think it's genius. Tricking your opponent into a sense of safety is perfectly fine. His opponent saw how much mana he had open and how many cards were in hand. No wrong doing here. That's like saying a blue player is dishonest because he has an open board and a cryptic command in hand. I've hovered my pen over a life pad before, not to trick my opponent, because he attacked with more than I expected, so I changed my mind and decided to block.

[@vectorvictor6181]

It is a card game bluffing is part of the skill set. Also taking into consideration what your draw may be if you need to pull off a last ditch effort.

[@brettschmuckler4242]

Post an updated list!

[@commanderarena3259]

the old Channel fireball itself! :D

[@bumpasaurus487]

I did the math and I think Nassif had a 10.6996% chance of surviving after the 5 copies of ignite memories, which isn’t as unlikely as it seemed, at least to me. It felt more like a 1% or 2% chance in my mind.

[@bumpasaurus487]

For those wondering how I got that: I started by figuring out the likelihood of not hitting the ignite memories in none of the 5 rolls. That’s 2/3 of the time on each roll. So 66.66% to miss the first roll, 44.444% to miss twice, 29.6296% to miss thrice, 19.753% to miss four times, and finally 13.1687% to miss the ignite all five rolls. Then, of those 13.1687% times that no ignite memories are hit, the five rolls have 6 different potential outcomes. Either: 1) all rites of flame 2) all grapeshots 3) 4 rites and 1 grapeshot 4) 4 grapeshots and 1 rites 5) 3 grapeshots and 2 rites 6) 2 grapeshots and 3 rites Those six potential outcomes are not equally likely, so you have to figure out the number of ways each can happen in a 5 rolls, which is kind of like playing yatzee with 5 coins, each with rites on one side and grapeshot on the other. 5 rites: only 1 way 5 grapeshots: only 1 way 4 rites/1 grapeshot: 5 ways 4 grapeshots/1 rites: 5 ways 3 rites/2 grapeshots: 10 ways 3 grapeshots/2 rites: 10 ways So that’s a total of 32 different potential combinations. And only 6 of them are combinations that kill him, the 1 combination that hits all 5 grapeshots, and the five combinations that hit 4 grapeshots and 1 rites. All the other combinations deal less than 9 damage, letting Nassif survive. So that’s 26/32 (81.25%) combinations that he survives in the 13.1687% of times that he’s lucky to avoid ignite each roll. So 81.25% of the 13.1687% equals: 10.6996%

[@simonh2011]

@@bumpasaurus487 I'll just trust u dude 😂

[@envysart797]

Honorable mentions for LSV breaking MTGO surely? xD

[@ResidentBaddie]

This being limited to Pro Tours excludes the absolutely ridiculous Adam Prosak Storm bluff from whatever SCG that was in and it makes me sad.

[@anstytroll11]

Patrick vs nassif should have been number one that one is actually entertaining the lightning Helix although cool not that entertaining just another top deck or miharas storm count

[@anstytroll11]

Neither should the top deck then because that was just good luck

[@antalwahlers3574]

I don't agree with the "Helix was just a topdeck" argument. The whole point is that he could have charred a creature and improved his board position and "not lose" (at least not right the next turn). What makes the play so awesome is that he chose to forego the safe "don't lose" play and instead went for the high risk "if this works out I win - if it doesn't I lose" play by charring face and then topdecking. The topdeck is not the issue. The choice to bet the game on it is.

[@Webcomentarista_Aditivo]

why th 2-3 final should be 0-5?

[@jablesusta]

For that exact reason. Even the guys who lost thought it was exciting. The mechanic is good, fills design space, makes flavor sense, and is fun.

[@notme222]

I'm crushed. Only 3 in and I don't think I can finish. "Topdeck or no" x3. :/ LSV you're perhaps the greatest player of all time. And the things that you think are the "greatest plays" aren't shows of skill but just "what's on top?" Fuck! Why the hell do I even watch pro matches anymore? I can watch two first-timers at a prerelease and see if their top cards win the game. This isn't an attack on LSV; he can like whatever he likes. I'm just crushed that even here Magic doesn't showcase skill.

[@Meltedshadow940]

Yeah! more magic tv please!

[@maddragonfurs6358]

Wow, you know what would be even better. If the quality didn’t go to pot so I could actually see the plays

[@themaninnavyblue]

the look on lsv's face in the gif is priceless

[@RagingPoo]

3 words: Reverse Helm Combo. Honestly though any game involving Kennen Haas's Jund Depths deck. Another classic is Jacob Wilson and Alexander Hayne doing Legacy Troll Delver. The last game was the most epic thing I have ever seen in Magic. If you haven't seen these videos I highly recommend them.

[@johnhowe8424]

Yuuki ichikawa vs Jackson Cunningham in pro tour when yuuki used golgari charm to shrink the scooze to save it from selesnya charm and then win the game thereafter

[@amacuro]

+john howe - I was utterly mindblown that day when he did that. One of my favorites as well

[@ianw5663]

Absolutely. Very clever move; I remember watching this while it was happening and saying 'holy shit' when he said -1/-1. I think I'm a pretty strong player but it never crossed my mind. Ichikawa is great.

[@MrGunwitch]

Came here to say that, glad someone else pointed it out. The most headsup play I've even seen in a pro-game.

[@tylerkahle332]

What is the cover angel on this video?

[@EleosLupus]

What angel was that in the opening picture/animation ? I haven’t seen it b4

[@bsmith8166]

can you do top 8 best matchs of all time? I think that Bob Maher match would make the list.

[@jamestimmins823]

What was the one with kibler about?

[@TumbleDwyer1226]

After shuffling, his opponent offers his deck for Kibler to cut. Kibler declines to cut, his opponent miracles Bonfire of the damned off the top to win. The idea is that if Kibler had cut, then maybe it wouldn't have been the bonfire.

[@bluepower1177]

“There are hundreds of people watching this”. I’m surprised it’s that many 😂

[@rbmyers2010]

My personal worst play was during a PPTQ, 2-2, playing for a top 8 position, I had put Saheeli/Felidar Guardian combo into Mardu vehicles as an odd curveball. I was one mana short from casting both with opponent being tapped down......so I thought. I could have cast Guardian to bounce my Aether Hub in order to have it come back in untapped and then be able to cast Saheeli. Not by best moment, but definitely learned from it.

[@Aassymcass]

Amazing!

[@pavelsamsonov8061]

The video shoulda been called The top 8 topdecks in Magic: the Gathering 😂

[@O0oFullMetalo0O]

Oh man, Kibler's face is priceless.

[@Reilavac]

One of the first games to spring to mind when I watched this was the Conley Woods vs Craig Wescoe Worlds 2011 Quaterfinal. While not exactly being top notch play skill (although Conley did dig himself out of a hole quite well) it was great just for the crowd interaction.

[@HanDaimond]

The top 8 plays happened a long time ago. Nothing spectacular happened in recent years, hell, the only relevant event that I remember was the one where Patrick Chapin misplayed Ajani Mentor of Heroes' second ability.

[@ZakanaHachihaCBC]

There was one in the Pro Tour Born of the Gods Top8, where Scooze baits out a Selesnya Charm, with Golgari Charm using its -1/-1 mode to fizzle the Selesnya Charm.

[@andrewt15]

+ZakanaHachihaCBC its actually pro tour m15 yuuki ichikawa vs jackson cunningham game 2

[@ZakanaHachihaCBC]

+Jose Nell Andrew Tumulak Thanks man, don't know why I thought it to have been Born.

[@Thexaios]

Truly one of the greatest plays ever captured on camera. I was watching the livestream of that PT when it happened, my mind was blown. It was the Golgari Charm heard round the world.

[@DerangedHermit]

LSV just added one to this list with that fucking Settle

[@Rorschachqp]

My fave moment is Shawn The Hammer Regnier winning PT Long Beach draft final, where he psyched out his opponent so bad, the guy left the match immediately after to go puke.

[@joshmcgregor5393]

What now? Link? Lmao

[@Rorschachqp]

Josh McGregor no link, I saw it in person.

[@joshmcgregor5393]

@@Rorschachqp remember the play? I'm curious as to how dude got a baseketball psychout in MTG 😂😂

[@Rorschachqp]

Josh McGregor Hammer was a very peculiar MTG player. He was a buff guy who was an arm wrestler and in that sport, there is a lot of psych “mental game”. He also played a lot of control in MTG constructed. PT 2 Long Beach was an unusual draft format of mostly 4th Edition plus like Fallen and Homelands if I remember correctly and Hammer drafted a blue white deck. His opponent had a Shivan Dragon and a Fireball. Hammer had a couple spell counters and a Control Magic. Hammer constantly made his opponent feel like he “had the counter” and in game 3, his opponent had the winning card in hand and didn’t cast it for like 20 turns because he thought Hammer would counter it even thoug Hammer had nothing.

[@Rorschachqp]

Josh McGregor if you do a search on Reddit, Shawn Hammer Regnier, one poster mentions him.

[@tietscho]

This video was a decade ago. Like damn.

[@Digibullet32]

these are interesting bt it would be nice if i had any idea what the cards were :S

[@FunshineBear91]

It's cool if you read the writeups on SCG or channel fireball for the tournament. I started playing in Zendikar (the first one) and I enjoy seeing interactions from previous tournys to learn complicated board states that you can't really find on MTG arena...

[@Digibullet32]

@@FunshineBear91 ive been off on playing and collecting magic cards since a kid more so playing after the 2014 game.... but ya i dont know these cards but have a very good understanding of the game... so its kinda not so entertaining not knowing whats really being said without the card info but i mean its all good im not a pro

[@jordanharrison8769]

My favorite “smart” play was playing burn. Have a small red deck with a few burn spells. I pull “lethal” off the top which just a land. It’s my 4th land of the game “finally” and I have a hell rider in my hand that would be lethal against my opponent. After they gave me a tell that they had a blowout in hand by shocking in a land and ending turn I anticipated a sphinx’s revelation. Instead of going for the alpha I held up my four mana and just attacked with my ground guys. Leaving them low. And of course as anticipated my opponent hit a big sphinx’s rev and I play skull crack in response. They get the cards not the life. Then of course it passes to their turn where they play a thragtusk in an attempt to gain 5 more life. I use my second skull crack and prevent that life gain as well. she drops another blocker and passes to men we then I just win mill my hell rider and landscape mode killing her off the triggers where no blockers were even to be declared. It was my best moment where I had not only exactly the set up in my hand (skull crack was a board card) but also picked up on the cues to play it correctly. To me that’s better than just top decking a prayer. Although I’ve done that too. Got an opponent down to 2, they stabilize and and get me to lethal next turn. I know my deck and I know only one card can stop me from losing and it’s a lightning bolt. If it’s a dude or lands I won’t be able to swing in time. So as I go to draw I say the state farm jingle, “like a good neighbor, State Farm is there… with a bolt” and immediately flip over the top card of my deck, revealing of course a lightning bolt exactly and cementing not only a my win, but legendary memes for the LGS for years to come.

[@ciscornBIG]

the channel fireball logo is kinda cute lol

[@ST4LE33]

I can’t see what they are doing due to the camera quality

[@7yditchfits]

Man, I never get tired of watching that Nassif Ignite Memories video. Pure luck, but a fun one nevertheless.

[@mitchellmoncada2012]

@7:43 tell me you don't see LSV's leg lift up a bit lololol

[@humphrex]

i think the best play of all time was discarding counterspell leading to scoop

[@y9y-f9q]

that Drain Life in '99... that physically hurt to watch

[@dustinhaas8538]

My man's Patrick Sullivan pop and fireblast on Ross Merriam, I was shook after watching that

[@teenagegringo393]

No Kiblers triple galvanic blast???

[@Bill-rb9ki]

2019 and still not pronounced "jif".

[@mrmorrison8712]

Agreed. Jif is a brand of peanut butter

[@MrZakuRetro]

so nostalgic

[@prothico]

We need an update

[@dizzydank6]

yea i agree, was surprised the kibler/ finkel PT DKA game play didnt make it

[@gochubattamugga]

I was expecting LSV breaking MTGO with his infinite loop of O-Ring =(

[@alanyuan8565]

I love listening to randy beluher's commentating.

[@rockylosco5596]

What does topdecking mean?

[@USAgent88]

It means to have no cards in hand and drawing cards and casting/playing them.

[@commentresurrection1841]

Is the commentator the same guy from the South Park Episode?

[@adrianogentile4541]

how Wizard could never manage a decent quality of image while casting ANY event is beyond me

[@alanyuan8565]

Please make a compilation of randy beluher going "OMG it's unbelievable. OMG OMG. GUTSHOOT for the win!"

[@Altorin]

Gotta love a good mise

[@stefanocorno4649]

oh man those unsleeved dual lands though...

[@aklepatzky]

This needs an update !

[@MrGarruk123]

Madness? THIS IS MAGIC!!!

[@k0olmini11]

I am slightly confused, why did he char at end step? He had enough mana to cast helix and char. Was he anticipating another char?

[@Justincredible83]

He was saving it in case Ruel attacked with all of his creatures, which would force Craig to play the Char on a creature to save himself. Since Olivier did not attack with everyone, Craig just took the damage leaving him with 3 life. Since Ruel was at 7 life, Craig knew Char + Lightning Helix would win him the game. So since Craig still has the Char to play and life to spare he does so on Olivier's End Phase, then his lands untap before he draws the Helix. Ruel had some land destruction cards so if Craig lost a land he needed to cast both spells on the same turn, he would have lost. By casting Char before his lands untap, he prevents mana shortage. Oddly enough, it didn't matter since Helix gives Craig 3 life and Char wins anyway.

[@spa9876]

Both Char and Flames of the Blood Hand cost 3 and are in his deck. If he waits and tries to play Char on his turn instead, only Shock and Helix can win him the game because he'll only have 2 mana open. This way, Shock, Helix, and Flames win him the game, while a second Char off the top would force a draw (they'd both go to 0 and replay the game). Pretty sure he's dead to a second attack anyway, so he might as will give himself more outs by casting it on his opponent's turn.

[@057wolf]

Top 8 Top 8's!

[@rockylosco5596]

What does lethal mean?does that possibly mean ur about to kill the enemy

[@Phoenix2700]

Yeah. Lethal means you're dealing enough damage in that moment to beat the opponent.