Michael Jacob and Neil Reeves sat down for the start of the third and final draft pod likely needing a 3-0 to Top 8. Michael has been putting up big time finishes at $10Ks for a long time now and had a near miss at PCNY. If you’ve been following the coverage of this event at all, Reeves needs no introduction.

Neil won the choice and took the odd initiative. Both players passed on turn 1, and on the second turn, Jacob played Weaponers of Qward. Neil answered with Tattooed Man. Jacob passed, and Neil got in for 4.

To start the third turn, Neil flipped Book of Oa, discarding Rot Lop Fan. He then underdropped for the turn, recruiting Black Hand. Jacob played Elastic Man in the visible area. Neil sent his Tattooed Man into Elastic Man and tried a power-up and an Uppercut to attempt the stun, but Jacob had Yellow Impurity to negate the Uppercut. Neil passed the attack, and Jacob attacked the Tattooed Man (now with 1 DEF from the Impurity) with his Weaponers, and the two characters traded. Jacob then sent Elastic Man at Black Hand. Neil used Sweeping Up to bounce the Weaponers, and Black Hand went down. Neil lost Black Hand during recovery.

On the fourth turn, Jacob recruited Myrwhydden, while Neil used his Book, discarded Ch’p and recruited another copy of the angry squirrel. Jacob sent Elastic Man at Tattooed Man, stunning him, then attacked Ch’p with Mrywhydden and flipped Prison Planet to force some extra breakthrough. Neil kept around Ch’p.

After using Book of Oa at the start of turn 5, Neil recruited Remoni-Notra ◊ Star Sapphire and equipped her with a Yellow Power Ring, threatening to KO multiple characters with Ch’p and Remoni. Jacob looked noticeably worried and underdropped for the turn, recruiting Malvolio. Neil sent Ch’p at Malvolio and used another Uppercut to go for the double stun. Jacob had nothing, and Malvolio was KO’d. Remoni-Notra then went after Mrywhydden, again forcing a double stun. Jacob got a direct attack with Elastic Man, and Neil lost Ch’p during the recovery.

On turn 6, Jacob added Legion after flipping In Evil Star’s Evil Clutches. Neil had Grayven and formed with Grayven in front of Remoni-Notra. Jacob tried to attack Remoni-Notra with Legion, but Neil flipped Coast City. Jacob then tried to attack Grayven, but Neil had a power-up for the double stun. Jacob couldn’t make an effective attack with Elastic Man, so he just had to pass to Neil, who bashed Elastic Man with Star Sapphire. Elastic Man was KO’d, and Neil seized the initiative from Jacob that turn, but Neil was facing a large endurance deficit going into the final turn. Neil was lacking a 7-drop on his turn and could only muster G’Nort and Katma Tui. Jacob had Krona, who, along with Legion, was just too big for Neil to get through. Neil had to pass his attack after stunning Legion with Grayven, and Jacob’s attack of Krona on G’Nort was enough to end it.

Michael Jacob wins.