In this instance, Niles Rowland was wrong. Quang’s Top 8 here comes quite a while after his $10K win back when the game was young. Niles was in that $10K Top 8 too, and he lost.

Perhaps he’d got the losing out of his system. He had the odd initiative and elected to keep a hand with only Empath as a character.

Neither player had a turn 1 recruit, and for turn 2, Quang busted out Sage, Tessa. Niles didn’t have the 2-drop naturally, but he did have Join the Club in order to find her. Each player would be drawing a few extra cards this game.

Before any of that, though, they each got to attack past each other for 3. Quang pitched a Postman to draw two and discard Artie, while Niles got rid of his Empath, ditching a System Failure that does basically nothing in the Mental pseudo-mirror.

For turn 3, before playing a resource, Niles again used Sage to improve his card quality. He played a visible Mastermind, Dark Dreamer, while Quang had the powerful Tarot to make Quang’s draws even better. Tarot missed at the start of combat, and then 3-drops traded before Sages passed like ships in the night. Niles did have The Hellfire Club for an extra point of endurance loss, but things were tight. Quang used his Sage, and it was on to turn 4.

The endurance totals were 41 to 39 in Niles favor. The way this matchup would likely go, it would be a card advantage war more than a battle on the field, at least until the late game. Quang’s engine continued to roll with Professor X, Headmaster as a 4-drop. Niles used Power and Wealth to find Shaw Industries before finding a resource.

He played Madelyne Pryor, declaring, “Invisible. Or concealed. You say potato, I say . . .”

Tarot again missed, and Quang attacked with Professor X into Niles’s one visible character. With help from Shaw Industries and Shrink, Niles looked good to stop this attack. Nguyen used X-Corp: Amsterdam to find Mutopia and X-Treme Maneuver to deal with Madelyne. This ended the turn but for Quang getting an extra card with his Professor.

Niles used Sage again at the start of turn. Join The Club! then found Shinobi Shaw, who hung out in the hidden area to begin, and Niles passed. Quang too used his Sage, Tessa, which found him an Emma Frost, Friend or Foe.

At the start of combat, Tarot revealed Enemy of My Enemy, and Niles considered his attacks. Sage went for Tarot, being just large enough with The Hellfire Club to get the stun. A Duck and Cover stopped that plan, and Niles had to take the one-sided stun of a failed attack. He then used Madelyne’s ability to allow Mastermind to head straight for Professor X with enough to get the stun. Mastermind’s ability moved out Shinobi Shaw, who then went for Emma Frost.

Mental Domination made this a little tougher, so Niles flipped Army of One. When Quang tried to respond by using Emma to flip the plot twist face down again, Niles had another Army of One, which he played immediately to avoid it being stopped by the powerful plot twist. The attack worked, and a one-sided stun took Quang to 19.

Phoenix Rising recovered the Professor, who let Quang draw, and Shinobi went a-hiding thanks to The Hellfire Club before the turn ended.

For turn 6, Quang used Sage again before playing out Jean Grey, Red who could in effect “draw” Nguyen a whole mess of extra plot twists.

He formed up with Emma and Jean up front, Jean protecting Tarot, and Emma in front of the Professor.

Niles played Join The Club! (his third of the game) to find Magneto, Black Lord. He then used Power and Wealth to find Null Time Zone, which he played to no responses to stop X-Treme Maneuver.

Quang played Turnabout on Emma, then team attacked with Emma Frost and Sage into Magneto, which was Rowland’s only visible character. Rather than being involved in a combat he didn’t like, Niles stunned Magneto in an attempt to stun Emma Frost. The greedy play would have been to go for Sage, stunning Mastermind to Magneto’s ability, but this would have been a little risky if Quang had a Shrink or similar.

Quang attacked with everyone he could, taking Niles down to 4. The Hellfire Club then brought out Shinobi Shaw again. Madelyne made him a little better by KO’ing Magneto, then attacking Tarot.

A Mental Domination and Turnabout made it close for the mutual stun. Quang then replaced five resources with Jean Grey and used two copies of Mutopia to draw cards. He played Enemy of My Enemy to find a power-up. He still couldn’t quite stun Shinobi, who had over the course of the game amassed two counters from his attacks, but he did just stay alive from that attack, going to 3.

In recovery, Quang drew a card with Professor X and had a little think. It was now going to be Niles’s initiative, and the endurance was very tight.

For Rowland, the turn 7 play was a concealed Sebastian Shaw, Black King with two characters to stand next to. Quang, meanwhile, had Exodus from straight out of the resource row. He carefully formed up with Jean in front of Emma and Exodus in front of Professor X. It seemed unlikely that Madelyne would be doing her thing this turn, as getting Sebastian Shaw to attack twice could cause more hurt, so the square formation seemed a good one.

There were some difficult decisions for Niles. Quang had a lot of cards in hand and face-down resources. He tried for Shinobi Shaw into Jean Grey, and Quang teamed-up using Mutopia before playing two copies of Duck and Cover. He flipped one face down using Emma Frost’s ability, and made Jean’s DEF 18.

Niles sighed. He used Madelyne’s ability, KO’ing Mastermind to bring that DEF value down to 16, and powered-up to reach exactly enough.

Quang discarded to Jean Grey.

‘Looking for your three-outer?’

That he was, and Nguyen did not hit. Jean was stunned to take him to -3.

Deadly Game let Shinobi tag in Madelyne Prior, who rolled over Professor X. When Shinobi Shaw beat up Emma Frost, that was pretty conclusively game.

Niles won game 1.

For the second game, Quang again took the even initiative, and both players had to mulligan. There were no turn 1 recruits, and when Quang didn’t have Sage, Tessa on turn 2, Rowland was forced to declare that it was the luckiest thing he’d ever seen, as he didn’t have anything either.

For turn 3, the only recruit was a hidden Mastermind for Niles, and the game was looking like a bit of a blowout.

Thankfully, Nguyen got a character for turn 4 in the form of Professor X, Headmaster. Rowland also had a character in the form of Empath, and after a small scuffle without tricks, Quang was on 41 to Nile’s 46.

On to turn 5, and the game had taken barely two minutes.

In a clutch play, Niles used Power and Wealth to find a Join The Club! that he immediately played to find Shinobi Shaw, who sat around in the hidden area looking menacing.

For Quang, it was Emma Frost, Friend or Foe, who hid behind the Professor.

“Sheesh, what an awkward draw this has been,” mumbled Niles to himself as he considered an unexciting attack step. Ultimately, he passed to his opponent, not liking the look of any moves he might make for the turn.

Quang then had to do a little thinking. He sent Emma into Empath, and Niles revealed a Shaw Industries and a power-up, which caused Quang to shake his head. Emma was stunned and Nguyen chose to forgo any further attacks, instead drawing a card in the recovery step with Professor X.

For turn 6, things started out with a Sage, Tessa from Quang, who immediately used her.

“Am I getting hit by an X-Treme Maneuver this turn?” enquired Niles.

Quang was giving nothing away, simply teaming up with Mutopia and passing.

“Well, here’s my second choice 6-drop, which is, I guess, better than yours,” remarked Niles as he played out Donald Pierce. X-Treme Maneuver was coming for the 6-drop, but it couldn’t stop the team attack from Mastermind and Shinobi Shaw on Emma Frost that followed.

Shinobi got hit by Shrink in order to keep him alive, which was responded to by a Mental Domination to make life tricky. Shinobi got hit by a second Shrink, which bring the total ATK value of the team attack to 11 but kept Shaw from being within stun range.

A power-up and Duck and Cover made the combat look in Emma’s favor all of a sudden, but Niles had a power-up to come over the top. It was for Mastermind, so Shinobi would stun, but at least the entire attack wouldn’t be a waste. Niles sighed as he read Emma and realized she hadn’t been used yet. She flipped down the Duck and Cover, which forced Niles to play an Army of One on Shinobi. Mental Domination stopped that, so Niles played a second.

After all that, Emma was finally stunned at the cost of only a Mastermind. Empath tried to go for Professor X but was thwarted by Phoenix Rising. With a shrug, Niles took down the 5-drop a second time. Empath got hit by Mutant Massacre after Niles had declined to use his trigger, and it was on to turn 7.

The endurance was 33–25 to Rowland.

For turn 7, Niles didn’t have a 7-drop, instead having to go with Magneto, Black Lord and a Courtney Ross in the hidden area.

For Quang it was Exodus, who stood in front of Emma Frost.

This could not stop Magneto, who went straight for Emma in the air. Quang used Turnabout twice thanks to her ability, which caused Niles to used Magneto’s ability, stunning Donald Pierce to stun the 5-drop.

Magneto readied and went for Professor X. He smashed for 10, taking Quang down to 10.

“Gosh, darn it,” remarked Niles, who was concerned that he couldn’t get in the final points.

He attacked with the rest of his team into Exodus, and Quang used X-Corp: Amsterdam to find Mutopia and team-up. He played Duck and Cover to force Niles to play a trick.

There were no tricks to be played, though, and Shinobi Shaw was taken down.

Exodus came swinging back and successfully rolled over Magneto. The endurance was 14–10 in Niles’s favor. Sage improved Quang’s hand a little, then took out Magneto with Mutant Massacre, and it was on to turn 8, Nguyen with the initiative. Who says this format is fast?

“I just need two cards!” declared Niles. He drew his two for the turn and veeeeery slowly peeked at them. “Not those two.”

Quang played out Psylocke, while for Niles it was Mastermind, Dark Dreamer and Tarot.

At the start of combat, he revealed Sebastian Shaw with Tarot.

“Bad Beat.”

When Quang showed the X-Treme Maneuver, Niles scooped them up.

It would go to a third.

“If I had just used another Shrink rather than Army of One in that big fight . . .” despaired Niles, who had come up just short for the game.

A big hee-haw from Niles, who chose the odd initiative for the decider.

He had another mulligan for his opening four, and turn 1 was all about resource, go.

This time there were 2-drops, though—a Sage, Tessa on each side. We did it!

Quang attacked to the nug and used Sage. The same was the play from Niles.

For turn 3, he used her again, then played Tarot. Quang played one too, and at the start of combat, each player missed—Quang with a Duck and Cover on top to Niles’s Sebastian Shaw, Black King.

Their 3-drops traded, and then Niles’s Sage got to go in for 4 thanks to The Hellfire Club. The Nguyen Sage could only manage 3.

Quang liked his hand enough not to use Sage for turn 4. He simply moved on to the next turn, where he played out Professor X, Headmaster. For Niles, it was Empath, Hellion, who stood in front of Tarot.

It was only Niles’s Tarot that hit, getting him a Mastermind that would likely become Sage fodder.

When Quang tried for a team attack on Empath, Niles had a Shrink on Tarot ready. Quang calmly teamed-up with Mutopia and played the Turnabout that he knew was waiting on the top of his deck. Thanks, Tarot!

Niles used Power and Wealth in order to find Join The Club!, and let the attack go through. Empath stunned and his effect triggered. Quang tried to stop it with Mutant Massacre, but fudged up on the rules. The ability still worked, and Shrink was flipped face down. The Hellion abilities are not “if you do” abilities!

Sage attacked into Tarot and stunned her, taking Quang down to 34 to Niles’s 35.

For turn 5, Niles picked up his two and declared them “The Perfect Draw.”

Join The Club! found Shinobi Shaw, who came out to play. Quang had Emma Frost.

At the start of combat, Tarot missed, and Niles played Deadly Game to move Shinobi Shaw out for the big attacks. As an 11 ATK / 10 DEF, he went for Emma. Quang played Mental Domination to try to ensure the stunback. A Shrink on Shinobi turned him into a 9 ATK / 9 DEF, and then Shaw Industries made it 11 ATK / 11 DEF. Quang flipped down and used the Domination again, but Niles had the Army of One to come over the top.

When Tarot and Sage tried for Professor X, Phoenix Rising brought Emma Frost back.

Shrugs. Team attack on Emma then. Quang used a Duck and Cover, and the attack failed.

Quang had no swings back, but he did get to Mutant Massacre Tarot. Sage drew Quang some cards, while The Hellfire Club let Shinobi go into hiding for a little while.

For turn 6, Quang had Jean Grey, Red, who stood in front of Professor X. Niles’s recruits were a little trickier.

He had to Sage before playing a resource, and then he played Null Time Zone naming X-Treme Maneuver. Knowing he was safe, Niles then dropped Donald Pierce into the visible area, front, center, and ready to go.

Quang teamed-up with Mutopia to draw a card. He looked at his face-up resource row, clearly pondering using Jean for some big draws. All six got replaced, and Quang declared that his new ones were “pretty good.”

Jean and Professor X tried to team attack Donald Pierce. Before this was possible, Niles exhausted him (and Sage) to Power and Wealth for Deadly Game. Each of the 6-drops stunned, and the endurance totals went down to 26–23 to Niles.

Emma Frost swung to the face to take Niles to 17, and then Niles got to swing back. He sent Shinobi into Emma Frost. A Duck and Cover got used twice (thanks to Emma), but an Army of One looked good enough for the stun. It got hit by Mental Domination, but there was nothing to stop the second. Going into recovery, Sage was the only of Quang’s girls that wasn’t a stunner, and she drew him some extra cards and hit Donald Pierce with a Mutant Massacre.

Before the end of the turn, Shinobi Shaw zipped into the visible area thanks to The Hellfire Club, and it was on to turn 7 with the endurance at 17 each.

Before playing a resource, Niles used Sage and seemed fairly satisfied with the results. He played a concealed Sebastian Shaw, Black King and passed.

Quang had the Exodus from his row behind Jean and next to Professor X.

At this point, Niles went to the tank. If these attacks went wrong, they could be his last in this Pro Circuit. If they went right, though . . .

He team attacked with Shinobi Shaw and Sage on Jean Grey. Quang switched up three resources with Jean but missed, taking down only Sage. Sebastian then went in on Professor X, causing Quang to team-up and reinforce. In each of these attacks, he did get to successfully use Exodus’s ability, though, meaning that Niles was unable to sneak in any endurance loss.

All that was left was Exodus, and Niles passed on any further attacks. Quang had nothing, and in recovery, Niles hid Shinobi again with The Hellfire Club.

For turn 8, Quang played Rachel Summers ◊ Phoenix, to which Niles responded with Power Play. One way or another, he wouldn’t be playing plot twists anymore. Niles recruit was just a concealed Madelyne Prior, who sat behind the now-surrounded Sebastian Shaw.

Thanks to his Power Play, Niles had the initiative . . . he just had to work out how to win the game with it.

He moved Shinobi Shaw into the visible area with The Hellfire Club and attacked into Jean Grey, Red, getting an extra counter for the trouble. Quang used Sage, Tessa, and after some thought, played Duck and Cover to save 2 endurance. He took 7, going down to 10.

Madelyne and Sebastian then tried to team attack Rachel Summers, only for Phoenix Rising to protect Phoenix by recovering Jean Grey. If I read more comic books, I’m pretty sure I could come up with some amazing comic book reference there; but I don’t, so make up your own. Sage got KO’d to Madelyne Pryor, and the team attack was on again.

Niles went to 8, while Quang was on 2. An X-Treme Maneuver on Sebastian Shaw then took Niles to 1. Close game.

After recovery, things looked pretty bad for Niles. Turn 9 saw Professor X and Emma Frost from Quang creating a pretty terrifying board. Niles had no plot twists anymore and had to KO his exhausted Sebastian Shaw to Madelyne Pryor and recruit a new one as his best play. He hid a new Sage, Tessa behind Shinobi Shaw in the visible area and passed back for some big attacks.

Rachel Summers ◊ Phoenix declared an attack on Shinobi Shaw, who Sage reinforced. Niles went to -4.

In the face of insane pressure, Niles simply extended his hand.

Quang Nguyen wins 2-1.