This was Adam Horvath's first Top 8 in a $10K event. “I think I'm better at Sealed Pack than Constructed. Even in the PC I won (PC Amsterdam), I only had a 66 percent win record on Day 1. But the first PC I went to, I went 7-2 in Draft. The next I was 8-1 in Draft . . . plus, I'd be the first to win a $10K and a PC, which is what I want.” He feels that there is a lot less randomness in VS. System Sealed Pack nowadays than there is in Magic's limited format.

 

Kim Caton is also in her first $10K Top 8. She's already the woman on the Circuit with the highest winnings and the best PC and $10K performances, and she's looking to add her name to the list of $10K Champions, which includes fellow FTN teammate and Top 8 qualifier Peter Sundholm.

 

This would be a best-of-three match with the winner moving directly on to the semifinals.

 

 

Adam won the die roll, taking odds.

 

 

Adam used Two-Face to mulligan and then passed with no recruit. Caton recruited Arisia and attacked directly. (50-49)

 

 

Now it was Kim's turn to pass he recruit with no drop. Adam played Weaponers of Qward into his hidden area.

 

Kim attacked with Arisia directly (50-48), and then Adam threw his Weaponers into Arisia. The game was even at 48.

 

 

Adam recruited Kreon, and Caton once again missed her drop. It was looking just a little grim for Kim, but with a character in the hidden area, Adam still didn't have pure advantage.

 

Adam sent Kreon into Arisia (45-48), then attacked with his Weaponers directly. It was Caton 43, Horvath 48.

 

 

Kim played Myrwhydden in front of Arisia. Adam recruited a Rot Lop Fan in front of his Weaponers in the hidden area.

 

Kim flipped a Hard-Traveling Heroes to team up Emerald Enemies and Green Lantern. She then sent Myrwhydden into Kreon (43-44), following up with Arisia attacking directly. (43-43)

 

Adam attacked with Rot Lop Fan on Arisia. Kim flipped Coast City targeting Arisia, stopping that attack before it started. Adam passed his attack, not wanting to lose a drop. The totals were even at 43.

 

 

Adam recruited Hal Jordan, Green Lantern of Sector 2814 and equipped Kreon with a Chopping Block. He placed Hal in front of Kreon and Rot Lop Fan in front of the Weaponers in the hidden area.

 

Kim recruited Remoni-Notra behind Myrwhydden, with Arisia in support.

 

Adam sent Hal into Myrwhydden. Kim flipped The Ring has Chosen to search for Grayven, discarding a Ragman. She did this while she could still take advantage of the extra willpower Myrwhydden provided. Myrwhydden stunned, and it was Caton 38, Horvath 43.

 

Adam next sent Rot Lop Fan into Remoni-Notra. Kim flipped Guardians Reborn, exhausting Remoni-Notra to recover and ready Myrwhydden. She then activated Coast City on Remoni, preventing the announced attack.

 

Adam flipped Cosmic Conflict targeting Rot Lop Fan and sent him into Myrwhydden, which popped Rot Lop Fan into the visible area (31-39). He followed up with the Weaponers on Arisia, and then used Kreon's Chopping Block on Myrwhydden for the board advantage. He had wanted to use it on Remoni-Notra, which would have been even worse for Kim, but her smart play with Coast City saved her some drop trouble. It was Caton 29, Horvath 39.

 

 

Kim recruited Grayven behind Remoni-Notra, with Arisia in the support row.

 

Adam played Major Force behind Rot Lop Fan, with Hal in front of Kreon and the Weaponers still hidden.

 

Kim attacked with Remoni-Notra on Kreon. Adam played Evil Star's Evil Clutches, causing her to lose flight and preventing the attack—she'd have to Hal first. Kim exhausted Arisia for a Damsel in Distress, targeting Hal, which would force the KO if he was stunned.

 

Kim then sent Grayven into Hal. Adam flipped Hard Traveling Heroes to team up Green Lantern with Emerald Enemies, evening up their face-up resources and preventing Grayven's effect. And so began a resource war.

 

Kim flipped Rain of Acorns. Adam flipped Sinestro Defiant but didn't KO a resource for its secondary effect. He then played Helping Hand from his hand, making Hal 15 ATK/11 DEF. Kim played No Man Escapes the Manhunters, dropping Hal's DEF down to 8. She then played Only a Friend Can Betray You from her hand, raising Grayven's DEF to try to save him. Adam flipped Nero Unleashed to counter, and Kim flipped Hard Traveling Heroes to team up again and increase the number of her face-up resources. Adam passed, Grayven stunned, Hal KO'd, and the totals hit Caton 23, Horvath 33.

 

Kim then sent Remoni-Notra into Kreon. Adam used Kreon's Chopping Block on the stunned Grayven to KO him and gain some major board advantage. Adam reinforced with Major Force, and Kreon was KO'd by Remoni-Notra's effect. (23-30)

 

Adam sent Rot Lop Fan into Arisia (15-30), and it was on to . . .

 

 

Adam played Two-Face next to Rot Lop Fan in the support row, Major Force in front of Rot Lop Fan, and Weaponers in the hidden area.

 

Kim played Krona in front of Remoni-Notra with Arisia in the front row. Krona's ability moved Arisia into the hidden area. Adam chose odds for Two-Face's ability, exhausting all of Kim's board.

 

Adam then sent Major Force and Rot Lop Fan on a team-attack against Krona. Adam flipped Empire of Tears, KO'ing two resources and using it on Major Force for 18 ATK total. Kim stunned Major Force in return. With the totals at Caton 8, Horvath 25, Adam sent Two-Face into Remoni-Notra, and.Kim's lone power-up wasn't enough to save the game.

 

Horvath 1, Caton 0

 

 

Kim took odds and both players mulled. No drops for either of them ended the turn.

 

 

Adam played Weaponers. Kim again had no drop. Weaponers attacked directly. (48-50)

 

 

Kim played Jade, while Adam played Guy Gardner, Warrior.

 

Kim sent Jade into Guy (45-46), and then Adam retaliated with Weaponers directly. (43-46)

 

 

Adam recruited Rot Lop Fan in front of the Weaponers in the hidden area and equipped Chopping Block to Guy.

 

Kim played Dr. Ub'x in the hidden area, flipping Hard-Traveling Heroes for a card draw and teaming up Green Lantern and Emerald Enemies.

 

Adam used In Evil Star's Evil Clutches on Jade. He paid to let Rot Lop Fan attack hidden characters, sending him into Dr. Ub'x. (38-40) He then Chopped Ub'x. A Cosmic Conflict on the Weaponers and they hit Jade, moving to the visible area (33-38). He played another Chopping Block from his hand, discarding Space Bears. Adam recovered Rot Lop Fan.

 

Kim's board was cleared and her comment, “That hurt!” was the understatement of the day. It was devastating and she'd need a miracle to survive.

 

 

Kim recruited Guy Gardner, Strong Arm of the Corps.

 

Adam recruited Hal Jordan, Green Lantern of Sector 2814 in front of his Guy.

 

Kim attacked Guy on Guy, and Adam played In Evil Star's Evil Clutches to make Kim's Guy lose his flight. Kim then sent her Guy into Hal. (28-30)

 

Adam attacked with Rot Lop Fan directly (21-30), then used his Guy's Chopping Block on her Guy—the Chopping Block lock would almost assuredly take the game for him, barring disaster.

 

 

Adam played Boodikka. Kim played Hector in front of a Myrwhydden. She either missed her 6-drop or was trying to avoid the lock. Either way, it was not a great recruit for her.

 

Adam sent Hal into Myrwhydden, but Kim used Coast City, preventing it. Adam sent Hal into Hector, instead. The scores were Caton 19, Horvath 30.

 

Adam then sent Boodikka into Myrwhydden (10-30) and team attacked directly with Guy and Rot Lop Fan. The final attack won it for Adam.

 

Horvath 2, Caton 0