“Little Spoon” Dair Grant has a $10K Top 8 to his name and is part of the Indiana Vs. System crew that keeps posting result after result at every event they attend. Unfortunately, he’s paired up against teammate and PC Los Angeles runner-up Mark Slack this round. It’s an unlucky pairing, but one that was almost inevitable considering how many Indiana players are sitting at 5-1 right now.

Slack recruited Gnaxos and Jade on turns 2 and 4, but Grant caught up quickly on turn 3 by throwing down Tomar Re with Light Armor and mauling Jade with the attack. There was no counter from Slack.

“I’ve missed my 4-drop three straight games now,” Slack admitted as he recruited a boosted Olapet on turn 4. “I’ve won two of those games, but Dair might be better than my last couple of opponents.” Slack took a hard look at Grant and then said, “On second thought . . . ”

Grant recruited Myrwhydden on turn 4, pulling ahead in the drop race. But he under-dropped with Frostbite and Arisia on turn 5, while Slack brought out Remoni Notra.

Olapet attacked Frostbite, using an Uppercut to make the plant Lantern a mean one. “That’s an impure Uppercut if ever I . . . ” said Grant as he flashed a Yellow Impurity from his resource row. “S**t, that’s still 6. I’m definitely just as bad as the rest of his opponents, that’s for sure.” You gotta love Dair Grant.

Remoni Notra attacked Myrwhydden, and the rest of Slack’s attacks left Grant with only his Emerald Enemies 4-drop versus two 2-drops and a 5-drop for Slack. Grant’s turn 6 was hardly better, recruiting G’nort, Kreon, and Hector Hammond to his side of the board, while Slack actually managed to hit a second drop in a row with Grayven. Damsel in Distress helped Grant to a better turn than might normally be expected from his board, stunning everyone on Slack’s field but Grayven and KO’ing Remoni Notra in the process. Still, the endurance totals were even at the end of the turn—24 to 24.

The ridiculous drop missing continued on both sides of the table on turn 7 as Slack recruited Light Brigade and Hector Hammond (he apparently wasn’t playing a single 7-drop in his deck) while Grant added Superwoman to his side. What an abysmal set of whiffs on both sides of the table. Slack’s attacks with the initiative left Grant’s entire board stunned, but Mark couldn’t finish Dair off. The endurance totals were now 19–7. Grant again rolled his eyes on turn 8, failing to play a 7-drop for the second turn in a row and under-dropping for the fourth turn in the game. Black Hand whacked Light Brigade with a lot of help from Femme Fatality and Golden Death, but the rest of Grant’s attacks left him at 1, and Slack’s counter-attack finished Dair off.

Slack 1 – Grant 0