GP Birmingham (Sideboard Text)

22 Wafo-tapa, Guillaume * [FRA] $400 2

Wafo-Tapa always wins money.


round 4 - W, 2-0-0, vs. Sean M. Fitzgerald (IRL)
round 5 - W, 2-1-0, vs. Guy Southcott (ENG)
round 6 - W, ?-?-?, vs. Joel Calafell (ESP)
round 7 - W, 2-0-0, vs. Remi Fortier (FRA)
round 8 - L, 1-2-0, vs. Carlos Santiago (ESP)

round 9 - W, 2-0-0, vs. Cormac Smith (IRL)
round 10 - L, 1-2-0, vs. Raphael Levy (FRA)
round 11 - L, 1-2-0, vs. Michael Duke (ENG)
round 12 - W, 2-0-0, vs. Raul Porojan (DEU)
round 13 - W, 2-0-0, vs. Joaq Tejero Hernandez (ESP)
round 14 - L, 0-2-0, vs. Shuhei Nakamura (JPN)

total matches: 7-4-0
total games: 15-9-0

(The games record would probably be better if the Joel Calafell match was posted.)


This was a kind of boring tournament. Wafo-Tapa got only one coverage match, and he played another lame Manuel Bucher deck. Probably if he'd played one of his own decks, he would have come in first.

(Maybe it will be better in podcasts.)


Round 4 versus Sean Fitzgerald
covered by Tobias Henke



In game one it looks like Fitzgerald is winning the Mulldrifter wars, but Guillaume has card advantage spells (Cryptic Command, Makeshift Mannequin) where Fitzgerald just has regular spells (Smokebraider, Incandescent Soulstoke). Guillaume wins with Cloudthresher.

In game two, Fitzgerald mulligans into a slow start. He evens up the board but then Guillaume gets Mind Spring for six and just takes over.

Also, Manuel Bucher did a deck tech with Tobias Henke. The best part is when he explains the choice of Plumeveil (best card in Shadowmoor) and when he talks about adds Twilight Shepherd (great in B/W Sealed decks).


8 Commandments
Manuel Bucher & Guillaume Wafo-Tapa

3 Shriekmaw
4 Kitchen Finks
4 Mulldrifter
3 Cloudthresher
3 Makeshift Mannequin

4 Broken Ambitions
4 Cryptic Command

3 Firespout
1 Plumeveil
2 Austere Command

3 Mind Spring

1 Fire-Lit Thicket
1 Wooded Bastion
3 Mystic Gate
2 Sunken Ruins
2 Forest
3 Island
4 Reflecting Pool
4 Vivid Creek
4 Vivid Grove
2 Vivid Meadow

SB: 1 Cloudthresher
SB: 1 Shriekmaw
SB: 1 Firespout
SB: 3 Plumeveil
SB: 2 Primal Command
SB: 2 Mind Shatter
SB: 3 Jace Beleren
SB: 2 Twilight Shepherd

Bucher has learned his lesson from Hollywood, and now they have four Cryptic Command maindeck.

With a 22nd place finish, Wafo-Tapa is at 26 pro points -- a lock for level six next year (old level four). He is eight points out of the lead in Player of the Year; everyone ahead of him is either a Pro Tour finalist or Shuhei Nakamura.

Wafo-Tapa is still the best player.