TL;DR
Dead on first day; optimized for burn, but met Twin, Elves, Bloom, Junk and Jund instead.
Lesson: Don't optimize narrow, when you can optimize broad instead.
Round 1 vs Splinter Twin: 2 - 0
Unfortunately for him, both matches were almost identical. He only got one an Deceiver Exarch on the table before he got beaten to death with zombies and bloodghasts. In the first round I got some serious milage out of Syphon Life and in the second, I pretty much won due to an activated Bloodchief Ascension.
Round 2 vs Elves: 0 - 2
I never really stood a chance here. He was playing a very aggressive Elves variation, and he clubbed me to death in each game. In the first game, I got great milage out of Sorin, Solemn Visitor. In the second game I sideboarded in Golgari Charms, Maelstrom Pulse and a Sorin, Solemn Visitor. I cleaned 4 elves with a charm, but still he managed to overrun me.
Round 3* vs Bloom: 1 - 2**
Horrible matchup without Thoughtseize. In the first game I managed to stay alive long enough to get killed by Hive Mind + Summoner's Pact. In the second game I sideboarded in Thoughtseize, Surgical Extraction, Maelstorm Pulse, Ghost Quarter and Fulminator Mage. I got a Thoughtseize + Surgical Extraction off on his Titan and his Summoner's Pact and were able to club him to death afterwards. Game three I fumbled so much that I ended up forfeiting in all fairness.
Round 4 vs Junk: 2 - 0
In the first game I had a response for everything he did (e.g., "I play goyf", "mkay I play Abrupt Decay/Smallpox"). In the second round I sideboarded in Thoughtseize, Surgical Extraction, Fulminator Mage, Maelstrom Pulse, and Sorin, Solemn Visitor. I was able to Thoughtseize + Surgical Extration his goyfs AND his Verdant Catacombs (stupid move, but lets leave that), and then I slowly clubbed him to death with small vampires and zombies.
Round 5 vs Jund: 0 - 2
In the first game I got overrun by two Tarmogoyf supported by a Dark Confidant. In the Second I did the same sideboarding as in round 4, but ended up getting clubbed to death by goyfs and manlands. Not a pleasant experience, and the final sentence of my chances to participate in day two.
Round 6 vs Bloom: 2 - 1
First game was a repetition of my previous bloom experience. Clubbed to death by a titan (supported by two amulets). second and third game was the same sideboard as in round 3, and I had the pleasure of Thoughtseize + Surgical Extraction twice; one on Titan and one on Thragthusk (he only had two, I should have paid attention the first time).In the second game he got Hive Mind in play, but was unable to fetch/draw a Summoner's Pact. I even got a copy of my Smallpox from it, yay :)
I decided to call it a day and forfeit the tournament after round 6, as I had no chance of making it to day two.
Lessons learned
- Don't optimize for burn - optimize for the broad field.
- Pay attention to the game.
- Take notes
- GP's are hard. I don't think I've ever been this busted.
Resulting deck changes
+3 Thoughtseize, +1 Ghost Quarter, -1 Death Cloud, -2 Bloodchief Ascension, -1 Swamp
