Prior to this event, I had used the Lorwyn booster draft tool, and played at least 20 drafts over the course of a week. In those drafts, I nearly always ended up red and white, playing Kithkin and Giants which seemed to have a nice synergy.

Where to start today though? I cracked open my first booster and stared at nothing but tut before settling on the green changeling, picking a creature in my least favourite colour to draft. Another crappy (imho) pack come my way as I see nothing to steer me in any of my normal colour's direction (mostly black/blue but really anything but green :P) until I suddenly get passed 2 or 3 Mulldrifters on the trot, which I obviously snap up. A few black Weeds (removal) later and I am still not entirely sure of my direction as the first pack finishes, and I look at the car crash of a pile of 4 colour's before me with depair.

As a side note, I do realise with the clarity of hindsight that I probably could have taken a better look at the pack I opened (which in all probability had one of the Muldrifters I mentioned above) and was just blinded by the lack of whatever it was that hooked me in the 'fake' booster drafts I did the previous week. So, they are a blessing and a curse practice wise....

I then opened the excellent Brion in my next pack, and having the luxury of the extra booster meant that I may actually be able to get back into the Red/White that I so manically craved. Red however had other ideas, and was very dry, with none of the common red elementals or removal coming my way. Blue on the other hand was being very forgiving, and I finally confirmed that no one seemed to be playing it as more control came my way. By the end of the second pack, I was far more happy, and had decided on my deck direction with a loose theme of Kithkin and Merfolk.

I had control through lock down with various tapping blue and white creatures, card advantage with Mulldrifters, and fliers enabled with the Kithkin Balloonists, Mulldrifters and Veils.

The third pack helped me along this path, and I picked up a second Oblivion Ring as soon as I could, as I knew I probably wouldn't see a Planes walker, and so wanted the ability to remove one if I did see it on the other side of the table. By the time the fourth pack was done, I was very happy with my deck, and very glad indeed that we had the 4th booster, as the first one and a half packs was pretty much a complete waste on my part as I couldn't make up my bloody mind.

I was not the only one struggling though - Mike also had a really bad start and appreciated the extra booster, also ending up with 4 colour's and not a great deal of direction.

Teams

So guess who ends up together. The two people who had the worst starts, me and Mike versus Chris and Rob. Trouble is, we know by Robs expression that he has picked up not one but two planes walkers.....

More info on every one else's decks and card selections can be read here.

Game One Chris and Rob both are playing Black and Green decks, Chris with Tree folk and Elves, but I am unsure on the specifics of Robs deck. Despite the poor draft, Mike and I ended up with very nice decks (after we swapped cards between ourselves), with a ton of removal and tricksy cards. We quickly set to work on their creatures, as I Oblivion Ring Chris's Doubtless Dourbark, and then follow it with a next turn OR on his Jagged Scar Archer. Not amused, they attack for a little while with a 2/2, and when they follow it up with a large 5/7 trampler, Mike drags a Shriekmaw into play through his Elemental Lord to kill it.

My first Balloonist helps raise one of Mikes Giants to smash face, and they take offence and try to remove it, only to walk into my first Wings of Velis Veil. We carry on with the air assault, and even with me with one plains, I get nearly all my spells flowing, while Mike continues with more fat. Rob unfortunately didn't get going very well in this game, and at 4 life and following a short discussion between Chris and Rob on what to do next, they concede.

Result: 1-0

Game Two Mike has a very strong opening hand, with Elemental harbringer into Smokebraider with a Shreikmaw in hand already. Shreikmaw takes out large x/x treefolk, and my shapeshifter clone copies the maw. Our second (uncloned) Maw takes out Chris's deathtouch elf, and then there is some nice play as Rob sacs a goblin to target a creature which we Viels, and then attack for some nice two figure damage in the air.

Later I clone Robs flying 4/4 deathtouch creature, and then bounce his, Mikes Giant has Deathrender attached, and we attack again in the air for two figure damage. They concede the game with 2 life left, with not much on their side, facing a sizable army that can mostly fly.

Result: 2-0

Game Three Mike again starts a jolly nice hand, with harbringer into Smokebraider. I follow up with bounce and tap effects, and Mike's Shreikmaw twats the deathtouch elf. They lignify my Balloonist which is just ready to help a Giant fly, which I then Oblivion Ring, and Mike drops another large giant as well as Elemental power boosting creatures, meaning we again swing for 10+ damage.

Rob finally gets his Planeswalker out, and soon has the counters to give out the overrun effect, but he doesnt have the creatures to be able to make use of it, especially as I keep tapping down the largest thing on their side. We comfortably wait another round or two to build our resources, tapping, bouncing or destroying anything of theirs, and then a Shreikmaw from Mike kills one of their big creatures, and 2 Veils cast back to back on our smaller lads boost them into the air and smash face FTW.

Result: 3-0

Hindsight

It was another comfortable win for Mike and I, and Mike would like to point out that we have not lost a game in all of our matches. For me this game was very one sided, I didnt feel under any real pressure, and Chris seemed to be getting the arse with the way the game was going, frequently leaving Rob for a fag, or just getting up and walking out after each game.

When I spoke to him he said he was trying to get Rob to have more of an impact in the game, and letting him make decessions, but without following them up explaining why that would not be a good move - kind of "..learning by his mistakes" but just that little bit too much.

Another thing was that they both played the same colours, and although black for removal and green for fat is a good combo, they had virtually no fliers, and no tricks from blue, and no card advantage. I believe Rob also wanted to keep hold of the Planeswalker when it may have been more suited to Chris's faster Elf deck, and that could have helped them out as Rob opnly got it once but had nothing to abuse Garruks special ability with.

Me? I know I play fast, and sometimes can be sloppy with it, but I just love these duals, and cant wait for the next one...........