This report is a bit delayed but it was a really fun GP, this was my first big event - I usually did FNMs or smaller modern events but this year I wanted to get better and push myself. I went 4-4 but at the breaking point I was 4-2. I definitely learned a lot and will continue with Tron moving forward. This is the list I brought along with my sideboard options, having this printed and in my pocket was very handy: https://imgur.com/wFzBYL1

Round 1 // 2-0 // Bye

Unknown. My first round opponent didn't show up, the weather this weekend in Toronto was quite horrid with a lot of snow. So I just ate breakfast while I watched my neigbours play. I was sorta disappointed since I paid to play 8 rounds. My mentality going into the main event was to just do my best and didn't really think I would even be a contender for day 2 so I really wanted to play as many games as possible.

Round 2 // 0-2 // 8-Whack

Game 1, I lost the die roll here and really felt it, 1 turn before stabilizing with a board clear and I caught the Goblin Grenade in the face for lethal. Second game I was on the play keeping a hand that was gonna get to turn 4 Tron and stabilize, but again burnt out with a Bolt in the face. My side-board plan followed what I would've sided for Burn, I think against these decks, Pyroclasm is key and I never got the chance to pull it off.

Round 3 // 2-1 // Abzan Midrange

Going into game 1 I won the die roll. Kept a hand that got me to turn 3 Tron. He Inquisitioned and Thoughtseized away threats but top-deck mode was kind to me and I closed it out by denying his lands via Karn and Worldbreaker.

In the second game, I lost when my hand started to run out of gas. I was top-decking lands while he had a Goyf clock with no Relics for me in sight. My brother was watching the match from behind me and told me he couldn't believe my draws. I really felt the Eye ban here, but wouldn't consider going back to a singleton copy of Seagate Wreckage either.

In the third game, it was a close one, he had a Goyf and a Grim Flayer out early. I got out a Wurm to hold the line, but a Lili cleared the path for them and followed up with an Abrupt Decay for the Deathtouch token. I managed to land a Ugin to clear the board before it eating a Maelstrom Pulse. I recall my life-total going down and up several times as he landed more Goyfs but I managed 2 Thragtusks before a Wurmcoil helped me stabilize. Ended up closing out the game.

Moving forward in the future with the sideboarding, I think just 3 Thragtusk and 3 Nature's Claim are better suited than 3 Thrag and 3 TKS. The Claim's really help with Stony and of course Blood Moons in Jund. Maybe I shouldn't have sided out all 3 Oblivion Stones, but any advice is appreciated here.

Round 4 // 0-2 // Infect

After going essentially 1-1, I was cautiously optimistic and unfortunately I matched against an Infect player. First games turn 2 Groundswell followed up by turn 3 Groundswell. The second game followed a similar pattern, due to my inexperience I kept a hand that didn't promise quick Tron assembly but had 1 Pyroclasm. I managed to Pyroclasm turn 2 early on but he managed to rebuild and again Groundswell followed by another Groundswell. I recall feeling quite distraught and not sure of how to get my mentality back into the game but at least with quick games you find the time to grab a bite and use the washrooms.

Round 5 // 2-0 // Abzan Midrange

At this point I was moving back and forth between tables in the ranges 400 and 600, up and down up and down. Luckily I was against another Abzan Midrange player. I think having the 3 maindeck Relics really helped here, he never got a chance to threaten me with a large Goyf. This time for siding I brought in the 3 Claims instead of the 3 TKS, but never saw a Stony Silence much to my luck.

Round 6 // 2-1 // Humans

This was my first time against Humans since switching back to RG. I had played in a F2F Open and Showdown earlier in the month as BG and came across Humans before. While spot removal is always nice, they tend to go wide and fast.

The first game presented a hand with 2 Ulamogs, 2 pieces and Star and a Scryings. I felt iffy about keeping a top heavy hand with 2 Ulamogs, but I ended up keeping the hand. Fortunately off the Star I drew the Tower and I Scryed for the 2nd Tower. Both Ulamogs ate Paths, but eventually I landed Karn and a Wurmcoil to close the game.

In the second game, an early Kitesale stole my Karn followed by a Mantis Rider. I landed a Wurmcoil in hopes to stabilize but he followed up with a Reflector Mage and a second Mantis Rider clock really cut me short. I was debating whether or not to Pyroclasm earlier to retrieve the Karn or hold up a Bolt for one of the Mantis Riders but I ended up choosing the Bolt. I think I should've Pyroclasmed earlier. In the back of my mind, I considered to note Firespout as a potential metagame choice for Humans if they continue to pick up popularity and especially now if the meta shifts towards more aggro with the unbannings.

In the last game I managed to close out the last game with a well timed Pyroclasm against a board of Champion of the Parish, Kitesale Freebooter and Thalia, Guardian of Thraben. Since I had Tron established, it wasn't costly at all to pay the 1 extra for the Pyroclasm. I followed it up with a Bolt against his Reflector Mage as he tried to rebuild his board and pressure me. My takeaway again from this round was perhaps to give Firespout a consideration as my sweeper as the humans typically get out of the 2 toughness spot quite quickly.

Round 7 // 0-2 // UR Kiki-Jiki

I lost my 7th round to a UR Kikijiki player from the UK with mainboard Ceremonious Rejection and Blood Moon. The player was very friendly and straight up told me these choices were due to the fact that apparently the UK is overrun with Affinity players. He managed to continually clock me with a Vendilion and Snapcaster while countering my plays.

I didn't see the Pestermites and Deceiver Exarch until game 2. I made a critical error here as when he played the Exarch, I pre-emptively blew up my O-Stone in play, I should have stacked the trigger. Even then he countered, tempo Remanded me all day, just became very frustrating to play against. Any tips or advice here would be well appreciated.

Round 8 // 1-2 // Mardu Pyromancer

I think from this point I was just on tilt from my last game and played poorly. In my first game I mulled to 5, was Blood Mooned before even landing Tron on turn 4. By then he was clocking in with Pyromancer, Elementals and a Bedlam Reveler.

I kept a hand with a natural Tron in game 2. I didn't have any threats luckily as he Thoughtseized and Inquisitioned away a Map and a Scrying. Luckily I got a Sphere in play and drew a Stirrings which queued me into a Karn that ticked up on an uncontested board and eventually got into more threats to close the game.

Third game, just a combination of 2x Lingering Souls, flashed back with Pyromancers in play really hit me hard. I made a critical misplay here as I pre-emptively Nature's Claimed a second Star for health that was not yet needed to get a draw for a threat. I should've saved it for his Pithing Needle when I later Stirrings into an Oblivion Stone. At the end of the game, I needed to top-deck an Ugin if I wanted to stabilize the board but alas I didn't get it.

Looking back, I'm not sure if I even sided appropriately. I took out 2 Ulamogs, 1 Worldbreaker and all 3 O-Stones. The deck does go really wide, and I think I treated the side-board plan too similiarly to a midrange BGx game. Any help or advice here would be appreciated as well.

Final Thoughts

I think RG definitely still has an edge and hopefully with the resurgence in interest in Midrange and Control strategies Tron can continue to do well. I have been looking at Mono G Tron but I do wonder if it really is worth trading Pyros for more Ballistas and losing the ability to Bolt. In certain ways you can look at Ballistas as Pyros and having more threats mainboard may mitigate some of those late-game durdle moments where you are waiting on a topdeck for gas. Two Forests is definitely key right now with the Field of Ruins and I may be even tempted to go up to a third, but I already feel back taking out Ghost Quarter.

Also many thanks to /u/mpaw975 for his Masterclass series that I read in preparation for this event and his consultation on my list and sideboard guide before the main event. I will try to do you proud next time.