XIII MTG Old Frame League
The summer season in the Northern Hemisphere may have slowed down a little bit the pace, but there is no stopping the Old Frame machine. Between July and September 2022 we celebrated the XIII MTG Old Frame League in our classic Old Frame Vintage format.
Twelve players registered for the league, leaving us with three very competitive groups. As usual, the pairings were aleatory, but we kept in consideration the time zone and IRL needs of every player to the best of our possibilities. So don’t let worries on how you can combine the league with other commitments stop you for joining us!
A single round-robin was the first step for all of the participants in order to get their hands on one of the coolest prizes ever. An altered foil Demonic Tutor. Our second custom-made altered foil prize (after the Mystical Tutor of the XII MTG Old Frame League).
This league saw an impressive 10 different archetypes played with only two players running Hulk Smash and two commanding The Perfect Storm as the only duplicates. It was awesome to see some cards being played in the league for the first time, like Biorhythm.
After the group stage was over, there was a tie for the best second that meant an extra tie-breaker match had to be played. David Aparicio‘s High Tide vs Phil Thorson‘s Elves. And what a match it was! Pity no one recorded it!
Top 4
David managed to beat the Elves in the tie-breaker and thus we had our semi-finals pairings! Aparicio was to play Karl Akbari, while Dave Kaplan would face Juan Espadas.
The first semifinal was an incredible match. Juan Espadas was running Bear Deck Wins while Karl Akbari played Hulk Smash. The match was streamed live as a collaboration with Youtube’s Old School MTG Channel and commented live by the channel owner, Resti, and Vedast Sanxis (in Spanish). Here is the video of that match.
In the second semifinal Dave Kaplan, one of the greatest performers in the Old Frame Vintage format, beat David Aparicio 2-1 with his TPS to make it 4 final appearances in only five leagues. The previous three had finished with him victorious, would the streak continue?
Finals
Everything was ready for the XIII MTG Old Frame League Final. And it would be the third time Karl Akbari and Dave Kaplan would face each other in the last match of the tournament after the VIII and IX league.
In fact, with the exception of the X League, that was played in the Old Frame Commander format, Dave and Karl had won the last four leagues, and one of them was about to win it again.
Unfortunately for Karl, the third encounter of both players in the Final was not the charm. Dave Kaplan made it an impressive 4 out of 4 in finals won and 4 out of 5 tournaments played. The first player ever to win 4 leagues and thus, the current king of Old Frame Vintage. Definitely worthy of the foil Demonic Tutor.
Congratulations Dave on the win, and Karl, it seems like you have found yourself a final boss. Best of luck in the next league! The last league of 2022!
Would you like to try your luck and skill against Dave, Karl and the rest of us? The registration for the XIV MTG Old Frame League Online will be open on this link until Monday October 31st.
Join us either on Discord or Facebook as we continue to work on bigger and better tournaments both in Old Frame Vintage and the rest of Old Frame formats.
MTG Old Frame League Decks
Here is a complete list of the decks that played the XIII MTG Old Frame League, for your inspiration and to study the metagame!
The Perfect Storm – David Kaplan – First Place
ARTIFACTS (14)
1 Black Lotus1 Grim Monolith
1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Vault
1 Mana Crypt
1 Memory Jar
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key
INSTANTS (18)
1 Ancestral Recall4 Brainstorm
4 Dark Ritual
4 Force of Will
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Meditate
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Vampiric Tutor
SORCERIES (14)
1 Demonic Tutor4 Duress 1 Merchant Scroll
1 Mind’s Desire
1 Tendrils of Agony
1 Timetwister
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Windfall
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
ENCHANTMENT (2)
1 Necropotence1 Yawgmoth’s Bargain
LANDS (12)
1 Flooded Strand1 Island
4 Polluted Delta
1 Swamp
1 Tolarian Academy
3 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island
SIDEBOARD (15)
1 Chain of Vapor2 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Library of Alexandria
1 Mind Twist
3 Phyrexian Negator
1 Pyroblast
1 Pyroclasm
1 Rack and Ruin 2 Red Elemental Blast
2 Tormod’s Crypt
Hulk Smash – Karl Akbari – Second Place
ARTIFACTS (7)
1 Black Lotus1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
CREATURES (2)
2 PsychatogINSTANTS (26)
4 Accumulated Knowledge1 Ancestral Recall
4 Brainstorm
3 Cunning Wish
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Force of Will
1 Gush
2 Intuition
4 Mana Drain
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
SORCERIES (9)
2 Deep Analysis1 Demonic Tutor
2 Duress 1 Merchant Scroll
1 Regrowth
1 Time Walk
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
LANDS (16)
3 Flooded Strand2 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
4 Polluted Delta
2 Tropical Island
4 Underground Sea
SIDEBOARD (15)
1 Berserk1 Chain of Vapor
1 Crumble
2 Duress
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
2 Misdirection
1 Naturalize
2 Pernicious Deed
1 Skeletal Scryings
1 Smother
1 Snuff Out
1 Stifle
Canadian Threshold – Juan Espadas – Semi-Finalist
ARTIFACTS (7)
1 Black Lotus1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Null Rod
CREATURES (12)
4 Meddling Mage4 Nimble Mongoose
4 Werebear
INSTANTS (21)
1 Ancestral Recall4 Brainstorm
2 Daze
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Force of Will
1 Gush
2 Opt
4 Stifle
2 Swords to Plowshares
SORCERIES (2)
1 Merchant Scroll1 Time Walk
LANDS (18)
2 Flooded Strand1 Island
4 Polluted Delta
1 Strip Mine
3 Tropical Island
3 Tundra
4 Wasteland
SIDEBOARD (15)
1 Arcane Laboratory1 Balance
1 Blue Elemental Blast
2 Compost
1 Disenchant
1 Hydroblast
1 Mana Drain
1 Misdirection
3 Naturalize
1 Null Rod
2 Swords to Plowshares
Solidarity – David Aparicio – Semi-Finalist
ARTIFACTS (5)
1 Black Lotus3 Candelabra of Tawnos
1 Mox Sapphire
INSTANTS (31)
1 Ancestral Recall1 Brain Freeze
4 Brainstorm
1 Chain of Vapor
3 Cunning Wish
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Force of Will
1 Frantic Search
4 High Tide
2 Impulse
3 Mana Drain
3 Meditate
1 Mystical Tutor
2 Turnabout
SORCERIES (6)
1 Merchant Scroll1 Mind’s Desire
1 Time Spiral
1 Time Walk
1 Timetwister
1 Windfall
LANDS (18)
3 Flooded Strand11 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
3 Polluted Delta
SIDEBOARD (15)
3 Back to Basics1 Brain Freeze
2 Defense Grid
2 Disrupt
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Hydroblast
1 Meditate
1 Misdirection
1 Stroke of Genius
1 Stifle
1 Turnabout
Elves – Phil Thorson
ARTIFACTS (2)
1 Black Lotus1 Mox Emerald
CREATURES (33)
1 Anger3 Birchlore Rangers
3 Deranged Hermit
4 Fyndhorn Elves
4 Llanowar Elves
4 Multani’s Acolyte
4 Priest of Titania
4 Quirion Ranger
1 Squee, Goblin Nabob
1 Sylvan Messenger
4 Wirewood Symbiote
INSTANTS (1)
1 Ancestral RecallSORCERIES (4)
2 Biorhythm 1 Demonic Tutor 1 Time WalkENCHANTMENTS (4)
4 Survival of the FittestLANDS (16)
1 Bayou1 Forest
4 Gaea’s Cradle
1 Taiga
1 Tropical Island
4 Windswept Heath
4 Wooded Foothills
SIDEBOARD (15)
2 Defense Grid4 Duress
1 Genesis
1 Nantuko Vigilante
3 Naturalize
1 Null Rod
1 Spore Frog
2 Tormod’s Crypt
Rector Trix – Alexander Caviris
ARTIFACTS (9)
1 Black Lotus1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
CREATURES (4)
4 Academy RectorINSTANTS (14)
1 Ancestral Recall4 Brainstorm
1 Crop Rotation
4 Force of Will
2 Misdirection
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
SORCERIES (13)
4 Cabal Therapy1 Demonic Tutor
1 Donate
2 Duress
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Regrowth
1 Time Walk
1 Timetwister
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
ENCHANTMENTS (6)
1 Form of the Dragon2 Illusions of Grandeur
1 Mind Over Matter
1 Sylvan Library
1 Yawgmoth’s Bargain
LANDS (12)
1 Flooded Strand1 Library of Alexandria
1 Phyrexian Tower
2 Polluted Delta
1 The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale
2 Tropical Island
2 Tundra
2 Underground Sea
SIDEBOARD (15)
2 Avoid Fate1 Chain of Vapor
1 Crumble
1 Disenchant
1 Humility
1 Mind Twist
1 Misdirection
2 Null Rod
1 Seal of Cleansing
2 Stifle
2 Swords to Plowshares
UW Fish – Óscar Canedo
ARTIFACTS (3)
3 Null RodCREATURES (16)
4 Meddling Mage4 Savannah Lions
4 Spiketail Hatchling
4 Weathered Wayfarer
INSTANTS (15)
1 Ancestral Recall3 Daze
4 Force of Will
1 Misdirection
3 Stifle
3 Swords to Plowshares
SORCERIES (1)
1 Time WalkENCHANTMENTS (4)
4 StandstillLANDS (22)
1 Faerie Conclave4 Flooded Strand
1 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
4 Mishra’s Factory
1 Plains
1 Polluted Delta
1 Strip Mine
4 Tundra
4 Wasteland
SIDEBOARD (15)
2 Disenchant3 Energy Flux
3 Hydroblast
1 Misdirection
1 Null Rod
2 Rootwater Thief
1 Seal of Cleansing
1 Stifle
1 Swords to Plowshares
Stax – Nicholas Santini
ARTIFACTS (30)
1 Black Lotus2 Grafted Skullcap
1 Karn, Silver Golem
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Memory Jar
2 Mind Stone
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
4 Smokestack
1 Sol Ring
4 Sphere of Resistance
4 Tangle Wire
1 Time Vault
1 Triskelion
1 Voltaic Key
CREATURES (6)
4 Goblin Welder 2 Gorilla ShamanINSTANTS (1)
1 Ancestral RecallSORCERIES (2)
1 Tinker1 Wheel of Fortune
ENCHANTMENTS (1)
1 In the Eye of ChaosLANDS (20)
1 Ancient Tomb1 Mishra’s Factory
4 Mishra’s Workshop
4 Shivan Reef
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Volcanic Island
4 Wasteland
SIDEBOARD (15)
2 Blood Moon2 Ensnaring Bridge
2 Pyroblast
3 Rack and Ruin
2 Red Elemental Blast
4 Tormod’s Crypt
Thresnought – Karl Pfeiffer
ARTIFACTS (4)
1 Black Lotus1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
CREATURES (12)
4 Nimble Mongoose4 Phyrexian Dreadnought
4 Werebear
INSTANTS (25)
1 Ancestral Recall4 Brainstorm
2 Daze
4 Fire / Ice
4 Force of Will
1 Gush
1 Pyroblast
4 Stifle
4 Vision Charm
SORCERIES (1)
1 Time WalkLANDS (18)
4 Flooded Strand4 Polluted Delta
1 Strip Mine
3 Tropical Island
3 Volcanic Island
3 Wasteland
SIDEBOARD (15)
3 Annul2 Cursed Totem
1 Hydroblast
1 Misdirection
2 Naturalize
1 Pyroblast
2 Pyrostatic Pillar
2 Red Elemental Blast
1 Sylvan Library
Dump Truck – Víctor Manuel Martínez
ARTIFACTS (5)
1 Black Lotus1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
CREATURES (11)
2 Exalted Angel4 Meddling Mage
3 Ophidian
2 Phyrexian Negator
INSTANTS (16)
1 Ancestral Recall4 Brainstorm
1 Fact or Fiction
4 Force of Will
4 Mana Drain
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Swords to Plowshares
SORCERIES (8)
1 Demonic Tutor3 Duress
1 Time Walk
2 Vindicate
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
LANDS (20)
1 City of Brass2 Flooded Strand
1 Island
1 Plains
3 Polluted Delta
1 Strip Mine
4 Tundra
3 Underground Sea
4 Wasteland
SIDEBOARD (15)
1 Blue Elemental Blast1 Disenchant
1 Ebony Charm
1 Energy Flux
1 Exalted Angel
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Moat
2 Null Rod
1 Serenity
2 Stifle
2 Swords to Plowshares
1 Tormod’s Crypt
The Perfect Storm – Vedast Sanxis
ARTIFACTS (11)
1 Black Lotus1 Lotus Petal
1 Mana Vault
1 Mana Crypt
1 Memory Jar
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
INSTANTS (19)
1 Ancestral Recall4 Brainstorm
2 Cabal Ritual
1 Chain of Vapor
4 Dark Ritual
4 Force of Will
1 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Mystical Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
SORCERIES (15)
1 Demonic Tutor4 Duress 2 Grim Tutor
1 Merchant Scroll
1 Mind’s Desire
2 Tendrils of Agony
1 Timetwister
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Wheel of Fortune
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
ENCHANTMENTS (2)
1 Necropotence1 Yawgmoth’s Bargain
LANDS (12)
2 Bloodstained Mire4 Polluted Delta
1 Swamp
1 Tolarian Academy
3 Underground Sea
1 Volcanic Island
SIDEBOARD (15)
1 Bayou1 Chain of Vapor
1 Coffin Purge
3 Hurkyl’s Recall
1 Hydroblast
1 Massacre
1 Mind Twist
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Time Vault
1 Voltaic Key
3 Xantid Swarm
Hulk Smash – Attilio Bragantini
ARTIFACTS (7)
1 Black Lotus1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Sol Ring
CREATURES (2)
3 PsychatogINSTANTS (24)
4 Accumulated Knowledge1 Ancestral Recall
4 Brainstorm
3 Cunning Wish
4 Force of Will
3 Intuition
4 Mana Drain
1 Mystical Tutor
SORCERIES (9)
2 Deep Analysis1 Demonic Tutor
3 Duress 1 Merchant Scroll
1 Time Walk
1 Yawgmoth’s Will
LANDS (17)
3 Flooded Strand2 Island
1 Library of Alexandria
2 Polluted Delta
2 Tropical Island
3 Volcanic Island
4 Underground Sea
SIDEBOARD (15)
1 Artifact Mutation1 Berserk
1 Blue Elemental Blast
3 Coffin Purge
1 Fire / Ice
1 Lim-Dûl’s Vault
1 Mind Twist
1 Naturalize
2 Pernicious Deed
3 Red Elemental Blast