Not Keeping 2-Land Hands

Didn't have much of a chance to shuffle up for Commander this weekend, but I did get one quick game in with Chris. He had Zur the Enchanter. I had Nefarox, Overlord of Grixis. (It's helpful to sing the demon's name when you say it, making it sound like "Sephiroth" from the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children movie soundtrack.)



To put it mildly, Zur is a strong commander. I usually only beat him when I can take control of him the turn he comes out with Control Magic or something similar. Or, if I can kill him the first two or even three times he is cast with removal. I had neither this game, so I lost pretty quickly. He can search up answers to almost anything, so things go downhill quickly after he makes one or two appearances in the red zone.

But, I expect to lose to Zur. That's not what this post is about. This post is about my old nemesis: mana-screw. Man, I hate that!

My opening hand was: Swamp, Swamp, Mind Stone, Abyssal Persecutor, Damnation, Reaper from the Abyss, Thran Dynamo, Corrupt.



What I saw was making my land drops for two turns with a Mind Stone on turn 2, putting me at 4 mana on turn three into Abyssal Persecutor with Damnation in case Chris assembled the three colors for Zur on his turn 4 (which he almost always does). My plan was to attack into him with the 6/6 demon until Zur showed up and then wipe the board immediately and then be in position for Nefarox or the Reaper. It all hinged on drawing one more land in the first three turns.

Did I draw a land?

No, of course not. Why would I? I mean, lands only make up 40% of my deck.

Zur shows up on Chris' turn 4 and proceeds to grab Robe of Mirrors, Edge of Divinity, and Battle Mastery while I draw nothing, nothing, nothing.



The rule - the one that I'm tattooing onto my deckbox - is to always, always mulligan to the third land.