G1

Both decks mulligan to 6. Red comes out fast, with a Satyr, then a Berserker. Rally answers with a Sidisi’s Faithful (zero power blocker) and an elvish visionary (which gets burned away) but a Reflector Mage bouncing the satyr slows things down. An Abbot and another Berserker are cast, and a burn spell to face, after which Rally is at 5 life.

Red attacks into open mana and Collected Company finds Zulaport and Nantuko Husk, wrecking red’s team. Red re-casts the Satyr.

With Rally at 5 life (and red at 18) red “goes for it.” Exquisite Firecraft brings Rally to 1 life. Stoke the Flames is cast for the potential win, but Rally has the namesake card, Rally the Ancestors, in response, and is able to do a massive tempo swing, after which Rally is back to 5 life. After Rally’s creatures attack on his turn, Red is at 9. Red re-casts a satyr (again), but another Reflector Mage from Collected Company sends it back, and red has no blockers when Nantuko Husk attacks for 10 damage. Rally 1-0.

G2

Red gets a good hand and Rally gets flooded. Rally is forced to play a Zulaport Cutthroat on turn 2, but it gets burned away on turn 3 and after attacks, Rally is already at 13. Turn 3 Catacomb Sifter arrives to try to slow things down, but a Swiftspear gets 2 prowess triggers, killing the Sifter and also leaving Rally at 6 life after turn 5. The next turn, 2 more burn spells win the game. Rally 1-1.

G3

Rally keeps a risky 1-land hand with lots of 2 drops and never sees land #2. Rally 1-2.

G4

A sideboard card, Satyr Firedancer, comes down on turn 2 which does damage to creatures whenever the opponent gets damage from a burn spell. Rally plays an Arashin Cleric, but it gets killed by Firedancer triggers. Reflector Mage bounces the Firedancer and that slows things down. Duress steals a burn spell, the firedancer returns. Rally is at 20 life. The husk attacks, and red doesn’t block it. There is an interesting turn when Arc Lightning is cast and Satyr Firedancer is in play that leads to multiple spells and sacrifice triggers in response. The net effect is that Rally is left with only a tapped Husk, Red has the Firedancer and an Abbot, and Rally is at 17 life. The husk attacks again (no blockers). The satyr gets bounced again by another Reflector Mage. Red deals with the Mage and attacks Rally down to 12 life. Red = 13. Rally = 12. But a Collected Company during upkeep finds another Zulaport, and more blockers, and stalls the board for a turn. On the next turn, sacrifices to Husk and then a Rally the Ancestors finishes off red – 13 damage in one turn. Rally 2-2.

G5

Red sees a one-land hand with a Swiftspear, an Eidolon, a cheap burn spell, and 3 expensive spells. Decides to send it back. Mulligans into a 4-land hand with no creatures. Keeps it and is soon rewarded by drawing an Eidolon, but after that just draws land. Red, with only 21 lands maindeck, plays a land every turn for 9 turns, and dies overwhelmed by 2/3 creatures and weenies “going wide:” 3 Catacomb Sifters, 3 Scions, and 2 Reflector Mages. Rally advances, 3-2.