The other semifinal for the 2019 tournament looked like an easy win for Spiral Blue, although there were some troublesome cards in the Monsters sideboard. In reality it was a little trickier than expected for Spiral Blue…

G1

A turn 2 Domri resolves. A T3 Rabblemaster gets countered, but a T4 Xenagos resolves. T5 there is a mana elf and 2 Satyrs attacking, and Domri has ticked up to Ultimate loyalty. Spiral Blue fires off 2 Time Spirals in desperation, but can’t find Mind Over Matter. T6 Domri ultimates and gives everyone doublestrike. Monsters wins. Monsters 1-0.

G2

Spiral Blue gets Mind Over Matter out on turn 4, with 2 Mana Vaults already in play. T5 Blue starts digging for Stroke of Genius with brainstorms, to no avail. T6 Blue plays 2 Meditates, has to cast intuition for Stroke, which means there’s only one stroke left in the library, but the Stroke draws lots of cards and finds the last remaining Stroke, which then wins the game. Spiral Blue 1-1.

G3

Blue has to mulligan to 6. Monsters gets a T3 Rabblemaster countered, but a T4 Rabblemaster resolves. A T5 bloodrushed Ghor-Clan puts Blue to 9, and a T6 bloodrushed Ghor-Clan #2 wins the game. Spiral Blue 1-2.

G4

An elf gets countered. Wasteland from Spiral Blue destroys a Stomping Ground, Monsters’ only green source. Monsters adds Mutavault. Blue adds Mana vault. T3 Monsters topdecks an Overgrown Tomb to stay in the game, and casts an elf. T4 Polukranos gets countered. T5 Blue casts Mind Over Matter and says go. A T6 Mistcutter Hydra from Monsters is too little too late, as a T6 Time Spiral finds Stroke the Genius for 25 cards, and Spiral Blue has everything it needs to win. Spiral Blue 2-2.

G5

Blue has a T1 Mana Vault. Monsters has T2 Scavenging Ooze. The scooze gets bigger when subsequent creatures get countered. But Blue has intuition end step of Turn 4, and casts Mind Over Matter on turn 5. Says go. During upkeep, Blue taps down the Monsters only black source, just in case Monsters topdecks a sideboard card, and Monsters can only attack Blue down to 5. Blue goes off on Turn 6 with Time Spiral into Stroke for 19 cards, then a second Stroke for a zillion. Spiral Blue wins. 3-2.