Ah the classic conundrum: keeping a one land hand when on the draw. Oppo is also playing an aggressive deck and this is game three. Each previous game whoever was on the play was the winner, just through front-foot aggression (god bless you SNC). So, what do we do here?

• Baseline heuristics: keep any hand that only needs one land over the next two draw steps to work. However, always mull if it needs a particular kind of land. This hand clearly needs a mountain, so mull.
• Oppo has already mulled. Even if it doesn’t matter, that always makes it feel safe to mull.
• I do have one of those family fixers. So if I draw a second land but it’s a swamp, I can still turn on my hand by casting it.
• I also have sweet sweet one mana removal that can help me catch up.
• This hand is straight gas if it gets going (double Body Droppers with sacrifice fodder in the Magician).

What’s the play?

This was one of the better fought games lately. Facing a quasi-Maestros mirror in the rubber match. Oppo got out to a fast start, removed my blocker, and has me pretty firmly on the back foot. But now it’s Echo Inspector time!

17 Lands Link

Deck

Do I pitch a card to make the E.I. a 3/4? That can block the 3/1 initiate but *can’t* block the Body Dropper due to threat of activation. Is that worth a card? Potential lines include:

If I pitch a spell, I probably pitch the Slip out the Back, looking to build up my own Body Droppers with a blitzed Night Clubber.

If I pitch a land, I’m priced into trading the E.I. for the Initiate, which doesn’t feel great. I set up a double Body Dropper next turn along with a Slip out the Back to protect them (or buy a turn with a block). What to do?

Keep or mull is usually a bit more straightforward than the multiple facets of a What’s the Play. But it’s still good to keep one’s hand in. So here’s a good one. We are on the draw in game 1, already mulled once.

17 Lands Link

Pretty self-evident keep with good removal and early plays and a pretty powerful card. But what to toss? Normally when on the draw I pitch the third land automatically. However, is that the best choice here?

Mana advantage is a real thing, and being able to triple-spell on turn 5 is usually a pretty delightful thing. While I doubt there’s a wrong answer, it’s important to squeeze out every angle of value.

17 Lands

Situation

options

It’s clear that we’re casting all of our spells, but at what?

• Lifelinker in the sky
• A gathering throng that trades with our ground forces
• Or that stupid 2/1 epic common angel

I don’t love that Arena automatically gives tells when oppo has an something they can do at instant speed. But it’s available and I’d be a fool not to use it. Oppo has something at instant speed and this is the second round of attacking into my 4/4 (my 2/2 traded with their 2/2 last turn). What’s the play?

• Block the 3/2 with either of my smaller creatures
• Force the trick by blocking their 2/4 with my 4/4
• Take the damage, there’s still time.

17 Land Details

This Turn

17lands Info

The Play

Okay, at last a welcome change from being cornered in a bad situation. I’ve finally stabilized versus a pretty good UW deck. I just countered their 7-mana shattered Seraph, some good card advantage in Evelyn’s exile pile and a big-honking flier. Of note, we are both in some danger of decking (I have 9 cards, oppo has 5) What’s the play

• Attack with the 4/5 and the 5/5 flier
• Attack with just the 4/5 to leave the flier back on defense
• Cast Raffine’s Informant
• Or mill some more with another 3/3 Snoozy.

What’s the play?