Sticking to UBx

After spending the last few months trying to figure out what deck I will be using and mastering, I finally figured out the deck that I will be practicing - for this matter, I will STILL be using ^_^. For the past months (or years, aside from times when I build Red decks when I had budget constraints hehe), I have been using Black-Blue control and to be honest, I have been pretty much successful with it in my local store. And then I began to explore Solar Flare. But Solar Flare (or Esper Control) seemed pretty similar (but different in some aspects) with UB control and so I had success using it too. And then, the time came when UB and Flare went outside the Magic online Top 8 scene. Grand Prix results showed no Black-Blue(UB) nor Flare decks and so I began to think that my success in UBx control decks might be localized to my store only. With Grand Prix Manila this June 2012 as my inspiration, I began exploring decks that I thought would be more applicable / successful in the global scale. And so I began getting White-Blue(UW) Delver pieces (along with Finkel's Esper Spirits pieces) and I actually had the pieces except for Seachrome Coasts. For a moment, I actually planned on trading my Darkslick Shores for Seachromes but again, I am very happy that I didn't.

I playtested Delver decks (and Spirits) and began to adapt to its style. It definitely is a strong deck. No question about it. Reach, consistency, you name it. However, each win that I had felt differently. The play style was different and I wasn't used to the midrange tempo gamestyle that it had. However, now, I think I am accustomed to its style. What changed my perception was the deck that Paulo Vitor damo da Rosa used in GP Baltimore and the idea that there were 3 UB control decks in the Top 8. UB Control was successful! Then, in the recent MTG online top 8s, UB control is back in the 4-0s finishers.

I realized that there was no need for me to change deck since I am still loving how I play with UB control decks - I always have. Grand Prix Manila is an International-level tournament and it somehow urged me to choose the most successful deck to try to do better in my first International-level tournament. However, with a busy schedule in work, spending time with girlfriend and friends, playing time for Magic: the Gathering is not as abundant for me now compared to the luxury I had a few years back. And so I definitely want to enjoy those few moments that I play tournaments to the fullest. So I will join GP Manila with a deck that I liked - and will like - using; not a deck that finished consistently in other GP and Pro Tour events.