Over the past few weeks I have noticed a lot of control decks out there. Out of the main ones that I have seen, I have yet to see a R/U Control deck. So I decided to make one. It came out like this:

Main Deck:

10 Island
10 Mountain
4 Lonely Sandbar
4 Forgotten Cave
4 Gempalm Incinerator
2 Rorix Bladewing
1 Arcanis the Omnipotent
2 Blistering Firecat
4 Mana Leak
2 Future Sight
4 Lightning Rift
4 Complicate
2 Rewind
4 Shock
3 Starstorm

Sideboard:

2 Carbonize
3 Wall of Deceit
2 Rewind
1 Starstorm
3 Bribery
4 Misguided Rage

This deck seems pretty solid ageist most decks. Before I get into individual match ups, I will go over the significance and explain a little why each card is there.

Turn 1:
Shock: Easy and quick damage! Hits those goblins where it hurts!
Forgotten Cave: Cycle
Lonely Sandbar: Cycle
Total: 8

Turn 2:
Mana Leak: With such a mana intense environment, this is a killer against many if not all decks.
Lightning Rift: Goes with cycle, and is cheap effective damage.
Gempalm Incinerator: (Cycle) cheap cycle and goes great against goblins.
Total:12

Turn 3:
Blistering Firecat (Morph): This is better then dropping it turn 4, the current element of surprise is a great advantage.
Complicate: Cycle or dry cast, cycle is recommended. Good in early game, not to good in late game.
Starstorm: If there are no creatures threatening you, cycle this puppy.
Total: 9

Turn 4:
Blistering Firecat (Dry Cast): 7 damage.
Rewind: Great counter spell! Free turn 4.
Total: 4

Turn 5:
Future Sight: Give me mass card advantage, with this out, I get what I want, NOW!
Total: 2

Turn 6:
Rorix Bladewing: Nice win condition and can open a can of whoop ass.
Arcanis the Omnipotent: Card advantage and if you have the mana, is hard to kill.
Total: 3

Drop Percentage (not counting basic lands)
Turn 1: 20%
Turn 2: 30%
Turn 3: 23% (Rounded)
Turn 4: 10%
Turn 5: 5%
Turn 6: 7% (Rounded)

The mana curve is about where you want it. It is a bit sketchy in the late game, but it works itself out with the cycling and card draw. On to the sideboard.

Sideboard:

Carbonize: It good against zombies and creatures who wont die, Eternal Dragon, Beasts, etc.
Wall of Deceit: Very important against Mono White Control. Holds off those knights.
Rewind: In need of more control? Here you go.
Starstorm: Wipes the floor with weenie decks, and is cycling.
Bribery: Fun card, especially when they have an Akroma :)
Misguided Rage: Nice in late game, when they hopefully won’t have much.

Ok, now for the most important part, match ups. One of the more popular decks, is one that this deck sometimes has a hard time with. Goblins. I read once “In this format, you either have to play goblins, or play a deck that beats goblins.” This deck has a nice history with goblins, but is the hardest to play against.

Shock is your best friend. Along with lightning rift if you can get it out early enough. Your going to find yourself burning more then controlling due to the fact that goblins are flat out too fast, except for maybe Mana Leak.

Sideboard Suggestion:
-1 Arcanis
+1 Starstorm

There really isn’t much else, if your having a hard time burning, or if you going up against Goblin Bidding, then sideboard as follows:
-1 Arcanis
-2 Blistering Firecat
+1 Starstorm
+2 Carbonize

The carbonize will eliminate the problem COMPLETELY.

Win % Vs Goblins Pre-Sideboard: 68%
Win % Vs Goblins Sideboard: 74%

Another tough competitor is Mono White Control. With wipe clean to take out your enchantments, Akroma’s Vengeance to nuke your creatures and those Silver Knights. Out of all the decks, this is my toughest match. Especially game one. One you sideboard, you stand a better chance. Your going to be controlling a lot more the burning, to you should sideboard as follows:

Sideboard Suggestion:

-4 Gempalm Incinerator
-4 Shock
+3 Bribery
+2 Rewind
+3 Wall of Deceit

Bribery can steal those fatty creatures, while rewind can stop what you don’t steal dead in its tracks. Wall of Deceit is perfect for those knights.
Win % Vs Mono White Control Pre Sideboard: 45%
Win % Vs Mono White Control Sideboard: 60% (60 is a lot better then 45)

Remember, this is your toughest match up.

Zombie Bidding, almost scary. Pretty straight forward, knock all you can into the yard, save your counter for the Bidding. Don’t get counter happy on every thing that hits the board, save it for Bidding. Between the burn and counter magic, this match should be cake. Carbonize will help you dramatically. So even if they play Patriarch’s Bidding, it wont matter, since they are out of the game.

Sideboard Suggestion:
-1 Arcanis
-1 Starstorm
+2 Carbonize

Win % Vs Bidding Pre Sideboard: 65%
Win % Vs Bidding Sideboard: 75%+

Bad Form, HA! With the highest win percentage of all. When someone plays form, you own them. Your burn or Rorix will finish the job. Not much to say, this is your easiest match of them all.

Sideboard Suggestion:
-2 Starstorm
+2 Misguided Rage

Win % Pre Sideboard: 70%
Win % Sideboard: 80%+

I will hopefully update as more decks come out, and as Mirroden approaches. Thanks for reading.

Brian Breeden
darkdemon10187@yahoo.com