Nathan Steuer completed the rare 6-0 in the third season of the Magic Online Championship Showcase, avoiding the final round and securing $20,000 as well as an invitation to the Streets of New Capenna Set Championship.
Steuer defeated his teammate David Inglis in round six in a Grixis Shadow mirror match. Both players brought the same 75, but Steuer ground out the 2-1 victory and the MOCS title. The tournament is divided into two portions with three matches each. If a player goes undefeated in Vintage Cube and Modern, they are the tournament winner and don’t have to play in the finals.
Many players have come close to the 6-0 finish; most recently, Jan Merkel almost achieved it with a 5-1 finish en route to his MOCS victory. In his third-straight MOCS, Steuer ran hot and pulled it off.
In the Vintage Cube rounds, Steuer drafted an excellent, consistent U/W Control list. Luis Scott-Vargas commented on the broadcast that Steuer had, without a doubt, the best-drafted deck. As the three Vintage Cube rounds played out, Scott-Vargas’ assumption was justified. Steuer ran through the competition, including a round three meeting against Inglis and his five-color Splinter Twin pile.
Inglis never got his strategy going against Steuer, who began both games with an early Sol Ring into Bribery. Despite the rough matchup for Inglis, he would rally back in Modern to earn a rematch against his teammate.
It was clear that Steuer and Inglis found an edge as the Modern rounds progressed. With both running Grixis Shadow, an aggressive deck that can out-value opponents in the late game, they met in round six with both of their tournament futures on the line.
Inglis and Steuer each were able to take a game, forcing a deciding third game. In many mirror matches, the deciding factor is often hitting land drops and fortuitous draws. Steuer did both, while Inglis stumbled out of the gate. This allowed Steuer to punch in for lethal and win the MOCS.
Magic Esports returns on March 11 to 13 with 15 rounds of Alchemy and Historic for the Neon Dynasty Championship.
