Deck of the Day – UWR Control by Steven Phillips (2nd at SCG Las Vegas Standard Open)

• 4 Island
• 4 Plains
• 3 Azorius Guildgate
• 4 Hallowed Fountain
• 2 Mutavault
• 1 Sacred Foundry
• 4 Steam Vents
• 4 Temple of Triumph

Planeswalkers (4)

• 1 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
• 3 Jace, Architect of Thought

Spells (30)

• 1 Elixir of Immortality
• 1 Ratchet Bomb
• 4 Detention Sphere
• 4 Azorius Charm
• 2 Counterflux
• 2 Dissolve
• 2 Quicken
• 4 Sphinx’s Revelation
• 2 Syncopate
• 4 Divination
• 4 Supreme Verdict

Sideboard

• 1 Pithing Needle
• 3 Fiendslayer Paladin
• 1 Blind Obedience
• 1 Counterflux
• 3 Gainsay
• 2 Last Breath
• 1 Negate
• 1 Shock
• 1 Wear // Tear
• 1 Jace, Memory Adept

The title of this deck is a little misleading as it really is a UW Control deck with a tiny splash of red mainly to gain a little edge in the control mirror and for some extra options out of the sideboard. The core of the deck is the standard UW classics with full sets of Sphinx’s Revelation, Supreme Verdict, Azorius Charm and Detention Sphere which work overtime to control the board, draw through your deck and regain lost life once you stabilize. The primary wincons come through the always powerful planeswalkers Elspeth and Jace, with a pair of Mutavault to plink in as well. The control package sports pairs of Dissolve, Syncopate and the reason for the red splash Counterflux. There are two one of artifacts with the new hotness Elixir of Immortality to recycle your used spells back into the deck and Ratchet Bomb which can take care of numerous permanent problems especially rat or soldier tokens in a pinch. We finally get to a little bit of cuteness in the deck with Quicken which while limited in targets does make Verdict into a surprise sweeper or turns Divination into an instant speed Concentrate.