Hanseatic Oldschool

24/11/2025

Merchant Ship Cup 4 recap.
In contrast to the previous years, Vincent and I had support by Ric and Andy in organizing the tournament and I made things a lot more relaxed for all of us.
Thank you to both of.
Thank you also to all the participants of our tournament. If you have any suggestions for improvement please let us know. If you were completely happy, please let us know as well.

On Friday we tried to play Stylander for the first time. A 80 cards singleton format with the Stapleless banned list. Games regularly resulted in standoffs of huge amounts of creatures on both sides. Quite similar to the games I remember from my youth when I started playing magic.
In the end there could be only one:
Jan became the Stylander.
With a Red, White, Blue three colored deck.
Congratulations.
Nobody else dared to try more than two colors.

Alban was on site as Vendor and brought their cards and Erik recorded both the side event and main event on stream. Thanks to both of them.
A lot of players participated spice decks rather than tier one. Alex Höper and Matthias finished in place 15 and 22 both with Alpha Only decks.
It felt a bit strange not playing in our own tournament for the first time, but this way we had an even number of participants. By not playing we also had more time to chat with everybody and watch others play.
But it gave me a lot of opportunities.
I saw Alpha Benalish Heroes Ride to war on Mesa Pegasus.
I saw two games ending within less than 10 minutes thanks to Lotus into Juzam turn one.
I saw players going down three subgames with Shahrazad.
And I saw a lot of nice players.
Thank you everybody for making it a very special event.

06/10/2025

“There are three things that matter in property: location, location, location!”

When Fulco informed me that he was going to do a tournament in a real castle, I instantly knew that I wanted to join.

The Friday before the tournament was a national holiday in Germany which made travelling really fast and smooth. I was lucky enough to book a room in the old guard house from 1470, directly next to the castle, which was both really great and in style.
In the evening we attended the Stapleless Side event in a really cool location. I can’t say how much I enjoy seeing people playing our format, but also putting thought into developing decks and coming up with interesting ideas. As far as I can see, each tournament people come up with new decks. After trying to come up with something new three times (and miserably failing) this time I played a mono black deck to a second place (thanks to Ricardo).
On Saturday we started the day with a lovely breakfast worthy of any medieval lord.

We walked up to the castle and checked in. My only issue for the whole weekend was that beer was only available starting from 12 o`clock. Thanks to playing in three of the historical rooms in the castle, the tournament felt like only 30 players instead of the 80 players we really were. I really liked that. Fulco, Johan and Wouter organized the tournament perfectly, including a tour through the castle. I really enjoyed the whole weekend and would love to join again.

In the first round I played against Manuel, I saw him practicing underworld dreams combo on Friday night, but didn`t want to use that to my advantage so I kept a hand without disenchants. Only to discover him playing field of dreams and being killed by two hypnotic specters from me. I left in my swords and even added control magic from my sideboard because I expected him to play a transformational sideboard. Luckily I was right and able to control his Serra, forcing him to sword it. This gave me the chance to later win with one of my other creatures. Luck was on my side, a good start for the tournament.

Next I played against Lorenzo. He introduced himself as playing a spice deck only to proceed playing something which looked like the deck. Unfortunately I was too slow to aggro against two ivory towers from his side, so that he was able to fireball me in the end. We didn`t finish the second game due to rounds, but I would have probably lost that one as well.

In the third round I played against Peter and his black red deck. I was a bit unlucky, since I needed to sword two of his hippies. After I played a Juzam he played a sedge troll as a blocker, slowly letting me bleed to death. The second game I kept a hand with 5 lands, a lotus and an ancestral, only to draw three lands and then even more mana sources. Needless to say that I lost.

The fourth round was played on stream by Gideon and me, you can watch it at Timmy's channel. For the first time in my life I won while playing on the streaming table I think.

In the fifth round I played against Alex who was playing mono green. Both games he won before I was able to establish my game.

In the final round I got my ass kicked by a Suchi after some bad draws from my side again. At this point I didn`t really care anymore.

Despite my mediocre result I had a lot of fun.
Thanks again for the organization of the event.

12/05/2025

Hi guys, we had another gathering on Friday from our HOT series (Hansatic Old School Tournament). We played swedish Stapeless. We had a blast and a great time. Our friend Sebastian won this time. Congratulations

25/04/2025

Like the last two years I traveled with Pascal. After the usual Burger at the airport we sat down for some games. One of the reasons I prefer travelling with fellow players.
We arrived at the Hotel in Gothenburg and were greeted by a bunch of oldschool players, including Alex Höper who gave me a beautiful “small wiener” patch. ❤️
Since I had no plans for dinner, I was happy to join Mitja and the gang, for a really delicious steak. 🥩
Afterwards I called it an evening and read some oldschool comics in my room. 📖

The next day started with a loooong breakfast. I enjoyed chatting with all the people I usually only meet like once a year.
For the Siab00rg Fortress I decided to play BUG Ponza, with the goal to destroy as much value (duals, moxen, …) as possible.
The deck didn’t work out as planned. Either my finishers were killed, or I was able to slow down my opponent, but didn’t draw a Juzam or Suchi at all and they recovered.
I went 1-5 and also only destroyed 18 duals and 6 Moxen.
Less than half of what I had expected.
At least I got two nice alterations of Fort “Tolukko” from Anders on my sinkholes.
After a long walk through the city I drank a beer in the lobby with Michael and we decided to head for the Rotary Pub for "ONE" additional beer.
My plan to drink less alcohol this weekend had worked out quite fine until now. One beer became multiple, but the atmosphere in the pub was worth it and we still managed to take the stairs back to the hotel. 🍺

After another long breakfast we headed for the N00bcon.
Mitja and Christian managed to get a really good location. Enough light, good food and fresh air.
In the first Round I was paired with Viktor who played Bazaar, Taiga, Fastbond,Timevault and later discarded Channel and Fireball to his own wheel, because he was lacking mana. Only in the second game did I realized, that he played a Timetwister Recursion deck.
I won 2-0 but needed almost 50 minutes.

The second round I played against Danny Friedman. I should have known that he was playing Twiddlevault, but I didn’t think about it and kept a rather bad hand in the first game. When Christian announced that we had 13 minutes left after the first game I tried to hurry Danny to play faster, which seemed to confuse him. Only later I found out that I had misheard and we had indeed 30 minutes. My behaviour must have seemed really strange. 😅 I was able to win the second game with beatdown. In the last game we went into rounds.
1-1

Henrik was my opponent for the third round on a GW landtax with pixies. I was able to win and also managed to win the second game due to a spirit link on one of my trolls.
2-0
He invited me to an Irish coffee. I thought I would be a coffee with a small shot but the lady at the bar poured in 8cl. 😳 Combined with a beer from Wilfred afterwards it was enough to put put me into a happy but also a bit deranged state. So much for my attempt to drink less. 😅

My fourth opponent was Jens-Ole on Robots I think. He won 2-1. Especially memorable was the game when we both started with a library. He managed to resolve a chaos orb to get rid of my library. I was able to recover it with a regrowth only for him to topdeck a strip mine and win. I need to say that I really liked cutting. My deck performed better than usual and I never had a bad feeling when I started with a good hand, because I could blame my opponent.

In the fifth round I played against Ville on Mono Red. In the first game he got me with ball lightnings and burn spells. ⚡ The next two games I was able to stabilize and win due to suchis, cop red and spirit links.

Levi was my opponent for the sixth round. Over the turns, he got to two icys which was enough for my Juzams to kill me. In the second game I had a Library and he mulled to 5. In his turn he went: Mox, Mox, Balance, followed by a land. Fortunately my deck is quite good in topdeck mode and I was able to recover and win. The third game was our first real or fair game, but he had better draws than me and won.

My opponent in the seventh round was David with counterburn. He was similarly exhausted like me. I love playing magic, but all the impressions are usually enough for me to be mentally finished after some rounds. In the first game he wanted to resolve a blood moon, which I disenchanted. In the second round my sideboard plan with cop red, and spirit link worked out. 2-0

In the last round I faced Guillaume. In the first round I won with two Hypnotic specters. I saw a chain lightning and assumed he was on counterburn. In the second game he plays an Atog, but my cop red protects me and I win.

Juzams are not tier one, but much more fun than the deck.
They are hard to handle especially when combined with trolls. I really enjoyed playing them and a 21st place of 150 players is a great result for me personally. 🥳

After the tournament I was quite exhausted and Pascal and I decided to call it a day and head back to the hotel.
On our flight back home we came up with a great idea for our next merchandise. I’ll make a post when it’s finished. 😉

It was a great weekend, thanks to all the players who make it so memorable and put in so much effort each time. Especially Christian and Mitja of course, but also all the others. ❤️

11/04/2025

This report is more than two months overdue.
After playing a spike deck at UTC to avoid playing in the tent and losing nevertheless, I decided to go with my usual route and play what I enjoy.
Since December I was the proud owner of 3 Juzam Djinns, so I decided to play deadguy ale.
The deck is not Tier one but the card embodies the spirit of oldschool and is part of our Hanseatic Oldschool Logo.
Vincent, Sebastian and I traveled by car and used the 6 hours to discuss politics, drugs, the roman empire and of course magic.
We stayed at Mitja which was very convenient. We went to eat spareribs which tasted great and were really a lot. Clear recommendation from my site.
We later paid for our room by fixing Mitja’s bathroom electric.

The tournament took place in an old canoe production hall, which was cool but also a bit cold in the morning.
Buddy Jonkers was there with cool engraved slates as beer coasters. Unfortunately I was to slow to get some.
Round 1: I started with Badland, 3 Moxen and a Juzam. Pure gas and pure fun. My opponent was Paul, a new player who had borrowed a BW artifact prison deck. I tried my best to explain to him what my deck is doing and also what his deck is supposed to do and how he should sideboard.

Round 2 was against Chris, an Ernham Burnem player. Again the deck ran like it was supposed to.

In the third round I faced Sebastian on Ernhamgeddon. I was a bit afraid, because I know his deck is quite good, but he told me, that Juzams are bigger than Ernhies and it
s actually a bad matchup for him.

In the fourth round I faced Jens, who is a much better player than me. He played Mitja’s triple S deck. We ended in a draw which was better than expected from my side.

In the fifth round I played against Stefan (teppich) and ended in another draw. In the first game we was just countering and I thought he was on counterburn. In the second game I realized he was playing trolldisco.

In the final round I played against Jan who just steamrolled me with fantasy Zoo and 8 bolts, but I also had bad draws in that games.

The tournament was well organized by Mitja, as always.

I had a great time playing Juzams and really enjoyed the interactiveness during the games. For the time being they replace Atog’s as my favourite creatures and that says a lot.

03/02/2025

28/01/2025

The 24th Magic: The Gathering Tournament Report from December Brawl Edition

It was a chilly December evening, but the atmosphere in Harburger Magicbuden was joyous. Fourteen brave competitors had gathered for the 24th edition of our Magic: The Gathering tournament, and as usual for our December tournament, we spiced things up with a "Brawl" format. Brawl is the little cousin of Commander, where each deck has a legendary creature at the helm but with a 60 card deck. The twist added an extra layer of fun and unpredictability to our battles. This tournament wasn’t just about the games—it was also a celebration of the season and our amazing community. Many of the players embraced the holiday spirit by wearing Christmas hats, which added a cheerful vibe to the room. Throughout the event, we enjoyed good music, drank plenty of beer, and soaked up the camaraderie of this final tournament of the year. 🥰

I, armed with my trusty Bartel Runeaxe deck, entered the fray, confident in my belief that Bartel is much stronger than most people give him credit for. Turns out, I was about to experience highs, lows, and a bit of everything in between.

Round 1: Bartel vs. Bartel (Me vs. Peer)
Mirror match! Peer also had a Bartel Runeaxe deck, and I knew this was going to be more about piloting skill than deckbuilding. We battled like Vikings with our axes, rugged determination, and gruff grunting from both Bartels. After a hard-fought duel, I managed to outmaneuver Peer’s plays and claim victory. 🪓🪓

Round 2: Tetsuo's Triumph (Me vs. Vincent)
Next up was Vincent, piloting the fearsome Tetsuo Umezawa deck. Let me just say, Tetsuo is a powerhouse—one of the strongest commanders in the format. Unfortunately, despite Vincent making several blunders (he sometimes forgot to attack and overcommitted in other turns), my Bartel deck simply couldn’t keep up with Tetsuo’s relentless barrage of removal, value generation, and sheer raw power. Overwhelmed, I took my first loss of the evening.

Round 3: Devilishly Close (Me vs. Tobias)
Round three brought me face-to-face with Tobias and his Boris Devilboon deck, if I remember correctly. Boris is all about generating pesky little tokens if he is left unchecked. This was a hard match, with the battlefield clogged by demons being chopped away by my axes. In the end, Bartel’s resilience and a well-timed removal spell helped me secure the win.

Round 4: Tor Wauki Trouble (Me vs. Andy)
By Round 4, the competition was heating up, and I was paired against Andy, who played Tor Wauki. Andy’s deck put up a great fight, with Tor raining arrows and clearing my board multiple times. But Bartel’s toughness and my carefully planned plays led to another victory. 🏹

Round 5: The Champion Awaits (Me vs. Pascal)
For the final round, I was up against the undefeated Pascal, another Tetsuo Umezawa player. Pascal’s reputation as a skilled player preceded him, and I knew this would be an uphill battle. Having already faced Vincent’s Tetsuo deck earlier, I was painfully aware of the disparity in power levels between our commanders. Honestly, I went into this match without much hope, and that mindset reflected in my gameplay. Pascal capitalized on every opportunity, showcasing Tetsuo’s true potential and leaving me with a humbling loss.

Although I didn’t claim the throne, finishing 3-2 in a field with some truly powerful decks and talented players felt like a solid achievement. Bartel Runeaxe proved he’s no pushover, and I had a fantastic time.
Pascal ultimately emerged as the undefeated champion of the night, cementing Tetsuo Umezawa’s reputation. Congratulations to Pascal for winning his first Hanseatic Oldschool tournament. Well deserved by a strong deck and good plays. As a token of appreciation for being a valued member of our community, he was given a big patch for his jacket. It was a small but heartfelt gesture that reflected how much we appreciate his contributions and traveling with him. ❤️

But beyond the wins and losses, the real victory was the good time, fun, laughter, and shared passion for Magic that brought us all together. It was a fantastic way to wrap up 2024’s tournaments—a fun, festive, and unforgettable evening.
Until next time, keep shuffling, and may your draws be ever in your favor! 🎅✨

27/01/2025

A bit late due to my new job since november.

Uthden Troll Cup: A Weekend Full of Magic and Memories
The much-anticipated weekend was finally here—the Uthden Troll Cup, a legendary (and one of the biggest) oldschool tournaments. I drove there with my friends Vincent and Pascal, participating for the third time. I was thrilled to see that this event was the biggest one yet in the series.

Friday: A Promising Start
Friday kicked off with the draft, which I found to be a lot of fun. Last year, I had the unfortunate experience of only managing to play one round before being overwhelmed by alcohol.
This year, again I ventured into stronger drinks with some guys from Finland and made it through two rounds—definitely an improvement!
A memorable moment came when I went to the Artist room and received a beer from Drew Tucker. He remarked that he preferred whiskey, and I managed to get another player to buy him some for the three of us. We shared a drink together, which made for a great bonding moment.🥃

The Tent Challenge
Due to the number of players a tent had been erected in the yard for players with lower standings. In my opinion this added extra pressure for participants to select a strong deck. I wanted to avoid the noise in the tent and preferred the atmosphere in the main building, so I crafted an Arabian Aggro deck that I felt confident about.
A pic can be found at the bottom of the text.

Round by Round: Battles and Defeats
My first round was a real battle against an opponent from Belgium playing a “Tripple S” deck. I was close to beating him, but he managed to stabilize the match and take the win. My deck initially seemed promising, but I had to mulligan to five cards in the third game, and his Mind Twist put me in a tough spot.
In the second round, I faced a Robots deck, but lady luck was not on my side. I only drew lands and couldn't build the strategy I needed.
The third round saw me up against a Mono Red deck that quickly dismantled my game, and in the fourth round, I lost to Ernhamgeddon.
After that, I decided to stop taking notes; it seemed that luck was just not on my side that day.😢

Unforgettable Highlights
Despite the defeats, there were some unforgettable moments. One particularly amusing incident occurred when players rushed to the buffet table, attempting to grab leftovers. The chaos led to the table crashing to the ground and the flaming paste setting everything on fire.🔥
The atmosphere was great as always among the participants. However, you could sense that the location was at its limits, affecting the overall experience for me in comparison to the previous years.

Conclusion
Meeting Drew Tucker was definitely a highlight; he is a great person, just like all the other artists I have met so far. I took away valuable lessons from this tournament and plan to focus on participating in smaller events for the time being. The Uthden Troll Cup was, once again, an experience filled with emotion, fun, and unexpected moments. I look forward to next time, hoping to improve both in my gameplay and drinking skills.🍻

27/08/2024

When Mitja announced the first Full Swedish Tournament in Germany since a long time and dared to plan it on Sunday, a lot of people started to complain:
Oldschool on Sunday?
This is outrageous!
Full Swedish in Germany?
Stupid, Elitism, only for people with power!
Despite comments from some naggers in the German community 56 players gathered to play full swedish and had a great tournament with a very diverse meta.

Everything was well organized, with multiple artists, thank you Mitja!

I am still missing a beta copy artifact and wrath of God, to be fully black bordered.
As Scooter says: The chase is better than the catch!
Someday I will get them.

Before the tournament I wanted to play Robots, but changed to UWb Robots on short notice. My idea was to have a good matchup against URb Robots, as well as mob control against aggro decks like mono green and similar.
I tried to push everything within one deck which worked quite well. 1-2 more lands would have been good, probably instead of the divine offering. I lost two games due to missing land drops.

First Round was against Mono White. The fact that I played full powered won me the game 2-0.

Second Round against Jens on Robots. I kept a greedy hand with a offcolored mox and a factory, but did not draw a single land for 5 turns and lost.

In the third Round I played against Nicolas on a UBR homebrew. Again I drew quite bad and lost.

The fourth round was against Joseph on Bruderbots and my deck was finally doing what it was supposed to do.

In the fifth round I played against classic Trolls with Hippies and discs. I drew poorly in the first game and was sinkholed to death in the second, not having enough lands in my deck to recover, which killed me.

In the last round I played against Bernhard with mono Blue. He didn’t draw his power and I won the match.

If nothings goes right,go left! (Scooter)
Overall I think my deck was well prepared for the meta.

Besides that we brought H.P Baxxter and especially Roman had a blast carrying him around all day. I can only recommend making each tournament the way you want it to be.
I am definitely looking forward to the next full swedish tournament.

Until then remember HP:
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

Have fun, Albert

02/08/2024

Thomas Meddens just uploaded the video of our match in his stapleless tournament.

It was a real pleasure. Thanks for the games for hosting the tournament and for the nice introduction in the video.

Enjoy the opening match of the Stapleless 93/94 Magic the Gathering tournament. The stapleless format is a format designed by our friends from Hanseatic Old ...