all your report are belong to us

The first time there was buzz about Uba Mask was when Robert Vroman reached top 8 in SCC power 9 tournament held in Chicago in April 2005.

Here is what he played:


4 Goblin Welder
1 Gorilla Shaman
1 Wheel Of Fortune
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Time Walk
1 Tinker
1 Black Lotus
1 Candelabra Of Tawnos
3 Chalice Of The Void
1 Citanul Flute
3 Crucible Of Worlds
1 Duplicant
1 Jester's Cap
1 Karn, Silver Golem
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Memory Jar
1 Mindslaver
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
1 Pentavus
3 Smokestack
1 Sol Ring
1 Trinisphere
1 Triskelion
4 Uba Mask
4 Bazaar Of Baghdad
1 Great Furnace
4 Mishra's Workshop
1 Riftstone Portal
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy
4 Volcanic Island
2 Wasteland
1 Wooded Foothills
Sideboard:
1 Chalice Of The Void
1 Ensnaring Bridge
1 Eon Hub
1 Granite Shard
2 Orb Of Dreams
1 Tormod's Crypt
1 Sundering Titan
1 Viashino Heretic
1 Artificer's Intuition
1 Overload
1 Pyroblast
1 Red Elemental Blast
1 Bosh, Iron Golem
1 Maze Of Ith

Altough the deck wasn't refined, Robert did well with it.

The trick is to activate Bazaar of Baghdad with an empty hand and Uba Stax in play to be able to play the 2 cards.
Furthermore, Uba Mask disrupts blue mages; you can get a pseudo-lock with one Uba Mask in play, one in the graveyard and a Goblin Welder (the opponent can only play instants).

One month later, 2 players managed 9th and 11th at the French Vintage Championships 2005.

Here is what Loïc Cara (11th) played:


1 Balance
4 Goblin Welder
1 Demonic Tutor
1 Vampiric Tutor
1 Ancestral Recall
1 Tinker
1 Black Lotus
4 Chalice of the Void
3 Crucible of Worlds
2 Karn, Silver Golem
1 Mox Emerald
1 Mana Crypt
1 Mana Vault
1 Mox Jet
1 Mox Pearl
1 Mox Ruby
1 Mox Sapphire
3 Smokestack
1 Sol Ring
1 Sundering Titan
4 Tangle Wire
1 Trinisphere
1 Triskelion
3 Uba Mask
4 Bazaar of Baghdad
3 City of Brass
4 Gemstone Mine
4 Mishra's Workshop
1 Strip Mine
1 Tolarian Academy
3 Wasteland
Sideboard:
3 Ray of Revelation
2 Rack and Ruin
2 Ensnaring Bridge
3 Phyrexian Furnace
4 Sphere of Resistance
1 Triskelion