As some of you may have read in my previous blog, I find myself navigating through a difficult period in my life. My recent divorce has brought many challenges, and at times, it has felt overwhelming. Yet, during this trying time, I’ve been fortunate to have a remarkable support system, including many people from the Old School community. Each person has stepped up in their own way, offering encouragement, understanding, and friendship.

Demmer, the organizer of the Dwarven Warrior Cup, is one of those incredible individuals. Behind all his bravado and, let’s call it, “infectious enthusiasm,” lies a genuinely kind-hearted person who looks out for his fellow players. My invitation to this year’s tournament is a testament to that. I owe him my thanks and gratitude. So, with that myth and bad-boy reputation firmly busted, let’s delve into the Dwarven Warrior Cup VII.

Prep time!

This year’s Dwarven Warrior Cup featured a format that blended nostalgia with strategy. Players competed under the Alpha 40 League rules, harkening back to the early days of Magic: The Gathering. Fortunately Beta reprints were permitted, but in case any Alpha 40 League authorities are reading this, everyone was encouraged to play with Alpha cards!

I also considered crafting a classic green and red deck, which was absolutely beautiful to behold. However, knowing this was my first time at the Dwarven Warrior Cup and uncertain whether I would receive an invitation next year, I figured that netting some good results would make the experience more memorable for me. (Boy, was I wrong—but more on that later!)

In the end, I decided to play Deadguy Ale, featuring iconic cards like Hypnotic Specter, Dark Ritual, and Swords to Plowshares. Under Alpha 40 rules, protection from color cards function as originally intended, meaning they simply can’t be affected by spells of the corresponding color. This made my Black Knights absolute beasts when combined with Wrath of God and Balance. Plus, when else would I have the chance to play a Beta Wrath of God?! I had to seize the opportunity! With two sweepers in my library, Jade Statue also became a strong option; its six toughness made it a real powerhouse.

One of the things that makes the Dwarven Warrior Cup so special is that it’s more of a social gathering than a competitive tournament. Sure, you can technically win the tournament, but in true Dwarven Cup fashion, the Cup isn’t awarded to the victor. Instead, it’s handed to the player who deserves it the most, another testament to how Demmer—despite all his bravado—is just one big softy! 😉 The Cup is really a celebration of friendship, where everyone comes together to enjoy the game, drink beer, and share plenty of laughs. Knowing this, I couldn’t arrive empty-handed, especially as the organizer of the Edge-Man Championship. Since beer plays such a central role in the Dwarven Warrior Cup, I decided to bring along a bottle of Edge-Man Premium Beer for each of my fellow players. Of course, my daughter Noor insisted on helping out with the creation of a custom case to hold all the bottles. She’s still quite impressed by all the guys she met at the Edge-Man Championship! The end result looked fantastic and with that I was ready to travel to Voorthuizen, where the event was held!

The Long and Winding Road

My first Dwarven Warrior Cup was memorable for multiple reasons, and not just because of the tournament itself. On my way to Voorthuizen, I made a small detour to meet one of the bigger vendors in The Netherlands. I’ve been on a relentless quest to upgrade my dual lands to Unlimited, and I couldn’t resist trading in my pre-modern collection for more of these iconic cards. By the time I left, I had 10 new Unlimited Duals in my collection—3 Badlands, 3 Underground Seas, and a playset of Volcanic Islands. Not a bad way to kick off the weekend!

I arrived in Voorthuizen around six in the evening, greeted by many familiar faces from the Old School community. Demmer’s wife, Maria-Maria, welcomed me with open arms, handing me a cold beer and a warm shoarma bun. Talk about hospitality! She was an absolute gem, making sure everyone felt right at home. It was the perfect start to an unforgettable weekend.

Gift of the many!

While I was busy stuffing my face with the delicious shoarma, I was greeted by many old friends from the Old School community. Familiar faces from all over the world had gathered, making it feel like a reunion of sorts. And it turns out, I wasn’t the only one who came bearing gifts! My German friend and Old School legend, Martin, completely blew me away with what he brought. First, a hand-painted 3D-printed model of the Hurloon Minotaur—an iconic creature and the face of Magic: The Gathering in its early days, featured in so many of the original ads. But that wasn’t all. He also gifted me a Conan the Barbarian patch, and something truly special: the new Edge-Man Championship Cup! It was absolutely massive and looked unbelievably cool, way beyond what I expected.

But the surprises didn’t stop there. Koos and Nick Cramer brought something really unique to the event as well—DWC Alpha 40 League rule booklets, made to look just like the original ones. The level of detail that went into crafting them was insane, and they instantly became a hot topic around the table. As we all enjoyed our beers and caught up with one another, there was yet another surprise in store. The Old School band made a special guest appearance! —they were really, really good! It was one of those moments where the energy in the room was just perfect, and everyone was having a blast. The excitement hit another level when Maria-Maria’s sister, (ver)Wendy, joined the festivities, adding some class to what otherwise could be classified as a drunken sausage-fest. The party went strong all night, wrapping up around 5 a.m. (edit: some one just explained to me after reading this blog, that Wendy and Maria-Maria are not sisters at all. They are friends. The same persone also tried to eplain this to me for 15 minute’s during DWC. This illustrates perfectly how drunk I was at that point)

Voorthuizen Hooligans

As a parent, it doesn’t matter how late you stay up or how much sleep you manage to sneak in—the biological alarm clock is always set to 6:45 a.m., sharp. No matter how many times you hit snooze on your phone, your body (and often, your kids) have other plans. It’s like an unspoken parental instinct that kicks in as soon as you become a parent, ensuring you’re up and ready, even if your mind and body are begging for more rest.

The next morning, Maria-Maria worked her magic once again, whipping up a wonderful breakfast for all of us. The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and the table was lined with warm, freshly baked buns that felt like the perfect comfort food to tackle the massive hangover from the night before. But there was no time to rest! Demmer’s daughter had a korfball match, and a group of us decided to tag along and cheer her team on. Half drunk and running on caffeine, we turned into the Voorthuizen Hooligans, chanting and cheering like we were at a championship final. Unfortunately, her team didn’t win, but that had absolutely nothing to do with us!

Showtime!

After the match, we headed back to Demmer’s house, where more people began to trickle in, ready for another day of fun as the Dwarven Warrior Cup was about to kick off. Before the matches started, though, there were even more surprises in store. Our American friend, Hunter, had something huge planned—he made custom Dwarven Warrior Cup playmats for all of us. Each playmat was uniquely tailored to the player, with a special stamp representing something personal about them. As the new guy, I got a cherry stamp on mine, a thoughtful nod to my first time at the tournament. It was an incredible gesture, and without a doubt it must have raised some eyebrows at customs. On top of that, the Dwarven company had created patches for both new players and veterans alike, welcoming us to the group of Dwarven Warriors or commemorating milestones like a lustrum. After a quick group picture, we were off to the races!

By the time the tournament rolled around, I was absolutely wrecked from the night before. Hungover like a Viking after a week-long raid, and so tired I could barely tell if my sleeves were on the right way, I unfortunately forgot to take notes on my matches. However, I do distinctly remember my first beer arriving at 11:00 AM—because that’s the kind of important detail that sticks with you. I’ll try to recall each round to the best of my foggy, beer-soaked memory!

In the first round, I went up against Hunter. If I remember correctly, he was running a classic green and red build—ironically, much like the one I had considered myself. Despite my sluggish state, I managed to take him down 2-0. Honestly, I felt a bit guilty because Hunter is such a fantastic guy, but hey, tournament life is tough!

The second round was a face-off with my German friend, Martin, who brought a stunning Plague Rats deck featuring 19 copies of Plague Rats. I have no idea how I pulled it off, but I somehow secured another 2-0 victory. His deck was awesome, and this wouldn’t be the last time we clashed that day—more on that later!

Round three pitted me against none other than Mr. Dwarven Warrior himself, our host Demmer! By this time, the beers were flowing steadily, and things were getting blurry. I’m trying really hard to recall what Demmer was playing, but honestly, it’s a complete blank. I do know that I lost 2-1, though! By this point, I figured my luck was running out, and I could probably coast through the rest of the day.

Next up, in round four, I faced off against Nick Cramer and his beautiful mono-black deck. The last time we squared off was at last year’s Uthden Troll Cup, where I beat him in the final round but lost to him in the top 8. I was hell-bent on some sweet revenge this time, but sadly, it wasn’t meant to be. I lost 2-1, coming agonizingly close but missing out.

The fifth and final round had me up against Jeff, who was sporting his infamous “I’m an Ass-hole” cap. And no, that’s not a metaphor—it’s a literal cap he wears, and when he does, he embraces his alter ego. It’s all in good fun, and honestly, I find it hilarious. Jeff’s always a great entertainer, keeping everyone laughing. I managed to beat him 2-1, though, bringing my tournament run to an unexpectedly solid close.

To my surprise, despite all odds, I landed in 7th place overall, sneaking my way into the top 8.

In the playoffs, I faced Purple, who put up some serious resistance with high-level plays. It felt like I was in a winning position for over eight turns, but Purple just kept top-decking answers. After a nail-biting match, I finally managed to clinch the win. In terms of play, this was my personal highlight of the day—what a game!

The semi-finals brought me face-to-face with Nick Cramer once again. After splitting the first two games, Nick took control in the third, securing the win with relative ease. That guy is quickly becoming my nemesis!

For the final showdown, I went up against Martin’s Plague Rats once more in the battle for 3rd place. This time, the rats were too much for me to handle, and I ended up finishing 4th overall.

The tournament was ultimately won by Richard, and while I didn’t get a chance to play against him, I have no regrets—he’s a fantastic player and a great guy, always fun to go up against. But the real hero of the day was Benja, who took home the coveted cup. The smile on his face when his name was announced was priceless, and it was a well-deserved win. Everyone loves Benja, myself included, and I’m looking forward to joining him at the Bonsai Retro Party in Belgium!

Wrapping up!

As the second day of the Dwarven Warrior Cup came to a close, it was time to say our goodbyes and hit the road. Packing up my deck, playmat, and all the unforgettable memories from the weekend, I couldn’t help but feel a little sad to leave. The drive home gave me time to reflect on what had been, without a doubt, the best tournament experience of my life so far. Every moment—from the hilarious antics to the intense matches—added up to something truly special.

The tournament itself was incredible, but what made it truly unforgettable was the people. From Demmer, our tireless and enthusiastic host, to his amazing wife, Maria-Maria, who made sure we were all fed and comfortable, they welcomed us into their home like family. That kind of warmth and hospitality is rare, and it elevated the entire event to another level. I only hope we didn’t damage that trust (despite the “I-don’t-know-what-happend-in-there”-incident —and no, I’m not going to elaborate on that)!

As I think back on the matches, the endless supply of beer, the laughs, and the heartfelt moments shared with friends, I’m filled with gratitude. It wasn’t just about winning or losing, but about the bonds we strengthened over these two incredible days. I’m already looking forward to the next gathering at Uthden Troll, but this one will always hold a special place in my heart.

Thank you, Dwarven Warriors. Until next time!