The recently concluded Grand Prix Melbourne in Australia saw the rise of the Esper decks in the final top tables in battle for final eight players. Three players eventually made it in with the deck update that sort of looked like a Blue White control deck splashed with Black.

Here is a list from the player Joe Zheng Jingwei:

Main Deck
4 Hallowed Fountain
3 Island
2 Mutavault
4 Plains
4 Temple of Deceit
4 Temple of Enlightenment
4 Temple of Silence
2 Watery Grave

1 Ætherling

4 Detention Sphere
4 Dissolve
2 Doom Blade
1 Fated Retribution
2 Last Breath
4 Sphinx’s Revelation
4 Supreme Verdict
2 Syncopate
2 Thoughtseize

3 Elspeth, Sun’s Champion
4 Jace, Architect of Thought

Sideboard
4 Blood Baron of Vizkopa
1 Dispel
2 Doom Blade
1 Fated Retribution
2 Gainsay
1 Negate
2 Thoughtseize
2 Ultimate Price

Two Doom Blades and two Thoughtseizes were included in the main whereas a playset of Blood Baron of Vizkopa, two more of the Doom Blades & Thoughtseizes and two Ultimate Prices for the sideboard. The mana fixing of the lands for Black access is not that complicated as it has already two playsets of Temples to produce that color and with two Watery Graves to support that.

It is safe to say that this is the expected metagame shift in the future Standard events on paper and MTGO and Magic-League so it is better to slightly alter your deck gameplan to deal with this change.

Coverage of GP Melbourne can be found here.