So, I wake up and get ready for the day, switching out a Palmer in my Gyarados for a Pokemon Rescue (I just hadn't got around to doing it yet) before I left. My dad dropped me off at the gas station where Norm, Ben, and JT were going to pick me up. So I waited.
A lot.
They ended up being 45 minutes late because Ben needed a card for his Wailord deck. Once they finally got me, we left for the tournament, making remarkably good time. Once there, I fill out my decklist and talk to some people before pairings are posted. 19 Seniors, 5 Rounds, Top 4, let's do this!
Round 1 - Monica P. (Ampharos/Raichu)
I'm a little nervous when I see the electric Pokemon, but I get a pretty good start. I have a Gyarados doing 90 up quickly while she sends up basics to stall while she builds up her Flaafy. Once it has 3 energy on it, she sends it up, evolves into Ampharos Prime, and uses its attack to discard my Rescue Energy and do 70 to me. I try and get a Rescue Energy back on it but fail and end the turn doing 90. She knocks me out the next turn. I use Pokemon Rescue to get back the Magkiarp, evolve into Gyarados, retreat my active Sableye, and KO her Ampharos Prime. However, when I have 2 prizes left, she builds up another Flaafy on her bench and Bebe's for another Ampharos Prime, which she planned to evolve next turn. Making a move, I Warp Point, tricking her into sending the Flaafy active. I then retreat Sableye for Gyarados and knock it out. She sends up another basic and admits defeat. GG
1-0
After that round, I filled up on chips, cookies, and Coke. Yay for Christmas parties!
Round 2 - Jared K. (Aggron)
I have a bit of trouble getting Gyarados up, and I finally get it doing 90 by the time he gets an Aggron up and does 60 to me. I do some tricks to get Gyarados all healed up and swing for 90, and he can't return the KO as I knock out Aggron. I don't remember much of what happens, but later on I have 2 prizes left and he has a DPL active with Aron and a Belted Latias on the bench versus my belted Gyarados. I realize that I have a Judge in my hand, and that if I get a Reversal, I might be able to drag up the Latias and win. I use the Judge... and draw into TWO Reversal! Luckily, the first one is heads, so I Tail Revenge the Latias for game. GG
2-0
Round 3 - Ryan M. (LuxChomp)
I have yet to beat Ryan this season, and him playing LuxChomp makes me nervous, as I don't have a counter in my deck yet. I'm amazed as I draw into FIVE basics: 2 Sableye, Magikarp, Regice, and Uxie. I play all but the Uxie down and go first because of Overeager. I play down the Uxie and use Set Up to get the ball rolling. However, he also gets a quick set up, and we trade off prizes for a while before it finally comes down to 1-1 in prizes on his turn, him with Infernape E4 active and me with Uxie or Sableye (I forget). I'm pretty confident that I have the win, as I have the Warp Point in hand and the ability to KO anything on the field with Tail Revenge. However, I begin to get nervous as he uses Aaron's, as I'm afraid he'll get back the Garchomp C Lv.X that I had just knocked out and be able to get a Dragon Rush FTW. However, he gets Infernape E4 Lv.X and a Fire Energy, leaving me a bit confused. However, he makes a pretty good play. He PokeTurns a benched Crobat G twice to bring a Sableye on the bench from 20 damage to 40. Then, he levels up Infernape, attaches Fire Energy and E-Gain, and Split Bombs for game. GG
2-1
I know I have to win my next 2 matches to be able to make top cut, but I go in confident.
Round 4 - Taylor W. (Jumpluff)
I get a Gyarados quickly, but she has an Uber set up which scores her 3 Jumpluff on the bench, and I'm dismayed to find that bot my 4th Magikarp AND my Azelf are prized. However, I Reversal something up for the KO, and the prize I draw happens to be Azelf! Next turn, I Time Walk for the Magikarp and discard it with Volkner's. Now with the ability to OHKO her Jumpluffs, I quickly take control and steamroll her Pokemon. GG
3-1
Round 5 - Futa K. (Gyarados/Vileplume)
I'm nervous about this match, as it's basically mirror and Futa's really good, being the only person who can consistently stand up to Ryan. I know it will depend on who gets the faster set up.
Luckily, that's me, and I quickly begin to get knockouts as he tries to set up. He makes some odd plays in not playing down his Gyarados when I know he had one in his hand, and I never got to see the Vileplume tech. I 6-0 him. GG
4-1
I know I'm almost definitely in top cut, and sure enough, I'm in with Ryan, Cameron, and Julian. I'm the 3rd seed and go up against the 2nd seed, Cameron, who's also playing LuxChomp.
Top 4 - Cameron C. (LuxChomp)
Game 1:
This game is terrible for me, as he easily scores knockouts on me while I struggle to KO him. 0/2 Reversal flips also led to my defeat.
0-1
Game 2:
I get a Magikarp and Regice start, but other than that my hand stinks. I sit there and frantically try to get basics as he easily OHKOs them. Eventually I run out and he beats me. GG
0-2
So, I'm a little disappointed, but this was my first top cut of the season, so I'm happy. I open my 4 packs, which aren't that good until my last pack, in which I get... Mew Prime! I then decide that I need a Luxray counter, so I go around for suggestions. Finally, Masters finishes up, so we head home. Ben was 4-2, Norm was 3-3, and JT was 3-2.
Props:
-3rd
-First top cut of the season
-Managing to beat Futa
-Mew Prime
-Christmas party, which meant FREE FOOD!!!
Slops:
-0-3 vs. LuxChomp
-Horrible hand in Game 2
Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment!
A lot.
They ended up being 45 minutes late because Ben needed a card for his Wailord deck. Once they finally got me, we left for the tournament, making remarkably good time. Once there, I fill out my decklist and talk to some people before pairings are posted. 19 Seniors, 5 Rounds, Top 4, let's do this!
Round 1 - Monica P. (Ampharos/Raichu)
I'm a little nervous when I see the electric Pokemon, but I get a pretty good start. I have a Gyarados doing 90 up quickly while she sends up basics to stall while she builds up her Flaafy. Once it has 3 energy on it, she sends it up, evolves into Ampharos Prime, and uses its attack to discard my Rescue Energy and do 70 to me. I try and get a Rescue Energy back on it but fail and end the turn doing 90. She knocks me out the next turn. I use Pokemon Rescue to get back the Magkiarp, evolve into Gyarados, retreat my active Sableye, and KO her Ampharos Prime. However, when I have 2 prizes left, she builds up another Flaafy on her bench and Bebe's for another Ampharos Prime, which she planned to evolve next turn. Making a move, I Warp Point, tricking her into sending the Flaafy active. I then retreat Sableye for Gyarados and knock it out. She sends up another basic and admits defeat. GG
1-0
After that round, I filled up on chips, cookies, and Coke. Yay for Christmas parties!
Round 2 - Jared K. (Aggron)
I have a bit of trouble getting Gyarados up, and I finally get it doing 90 by the time he gets an Aggron up and does 60 to me. I do some tricks to get Gyarados all healed up and swing for 90, and he can't return the KO as I knock out Aggron. I don't remember much of what happens, but later on I have 2 prizes left and he has a DPL active with Aron and a Belted Latias on the bench versus my belted Gyarados. I realize that I have a Judge in my hand, and that if I get a Reversal, I might be able to drag up the Latias and win. I use the Judge... and draw into TWO Reversal! Luckily, the first one is heads, so I Tail Revenge the Latias for game. GG
2-0
Round 3 - Ryan M. (LuxChomp)
I have yet to beat Ryan this season, and him playing LuxChomp makes me nervous, as I don't have a counter in my deck yet. I'm amazed as I draw into FIVE basics: 2 Sableye, Magikarp, Regice, and Uxie. I play all but the Uxie down and go first because of Overeager. I play down the Uxie and use Set Up to get the ball rolling. However, he also gets a quick set up, and we trade off prizes for a while before it finally comes down to 1-1 in prizes on his turn, him with Infernape E4 active and me with Uxie or Sableye (I forget). I'm pretty confident that I have the win, as I have the Warp Point in hand and the ability to KO anything on the field with Tail Revenge. However, I begin to get nervous as he uses Aaron's, as I'm afraid he'll get back the Garchomp C Lv.X that I had just knocked out and be able to get a Dragon Rush FTW. However, he gets Infernape E4 Lv.X and a Fire Energy, leaving me a bit confused. However, he makes a pretty good play. He PokeTurns a benched Crobat G twice to bring a Sableye on the bench from 20 damage to 40. Then, he levels up Infernape, attaches Fire Energy and E-Gain, and Split Bombs for game. GG
2-1
I know I have to win my next 2 matches to be able to make top cut, but I go in confident.
Round 4 - Taylor W. (Jumpluff)
I get a Gyarados quickly, but she has an Uber set up which scores her 3 Jumpluff on the bench, and I'm dismayed to find that bot my 4th Magikarp AND my Azelf are prized. However, I Reversal something up for the KO, and the prize I draw happens to be Azelf! Next turn, I Time Walk for the Magikarp and discard it with Volkner's. Now with the ability to OHKO her Jumpluffs, I quickly take control and steamroll her Pokemon. GG
3-1
Round 5 - Futa K. (Gyarados/Vileplume)
I'm nervous about this match, as it's basically mirror and Futa's really good, being the only person who can consistently stand up to Ryan. I know it will depend on who gets the faster set up.
Luckily, that's me, and I quickly begin to get knockouts as he tries to set up. He makes some odd plays in not playing down his Gyarados when I know he had one in his hand, and I never got to see the Vileplume tech. I 6-0 him. GG
4-1
I know I'm almost definitely in top cut, and sure enough, I'm in with Ryan, Cameron, and Julian. I'm the 3rd seed and go up against the 2nd seed, Cameron, who's also playing LuxChomp.
Top 4 - Cameron C. (LuxChomp)
Game 1:
This game is terrible for me, as he easily scores knockouts on me while I struggle to KO him. 0/2 Reversal flips also led to my defeat.
0-1
Game 2:
I get a Magikarp and Regice start, but other than that my hand stinks. I sit there and frantically try to get basics as he easily OHKOs them. Eventually I run out and he beats me. GG
0-2
So, I'm a little disappointed, but this was my first top cut of the season, so I'm happy. I open my 4 packs, which aren't that good until my last pack, in which I get... Mew Prime! I then decide that I need a Luxray counter, so I go around for suggestions. Finally, Masters finishes up, so we head home. Ben was 4-2, Norm was 3-3, and JT was 3-2.
Props:
-3rd
-First top cut of the season
-Managing to beat Futa
-Mew Prime
-Christmas party, which meant FREE FOOD!!!
Slops:
-0-3 vs. LuxChomp
-Horrible hand in Game 2
Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment!
. Just got to add in a Luxray counter.