Well, let me start off by saying that I, like most players, had no idea what the meta was going to look like, just that it was going to be a donkfest. In the end, after some testing, for the 1st time this year, I make the switch from SPs to something else. And for this BR, that switch was to Gyarados. Apparently a lot of people also have the same opinion that I do, so there was so much Gyarados there. Just so you guys know, there was only one Sabledonk in Masters, which I believe went 3-2 or 2-3, but I am unsure about that. Anyways, onto the report.
So, I get up at 8 to work on an English paper after a fitful night of sleep because of everything that is on my mind, dealing with what little social life I do have. I do my corrections, sort my deck (after forgetting to the night before) and get ready while jamming out to Journey's Raised On Radio album (yes, I have all of their albums). I run out of time, so I am sorting cards into my binder in the car (which I decide to resort when I get home after some kid said that it was too large and overwhelming to look at, so now it is in no order but just has shiny stuff in it
)
Anyways, I get there, and meet up with Zele (Mudkip) and we go to FYE and Hot Topic. I find a KISS CD, so I bought it. Then, we go back where I fill out my decklist and chill with my local league people, Ryan, David, and Alex. Well, since there is no microphone in the food court, the judges go around to tell us to start rounds, so here we go.
Round 1: Me (Gyarados) vs. Alexander (Reshiboar)
So, once he realizes that I am playing Gyarados, he knows that it will be a hard match, then he sees his start. Well, I go first to his Unown Q start and blow through my hand to set up a T1 Gyarados and hit for 80 (I overkilled by attaching an Expert Belt and Rescue Energy). He scoops before I can attack.
1-0
Well, now I can have a 30 minute lunch break since the one in between Rounds 2 and 3 is 15 minutes. I eat some sweet Japanese food, and get ready for Round 2.
Round 2: Me (Gyarados) vs. David (Gyarados)
He borrowed some stuff from me. This should be fun since it is league goer vs. league goer. He starts locking me early with Mesprit, during which I build up stuff in my hand. Finally, he realizes that he needs to start attacking because his deck has run low. So, after blowing through my active and not being able to get a heads on SSU, I set up and destroy his Gyarados. From here, we trade prizes until I bring it down to 3-2, in his favor. Knowing that I need to do this, I play down my secret tech, Black Belt, surprise him, and take 2 prizes off an E-Belted Gyarados. I then waste the next few turns Seekering my damaged Gyarados until I can finally KO his for my last prize. Excellent game!
2-0
Lunch Break! I get some Sprite.
Round 3: Me (Gyarados) vs. Ryan (Gyarados)
Time to battle yet another friend. Well, I waste too many resources too quickly and he gets topdecks EVERYTHING! I get Seekered...
2-1
Round 4- Me (Gyarados) vs. Hoolon Mike (Luxchomp)
Well, now I gotta win out. The only man playing Luxchomp today, and it still has not lost its touch. We exchange prizes with me having to Regimove to KO stuff on his bench. I limit his bench, but he D-Rushes and Flash Impacts like there is no tomorrow. I finally KO both the GCX and Lux GL LvX to bring us down to 2-3 prizes, in my favor. He Aaron's, but forgets to grab a Crobat G! Both have been KOed, so this misplay swings the game in my favor. The worst part is that he realized as soon as he placed the cards from Aaron's (Luxray GL LvX and a {L} Energy) into his hand. From here, I keep a 2 Turn Mesprit Lock going to prevent any Flash Bites to my Belted Gyarados because he used Palmer's to get them back. I win in a close match.
3-1
Round 5- Me (Gyarados) vs. Adrian (Roserade/Magmotar/Leafeon)
I get down paired to face a newer player. Well, there was never much of a game here. I destroy everything he plays, and he cannot do anything. At the end, I show him my enormous hand which has everything that I could ever dream of having in it. I Juniper it away, and KO his last Pokemon.
4-1
I am pumped, I make Top 4 as the 4th seed.
Top 4- Me (Gyarados) vs. Kim (Magnerock)
Game 1
Well, we both get set up, and she has a Tomb start and I have Sableye. So I got for the Regice and discard my Karps that way as to prevent trainer lock. I set up quickly and take several prizes that were unanswered. She finally gets a Belted Magnezone as her active, which I try to KO with a combo of Flash Bites and Tail Revenge, but I miss a key Junk Arm. After looking over her options and seeing that I can win next turn, she scoops.
Game 2
We set up, and this time she only has Spiritomb, so no Regimove for me. I get the Sableye and go first. I still Regimove because under the lock, this is the easiest way to dump Karps. It goes the same as last game, only she sets up faster and we get down to 3-2 prizes, in her favor because of KOing a Belted Gyarados. Now, her Magnezone is Belted and she is ahead, just where I wanted it. I double Junk Arm to get some stuff that I need, and then surprise everyone, even Chris Fulop, but playing a Black Belt that I had been holding. Kim shouts, "You gotta be kidding me!" I KO her Magnezone, to which she has no way of recovery. She puts up a Tomb, and then retreats bringing up her 120 HP Magnezone, the one that returns Energy. She passes. I draw, show her the Poketurn, and she scoops. Onto Top 2!
5-1
Well, those 2 matches took the entire hour. Ryan finished his match quickly and we are now in Top 2.
Top 2- Me (Gyarados) vs. Ryan (Gyarados)
Game 1
He sets up a lot faster than I do, and we exchange prizes for a little while. This game is very boring since no one can pull a lead, until he hits his Warp Energy and Seekers. He bring the prize count down to 2-4, in his favor. I Black Belt twice since I am unable to get the Seekers or the Warp Energy (I had used them earlier in the game), so he is able to KO my Belted Gyarados after 2 turns.
Game 2
I get an awful start of Karp and nothing to work with. He goes first and donks me with Sableye by using Bebe's to grab a Unown Dark. GG.
5-2
Well, if I could have lost to anyone, I was glad that it was Ryan. We open packs to see who really won because we all know that if you don't pull anything, there is no fun in your victory. I get a Reshiram, which I believe makes me the real winner. Great 1st game, Ryan!
Props
2nd Place
Black Belt (MVP of the Day!)
Good food
Ryan winning
Zele (Mudkip) winning Seniors
Megan winning Juniors
Very little Sabledonk
A Mewpherior for doing well
John's well run event
Fantastic Judges
Good Staff (CFOURLCOLTSFAN)
Slops
Too many short games
Not running Unown Dark and Special {D}
Long Top 4
Thanks for reading!
So, I get up at 8 to work on an English paper after a fitful night of sleep because of everything that is on my mind, dealing with what little social life I do have. I do my corrections, sort my deck (after forgetting to the night before) and get ready while jamming out to Journey's Raised On Radio album (yes, I have all of their albums). I run out of time, so I am sorting cards into my binder in the car (which I decide to resort when I get home after some kid said that it was too large and overwhelming to look at, so now it is in no order but just has shiny stuff in it
)Anyways, I get there, and meet up with Zele (Mudkip) and we go to FYE and Hot Topic. I find a KISS CD, so I bought it. Then, we go back where I fill out my decklist and chill with my local league people, Ryan, David, and Alex. Well, since there is no microphone in the food court, the judges go around to tell us to start rounds, so here we go.
Round 1: Me (Gyarados) vs. Alexander (Reshiboar)
So, once he realizes that I am playing Gyarados, he knows that it will be a hard match, then he sees his start. Well, I go first to his Unown Q start and blow through my hand to set up a T1 Gyarados and hit for 80 (I overkilled by attaching an Expert Belt and Rescue Energy). He scoops before I can attack.
1-0
Well, now I can have a 30 minute lunch break since the one in between Rounds 2 and 3 is 15 minutes. I eat some sweet Japanese food, and get ready for Round 2.
Round 2: Me (Gyarados) vs. David (Gyarados)
He borrowed some stuff from me. This should be fun since it is league goer vs. league goer. He starts locking me early with Mesprit, during which I build up stuff in my hand. Finally, he realizes that he needs to start attacking because his deck has run low. So, after blowing through my active and not being able to get a heads on SSU, I set up and destroy his Gyarados. From here, we trade prizes until I bring it down to 3-2, in his favor. Knowing that I need to do this, I play down my secret tech, Black Belt, surprise him, and take 2 prizes off an E-Belted Gyarados. I then waste the next few turns Seekering my damaged Gyarados until I can finally KO his for my last prize. Excellent game!
2-0
Lunch Break! I get some Sprite.
Round 3: Me (Gyarados) vs. Ryan (Gyarados)
Time to battle yet another friend. Well, I waste too many resources too quickly and he gets topdecks EVERYTHING! I get Seekered...
2-1
Round 4- Me (Gyarados) vs. Hoolon Mike (Luxchomp)
Well, now I gotta win out. The only man playing Luxchomp today, and it still has not lost its touch. We exchange prizes with me having to Regimove to KO stuff on his bench. I limit his bench, but he D-Rushes and Flash Impacts like there is no tomorrow. I finally KO both the GCX and Lux GL LvX to bring us down to 2-3 prizes, in my favor. He Aaron's, but forgets to grab a Crobat G! Both have been KOed, so this misplay swings the game in my favor. The worst part is that he realized as soon as he placed the cards from Aaron's (Luxray GL LvX and a {L} Energy) into his hand. From here, I keep a 2 Turn Mesprit Lock going to prevent any Flash Bites to my Belted Gyarados because he used Palmer's to get them back. I win in a close match.
3-1
Round 5- Me (Gyarados) vs. Adrian (Roserade/Magmotar/Leafeon)
I get down paired to face a newer player. Well, there was never much of a game here. I destroy everything he plays, and he cannot do anything. At the end, I show him my enormous hand which has everything that I could ever dream of having in it. I Juniper it away, and KO his last Pokemon.
4-1
I am pumped, I make Top 4 as the 4th seed.
Top 4- Me (Gyarados) vs. Kim (Magnerock)
Game 1
Well, we both get set up, and she has a Tomb start and I have Sableye. So I got for the Regice and discard my Karps that way as to prevent trainer lock. I set up quickly and take several prizes that were unanswered. She finally gets a Belted Magnezone as her active, which I try to KO with a combo of Flash Bites and Tail Revenge, but I miss a key Junk Arm. After looking over her options and seeing that I can win next turn, she scoops.
Game 2
We set up, and this time she only has Spiritomb, so no Regimove for me. I get the Sableye and go first. I still Regimove because under the lock, this is the easiest way to dump Karps. It goes the same as last game, only she sets up faster and we get down to 3-2 prizes, in her favor because of KOing a Belted Gyarados. Now, her Magnezone is Belted and she is ahead, just where I wanted it. I double Junk Arm to get some stuff that I need, and then surprise everyone, even Chris Fulop, but playing a Black Belt that I had been holding. Kim shouts, "You gotta be kidding me!" I KO her Magnezone, to which she has no way of recovery. She puts up a Tomb, and then retreats bringing up her 120 HP Magnezone, the one that returns Energy. She passes. I draw, show her the Poketurn, and she scoops. Onto Top 2!
5-1
Well, those 2 matches took the entire hour. Ryan finished his match quickly and we are now in Top 2.
Top 2- Me (Gyarados) vs. Ryan (Gyarados)
Game 1
He sets up a lot faster than I do, and we exchange prizes for a little while. This game is very boring since no one can pull a lead, until he hits his Warp Energy and Seekers. He bring the prize count down to 2-4, in his favor. I Black Belt twice since I am unable to get the Seekers or the Warp Energy (I had used them earlier in the game), so he is able to KO my Belted Gyarados after 2 turns.
Game 2
I get an awful start of Karp and nothing to work with. He goes first and donks me with Sableye by using Bebe's to grab a Unown Dark. GG.
5-2
Well, if I could have lost to anyone, I was glad that it was Ryan. We open packs to see who really won because we all know that if you don't pull anything, there is no fun in your victory. I get a Reshiram, which I believe makes me the real winner. Great 1st game, Ryan!
Props
2nd Place
Black Belt (MVP of the Day!)
Good food
Ryan winning
Zele (Mudkip) winning Seniors
Megan winning Juniors
Very little Sabledonk
A Mewpherior for doing well
John's well run event
Fantastic Judges
Good Staff (CFOURLCOLTSFAN)
Slops
Too many short games
Not running Unown Dark and Special {D}
Long Top 4
Thanks for reading!
