Going into States, I was unsure of what deck to play. I hadn’t played very much in the last two months, so I was worried about my ability to run anything. I began testing about a week before, and decided to go with Dialga due to the meta having lots of VileGar (I only ended up playing one on the day...)
The day before, Charlene gives me a ride up to Colin’s room, where I tested with Chad, Jared, Charlene, Colin, Tariq, Brit, Kendle, Copper, Mason, and Jack (the other one). I get home around midnight, change up my list, and get some sleep.
We get to the tourny around 10 A.M. and see that it’s already packed. I give Charlene’s cards to the store (turns out to be a bad idea), turn in my list, and chill with the homies. I do a few test hands and start Toxicroak G promo every time. :/ Brit decides on Dialga as well and it’s all good. We have 65 players, just enough for a top 16!
I’m Jack Lange and I’m in Masters.
Rd 1 vs Lanturn Prime + techs
I start no supporters (seemed to be a reoccurring theme throughout the day), but draw out of it in a few turns. At this point, he has tomb active, and I have Dialga. I level it up, Cyrus for a spray, energy, and Cyrus, and KO the tomb. Somehow he got down to one card in hand, but he tops collector and uses it (not for Uxie) and passes. I take 3-4 prizes and then he tops copycat and gets a Lanturn going. I knock it out in a couple turns, and he can’t recover.
1-0
Chad beats Copper in VileGar mirror, and Zamora loses to Cora (Tangrowth vs Fire deck).
Rd 2 vs Blaziken/Luxray/Garchomp
I start no support, and he gets the first two prizes with Blaze fb. I top Cyrus and set myself up, while spraying a key Uxie for five. We keep it pretty even for a while, but he goes for his blaze line instead of Chomps, so I end up ahead by two prizes when time is called.
2-0
Brit gets donked this round, so he’s 1-1. I look at the parings and notice that I'm playing against Chris Beaty, who won States last year. Turns out he’s playing LuxChomp again.
Rd 3 vs Luxchomp
We both start decent, and I go first. This just turns into a standard mirror game, but my 3-1 Chomp gives me the advantage. I don’t remember much about this game, but it comes down to 1-1 prizes when time is called. I take the last prize on the first turn. Great game.
3-0
Time for lunch! It seems like Mr. Goodcents is the play for lunch, so me and my entourage head up there. Me and the other Kansas folks are all 3-0 except for Noah who is 2-1 with Vilegar. He spends lunch worrying about the next round while we relax.
I look at the pairings and see I'm playing against Damien Hardy, who I tested with and hung out with a bit in Hawaii.
Rd 4 vs Blaziken/Luxray/Garchomp
He gets going fast and takes the first couple prizes. He uses up his cyrus and runs out of steam. Time for a comeback! I top cyrus and take a few prizes while he struggles to get what he needs. It comes down to 1-1 prizes as well, but I eventually get the win. Another great game.
4-0
So I expected to play against Vilegar today, but I’ve just played three LuxChomps in a row. I check my pairings and see that I’m playing against Nathan Marker (the eventual X-0 in swiss). I wonder what he is playing...
Rd 5 vs Luxchomp
I start poorly, and he capitalizes. He belts Chomp early since he knows I don’t have the return KO, and takes a few prizes with it. When I top cyrus, I’m down two prizes and the belted chomp is on his bench. I make it close but he wins when time is called.
4-1
Jared, Vance, Noah, and Deema cut in seniors. I see that I’m playing against Paul Sponsler, another Springfield player.
Rd 6 vs Vilegar
He gets T1 Gengar Vileplume and shadow rooms. I KO the Gengar and he flips heads and gets another Gengar out on his turn. I scoop.
4-2
This game is for top cut; I either win or pack up and go home.
Rd 7 vs Sizor Prime/Steelix Prime
We both start no supporters but I top out of it first and bench her in a few turns.
5-2
I make the top cut as 8th seed, and see that I’ll play MewPerior in Top 16. As I fret over playing against my auto win, I watch my brother Jared finish second in seniors with Luxchomp/Absol. Colin is playing Brit, who gets a GL for “marked sleeves”
Top 16 vs Mewperior
Game 1: I get out DGX and take three prizes (she gets one on my active Azelf turn 2). She shuffles it back in with Drifblim, I promote my other Dialga, level up, and take the last three prizes.
1-0
Game 2: Repeat of last game.
2-0
6-2
I’m playing against Nathan again, and he’s the perfect 8-0
Top 8 vs LuxChomp
Game 1: I start no supporters and he takes three prizes before I top cyrus. I get set up, but realize that it’s too late and scoop.
0-1
Game 2: He starts poorly and I set up fast and take the first few prizes. He holds on for a while but eventually scoops.
1-1
Game 3: Time is called while we are shuffling, so we set up for sudden death. We flip, and I have to go first (I had the donk going second). I attach to my active ambipom and pass. He attaches an energy to uxie, collectors for some stuff, and hits me for 20. I tail code the energy, and set up a Dialga on the bench. On his next turn, he plays two supporters, the second of which is copycat. He shuffles his hand in, and gets a game loss.
2-1
Top 4 vs LuxChomp
Game 1: He is able to set up better due to call and Weavile G, and wins.
0-1
Game 2: Repeat of game one. He sprays an early Uxie.
0-2
I end up getting fourth, and stay to watch top two. Game one takes up the whole time, and it goes to sudden death (due to fainting spell). Luxchomp wins in sudden death so it’s GG. KS states ended up being quite a bit better than last year, and I’m looking forward to MO.
Props:
Top 4
Jared getting 2nd
Noah winning
Paul getting 2nd
Chad for cutting
Goodcents
My entourage
Slops:
Brit getting donked
Brit getting a game loss
Collectors Cache losing Charlene’s cards
Charlene for missing cut
The day before, Charlene gives me a ride up to Colin’s room, where I tested with Chad, Jared, Charlene, Colin, Tariq, Brit, Kendle, Copper, Mason, and Jack (the other one). I get home around midnight, change up my list, and get some sleep.
We get to the tourny around 10 A.M. and see that it’s already packed. I give Charlene’s cards to the store (turns out to be a bad idea), turn in my list, and chill with the homies. I do a few test hands and start Toxicroak G promo every time. :/ Brit decides on Dialga as well and it’s all good. We have 65 players, just enough for a top 16!
I’m Jack Lange and I’m in Masters.
Rd 1 vs Lanturn Prime + techs
I start no supporters (seemed to be a reoccurring theme throughout the day), but draw out of it in a few turns. At this point, he has tomb active, and I have Dialga. I level it up, Cyrus for a spray, energy, and Cyrus, and KO the tomb. Somehow he got down to one card in hand, but he tops collector and uses it (not for Uxie) and passes. I take 3-4 prizes and then he tops copycat and gets a Lanturn going. I knock it out in a couple turns, and he can’t recover.
1-0
Chad beats Copper in VileGar mirror, and Zamora loses to Cora (Tangrowth vs Fire deck).
Rd 2 vs Blaziken/Luxray/Garchomp
I start no support, and he gets the first two prizes with Blaze fb. I top Cyrus and set myself up, while spraying a key Uxie for five. We keep it pretty even for a while, but he goes for his blaze line instead of Chomps, so I end up ahead by two prizes when time is called.
2-0
Brit gets donked this round, so he’s 1-1. I look at the parings and notice that I'm playing against Chris Beaty, who won States last year. Turns out he’s playing LuxChomp again.
Rd 3 vs Luxchomp
We both start decent, and I go first. This just turns into a standard mirror game, but my 3-1 Chomp gives me the advantage. I don’t remember much about this game, but it comes down to 1-1 prizes when time is called. I take the last prize on the first turn. Great game.
3-0
Time for lunch! It seems like Mr. Goodcents is the play for lunch, so me and my entourage head up there. Me and the other Kansas folks are all 3-0 except for Noah who is 2-1 with Vilegar. He spends lunch worrying about the next round while we relax.
I look at the pairings and see I'm playing against Damien Hardy, who I tested with and hung out with a bit in Hawaii.
Rd 4 vs Blaziken/Luxray/Garchomp
He gets going fast and takes the first couple prizes. He uses up his cyrus and runs out of steam. Time for a comeback! I top cyrus and take a few prizes while he struggles to get what he needs. It comes down to 1-1 prizes as well, but I eventually get the win. Another great game.
4-0
So I expected to play against Vilegar today, but I’ve just played three LuxChomps in a row. I check my pairings and see that I’m playing against Nathan Marker (the eventual X-0 in swiss). I wonder what he is playing...
Rd 5 vs Luxchomp
I start poorly, and he capitalizes. He belts Chomp early since he knows I don’t have the return KO, and takes a few prizes with it. When I top cyrus, I’m down two prizes and the belted chomp is on his bench. I make it close but he wins when time is called.
4-1
Jared, Vance, Noah, and Deema cut in seniors. I see that I’m playing against Paul Sponsler, another Springfield player.
Rd 6 vs Vilegar
He gets T1 Gengar Vileplume and shadow rooms. I KO the Gengar and he flips heads and gets another Gengar out on his turn. I scoop.
4-2
This game is for top cut; I either win or pack up and go home.
Rd 7 vs Sizor Prime/Steelix Prime
We both start no supporters but I top out of it first and bench her in a few turns.
5-2
I make the top cut as 8th seed, and see that I’ll play MewPerior in Top 16. As I fret over playing against my auto win, I watch my brother Jared finish second in seniors with Luxchomp/Absol. Colin is playing Brit, who gets a GL for “marked sleeves”
Top 16 vs Mewperior
Game 1: I get out DGX and take three prizes (she gets one on my active Azelf turn 2). She shuffles it back in with Drifblim, I promote my other Dialga, level up, and take the last three prizes.
1-0
Game 2: Repeat of last game.
2-0
6-2
I’m playing against Nathan again, and he’s the perfect 8-0
Top 8 vs LuxChomp
Game 1: I start no supporters and he takes three prizes before I top cyrus. I get set up, but realize that it’s too late and scoop.
0-1
Game 2: He starts poorly and I set up fast and take the first few prizes. He holds on for a while but eventually scoops.
1-1
Game 3: Time is called while we are shuffling, so we set up for sudden death. We flip, and I have to go first (I had the donk going second). I attach to my active ambipom and pass. He attaches an energy to uxie, collectors for some stuff, and hits me for 20. I tail code the energy, and set up a Dialga on the bench. On his next turn, he plays two supporters, the second of which is copycat. He shuffles his hand in, and gets a game loss.
2-1
Top 4 vs LuxChomp
Game 1: He is able to set up better due to call and Weavile G, and wins.
0-1
Game 2: Repeat of game one. He sprays an early Uxie.
0-2
I end up getting fourth, and stay to watch top two. Game one takes up the whole time, and it goes to sudden death (due to fainting spell). Luxchomp wins in sudden death so it’s GG. KS states ended up being quite a bit better than last year, and I’m looking forward to MO.
Props:
Top 4
Jared getting 2nd
Noah winning
Paul getting 2nd
Chad for cutting
Goodcents
My entourage
Slops:
Brit getting donked
Brit getting a game loss
Collectors Cache losing Charlene’s cards
Charlene for missing cut
