A week before nationals, I had no idea what to play. I was excited for nationals too, since it would be my first ever. I knew there would be alot of Gengar/Nidoqueen and SP pokemon. I decided that the Tuesday before nationals I would choose my deck and not change my mind about it.
On Tuesday
I meet up with Dakota(g landers) and Reed (vegitalian)at like 4:15 or something at OMG Games. We were there 2 hours early, and we decided to see if we could play in the store. The owner doesn't let us, even though there would be nothing else happening. So We played Pokemon Diamond/Platinum and Mario Kart our Nintendo DS(s). Eventually at like 6:00 we get to play in the store. I knew Marcel and his sons would be there for a short period of time but wouldn't be able to playtest. I practice my Gengar/Nidoqueen for a while but it got really boring. I remember that I got to try out Reed's Machamp/Lumineon/Dusknoir, which he did very well at a Battle Road and side event (which he was not going to play, but his friend Derek forgot his decks, lol) I took a liking to the deck seeing it had great potential. He told me that it was able to beat Gengar, while having great matchups against other decks. I was able to beat my Gengar deck many times. I asked him if it would be okay if I test out the deck for the rest of the day. I said that if I did well with it, I would run it for nationals, which would be a very bold move even though I can learn decks very fast. I did well that day only losing to Dakota once because of a misplay and a Fainting Spell flip. I was able to bring it down to 1-2 prizes, though. So I decided to run the deck called "Meedles" and he sent me the list. I would not play Gengar because of how expected it would be.
The next few days before Nationals
I use my special light green Pokeball sleeves on my uncompleted Nationals deck. I built the deck on Redshark. I tested against some people on the Network "SecretDeckTesting", especially against vanderbilt_grad. I tested against Everwind on another network too a little bit. I changed the list up a little bit to fit my playstyle. I forgot to put in Luxury Ball! I talk to Reed and he tells me to take out the TM TS-2 for it. I really didn't want to, but I did it anyway. On friday, I wasn't able to playtest at Troy's house or get the cards early. I would have to test and trust Troy with the consistency of the deck (which was very consistent) Later on Friday night Reed tells me about using Luxray GL instead of Machamp. I told him I couldn't take that chance changing the cards last minute. I didn't have the cards anyway. Reed said he would test it out that night.
Saturday Morning
It was a very wet morning. I was up at about 6:30, getting ready and stuff. Troy would pick me up at 8:00. I would have to get a ride home with Garret after nationals, because I'm not old enough to book a room for myself and I would not be able to share a room with someone. I wouldn't think I would do well at my first nationals. I get registered after a while when I get there because people were curious of what I was going to play. I eventually slipped my decklist and registration form to Jenifer, who were taking and checking the lists, I think. I get the cards I needed. I meet up with a bunch of my friends and other people and got to test the deck once to Keith. I need some practice before playing in my first round. I lose to Keith pretty badly. That was the only practice I got other than redshark. Finally, after the pairings,announcements, and more re pairings, I get to play my first opponent. There were 6 rounds with top 8 cut.
Round 1 VS Cam T. with an SP deck
I've beaten this guy quite a few times. I get a pretty good opening hand. He didn't get a too good start. I get out Machamp early and start using Take Out. He starts to Unown G his pokemon. I use Lumineon's Fin Luster on him pulling no basics every time. I time my warp Points right and got a Machamp Lv X out. After that, It went downhill for him.
1-0
I am happy that the deck did well. I hoped that it would stay consistent throughout the rest of the day. I hope to play an opponent that wouldn't be too hard.
Round 2 VS Kyle M. with Tyranitar
He starts off with Sableye to my Machop. He impersonates. I rare candy Machamp, attach, Roseanne and get set up. I Unown G my Machamps because he Plays TM TS-2. I time my Warp Points right and need to get one more prize. I have a Machamp on the bench. I play warp point, Fin Luster him, and get a dusknoir for the fun of it. I Dark Palm his T-Tar with 6 Energy and Bubble Coat, then retreat Lumineon for Machamp and Take Out.
2-0
I'm glad that I'm now 2-0. I'm afraid that I'm going to play against a Nidoqueen/Gengar, and mess up really bad. But instead...
Round 3 VS ?(Lucario-Master on Pokegym) with Blaziken with Techs
I have no idea what this guy was playing at first. Neither did he. We find out when we flip the cards over. It was interesting, I've never played against a Blaziken deck, but I knew I would expect some from the west coast. He has a slow start, even though he has call energy. I get an early lead on him, and got Lumineon out early. I messed him up with Fin Luster+Dark Palm+Take out. He knocks out my Machamp Lv X eventually near the end of the game. I think I took my last prize with Machamp Lv X using Night Maintenance+Bebes vs an Unown G'd Heatran
3-0
Round 4 vs Charles A with Beedrill
I get paired down. Oh well. This was a really fast game. I try to donk his Weedle, but I miss the Machamp after Uxie for 6 +2 claydols. So I pass with a lone Unown G active. I expect a Beedrill swarm. But he decided to attack, because he couldn't do anything else. I bebe for Machamp, Warp Point, attach, Take Out. Game was over in 5 minutes...
4-0
Round 5 VS ? with some sort of SP variant
He starts with a Toxicroak G promo. to my Machop. He goes forst and plays Crobat. He attaches to crobat and passes. I get out a Machamp and use Take Out. He uses Poke Turn on his own Crobat. He has no Basics. I win. I ask to see his hand and he had nothing that could help him set up. I would have used Take Out to win anyway. I was hoping to have a good game.
5-0
At this point, I'm thinking of losing the next game just o mess with the Top 8 pairings. That way, I would be playing against a Gengar/Nidoqueen deck and I would hopefully play a Beedrill or something that would not have Gengar in it. I have no idea who was the other 5-0. I find out really soon.
Round 6 VS Matthew C? with Gengar/Nidoqueen with Dusknoir tech
I'm up against my first Gengar deck. I know I can beat it. I get set up fine and get an early lead. He was not expecting Lumineon+Dusknoir+Take Out. That really messes him up. I also notice when I fin lustered that he was playing Dusknoir Tech. I prepare for it. However, in the end I'm too far ahead in prizes and Lv up and Hurricane Punch. 2 heads+No Guard to do 120 to Gengar. I win by 3 prizes.
6-0
I go undefeated in swiss. Troy and Reed were really happy. I find out that I will play Jacob L with Gengar/Nidoqueen. I think I will lose in top 8. Troy tells me to think positive. So I did, sort of. Later I find out Jacob was worried about playing against me too. I should have conceded in the 6th round...
Single Elimination 2/3 matches
Top 8 VS Jacob L with Gengar/Nidoqueen
Game 1:I get a pretty good start and we keep exchanging prizes. He keeps missing on his fainting spell flips. He has two prizes to my 1 and I Lv up+Hurricane Punch. 2 heads ftw.
Deck checks are happening.Jacob is missing his Nidoqueen. He almost gets DQ'd because of it. His cards were sticky...luckily he didn't get disqualified...
Game 2: I get a so-so start with nothing too good. He gets ahead by 2 prizes most of the game. I couldn't do much and time is called with him winning by prizes. Since we both won 1 game each, we go to sudden death. I get to decide who goes first.
Game 3: I have the donk in my hand. I just hope he doesn't start with Gastly. I make him go first. He has Crobat G start. He passes. I show him the donk. We shake hands. I'm in the top 4 with a guaranteed invite!!!
Top 4 VS Michael L
I'm playing against Michael L. I don't know if I can beat his Gengar deck. I don't care too much because I have the invite. Ugh...maybe I should have just lost in the 6th round...
Game 1: I get a bad start even though I have Call Energy and concede by the time he has 2 prizes left.
Game 2: I get a great start; Unown G'd Duskull, Finneon, and Baltoy. Got out a Machamp and took 4 prizes. He scooped after that.
Game 3: I figured that this game would be a really good game. I mess up by using Unown G on Uxie instead of Lumineon. It's a long game, we are taking prize for prize until his turn. Time is called. I lose from my 2 prizes to his 1. Really close game! I got the invite, so I'm happy.
I get a ride home with Garret. Wasn't really fun since it was past midnight.
I'll update with Props/Slops later
On Tuesday
I meet up with Dakota(g landers) and Reed (vegitalian)at like 4:15 or something at OMG Games. We were there 2 hours early, and we decided to see if we could play in the store. The owner doesn't let us, even though there would be nothing else happening. So We played Pokemon Diamond/Platinum and Mario Kart our Nintendo DS(s). Eventually at like 6:00 we get to play in the store. I knew Marcel and his sons would be there for a short period of time but wouldn't be able to playtest. I practice my Gengar/Nidoqueen for a while but it got really boring. I remember that I got to try out Reed's Machamp/Lumineon/Dusknoir, which he did very well at a Battle Road and side event (which he was not going to play, but his friend Derek forgot his decks, lol) I took a liking to the deck seeing it had great potential. He told me that it was able to beat Gengar, while having great matchups against other decks. I was able to beat my Gengar deck many times. I asked him if it would be okay if I test out the deck for the rest of the day. I said that if I did well with it, I would run it for nationals, which would be a very bold move even though I can learn decks very fast. I did well that day only losing to Dakota once because of a misplay and a Fainting Spell flip. I was able to bring it down to 1-2 prizes, though. So I decided to run the deck called "Meedles" and he sent me the list. I would not play Gengar because of how expected it would be.
The next few days before Nationals
I use my special light green Pokeball sleeves on my uncompleted Nationals deck. I built the deck on Redshark. I tested against some people on the Network "SecretDeckTesting", especially against vanderbilt_grad. I tested against Everwind on another network too a little bit. I changed the list up a little bit to fit my playstyle. I forgot to put in Luxury Ball! I talk to Reed and he tells me to take out the TM TS-2 for it. I really didn't want to, but I did it anyway. On friday, I wasn't able to playtest at Troy's house or get the cards early. I would have to test and trust Troy with the consistency of the deck (which was very consistent) Later on Friday night Reed tells me about using Luxray GL instead of Machamp. I told him I couldn't take that chance changing the cards last minute. I didn't have the cards anyway. Reed said he would test it out that night.
Saturday Morning
It was a very wet morning. I was up at about 6:30, getting ready and stuff. Troy would pick me up at 8:00. I would have to get a ride home with Garret after nationals, because I'm not old enough to book a room for myself and I would not be able to share a room with someone. I wouldn't think I would do well at my first nationals. I get registered after a while when I get there because people were curious of what I was going to play. I eventually slipped my decklist and registration form to Jenifer, who were taking and checking the lists, I think. I get the cards I needed. I meet up with a bunch of my friends and other people and got to test the deck once to Keith. I need some practice before playing in my first round. I lose to Keith pretty badly. That was the only practice I got other than redshark. Finally, after the pairings,announcements, and more re pairings, I get to play my first opponent. There were 6 rounds with top 8 cut.
Round 1 VS Cam T. with an SP deck
I've beaten this guy quite a few times. I get a pretty good opening hand. He didn't get a too good start. I get out Machamp early and start using Take Out. He starts to Unown G his pokemon. I use Lumineon's Fin Luster on him pulling no basics every time. I time my warp Points right and got a Machamp Lv X out. After that, It went downhill for him.
1-0
I am happy that the deck did well. I hoped that it would stay consistent throughout the rest of the day. I hope to play an opponent that wouldn't be too hard.
Round 2 VS Kyle M. with Tyranitar
He starts off with Sableye to my Machop. He impersonates. I rare candy Machamp, attach, Roseanne and get set up. I Unown G my Machamps because he Plays TM TS-2. I time my Warp Points right and need to get one more prize. I have a Machamp on the bench. I play warp point, Fin Luster him, and get a dusknoir for the fun of it. I Dark Palm his T-Tar with 6 Energy and Bubble Coat, then retreat Lumineon for Machamp and Take Out.
2-0
I'm glad that I'm now 2-0. I'm afraid that I'm going to play against a Nidoqueen/Gengar, and mess up really bad. But instead...
Round 3 VS ?(Lucario-Master on Pokegym) with Blaziken with Techs
I have no idea what this guy was playing at first. Neither did he. We find out when we flip the cards over. It was interesting, I've never played against a Blaziken deck, but I knew I would expect some from the west coast. He has a slow start, even though he has call energy. I get an early lead on him, and got Lumineon out early. I messed him up with Fin Luster+Dark Palm+Take out. He knocks out my Machamp Lv X eventually near the end of the game. I think I took my last prize with Machamp Lv X using Night Maintenance+Bebes vs an Unown G'd Heatran
3-0
Round 4 vs Charles A with Beedrill
I get paired down. Oh well. This was a really fast game. I try to donk his Weedle, but I miss the Machamp after Uxie for 6 +2 claydols. So I pass with a lone Unown G active. I expect a Beedrill swarm. But he decided to attack, because he couldn't do anything else. I bebe for Machamp, Warp Point, attach, Take Out. Game was over in 5 minutes...
4-0
Round 5 VS ? with some sort of SP variant
He starts with a Toxicroak G promo. to my Machop. He goes forst and plays Crobat. He attaches to crobat and passes. I get out a Machamp and use Take Out. He uses Poke Turn on his own Crobat. He has no Basics. I win. I ask to see his hand and he had nothing that could help him set up. I would have used Take Out to win anyway. I was hoping to have a good game.
5-0
At this point, I'm thinking of losing the next game just o mess with the Top 8 pairings. That way, I would be playing against a Gengar/Nidoqueen deck and I would hopefully play a Beedrill or something that would not have Gengar in it. I have no idea who was the other 5-0. I find out really soon.
Round 6 VS Matthew C? with Gengar/Nidoqueen with Dusknoir tech
I'm up against my first Gengar deck. I know I can beat it. I get set up fine and get an early lead. He was not expecting Lumineon+Dusknoir+Take Out. That really messes him up. I also notice when I fin lustered that he was playing Dusknoir Tech. I prepare for it. However, in the end I'm too far ahead in prizes and Lv up and Hurricane Punch. 2 heads+No Guard to do 120 to Gengar. I win by 3 prizes.
6-0
I go undefeated in swiss. Troy and Reed were really happy. I find out that I will play Jacob L with Gengar/Nidoqueen. I think I will lose in top 8. Troy tells me to think positive. So I did, sort of. Later I find out Jacob was worried about playing against me too. I should have conceded in the 6th round...
Single Elimination 2/3 matches
Top 8 VS Jacob L with Gengar/Nidoqueen
Game 1:I get a pretty good start and we keep exchanging prizes. He keeps missing on his fainting spell flips. He has two prizes to my 1 and I Lv up+Hurricane Punch. 2 heads ftw.
Deck checks are happening.Jacob is missing his Nidoqueen. He almost gets DQ'd because of it. His cards were sticky...luckily he didn't get disqualified...
Game 2: I get a so-so start with nothing too good. He gets ahead by 2 prizes most of the game. I couldn't do much and time is called with him winning by prizes. Since we both won 1 game each, we go to sudden death. I get to decide who goes first.
Game 3: I have the donk in my hand. I just hope he doesn't start with Gastly. I make him go first. He has Crobat G start. He passes. I show him the donk. We shake hands. I'm in the top 4 with a guaranteed invite!!!
Top 4 VS Michael L
I'm playing against Michael L. I don't know if I can beat his Gengar deck. I don't care too much because I have the invite. Ugh...maybe I should have just lost in the 6th round...
Game 1: I get a bad start even though I have Call Energy and concede by the time he has 2 prizes left.
Game 2: I get a great start; Unown G'd Duskull, Finneon, and Baltoy. Got out a Machamp and took 4 prizes. He scooped after that.
Game 3: I figured that this game would be a really good game. I mess up by using Unown G on Uxie instead of Lumineon. It's a long game, we are taking prize for prize until his turn. Time is called. I lose from my 2 prizes to his 1. Really close game! I got the invite, so I'm happy.
I get a ride home with Garret. Wasn't really fun since it was past midnight.
I'll update with Props/Slops later
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