GrandmaJoner
Active Member
Hey guys, I'm back from worlds, and boy, did I have a great time.
First off, I arrived there Thursday night, and didn't really see anybody besides Levi (Monkeyman8889), who doesn't really count anyways
(jk levi dont worry i <3 you). So I go to sleep for the night, and wake up the next morning all excited to meet all of my online friends and stuff.
I wake up and go to the big hallway which you needed to take to get to the convention centre. I meet this guy who I've played before in Washington and Oregon, and I start playing him many times. He uses various decks, and we're going at it. Then some random guy walks up to me and says "are you Sebastian?" And I say yes, and then of all people, the first one i meet is PROFESSOR CFK. For all of you that don't know, me and him aren't exactly bum bud....erm, best friends, online ;x. But anyways, I see him, then people start randomly appearing like Pooka, Martin, Patriarch, Scizor, Something Else, The Answer3, Martin's Autistic brother, YJ, Coolhedgie, Magnechu, JasonthePwnda and his brother, and other people. Sorry if I forgot anyone's name who I was hanging out with, I tried my best ;x
So the whole day Friday I rush around talking to various people and getting excited about the tournament tomorrow and stuff, and then we find out that CFK makes it 31st in the grinder. Fine, we're all cool IRL, but when he gets back online, we're gonna go at it again ;x
So after some playtesting with my friends, we went back downstairs to get more people, and one of them was William Hung ;x. He came up to the room and starting testing with us, and it was really neat to be talking to him, as he is one of the most down-to-earth people you'll ever meet. So we playtested, and this is the list I turned in on Friday.
"The GrandmaJoner Experience"
Pokemon (22)
4 Torchic (Singe) - This attack really helped me, as I'll explain later in the report.
3 Combusken (Lunge) - I switched to Lunge because it actually has potential to do something, instead of just doing 20 with Flare. Also, 80 HP is cool, doesn't die from DRE Gorebyss ;/
3 Blaziken
2 Blaziken ex
4 Dunsparce
2 Skitty (SS) - For HP and Double Edge if you need to.
2 Delcatty
2 Rayquaza ex
Trainers (22)
4 Oracle
3 Steven's Advice - Switched for 1 Reporter just because of how useful this card is.
3 Rare Candy
2 Copycat
2 Switch - Added one for a Warp point, just because of the Switch/starter thing. 2/1 worked fine.
1 Warp Point
1 High Pressure System
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Town Volunteers - I should have taken Martin's advice and not used this card. It only helped me once, but at the time I had the game pretty much won anyways.
1 Pokemon Nurse - Really helped sometimes to surprise the opponent and heal.
1 TV Reporter
Energy (16)
11 Fire
3 Multi
2 Lightning - Only 1 was necessary, I barely used lighting to attack with Rayquaza. Should have maybe switched it for another kind of energy.
So anyways, the day began, and they announced the first pairings.
I got paired, incidentally, against a girl who was 11. It was really funny because the day before, when I registered my deck, her decklist was the one on the top of the pile, and I checked it out, just to see what other Blaziken decks looked like. It's not like I actually memorized anything, it was just funny we got paired.
Game 1: vs Mindy Lambkee (Shiftry)
Then they repaired. Guess who I got? Mindy Lambkee, the previous worlds 10- winner. So anyways, she rolls 6 =/ and chooses to go 2nd, and I'm like yeah OK cool, because I choose first anyways. So the first card I draw is a Dunsparce and I'm like "yeah i got this made," but then I get no energy in my opening hand =/. So the next turn, after I learn that she is using Shiftry, I get to SARS finally, and get set up from there. I did my exact strategy vs Shiftry, attack once with Blaziken to damage the bench, then get out BEX and start KOing the Shiftrys. I ended up winning fairly easily to take the first game. It seemed like a good open to start the day by beating the previous worlds winner ;x.
1-0
Game 2: vs Jeannete Klymj (Machamp)
This was a player from Holland who I had been closely watching in terms of the online invites, as she was close to me. Annoyingly, she was using Machamp, which of course they had errata'd the previous day. So I think I remember starting with Sparce, and her getting Sparce too, then switching for Jirachi and using Make a Wish constantly. She eventually got out Drag Off Machamp, and Kod my skitty, which was annoying. But then I played another Skitty which I knew she would take as bait, realizing I didn't need Delcatty to win the game. I stalled for 2 more turns while building up 2 regular Blaze. The only non-Dunsparce attack i used the WHOLE game was Fire Stream. I Fire Streamed so many times it Kod her Magma's Rhyhorn or w/e, which has like 60 HP. I won the game by Fire Streaming like 10 times. Although she only had 2 prizes left, I made sure I kept ahead the whole game.
2-0
Game 3: vs David Coates (Moltres423) (Shiftry)
Ok, so I start off with Sparce I think, and then he starts off with Sentret =/. He gets like no energy for like 3 turns, even though he has Delcatty in play, which was pretty terrible luck for him. He just had to keep drawing and passing for like 3 turns. I got Blaziken out early, which, again, is my strategy against Shiftry. I Fire Streamed his active Shiftry twice, before Oracling for a Warp Point to KO 2 Pokemon in one shot. From there, I just dominated, and won the game quite handily.
3-0
Ok, so then there was lunchbreak, and I was like, Ok, everythings going well. Until I played the unluckiest game of my entire life.
Game 4: vs Aaron Curry (Blaziken/Rayquaza/Manetric)
I forget how the early game goes here, but eventually I Ko'd his 2nd Rayquaza with Blaziken ex, and had a Warp Point in hand with 1 prize left to win it next turn. He has 3 prizes. The only way he could possibly win is by having a 3rd Rayquaza. And no one plays 3 Rayquaza, right? So this is what happens, he does the IMPOSSIBLE. Draws his card, puts some random thing active, then listen to this. Oracle/Delcatty to get 3 cards, and then this happens. He plays his 3rd Rayquaza and plays a Multi energy and then switches to put it in the active position. Then he plays RARE CANDY RARE CANDY RARE CANDY BLAZIKEN BLAZIKEN BLAZIKEN =/.....and then firestarts 3 times to Manetric, then switches the energy for the KO. I was like ok WTH. Anwyays, next turn, I put sparce active, then lay down my Rayquaza. All I need is a multi energy to win. There is ONE left in my deck. I copycat for 9 with 15 cards left in my deck. I draw the 9 and don't get the multi energy. Then I energy draw, and i STILL don't get it. So of the 3 cards left in my deck, one of them is multi. My only chance now is to Paralyze with Dunsparce. I pretty much gave up hope anyways assuming he'd have switch or something for the win. So I sudden flash and get tails, and he plays Multi energy and starters/manetrics for the win. I then asked him if he had switch or anything in his hand, and he says NO, HE USED UP HIS ONLY ONE. So that sudden Flash was a flip for the game. And on top of all that crap that happened earlier, I got tails for the game =/.
3-1
Game 5: vs Jeroen Robert (Belgian/German/French champ) (Blaziken/Manetric/Rayquaza)
After having horrible luck last game, I knew things were going to go downhill from here. I start with a hand of Rayquaza, Rayquaza, High Pressure System, Fire, Fire, Fire, Fire. I was ready to shoot someone. So he goes first, starts with TA electrike, and uses self charge to attach energy to himself. He has 2 fire. I go and dont do anything, then next turn, he PORs. And he gets both the Manetric AND The lightning energy. I was like =//;==/=/==/==/. But anyways, He starts attacking, and I switch for the Other rayquaza and so on to stall. Then, he plays like dunsparce or something. After doing 50 to my 2nd Rayquaza, I topdeck Multi energy. If this had happened 1 turn ealier I would've won ==/. So I Ko his manetric, then he uses SARS and essentialyl just sets up from there, and I get basically nothing, and he rock TMs for the win. I did manage to get him down to 2 prizes, but I was still so mad at starting with TWO rayquaza =/.
3-2
Game 6: vs Fabio Migotto from Italy (Cradily/Fossil stall)
I knew I had to win this one, and after all the crappy luck I had before, I figured there was no point to get down on myself, so I kept my mind on the game. I was lucky that I drew a deck that had weakness to fire. When I saw my hand of Rayquaza to start AGAIN, I almost flipped, but I managed to Ko that annoying Cacturne with that poison power. He got out like root fossils and I got out bex and stuff and eseentially dominated the game. He never got one Cradily out.
4-2
I was thanking god that I won that game, and after seeing how the other Matches played out, I calculated that an ID would be enough. So that's what I did, and I awaited my placing in the top 32.
4-2-1
I ended up placing 23rd, and look who I had to play.
Round of 32: Game 1: vs Aaron Curry (Blaziken/Rayquaza/Manetric)
Lucky me. I drew the guy who did 3 Rare Candy Blaze in 1 turn against me. So I was so focused, as winning this game would get me $1000 US, which is like $2 million Canadian ;x. So in the first game, I got set up and everything, and I again Kod his 2nd Rayquaza with Blaziken ex. This time there would be no ridiculous KO or anything. He had 1 Prize left and so did I, and luckily for me, all his multi were in his discard pile. That was close, he ended up attaching lightning and doing 120, if it was Multi he would have won. Phew.
1-0
Game 2:
Exact same scenario. It comes down to 1-1 prizes each for the 3rd straight game. This time he plays his 3rd Rayquaza, firestarters 3 times and plays multi to KO my Blaziken ex. Unfortunate, but the last one could have gone that way as well.
1-1
Game 3:
I start, and we both get decent set up, its just that I got like 3 flash heads in a row, and that stalled for enough turns to get the setup I needed to just win from there. He paralyzed my Bex twice in a row with his 40 dmg sparce, and was getting all excited, but then I played warp point and Kod 2 Pokemon with regular Blaziken, and that essentially ended all hopes of him coming back. I won the game, and was happy to have clinched a top 16 berth.
2-1
So I go to sleep, and wake up the next morning.
Top 16: Game 1: Vs a Japanese guy with Magma.
The night before I had studied what exactly the Magma cards do, because I had no idea, as I really only know "good" cards, and up until Worlds, never considered Magma to be a threat =\. I discussed it with my friends and we figured out that the strategy was to go for the Claydol early, as the energy movement is what makes the deck own. So thats exactly what I did. He got Groudon attacking early, and I got bex out early, and he was getting ready to discard his 1 energy Groudon, when I told him I was gonna KO the Claydol. He got mad and that essentially crippled him from there on. I went on to win game 1 in fairly convincing fashion.
1-0
Game 2:
I dont get much, I think I started with a Skitty or something. He got Groudon out early, and just won from there. I managed to get down to 2 prizes, but with his constant Life Herb heads, removing my Fire stream and Blaze kick damage, I couldnt do anything. I lose game 2.
1-1
Game 3:
I choose to go first, and guess what I start with. Yeah, RAYQUAZA =/. I got all paranoid, but then when I flipped Rayquaza over HE was the one who groaned and became all disappointed lol =\ because I had resistance to his active Team Magma's Rhydon. So I KOd something, then switched for Sparce, and got the setup I needed, and won with him still having 5 prizes left. I was really happy, because he was the 2nd seeded player.
Top 8: vs Andrew Knaack (Swampert)
Game 1:
I got all worried because, if you noticed, I didn't play one single water deck the whole tournament, and it wasn't the greatest time for me to draw one. So I started with Torchic and Torchic, and kept singing for like heads. He got tails on burn, and played Rare Candy Swampert first turn to remove the burn. I had nothing and had to use Singe again, and I got heads and he got tails again...WHich made his Swampert have 40 damage. He then Kod my torchic and I brought up my other one energy torchic. I rare Candy Blaziken ex, use Blaze kick, get heads, which puts him at 90. But remember hs is still burned from singe, and HE GETS TAILS. That was so lucky and unfortunate, I felt sorry for him =/. After that, All he had was skitty, and I Ko'd it with Blaze kick the next turn for the win =/. I did get incredibly lucky though, this was the only game I did though.
Game 2
I forget how it got started, but we each got set up fairly well. When he played Rare Candy i was like "oh crap" but instead he chose to rare candy Swampert ex and KO my Dunsparce, which was a mistake. I then brought out Blaziken ex, Blaze kicked for 50, then Volcanic ashed his Swmapert ex to KO it. I got down to my last prize, and he had 2 left, and it was game over. I had beaten the water that I dreaded.
2-0
OK, now they give us a break before the top 4. Of course I'm totally stoked, being the only top 4 player not from US or Japan ;x, and having won a $3500 Scholarship. So I go buy lunch at the concession they set up outside the room, and eat and everything, then come back to the convention centre. Then Chrisbo tells me that they're gonna give the top 4 players free lunches from the exact same place that I just bought at. Great ;x Oh well, I end up going there, and getting a lot of Candy and stuff and just giving some to my friends. I hung out with Kevin Nguyen, who was my next opponent, and who was a really cool guy.
Top 4
Vs Kevin Nguyen (Gardevoir/Magneton/Delcatty). GREAT player, EXCELLENT deck.
Game 1:
He starts with Sparce, I start with Torchic and Skitty. Turn 2 I Lunge heads his Ralts, but he just SARSed again I think to fill up his bench. I get nothing for the whole game except Rare Candies, bex's, and High Pressure System =/. He gets Gardy ex out and I lose. Not to mention his delcatty turn 2. So i hope for better luck next game. =/.
Game 2
He starts with Sparce AGAIN, and I start with Torchic and Skitty AGAIN =/. I set up and get Blaziken going early, and do some serious damage to his bench and active. with him having 2 prizes left and me having 1, I had the game next turn with Blaziken ex/Firestarter. He then Psy Shadows with 1 card left in his deck, and flips it over, and it's DESERT SHAMAN. So he shuffles my hand into my deck, and I didnt get the Blaziken ex I wanted. I then Copycat for 4, not getting bex again. He Feedbacks my Delcatty, and I am forced to Copycat for 4 yet again, this time I actually get the Blaziken ex for the win. This was a good game.
1-1
Game 3
He lets me go first, which is cool. He starts with dunsparce AGAIN =/. And guess who I start with, yeah, RAYQUAZA =/. I attach Lightning and pass. Next turn I topdeck TV reporter, use it and get Dunsparce and Torchic and Switch, but having no energy in my hand =/. So I pass again. He gets turn 2 delcatty, and put ralts active and uses hypnosis, which I get heads on. Next comes the turning point of the game. I topdeck Multi energy, and deliberate how to use it. Whether to play the Multi and KO the ralts, or to switch for Dunsparce and get set up. Seeing as he has only a 3 card hand, I sense nothing harmful and switch for sparce and use SARS. Next turn, with his 3 card hand, he plays Kirlia and Boost energy and KOs me, which was what won him the game. I never really got anything after that, but still managed to get down to 3 Prizes, which is when I had Rayquaza active. He did 70 with Feedback, and my only chance was to have Swithces or Warp Points, and I had used all 3 of them already, 2 from reversals that He had gotten heads on earlier in the game. So I conceded, and Congratulated him, as he was a very good player, and I told him I wanted him to win the finals.
1-2
BTW during this game, Chrisbo didn't let me SARS when my bench was full for 0, just so I could use the switching effect, and he brought one of those Pokemon Lab people over, and it was a long discussion, but he ended up saying I couldn't because my bench was full, which was interesting because I just wanted to switch. But w/e, it's not like that cost me the game anyways, I had already lost.
3rd Place Match, against a Japanese guy, who I'm assuming is using Magma. I didnt really care about this match anyways because 3rd and 4th win the same amount of money anyways. He was using Gardevoir/Gorebyss with Bellossom tech. Notice how I always bash this deck, and I still do, he just got pretty lucky =/.
So I start with Dunsparce for the FIRST TIME IN THE ENTIRE TOP 16, and I'm like YES. He goes first, and then this complete crap happens. He starts with Clamperl =/. Gorebyss is the card I most ph33red going into this tournament, as it can just rip through Blaze. So What does he do? RARE CANDY GOREBYSS ATTACH PSYCHIC ENERGY PARALYZE HEADS. OMG =/. I coulndt even SARS, and my only other benched Pokemon is torchic. So I get nothing, then he plays Multi next turn, and KOS my sparce =/////, then Kos my Torchic for the win next turn.
0-1
Game 2:
I forget exactly how this goes, but I start with crap, yet manage to get the game going well. I was just about to fire stream to KO his gorebyss and add another 10 to his benched Gorebyss and then ATM rock next turn, when he copycats for 5 and gets Rare Candy Bellossom and removes 2 dmg counters from his active Gorebyss so I can't KO it =/. I just like die from there, mentally and in the match, and end up losing from a Warp Point. This guy used Underground Expedition and Bill's Maintenance =/. idk ;/
0-2
So I end up taking 4th place, and win $3500, a box of FRLG, a GBASP, and various other things. When they call up the 4th place winners, I get so happy when they decide to invite us to the next World Championships.
Overall, I finished with a record of 11-8-1 LOL which is TOTALLY horrible. But 10-4-1 got me to 4th place. So it was awesome meeting all of you guys, and I'll hope to see you again next year.
Looks like I had to finish 4th at worlds to get enough respect from you guys to unban me ;x. But yeah, it's all good now.
Also, look out for my deck hitting a store near you (possibly) ;x. They are going to make 4 of all the top 4 decks into theme decks, so mine essentially has a 1/3 chance of getting chosen. That'd be awesome, then you guys could buy the Joner deck ;x
Also, I'm really proud of being the only player not from Japan or US to top 4. Go CANADA! ;/
PS. Whicker got 33rd. Sorry, I just had to do this, I haven't had a COMPLETE turnaround just yet. At least everyone now knows that i am a decent player, and I'll see you guys next year, this time in the 15+ division. That'll be a real test.
I had a great time, thanks to all my friends...
Peace out,
Joner.
First off, I arrived there Thursday night, and didn't really see anybody besides Levi (Monkeyman8889), who doesn't really count anyways
(jk levi dont worry i <3 you). So I go to sleep for the night, and wake up the next morning all excited to meet all of my online friends and stuff.I wake up and go to the big hallway which you needed to take to get to the convention centre. I meet this guy who I've played before in Washington and Oregon, and I start playing him many times. He uses various decks, and we're going at it. Then some random guy walks up to me and says "are you Sebastian?" And I say yes, and then of all people, the first one i meet is PROFESSOR CFK. For all of you that don't know, me and him aren't exactly bum bud....erm, best friends, online ;x. But anyways, I see him, then people start randomly appearing like Pooka, Martin, Patriarch, Scizor, Something Else, The Answer3, Martin's Autistic brother, YJ, Coolhedgie, Magnechu, JasonthePwnda and his brother, and other people. Sorry if I forgot anyone's name who I was hanging out with, I tried my best ;x
So the whole day Friday I rush around talking to various people and getting excited about the tournament tomorrow and stuff, and then we find out that CFK makes it 31st in the grinder. Fine, we're all cool IRL, but when he gets back online, we're gonna go at it again ;x
So after some playtesting with my friends, we went back downstairs to get more people, and one of them was William Hung ;x. He came up to the room and starting testing with us, and it was really neat to be talking to him, as he is one of the most down-to-earth people you'll ever meet. So we playtested, and this is the list I turned in on Friday.
"The GrandmaJoner Experience"
Pokemon (22)
4 Torchic (Singe) - This attack really helped me, as I'll explain later in the report.
3 Combusken (Lunge) - I switched to Lunge because it actually has potential to do something, instead of just doing 20 with Flare. Also, 80 HP is cool, doesn't die from DRE Gorebyss ;/
3 Blaziken
2 Blaziken ex
4 Dunsparce
2 Skitty (SS) - For HP and Double Edge if you need to.
2 Delcatty
2 Rayquaza ex
Trainers (22)
4 Oracle
3 Steven's Advice - Switched for 1 Reporter just because of how useful this card is.
3 Rare Candy
2 Copycat
2 Switch - Added one for a Warp point, just because of the Switch/starter thing. 2/1 worked fine.
1 Warp Point
1 High Pressure System
1 Ancient Tomb
1 Town Volunteers - I should have taken Martin's advice and not used this card. It only helped me once, but at the time I had the game pretty much won anyways.
1 Pokemon Nurse - Really helped sometimes to surprise the opponent and heal.
1 TV Reporter
Energy (16)
11 Fire
3 Multi
2 Lightning - Only 1 was necessary, I barely used lighting to attack with Rayquaza. Should have maybe switched it for another kind of energy.
So anyways, the day began, and they announced the first pairings.
I got paired, incidentally, against a girl who was 11. It was really funny because the day before, when I registered my deck, her decklist was the one on the top of the pile, and I checked it out, just to see what other Blaziken decks looked like. It's not like I actually memorized anything, it was just funny we got paired.
Game 1: vs Mindy Lambkee (Shiftry)
Then they repaired. Guess who I got? Mindy Lambkee, the previous worlds 10- winner. So anyways, she rolls 6 =/ and chooses to go 2nd, and I'm like yeah OK cool, because I choose first anyways. So the first card I draw is a Dunsparce and I'm like "yeah i got this made," but then I get no energy in my opening hand =/. So the next turn, after I learn that she is using Shiftry, I get to SARS finally, and get set up from there. I did my exact strategy vs Shiftry, attack once with Blaziken to damage the bench, then get out BEX and start KOing the Shiftrys. I ended up winning fairly easily to take the first game. It seemed like a good open to start the day by beating the previous worlds winner ;x.
1-0
Game 2: vs Jeannete Klymj (Machamp)
This was a player from Holland who I had been closely watching in terms of the online invites, as she was close to me. Annoyingly, she was using Machamp, which of course they had errata'd the previous day. So I think I remember starting with Sparce, and her getting Sparce too, then switching for Jirachi and using Make a Wish constantly. She eventually got out Drag Off Machamp, and Kod my skitty, which was annoying. But then I played another Skitty which I knew she would take as bait, realizing I didn't need Delcatty to win the game. I stalled for 2 more turns while building up 2 regular Blaze. The only non-Dunsparce attack i used the WHOLE game was Fire Stream. I Fire Streamed so many times it Kod her Magma's Rhyhorn or w/e, which has like 60 HP. I won the game by Fire Streaming like 10 times. Although she only had 2 prizes left, I made sure I kept ahead the whole game.
2-0
Game 3: vs David Coates (Moltres423) (Shiftry)
Ok, so I start off with Sparce I think, and then he starts off with Sentret =/. He gets like no energy for like 3 turns, even though he has Delcatty in play, which was pretty terrible luck for him. He just had to keep drawing and passing for like 3 turns. I got Blaziken out early, which, again, is my strategy against Shiftry. I Fire Streamed his active Shiftry twice, before Oracling for a Warp Point to KO 2 Pokemon in one shot. From there, I just dominated, and won the game quite handily.
3-0
Ok, so then there was lunchbreak, and I was like, Ok, everythings going well. Until I played the unluckiest game of my entire life.
Game 4: vs Aaron Curry (Blaziken/Rayquaza/Manetric)
I forget how the early game goes here, but eventually I Ko'd his 2nd Rayquaza with Blaziken ex, and had a Warp Point in hand with 1 prize left to win it next turn. He has 3 prizes. The only way he could possibly win is by having a 3rd Rayquaza. And no one plays 3 Rayquaza, right? So this is what happens, he does the IMPOSSIBLE. Draws his card, puts some random thing active, then listen to this. Oracle/Delcatty to get 3 cards, and then this happens. He plays his 3rd Rayquaza and plays a Multi energy and then switches to put it in the active position. Then he plays RARE CANDY RARE CANDY RARE CANDY BLAZIKEN BLAZIKEN BLAZIKEN =/.....and then firestarts 3 times to Manetric, then switches the energy for the KO. I was like ok WTH. Anwyays, next turn, I put sparce active, then lay down my Rayquaza. All I need is a multi energy to win. There is ONE left in my deck. I copycat for 9 with 15 cards left in my deck. I draw the 9 and don't get the multi energy. Then I energy draw, and i STILL don't get it. So of the 3 cards left in my deck, one of them is multi. My only chance now is to Paralyze with Dunsparce. I pretty much gave up hope anyways assuming he'd have switch or something for the win. So I sudden flash and get tails, and he plays Multi energy and starters/manetrics for the win. I then asked him if he had switch or anything in his hand, and he says NO, HE USED UP HIS ONLY ONE. So that sudden Flash was a flip for the game. And on top of all that crap that happened earlier, I got tails for the game =/.
3-1
Game 5: vs Jeroen Robert (Belgian/German/French champ) (Blaziken/Manetric/Rayquaza)
After having horrible luck last game, I knew things were going to go downhill from here. I start with a hand of Rayquaza, Rayquaza, High Pressure System, Fire, Fire, Fire, Fire. I was ready to shoot someone. So he goes first, starts with TA electrike, and uses self charge to attach energy to himself. He has 2 fire. I go and dont do anything, then next turn, he PORs. And he gets both the Manetric AND The lightning energy. I was like =//;==/=/==/==/. But anyways, He starts attacking, and I switch for the Other rayquaza and so on to stall. Then, he plays like dunsparce or something. After doing 50 to my 2nd Rayquaza, I topdeck Multi energy. If this had happened 1 turn ealier I would've won ==/. So I Ko his manetric, then he uses SARS and essentialyl just sets up from there, and I get basically nothing, and he rock TMs for the win. I did manage to get him down to 2 prizes, but I was still so mad at starting with TWO rayquaza =/.
3-2
Game 6: vs Fabio Migotto from Italy (Cradily/Fossil stall)
I knew I had to win this one, and after all the crappy luck I had before, I figured there was no point to get down on myself, so I kept my mind on the game. I was lucky that I drew a deck that had weakness to fire. When I saw my hand of Rayquaza to start AGAIN, I almost flipped, but I managed to Ko that annoying Cacturne with that poison power. He got out like root fossils and I got out bex and stuff and eseentially dominated the game. He never got one Cradily out.
4-2
I was thanking god that I won that game, and after seeing how the other Matches played out, I calculated that an ID would be enough. So that's what I did, and I awaited my placing in the top 32.
4-2-1
I ended up placing 23rd, and look who I had to play.
Round of 32: Game 1: vs Aaron Curry (Blaziken/Rayquaza/Manetric)
Lucky me. I drew the guy who did 3 Rare Candy Blaze in 1 turn against me. So I was so focused, as winning this game would get me $1000 US, which is like $2 million Canadian ;x. So in the first game, I got set up and everything, and I again Kod his 2nd Rayquaza with Blaziken ex. This time there would be no ridiculous KO or anything. He had 1 Prize left and so did I, and luckily for me, all his multi were in his discard pile. That was close, he ended up attaching lightning and doing 120, if it was Multi he would have won. Phew.
1-0
Game 2:
Exact same scenario. It comes down to 1-1 prizes each for the 3rd straight game. This time he plays his 3rd Rayquaza, firestarters 3 times and plays multi to KO my Blaziken ex. Unfortunate, but the last one could have gone that way as well.
1-1
Game 3:
I start, and we both get decent set up, its just that I got like 3 flash heads in a row, and that stalled for enough turns to get the setup I needed to just win from there. He paralyzed my Bex twice in a row with his 40 dmg sparce, and was getting all excited, but then I played warp point and Kod 2 Pokemon with regular Blaziken, and that essentially ended all hopes of him coming back. I won the game, and was happy to have clinched a top 16 berth.
2-1
So I go to sleep, and wake up the next morning.
Top 16: Game 1: Vs a Japanese guy with Magma.
The night before I had studied what exactly the Magma cards do, because I had no idea, as I really only know "good" cards, and up until Worlds, never considered Magma to be a threat =\. I discussed it with my friends and we figured out that the strategy was to go for the Claydol early, as the energy movement is what makes the deck own. So thats exactly what I did. He got Groudon attacking early, and I got bex out early, and he was getting ready to discard his 1 energy Groudon, when I told him I was gonna KO the Claydol. He got mad and that essentially crippled him from there on. I went on to win game 1 in fairly convincing fashion.
1-0
Game 2:
I dont get much, I think I started with a Skitty or something. He got Groudon out early, and just won from there. I managed to get down to 2 prizes, but with his constant Life Herb heads, removing my Fire stream and Blaze kick damage, I couldnt do anything. I lose game 2.
1-1
Game 3:
I choose to go first, and guess what I start with. Yeah, RAYQUAZA =/. I got all paranoid, but then when I flipped Rayquaza over HE was the one who groaned and became all disappointed lol =\ because I had resistance to his active Team Magma's Rhydon. So I KOd something, then switched for Sparce, and got the setup I needed, and won with him still having 5 prizes left. I was really happy, because he was the 2nd seeded player.
Top 8: vs Andrew Knaack (Swampert)
Game 1:
I got all worried because, if you noticed, I didn't play one single water deck the whole tournament, and it wasn't the greatest time for me to draw one. So I started with Torchic and Torchic, and kept singing for like heads. He got tails on burn, and played Rare Candy Swampert first turn to remove the burn. I had nothing and had to use Singe again, and I got heads and he got tails again...WHich made his Swampert have 40 damage. He then Kod my torchic and I brought up my other one energy torchic. I rare Candy Blaziken ex, use Blaze kick, get heads, which puts him at 90. But remember hs is still burned from singe, and HE GETS TAILS. That was so lucky and unfortunate, I felt sorry for him =/. After that, All he had was skitty, and I Ko'd it with Blaze kick the next turn for the win =/. I did get incredibly lucky though, this was the only game I did though.
Game 2
I forget how it got started, but we each got set up fairly well. When he played Rare Candy i was like "oh crap" but instead he chose to rare candy Swampert ex and KO my Dunsparce, which was a mistake. I then brought out Blaziken ex, Blaze kicked for 50, then Volcanic ashed his Swmapert ex to KO it. I got down to my last prize, and he had 2 left, and it was game over. I had beaten the water that I dreaded.
2-0
OK, now they give us a break before the top 4. Of course I'm totally stoked, being the only top 4 player not from US or Japan ;x, and having won a $3500 Scholarship. So I go buy lunch at the concession they set up outside the room, and eat and everything, then come back to the convention centre. Then Chrisbo tells me that they're gonna give the top 4 players free lunches from the exact same place that I just bought at. Great ;x Oh well, I end up going there, and getting a lot of Candy and stuff and just giving some to my friends
. I hung out with Kevin Nguyen, who was my next opponent, and who was a really cool guy.Top 4
Vs Kevin Nguyen (Gardevoir/Magneton/Delcatty). GREAT player, EXCELLENT deck.
Game 1:
He starts with Sparce, I start with Torchic and Skitty. Turn 2 I Lunge heads his Ralts, but he just SARSed again I think to fill up his bench. I get nothing for the whole game except Rare Candies, bex's, and High Pressure System =/. He gets Gardy ex out and I lose. Not to mention his delcatty turn 2. So i hope for better luck next game. =/.
Game 2
He starts with Sparce AGAIN, and I start with Torchic and Skitty AGAIN =/. I set up and get Blaziken going early, and do some serious damage to his bench and active. with him having 2 prizes left and me having 1, I had the game next turn with Blaziken ex/Firestarter. He then Psy Shadows with 1 card left in his deck, and flips it over, and it's DESERT SHAMAN. So he shuffles my hand into my deck, and I didnt get the Blaziken ex I wanted. I then Copycat for 4, not getting bex again. He Feedbacks my Delcatty, and I am forced to Copycat for 4 yet again, this time I actually get the Blaziken ex for the win. This was a good game.
1-1
Game 3
He lets me go first, which is cool. He starts with dunsparce AGAIN =/. And guess who I start with, yeah, RAYQUAZA =/. I attach Lightning and pass. Next turn I topdeck TV reporter, use it and get Dunsparce and Torchic and Switch, but having no energy in my hand =/. So I pass again. He gets turn 2 delcatty, and put ralts active and uses hypnosis, which I get heads on. Next comes the turning point of the game. I topdeck Multi energy, and deliberate how to use it. Whether to play the Multi and KO the ralts, or to switch for Dunsparce and get set up. Seeing as he has only a 3 card hand, I sense nothing harmful and switch for sparce and use SARS. Next turn, with his 3 card hand, he plays Kirlia and Boost energy and KOs me, which was what won him the game. I never really got anything after that, but still managed to get down to 3 Prizes, which is when I had Rayquaza active. He did 70 with Feedback, and my only chance was to have Swithces or Warp Points, and I had used all 3 of them already, 2 from reversals that He had gotten heads on earlier in the game. So I conceded, and Congratulated him, as he was a very good player, and I told him I wanted him to win the finals.
1-2
BTW during this game, Chrisbo didn't let me SARS when my bench was full for 0, just so I could use the switching effect, and he brought one of those Pokemon Lab people over, and it was a long discussion, but he ended up saying I couldn't because my bench was full, which was interesting because I just wanted to switch. But w/e, it's not like that cost me the game anyways, I had already lost.
3rd Place Match, against a Japanese guy, who I'm assuming is using Magma. I didnt really care about this match anyways because 3rd and 4th win the same amount of money anyways. He was using Gardevoir/Gorebyss with Bellossom tech. Notice how I always bash this deck, and I still do, he just got pretty lucky =/.
So I start with Dunsparce for the FIRST TIME IN THE ENTIRE TOP 16, and I'm like YES. He goes first, and then this complete crap happens. He starts with Clamperl =/. Gorebyss is the card I most ph33red going into this tournament, as it can just rip through Blaze. So What does he do? RARE CANDY GOREBYSS ATTACH PSYCHIC ENERGY PARALYZE HEADS. OMG =/. I coulndt even SARS, and my only other benched Pokemon is torchic. So I get nothing, then he plays Multi next turn, and KOS my sparce =/////, then Kos my Torchic for the win next turn.
0-1
Game 2:
I forget exactly how this goes, but I start with crap, yet manage to get the game going well. I was just about to fire stream to KO his gorebyss and add another 10 to his benched Gorebyss and then ATM rock next turn, when he copycats for 5 and gets Rare Candy Bellossom and removes 2 dmg counters from his active Gorebyss so I can't KO it =/. I just like die from there, mentally and in the match, and end up losing from a Warp Point. This guy used Underground Expedition and Bill's Maintenance =/. idk ;/
0-2
So I end up taking 4th place, and win $3500, a box of FRLG, a GBASP, and various other things. When they call up the 4th place winners, I get so happy when they decide to invite us to the next World Championships.
Overall, I finished with a record of 11-8-1 LOL which is TOTALLY horrible. But 10-4-1 got me to 4th place. So it was awesome meeting all of you guys, and I'll hope to see you again next year.
Looks like I had to finish 4th at worlds to get enough respect from you guys to unban me ;x. But yeah, it's all good now.
Also, look out for my deck hitting a store near you (possibly) ;x. They are going to make 4 of all the top 4 decks into theme decks, so mine essentially has a 1/3 chance of getting chosen. That'd be awesome, then you guys could buy the Joner deck ;x
Also, I'm really proud of being the only player not from Japan or US to top 4. Go CANADA! ;/
PS. Whicker got 33rd. Sorry, I just had to do this, I haven't had a COMPLETE turnaround just yet. At least everyone now knows that i am a decent player, and I'll see you guys next year, this time in the 15+ division. That'll be a real test.
I had a great time, thanks to all my friends...
Peace out,
Joner.
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