JandPDS
New Member
I really do miss the old format of the LCQ where we played swiss instead of Top Cut format. I really wish they would bring back swiss play and make it double elimination so at least you get to meet two opponents before you get eliminated. This event is the only chance most players ever get to play Pokémon players from around the world. But the format we have to live with is the Worlds Largest Top Cut and that is kind of cool too in its own way.
This was my 6th LCQ and my 2nd in the Top Cut format. Two years ago when the format made its debut I made it to the 2nd round with my Magnezone, Bouffulont, Cincinnco deck. We did not go Hawaii last year as we were getting a new house and really did not have the desire to go a 3rd time to Hilton Waikoloa Village (it is beautiful and all but twice was enough for us)
This past season was odd for me. Usually I find a deck I like during Cities and play it the rest of the year. But this season I really came down with deck ADD and switched up quite a bit. I tried Rayquazza ells and Balstoise/Keldeo before settling down with Empoleon Builds. Winter Regional’s I went 5-3 with Empoleon/Landorus EX as Darkria was played pretty heavy and I always lost to it when I ran pure Empoleon.
Then when States came along I went pure anti-darkrai with a LandorusEX/TerrakionEX/Ninetails deck with Lasers. Played that deck with Success though states and spring regionals. But with Plasma Kureym out for Spring Battle Roads did not feel it would hold up well to Plasma.
Made a big misstep in Spring BR and thought Weaville would be big. Tried that the first two weeks before realizing that it was no good. Although it lost to most everything it was the Plasma matches that went particularly horrific so I figured I would try my hand at an anti-plasma deck. The main one in our area being played at the time was Cobalion EX, Landorus EX with Garbador. So I threw it together with Blends and went 4-3 loosing a Mirror I thought I was winning due to her Enhanced Hammers.
After the tourney was over I realized that I did not see any real synergy between the EX's except that they both had one energy attacks. I decided to drop Landorus and concentrate on getting rid of energies. So I added hammers, the NV Coballion for more attackers and because I always wanted to try it and I heard it had some success in Japan a 2-2 driffloon line.
My first tourney with it showed that my idea was going to work. I destroyed 2 plasma decks. Including one player that went 6-0 with plasma the week before and was 2-0 before I handed him his first loss ever in a tourney with his deck. Eventually I dropped 2 games one to darkaia and to a big basic deck.
I did not drop a game the rest of the way vs Plasma going 10-0 the 3 weeks I played it. In testing I went 20-3 vs the deck many games falling way behind at first only to roar back for the victory when they run short of energy. Other matches were not so easy. Darkria was a tough one and Balstoise was impossible if they had scraper. I ran a tech Plasma Garbador for Accelgor as it was my only hope to OHKO Goths. In BR's I went 1-1 went vs the deck so I was unsure of the matchup but I did not like it.
So after the big showing at Nats that Plasma had I decided to run my anti-deck in the LCQ. I felt my list was stronger then the one I ran in BR as I added an extra switch, added in Pokémon Communication and swapped in a Dowsing Machine for my Computer Search.
My only losses to Plasma came from when I would start badly with Trubbish and or Driffloon. Otherwise thing usually ran well for me. We show up and register. My fire is playing a Big Basic Laser deck and my Daughter is running plasma. Just like in San Diego there is a huge amount of down time while the organizers try to set up all of the byes so the field can whittle down to a top 8 (it would be much better if they got rid of so many byes and just stared playing and let in however many players are undefeated once the field is under 16 players left it would save so much time) We gather the 5 of our league mates with us and we hand out in a corner of the room until we finally get started.
R1 Vs a Washington players playing Plasma
I get the matchup I wanted but really 424 players and I get someone I go up against all the time. I am playing a fellow Poke dad who has made fantastic strides
in only his second year of playing I think he got over 200 championship points which is like 5 times my total. Plus both of his sons are playing in Worlds on in Jrs and the other in Srs, so the entire family had done b=very well in so short of a time.
R1
Game 1 We set up and this is the matchup I want but not the start I want I get a Cobalion EX and a Trubbish and I slow him down but have no supporters. Turn 3 I learn the hard way that he runs basic electric and that lets him set up. Game goes like 6 more turns of nothing for me before I get over whelmed and loose. I am not too worried because I know my deck can run like this at times. I just am counting on it not doing so in two out of 3 games.
Game 2. This time I am able to get set up. I get a quick Cobalion ex and with my hammers am able to slow down his start until he gets his basic energy out. By then it is too late for him and I build my Balloons and start OHKO'ing his EX's for one energy. The games drags on a bit he is able to take a few prizes with catchers and Lasers but in the end my Driffloons prove to be too much for him and I win comfortably.
Game 3 I get a horrible double Trubbish Start. I do eventually get set up but not before he KO's both of them and one with Lugia so he is up 3-0 in prizes before I even start to do anything. But my Cobalion EX's and my hammers start to wear down his advantage but just as it looks like I can start to sweep as I e both Driffloons in play and powered up time is called on his turn and no one has taken a prize since my second trubbish went down which feels like forever ago.
He is turn zero with no energy Electric Genie with damage on it up attaches to genie. Corless machines a plasma to benched Lugia and hits my Cobalion for 50 placing a 2nd energy on Lugia. I have a float on it so I retreat for the balloon and blow up his Genie for like 150 damage and my first two prizes. His turn and I hope he does not have a double colorless of it’s over. He brings up a Kureym with a float draws. Plays a Juniper and gets what he needs. Retreats brings up Lugia then catches up my damaged Cobalion EX and attaches his double colorless. I have no Garbadors in play so this is the game as he will draw 3 prizes. He of course realizes this too and all he has to do is attack and my day his done. After he attaches the double colorless he smiles and says and I will WINDFALL for. and he steppes, I say OK... You .. windfalled He immediately tries to take it back telling me that I know he meant to use Jet Blast attack to win the game. I agree that I know he meant to but that wasn’t what he said and at this level of event I can not let him take back his mistake. We call a judge over he hears what happens and rules that as my opponent declared a legal attack then he has to perform that attack, My opponent then appeals to the head judge who after hearing what occurred agrees with the first judge and on T2 with a fully powered up Tornadus EX has to shuffle his hand into his deck and Draw 6 cards. My turn three I draw retreat and OHKO the Tornadus with my Balloon for 250 damage and I get to move on by pure luck.
Round 2 vs Blastoise/Keldeo player from Mexico City
Game 1 I realize how fortunate I was to escape my first round, but my goal of making into the 3rd round is still possible. We settle down and begin our game I start Cobalion NV and a Trubbish My opponent flips over a Keldo EX and my hear sinks. I have tested this matchup many times and I can go toe to toe with them at first but once they get there scraper out its pretty much game over. But realizing that this is a bad matchup on we go, Lucky for me I am going first and I get the T2 Garbador lock down so I am able to Iron Break him before he can do any damage to me. He gets a T3 Balstoise out with help from Tropical Beach but he can attack so he beaches again. I hit him for the KO on T4 (did 40 Damage on T2) to Go up 2 prizes and I start to power up a Cobalion EX on the bench. He brings up Blastoise. Plays an Ultra Ball for a Keldeo and tries to Rush in. I to bench the Blastoise. I remind him that Powers are blocked. and attached energy to benched Keldeo and Beaches.
I am now able to set up a 2nd Garbador but I don't tool it as I fell the scraper can not be too far off and I just hope he can not access a ton of energy that turn. So I hit Blastoise with Iron breaker for 80. His turn he plays a Skyla, and I know the scraper is coming but he surprises me and grabs a Super Energy retriever. discards two cards from his hand and gets the only two water energy from his deck and attaches a 2nd energy to Keldeo. Wow I know think for the first time that I have a chance to win this game. Either it is prizes or he is not running any scraper at all. Either way after he beaches again. I catch up his Keldeo with to energy on it and Iron Break it, and now have a fully powered up Cobalion EX on my bench. His turn He attached a 3rd energy to Keldeo retreats it and brings up the damaged Blastoise and beaches. I KO the Blastoise and he is forced to bring back the Keldeo with one energy on it. He draws his card pauses and scoops So I win game one vs my worst matchup.
Game 2 I am feeling a lot more confident now and I hope I can get a Garbador lock before he gets a Blastoise again. Well he goes first but I do have everything in my hand to get the lock down. But I also have to start with a Driffblim instead of a Cobalion. Now my balloons are useless in the matchup but at least I am not starting with Trubbish. He starts Squirtle. His turn he Junipers gets a Keldeo and attaches water to it and ends his turn. I draw attach to Diffblim play float stone on trubbish and hit Squirtle for 10. He draws t2 plays a Skyla for a rare candy. Evolves to Blastoise, and here it comes I think. He rushes in and plays Super energy retrieval. But lucky for me he only has one energy in his discard pile from the Juniper and none in his hand so he places a 2nd Water energy and ends his turn. I know I dodged a built there and I heavy ball for the Garbador to lock powers. Evolve active to Drifblim and hope he does not run switch, so I skyla for a catcher and bring up Blastoise back up and proceed to hit the benched Keldeo for 40. For the next 4 turns I keep hitting the Keldeo on the bench with his Blastoise stuck active until he starts to power up his Blastoise. One turn I put down a Cobalion EX put an energy on it and he catches it up but I have the switch and continue the Driffblim sniping. The he catches it up again the following turn and puts a 3rd energy on Blastoise. I can’t switch so I place a 2nd energy on Cobalion EX and hit Blastoise for 30 taking him to 40 total damage. He attaches a 4th energy to Blastoise and hits me for 100. I get out Cobalion NV with an Eviolite. Then I fully bower up the active EX and KO the active
Blastoise to take the first prize thanks to the 10 damage that Diffloon did on T1 to squirtle. His bench is a fully powered up Keldeo with 160 damage and a squirtle and a Keldo EX and A Black Keurem EX all with no damage or energy. He brings up Keldeo and I am worried that he might catch up and kill my only Garbador in play because my other one is in my prizes so I might be in trouble. But instead he attaches an energy to benched Kedleo after bringing the powered one up and KOs my Cobalion for a 2-1 prize lead. I bring up Diffblim attach to benched Cobalion NV and KO the active. and am up 3-2 in prizes. He brings up the Keldeo and attaches 2nd energy to it and passes. I don't want to give him a prize next turn but I don't have a 2nd energy for Coabalion, but I do have a skyla so I my energy retrieval from my deck fetch two energy from discard pile. Retreat the Balloon for Cobalion attaché 2nd energy to it and hit him for 80. He draws attaches a 3rd energy and hits me for 90 thanks to eviolite. I attach a 3rd energy to active and Iron Break him for 80. He pauses and retreats for the Black Keurum EX places an energy on Benched Keurm taking it back to 2 energy and ends his turn. I catch up the Keldeo back active and Iron Break it again. He is forced to retreat again losing all of his energy. I then spend 3 turns KOing the Black Kureum while I start to build another Coablion EX on the bench. But I don't need it as he is unable to get a 3rd energy on Keldeo by the time I KO'd Black Keureum and I win the game and the match.
I ask him after the game if he had any Scrappers or Switches in his deck and he sadly shakes his head and says no. I was super a 2nd time that I was able to win a very hard match up thanks to that reason alone. And I made my goal of getting to the 3rd round of the Worlds Largest Top Cut.
Round 3 vs a Plasma player from Washington
So I go to Canada to play and out of over 250 players I get paired against a fellow Washington player 2 out of 3 games.
Game 1 We set up and I go first and get a Coablaion EX vs his Kureym. I hit it for 60 and for the next few turns each time he tries to set up I discard and or Hammer his energy off. It helped that he did not run any basic energy so I had an easier time setting up for the big KO's. I get the set up with the Garbador lock and he is down to hoping for heads on laser flips and I sweep the game fairly quickly.
Game 2 he knows about my difloons this game an although I again do start Cobalion Ex to Keurem he get the t1 30-30 hit and it is a more uphill battle. I do get a Balloon off T4 for a KO on the Kureym but it was damaged and he is able to get the KO back next turn. Game goes back and forth and I think I have it as I am able to get the pieces to build my second Driffloon but I make a huge misplay and I bench the Diffloon but the next turn I space and forget to evolve it to Diffblim. I remember right after I attack but its too late and I hope I ca nsurive a 2nd turn without him playing a Catcher. I did not as he gets one out this turn and that cost me a free KO. Late game it is 2-2 in prizes and I am attacking him with a fully powered up Cobalion NV but I have an energyless Cobalion EX on the bench with 90 damage in it. He catches it up and tries to build a Lugia on the bench. Attaches a double colorless to it and laszers me taking me to 120 with the stadium. I skyla for a catcher. retreat and then Dowsing maching for a Hammer and get rid of his double colorless and bring up a Undamaged Cobalion EX and remove the energy from his active Electric Genie. He now has no energy in play. I think I am going to win as both of our decks are down to less then 10 cards. But he draws and has the catcher lazer combo and brings up my !20 Damaged EX and takes it to 150. I have no way to get another switch and all my floats have been used. I cant retreat so poison KOs me at the end of my next turn and we are tied 1-1. Dang lazers you can still win games without attacking.
Game 3 and this will be to see who will move on. We begin to shuffle our decks when they call time. So now it will be a one prize game to see who can move on and also we have to flip instead of me getting to go first. This never happens to me when I win game 2 in a top cut. Oh well I set up my Starting pokemon it is a Cobalion EX and I hopeto bss oe able to sweep with that. We flip and he wins the toss and goes first. He flips over a Kurem and for the 3rd game in a row we have the same exact start. He draws his card, then he notices that he mistakingly placed out 6 prize cards. We call a judge over and he places 5 of them ontop of his deck and we continue the game. He Ultra Balls discarding a plasma and another card for a Thundurs EX attaches a color special to it. attaches a float to Keurem and retreats plays a Laser and I am not asleep. And hits me for 30 plus poison for 40 Damage. Thanks to poision and going 2nd no way my strategy of winning with a lone Cobalion will not work so I look at my hand for a backup plan. I have a Sklya and Diffblim a Catcher my Drowsing machine and some energy. I feel I have to try to get a ballon out as my only hope for victory so I attach to active and Skyla for a level ball and use that to get a Diffblim. And I hit the Genie for 30 e discarding the energy and I go to 50 damage with Poison. His turn two he draws attaches a colored energy to Kurem and passes as posion takes me to 60 damage. I am so glad the stadium is not out. My turn I draw evolve to Driffblim attach energy to it. Catch up the Keurem and hit it for 60 due to weakness and discard his colored special energy. I need one more turn to win unless I get N'd. His turn He plasma balls for a Lugia attaches a double colorless to it and has three cards left. One is his computer search. He discards his had and fetches a Juniper. If he hits 2 corless machines I am done for I cut his deck and he Junipers. He looks at his 7 cards and lays down a corless machine, gets a 3rd energy on Lugia and passes, retreats Keurem for the Genie and passes. Whew!! I dodged it there. I am at 70 damage. I draw. and have enough cards to attach energy to Coblaion to retreat, and have 3 cards in my hand left, play the Dowsing machine and discard my hand for the Catcher. re-Catch up the Keurem and hit it for 100 dmage for the game and match with Driffblim. And somehow I manage to make it to the 4th round and the top 64.
Round 4 vs Plasma player from Colorado
I am getting pretty tired right now except for about 20 min of down time after Round 2 I have basically been playing for 3 hours straight. And I don't have much time at all after round 3 before the pairings are up. My next opponent also says he his starting to feel mental strain from the long competition as we are setting up.
Game 1 I am happy at first to get another Plasma deck but my good feeling soon dissipates as I learn that unlike my last opponent, this one runs basic water. And my start is horrible. I do get a Cobalion EX out like T3 but I have no supporters at all and very little to work with twice he plays random receiver and I hope to see a N but he gets a Juniper each time. I ask him if he even plays N and he smiles and says maybe not. To make a long story short he rolls me 6-0 in 10 min. I never did get a single supporter to use.
Game 2 I am really hoping that I don't get another bad start. It was my first horrible start since my very first game and I do know my deck can do this from time to time. So we get started and I have a slow start. I do get an early N but my new hand is worse then the one I shuffled in. I do get a Cobalion EX active vs his Snorlax and I do get two special energy discarded before he catches up an energyless Cobalion NV and Max Potions. On my bench I have one Garbador with a float, a trubbish, my Cobalion EX and a Difflloon with a Diffblim in my hand and a few energy. With a Snorlax active so I can’t retreat for the EX even if I get another float so I start to attach energy. On my 2nd latter he has two energy on Snorlax and I attach a 2nd energy to Cobalion NV and hit him for 60. His turn he Junipers his hand and he gets a double colorless and a corless machine so now snorlax is Powered up with a full plasma bench behind it. Cobalion goes down. I bring up Garbador and hope for an energy or a supporter. I don't want evolve my Diffloon until I have the energy to attack because I don't want it catcher. I draw and fail to get anything. So I retreat and send up the Cobalion and hit him for 30 getting rid of his energy. His turn he is able to Corless for a bunch and gets another cordless machine and an energy and is back in Business. He was being honest about being tired as he tells me that he is hitting my Cobalion EX for 150 damage. I hate to have to correct him, but I remind him that Snorlax counts himself in the damage and with a full bench I am taking 180 damage and am KO'd. I thing this is the end but I bring up Garbador again and draw. Fail to get anything to help me. so I retreat for the trubbish and pass.
His turn he draws and KO's my trubbish for a 4-0 lead. Not looking good. I again send up Garbador and if I don't draw something my run at the Grinder is over. I flip over the card to myself and YES it is a metal energy. I evolve to Diffblim attach the energy. Have my opponent verify that he has 3 special energy discarded and he looks and verifies. I retreat and KO the snorlax and now my balloon is hitting for around 300 damage. He must not have seen that coming as he not have anything on his bench is set up to fight and I take the rest of the prizes in quick fashion as Driffblim sweeps.
Game 3 Now he knows my trick but this game I finally get a decent start. He starts trying to go agro Lugia, but he can’t take prizes before I get Garbador set up so he does not get the bonus when he KO's and Trubish and a Cobalion NV a few turns I start to fight back with Cobalion EX and I KO the Lugia. I try to build a Diffblim but Catches and KO's the Diffloon. with a Powered up Keurem. I able to KO this Keurum in two turns and get a Driffloon down. But he brings up another Kurem and KO's Cobalion and is up 5-1 Keurem. I get my driffbim in play and Juniper. I get super lucky and pull both of my Hammers clear his bench of energy and KO the active Kurem for and trail prizes 5-3. He has no energy in play and brings up Snorlax. Then he catches up my Garbador with float attached and passes. Here I prove that I am tired I am very sad that I have no way to switch out because I tell myself that I cant retreat because of the block ability on snorlax so I draw and pass. My opponent smiles draws and attaches a double coloress to snorlax. I draw no switch and pass. He draws attaches a Colored energy to benched Thudurus and passes. I draw now switch and pass. Wait I see my error. Oh I can retreat your ability if off he laughs as his gambit bout him valuable time. But as I did declare pass my turn is over. He draws attaches a 2nd colored energy to Thundurs and passes. I draw retreat KO the Snorlax. My hand is very small. but prizes are now 1-2 his lead. He bring up the Thundurus draws, attaches a double colorless to it and attacks putting 90 damage on my 100 HP Pokémon. then he says Discard your energy. I look at his active Pokémon and check the energy and there is not plasma attached. I tell him that he needs plasma for that effect to work. He remembers that and my energy stays. I draw, we check his discard pile and I am hitting for 400 and I win the game.
Whew dodged another bullet and now I am only 4 more wins away from making it into worlds..
Round 5 top 32 vs Absol/Darkria player from Washington. Again I play a player that I have known and played with for years. TOM must not like Washington players because it keeps pairing up together.
Game 1. As soon as she flips over Sableye and Absol I know I am in trouble. Usless ballons and Garbador is not big deal. I have beat Drkria before but I need to get quick Cobalion NV's and the Garbador lock to have a chance. Well I don't get it and she has 3 Powered up Absols via T4 and with a barrage of Lasers I am completely over run. I do take one prize fighting with Coalion NV and EX but that is all. I don't even see a Darkria until he has taken 4 prizes. Absol swarms are not nice.
Game 2 This is even more laugable, All game I only get Turbbish and Drifllons out I get 4 of the 5 I run. I never even see any of my 5 Cobalions. One turn the game laughs at me as I find myself with a 3 card hand including and Ultra Ball and a N so I can either get a Cobalion out with no hand or N for cards. I N and get nothing. In fact before she KO's my last two basics on one turn with a Darkria we have N'd eachother 4 times and I never got a Cobalion in play. I guess after 5 plus hours of playing they were all exhausted like I was. So my day is over and I am starving as I had no time to eat scince breakfast that was 12 hours ago. I find out the next day that she makes it into workds but she has a rough time and goes 2-4 and drops. I will never play in worlds but if I do I would never drop even if I went 0-8 it is worlds after all. Oh well she did play before as a senior so I suppose it was not a big deal for her to play in it again.
Ok this part is a bit interesting, and due to no fault at all of my opponent in round 5, she was seated next to me in Round 4 and her deck and her opponents were randomly deck checked. Of course this took around half an hour of them sitting there and of course they both watched me and my opponent play our game. Our first game was over quick and they did not get started until I was a turn or two away from winning game 2. So again no fault at all to my opponent but she get to see everything about my deck before we met and I did not know what was in her deck. Now even if she never saw my deck I don't think it would have made a differeance. Just bad luck that TOM would pair us the round after she watched me play a few games.
*** NOTE *** Today August 23 2013 around 10:30AM our son Donald Carl Anderson was born ***
This was my 6th LCQ and my 2nd in the Top Cut format. Two years ago when the format made its debut I made it to the 2nd round with my Magnezone, Bouffulont, Cincinnco deck. We did not go Hawaii last year as we were getting a new house and really did not have the desire to go a 3rd time to Hilton Waikoloa Village (it is beautiful and all but twice was enough for us)
This past season was odd for me. Usually I find a deck I like during Cities and play it the rest of the year. But this season I really came down with deck ADD and switched up quite a bit. I tried Rayquazza ells and Balstoise/Keldeo before settling down with Empoleon Builds. Winter Regional’s I went 5-3 with Empoleon/Landorus EX as Darkria was played pretty heavy and I always lost to it when I ran pure Empoleon.
Then when States came along I went pure anti-darkrai with a LandorusEX/TerrakionEX/Ninetails deck with Lasers. Played that deck with Success though states and spring regionals. But with Plasma Kureym out for Spring Battle Roads did not feel it would hold up well to Plasma.
Made a big misstep in Spring BR and thought Weaville would be big. Tried that the first two weeks before realizing that it was no good. Although it lost to most everything it was the Plasma matches that went particularly horrific so I figured I would try my hand at an anti-plasma deck. The main one in our area being played at the time was Cobalion EX, Landorus EX with Garbador. So I threw it together with Blends and went 4-3 loosing a Mirror I thought I was winning due to her Enhanced Hammers.
After the tourney was over I realized that I did not see any real synergy between the EX's except that they both had one energy attacks. I decided to drop Landorus and concentrate on getting rid of energies. So I added hammers, the NV Coballion for more attackers and because I always wanted to try it and I heard it had some success in Japan a 2-2 driffloon line.
My first tourney with it showed that my idea was going to work. I destroyed 2 plasma decks. Including one player that went 6-0 with plasma the week before and was 2-0 before I handed him his first loss ever in a tourney with his deck. Eventually I dropped 2 games one to darkaia and to a big basic deck.
I did not drop a game the rest of the way vs Plasma going 10-0 the 3 weeks I played it. In testing I went 20-3 vs the deck many games falling way behind at first only to roar back for the victory when they run short of energy. Other matches were not so easy. Darkria was a tough one and Balstoise was impossible if they had scraper. I ran a tech Plasma Garbador for Accelgor as it was my only hope to OHKO Goths. In BR's I went 1-1 went vs the deck so I was unsure of the matchup but I did not like it.
So after the big showing at Nats that Plasma had I decided to run my anti-deck in the LCQ. I felt my list was stronger then the one I ran in BR as I added an extra switch, added in Pokémon Communication and swapped in a Dowsing Machine for my Computer Search.
My only losses to Plasma came from when I would start badly with Trubbish and or Driffloon. Otherwise thing usually ran well for me. We show up and register. My fire is playing a Big Basic Laser deck and my Daughter is running plasma. Just like in San Diego there is a huge amount of down time while the organizers try to set up all of the byes so the field can whittle down to a top 8 (it would be much better if they got rid of so many byes and just stared playing and let in however many players are undefeated once the field is under 16 players left it would save so much time) We gather the 5 of our league mates with us and we hand out in a corner of the room until we finally get started.
R1 Vs a Washington players playing Plasma
I get the matchup I wanted but really 424 players and I get someone I go up against all the time. I am playing a fellow Poke dad who has made fantastic strides
in only his second year of playing I think he got over 200 championship points which is like 5 times my total. Plus both of his sons are playing in Worlds on in Jrs and the other in Srs, so the entire family had done b=very well in so short of a time.
R1
Game 1 We set up and this is the matchup I want but not the start I want I get a Cobalion EX and a Trubbish and I slow him down but have no supporters. Turn 3 I learn the hard way that he runs basic electric and that lets him set up. Game goes like 6 more turns of nothing for me before I get over whelmed and loose. I am not too worried because I know my deck can run like this at times. I just am counting on it not doing so in two out of 3 games.
Game 2. This time I am able to get set up. I get a quick Cobalion ex and with my hammers am able to slow down his start until he gets his basic energy out. By then it is too late for him and I build my Balloons and start OHKO'ing his EX's for one energy. The games drags on a bit he is able to take a few prizes with catchers and Lasers but in the end my Driffloons prove to be too much for him and I win comfortably.
Game 3 I get a horrible double Trubbish Start. I do eventually get set up but not before he KO's both of them and one with Lugia so he is up 3-0 in prizes before I even start to do anything. But my Cobalion EX's and my hammers start to wear down his advantage but just as it looks like I can start to sweep as I e both Driffloons in play and powered up time is called on his turn and no one has taken a prize since my second trubbish went down which feels like forever ago.
He is turn zero with no energy Electric Genie with damage on it up attaches to genie. Corless machines a plasma to benched Lugia and hits my Cobalion for 50 placing a 2nd energy on Lugia. I have a float on it so I retreat for the balloon and blow up his Genie for like 150 damage and my first two prizes. His turn and I hope he does not have a double colorless of it’s over. He brings up a Kureym with a float draws. Plays a Juniper and gets what he needs. Retreats brings up Lugia then catches up my damaged Cobalion EX and attaches his double colorless. I have no Garbadors in play so this is the game as he will draw 3 prizes. He of course realizes this too and all he has to do is attack and my day his done. After he attaches the double colorless he smiles and says and I will WINDFALL for. and he steppes, I say OK... You .. windfalled He immediately tries to take it back telling me that I know he meant to use Jet Blast attack to win the game. I agree that I know he meant to but that wasn’t what he said and at this level of event I can not let him take back his mistake. We call a judge over he hears what happens and rules that as my opponent declared a legal attack then he has to perform that attack, My opponent then appeals to the head judge who after hearing what occurred agrees with the first judge and on T2 with a fully powered up Tornadus EX has to shuffle his hand into his deck and Draw 6 cards. My turn three I draw retreat and OHKO the Tornadus with my Balloon for 250 damage and I get to move on by pure luck.
Round 2 vs Blastoise/Keldeo player from Mexico City
Game 1 I realize how fortunate I was to escape my first round, but my goal of making into the 3rd round is still possible. We settle down and begin our game I start Cobalion NV and a Trubbish My opponent flips over a Keldo EX and my hear sinks. I have tested this matchup many times and I can go toe to toe with them at first but once they get there scraper out its pretty much game over. But realizing that this is a bad matchup on we go, Lucky for me I am going first and I get the T2 Garbador lock down so I am able to Iron Break him before he can do any damage to me. He gets a T3 Balstoise out with help from Tropical Beach but he can attack so he beaches again. I hit him for the KO on T4 (did 40 Damage on T2) to Go up 2 prizes and I start to power up a Cobalion EX on the bench. He brings up Blastoise. Plays an Ultra Ball for a Keldeo and tries to Rush in. I to bench the Blastoise. I remind him that Powers are blocked. and attached energy to benched Keldeo and Beaches.
I am now able to set up a 2nd Garbador but I don't tool it as I fell the scraper can not be too far off and I just hope he can not access a ton of energy that turn. So I hit Blastoise with Iron breaker for 80. His turn he plays a Skyla, and I know the scraper is coming but he surprises me and grabs a Super Energy retriever. discards two cards from his hand and gets the only two water energy from his deck and attaches a 2nd energy to Keldeo. Wow I know think for the first time that I have a chance to win this game. Either it is prizes or he is not running any scraper at all. Either way after he beaches again. I catch up his Keldeo with to energy on it and Iron Break it, and now have a fully powered up Cobalion EX on my bench. His turn He attached a 3rd energy to Keldeo retreats it and brings up the damaged Blastoise and beaches. I KO the Blastoise and he is forced to bring back the Keldeo with one energy on it. He draws his card pauses and scoops So I win game one vs my worst matchup.
Game 2 I am feeling a lot more confident now and I hope I can get a Garbador lock before he gets a Blastoise again. Well he goes first but I do have everything in my hand to get the lock down. But I also have to start with a Driffblim instead of a Cobalion. Now my balloons are useless in the matchup but at least I am not starting with Trubbish. He starts Squirtle. His turn he Junipers gets a Keldeo and attaches water to it and ends his turn. I draw attach to Diffblim play float stone on trubbish and hit Squirtle for 10. He draws t2 plays a Skyla for a rare candy. Evolves to Blastoise, and here it comes I think. He rushes in and plays Super energy retrieval. But lucky for me he only has one energy in his discard pile from the Juniper and none in his hand so he places a 2nd Water energy and ends his turn. I know I dodged a built there and I heavy ball for the Garbador to lock powers. Evolve active to Drifblim and hope he does not run switch, so I skyla for a catcher and bring up Blastoise back up and proceed to hit the benched Keldeo for 40. For the next 4 turns I keep hitting the Keldeo on the bench with his Blastoise stuck active until he starts to power up his Blastoise. One turn I put down a Cobalion EX put an energy on it and he catches it up but I have the switch and continue the Driffblim sniping. The he catches it up again the following turn and puts a 3rd energy on Blastoise. I can’t switch so I place a 2nd energy on Cobalion EX and hit Blastoise for 30 taking him to 40 total damage. He attaches a 4th energy to Blastoise and hits me for 100. I get out Cobalion NV with an Eviolite. Then I fully bower up the active EX and KO the active
Blastoise to take the first prize thanks to the 10 damage that Diffloon did on T1 to squirtle. His bench is a fully powered up Keldeo with 160 damage and a squirtle and a Keldo EX and A Black Keurem EX all with no damage or energy. He brings up Keldeo and I am worried that he might catch up and kill my only Garbador in play because my other one is in my prizes so I might be in trouble. But instead he attaches an energy to benched Kedleo after bringing the powered one up and KOs my Cobalion for a 2-1 prize lead. I bring up Diffblim attach to benched Cobalion NV and KO the active. and am up 3-2 in prizes. He brings up the Keldeo and attaches 2nd energy to it and passes. I don't want to give him a prize next turn but I don't have a 2nd energy for Coabalion, but I do have a skyla so I my energy retrieval from my deck fetch two energy from discard pile. Retreat the Balloon for Cobalion attaché 2nd energy to it and hit him for 80. He draws attaches a 3rd energy and hits me for 90 thanks to eviolite. I attach a 3rd energy to active and Iron Break him for 80. He pauses and retreats for the Black Keurum EX places an energy on Benched Keurm taking it back to 2 energy and ends his turn. I catch up the Keldeo back active and Iron Break it again. He is forced to retreat again losing all of his energy. I then spend 3 turns KOing the Black Kureum while I start to build another Coablion EX on the bench. But I don't need it as he is unable to get a 3rd energy on Keldeo by the time I KO'd Black Keureum and I win the game and the match.
I ask him after the game if he had any Scrappers or Switches in his deck and he sadly shakes his head and says no. I was super a 2nd time that I was able to win a very hard match up thanks to that reason alone. And I made my goal of getting to the 3rd round of the Worlds Largest Top Cut.
Round 3 vs a Plasma player from Washington
So I go to Canada to play and out of over 250 players I get paired against a fellow Washington player 2 out of 3 games.
Game 1 We set up and I go first and get a Coablaion EX vs his Kureym. I hit it for 60 and for the next few turns each time he tries to set up I discard and or Hammer his energy off. It helped that he did not run any basic energy so I had an easier time setting up for the big KO's. I get the set up with the Garbador lock and he is down to hoping for heads on laser flips and I sweep the game fairly quickly.
Game 2 he knows about my difloons this game an although I again do start Cobalion Ex to Keurem he get the t1 30-30 hit and it is a more uphill battle. I do get a Balloon off T4 for a KO on the Kureym but it was damaged and he is able to get the KO back next turn. Game goes back and forth and I think I have it as I am able to get the pieces to build my second Driffloon but I make a huge misplay and I bench the Diffloon but the next turn I space and forget to evolve it to Diffblim. I remember right after I attack but its too late and I hope I ca nsurive a 2nd turn without him playing a Catcher. I did not as he gets one out this turn and that cost me a free KO. Late game it is 2-2 in prizes and I am attacking him with a fully powered up Cobalion NV but I have an energyless Cobalion EX on the bench with 90 damage in it. He catches it up and tries to build a Lugia on the bench. Attaches a double colorless to it and laszers me taking me to 120 with the stadium. I skyla for a catcher. retreat and then Dowsing maching for a Hammer and get rid of his double colorless and bring up a Undamaged Cobalion EX and remove the energy from his active Electric Genie. He now has no energy in play. I think I am going to win as both of our decks are down to less then 10 cards. But he draws and has the catcher lazer combo and brings up my !20 Damaged EX and takes it to 150. I have no way to get another switch and all my floats have been used. I cant retreat so poison KOs me at the end of my next turn and we are tied 1-1. Dang lazers you can still win games without attacking.
Game 3 and this will be to see who will move on. We begin to shuffle our decks when they call time. So now it will be a one prize game to see who can move on and also we have to flip instead of me getting to go first. This never happens to me when I win game 2 in a top cut. Oh well I set up my Starting pokemon it is a Cobalion EX and I hopeto bss oe able to sweep with that. We flip and he wins the toss and goes first. He flips over a Kurem and for the 3rd game in a row we have the same exact start. He draws his card, then he notices that he mistakingly placed out 6 prize cards. We call a judge over and he places 5 of them ontop of his deck and we continue the game. He Ultra Balls discarding a plasma and another card for a Thundurs EX attaches a color special to it. attaches a float to Keurem and retreats plays a Laser and I am not asleep. And hits me for 30 plus poison for 40 Damage. Thanks to poision and going 2nd no way my strategy of winning with a lone Cobalion will not work so I look at my hand for a backup plan. I have a Sklya and Diffblim a Catcher my Drowsing machine and some energy. I feel I have to try to get a ballon out as my only hope for victory so I attach to active and Skyla for a level ball and use that to get a Diffblim. And I hit the Genie for 30 e discarding the energy and I go to 50 damage with Poison. His turn two he draws attaches a colored energy to Kurem and passes as posion takes me to 60 damage. I am so glad the stadium is not out. My turn I draw evolve to Driffblim attach energy to it. Catch up the Keurem and hit it for 60 due to weakness and discard his colored special energy. I need one more turn to win unless I get N'd. His turn He plasma balls for a Lugia attaches a double colorless to it and has three cards left. One is his computer search. He discards his had and fetches a Juniper. If he hits 2 corless machines I am done for I cut his deck and he Junipers. He looks at his 7 cards and lays down a corless machine, gets a 3rd energy on Lugia and passes, retreats Keurem for the Genie and passes. Whew!! I dodged it there. I am at 70 damage. I draw. and have enough cards to attach energy to Coblaion to retreat, and have 3 cards in my hand left, play the Dowsing machine and discard my hand for the Catcher. re-Catch up the Keurem and hit it for 100 dmage for the game and match with Driffblim. And somehow I manage to make it to the 4th round and the top 64.
Round 4 vs Plasma player from Colorado
I am getting pretty tired right now except for about 20 min of down time after Round 2 I have basically been playing for 3 hours straight. And I don't have much time at all after round 3 before the pairings are up. My next opponent also says he his starting to feel mental strain from the long competition as we are setting up.
Game 1 I am happy at first to get another Plasma deck but my good feeling soon dissipates as I learn that unlike my last opponent, this one runs basic water. And my start is horrible. I do get a Cobalion EX out like T3 but I have no supporters at all and very little to work with twice he plays random receiver and I hope to see a N but he gets a Juniper each time. I ask him if he even plays N and he smiles and says maybe not. To make a long story short he rolls me 6-0 in 10 min. I never did get a single supporter to use.
Game 2 I am really hoping that I don't get another bad start. It was my first horrible start since my very first game and I do know my deck can do this from time to time. So we get started and I have a slow start. I do get an early N but my new hand is worse then the one I shuffled in. I do get a Cobalion EX active vs his Snorlax and I do get two special energy discarded before he catches up an energyless Cobalion NV and Max Potions. On my bench I have one Garbador with a float, a trubbish, my Cobalion EX and a Difflloon with a Diffblim in my hand and a few energy. With a Snorlax active so I can’t retreat for the EX even if I get another float so I start to attach energy. On my 2nd latter he has two energy on Snorlax and I attach a 2nd energy to Cobalion NV and hit him for 60. His turn he Junipers his hand and he gets a double colorless and a corless machine so now snorlax is Powered up with a full plasma bench behind it. Cobalion goes down. I bring up Garbador and hope for an energy or a supporter. I don't want evolve my Diffloon until I have the energy to attack because I don't want it catcher. I draw and fail to get anything. So I retreat and send up the Cobalion and hit him for 30 getting rid of his energy. His turn he is able to Corless for a bunch and gets another cordless machine and an energy and is back in Business. He was being honest about being tired as he tells me that he is hitting my Cobalion EX for 150 damage. I hate to have to correct him, but I remind him that Snorlax counts himself in the damage and with a full bench I am taking 180 damage and am KO'd. I thing this is the end but I bring up Garbador again and draw. Fail to get anything to help me. so I retreat for the trubbish and pass.
His turn he draws and KO's my trubbish for a 4-0 lead. Not looking good. I again send up Garbador and if I don't draw something my run at the Grinder is over. I flip over the card to myself and YES it is a metal energy. I evolve to Diffblim attach the energy. Have my opponent verify that he has 3 special energy discarded and he looks and verifies. I retreat and KO the snorlax and now my balloon is hitting for around 300 damage. He must not have seen that coming as he not have anything on his bench is set up to fight and I take the rest of the prizes in quick fashion as Driffblim sweeps.
Game 3 Now he knows my trick but this game I finally get a decent start. He starts trying to go agro Lugia, but he can’t take prizes before I get Garbador set up so he does not get the bonus when he KO's and Trubish and a Cobalion NV a few turns I start to fight back with Cobalion EX and I KO the Lugia. I try to build a Diffblim but Catches and KO's the Diffloon. with a Powered up Keurem. I able to KO this Keurum in two turns and get a Driffloon down. But he brings up another Kurem and KO's Cobalion and is up 5-1 Keurem. I get my driffbim in play and Juniper. I get super lucky and pull both of my Hammers clear his bench of energy and KO the active Kurem for and trail prizes 5-3. He has no energy in play and brings up Snorlax. Then he catches up my Garbador with float attached and passes. Here I prove that I am tired I am very sad that I have no way to switch out because I tell myself that I cant retreat because of the block ability on snorlax so I draw and pass. My opponent smiles draws and attaches a double coloress to snorlax. I draw no switch and pass. He draws attaches a Colored energy to benched Thudurus and passes. I draw now switch and pass. Wait I see my error. Oh I can retreat your ability if off he laughs as his gambit bout him valuable time. But as I did declare pass my turn is over. He draws attaches a 2nd colored energy to Thundurs and passes. I draw retreat KO the Snorlax. My hand is very small. but prizes are now 1-2 his lead. He bring up the Thundurus draws, attaches a double colorless to it and attacks putting 90 damage on my 100 HP Pokémon. then he says Discard your energy. I look at his active Pokémon and check the energy and there is not plasma attached. I tell him that he needs plasma for that effect to work. He remembers that and my energy stays. I draw, we check his discard pile and I am hitting for 400 and I win the game.
Whew dodged another bullet and now I am only 4 more wins away from making it into worlds..
Round 5 top 32 vs Absol/Darkria player from Washington. Again I play a player that I have known and played with for years. TOM must not like Washington players because it keeps pairing up together.
Game 1. As soon as she flips over Sableye and Absol I know I am in trouble. Usless ballons and Garbador is not big deal. I have beat Drkria before but I need to get quick Cobalion NV's and the Garbador lock to have a chance. Well I don't get it and she has 3 Powered up Absols via T4 and with a barrage of Lasers I am completely over run. I do take one prize fighting with Coalion NV and EX but that is all. I don't even see a Darkria until he has taken 4 prizes. Absol swarms are not nice.
Game 2 This is even more laugable, All game I only get Turbbish and Drifllons out I get 4 of the 5 I run. I never even see any of my 5 Cobalions. One turn the game laughs at me as I find myself with a 3 card hand including and Ultra Ball and a N so I can either get a Cobalion out with no hand or N for cards. I N and get nothing. In fact before she KO's my last two basics on one turn with a Darkria we have N'd eachother 4 times and I never got a Cobalion in play. I guess after 5 plus hours of playing they were all exhausted like I was. So my day is over and I am starving as I had no time to eat scince breakfast that was 12 hours ago. I find out the next day that she makes it into workds but she has a rough time and goes 2-4 and drops. I will never play in worlds but if I do I would never drop even if I went 0-8 it is worlds after all. Oh well she did play before as a senior so I suppose it was not a big deal for her to play in it again.
Ok this part is a bit interesting, and due to no fault at all of my opponent in round 5, she was seated next to me in Round 4 and her deck and her opponents were randomly deck checked. Of course this took around half an hour of them sitting there and of course they both watched me and my opponent play our game. Our first game was over quick and they did not get started until I was a turn or two away from winning game 2. So again no fault at all to my opponent but she get to see everything about my deck before we met and I did not know what was in her deck. Now even if she never saw my deck I don't think it would have made a differeance. Just bad luck that TOM would pair us the round after she watched me play a few games.
*** NOTE *** Today August 23 2013 around 10:30AM our son Donald Carl Anderson was born ***
Last edited: