Free-Knight
New Member
Hey guys, Andrew Rodrigue here. Im sorry this is so late but I guess better late then never right? Just so you know I had no idea what deck to play for this tournament. So the week prior I borrowed my friend Alex's list for durant. Made some changes and decided to play that.
*Warning* Huge block of text coming up
The Tournament
Round 1-James Good- CMT
It was the first match of the day and I was feeling really nervous. When I got to the table I struck up a conversation with James and he told me he usually played online because of his work schedule and what not. So I set up my deck and get a Durant start with a collector and energy and a gear and crushing hammer. He goes first and starts with a Shaymin; he attaches his energy and passes his turn. I draw an energy, collector for three Durant’s, use crushing hammer but it fails, and I start the mill. On his turn he uses juniper to discard five grass energy. A few turns later he scooped.
Thanks for the match James. 1-0 As I was walking around and talking to my buddies I found out that everyone had won their first game!
Round 2-Trevor Whiton- CMT
So after winning my first match I was feeling pretty good about my deck but unfortunately I would be playing someone from my own gym. We set up our decks and I roll a heads, I go first. I start Durant and collector for 2 more plus a rotom, after using rotom’s power I mill for three. On Trevor’s turn he gets out a regigigas with a celibi active and uses forest breath and ends his turn. My turn I draw my Durant and crushing hammer the energy off his gigas, I then catcher his gigas and devour again. He switches then catchers and we draw and pass for a while. After junipering and getting nothing Trevor decided to scoop.
I’m sorry your deck wasn’t working for you today man. Better luck next time, thanks for the match 2-0
I met up with Alex after this match and found out that he was 1-1 running almost the same Durant list as I was. When I left for my next match I wished him luck.
Round 3-Zack Skorka- CMT
Oh how I hated this match. I was playing against one of my good buddies from league and it was going to be tough. We set up our decks and I have the perfect hand; Durant, collector, special metal, eviolite, poke gear 3.0, lost remover, metal energy. I start a single Durant.
He goes first. Celebi active, he forest breathes and attaches a DCE and a grass energy, plays switch. GG
Dude, it was amazing that you donked for the first time in a major tournament. Thanks for the game man! (You robbed me of my 8-0!! Haha)
2-1
Round 4- Blank Blank the III- Weird mew variant This match up there isn’t much to tell. He only ran special energy and he was forced to start with a Mewtwo EX. I lost removed a ton of energy and just milled for the game.
GG man. I know your looking forward to the new heatmor!
3-1Alex is 1-2 and decides to drop
Round 5- Eric-Allen- Terrakion
Now this has to be one of the coolest wins I have ever done with Durant. I had an average start so is start the mill. He was playing super conservatively by only having 1 Terrakion on the field and he was able to get a catcher KO every turn after turn 3. I realize I won’t be able to mill him so I grab Cobalion from my deck and attach energy while he has 3 prizes left to take. Two turns later I have a fully powered Cobalion up front and I use N he drew 1 card. Next turn I iron breaker over and over while he scrambled to get more Terrakions on the field.
This was one awesome match man. I was super nervous and on my toes the whole time. I guess you were just distracted by the Durants and did not see the Cobalion/N coming.
4-1Round 6-I apologize I cannot remember your name- Zek`Eels
This match was fairly standard I just milled in till he decked out. I’m pretty sure this guy got into top 8 also though. Congratulations on that. (Honestly I don’t remember this match at all and rather than just make up some bull I just decided to make this paragraph short.)
5-1
Round 7- Graham- Zek’Eels
This match was intense because if I lost I knew I probably was not going to top cut. We both started rather strong except he put down a Mewtwo EX along with his starter Thunderus. That misplay was the one and only reason I won this match. I was able to catcher that mewtwo over and over to stall for a turn or that I needed to win.
Great game man. It sucked that you played that Mewtwo because you lost at California because you did not play the Mewtwo down in that exact same scenario.
6-1
Round 8-Jaron Deacon- CMT
Jaron goes to the same league as I do. He knew I was playing Durant and he resented me for it because… Well he hates Durant. I did not get an optimal start and jaron got a decent one. Oh and just so you know how lucky Jaron was he had junk armed his hand to 0 and I milled a Pont, switch, and J arm into the discard. He top decked a PONT. Haha I gave him a giant high five for that epic-ness. By the time he had 3 prizes I had milled little less than half his deck. But then I nailed a crushing hammer and removed his energy and I used catcher on a verizion and used N then I milled for two. On my next turn I used twins and got my Durant’s going again.
I had a ton of fun playing you and hope you hold no hard feelings about losing to Durant. Glad you made top cut.
7-1
Top Cut: I’m not going to lie. This was the hardest and craziest group of matches I have ever played. Now, I am writing this article 11:53 pm the night of the tournament. So I hope I get everything right.
Round1-Recco-Zek’Eels
Before our match started the judges explained to us the rules. Two out of three and if time is called during the second match and 4 prizes have not been taken the match is null, whoever won the first match would move on. So the first game I’m pretty sure he gets fully set up and wipes the floor with me. Not much else to say except that he did a good job of keeping energies on his eelektriks to stop me from catchering them. So I scooped before wasting a lot more time.
During the second match I thought he was shuffling slowly. So I tried to play fast and I mean really fast! I had 1 Durant prized this game and I did not get it till the end but by the time I did get it, it did not matter. He was not able to set up and I won that match.
When the third match started we had ten minutes left in the round. I was a nervous wreck. I fly through my set up nailing all four Durant’s turn one. About 6 turns later he has taken 3 prizes and has about 9 cards left in his deck time is called... I’m turn zero so I mill for 4 cards and on his turn he knocks out my only Durant with energy. There are four cards left in his deck. I have the revive and needed to top deck the energy. Luckily I did and was able to revive and devour for game but man was it close.
Thank you so much for the game. I learned a lot and honestly the match could’ve gone either way.
Round-2-Luke L.-Tyram
So this is it. This is how it all ends, in a ball of fiery flames. When I saw him flip over his lone cyndiquil I was very surprised. I did not believe that a fire deck had made it all the way to top cut let alone top 8. However, there is an exception to every rule and apparently this guy was it. He played very well and conserved his resources. He only attacked me with Typhlosion. Lost game 1 by a turn, won game 2 by a turn, lost game 3 because when I used twins I didn’t have a junk arm or revive… He won by 1 card. Not much to say unfortunately….
Ill send the list to whoever wants it.
Props/Slops
Props:
Going 7-1 in swiss and making it to top 8 at my second tournament
Meeting Alex and James both are great people!
Playing Jaron in the last round
Slops:
Losing by that much…
Besides that I had an awesome day and tournament
*Warning* Huge block of text coming up
The Tournament
Round 1-James Good- CMT
It was the first match of the day and I was feeling really nervous. When I got to the table I struck up a conversation with James and he told me he usually played online because of his work schedule and what not. So I set up my deck and get a Durant start with a collector and energy and a gear and crushing hammer. He goes first and starts with a Shaymin; he attaches his energy and passes his turn. I draw an energy, collector for three Durant’s, use crushing hammer but it fails, and I start the mill. On his turn he uses juniper to discard five grass energy. A few turns later he scooped.
Thanks for the match James. 1-0 As I was walking around and talking to my buddies I found out that everyone had won their first game!
Round 2-Trevor Whiton- CMT
So after winning my first match I was feeling pretty good about my deck but unfortunately I would be playing someone from my own gym. We set up our decks and I roll a heads, I go first. I start Durant and collector for 2 more plus a rotom, after using rotom’s power I mill for three. On Trevor’s turn he gets out a regigigas with a celibi active and uses forest breath and ends his turn. My turn I draw my Durant and crushing hammer the energy off his gigas, I then catcher his gigas and devour again. He switches then catchers and we draw and pass for a while. After junipering and getting nothing Trevor decided to scoop.
I’m sorry your deck wasn’t working for you today man. Better luck next time, thanks for the match 2-0
I met up with Alex after this match and found out that he was 1-1 running almost the same Durant list as I was. When I left for my next match I wished him luck.
Round 3-Zack Skorka- CMT
Oh how I hated this match. I was playing against one of my good buddies from league and it was going to be tough. We set up our decks and I have the perfect hand; Durant, collector, special metal, eviolite, poke gear 3.0, lost remover, metal energy. I start a single Durant.
He goes first. Celebi active, he forest breathes and attaches a DCE and a grass energy, plays switch. GG
Dude, it was amazing that you donked for the first time in a major tournament. Thanks for the game man! (You robbed me of my 8-0!! Haha)
2-1
Round 4- Blank Blank the III- Weird mew variant This match up there isn’t much to tell. He only ran special energy and he was forced to start with a Mewtwo EX. I lost removed a ton of energy and just milled for the game.
GG man. I know your looking forward to the new heatmor!
3-1Alex is 1-2 and decides to drop
Round 5- Eric-Allen- Terrakion
Now this has to be one of the coolest wins I have ever done with Durant. I had an average start so is start the mill. He was playing super conservatively by only having 1 Terrakion on the field and he was able to get a catcher KO every turn after turn 3. I realize I won’t be able to mill him so I grab Cobalion from my deck and attach energy while he has 3 prizes left to take. Two turns later I have a fully powered Cobalion up front and I use N he drew 1 card. Next turn I iron breaker over and over while he scrambled to get more Terrakions on the field.
This was one awesome match man. I was super nervous and on my toes the whole time. I guess you were just distracted by the Durants and did not see the Cobalion/N coming.
4-1Round 6-I apologize I cannot remember your name- Zek`Eels
This match was fairly standard I just milled in till he decked out. I’m pretty sure this guy got into top 8 also though. Congratulations on that. (Honestly I don’t remember this match at all and rather than just make up some bull I just decided to make this paragraph short.)
5-1
Round 7- Graham- Zek’Eels
This match was intense because if I lost I knew I probably was not going to top cut. We both started rather strong except he put down a Mewtwo EX along with his starter Thunderus. That misplay was the one and only reason I won this match. I was able to catcher that mewtwo over and over to stall for a turn or that I needed to win.
Great game man. It sucked that you played that Mewtwo because you lost at California because you did not play the Mewtwo down in that exact same scenario.
6-1
Round 8-Jaron Deacon- CMT
Jaron goes to the same league as I do. He knew I was playing Durant and he resented me for it because… Well he hates Durant. I did not get an optimal start and jaron got a decent one. Oh and just so you know how lucky Jaron was he had junk armed his hand to 0 and I milled a Pont, switch, and J arm into the discard. He top decked a PONT. Haha I gave him a giant high five for that epic-ness. By the time he had 3 prizes I had milled little less than half his deck. But then I nailed a crushing hammer and removed his energy and I used catcher on a verizion and used N then I milled for two. On my next turn I used twins and got my Durant’s going again.
I had a ton of fun playing you and hope you hold no hard feelings about losing to Durant. Glad you made top cut.
7-1
Top Cut: I’m not going to lie. This was the hardest and craziest group of matches I have ever played. Now, I am writing this article 11:53 pm the night of the tournament. So I hope I get everything right.
Round1-Recco-Zek’Eels
Before our match started the judges explained to us the rules. Two out of three and if time is called during the second match and 4 prizes have not been taken the match is null, whoever won the first match would move on. So the first game I’m pretty sure he gets fully set up and wipes the floor with me. Not much else to say except that he did a good job of keeping energies on his eelektriks to stop me from catchering them. So I scooped before wasting a lot more time.
During the second match I thought he was shuffling slowly. So I tried to play fast and I mean really fast! I had 1 Durant prized this game and I did not get it till the end but by the time I did get it, it did not matter. He was not able to set up and I won that match.
When the third match started we had ten minutes left in the round. I was a nervous wreck. I fly through my set up nailing all four Durant’s turn one. About 6 turns later he has taken 3 prizes and has about 9 cards left in his deck time is called... I’m turn zero so I mill for 4 cards and on his turn he knocks out my only Durant with energy. There are four cards left in his deck. I have the revive and needed to top deck the energy. Luckily I did and was able to revive and devour for game but man was it close.
Thank you so much for the game. I learned a lot and honestly the match could’ve gone either way.
Round-2-Luke L.-Tyram
So this is it. This is how it all ends, in a ball of fiery flames. When I saw him flip over his lone cyndiquil I was very surprised. I did not believe that a fire deck had made it all the way to top cut let alone top 8. However, there is an exception to every rule and apparently this guy was it. He played very well and conserved his resources. He only attacked me with Typhlosion. Lost game 1 by a turn, won game 2 by a turn, lost game 3 because when I used twins I didn’t have a junk arm or revive… He won by 1 card. Not much to say unfortunately….
Ill send the list to whoever wants it.
Props/Slops
Props:
Going 7-1 in swiss and making it to top 8 at my second tournament
Meeting Alex and James both are great people!
Playing Jaron in the last round
Slops:
Losing by that much…
Besides that I had an awesome day and tournament
