Masters 1st place UK Nationals Report.

[amphyrules]

Masters 1st place UK Nationals Report.

I can’t make this report as detailed as I usually do because I’m swamped with work, but don’t let the quantity of it fool you, no amount of words can describe how much this Nationals and its participants meant to me.

This season started off with me not wanting to play at all. I was tired of Pokémon, tired of all its drama, and wanted to work hard at college. Inevitably, I come back and find it’s going to be a hard year, with power blocking cards, swarming basics and turn one knock outs. I played mainly post December, forming a pretty solid friendship with Tom Hall along the way. We benefitted dramatically from partnering up, as he had most of the cards I needed and I had access to the best lists. Anyway, the lead up to Nationals was pretty quiet, except of course for the return of a great friend. Clive (Avmozz) had been away for a while due to personal reasons, but his return was comfortably the highlight of my Pokémon year.

So, a week before Nationals, Tom comes down to chill. It’s annoying at first because he insists decks like Garchomp/Blissey are good, but we retire the deck after I beat him a bunch. We start testing legitimate matchups, and decide Kingdra beats most of the UK metagame, but struggles with Dialga based Galactic decks. The day’s pass and my girlfriend makes us delicious meals, and looks after us the whole time. Yacine hadn’t played the whole year, but took an instant liking to Kingdra and decided he would play it regardless of its matchups.

We play NBA09 on PS3, and just chill until Friday. I have college, and a really long stressful day of exam preparation. When I finish my ten-hour school day, I get home and find everyone ready to leave for the hotel. I didn’t live too far from the tournament, but wanted the security of being a walk away. Also, it meant getting to see Clive earlier and a few cool Manchurian players I’d talked to online. Mozz brought me some really great stuff for the next day, and Scarlett couldn’t stop talking about how generous he was. I opted not to use the rare sleeves he gave me as I shuffle like a madman and probably would have ruined them. I can’t fall asleep until around 3, but just talk to Tom about how i’m sure there will be a lot of anti-dialga/Gengar/Machamp the next day.
We wake up early and get to the event courtesy of a lift from Clive. When I get there, I look to find Freddy and wish him good luck for the tournament. There had been bad blood between (alliteration) us, and I wanted to at least be civil. I hand in my decklist after deliberating between Eric/Fulops DialgaPalkia and my Kingdra. A lot of people have Pm’d me for the list, but I figured its fairer (easier) if I just post it here. Good luck to you all that have remaining DP-PT tournaments.

I go with:

4 Kingdra
3 Seadra
4 Horsea
3 Claydol
3 Baltoy
2 Crobat g
1 Skuntank g
2 Unown G
2 Uxie
4 Broken Time Space
4 Rare Candy
4 Bebe’s Search
4 Roseanne’s Research
4 Super Scoop Up
2 Luxury Ball
2 Cynthia’s Feelings
3 Warp point
1 Night Maintenance
8 Water energy

Really consistent list.

Gonna rush this bit. I’m tired and in no way mean disrespect to any of my opponents, but I have exams that need revising for! All of my opponents were really polite and played really well.

R1 – Scizor/Cherrim (W)
R2 – Porygon Z (W)
R3 – Dialga/Palkia (W)
R4 – Machamp (W)
R5 – Toxicroak/Skuntank/Weavile/Honch (W)
R6 – Kingdra/Dusknoir (W)
R7 – Gardevoir/Gallade/Weavile (L)

In round 7, I ask my friend if he wants me to concede to him, but he says he wants to legitimately beat me. 4-5 Dragon pumps later, with not much left on his side of the field, I repeat the question. He says yes please, and I do so to guarantee him entry to the cut.

T8 – ‘Dante’ Kingdra
Really chill guy. Played two really quick games, in which he never really got going. Had a laugh and a joke, and was just one of the many banter filled games I played this day.

T4 – ‘Yacine Sekkoum’ Kingdra (W)
I win game one because I go second and can poison structure his Kingdra’s. He wins game two by turn 2’ing my Baltoy. And I win game 3 because I have the choice to play second. Good games.

T2 – Gengar/Cress (W)
I don’t think many people wanted me to win this game. I heard people talking about wanting Andy to win, and my opening hand seemed to agree with them. I look at a trainer-less Unown G hand and am going first I topdeck a Baltoy, retreat and attach it. He T1 Gengar Calls. I have to luxury ball for a claydol as I’m cautious about dropping Uxie’s. Long story short, its looking bad as he takes 3 prizes before I get a Kingdra. I set up two Kingdra and an Unown G’d Skuntank/Claydol. I Cosmic and Dragon pump my trainers so he can only put 3 on Kingdra. I work my way back into the game and super scoop Kingdra’s when they come close to dying. Whenever he plays lookers, I opt to draw 1-2 and there’s not much he can do vs poison structure + pump/stream. Small issue in this game is dealt with quickly, and Andy scoops the game. Game two he doesn’t get anything, and flips over a bunch of horrible prizes. Great games pal.
☺

Too many props to list, no slops

Thank you all for making it a great day.

Sami Sekkoum

[Kalskini]

Good job mate see you at worlds(it's pokekid)
I LOL'd when I saw our lists were exactly the same, no joke.

[Jason]

Good job on your win, Sami. :D

[Dragon100]

Kingdra FTW!!!!!!!

[Rogue Master Mime]

Congratulations for winning the National Championship of the fifth most important country in the world. Although your deck was not very rogue at all, you are forgiven.

[ukpokemonpro]

Very good Job indeed a really excellent win and done with style too.. I especially like the way you handled the final - well done and I will have to stop using last years second place picture now ;)

[The Machampion]

Originally Posted by Rogue Master Mime

Congratulations for winning the National Championship of the fifth most important country in the world. Although your deck was not very rogue at all, you are forgiven.

In the valient defence of the country i was bruoght up in,fifth most importat country in the world after the USA, im sure. Dont forget that we discovered and colonised America, they just happened buy Alaska off of Russia in the 1880's for $1 million, only years later would they strike oil. And another thing, who's asking for forgivness Mime. I doubt in this country rogue will ever win, or at least not for a long time. Congratulations Sami, truly you are the best player that Europe has to offer.

Luke

[nnaann]

Congratulations - and good luck at Worlds. That list looks similar ( same? ) to what Yacine was playing, it is a really good list.

[Magic_Umbreon]

Awesome work Sami, and good luck in your exams.

[Tego]

Congratulations!

Your report was a good read too. What a season you had!

[Edderz]

Well done Sami on a great tourney. IMHO the people who thought that Andy stood a chance against you were just hoping for something silly to happen with your prizes, a bit like what happened to Tom in T8. You are the best that the UK has - now go for it at Worlds.

[Avmozz]

Originally Posted by Edderz

IMHO the people who thought that Andy stood a chance against you were just hoping for something silly to happen with your prizes

And about 13 years old

Good Job Sami - Now remember what I said about your exams!!! Yacine has promised to grass you up to me! Go and focus on them for the next few weeks or the nice words you said about me in your report will need to be deleted.

Give the little man a hug from me!

Mozz

[ape101]

Sami FTW. Good job bro.

[Deoxys Cool Form]

Great Job, Good luck at Worlds.

[TheLegendKiller]

lol, Sami in my eyes u went undefeated again at Nats...... Well Done and what can I say 4 of the Top 8 cut, were built by the Champ.......

Oh yeah I hope your revising LAW>>>

[Fireborn]

Congrats on your win and good luck at Worlds this year!

Looks like an amazing, solid Kingdra list, too, especially like the Skuntank idea :)

[venomex]

Have to say again- was a pleasure to watch this final - for the level of both gameplay and gamesmanship seen! Well done Sammi!

[afirule]

Sami, what can I say? Great final- after the gameplay you showed all day, it would have been a travesty to meet anyone there but you.
You played superbly all day- now for goodness sake, bring home the title in August!!!

[ice_brakerz]

well done sami... thanks for giving me a great season too.... all the best in the future :)

[TheDarkTwins]

GJ Sami. It is absolutely incredible how well you do every year. I am very impressed. I will see you at worlds.

Drew

[Ruiner]

Gratz Sami :) :) :) the 24726743 time UK Champion.

The UK ranks as 2nd best Pokemon playing country by basis of Sami living there alone :D

THANKS FOR NO CREDIT ON THE KINGDRA BTW *HATES YOU*

[Treecko]

Congrats on your win ;)
hope to see you at worlds again

Arco

[Jaedon]

Sami you're a star and a real character of the game... I genuinely hope this is your year at Worlds.
Go get 'em and bring that title home to the UK!!!

Jaedon

[Nickelnitz]

gratz sami :) best of luck for worlds u n Tom gotta REP-RE-ZENT! lol

[amphyrules]

Thank you all so much.