For years the boys and I have made the trip to Georgia from Florida to compete in what has come to be known as the Georgia Marathon. The Marathon started small but as word got out about the event it started to draw some of the best players in the country on a quest for rating points. Local PTOs Gary and Greg work together to schedule an incredible series which our family looks forward to each year. This year Grafton and I decided to start our Marathon in Macon which was the 2nd of the 8 tournaments on the 27th. The attendance grows as the tournaments get closer to Atlanta and we wanted to play in a couple of the smaller ones to see what was being played before the big ones got going. As in the past couple of years the attendance keeps climbing and there were really no small tournaments this year. Also, when looking around the room it was amazing to see the quality of players represented. Multiple Worlds and Nats winners and finalists. The best players want to play the best and they made the trip this year. Ness, Big Chuck, Pooka, Bianchi, Sablehouse brothers....just to name a few.
We were not all that prepared this year for the tournaments and I did not have a deck that I enjoyed playing all that much but I had been playing a Yanmega/Magnezone deck with some success down in Florida and wanted to make it work. I was not happy with the Dos match up so I decided to pair Yanmega with Night Spin Dusnoir one day and then tried TTar grind with it but ran into bad match ups and some bad luck over the first few days and ended up dropping early the first three days. Carson came in from Ft. Bragg to meet up with us and played a couple of days. The night before Roswell we stayed up until 4 in the morning talking about the metagame to that point. I was determined to keep playing Yanmega as it was a beast against Gengar and was so much fun to play. I looked hard for a Stage 1 partner and considered Donphan Prime and Raichu along with the given Scizor. Those that know me know I go Rogue so going with Scizor was just not an option. I finally decided to go back to my first option of Magnezone but added an ERL. Carson was leaving to go back to his new wife and baby the next day but right before he left and we had to head to the tournament we took one last look at the deck. We took out the BTS and beefed up the Spritomb and ERL lines to make it more consistent and I really felt good about the list. I was off to Roswell with 80+ Masters with a deck that I had no test games with. Here is what transpired.
Game 1
Jose Marrero Gengar Plume
Jose is from my league back home and he went to lunch with Grafton and I. He was the only person in the field that knew what I was playing and we get paired first round. I get a great start with him and had total control of the game. Late game with no options he comes out and Sleep Poisons me with a Haunter because he has no other option. I proceed to flip 5 straight tails on sleep and do not find a Warp or Warp Energy. Just needed one turn to win but that is how the Poke gods work sometimes.
0-1
Game 2
Scott Wallace
For the life of me I cannot remember this match up. I think I had an easy win but I still had round 1 on my mind. Maybe Scott can chime in some here.
1-1
Game 3
Samantha Bittinger GDos
I got a great start here and kept Judging and Let Loosing her Impersonated Karps back into the deck as I set up and took prizes. She was barely ever able to get set up and ended up only taking one prize.
2-1
Game 4
Glenn Gibson Machamp/Donphan
Another game where I was in control with Judges. He fought heavy Champ and I was able to take them out with Maggy and Yanmega swarm. He was able to take a few prize cards but I had too good of a start and won easily. This one could have been tougher and I was glad to get past this one as easy as I did.
3-1
Game 5
Jason K (Ness) Two Time World Champ Gengar
This is what I look forward to the most and why I travel to the Marathon. Just the opportunity to play someone like Jason in a tournament makes the trip worthwhile. Last year we got paired up the first game of the first tournament we played and I got one lone Poke and it was never a game. This year I told him I just wanted a good game with him if nothing else. I open my hand and it is Yanma, Warp Point, Seeker and four energy cards. My heart sunk and I thought for sure it would be over quick. I went first and attached to Yanma and passed. He used a Collector and had everything he needed and used Grace to get set up. I topped a Yanmega and attached a Rainbow but also had the same hand size. He had left his Q on the bench and I sniped it for a prize which ended up being something I could use. By the next turn I was set up and it was game on to my surprize. I took my normal aggressive approach to this match up hitting Gengars with Yanmegas as fast as possible and took control of the game. He flipped 1-2 heads on Poltergeist and stayed in the game but was running out of options. There is nothing more scary then thinking you have a player of his caliber on the ropes and knowing that one mistake will cost you the game. He worked hard to manage his hand but I constantly was able to match with Judges and Copycats and Let Loose. At one point he was forced to come out with his Mewtwo and absorb energy but I was able to kill that with ERL. I was finally able to finish him off. Jason is a great player and a great ambassador for our game. Thanks for a great game Jason and look forward to seeing you at Nats and hopefully Florida states.
4-1
Game 6
James Hart Exeggutor Usaring
I had heard that there was an Exeggutor deck doing well running around somewhere and was hoping not to run into it. I lost the flip and had to go first without a Tomb start. He got all set up and did his magic and got his hand to zero and then exchanged with me. I top deck Luxury Ball!!!!!!!!!! Uxie for 7 and I am all set up and feeling good about things. We were both getting our field set up and the best thing I had going was that I had not missed any energy drops. I went to Grace my Magnemite and both my Magnetons were prized. Now what was going to be an easy game turned tough. I had to fight with Yanmegas while getting one shot each time. I took out two of them finally but was having a hard time keeping the swarm going. I got him down to his last one but I was 10 damage away from killing him so I took a chance and hit heads on a Magnemite to paralyze him. If I kill him then I should be able to take the rest of the prizes but he gets the warp point and takes the last prize. One Magneton and I one shot both of the Usarings. Good game and nice deck. He made top cuts.
4-2
Game 7
Zachary Mirman Gengar
I knew what to do in this match up now and started hitting his Gengars on the bench as they set up so that I could finish them off when they came active. Game was going smoothly and my field was just what I needed for the match up. I thought at one point when he used a Collector that he was going to put an Uxie down and I would finish with ERL but to my surprise he got a Blaziken FB and lured up my Giratina in hopes of sniping around it. I had just played a Seeker and he had to pick up his Plume so I was able to use a Warp Point and then get Tina off the bench and continue the kills.
5-2
I finished 6th to make Tops. Last year I was either 9th or 10th in about 5 of the events and did not make a top cut. With this many players and the quality of players I was very excited to finally make a cut. I was not sure who I was playing but a few said I was playing Shuppet Donk which worried me. I was going to be paired with Nathan Byers but they could not find him. Funny thing was that he circled drop and went to eat. He wandered back in right before cuts to find out that he was still in the tournament as the drop was overlooked with everything else going on. Top cut decks besides me were Shuppet Donk, SableDonk, Exxegutor/Usaring, two Gengars, LuxChomp and Dialg Chomp which made for an interesting top cut.
Top 8
Nathan with Donk
Game 1
For the first time all day I open with two Tombs and two more Pokes. He scoops.
Game 2
For the second time all day I open with two Tombs and two more Pokes. He scoops.
Just sick luck there.
6-2
Top 4
Dylan Bryan Gengar/Plume
I met Dylan at last year's Marathon and we talked some at Nats and Worlds. One of the smartest players I have met and I always enjoy talking the game with him. He used Curse Gar last year to dominate the early tournaments before a few players including Carson teched for it so I knew he could play Gengar as well as anyone out there. I don't really remember the details of the games but the Yanmega swarm is just too much for the Gengars to keep up with. I believe he flipped 1 out of 2 Feinting Spells in each game and I ended up winning both games. I wish I could remember more but it was a couple of days ago and I am old. Dylan was very gracious in defeat and I am sure he is working out a tech for that matchup on his way home....LOL.
7-2
Ryan Sablehouse was on his way to winning his top 4 match as well so I knew that I would be playing Dialga Chomp in the finals. Ryan and his brother Kyle used to live in Florida and were part of our league. I always kid that they are my adopted sons because we would chaperone them to Worlds when they got their invites. They even crashed in our room a couple of nights before instead of sleeping in the car on a 20 degree night. I never laugh harder than when Ryan is around and I think Grafton's stomach still hurts for laughing so hard that night too. Hated to play a good friend but looked forward to playing the match up and his skill level. The store closed on us so I suggested that we meet the next morning at the tourney site for the final match which Ryan agreed to as well.
Top 2
Game 1
I thought this match up would be easy with ERL but he went right through me in Game 1. I felt like I did a couple of years ago when Bianchi rolled me in the first game of Florida states final but while we were shuffling I kept thinking that I could pull it out with a better start and a slight change of strategy.
Game 2
I got a Tomb start and chose to go first to get an extra energy on the field. This game was about as fast as the first one but with me winning and we were off to game 3.
Game 3
I don't think either of us had a distinct advantage in this one at first but around turn 4 I got a major break. He brought up Dialga and leveled it up and then used Aarons to get an energy and exhanged it for a DCE which he attached to Dialga. I had two energy on Magnezone and Tomb active without a Q and a full bench. He thought long and hard on whether to retreat but then felt comfortable to stay active one more turn. I dropped the Warp Energy and sent the three energy to the Lost Zone to kill the Dialga and he had no more Aarons to use now. This opened the door for Yanmega swarm. I had him set up to finish off with ERL and he spent about 6 turns staying alive but he really did not have anyway to pull it out and I finally put him away and secured my first Marathon win.
My goal is to always top with a Rogue so to win was just icing on the cake. I feel that this deck could see some more play though in the future.
Props
Gary, Greg and Tymon putting together such a great series of events that everyone should experience at least once in their Pokemon life!!
All the staff working such long hours
Seeing old Marathon friends.
Carson getting to visit with us and putting him touch on the Judge
Grafton being a great person to travel with
Slops
John and Steve not making it up this year
Having to beat Ryan in finals
Having to miss New Year's Eve with my wonderful wife Dlynn but it was necessary!!
We were not all that prepared this year for the tournaments and I did not have a deck that I enjoyed playing all that much but I had been playing a Yanmega/Magnezone deck with some success down in Florida and wanted to make it work. I was not happy with the Dos match up so I decided to pair Yanmega with Night Spin Dusnoir one day and then tried TTar grind with it but ran into bad match ups and some bad luck over the first few days and ended up dropping early the first three days. Carson came in from Ft. Bragg to meet up with us and played a couple of days. The night before Roswell we stayed up until 4 in the morning talking about the metagame to that point. I was determined to keep playing Yanmega as it was a beast against Gengar and was so much fun to play. I looked hard for a Stage 1 partner and considered Donphan Prime and Raichu along with the given Scizor. Those that know me know I go Rogue so going with Scizor was just not an option. I finally decided to go back to my first option of Magnezone but added an ERL. Carson was leaving to go back to his new wife and baby the next day but right before he left and we had to head to the tournament we took one last look at the deck. We took out the BTS and beefed up the Spritomb and ERL lines to make it more consistent and I really felt good about the list. I was off to Roswell with 80+ Masters with a deck that I had no test games with. Here is what transpired.
Game 1
Jose Marrero Gengar Plume
Jose is from my league back home and he went to lunch with Grafton and I. He was the only person in the field that knew what I was playing and we get paired first round. I get a great start with him and had total control of the game. Late game with no options he comes out and Sleep Poisons me with a Haunter because he has no other option. I proceed to flip 5 straight tails on sleep and do not find a Warp or Warp Energy. Just needed one turn to win but that is how the Poke gods work sometimes.
0-1
Game 2
Scott Wallace
For the life of me I cannot remember this match up. I think I had an easy win but I still had round 1 on my mind. Maybe Scott can chime in some here.
1-1
Game 3
Samantha Bittinger GDos
I got a great start here and kept Judging and Let Loosing her Impersonated Karps back into the deck as I set up and took prizes. She was barely ever able to get set up and ended up only taking one prize.
2-1
Game 4
Glenn Gibson Machamp/Donphan
Another game where I was in control with Judges. He fought heavy Champ and I was able to take them out with Maggy and Yanmega swarm. He was able to take a few prize cards but I had too good of a start and won easily. This one could have been tougher and I was glad to get past this one as easy as I did.
3-1
Game 5
Jason K (Ness) Two Time World Champ Gengar
This is what I look forward to the most and why I travel to the Marathon. Just the opportunity to play someone like Jason in a tournament makes the trip worthwhile. Last year we got paired up the first game of the first tournament we played and I got one lone Poke and it was never a game. This year I told him I just wanted a good game with him if nothing else. I open my hand and it is Yanma, Warp Point, Seeker and four energy cards. My heart sunk and I thought for sure it would be over quick. I went first and attached to Yanma and passed. He used a Collector and had everything he needed and used Grace to get set up. I topped a Yanmega and attached a Rainbow but also had the same hand size. He had left his Q on the bench and I sniped it for a prize which ended up being something I could use. By the next turn I was set up and it was game on to my surprize. I took my normal aggressive approach to this match up hitting Gengars with Yanmegas as fast as possible and took control of the game. He flipped 1-2 heads on Poltergeist and stayed in the game but was running out of options. There is nothing more scary then thinking you have a player of his caliber on the ropes and knowing that one mistake will cost you the game. He worked hard to manage his hand but I constantly was able to match with Judges and Copycats and Let Loose. At one point he was forced to come out with his Mewtwo and absorb energy but I was able to kill that with ERL. I was finally able to finish him off. Jason is a great player and a great ambassador for our game. Thanks for a great game Jason and look forward to seeing you at Nats and hopefully Florida states.
4-1
Game 6
James Hart Exeggutor Usaring
I had heard that there was an Exeggutor deck doing well running around somewhere and was hoping not to run into it. I lost the flip and had to go first without a Tomb start. He got all set up and did his magic and got his hand to zero and then exchanged with me. I top deck Luxury Ball!!!!!!!!!! Uxie for 7 and I am all set up and feeling good about things. We were both getting our field set up and the best thing I had going was that I had not missed any energy drops. I went to Grace my Magnemite and both my Magnetons were prized. Now what was going to be an easy game turned tough. I had to fight with Yanmegas while getting one shot each time. I took out two of them finally but was having a hard time keeping the swarm going. I got him down to his last one but I was 10 damage away from killing him so I took a chance and hit heads on a Magnemite to paralyze him. If I kill him then I should be able to take the rest of the prizes but he gets the warp point and takes the last prize. One Magneton and I one shot both of the Usarings. Good game and nice deck. He made top cuts.
4-2
Game 7
Zachary Mirman Gengar
I knew what to do in this match up now and started hitting his Gengars on the bench as they set up so that I could finish them off when they came active. Game was going smoothly and my field was just what I needed for the match up. I thought at one point when he used a Collector that he was going to put an Uxie down and I would finish with ERL but to my surprise he got a Blaziken FB and lured up my Giratina in hopes of sniping around it. I had just played a Seeker and he had to pick up his Plume so I was able to use a Warp Point and then get Tina off the bench and continue the kills.
5-2
I finished 6th to make Tops. Last year I was either 9th or 10th in about 5 of the events and did not make a top cut. With this many players and the quality of players I was very excited to finally make a cut. I was not sure who I was playing but a few said I was playing Shuppet Donk which worried me. I was going to be paired with Nathan Byers but they could not find him. Funny thing was that he circled drop and went to eat. He wandered back in right before cuts to find out that he was still in the tournament as the drop was overlooked with everything else going on. Top cut decks besides me were Shuppet Donk, SableDonk, Exxegutor/Usaring, two Gengars, LuxChomp and Dialg Chomp which made for an interesting top cut.
Top 8
Nathan with Donk
Game 1
For the first time all day I open with two Tombs and two more Pokes. He scoops.
Game 2
For the second time all day I open with two Tombs and two more Pokes. He scoops.
Just sick luck there.
6-2
Top 4
Dylan Bryan Gengar/Plume
I met Dylan at last year's Marathon and we talked some at Nats and Worlds. One of the smartest players I have met and I always enjoy talking the game with him. He used Curse Gar last year to dominate the early tournaments before a few players including Carson teched for it so I knew he could play Gengar as well as anyone out there. I don't really remember the details of the games but the Yanmega swarm is just too much for the Gengars to keep up with. I believe he flipped 1 out of 2 Feinting Spells in each game and I ended up winning both games. I wish I could remember more but it was a couple of days ago and I am old. Dylan was very gracious in defeat and I am sure he is working out a tech for that matchup on his way home....LOL.
7-2
Ryan Sablehouse was on his way to winning his top 4 match as well so I knew that I would be playing Dialga Chomp in the finals. Ryan and his brother Kyle used to live in Florida and were part of our league. I always kid that they are my adopted sons because we would chaperone them to Worlds when they got their invites. They even crashed in our room a couple of nights before instead of sleeping in the car on a 20 degree night. I never laugh harder than when Ryan is around and I think Grafton's stomach still hurts for laughing so hard that night too. Hated to play a good friend but looked forward to playing the match up and his skill level. The store closed on us so I suggested that we meet the next morning at the tourney site for the final match which Ryan agreed to as well.
Top 2
Game 1
I thought this match up would be easy with ERL but he went right through me in Game 1. I felt like I did a couple of years ago when Bianchi rolled me in the first game of Florida states final but while we were shuffling I kept thinking that I could pull it out with a better start and a slight change of strategy.
Game 2
I got a Tomb start and chose to go first to get an extra energy on the field. This game was about as fast as the first one but with me winning and we were off to game 3.
Game 3
I don't think either of us had a distinct advantage in this one at first but around turn 4 I got a major break. He brought up Dialga and leveled it up and then used Aarons to get an energy and exhanged it for a DCE which he attached to Dialga. I had two energy on Magnezone and Tomb active without a Q and a full bench. He thought long and hard on whether to retreat but then felt comfortable to stay active one more turn. I dropped the Warp Energy and sent the three energy to the Lost Zone to kill the Dialga and he had no more Aarons to use now. This opened the door for Yanmega swarm. I had him set up to finish off with ERL and he spent about 6 turns staying alive but he really did not have anyway to pull it out and I finally put him away and secured my first Marathon win.
My goal is to always top with a Rogue so to win was just icing on the cake. I feel that this deck could see some more play though in the future.
Props
Gary, Greg and Tymon putting together such a great series of events that everyone should experience at least once in their Pokemon life!!
All the staff working such long hours
Seeing old Marathon friends.
Carson getting to visit with us and putting him touch on the Judge
Grafton being a great person to travel with
Slops
John and Steve not making it up this year
Having to beat Ryan in finals
Having to miss New Year's Eve with my wonderful wife Dlynn but it was necessary!!
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