Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Karpy's 4th Place Mid-Atlantic Report

The King Of Magikarps

The King Of Magikarps

Active Member
Okay so the day started out by waking up at 6:30 AM EST and getting ready to head out to the tourney. I left after watching the new episode of Pokémon to go pickup a friend. While waiting I decided to buy a donut. When we got there nothing much was happening since we were early. I got my deck-checked right at the beginning. For this tourny I played Gyardos w/ Lux X. I can't really remember many names since I have been through so much.

Round 1 Vs Dialaga G (I won) 1-0
Started with lone Luxray and I went first. My draw was a call energy and was able to get a Karp and Sableye. Snowpoint Temple plus Belt and Metal gave me some trouble but with my heads from SSU and being able to knock out his stadium with BTS I was able to win.

Round 2 Vs Plakia G (Eventually finished 2nd)(I lost) 1-1
This was one of my more fun games even though I lost. We exchanged prizes back and forth, but I didn't draw a single SSU and because of that I was unable to recover my damaged Garys or others. Great Game.

<><><Lunch><><>
I play a game of flux while waiting. I also go to my car to get some soda that I brought from home. Coke-Cola FTW.

Round 3 Vs Slaking & Dialaga G (I won) 2-1
My opponent was someone who goes to the same league and we know each other well. I out speed him and take everything down quickly.

Round 4 Vs LuxChomp (Kevin F.)(I lost) 2-2
I had a horrible start with Bat G and Azelf and nothing to get basics out of my deck until it was too late. It was horrible due to a Very Early Spray'd Time Walk. I always seem to play Kevin F. Even so I always enjoy playing you.

Round 5 Vs BlazeRayChomp (I won) 3-2
I again start with Lux. I play a karp and I Uxie Set-Up for one. That one card is a Call and continues my amazing top-decking day. I hit all of my SSU and toward the end of the game I top-deck my Belt to OH his Chomp C X. He practically scoops.

Round 6 Vs Cursegar (Josh)(I won) 4-2
My second league game. He starts off by OH my Karp with a belted Gastly. I hit all my SSU except for one or two. I'm able to work around his Tombs and Mimes with Regice to gain the lead. By the time the second Mime hits the field I have enough energy cards on my Gyardos to attack the Mime.

Round 7 Vs LuxChomp (Nate)(I won) 5-2
I get off to a great start and I'm able to OH his Chomp C on my second turn. After that Chomp C never came back and I was able to replenish my Gyardos when it got KO'd and SSU when I felt it was being set up for a next run kill. He eventually scoops.

<><><Top 16 Cut><><>
Top 16 Match Vs Jumpluff (Spencer)(I won 2-0)
Game 1
Game 1 was the closet of the two games. My constant Bright look of his Claydols slow him down somewhat and SSU keep my Gyardoses alive. This game came down to whether he could draw a warp point to get something on my bench and he was unable to.

Game 2
I play it safe and avoid playing my Belts to avoid dropping two prizes. Whenever I was Leaf Guarded I simply played a warp point or a cyclone to remove the effect and knock something out.

><><While Waiting><><
Stephen Silvestro (Sorry if I got the last name wrong :redface:) was there and I get my POP 4 Pidgey and RR Beedrill Signed.

<><>< 15min. BREAK TIME><><>
I go down to Domino's and ask how long it would take for Cheesy Bread. They said it would take 15 to 25 minutes. So after leaving Domino's as I was not going to wait that long for bread with cheese I go to the Café and order a cup of soup. For microwave soup it was pretty good. Crackers topped it off.

<><><Top 8><><>
Top 8 Match Vs LuxManectric (I won 2-0)
Game 1
Although I had to fight my weakness I was able to overcome it as SSU again help me out and the fact that Lucario GL wasn't in the deck being OH was few and far between. I was able to easily win.

Game 2
Not much happened and it went the same as Game 1.

<><><Top 4><><>
Top 4 Match Vs Palkia G (I lost 0-2)
Game 1
I could not get set up. Even though I lost I again have amazing Coin Flips.

Game 2
Same as game 1. Couldn't get set up to deal with the spread. The most amazing thing happens that gets everyone wowing. I poketurn my bat and go to bite but sprayed. I then SSU and Flip heads that lands right on the edge of the table. Everyone is a buzz with my mad luck. Great games Kevin and I had alot of fun playing against you. Hope to see again at Nats (though since you got 2nd I assume you will be :wink:)

I got 4th and I receive my very first trophy!! :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin: I'm overjoyed to have come from being a bottom ranked player two and half years ago to a player who can compete among the best. I leave around Midnight EST and I get home around 12:28 AM EST. After I get home I eat some Chinese Food that my Mom ordered for me earlier. I had Beef with Broccoli. After Eating I start opening my Box of cards. While opening my packs I watch Bleach on [Adult Swim]. In the end I ended up pulling all of the Greats, complete sets of both Legends, and a RH Shiny Gyardos.

Props:
All of the staff and judges.
PUI for giving out Garchomp Cs as promos.
The Dice.
Getting my first Trophy.


Cons:
Just barely missing Top 2.
The room being hot at times then cold during Cut.
Not getting any SSU during my second game in Swiss.
 
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Serious Pokemon said:
I think its pretty funny that a player who is as bad as yourself luck sacked his way to the top 4 with rigged coin flips and ridiculous top decks.
Click to expand...

Really???!!!?? Is this the best you can come up with? Pretty lame. Stop being a hater and give props to a good deck. He played well and took home glass. What did YOU do???

Keith
 
took home glass? Keith, he STOLE glass.

and what did I do? I sat there and watched some bad kid from VA knock out some friends do to lucky top decks and rigged coin flipping
 
^And as the HJ for the event, I say the coin flips were legit. Get over it! He flipped from an appropriate height, using a legal Pokemon coin, flipping at least 3X in the air before landing. In top cuts, he hit about 50% of all his flips. I saw no weighted difference. A coin is supposed to even out at about 50%. Any coin can and will hit 4 heads in a row. I've seen unrigged die hit 17 heads in a row.

Keith
 
Serious Pokemon, Im' not sure how close you were watching his match against Nance in top 4, but there were tails flipped lol. I was right next to the game and could see all the flips. I did hear, like you said, that he was getting very lucky card draws and coin flips but thats the game of pokemon for you
 
Stochasticity. Random events are just that: random. When I played Charizard at NC States, I actually flipped a lot of heads, I won't lie, but I did not (and never have) used a weighted/rigged coin. Flipping 3 out of 4 or 4 out of 4 heads can and will happen. Not only that, I've played practice games with things like Speed Stadium where I flipped 20+ heads in a row. Sure, it's extremely rare, but it happens.

If Keith was there to make sure things were legit, then I don't see a problem. And if he wasn't and someone had a problem, you can call the judge over. But to accuse someone of getting to the top 4 with just good flips and topdecking is extremely rude. :nonono:
 
Congratulations, Steven, on your performance in the cut. I smiled when I read your description of how it felt to realize that you were capable of competing at such a high level. I wish you continued success in the current year and in the years to come.

On to less pleasant business. I was Steven's opponent in the first round of Top 16. If memory serves, he flipped exactly 50% against me on SSUs. Even if he had hit all heads, I know Steven personally and don't believe that he would "steal glass."

I've heard it said before that he flips an inordinate amount of heads. This may be because his lifetime average is indeed significantly higher than 50-50. It may be a reaction to 1) his preference for coins rather than dice and 2) his delight in hot streaks. He lists his record with flips as a 'Prop' in this very tournament report, so he's not exactly sneaking around on the matter. "But," his detractors will say, clever as they are, "that just means he's cheating AND bragging about it right under your nose!" I would respond, "If you're that intent on refusing to accept the legitimacy of your own losses or the losses of your friends, there's nothing else to say other than, 'His randomizer was legal.'"

After taking my loss, I got my things together and headed downstairs. A player I like and respect expressed his incredulity at my loss. I was exhausted, so I simply shrugged and wished him luck. Now I wish I had corrected him; I was outplayed last night. Congrats again, Steven.
 
Also, Serious Pokemon, If you even knew a little bit about Stephen then you would know that he wouldn't even think about rigging a coin or using coins merely because he thinks they flip heads more. He is more enthusiastic about this game and the fairness of the game (he is a judge) than almost anyone I know. Being upset about lucky coin flips is one thing and something I have even been upset about, but to accuse a player of cheating is something completely different
 
I've met Steven several times at Citys and PRs and states for that matter. I believe I've seen him at several anime conventions and just feel he is a good guy. I would say for someone who takes such a high stand on things such as piracy of anything illegal in the realm of music/anime/video games rigging coin flips does not seem like something he would do. To talk brass tacks of the whole thing you do get some games where things seem incredibly one sided. I can say against both Jumpluffs I lost to I felt I got horrible luck hitting no Cyrus's Conspiracy, but I'm not going to complain.

Whats the old saying "Improbable yes, impossible no." While it is improbable he could get so many coin flips, its not impossible. While i'm a Virginian and take offense to the lucky Virginians top decking, its not going to get to me. I'm sure for any game you play a top deck has cost someone something big. Fair? No. Fact of life? Yeah.

While I'm not happy I did not Top 8, the event was a learning experience and I can say the same for people I went with. These people I went with had rankings between 50 and 72, yet they all had a blast. Take a lesson from them and stop being bitter. I teach 2nd grade and constantly have to remind them, as we play a lot of games in my class, if you always win what point is in there in playing?

Congratulations Steven and hope to see you at a BR or PR in the future.
 
I play Speed Stadium on purpose! ;-)

Why, you may ask? I said you may ask, so ask! BECAUSE... it gets you out of lock (Mesprit, Gardy, etc), and if you use it with Chatot and opponent hits 10, then you are IN THE MONEY, BAY-BEE!

Anyway, I've hit 13 in a row. Against Kevin Nance at NC States, I hit 8 in a row. Kevin groaned a little, but then he brightened when he hit 6 on his next turn. Love this game!
 
KingGengar said:
I play Speed Stadium on purpose! ;-)

Why, you may ask? I said you may ask, so ask! BECAUSE... it gets you out of lock (Mesprit, Gardy, etc), and if you use it with Chatot and opponent hits 10, then you are IN THE MONEY, BAY-BEE!

Anyway, I've hit 13 in a row. Against Kevin Nance at NC States, I hit 8 in a row. Kevin groaned a little, but then he brightened when he hit 6 on his next turn. Love this game!
Click to expand...

You. Me. Finals of the Fort Mill Spring BRs last year. Remember that Speed Stadium?!
 
Yes, Zak. I often refer to that match as "flamethrower in the greenhouse."

Speed Stadium was for me to get out of there as quickly as possible! LOL
 
Nope, Jeff wanted you guys to have a nifty souvenir. They were offered to PTOs from a vendor but had to be purchased. So, the dice prop is totally Gatr's!! The Chomps, of course, were provided.
 
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