Due to my extremely busy schedule, I hadn't been able to do much testing previous to States. About a week before States, I'm talking to people about the format and someone tells me about a good deck idea: Manectric/Abomasnow. Since I already had most of the cards and didn't want to dish out $100+ for Galactic's stuff, I buy Manectrics online and play a few games before heading down to Kentucky.
Louisville, KY
50 in Masters
6 Rounds, t8 cut
R1 vs Gigas
I start a bit slow, not seeing an evolution for the first five turns or so. Fortunately her Dialga G lv X and Gigas lv X are prized, allowing me time to get set up. I end up spreading a bunch with a Manectric and take three prizes in one turn, restricting the amount of times she could use Sacrifice. I end up KOing her Gigas with a Mewtwo, bringing me down to one prize and crippling her field. I take the last prize by sniping a Uxie with a Manectric.
1-0
R2 vs Machamp
He gets a god start, starting with a t1 Machamp, Uxie, and double Pokedrawer. I slow the tempo down by sending up Aboma after Aboma, spreading plenty of damage. I take 4 prizes on one turn, knocking out a Machamp and Claydol. After that he didn't have much and I was able to take the last couple prizes easily.
2-0
R3 vs Dusknoir
I start fairly slow, and he gets a t2 Dusknoir. Shadow Command just rips through my deck since I don't play Unown G.
2-1
R4 vs Galactics
She gets an early Honchkrow and plays a bunch of Crobats and Poketurns. However none of the Galactics have very high HP, so I just spread through a few times and win.
3-1
R5 vs Kingdra
We both have horrible starts, him not being able to get Supporters and me not being able to get Energy. I'm able to finally get set up, while he has some of the worst draws I have ever seen.
4-1
R6 vs Kingdra
I start with a Spiritomb, while he gets a t1 Kingdra. Three prizes down is just too much to overcome vs Kingdra.
4-2
I end up getting 12th due to average resistance.
The next week is finals week at OSU, leaving me with little time to test. I go with the same deck, with a couple changes.
Bellville, OH
85 in Masters
7 rounds, t16 cut
R1 vs Raichu/Manectric
I get a t2 Aboma, spreading around a lot. He doesn't get much set up, and I win with just 10 damage on my field.
1-0
R2 vs Dusknoir
She goes aggro Mewtwo on me, taking three quick prizes. I spread around a bit, eventually able to take five prizes in two turns.
2-0
R3 vs Kingdra
He doesn't get much, starting with a lone Dialga G. I get an early Aboma, and win both Wagers, leaving him unable to setup.
3-0
R4 vs Fulop w/Dialga/Palkia
He is able to kill my Snover t1, not leaving me with much of anything. I get a Mewtwo lv X to put a good chunk in his Dialga G lv X, but there's not much I can do in that matchup.
3-1
R5 vs Gengar
He starts with Baltoy and I get a t2 Aboma. I kill his early Claydol with Below Zero, and he doesn't get a consistent setup.
4-1
R6 vs Gengar
He takes two quick prizes while I setup and start to spread. I keep my hand low on trainers, and since I have a G'd Claydol, he's able to do very little damage. He doesn't play Claydol, so once I get rid of his Gengar he's reduced to his draws.
5-1
R7 vs Drew Holton w/Dialga/Palkia
I start fairly well, but he sends a couple heavily damaged Pokemon to the lost zone w/Palkia G lv X. He tanks a Dialga G lv X and I'm not able to do much of anything.
5-2
I go in as the highest seeded 5-2
t16 vs Joe Paul w/Kingdra
G1 I start fairly well, and he starts poorly. He concedes about 25 minutes in. 1-0
G2 He gets a t1 Kingdra, and I'm left scrambling to get Abomas up to slow the onslaught. Eventually I get Cresselia lv X up and able to get exact damage on a couple KOs towards the end of the game. I wish I remembered more about this game since it was probably the closest game I've had all year. 2-0
t8 vs Drew Holton w/Palkia/Dialga
G1 He's stuck with nothing but an Unown G until t3, but I can't kill it before he draws into something else. He gets a tanked Dialga and I scoop about 20 minutes in. 0-1
G2 It's a lot closer game, but a tanked Dialga is just too much to take out with a Palkia waiting. 0-2
Louisville, KY
50 in Masters
6 Rounds, t8 cut
R1 vs Gigas
I start a bit slow, not seeing an evolution for the first five turns or so. Fortunately her Dialga G lv X and Gigas lv X are prized, allowing me time to get set up. I end up spreading a bunch with a Manectric and take three prizes in one turn, restricting the amount of times she could use Sacrifice. I end up KOing her Gigas with a Mewtwo, bringing me down to one prize and crippling her field. I take the last prize by sniping a Uxie with a Manectric.
1-0
R2 vs Machamp
He gets a god start, starting with a t1 Machamp, Uxie, and double Pokedrawer. I slow the tempo down by sending up Aboma after Aboma, spreading plenty of damage. I take 4 prizes on one turn, knocking out a Machamp and Claydol. After that he didn't have much and I was able to take the last couple prizes easily.
2-0
R3 vs Dusknoir
I start fairly slow, and he gets a t2 Dusknoir. Shadow Command just rips through my deck since I don't play Unown G.
2-1
R4 vs Galactics
She gets an early Honchkrow and plays a bunch of Crobats and Poketurns. However none of the Galactics have very high HP, so I just spread through a few times and win.
3-1
R5 vs Kingdra
We both have horrible starts, him not being able to get Supporters and me not being able to get Energy. I'm able to finally get set up, while he has some of the worst draws I have ever seen.
4-1
R6 vs Kingdra
I start with a Spiritomb, while he gets a t1 Kingdra. Three prizes down is just too much to overcome vs Kingdra.
4-2
I end up getting 12th due to average resistance.
The next week is finals week at OSU, leaving me with little time to test. I go with the same deck, with a couple changes.
Bellville, OH
85 in Masters
7 rounds, t16 cut
R1 vs Raichu/Manectric
I get a t2 Aboma, spreading around a lot. He doesn't get much set up, and I win with just 10 damage on my field.
1-0
R2 vs Dusknoir
She goes aggro Mewtwo on me, taking three quick prizes. I spread around a bit, eventually able to take five prizes in two turns.
2-0
R3 vs Kingdra
He doesn't get much, starting with a lone Dialga G. I get an early Aboma, and win both Wagers, leaving him unable to setup.
3-0
R4 vs Fulop w/Dialga/Palkia
He is able to kill my Snover t1, not leaving me with much of anything. I get a Mewtwo lv X to put a good chunk in his Dialga G lv X, but there's not much I can do in that matchup.
3-1
R5 vs Gengar
He starts with Baltoy and I get a t2 Aboma. I kill his early Claydol with Below Zero, and he doesn't get a consistent setup.
4-1
R6 vs Gengar
He takes two quick prizes while I setup and start to spread. I keep my hand low on trainers, and since I have a G'd Claydol, he's able to do very little damage. He doesn't play Claydol, so once I get rid of his Gengar he's reduced to his draws.
5-1
R7 vs Drew Holton w/Dialga/Palkia
I start fairly well, but he sends a couple heavily damaged Pokemon to the lost zone w/Palkia G lv X. He tanks a Dialga G lv X and I'm not able to do much of anything.
5-2
I go in as the highest seeded 5-2
t16 vs Joe Paul w/Kingdra
G1 I start fairly well, and he starts poorly. He concedes about 25 minutes in. 1-0
G2 He gets a t1 Kingdra, and I'm left scrambling to get Abomas up to slow the onslaught. Eventually I get Cresselia lv X up and able to get exact damage on a couple KOs towards the end of the game. I wish I remembered more about this game since it was probably the closest game I've had all year. 2-0
t8 vs Drew Holton w/Palkia/Dialga
G1 He's stuck with nothing but an Unown G until t3, but I can't kill it before he draws into something else. He gets a tanked Dialga and I scoop about 20 minutes in. 0-1
G2 It's a lot closer game, but a tanked Dialga is just too much to take out with a Palkia waiting. 0-2