So… It’s my fourth nationals and my last year in seniors so I am desperate to do well this year as I’m going to San Diego anyway. Throughout the year I’ve played Kingdra non-stop from Autumn Battle Roads to Nats and I feel like I know it inside out so it feels like the obvious choice. I’m Running Rare Candy, BTS and SSUs with a 4-3-4 Kingdra line, 3-3 Claydol, 3 Uxie and a Pachirisu Tech. 13 Water Energies.
So anyway, during the week I’m really busy. I have my GCSE French Listening on Wednesday and plenty of homework, typically. My first chance to sort out my deck is Friday Night at about 7 pm and at the time I couldn’t decide between Skuntank, Mesprit, Zangoose and Pachirisu (which with Ian E’s help I eventually chose the next morning.) I have a nearly sleepless night waking up at midnight for half an hour and eventually I get up at 5.30 get dressed, have some breakfast etc. and me and my mum off on the M25. We’re some of the first to arrive and we listen to Capital FM for 20 minutes
. get deck checked etc… talk with Ian E, Nigel, Andy and Brian for a while until the first round begins. .
Round 1- Emma O with Shaymin and Beautifly
Unfortunately, this isn’t much of a game. She opens with a lone Wurmple and I open with a Horsea. She attaches and Bites for 10. I draw, attach and energy and Roseanne’s for 2 Uxie. Play them both and I draw into what I need for the donk.
1-0
Round 2-? with Octillery
Yet again an early donk. I go first this time and its Horsea (active) and Baltoy vs. Remoraid. So I pass to him, as I’m energy less. He sharpshoots for 10 on the Baltoy. I draw an energy and attach to my Horsea and Bebe’s a Uxie. I play BTS and luxury ball for a seadra. I uxie and draw a Kingdra and Dragon Pump.
2-0
Round 3- Alex N with Magnezone
I’ve played Alex several times in my various visits to Exeter but I had never played a Magnezone deck before and had no Idea quite how powerful it was. After the opening turns I realised quite how long Magnezone turns took so I knew that I had to stay ahead on prizes. Unfortunately I get a horrible slow set-up of 3-4 turns until I’m ready to start Dragon Pumping. Mag Lv.X paralyse 80 attack is a killer but I managed to get around 2 with SSUs (the third one landing on tails). Time is called during his turn and its 2-3 prizes in my favour. He scoops as I have a full healthy Kingdra on the bench and all his pokemon KO-able with Aqua Stream. GG
3-0
Round 4- Robert S with DP
I’ve played Robert at league a couple of times and know he is a good upcoming player. We both set up comfortably. After Turn 5-6 I’ve burned through my hand with dragon pump as he has been power spraying my Claydol. He has to break the lock though as he draws no more and I capitalise setting up a second Claydol and Kingdra. I pound down and eventually take all 6 prizes. He’s definitely a big contender in upcoming years. GG
4-0
At this point the only 4-0s are me, Nick F and Adam H so we don’t know who will be paired down. When the pairings are posted I have been paired down.
Round 5- Richard O in Team Phoenix with Kingdra.
Both of us have an awful start. We take ages to set up but my early Pachirisu meant his Kingdra was KO able from 1 Dragon Pump. His list also ran only 5-8 water energies meaning no big Aqua Streams giving me IMHO a slight advantage. We exchange prizes and it’s very even but my 1 heads on SSU takes me into the lead and means I burn through my Kingdras slower. Annoyingly, 2 of my SSUs are prized with 4 prizes left. A heads on either would have won me the game by far but oh well. I draw both the other prizes first!!! But eventually, I KO his final Kingdra and draw my SSU. Had I got tails on the SSU, It would have been battle of the Uxies but I flipped heads. He scoops after the heads. GG
5-0
Now, Nick and I are the only 5-0 so there’s not a lot of doubt regarding who I’m playing.
Round 6- Nicholas F with DP
I don’t remember a lot about this game except with all his Power Sprays and Psychic Binds I’m soon completely locked and stuck. I play to the end and It’s such a short game we have a friendly, which we take less seriously and chat whilst playing. GG
5-1
So in the T8 pairings, I’m paired against Fares S
T8- Fares S with T-Tar
I’ve never played Fares but I know he’s a good player T4ing last year. Also, I’ve never played T-Tar so I’m not sure what to expect.
G1: He wipes the floor with me here scooping after my best attempts to come back but his Blissey tech and evil Double Pokehealer + are too much for me.
G2: I know more about T-Tar now and have ideas with how to play it. I use powers sparingly and hit a couple of heads on SSU this game. There is an Issue when I announce Dragon pump without energy and the judges check and I have to use aqua stream instead scuppering my big aqua stream hit. I was easily winning on prizes in this game and for some bizarre reason I forget I only have to take four prizes not 6 to warrant a third game. Time is called and we go into sudden death.
G3: I open with an initially great hand. Energy, Horsea, Baltoy Uxie and Roseanne’s and some other cards. Fares goes first and opens with 2 larvitars. And passes to me. I cycle through about 20 cards in my deck, all 3 Uxies, and no way of finding the donk. I had seadra and Kingdra but no BTS or Rare Candy. I’m forced to pass it to him having reverse thrusted. He dead draws again and does 10 damage. I draw and energy and retreat uxie then Luxury Ball for a Claydol and cosmic power to draw Roseanne’s. I search out 2 water energies and evolve Horsea into Seadra and Aqua Pump FTW. Great Game.
6-1
I’m now in the Top 4 and have a Trophy and invite in the bag. I’m paired up against Nicholas again so we play.
Top 4- Nicholas F with DP
G1: I nearly won the game early on by KOing his Baltoy and Nearly his Bronzong but just before I could have KO’d him, he top decks call energy and gets the ball rolling. But he discovers that the remaining 3 poketurns are prized but as he time walks he knows where they all are. Yet again his Power Sprays and Psychic Binds cripple me and despite the early lead I am defeated.
G2: This time he gets off to a roaring start and there was nothing I could do to recover as he just poketurned everything whilst I flip tails on SSU.
Great Game.
6-2
Anyway, I end up 4th and I’m happy with my trophy and box of RR and invite. Hope to see everyone at worlds. A big Congratulations no Nick and Samuel.
Props:
Nick for winning overall- good to know that I was beaten by the best
Ian E and Nick (again) for all the games we’ve had over the past year at league.
Andy and Ian doing so well.
Only 5 Bench slots
Awesome Trophy
BTS + SSU
Norway Winning Eurovision as I quite like the song.
Box of RR- Pulling Mow Rotom and lots of Munchlax!!!
Slops:
I was very tired and I had cramp all night
Maths homework I had to do on Sunday
So anyway, during the week I’m really busy. I have my GCSE French Listening on Wednesday and plenty of homework, typically. My first chance to sort out my deck is Friday Night at about 7 pm and at the time I couldn’t decide between Skuntank, Mesprit, Zangoose and Pachirisu (which with Ian E’s help I eventually chose the next morning.) I have a nearly sleepless night waking up at midnight for half an hour and eventually I get up at 5.30 get dressed, have some breakfast etc. and me and my mum off on the M25. We’re some of the first to arrive and we listen to Capital FM for 20 minutes
. get deck checked etc… talk with Ian E, Nigel, Andy and Brian for a while until the first round begins. .Round 1- Emma O with Shaymin and Beautifly
Unfortunately, this isn’t much of a game. She opens with a lone Wurmple and I open with a Horsea. She attaches and Bites for 10. I draw, attach and energy and Roseanne’s for 2 Uxie. Play them both and I draw into what I need for the donk.
1-0
Round 2-? with Octillery
Yet again an early donk. I go first this time and its Horsea (active) and Baltoy vs. Remoraid. So I pass to him, as I’m energy less. He sharpshoots for 10 on the Baltoy. I draw an energy and attach to my Horsea and Bebe’s a Uxie. I play BTS and luxury ball for a seadra. I uxie and draw a Kingdra and Dragon Pump.
2-0
Round 3- Alex N with Magnezone
I’ve played Alex several times in my various visits to Exeter but I had never played a Magnezone deck before and had no Idea quite how powerful it was. After the opening turns I realised quite how long Magnezone turns took so I knew that I had to stay ahead on prizes. Unfortunately I get a horrible slow set-up of 3-4 turns until I’m ready to start Dragon Pumping. Mag Lv.X paralyse 80 attack is a killer but I managed to get around 2 with SSUs (the third one landing on tails). Time is called during his turn and its 2-3 prizes in my favour. He scoops as I have a full healthy Kingdra on the bench and all his pokemon KO-able with Aqua Stream. GG
3-0
Round 4- Robert S with DP
I’ve played Robert at league a couple of times and know he is a good upcoming player. We both set up comfortably. After Turn 5-6 I’ve burned through my hand with dragon pump as he has been power spraying my Claydol. He has to break the lock though as he draws no more and I capitalise setting up a second Claydol and Kingdra. I pound down and eventually take all 6 prizes. He’s definitely a big contender in upcoming years. GG
4-0
At this point the only 4-0s are me, Nick F and Adam H so we don’t know who will be paired down. When the pairings are posted I have been paired down.
Round 5- Richard O in Team Phoenix with Kingdra.
Both of us have an awful start. We take ages to set up but my early Pachirisu meant his Kingdra was KO able from 1 Dragon Pump. His list also ran only 5-8 water energies meaning no big Aqua Streams giving me IMHO a slight advantage. We exchange prizes and it’s very even but my 1 heads on SSU takes me into the lead and means I burn through my Kingdras slower. Annoyingly, 2 of my SSUs are prized with 4 prizes left. A heads on either would have won me the game by far but oh well. I draw both the other prizes first!!! But eventually, I KO his final Kingdra and draw my SSU. Had I got tails on the SSU, It would have been battle of the Uxies but I flipped heads. He scoops after the heads. GG
5-0
Now, Nick and I are the only 5-0 so there’s not a lot of doubt regarding who I’m playing.
Round 6- Nicholas F with DP
I don’t remember a lot about this game except with all his Power Sprays and Psychic Binds I’m soon completely locked and stuck. I play to the end and It’s such a short game we have a friendly, which we take less seriously and chat whilst playing. GG
5-1
So in the T8 pairings, I’m paired against Fares S
T8- Fares S with T-Tar
I’ve never played Fares but I know he’s a good player T4ing last year. Also, I’ve never played T-Tar so I’m not sure what to expect.
G1: He wipes the floor with me here scooping after my best attempts to come back but his Blissey tech and evil Double Pokehealer + are too much for me.
G2: I know more about T-Tar now and have ideas with how to play it. I use powers sparingly and hit a couple of heads on SSU this game. There is an Issue when I announce Dragon pump without energy and the judges check and I have to use aqua stream instead scuppering my big aqua stream hit. I was easily winning on prizes in this game and for some bizarre reason I forget I only have to take four prizes not 6 to warrant a third game. Time is called and we go into sudden death.
G3: I open with an initially great hand. Energy, Horsea, Baltoy Uxie and Roseanne’s and some other cards. Fares goes first and opens with 2 larvitars. And passes to me. I cycle through about 20 cards in my deck, all 3 Uxies, and no way of finding the donk. I had seadra and Kingdra but no BTS or Rare Candy. I’m forced to pass it to him having reverse thrusted. He dead draws again and does 10 damage. I draw and energy and retreat uxie then Luxury Ball for a Claydol and cosmic power to draw Roseanne’s. I search out 2 water energies and evolve Horsea into Seadra and Aqua Pump FTW. Great Game.
6-1
I’m now in the Top 4 and have a Trophy and invite in the bag. I’m paired up against Nicholas again so we play.
Top 4- Nicholas F with DP
G1: I nearly won the game early on by KOing his Baltoy and Nearly his Bronzong but just before I could have KO’d him, he top decks call energy and gets the ball rolling. But he discovers that the remaining 3 poketurns are prized but as he time walks he knows where they all are. Yet again his Power Sprays and Psychic Binds cripple me and despite the early lead I am defeated.
G2: This time he gets off to a roaring start and there was nothing I could do to recover as he just poketurned everything whilst I flip tails on SSU.
Great Game.
6-2
Anyway, I end up 4th and I’m happy with my trophy and box of RR and invite. Hope to see everyone at worlds. A big Congratulations no Nick and Samuel.
Props:
Nick for winning overall- good to know that I was beaten by the best
Ian E and Nick (again) for all the games we’ve had over the past year at league.
Andy and Ian doing so well.
Only 5 Bench slots
Awesome Trophy
BTS + SSU
Norway Winning Eurovision as I quite like the song.
Box of RR- Pulling Mow Rotom and lots of Munchlax!!!
Slops:
I was very tired and I had cramp all night
Maths homework I had to do on Sunday
