Soooo my friend MK and I are sitting in the Embassy Suites right now, still in Indy, because our flight got cancelled and I have nothing else to do so I suppose I'll write a report!
I get in on Wednesday afternoon and see Pram, Luke, and LJ in the airport and Sam Bittinger and Mondak come and pick us up. Get to the hotel, meet up with Bolt, AJ, Omar, Ryan, Bianchi, and Adam and others and we chill! Thursday comes, I meet up with MotL and move into the Marriot. At this point I've totally decided on running Gardy, after giving consideration to Gyarados. Friday rolls around and I'm in the hard flight (again) and we get going!
I ran Gardevoir because it's the BDIF. List ran Dusknoir, Mewtwo, Crobat G, 3 Kirlia (amazing), Looker's>Judge, 3 Belt.
Round 1 vs Tangrowth/Sceptile
He never sees a Claydol, I Gallade his Belted Tangrowth and just take easy prizes. I think I Bring Down for 3 prizes lol
Round 2 vs Harrison from FL w/ Luxchomp
So he doesn't play a Mewtwo counter but I don't find that out till later, and my hand was good enough to not risk it and go for the Psychic Lock strategy. I get ahead and he gets a mediocre start and I run train.
Round 3 vs Pooka w/ Dialgachomp
Lame. I start Spiritomb to his Dialga and we both get set up. Kyle was SO scared of Dusknoir he doesn't even play 3 bench most of the game ;x I don't think I play the Dialgachomp matchup that well (plus it's the hardest game for the deck, besides Gengar) so Kyle wins. If he doesn't run Drifblim FB though I might win! Oh well, I don't mind losing to Kyle.
Round 4 vs Gengar/Garchomp C
Uh, T2 Psychic Lock/Giratina and never look back.
Round 5 vs James? Simmerman w/ Gardy mirror
He starts Spiritomb to my Ralts and starts evolving his Pokes. My start is okay but nothing special, and I immediately go for Azelf, regardless of what is prized because I know Azelf X is so important in the matchup. Eventually I have Azelf on bench with a Psychic and I'm about to Warp Point and go to the Level X, retreat, and take the first prize. But, then I realize his bench is full, Spiritomb is active with 20 damage on it, and he has Nidoqueen on his bench...attach to the active, retreat for Azelf, Lock Up. He passes. Lock Up. Pass. I say "hey man, I'm just gonna do this the rest of the game until time's called." He gets a little angry and scoops. :X
Round 6 vs dude from Texas w/ Gengar (4 SF)
He gets a T1 Gengar T1 Claydol, T2 Nidoqueen and I can't deal with it lol. I start to make a comeback at one point but he gets out a 3rd Gengar and I just lose.
Round 7 vs Luxchomp/Blaziken
He flips over Garchomp and Blaziken and I know he doesn't run a Mewtwo counter. I Rose for Azelf/Mewtwo, get the Level X out of the prizes and pass. He can't Garchomp/Crobat it and I retreat, Level Up, and he scoops.
Sitting at 5-2, feeling pretty good. Have a pretty good night and go to sleep at a reasonable time (like 2 lol)
Round 8 vs Dillon McCord w/ Luxchomp
He doesn't run a Mewtwo counter but it doesn't matter because I prize Mewtwo Lv. X and have to Azelf for something else to keep me in the game early and I can't draw anything and lose.
Round 9 vs Gyarados
T2 Psychic Lock/Giratina and neverrr look back.
6-3, make it in as 50th seed
T128 vs Gengar/Garchomp C
Game 1- He opens lone Baltoy to my Unown Q and he goes first. He passes. I go Rose for Crobat and Energy, Belt, GG =x
Game 2- I get a T2 Psychic Lock/Giratina and never look back
T64 vs Luxchomp w/ no Mewtwo counter
Game 1 and Game 2 I get Mewtwo out and he scoops...
T32 vs Craig Abley w/ Garchomp SV/Palkia
Game 1- T2 Psychic Lock and never look back
Game 2- He gets a pretty stellar start to my okay one. He goes up 2 prizes before I can attack, and I start to mount the comeback. I Gallade the first Garchomp, and end up Dusknoiring one away. Eventually it comes to a point where he has a 0 card hand after dropping a bunch of stuff to kill my Claydol and such, and I just Psychic Lock for the game from then on.
(I really liked this deck, though I would be hesitant to play it with the probably-bad Luxchomp matchup)
T16 vs Pooka w/ Dialgachomp
Game 1- Goes similar to our swiss game, with Drifblim sealing the game for him in the late game. I Psychic Locked a lot more this game, which made it a little bit closer IMO.
Game 2- We both open with stupid stupid hands. I'm forced to start Crobat, have to play Spiritomb, Uxie, Azelf, and Claydol, which leaves me 1 spot for Ralts. He has to retreat his Bronzong with DCE/Sp Metal to Mimic with Chatot and he recovers a little quicker and it comes to the point where anything I play Energy on he snipes with Garchomp, so I scoop.
So, the dream is dead. I T16 the hardest tournament in the history of Pokemon...and walk away with a box and a playmat lol. I gained like 40 points and miss the invite, wasn't sure if I was gonna go anyway though.
After the tournament we have a great night in 2002 and got to see everyone for the last time. This morning was a bummer though, getting my flight cancelled and realizing I missed the invite by a couple points (though Canadian Nats still has to go on).
Overall, great tournament, great time, Indy is a fantastic city from what I can tell and I'd love to come here again next year and the year after and the year after that.
Props to Con for winning, I knew when I gave you that Arcanine ex deck 4 years ago you were going somewhere bud ;p
Slops to Kyle for losing and not letting me say that I got knocked out of the tournament by the 2-time National Champion ;x
There's always next yearrrrr
Mikey
I get in on Wednesday afternoon and see Pram, Luke, and LJ in the airport and Sam Bittinger and Mondak come and pick us up. Get to the hotel, meet up with Bolt, AJ, Omar, Ryan, Bianchi, and Adam and others and we chill! Thursday comes, I meet up with MotL and move into the Marriot. At this point I've totally decided on running Gardy, after giving consideration to Gyarados. Friday rolls around and I'm in the hard flight (again) and we get going!
I ran Gardevoir because it's the BDIF. List ran Dusknoir, Mewtwo, Crobat G, 3 Kirlia (amazing), Looker's>Judge, 3 Belt.
Round 1 vs Tangrowth/Sceptile
He never sees a Claydol, I Gallade his Belted Tangrowth and just take easy prizes. I think I Bring Down for 3 prizes lol
Round 2 vs Harrison from FL w/ Luxchomp
So he doesn't play a Mewtwo counter but I don't find that out till later, and my hand was good enough to not risk it and go for the Psychic Lock strategy. I get ahead and he gets a mediocre start and I run train.
Round 3 vs Pooka w/ Dialgachomp
Lame. I start Spiritomb to his Dialga and we both get set up. Kyle was SO scared of Dusknoir he doesn't even play 3 bench most of the game ;x I don't think I play the Dialgachomp matchup that well (plus it's the hardest game for the deck, besides Gengar) so Kyle wins. If he doesn't run Drifblim FB though I might win! Oh well, I don't mind losing to Kyle.
Round 4 vs Gengar/Garchomp C
Uh, T2 Psychic Lock/Giratina and never look back.
Round 5 vs James? Simmerman w/ Gardy mirror
He starts Spiritomb to my Ralts and starts evolving his Pokes. My start is okay but nothing special, and I immediately go for Azelf, regardless of what is prized because I know Azelf X is so important in the matchup. Eventually I have Azelf on bench with a Psychic and I'm about to Warp Point and go to the Level X, retreat, and take the first prize. But, then I realize his bench is full, Spiritomb is active with 20 damage on it, and he has Nidoqueen on his bench...attach to the active, retreat for Azelf, Lock Up. He passes. Lock Up. Pass. I say "hey man, I'm just gonna do this the rest of the game until time's called." He gets a little angry and scoops. :X
Round 6 vs dude from Texas w/ Gengar (4 SF)
He gets a T1 Gengar T1 Claydol, T2 Nidoqueen and I can't deal with it lol. I start to make a comeback at one point but he gets out a 3rd Gengar and I just lose.
Round 7 vs Luxchomp/Blaziken
He flips over Garchomp and Blaziken and I know he doesn't run a Mewtwo counter. I Rose for Azelf/Mewtwo, get the Level X out of the prizes and pass. He can't Garchomp/Crobat it and I retreat, Level Up, and he scoops.
Sitting at 5-2, feeling pretty good. Have a pretty good night and go to sleep at a reasonable time (like 2 lol)
Round 8 vs Dillon McCord w/ Luxchomp
He doesn't run a Mewtwo counter but it doesn't matter because I prize Mewtwo Lv. X and have to Azelf for something else to keep me in the game early and I can't draw anything and lose.
Round 9 vs Gyarados
T2 Psychic Lock/Giratina and neverrr look back.
6-3, make it in as 50th seed
T128 vs Gengar/Garchomp C
Game 1- He opens lone Baltoy to my Unown Q and he goes first. He passes. I go Rose for Crobat and Energy, Belt, GG =x
Game 2- I get a T2 Psychic Lock/Giratina and never look back
T64 vs Luxchomp w/ no Mewtwo counter
Game 1 and Game 2 I get Mewtwo out and he scoops...
T32 vs Craig Abley w/ Garchomp SV/Palkia
Game 1- T2 Psychic Lock and never look back
Game 2- He gets a pretty stellar start to my okay one. He goes up 2 prizes before I can attack, and I start to mount the comeback. I Gallade the first Garchomp, and end up Dusknoiring one away. Eventually it comes to a point where he has a 0 card hand after dropping a bunch of stuff to kill my Claydol and such, and I just Psychic Lock for the game from then on.
(I really liked this deck, though I would be hesitant to play it with the probably-bad Luxchomp matchup)
T16 vs Pooka w/ Dialgachomp
Game 1- Goes similar to our swiss game, with Drifblim sealing the game for him in the late game. I Psychic Locked a lot more this game, which made it a little bit closer IMO.
Game 2- We both open with stupid stupid hands. I'm forced to start Crobat, have to play Spiritomb, Uxie, Azelf, and Claydol, which leaves me 1 spot for Ralts. He has to retreat his Bronzong with DCE/Sp Metal to Mimic with Chatot and he recovers a little quicker and it comes to the point where anything I play Energy on he snipes with Garchomp, so I scoop.
So, the dream is dead. I T16 the hardest tournament in the history of Pokemon...and walk away with a box and a playmat lol. I gained like 40 points and miss the invite, wasn't sure if I was gonna go anyway though.
After the tournament we have a great night in 2002 and got to see everyone for the last time. This morning was a bummer though, getting my flight cancelled and realizing I missed the invite by a couple points (though Canadian Nats still has to go on).
Overall, great tournament, great time, Indy is a fantastic city from what I can tell and I'd love to come here again next year and the year after and the year after that.
Props to Con for winning, I knew when I gave you that Arcanine ex deck 4 years ago you were going somewhere bud ;p
Slops to Kyle for losing and not letting me say that I got knocked out of the tournament by the 2-time National Champion ;x
There's always next yearrrrr
Mikey
