Yacine Machine
New Member
It’s no secret now but just in case SPOILER ALERT: I won Nationals.
The thrill of placing high at a big tournament was just settling in on the way home as I checked my Facebook…
The victory was immediately dampened by the following comment: “Shocking, a Sekkoum wins UK Nats. I totally didn’t see that one coming…”
This has led me to write this somewhat lengthy but mostly relevant tournament report. As outlined above, the general Pokémon community (especially outside of Europe) seem to think that the Sekkoums have a monopoly on UK Nationals and that the tournament is won with ease. This is not the case. In fact, it’s far from it.
Players around the world are constantly improving and sites such as Sixprizes have almost evened the playing field when decklists are concerned. This somewhat donky format hasn’t helped.
I’ve been out of sync with the game for a year now. I opted to join a theatre company instead of attending last year’s Worlds (equally as fun, but I digress). To be honest my feelings toward the impending tournament were a blend of excitement and nerves. With approximately 10 days to go my brother Sami hands me a deck. After consulting a few friends from the states (Kyle and Jason, no introduction needed) he tells me the 2 best decks are either Vilegar or DialgaChomp whilst Luxchomp remains popular. I fan through the deck and it’s Vilegar with a 1-1 Blissey. We start testing.
I quickly acknowledge that Vilegar wins a long game against Luxchomp the majority of the time. We eventually play some timed games and it’s obvious that Vilegar can have it tough in matchplay as it can win a long game 1 then lose a quick game 2 to a donk or quick flurry of prizes, ultimately leaving it susceptible to a loss in sudden death. After solid testing with my brothers and friend Matt Collins, I learned to play the deck fast. Fast enough to beat the format under a time constraint. We test Dialga and this is by far my hardest matchup. We anticipate a load of Gengar and I’m confident in the mirror.
You’re probably thinking it’s slightly paradoxical to suggest that only a week’s worth of practice is enough for me to win UK Nationals, yet I’m adamant it’s a tough tournament. You have to understand that I’m testing with the best player in the world.
Its funny how two weeks seem to fly by when there’s a big tournament approaching, we play-test, book tickets and a hotel. For once Sami writes his deck list out the night before, leaving his usual 3 spots off to sleep on. Fares (the other Sekkoum) is happy with his luxchomp and I make sure his decklist is all filled in properly. It’s the first time in our tournament history that we’re ready to go the night prior. We joke that our lack of disorganisation will ironically cost us. Sami is running DialgaChomp. We settle to watch Man united get roasted by Barca.
The Next day we are told that the tournament will be 7 Rounds. 30 Minutes
Round 1 Freddy K (Faisal Khan) - VileGarBlissey with Blaziken Fb tech
Sure we have history but it was good to have a civil handshake prior to the tournament. If I’m honest, there’s a good 90% of the field I’d rather have played first round. We both open decent and proceed to set up. I’ve tested the mirror a bunch with Sami so know how it plays out. If you run Blissey and they don’t: You Win. If you both run it (which we did) then that’s what you HAVE to target. Another key component to winning the mirror is the Gengar lvl X; the extra HP makes it a 3 shot (4 with Bliss) but playing it first can wound you if they level down respond KO etc. We both set up Haunters with Darkness Grace. There are a couple rounds where neither of us are getting a Gengar as it will just get sniped and the initial 60 can be huge. So Freddy grace’s into a Blissey and I seize the opportunity to Shadow Roam it. He evolves into Gengar and roams me back. I win this game as he doesn’t target my Blissey so once his is down I eventually win out the war of attrition. A good game minus him calling the judge when I twins for a card and put my deck face down to look at my hand to decide what to take as the second card; unnecessary.
1-0
Round 2 Gemma Something – DialgaChomp
Honestly I was happy to be playing a female opponent. She opens poor and I open god (bar energies). By turn 2 I have Spiritomb, Gengar, Gengar and Vileplume… but I can’t do anything we draw pass for maybe 5 turns. Eventually I get going, as doe she. The aforementioned joy of my opponent’s gender quickly dissipates. She’s good. Soon I’m staring at a tanked Dialga. I lookers her spray away and level down. With a few turns of sniping and some cheap prizes on fairies, time is called. Her one prize deficit isn’t regained after the extra turns and I take a win. One of the best players I played against on the day. Great game.
2-0
Round 3 - Gyarados
He tells me he’s spent the year in America so he’s been playing out there. I open with Spiritomb and see he has a Magikarp; I have a great hand if I open second. I don’t. Am I about to get donked? He states: “I’m going for it”. He plays BTS and Collects for regiice, magikarp, magikarp. He dumps 2 karp and uxies to 7. I ask if he has it. He apologises and says yes and shows me a sableye and a pokemon communication. I point at the spiritomb. He laughs and we play out a game. Gyarados is an easy matchup for me so I snipe his regiice so he can’t dump his trainers and then either poltergeist or compound pain a whole bunch of prizes. Great guy, friendly chilled out game.
3-0
Round 4 Karl Blake Luxchomp
This guy knocked me out of nationals last year and he’s top 16’d worlds. I’m confident against any Luxchomp if I get the time. He opens god and I open good. That’s all I need if he doesn’t stall. He misplays by sucking up a Haunter thus activating his trainers but also my resistance. So he can’t KO and I eventually win out.
4-0
Round 5 Tamao Cameron – VilegarBlissey
This guy’s only been playing a year or so and has already won a states. He opens very good and takes a 3 prize lead which is almost insurmountable in mirror match. My twinning and Blisseysnipes eventually give me the game. He’s a player to watch out for in the future but for now my experience and general in game skill showed, as he acknowledged postmatch. Good game, really nice guy.
5-0
Round 6 Ben Armstead – ChenLock
Good friend of mine. I open god and he draw passes for a while. Might as well have been a donk.
6-0
Round 7 Ian Elliot Vilegar
He doesn’t run the Blissey so this game is pretty much a cakewalk.
7-0
I place first with Sami right behind me. Curse of the first? Sami 6-1’ed and my little bro Fares top cut seniors so our dynasty looked set to continue. We check our opponents. I have my round 2 opponent’s boyfriend while Sami has Tom Hall.
Top 16
Best 2 of 3 – 1 hour
Daniel Middleton - Luxchomp.
We sit down and shuffle up. We have a really good long game 1 which I eventually win out. Game 2 is shorter and I remember poltergeist KO’ing for 3 straight turns. Well played dude
8-0
This was the most relaxed game of the day and Dan and I both pointed it out. He was really nice and again is some one to watch out for in the future. Cheers bro
Sami gets knocked out in a really long game 1 with some controversy.
Top 8
Can’t remember the guy’s name but he was running Vilegar. (no Bliss)
Game 1
I open ghastly, ghastly. Draw and PD. He opens god and goes off. I draw pass effectively and get seeker donked. Had to happen once right?
Game 2
Fares has just been knocked out of the finals (well done bro) and I’ve opened bad. I look up to see Sami and Fares on the sideline and give them ‘The Dream is dead” look. Blissey helps me mount a comeback and I free my Gengar lvl x with an Azelf and eventually win out a really long game.
Game 3
We both open good and I win the mirror with ease due to Blissey etc.
9-0
Top 4
As I was about to play my top 4 games with Ben Armstead, I heard a conversation take place between my two potential opponents on the table directly adjacent. The two players were Karl Blake, and Tom Hall. To be honest this is pretty controversial but I don’t really care as they were ruining the integrity of the game. The two players were planning to collude. Karl had offered Tom all the scholarship to concede the game. I told the head judge what they were planning and an argument of sorts ensued. Tom lied pretending he was planning to concede now that he had secured his invite as he was in top 4….
Why not play the game out anyway as he has everything to gain and nothing to lose now that he has his invite. Tom is allowed to concede. There’s more but I’ll leave it there.
Ben Armstead – ChenLock
Game 1
It’s really late right now and I open really bad so go aggro Gengar as I couldn’t get an oddish. I hit a crucial flip on feinting spell and eventually get the game going and win. Sami points out some misplays from both of us but we don’t really care.
Game 2
I get donked.
Game 3
I get set up and he eventually scoops.
Always a pleasure playing an Armstead, they’re some of the nicest people in the game.
10-0
Top 2
Karl Blake - Luxcomp
Game 1
I get donked by an Uxie on my Unown Q.
Game 2
We both get set up and play an at least 35 minute game. My Feinting spell flips are pretty bad but the lock is too brutal. He tops a Bebe’s and Luxray at crucial points in the game but I still win out.
We shuffle up to play game 3 and are told we are out of venue time. It is now 2:00am and we are told we have to resume tomorrow. We are told there 20 or so minutes left on the clock and leave our contact details with Ian (head judge) and proceed to the hotel.
We get to the hotel and are stressing at how we can win a 20 minute game. We eventually konk out and I wake up in the morning. I call Ian. He says he’s working on getting a venue. My aforesaid stress to game 3 remains the issue at hand. Can it be done? We don’t hear from Ian for a while and Sami decides to call him again. We’re told we have 30 minutes to get to the location. I point out that we’ve had to pay for an extra night at the hotel and all this cabbing is adding up. We can’t afford it. I say I’m a student to which he replies: ‘Tough” and “congratulations”. I point out that this was rude and am told to get to the tournament ASAP. We book another cab. We eventually get there and as we’re rushed into the room, Sami’s immediately told to be quiet and don’t say anything. I sit down for game 3. I pull out a notepad and realise I forgot my pen. I scan the table and count 4 pens. I ask if I can borrow one. I’m told I should have come prepared. I ask my friend Matt from the sidelines if I can have one and he throws me one. I take a deep breath and play the fastest game of my life.
Game 3
I open Spiritomb Collector, my hand allows me the quick setup I needed to make a game of it. But so does his. My brother later tells me that he opened with the resources to take at least 3 prizes which is why he was playing at a reasonably fast pace too. He goes first and Garchomp calls for a luxray and second garchomp. I draw collect and set up a haunter (opting not to leave a Gloom susceptible to a snipe/bright look). He calls again for a bronzing and second luxray. I drop the full Vileplume with a bebe’s. I’m 2 prizes down before I start the comeback. I whiff a feinting spell so he’s 3 ahead. I had a rescue enrgy and redrop the Gengar whilst promoting another. I know he has a number of trainers in his hand due to prior knowledge and return KO on his Luxray. After a couple turns, I seriously reap the rewards of the trainer lock. Time is called on my turn and I tie it up taking away his main attacker and all his energies in play. He is left with a field that cannot physically take a prize. I shadow roam something and he promotes asking the judge what happens if I cannot take a prize. I know I’ve won. He passes and I offer the handshake.
11-0
As I’m about to celebrate I hear a roar of joy from behind me. It’s Sami, Fares and the guys. I breathe a huge sigh of relief and signal the guys; it’s time to eat. The tournament comes to a close, my brothers and I come to an agreement that this was by far the most satisfying win we’ve shared.
Props
Jason K for his gengar list
Kyle Suchevich for his Dialga help
Ian Fotheringham - Although I disagree with how I was spoken to, I can appreciate how stressful running Nationals can be and the tournament simply wouldn’t work without Ian. He’s the best man for the job.
Sami and Fares
Matt Collins for being my darg
Nitish and the rest of the guys for being supportive
The staff etc.
Majority of the field being really nice
Slops
Man Utd’s loss
Early wake ups, late night finishes.
Collusion
Donks.
The thrill of placing high at a big tournament was just settling in on the way home as I checked my Facebook…
The victory was immediately dampened by the following comment: “Shocking, a Sekkoum wins UK Nats. I totally didn’t see that one coming…”
This has led me to write this somewhat lengthy but mostly relevant tournament report. As outlined above, the general Pokémon community (especially outside of Europe) seem to think that the Sekkoums have a monopoly on UK Nationals and that the tournament is won with ease. This is not the case. In fact, it’s far from it.
Players around the world are constantly improving and sites such as Sixprizes have almost evened the playing field when decklists are concerned. This somewhat donky format hasn’t helped.
I’ve been out of sync with the game for a year now. I opted to join a theatre company instead of attending last year’s Worlds (equally as fun, but I digress). To be honest my feelings toward the impending tournament were a blend of excitement and nerves. With approximately 10 days to go my brother Sami hands me a deck. After consulting a few friends from the states (Kyle and Jason, no introduction needed) he tells me the 2 best decks are either Vilegar or DialgaChomp whilst Luxchomp remains popular. I fan through the deck and it’s Vilegar with a 1-1 Blissey. We start testing.
I quickly acknowledge that Vilegar wins a long game against Luxchomp the majority of the time. We eventually play some timed games and it’s obvious that Vilegar can have it tough in matchplay as it can win a long game 1 then lose a quick game 2 to a donk or quick flurry of prizes, ultimately leaving it susceptible to a loss in sudden death. After solid testing with my brothers and friend Matt Collins, I learned to play the deck fast. Fast enough to beat the format under a time constraint. We test Dialga and this is by far my hardest matchup. We anticipate a load of Gengar and I’m confident in the mirror.
You’re probably thinking it’s slightly paradoxical to suggest that only a week’s worth of practice is enough for me to win UK Nationals, yet I’m adamant it’s a tough tournament. You have to understand that I’m testing with the best player in the world.
Its funny how two weeks seem to fly by when there’s a big tournament approaching, we play-test, book tickets and a hotel. For once Sami writes his deck list out the night before, leaving his usual 3 spots off to sleep on. Fares (the other Sekkoum) is happy with his luxchomp and I make sure his decklist is all filled in properly. It’s the first time in our tournament history that we’re ready to go the night prior. We joke that our lack of disorganisation will ironically cost us. Sami is running DialgaChomp. We settle to watch Man united get roasted by Barca.
The Next day we are told that the tournament will be 7 Rounds. 30 Minutes
Round 1 Freddy K (Faisal Khan) - VileGarBlissey with Blaziken Fb tech
Sure we have history but it was good to have a civil handshake prior to the tournament. If I’m honest, there’s a good 90% of the field I’d rather have played first round. We both open decent and proceed to set up. I’ve tested the mirror a bunch with Sami so know how it plays out. If you run Blissey and they don’t: You Win. If you both run it (which we did) then that’s what you HAVE to target. Another key component to winning the mirror is the Gengar lvl X; the extra HP makes it a 3 shot (4 with Bliss) but playing it first can wound you if they level down respond KO etc. We both set up Haunters with Darkness Grace. There are a couple rounds where neither of us are getting a Gengar as it will just get sniped and the initial 60 can be huge. So Freddy grace’s into a Blissey and I seize the opportunity to Shadow Roam it. He evolves into Gengar and roams me back. I win this game as he doesn’t target my Blissey so once his is down I eventually win out the war of attrition. A good game minus him calling the judge when I twins for a card and put my deck face down to look at my hand to decide what to take as the second card; unnecessary.
1-0
Round 2 Gemma Something – DialgaChomp
Honestly I was happy to be playing a female opponent. She opens poor and I open god (bar energies). By turn 2 I have Spiritomb, Gengar, Gengar and Vileplume… but I can’t do anything we draw pass for maybe 5 turns. Eventually I get going, as doe she. The aforementioned joy of my opponent’s gender quickly dissipates. She’s good. Soon I’m staring at a tanked Dialga. I lookers her spray away and level down. With a few turns of sniping and some cheap prizes on fairies, time is called. Her one prize deficit isn’t regained after the extra turns and I take a win. One of the best players I played against on the day. Great game.
2-0
Round 3 - Gyarados
He tells me he’s spent the year in America so he’s been playing out there. I open with Spiritomb and see he has a Magikarp; I have a great hand if I open second. I don’t. Am I about to get donked? He states: “I’m going for it”. He plays BTS and Collects for regiice, magikarp, magikarp. He dumps 2 karp and uxies to 7. I ask if he has it. He apologises and says yes and shows me a sableye and a pokemon communication. I point at the spiritomb. He laughs and we play out a game. Gyarados is an easy matchup for me so I snipe his regiice so he can’t dump his trainers and then either poltergeist or compound pain a whole bunch of prizes. Great guy, friendly chilled out game.
3-0
Round 4 Karl Blake Luxchomp
This guy knocked me out of nationals last year and he’s top 16’d worlds. I’m confident against any Luxchomp if I get the time. He opens god and I open good. That’s all I need if he doesn’t stall. He misplays by sucking up a Haunter thus activating his trainers but also my resistance. So he can’t KO and I eventually win out.
4-0
Round 5 Tamao Cameron – VilegarBlissey
This guy’s only been playing a year or so and has already won a states. He opens very good and takes a 3 prize lead which is almost insurmountable in mirror match. My twinning and Blisseysnipes eventually give me the game. He’s a player to watch out for in the future but for now my experience and general in game skill showed, as he acknowledged postmatch. Good game, really nice guy.
5-0
Round 6 Ben Armstead – ChenLock
Good friend of mine. I open god and he draw passes for a while. Might as well have been a donk.
6-0
Round 7 Ian Elliot Vilegar
He doesn’t run the Blissey so this game is pretty much a cakewalk.
7-0
I place first with Sami right behind me. Curse of the first? Sami 6-1’ed and my little bro Fares top cut seniors so our dynasty looked set to continue. We check our opponents. I have my round 2 opponent’s boyfriend while Sami has Tom Hall.
Top 16
Best 2 of 3 – 1 hour
Daniel Middleton - Luxchomp.
We sit down and shuffle up. We have a really good long game 1 which I eventually win out. Game 2 is shorter and I remember poltergeist KO’ing for 3 straight turns. Well played dude
8-0
This was the most relaxed game of the day and Dan and I both pointed it out. He was really nice and again is some one to watch out for in the future. Cheers bro
Sami gets knocked out in a really long game 1 with some controversy.
Top 8
Can’t remember the guy’s name but he was running Vilegar. (no Bliss)
Game 1
I open ghastly, ghastly. Draw and PD. He opens god and goes off. I draw pass effectively and get seeker donked. Had to happen once right?
Game 2
Fares has just been knocked out of the finals (well done bro) and I’ve opened bad. I look up to see Sami and Fares on the sideline and give them ‘The Dream is dead” look. Blissey helps me mount a comeback and I free my Gengar lvl x with an Azelf and eventually win out a really long game.
Game 3
We both open good and I win the mirror with ease due to Blissey etc.
9-0
Top 4
As I was about to play my top 4 games with Ben Armstead, I heard a conversation take place between my two potential opponents on the table directly adjacent. The two players were Karl Blake, and Tom Hall. To be honest this is pretty controversial but I don’t really care as they were ruining the integrity of the game. The two players were planning to collude. Karl had offered Tom all the scholarship to concede the game. I told the head judge what they were planning and an argument of sorts ensued. Tom lied pretending he was planning to concede now that he had secured his invite as he was in top 4….
Why not play the game out anyway as he has everything to gain and nothing to lose now that he has his invite. Tom is allowed to concede. There’s more but I’ll leave it there.
Ben Armstead – ChenLock
Game 1
It’s really late right now and I open really bad so go aggro Gengar as I couldn’t get an oddish. I hit a crucial flip on feinting spell and eventually get the game going and win. Sami points out some misplays from both of us but we don’t really care.
Game 2
I get donked.
Game 3
I get set up and he eventually scoops.
Always a pleasure playing an Armstead, they’re some of the nicest people in the game.
10-0
Top 2
Karl Blake - Luxcomp
Game 1
I get donked by an Uxie on my Unown Q.
Game 2
We both get set up and play an at least 35 minute game. My Feinting spell flips are pretty bad but the lock is too brutal. He tops a Bebe’s and Luxray at crucial points in the game but I still win out.
We shuffle up to play game 3 and are told we are out of venue time. It is now 2:00am and we are told we have to resume tomorrow. We are told there 20 or so minutes left on the clock and leave our contact details with Ian (head judge) and proceed to the hotel.
We get to the hotel and are stressing at how we can win a 20 minute game. We eventually konk out and I wake up in the morning. I call Ian. He says he’s working on getting a venue. My aforesaid stress to game 3 remains the issue at hand. Can it be done? We don’t hear from Ian for a while and Sami decides to call him again. We’re told we have 30 minutes to get to the location. I point out that we’ve had to pay for an extra night at the hotel and all this cabbing is adding up. We can’t afford it. I say I’m a student to which he replies: ‘Tough” and “congratulations”. I point out that this was rude and am told to get to the tournament ASAP. We book another cab. We eventually get there and as we’re rushed into the room, Sami’s immediately told to be quiet and don’t say anything. I sit down for game 3. I pull out a notepad and realise I forgot my pen. I scan the table and count 4 pens. I ask if I can borrow one. I’m told I should have come prepared. I ask my friend Matt from the sidelines if I can have one and he throws me one. I take a deep breath and play the fastest game of my life.
Game 3
I open Spiritomb Collector, my hand allows me the quick setup I needed to make a game of it. But so does his. My brother later tells me that he opened with the resources to take at least 3 prizes which is why he was playing at a reasonably fast pace too. He goes first and Garchomp calls for a luxray and second garchomp. I draw collect and set up a haunter (opting not to leave a Gloom susceptible to a snipe/bright look). He calls again for a bronzing and second luxray. I drop the full Vileplume with a bebe’s. I’m 2 prizes down before I start the comeback. I whiff a feinting spell so he’s 3 ahead. I had a rescue enrgy and redrop the Gengar whilst promoting another. I know he has a number of trainers in his hand due to prior knowledge and return KO on his Luxray. After a couple turns, I seriously reap the rewards of the trainer lock. Time is called on my turn and I tie it up taking away his main attacker and all his energies in play. He is left with a field that cannot physically take a prize. I shadow roam something and he promotes asking the judge what happens if I cannot take a prize. I know I’ve won. He passes and I offer the handshake.
11-0
As I’m about to celebrate I hear a roar of joy from behind me. It’s Sami, Fares and the guys. I breathe a huge sigh of relief and signal the guys; it’s time to eat. The tournament comes to a close, my brothers and I come to an agreement that this was by far the most satisfying win we’ve shared.
Props
Jason K for his gengar list
Kyle Suchevich for his Dialga help
Ian Fotheringham - Although I disagree with how I was spoken to, I can appreciate how stressful running Nationals can be and the tournament simply wouldn’t work without Ian. He’s the best man for the job.
Sami and Fares
Matt Collins for being my darg
Nitish and the rest of the guys for being supportive
The staff etc.
Majority of the field being really nice
Slops
Man Utd’s loss
Early wake ups, late night finishes.
Collusion
Donks.
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