Hey everyone. My name is Kevin and I have been playing the Pokemon Trading Card Game for about 6 months now. I was originally in Seniors, but did not participate in many tournaments, or even top cut. There was a city championship about 10 minutes from my house, so I decided to go. I decided on playing Dialga / Garchomp, also known as “DialgaTank.” I played a standard list, but did not tech in Ambipom G or Toxicroak G promo, which ended up hurting me in the end. This is only my third tournament as a master, and I am not nervous, just extremely focused.
Round 1 vs ??? (Machamp/Mewtwo)
So my first round is against some sort of “Anti-SP deck.” Great. I have a Dialga G start, and “Deafen” for 10. He starts with a Mewtwo and uses Roseannes Research to take a Machop and a Fighting energy. Good thing I Deafened because by the look on his face I knew he had a Machamp and a Rare Candy, so I do not want to break the “Deafen” lock. I decide to grab 2 Uxies and use “Set Up” to start building up my hand. I also attach an Unown G to my Uxie, so that I can dent the Machamp early on. Eventually he manages to get up a Mewtwo LV.X and two Machamp, which I smash with Dialga G LV.X‘s “Remove Lost” and defeat Machamps using Toxicroak G and Skuntank G’s “Poison Structure” Poke-Power to seal the game.
1-0
Round 2 vs Sheldon P. (Blaze/Ray)
Great. Another very unfavorable matchup. I start just like I want to, with a Garchomp C, an Energy Gain, and some other notable cards, Luxury Ball, Cyrus’ Conspiracy, etc. I am able to use Cyrus Conspiracy to set up extensively, and then just “Claw Swipe” for 30. Sheldon starts with 2 Shiny Vulpix, and uses Roseannes Research to search out 2 Blaziken FB. He then uses Vulpix’s free move to search his deck for 2 Fire Energies.
Now I attach another energy to Garchomp, use SP Radar to search for Garchomp C LV.X, and use “Dragon Rush” to KO his Blaziken FB. Eventually, I am up by 3 prizes, and have a Garchomp C LV.X on the bench with 5 energies on it, and a Dialga G LV.X with 4 Special Metal Energies on it! He only had a Blaziken FB active with 60 damage on it, and a Ninetales, which I ended up sniping. When he failed to KO my Garchomp C LV.X, I just retreated, brought up Dialga G LV.X, and finished with “Remove Lost” for the game.
2-0
Lunch Break:
I end up hitching a ride with Team R as they go to Chipotle. They’re really awesome guys, seriously. The steak bowl is amazing; I could eat it all day haha. We make some jokes and make it back to the venue with plenty of time to spare.
Round 3 vs Will B. (Gengar)
I have never tested this matchup, but was almost positive that it was even. I saw a Haunter while he was shuffling, (sorry!) and asked him if he was playing Gengar. I already knew that he was but I was just playing around. He replied “you’ll see” and we started the game. When he mulliganed 3 times in a row, I had confirmed that he was indeed playing Gengar.
I start ready to donk with Toxicroak G, Skuntank G, a psychic energy, an Energy Gain, two Poketurn, and a Crobat G. “Gah! I said annoyed.” No stadium! I decide to start with Toxicroak G, and bench Skuntank G, and hit Baltoy active for 20. He top decks a Gastly and passes. I top deck a Conductive Quarry amazingly, play it, and use Crobat G’s “Flash Bite” Poke-Power, and KO it after using 3 Poketurns. I then activate Skuntank G’s “Poison Structure” to poison Gastly, and finish with Toxicroak G’s “Deep Poison” to KO Gastly.
3-0
Round 4 vs Greg C. (LuxChomp)
Great. Greg’s an awesome player, and one of my good friends, so I’m very nervous here. I do not have a Toxicroak G Promo, which I know is one of the key cards against this matchup, as Luxray GL and Luxray GL LV.X resist Dialga’s attacks. The game drags for awhile, as we exchange prizes. Evetually Greg is up by 3 prizes, and I am out of steam, so I just scoop. “Deafen” for 0 was what was really killing me, and the fact that I could not use Skuntank G’s “Poison Structure” since his Pokemon were also SP Pokemon.
3-1
Round 4 vs Chris B. (Gyarados)
Greaaaaat. Chris B is one of the best players in Florida, and he’s really cool, and he’s good. This matchup is easy, too bad he plays Combee, and I do not play Expert Belt, which makes the matchup about five times harder. He starts incredibly well, and gets a T3 Gyarados, not to mention he gets a top deck Expert Belt, which is just enough to KO my active Garchomp C LV.X. I have nothing and draw into garbage, while he takes 5 prizes to my 1. Hopefully I’m still in the top cut.
Top Cut:
(So I make top cut as the 7th seed. Unfortunately, I now play Greg. If I would’ve came in as the 8th seed, I would’ve played Anthony C, who was playing Shuppent Donk, a ridiculously easy matchup for me).
Round 1 vs Greg C.
The game is very close. We start exchanging prizes about 20 minutes in, and the game comes down to 2-2 prizes. I almost have him scooped, but somehow he escapes and drags up a Luxray GL LV.X to stall out my Dialga who only has enough energy to “Deafen.” I scoop
Game 2:
This game is so horrible. I start with nothing and draw into nothing. He just sweeps me with Luxray.
So I lose in the top 8, but I am proud of how I did. The event was filled with good players (Justin S, Chris B, Omar I, Ryan V, Greg C, etc) and I ended up top cutting, even after having bad matchups. I had so much fun and cannot wait until states.
Props:
The Broward Army
Team R
Dialga for being a tank
Skuntank G for being a boss
Dialga G again for telling Mewtwo that he can’t stop me
Chipotle
Sixprizes.com for helping me decide on what I was playing.
Slops:
Galactic HQ dealing a total of 20 damage out of 7 games.
Not playing Toxicroak G Promo
Jeez
