Subject: PTQ Rome: TSE Des Moines *Winner*
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 01:45:54 EDT
From: Dennic@aol.com
To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com

Greetings Frank and All,  (DCI #5105)

Here is the down and dirty on the first ever Des Moines (Mayhem) PTQ!  I will
attempt to make this as brief as possible.  But with the day of events
transpiring as they did, it could get lengthy. Not.... First, a few guys from
Omaha, Corey(the lost driver), Rick, and Warren(they both slept) and myself
gathered together for what should have been a 2 hour drive (emphasis on should
have)!  Arriving with only a few minutes to spare, I registered my underdog
deck(Smashin' White Weenie (Not really though!?!), and believe me in a field
of Bounce, counter, Zap and the likes it just doesn't have a good chance.  I
knew this of course so I tried to make this deck ready for all the mainstream
decks and it worked.

Smashin' White Weenie (A.K.A. Beatdown the Chicago Counter Chicken Lovers)

16 Plains
3 City of Traitors (The power)
2 Wasteland
4 Mox Diamond
4 of each Priest,Monk,Warrior,Paladin, & Warden
2 Soltari Emmisary (Cool 2/1 for the price)
3 Soltari Visionary (Must against Combo world)
3 Helms of Save my ......
4 Cataclysms (The Engine: White can't survive without them)
3 Disenchants

Side
2 Wasteland (Good Stuff or as some would say Some Good!)
1 Null Brooch
2 Portcullis
3 COP Red
4 Light of Day (Saw zero black!)
1 Disenchant
2 Scalding Tongs

The following is a brief listing of deck pairings I played against..

1st:  My disenchants and Emissary vs. Humility, Static Orb, Ensnaring Bridge,
Bullwhip, & Scalding Tongs. Disenchant power 1-0

2nd:  My disenchants and pro-red vs. Erratic Portal, Torture Chamber, Land D.
2-0

3rd: My Pro-red nasties and Cataclysm vs. Team attitude whoever from Chicago.
(Counter Chicken can't beat White ever.....) Top 8 impossible huh? 3-0

4th: See 3 above, but it was his younger protege.  Counter Phoenix decks had a
pretty strong showing, but they succumbed to White power all day long. (Right
Chicago?) 4-0

5th & 6th Draw With a kid from ??? See note on DQ later. And cool man Lee and
I draw in the 6th... 4-0-2 (TOP EIGHT)

1st (Top 8):  Kid gets DQ'd for Deck stacking/manipulation(judge caught him
red-handed) 5-0-2

2nd (Top 8):  Very cool guy Chris from Iowa, playing a death deck I shouldn't
have beat.... Cataclysm Luck I guess... 6-0-2

3rd (Top 8): I'm a nice guy, Red Weenie vs. me, I split the prizes and took
the Win. White Weenie can be strong..... 7-0-2 (Rome, Rome, Rome)

Thanks go out to the tournament organizers and judging staff, well played.
City of traitors would not have been possible without my eyes being pried open
a couple of weeks ago (Thanks Corey).  And to all the polite competitors
thanks for a great day.
And yes this excludes the poor sportsmanship brought on by several people from
Chicago. And lastly thanks to the Dojo!!!

-Dennis Nichols Dennic@aol.com