Subject: [TOURNAMENT] Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1998 08:51:00 -0700 (PDT) From: James Young To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com Greetings Frank and Dojo Denizens, I normally wouldn't write a tourney report on a tournament as backwater as this one, but its really an interesting story. Its also my first report, so forgive me if I lingo incorrectly. I played in a non-sanctioned tournament in the fox-valley (Wisconsin) this weekend. The place was called Rich's Comix. I was up in the area visiting friends and found out about the tournament. Unfortunatly I didn't have a deck. So I went and bought the "Dominator" preconstructed deck. I took out 3 islands and put in 3 dismiss to counteract the heavy graveyard manipulation in the area. I didn't have time to create a sideboard however, so I just said the hell with it and played. ( I expected to lose early, it was only a $5 entry anyway) There was a grand total of 12 players so it started off single elim untill there were 3 left, then we did round robin (swiss?) MATCH 1: Zach Bernhardt playing some shadow-hatred deck -This guy was young and apparently a bit unexperienced. Game 1: First draw - 3 islands, 2 mirozel, 1 capsize, 1 shadow dude. Pretty funny, on turn two he gets a slayer. Turn three he hatreds for 18 and attacks. Umm, capsize anyone? I get a fourth mana and beat him with a mirozel Game 2: See game one, except this time I counter the hatred. After the game I explain that against blue you gotta be careful with that spell... especially if your opponent has mana. Ok, 1-0 feeling pretty good... considering its a preconstructed deck! MATCH 2: Paul someone or other, playing sligh -Uh oh, this deck just isn't fast enough for sligh Game 1: first turn pup, second turn orc, third turn Ball lightning. Hrm, Deja vu. In any case, I lose badly. He sides in at least 10 cards and I swallow hard. I glance at my empty sideboard and wish I had been better prepared. Game 2: He's mana hosed! Yes!!! He has to paris to 5 and still only has one land. I get set in, and after I counter his second ball lightning he gives up. Game 3: He starts out strong with a pup and a fanatic followed by an orc. He gets me to 5 before I manage to cast fade away with him tapped out. He makes a mistake and sacs all his creatures to it (instead of saccing the fanatic to damage me, then only having to sac two permanents). I drop a mirozel and a cloud spirit and start the beatdown. when he is at 4 he plays the ball lighting and attacks. Thinking he won he offers his hand to shake instead I play mind games to tap the bad boy and I think he wanted to cry. He dies next turn. So, Im at 2-0 and into this last round robin deal. By now everyone knows exactly what my deck is, someone bought the deck and read the list. *shrug* Its all fun any way. MATCH 3: ????? I have no idea how this guy made it through the first two rounds. He's playing a deck I can only describe as random life gaining. Its got peaches and eggs (bottle gnomes), stream of life and other cards. I guess he gets so much life his opponents concede? -This guy was a lot of fun to play, but the games were rather quick so I didn't get to talk to him too much. Game 1: He doesn't do anything untill the third turn, which is one turn too late against this deck. Timely counters and flying baddies nail him for the win. (Gee, those eggs cant jump) Game 2: He sides like crazy, and I am worried again. Not that I should have, he draws like crap and I spank him with 3 mirozels. (He didn't even tap to cast a spell this game) Wow, I'm actually winning. But I know I have to play some WW variant coming up, and I am afraid that will be too fast for this deck as well. MATCH 4: James Westwood playing WWW (He called it that, not me) - Not a very nice guy, called the judge to shuffle my deck and wanted a deck check. I told him it was the precon one, and he still wanted a deck check!!! Game 1: He startes the early beatdown with an armored priest. I get down to 2. I really wanna beat this guy for being a prick, so I am pretty dissapointed. Then, BAM, topdeck the capsize. Return the priest with enough mana to play my equilibrium. He reads the card and says something about exodus f**king with the game. Anyway. he never keeps another creature and I go all the way with 3 shadow dudes and a mirozel. (Hadta cast a creature a turn to keep his away) Game 2: I get mana hosed and lose very badly. I just have one question. HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN, I AM RUNNING 24 LANDS!!! Game 3: Ok, time to come back. He seems pretty cocky and by thir turn try's to armor his priest. Umm, no. I dismiss that at then counter his next attempt the following turn. He never draws another armor, and I finnaly get enough mana to play some flyers. I'ts a race and I finnaly get him due to a very friendly erratic portal. 4-0 Woo, I won the tournament. I got $30 in store credit and used it to get some exodus stuff. Not much to speak of, but I got an oath of druids and a hatred (after that first game I am hesitant to use it) Ahh well, a well run tourney. And I won with a preocnstructed deck. I didn't see the graveyard manipulation I thought I would. All three living death decks lost in the first 2 rounds. *shrug* Thems the breaks. Props: Rich for running a fun tourney Pizza hut, stuffed crust pizza rocks! Myself for having the balls to play with a precon Slops: That prick who made the judge check my deck. Pizza hut, their bathrooms stink! Myself, for playing a tournament with a damned preconstructed deck! == -Jim *I do windows(NT), but it costs more...* _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com