Pokemon League
Borders Books
October 2, 1999
Glendale, CA
Kids ages 6-15

There was no League meeting on Sept 25.

This was a new session for the Pokemon League at
Borders.  There were new faces and more experienced
players.  Fossil was around so some kids incorporated
that into their decks.

Thanks for all your comments about Jessica's deck!
I'm glad you're reading the report.

I thought we would change the deck to a
fighting/psychic deck but she wanted Clefairy and
Clefable in her current deck because she got a couple
of Clefable's in booster packs.  I loaned her 3 of my
Clefairy's and revised her deck a bit. 

Here it is:

Jessica's Clefairy's Haymaker
(Fighting/Electric)

ENERGY (24)
4 Double Colorless
11 Fighting Energy
9 Lightning Energy

POKEMON (17)
3 Clefairy
2 Clefable
3 Hitmonchan
3 Electabuzz
3 Scyther
1 Kangaskhan
1 Jigglypuff
1 Ponyta

ENERGY (19)
3 Bill
2 Professor Oak
1 Gust of Wind
1 Computer Search
3 PlusPower
1 Super Energy Removal
4 Energy Removal
3 Scoop Up
1 Energy Retrieval

Jessica played five games today.  The activity sheet
was to draw a comic book with 2 of your favorite
Pokemon battling.  Jessica couldn't wait to do that
and spent about 20 minutes drawing her comic.

Here's how the games turned out.

Game 1 vs Fight/Colorless (Alex C.)
Alex was new at the league but had some experience. He
was busy teaching other kids how to play at the start
but then played Jessica for her first game.  He went
dry on energy as he tried to evolve Meowth a couple of
times.  Jessica really made a mess of his colorless
attackers with Hitmonchan and used him for most of the
game.  She tried to get Clefairy out but never got the
chance because of a quick win with her Hitmonchan's.
Today: 1-0; Overall: 12-1

Game 2 vs Grass/Colorless (Alex Y.)
Alex played Jessica the last time the league met.  I
wasn't sure if Alex had a Venasaur in his deck but was
able to evolve to 2 Ivysaur's.  Jessica searched for a
Pokemon early on and I was thinking she'd pull out
Ponyta because of her Grass opponents.  But she
dropped Scyther down on her bench.  It went back and
forth for a while.  She had Electabuzz and Scyther do
most of the damage.  Jigglypuff wasn't able to put
anyone to sleep this time and got KO'd early.
Suddenly, Alex didn't have a bench and his Bulbasaur
was trying to stay alive with super energy removals
and Defenders that froze Scyther for a while but
Jessica drew a DCE and the match was over.
Today 2-0; Overall: 13-1

NOTE: Ponyta would have made things easier if it was
in her deck and not a prize. But this shows the power
of a Haymaker which can take on all types of decks!
Keeping Ponyta is still a good strategy.

Game 3 vs Electric/Colorless (Jesse)
Jesse played Jessica 2 weeks ago with 4 Charizards in
his deck.  But he wasn't playing 'em today.  He was
using an Electric deck with a Zapdos (FO).  He was
able to load up on Zapdos while he stalled with Energy
Removals and SERs!!!  Jessica didn't pull a Hitmonchan
out till she got one from her prizes and her bench was
damaged pretty baddly.  But then her Trainers started
showing up and she used Prof. Oak, a Scoop Up to save
one of her Pokemon from the active spot, Gust of Wind
to nail some weaker Colorless, Energy Removals and
finally a powered Hitmonchan to finish the Electric
guys off.
Today: 3-0; Overall: 14-1

Game 4 vs Electric/Fight Fossil deck (David, 15)
David changed his deck from a Dragonaire/Alakazam
stall deck to an Electric/Fight using Zapdos (FO) and
Aerodactyl along with Ditto from the Fossil set. He
was unbeaten today.  It was a nice deck.  He runs 15
total energy cards and 4 Energy Searches, 4 Energy
Retrieval, Recycles, Pokedex and 4 Pokeballs along
with some Bills and Prof. Oaks  He loves Pokeballs!
It's always puzzled me on how he runs energy and
Trainers but he really makes it work.  He's the guy
that won 100 Geoffery Dollars at Toys R Us at their
tournament a few weeks ago and won another local
tournament for 50 bucks credit and a Charizard.  A
seasoned pro!!!  A bunch of kids gathered to watch
David, who played Jessica on day 1, try and get a
rematch win.  David paid $5.50 per booster to build
his deck and it was pretty nice.  His first hand was
what he wanted.  A Fossil trainer.  Everyone knew what
that was meant for.  Jessica had to lean over to read
the card. And on his 2nd turn Jessica had to lean over
and read what Aerodactyl did.  I explained it to her a
few days ago but she wanted to see it for herself.
David charged up a Zapdos but faced Hitmonchan.  David
had to play Aerodactyl because of a lack of bench on
two bad Pokeball coin flips but his Pokedex gave him a
look at his future and he was happy.  Jessica pulled
up Scyther and with one quick blow did 60 damage.
Heh. Aerodactyl. Weak to one of the most used tourney
winning Pokemon in the game.  Scyther!  It was soon
over.  We never got to see Ditto and Jessica never got
to use Clefable.  But it was a neat game to watch.
Today: 4-0; Overall 15-1

After this win she got her Boulder Badge and was
EXTREMELY happy.  I asked her later if she thought she
was going to lose.  She said it didn't matter because
all she needed was one more game, win or lose, to get
her Boulder Badge.  I like the fact that winning
didn't matter but gaining points and badges and doing
her activities were big for her.  Maybe I need to give
her incentives to win!?!? (j/k)

Game 5 vs Haymaker (name?)
I didn't know this kids name but he was new.  He was
walking around looking for games, with a kinda cocky
attitude and won two games on 2nd turn wins and was
undefeated so far.  I wanted Jessica to play him so
bad but she didn't want to because he looked
intimidating and was older. (She likes David because
he makes her laugh.)  But the kid sat down opposite
her after David's game and said, 'want to play'? She
shrugged her shoulders and said, "I guess."  I pulled
up the chair to get a better look and he asked me if I
was her dad. I said, 'yeah'. and was very friendly to
him.  He never smiled.  As they flipped their cards he
says, "she has the Pokemon Trading Card Game Player's
Guide, huh?"  I nodded.  He then states, "I memorized
every card and I know what she has. She has 4
Electabuzz's, 4 Hitmonchan's, 3 Scyther's and 3
Machop's."  I shook my head and said, 'NOPE'.  I
didn't pay much attention to the game because kids
wanted to trade cards.  I was able to get a couple of
Venasaurs for a mono-grass deck that I played on
Sunday and it really kicked butt.  Email if you want
to know what's in it.  Oh. back to Jessica. The next
time I look over she has one prize left to his. six.
How'd that happen?  Clefairy was on the bench but she
never used it and beat up on the kid's Hitmonchan with
her Scyther. NICE!!!
Today:5-0; Overall 16-1

So that's how this day went.  I was thinking to get
her in on the next DCI sanctioned tournament but she
tends to play slow.  20 minutes as a time limit really
doesn't go well with her when we time ourselves at
home.  But she's getting used to faster play.

PokeProps:
Again, to the parents who sat around and watched their
kids during the league.

David, for trading and playing his Fossil deck but he
wouldn't trade a Hitmonlee with me!

Borders for letting the kids play Pokemon on Saturday
afternoons.

To everyone who emails me with their ideas. And guess
what!!! She wants a Jigglypuff/Wigglytuff string in
there for next week!!!

Well, let me know what you think.  Thanks.

Email with comments to me:

Glenn (papa)
and
Jessica

PokemonMechanic@yahoo.com