11-20-99
Grand Slam Comics, Fort Worth TX
$5 entry fee, 36 players
not very many players-prizes were less than normal
first place-3 1st ed. jungle packs + 6 1st ed. fossil packs


I used my normal deck, but with a few changes. Stall decks are popping
up everywhere. I had to put in Lass and full heal trainers.
The Lass was to stop Moltres stall decks. Full heal was to fight Lapras
haymaker. Lapras haymaker has won the last four tournaments.
This week was different. The defending champ used a deck with Scyther
and the Mewtwo movie promo. Only 8 basics. He finished 4th this time!
For the first time ever, I won the tournament. Not that I completely
deserved it though. I will explain:

My deck:

Magmar (fossil)      4
'buzz                4
Scyther              3
Tauros               2

lightning energy     8
fire energy         12
dbl colorless        4

energy removal       4
super er             4
energy retrieval     4
gust                 3
oak                  2
defender             2
lass                 1
computer search      1
item finder          1
full heal            1

I did not need the full heal. The Lapras haymaker was not here today.
The lass is for the Moltres stall deck. If you see you are against this
type of deck, do not play trainers unless you must. When you only have
one or two cards left in your deck, play lass. You will then put 10-15
more cards in your deck than your opponent. Then later, you play item
finder and lass again. To do this, you must get lass in your hand quick,
or you will get stung by Moltres' wildfire attack. Computer search for
it, or item find if you had to discard it from your deck. Ideally you
want lass and item finder. Get these two, and you win.
Instead of the full heal, I should have had a gambler. Yes, a gambler.
To fight off stall decks. Instead of the defenders, I should have had
another item finder or two.
It is hard to make a haymaker deck to fight off all of the other
haymaker types and the stall decks too.

Tournament:

Round one:

My opponent had a psychic stall deck, but was more of a psychic fighting
deck without the proper preparation. He had the usual Mewtwos (promo and
basic), Mr. Mimes, Alakazams, etc. Plus, he relied on Kangaskhan to
fight when he should have stalled. He was fetching!!
I was able to win by killing or decking him. First game I took six
prizes, but he flipped tails alot when he comet punched. I was able to
use gusts for easy kills.
Second game he decked! I had all but one prize, but he just kept
fetching. I still don't know what he was hoping to find in his deck. Not
a difficult win, 2-0.

Round two:

I hated this battle! His deck was a copy of my Rapidash deck. Just like
my deck, but with Rapidash. First game I won fairly easy with gusts on
his Ponytas, and I always had a 'buzz powered up. He never did get a
Rapidash out.
Second game he won. He kept me off balance the whole time. I seemed to
always be paralyzed by a 'buzz, or he had my energy removed. Doesn't
happen often for me, but my energy retrievals were hiding.
Third game I won a closely fought battle. It came down to gusts again.
Ponytas were easy kills. Lesson: do not bench them unless you have
Rapidashes ready. 2-1

Round three:

Another psychic stall deck, but was worse than the first. Never did get
an Alakazam out. He was new to Pokemon tournies, and this was a rare
gift. Competition is intense here, and this guy will learn. Both games
went smooth. Never lost a prize as far as I remember. 2-0

Round four:

Go figure. The same guy I beat last tourny with the three color deck.
Chans, 'buzzes, and Mimes-plus this time he had Mewtwo promos. Same
result as the last time, but it was easier now. He never could get the
right energy. Three color decks are tough. The problem with the Mewtwo
promo is Tauros!!! Almost every deck has colorless pokemon, so I stay
away from using the Mewtwo. I had Scythers when he had 'chans, and
Tauros when he had Mewtwo. He needed to use his 'buzzes more. 2-0

Now I am 8-1. I figure that I am now going to play the tough match now.
Well, there were four players left with a chance to win. The player who
had won four weeks in a row changed his deck and already lost. The top
four included my haymaker variant, a Moltres stall deck, a psychic stall
deck that was nearly unbeatable, and another hayvariant. By the luck of
the draw, I did not have to play the tough psychic stall deck or the
defending champ. I was against the Moltres deck this match.
The other haymaker player got the tough draw against the psychic deck.
This stall deck had no energy. 20 pokemon and 40 trainers. Gamblers,
Scoop ups, Mr. Fuji's, centers, item finders, etc. I was lucky here.
I do not know how to beat this deck without getting quick kills. He
demolished almost everyone. His record was 8-2 going into the final
match (2-0,2-1,2-0,2-1). My record was 8-1. One of his losses was a
forfeiture due to disqualification. (Explain later)

Round five:

My strategy paid off here. I won the first game by taking six prizes. He
was using Chansey and Moltres. I was not able to get my lass, but was
able to damage him before he could scoop and center. The deal favored
me.
Second game I also won, but this time I decked him. I had two prizes
left, and was down to one card. I had 16 trainers and I had a lass and
item finder. I lassed, and then I was four cards ahead of him in my
deck. He used his Moltres, but I was able to item find and lass again.
He did not have enough energy to win.
I see little chance for a Moltres deck to win if lass is around.

Lucky me. The psychic stall deck would probably have won if I played
him. He had only lost one game previously, but had to forfeit one game
because he was caught with 62 cards! I won the tourny 10-1 over his
10-2.
I need to experiment with playing against this type of stall deck. I
will build one and test it.( Maybe only play with 60 cards though). It
may be that I need Gamblers and more item finders.
 Stealthfighter  tuffhem@earthlink.net