Well, I was getting tired of my fighting/grass deck, mainly because everyone 
else was playing it.  So I decided to try something new.  I had to find 
something that would beat both decks with fire, and fighting/grass decks.  I 
eventually decided to go with Scyther/Hitmonchan/Mr. Mime.  Wacky, huh?  I 
played the fighting and psychic energy, but didn't play grass for Scyther (I 
have bad luck with 3 colors of energy).  I really thought I would do terribly 
with this deck, as I had not even really play-tested it before the tourney.  
We head off to the Gathering grounds for the Saturday tourney...

Round 1:versus Dan Jente Fighting/Grass (Surprise number #1:)
Dan's brother Mike has won several tourneys, so I knew his brother would 
probably be pretty good.  
Game 1:  He gets a good draw, and he always has an answer for my pokemon.  I 
got a very slow draw, and lose fairly quickly.  Not a good start.
Game 2:  I start quickly with Scyther wrecking almost everything.  Then Mr. 
Mime gets in on the fun against a Scyther with only Scyther on the bench.  
That's fun!  He forfeited this game eventually, because he wanted to have 
time for all of game 3.
game 3:  I get a pretty good start, and our Scythers start trading blows.  
Later, I slash a Scyther for 30, then get my Scyther killed.  I send out Mr. 
Mime, and wreck his Scyther.  He sends out Hitmonchan and Jabs me for 20, so 
I retreat Mr. Mime for a pumped Scyther.  I started to dance my pokemon 
around, and eventually killed him.
Game record:2-1
Match record:1-0

Round 2:Mike Jente (Dan's Brother) playing fighting/fire/grass (I think???)
Game 1: I get another bad hand, and his Scythers and Rapidash rip me apart.  
I'm in trouble again...
Game 2:  I remember that Mr. Mime did well against Rapidash.  He kept 
flipping heads on stomp, and therefore couldn't hurt me.  Mr. Mime slowly 
wrecked him.
Game 3: we didn't have much time, so we drew.
Game record:3-2
Match record:1-0-1

Round 3:Cameron Heise playing fighting/grass
Cam's a good friend of mine, and we knew exactly what each other was playing, 
card for card!
Game 1:  He gets a lightning-fast start, and crushes me.  Losing game 1 seems 
to be my lot in life.
Game 2:  He gets a bad start, and my scyther smashes every thing to pieces.  
I was down to 1 prize left, when time ran out (He hadn't even drawn one 
prize).  I won, but it would be my 2nd draw in a row.
Game record:4-3
Match Record:1-0-2

Round 4: ??????? playing Electric/grass
Game 1:  My Hitmonchan doesn't last long against his Scyther.  I oak, but my 
pokemon aren't pumped and I have no chance.  I forfeit so that we will have 
more time for games 2 and 3.  
Game 2:  Hitmonchan does well against Lickitung and Electabuzz:).
Game 3:  I come out way too fast for him, and my Scyther starts crushing him.
Game record:6-4
Match record:2-0-2

Well, I squeek my way into the top 8 with 8 points.  I was very happy just to 
make top 8 with this deck.  

Round 1 of top 8:Eric Theise playing grass
Game 1:  Scyther and Pinsir are good against hitmo and mime. :( I lose.
Game 2:  My hand consisted of hitmonchan 3 fight energy 2 psy energy and a 
plus power.  He plays venonat and nothing else!  I draw:Comp search!!!!!!!!!! 
 I play energy on hitmo, plus power and search for the other!!!!  First turn 
win.
Game 3:  In 20 turns, he never had more than 1 energy on the board.  I played 
3 super removals and 4 regular removals in that time!  One scyther killed six 
pokemon thanks to his lack of energy.
Game record:8-5
Match record:3-0-2

Well, It's on to top 4.  I have lost the first game in each of my first 5 
rounds, but haven't lost.

Round 6:Nick Yackey playing grass/fighting with staryu (he rocks)
Game 1:  I play 2 Professor Oaks by the 2nd turn.  Everyone thinks I will 
deck myself, but I have other plans.  I go on a rampage while he goes into 
stall mode.  I have 1 prize left when he retreats his damaged lickitung for a 
hitmonchan with 30 damage on it.  I draw my last card:double colorless 
energy.  I scoop up hitmonchan and send out Scyther.  I play DCE and use the 
plus power I have been saving for the win.  
Game 2:  I spend all game whooping up on staryu and hitmonchan with scyther.  
Then when scyther dies, I finish all the injured pokemon with mime.
Game record:10-5
Match record:4-0-2

Well, I'm in the finals against 5-time winner, Gerrod Heise (Cam's brother).  
I'm very afraid, even though I know every card in his deck.  

Round 7:Gerrod Heise playing fighting/grass
Game 1: Thanks to a fast draw, Scyther and Mime kill him.
Game 2:  I love injuring a scyther with slash, then retreating for mime and 
killing it.  He couldn't stand up to this combination after he 
double-mulliganed.
Game record:12-5
Match record:5-0-2

I finish the tourney undefeated, and dethrone "mighty-mouse" (Gerrod).  First 
prize is a Promo Ancient Egypt Mew.  It's worth a lot.  I can't wait for 
Gathering Ground's $500 in prizes pokemon tourney.

Props:  
Gathering Ground for GREAT prizes and the toughest tourneys in the Midwest
Sam Nansel for coming on Saturday instead on sunday.
My deck:  I thought it would stink, but I guess not.
Cameron Heise for getting 3rd

Slops:
The kid I played in the fourth round: He was cheating with his coin flips
My brother for not entering the tourney so he could play magic

Well, that's all folks.  :)
-Dan Mayo (Haymaker18@aol.com)