Dark Dragons (fire, dark)
                                                                    by Ruben Gutierrez
                                                                      Maximum Sports
                                                                    Stockton, California
                                                               Wednesday, June 12, 2002
                                                                        35 participants

                   Well, this is the first time I'm sending a deck review to
pojo, anyway the last tourney I was in was at the mall here in Stockton at a
card shop 'Maximum Sports'.' This was the first time I was using this deck in
a tourney and it did pretty good pulling me in second. The deck was one of
the strongest there but weakness killed me. Using the deck was fun for me
because I never thought a deck like that would last in a tourney considering
the energy cost but the hands pulled through for me. I'm wanna use this deck
a lot more but I'd like to know if I should make any changes before I enter
another tourney so here's the deck!




Dark Dragons

1 Charizard base set
1 Charizard rocket
1 Typhlosion genisis
2 sneasel
2 murkrow
2 light dragonair
1 Erika's Dratini
1 Misty's Gyarados
1 magikarp
2 charmeleon
2 charmander
2 cyndaquil
1 quilava

3 darkness energy
3 recycle energy
10 fire
5water

3 super potion
3 potions
3 bill
2 energy removal
2 super energy removal
2 counterattack claws
1 gust of wind
2 pokemon breeder
1 imposter prof oak
2 energy search


             My matches went on for about 20 minuts each except for the
finals which was about 35-40 minutes long. So my deck had a very good day.
the tourney was last Sat but I'll do the best I can to remember each match.


Round 1 vs. Felipe
             I thought i was toast in the first round because this gut always
seems to beat me but I knew I'd have to face him one way another and I also
knew he only uses one deck so I came prepared on both weakness and
resistance. his deck was grass, rock so this match went by pretty easy. First
hand  I drew a charmander and charmeleon with energy search, two fire and two
water (lucky). then he put down a venonat and a chikorita as a bench warmer.
I killed his venonat with a coin toss attack, one prize. then evolved my
charmander and took out his previous chikorita which was now a bayleef.won
the match (1-0)

Round 2 vs. Mewto/ Arcanine deck
            This deck I faced was a pretty good deck. He took out one of my
charmanders to take one prize but then I drew a sneasel which was perfect. he
couldnt attack me due to resistaince so I just poundid him and took all the
prizes.Won (2-0)

Round 3 vs. Jesse and Blastoise/ Mewto  
             this was the best match I had played all day. I had lots of
benched pm so that always helps.It was all his match at the begining and he
took out two of my pokemon. I had two sneasels on my bench. I saw his bench
had two Mewtos and a abra. Then I threw some energies on both my sneasels
sacraficing another pm so he was down to one prize. put a sneasel in used a
double gust and killed his abra. his Mewto on did 10 damage due to
resistaince and i had a potion so no need to worry. And after his first move
I knocked him out.This was his last Mewto and last benched Pokemon so I threw
a  Miracle berry on sneasel so I wouldnt get paralized took some damage and
knocked out his Mewto.won (3-0)   
       
Finals vs. Felipe
             I knew he was going to make it to the finals and I knew he was
going to do a better job this time so I had to be carefull. I knew I had to
draw full heals and miracle berries which wasnt happening. he was Poisining,
paralyzing, and confusing my cards left and rightand I wasnt drawing the
cards I wanted.Lost (3-1)     


             I know if I would of had more heals I would of one that match,
but I'll just wait till the next tourney at the M Spot and then I'll take it
all!


Props to Maximum Sports for having the tourney, Felipe and his deck, and to
all of my opponents who put up a good battle.

Thanks for Reading

Ruben Gutierrez
Darth Maul 209@aol.com