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Sabrina's Curse
djcati

Borders Books and Music
Glasgow, Scotland
March 29, 2003

OK, this is my first Killer Deck report. Heck, this is only the third time I've been to a league. I was a little slow getting into the card game, so no leagues. The league at Borders has only just started (shameless plug - GO!). And yes - there were a whole three people there, which includes Iain the organizer. It's Scotland, go figure.
Anyways, my deck-

Energy
Psychic x 19

Trainers x 18
Potion x 4
Energy Search x 3
Plus Power x 2
Bill x 4
Switch x 2
Gust of Wind x 2
Professor Elm x 1

Pokemon x 23
Sabrina's Abra x 3
Sabrina's Kadabra x 2
Sabrina's Alakazam x 1
Gastly x 3 (1 Base2, 2 Destiny)
Haunter x 2 (1 Fossil, 1 Base2)
Gengar x 1 (Lc)
Slowpoke x 2 (Rocket)
Slowbro x 1 (Fossil)
Dratini x 2 (1 Rocket, 1 base)
Dark Dragonair x 2
Dark Dragonite x 1
Ratatta x 2 (Rocket)
Unown S x 1 (Destiny)

Well, since there weren't many of us, we didn't play a real tourney. Just matches between us all - me, Iain, and the boy whose name I have forgotten. Let's call him 'Glaswegian Boy'.

First Match (me v. Glaswegian Boy)
I was using my deck, GB was using one of the pre-constructed Aquapolis decks, Abyss.
I don't remember too much about any of the specific matches, but this one was quite drawn out for a pre-con deck - but then, that might've been because half the time we did nothing and just talked to each other and Iain, about the current state of Pokemon in the UK. (And Iain showed off his 'appearance' - one tiny pic - in the GenConUK report in Pokemon mag XD). ^^;
I never managed to evolve Alakazam, but GB was annoyed when I kept using Curse to move a damage counter to his 40HP Horseas, then using Dark Mind to knock them out. Heh, 40HP Horseas were pretty much all he was getting, which worked out great for me.
I won this match eventually, and it turned out the cards GB wanted - like Seadra, so he could actually have some power - were his prizes. hehe..
One up to the dj..

Second Match (me v. Iain)
Might I point out first that Iain made it pretty well through the Professor tournament at GenConUK, losing only to Freddy K (Faisal Kahn), and he can afford hella more caards than me, giving him more - and better - variety. (Yes, with all this defence on my part, it's getting clear I lost. Gah)
I didn't get such a good starting hand on this game, as I remember - just one basic Pokemon, Abra - but, I guess, neither did Iain. Heh, he managed to draw Entei as his only basic, hence he couldn't use Howl for some Fire energy. But he picked up. -_-
I lost quite spectacularly to this deck, managing to knock out one Bulbasaur and one Slugma before Iain hit back with an Expedition (or Aquapolis? E-card, anyway) Venusaur and Magcargo combo - allowing him to attach two energies per turn, quickly increasing power on the Magcargo's attack.. And boom, sayanora Gengar. That left me with, uh, Rattata, (ooh, ph34r the 10/20 Quick Attack), and Rattata. But I did lose on prizes, not benched out.
Aw, one down, dj.

Iain v. GB
Well, GB customised his deck a little, using the other Aquapolis deck Iain gave him (ooh! We each got a free deck! Yay!), but Iain quickly gained an advantage. And, being the sadist he obviously is, wasted a few turns powering up Magcargo, and pow! - 180 damage to a 40HP Pokemon. GB got benched.
Poor GB! Two down. (3vil Iain, two up)

last match (Me v. GB again)
For some reason, I decided to switch decks at this point, to a pretty poorly-built Dark Vileplume grass/fire deck (Vileplume stops trainers, duh, so why have so many?!) I did add a Magby before the match to try and counteract this mistake. But uh, there wasn't much point anyway. Read on.
Evil starting hand. I think I mulliganed once.. But even after that, my hand was terrible. I got Magby and Growlithe. With no Fire energy. Go me.
Well, played Magby as active, and Baby kept me safe for a bit, while I tried to draw some Fire power (didn't work for ages gah!).
I don't remember this game too much, except I lost, and managed to draw both Dark Glooms, both Dark Vileplumes, a Charmeleon and both Charizards. BUT NO ODDISH OR CHARMANDER! Evil deck... I am never using that again.
Argh, another one down for dj.

Well, although I only won 1/3, the three hours was still great fun, way better than the cruddy hour I have for my (badly organised ^^;) TCG club at school, where no one plays Pokemon well anyway (they all come for HP. Meh).
Plus, since there were only two of us (don't tell Wizards - we elaborated and trebled everything XD), we each got four copies of Rocket's Sneasel, Electabuzz and Rainbow Energy. And because I wouldn't be able to go again for a while, even though it was a draw, I got the over-sized Rocket's Sneasel. yay!

Props and Slops
Props to Iain for organizing it!
Props to Gengar :P
Slops to there only being two of us! :(

djcati@lycos.co.uk

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