Hello all Henry-Michael Brown (aka The Impossible Man) here with another
tourney report from Pokemon Day in Nuetral Ground. Today has become a very
special day. Pojo's very own Scott Gerhardt took some of his time in his busy
schedule today to stop by to meet me for the very first time. We both took in
a quick exhibition before the start of the tourney. Unfortunately he could
attend due to his flight plans but all we both wanted was to face each other
off in a match. ;)

Pokemon Day
Place: Nuetral Ground
City: New York, New York
Date: April 16, 2000
Tourney: DCI Sactioned (Swiss)
Participants: 16
Deck: The Cleaner
Prize: 1st Place: Pokemon Neo Promos value of $60 and 1 Vending Sheet

This is the final upgrade of the Cleaner before Rockets release.

The Cleaner - Final Fossil Upgrade

10 Fire Energy
9  Grass Energy
2  DCE
4  Koffing (Main Team)
2  Tangela (Support Team)
4  Fossil Magmar (Main Team)
3  Growlithe (Support Team)
2  Arcanine (The Cleaner)
3  Lickitung (Support Team)
4  Energy Removal
4  Bill
3  Lass
3  Scoop Up
3  Gust of Wind
2  Energy Retreival
2  Professor Oak

Substitute Team: 3 Jigglypuff, 3 Ditto, 3 Grimer

The Strategy:
Koffing, Tangela, Lickitung, and Fossil Magmar provide the tulmutous beatdown
with Status Effects KO your opponent while Growlithe awaits Evolution. After
winning three prizes Growlithe should be Arcanine fully pumped and ready to
Clean a) the prizes or b) the bench.

Exhibition Versus Scott Gerhardt
Deck: Sponge Versus the Cleaner.

When we first introduce ourselves we didn't know what we look like let alone
if we showed up. :)  Nevertheless we proceeded with the match. We basically
didn't have much time on our hands but when I Lassed away his Trainers, we
ended up being even in battle. On four seperate ocasions we each had a chance
at ko'ing for prizes but we both used two of our Scoop Ups to avoid it. Scott
recovered nicely from tha first Lass but we were deadlock even. Unfortunately
I believe after 20 minutes (I think) the tourney was about to start and we
both had to stop out match with no prizes picked up whatsoever. That's right
we ended in a draw. Evenly match no sign of deckout or anything. I just
wished we had more time. But I tell it was worth it.

And now the main event: Pokemon Day!

Round 1 Versus Charlie
Deck: Base Set 2 Precon - Hot Water
Match 1 and 2: Charlie is actually new to the whole game so I had to teach
him as best as I could. I knew I had overpowered him but I tried my best to
let him get in some KO's. His only problem is that he has to pay attention to
what he is doing and what his oppoenent is doing. Even the judge did as best
he could to help. Hopefully the kid will understand the game better.
Won: 2 - 0, Overall: 2 - 0, Vs Humans: 1 - 0, Pts: 3

Round 2 Versus Manuel
Deck: Wiggly
Match 1: I Lassed my Opponent leaving him to topdeck for Trainers. I used
Magmar and Lickitung to do all the damage to his Pokemon. Arcanine did show
up but did very little. My Basics were able to when the match by Prizeout.
Match 2: This was a long game. I controlled the board taking out a lot of
Pokemon while my opponent's Wiggly didn't do much. Suddenly came the Lullaby.
I kept getting tails everytime I flipped to wake up. Finally Arcanine showed
and took out alot of Pokemon using both Flamethrower and Take Down. I got
arrogant when my opponents Wiggly(healthy) was left alone and with no energy.
Instead of Flamethroweing it for 50 damage to weaken it I held back for a
Take Down and paid for it from Lullaby. I couldn't get head to break out. He
SER'd Arcanine twice and I ended up Decking myself.
Match 3: This time I took the board again and this time I looked for the kill
in any means possible. He took the first prize and held on. Then I took in
the next two prizes leaving me with four. Suddenly the Judge came and
declared the time up and the round over. I won due to prize count.
Won: 2 - 1, Overall: 4 - 1, Vs Humans: 2 - 0, Pts: 6

Round 3 Versus Max (undefeated)
Deck: Wiggly/Raindance with Gyarados, Dewgong, and Poliwrath.
Match 1: I controlled the match here. He did good holding out. I had problems
again with the Lullaby flipping coins and getting tails. I was able to take
out his Blastoise even though it was useless since he had Jiggly/Wiggly
sitting in his bench only. I got Arcanine out after claiming three prizes but
stopped me from fully Cleaning when he brought a fully pumped Gyarados
active. That;s when Tangela and Koffing arrived. I took advantage of the
Weakness to Grass Pokemon thet Gyarados have but retreated with Ten Damage
remaining. He brought out Jiggly for the Lullaby scenario but I finnaly broke
out of it and Poisoned it for the Ko through Koffing to get the last prize.
Match 2: Blastoise was ill prepared again as I started to beat it down with
Koffing once again. and this time he had Water Pokeon in his bench but bery
little energy. I Ko the Blastoise and my fully built bench was ready to make
work out of the Jiggly, Squirtle and Magikarp sitting energyless. But then
the kid had to leave and forfeited the match giving me the victory.
Won: 2 - 0, Overall: 6 - 1, Vs Humans: 3 - 0, Pts: 9

Championship Versus Jonathan(undefeated)
Deck: Pure Electric with Electrode, Electabuzz, Fossil Zapdos, and Pikachu.
Match 1: Well this the same young man who I faced last time. He had the Golem
deck but this time he had a focused deck. This was grueling match. He started
to smash my basics with Electrode alone. But I came back by KO'ing Electrode
witht ehStatus Effects. I brought Arcanine out early and evened our prize
count to three. Once I lost Arcanine the basics picked up the slack. At the
end of the match we had one prize left to win. I brought out Tangela with
three Grass Energy and Poisonpowder his confused Zapdos for the win.
Match 2: We both double Mulligan (My Mulligan curse continues) We both went
slow and my basics held on to the match but by the time I lost I found my
Arcanine in the bottom of the deck. We both Ko'd each other evenly but I lost
control of the board. My Basics were overwhealmed.
Match 3: This was it. For the Championship. I had Lickitung, Koffing, and
Magamr to start. My opponent had only Electabuzz. He had a bad draw and held
up with two energy on Electabuzz. I slowlydamaged his Pokemon for one damage
a turn until I was able to get in 20 with Magmar. I lost Magmar and Lickitung
so I went with Tangela. All I needed was one Energy of any type to go with
the Grass Eneergy to do Bind for 20 Damage for the KO. I drew my card and out
came a DCE. I dropped it Tangela and Bind for the win.
Won: 2 - 1, Overall: 8 - 2, Vs Humans: 4 - 0, Pts: 12

Final Standing: 1st Place Champion.

So after ten months of tournies and upgrading the Cleaner and I finally got
my very first Tournament win. For the road ahead I do not know. I guess now I
will have to top myself. But.... I rather just walk away silently with
nothing further to prove and keep upgrading the Cleaner until it can't
upgrade no more.

I would like to take the time to personally thank Scott Gerhardt for truely
going out of his way to come to Nuetral Ground to play me and my Cleaner
personally. I am sure it was out of his way and with his flight early in the
afternoon, I would have understood if he had not shown up. You really are a
nice guy for doing that and I truely appreciate that you did that. Especially
since your stay was very short. Win or lose playing you was worthwhile.

Thank you, Gracias, Arigato Gozaimasu

I hope we meet again one day and finish what we started. ;)

For everyone else until next Pokemon Day.
Good Night
::Starts playing "We Are The Chapmions" on CD::

The Impossible Man
Fuego90702@aol.com