Store: Larry's Comics
City: Lowell
State: Massachusetts
Date: 4/15/00
Number of Participants: 6 (Two dropped out before even playing the first round)

    Usually the tournaments at Larry's are bigger because Larry no longer
charges and entry fee and gives out great prizes. This week noone showed up
so it was very small, especially after 2 kids dropped out before even
starting to play. My deck consisted of the following:

                     Flames of Rage
   Pokémon (22):
3x Promo Arcanine (The lifeblood)
4x Arcanine (Great basic, decent attack, need for Arcanine)
4x Doduo (Only to evolve to Dodrio)
3x Dodrio (Great attack, high HP, replaces Switches)
2x Chansey (Damage holder, Staller, Pokémon killer)
3x Abra (Unfortunately...)
3x Alakzam (Move damage onto Arcanine or Dodrio)

   Trainers (15):
3x Oak (A given)
4x Computer Searches (Get the cards you need)
2x Scoop Up (Get rid of unwanted damage)
3x Pokémon Breeder (Well without Kadabra...)
3x Gust of Wind (A surgical strike)

   Energy (23):
20x Fire Energy
3x DCE

   This deck is based around Arcanine's Flames of Rage. It has fast drawing
power as to get Alakazam, Arcanine, Dodrio, and Chansey out as quick as
possible. With at least Alakazam and Arcanine out you can do up to 100
damage turn 2. Dodrio acts as a switch so you can bounce Pokémon in and out
whether to stall or bring in a fresher Pokémon. His Rage also decimates
decks as he can do up to 70 with no discard of energy. Chansey is also a
last ditch attacker but usually holds any excess damage while Arcanine or
Dodrio cleans up.

The tournament was best 2 out of 3 in a round and double elimination (You
had to win 2 out of 3 versus someone but you weren't out of the tournament
until you lost 2 of these rounds.) and all the prizes were Team Rocket
packs for when they come out. First Place was 4 packs, second was 3 packs,
third was 2 packs, and fourth was 1 pack. My matchups were as follows:

Round 1 vs Mike B with Hitmonchan/Electabuzz Haymaker
  We had played a match earlier that day which I had lost so I thought I
was in trouble from the beginning of this match. He ended up killing my
main attackers in both games but thanks to Chansey's Double Edge and
Alakazam's Damage Swap (Something I've never had to do before) I was able
to defeat him quickly. 1-0

Round 2 vs Chris G with a Promo Mewtwo/Hitmonchan/Electabuzz Haymaker
  Another Haymaker! I lost the first game against him but with a little
luck I was able to come out on top the next two. It really was close and a
great game for the two of us. 2-0 (Mike B and Yuri were knocked out this
round.)

Round 3 vs Yang T with a Psychic Stall
  Yang was playing a mono type deck so my Chanseys stalled while my
Arcanine and Dodrios cleaned up his Pokémon. Both games I started with a
near-god hand that had my deck completely active on turn 2. This one didn't
last as long as I would've like it too. Yang is a young player but he knew
how to make decks and he knew the strategies. Unfortunately this loss
knocked Yang out. Chris G was also knocked out this round. Him and Yang
played for third and fourth place. Chris won but Yang still walked away
with a Team Rocket Pack. 3-0

Finals vs Bobby "Rockbottom" R with a Cursed Haymaker
  Bobby and I both knew we were each walking away with 3 packs of Team
Rocket so in essence we were only battling for one pack and neither of our
hearts were in it. We agreed on just playing one game. We were both off to
a slow start but we both picked up speed around the same time. If it hadn't
been for Gust of Winds he would've been able to kill a Pokémon every turn
using Curse and Dark Mind but I GOWed out his Gengars and took them out
with Flames of Rage. Alakazam kept his Curse damage down to almost nothing.
Finally we finished by Bobby decking himself with 3 prizes in each of our
piles. Now all that's left is to collect our prizes on the 24th... 4-0

Props:
Props to Larry for holding free tournaments and giving out worthwhile
prizes (Except for that finger boards you gave away for third place last
week. =D)
Props to everyone at Larry's for always being a good sport.
Props Yang for NOT playing a Haymaker

Slops:
The only Slops is to the two Haymakers. (Bobby's was fine as it wasn't
really a Haymaker because of the Gengars)

     Atlus Parker
Atlus_Parker@hotmail.com
______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com