The competitors were (from left to right) * These are my own classifications of the level of player. These classifications are based on experience, sportsmanship, playing ability, deck construction, and some other general qualifications. Dani Durban ---------- Expert level player from Des Moines, Iowa The Pokemon Lady --- Master level player from Ames, Iowa Tim Anderson -------- Advanced level player from Indianola, Iowa Andrew Anderson ---- Expert level player from Des Moines, Iowa Matt Crawley --------- Advanced level player from Ames, Iowa <ed note: I thought "Expert" level was below "Master" level.  If so, how come "Master" went 0-2 against "Expert"?>

Round 0 VS Nobody: Since this was a round robin tourney, (it couldn't be DCI Sanctioned because there were 5 people) there would be 4 rounds (I couldn't play myself :]) and only two groups of two could play at a time. I sat this "round" out. W---L 0----0 Round 1 Pokemon Lady VS Andrew Anderson --- playing Fossil Potpourri/Haymaker (Scyther, Magmar <F>, Electabuzz, Aerodactyl)

AJ (as I call him) turned out to be a formadable opponent! I was lucky and used the Rocket Diglett to KO his Mysterious Fossil before it evolved into Aerodactyl, but it was about all I could do right during this game. His Fossil Potpourri/Haymaker stalled my Wigglytuff deck, and he kept me stalled. My deck simply didn't take off-- I wound up decking--- and therefore I lost. W---L 0----1 Round 2 VS Dani Durban --- playing "MindShock" (Bungie with Electabuzz/Scyther splash)

Danni kept my WigglyTuff smack at bay by energy removaling, and super energy removaling my DCE and other energy! I was also incredibly stupid and laid psychic-weak Pokemon on the bench-(can we say Hitmonchan)--> he had lots of Pokemon that just simply kicked my butt--and I was unlucky enough to have 3 out of 4 of my Wigglytuffs wind up in my PRIZES. After about 3 turns and 2 Oaks i realized I wasn't going to win, so I decided that I wasn't going to lose by prizes and tried very hard to deck myself again =) I succeeded. W---L 0----2 Round 3 VS Matt Crawley --- playing "Weedle's Revenge"(Rocket Muk with Scyther, 'Buzz, Lickitung and Farfetch'd--

Matt played an incredibly formidable deck. His Muk got out and stopped my Dark Dugtrio's PP, but it didn't really matter--because my Wigglytuffs didn't need Pokemon Powers to do their jobs. The Wigglytuffs were the end of him and I took my last prize to win. W---L 1----2   Round 4 VS Tim Anderson --- playing "Eliminator" (Venusaur, Beedrill, Scyther, 'Buzz)

Tim had a really nice deck--but I didn't see much of it. I managed to have a turn 2 Wiggly (fully powered) and with the help of Thrust! The Letter of Challenge from the Rocket set, I had a full bench as well. I used my GOW to pull up low HP Pokemon and the poor guy just couldn't get a break with drawing cards. I defeated him in pretty short order... W---L 2----2 That was the final round of the official tournament. We then had to tabulate the scores. Andrew, with 4 wins, was the absolute 1st place winner, but Danni and I both had 2 wins, and Matt and Tim had 1 win. We had to battle again--this was for 2nd and 3rd place! Showdown Battle for 2nd and 3rd place

What was really funny was that I had ALL four Wigglytuffs in the play area---too bad I didn't have any energy to power all them up! Danni and I played a much better game this time. I didn't play my psy-weak Pokemon to my bench, I didn't get Energy screwed (even though he kept SERing my Wigglys), and my Wigglys weren't all in my prize pile. Danni and I played about 3/4ths a game and then Kitty Fox brought over the prizes so we could see what they were. 2nd place was a pack of NEO and 3rd was two ROCKET (English printing) boosters. He wanted the Rocket cards and since I had recently bought a BOX of 1st edition boosters, I didn't need them... I really wanted the NEO booster-- Danni and I looked at each other, and since the tournament wasn't sanctioned anyway he agreed to concede. FINAL STATS There were some tense moments with the younger kids who kept leaving their decks lying about, the one kid who was about to lose it because he had a marked card but didn't realize he could lose the match because of it, and various other semi major problems that we as judges had to deal with. All in all it was a pretty fun tourney! I came in second, and for the $3.00 entry fee (which I paid for with my store credit from my fourth place win from my last DSM tourney) I won a booster pack valued at about $20.00 [US]. SLOPS: ~ Really there weren't any slops! ~PROPS: ~ To Kitty Fox for judging the tournament ~ To Mayhem for providing the Prizes and the Place ~ To Matt and Tim for being good losers ~ To Dani for conceding and letting each of us get what we want.