Sea-Tac Mall, Federal Way, WA

May 14, 2000
About 20 Players

Seattle Sponge
Thanks to Scott Gerhardt

3 Electabuzz
 2 Promo Mewtwo
2 Mew
 2 Scyther
 2 Ditto

 3 Bill
4 Professor Oak
3 Scoop Up
3 Item Finder
3 Energy Removal
2 Super Energy Removal
3 Energy Retrieval
3 Gust of Wind
1 Lass
2 Nightly Garbage Run
3 PlusPower

7 Psychic Energy
 6 Lightning Energy
 3 Double Colourless Energy
 1 Rainbow Energy

Scott was kind enough to whip this up for me the night before I played... my Viagra variation hadn’t done too well the day before, and I felt that was largely due to a lack of Energy Removal. With this Sponge variation, however, I did better; too bad the coins weren’t falling for me. I was unable to flip heads all weekend, and that in combination with the unusual (and IMO, stupid) system being used was enough to keep me from achieving my goal of qualifying for the World Championships down in LA.
Problem one: The tournament was single-elimination, with only one game per round. That system is fine on Apprentice, but not in a big time qualifying tournament.
Problem two: In this tournament, there was no sudden death. If the game ended tied in prizes, the player with the most cards remaining in their deck was declared the winner. That is a terrible rule, and I lost a game the day before due to it.
Enough complaining on my part. Onwards to the report...

Round 1 vs. Steven (Raindance)
This was a very fast game, due to a terribly unlucky draw on Steve’s part. He got only a Seel to my Promo Mewtwo... things were looking good early for me. He went first and used Headbutt, no real harm done. I removed the Water Energy, played a Psychic Energy, and Oaked away the rest of my hand so I could quickly power up with Energy Absorption. He plays another Water, Headbutts again, I’m still sitting pretty — but hoping he doesn’t draw any more basics. I burn him for 40... I later find out he used to run Krappy/Gyarados in his ‘dance, but no matter. He still gets no basic love, and can only Headbutt. I burn him once more for the quick win; I got very lucky, as his deck is far better than that game showed.

Round 2 vs. Water/Fire
This game started out looking good for me, but ended up going down to the wire. More proof that you should never give up! I started out with Scyther, and had my Rainbow Energy and a DCE in my hand. She had Chansey... urg, too many HP! I threw down the Rainbow and danced; she played an E and had nothing else to do. I slapped the DCE on Scy, and slashed for 60 (in a Psychic/Lightning deck, no less!). The game was give and take from there, but with me doing most of the damage. Every time she played energy, I had removal in my hand. She couldn’t keep her energy on, and was getting frustrated. I was able to get the energy off Chansey for a while to keep her from scrunching, and I’d had the forethought to Dance the turn before. I used 3 Item Finders for 3 PlusPowers that turn, and slashed for 90... too bad the Chansey had no damage on it at that time. Hmph. I finally took out the bloody Chansey with a Ditto, but she promoted Scyther and got a KO too. She was getting no ! energy, though, until she was able to put a DCE on Charmeleon. I was VERY worried, as a single Slash would have been enough to take out my Mewtwo. I drew my card, and looked through my Discard Pile... and time ran out! I was leading in prizes, and got the win for that... but if she’d had enough time to take her next turn, she would have drawn an Oak! That certainly would have given her at least one energy, all she needed to bench me and win the game. She had given up before then, though, and wasn’t in a hurry... so don’t ever give up kids, as you never know what might happen!

Round 3 vs. Jeff (Chansey/Charizard)
I feel dirty; I feel violated. I lost to a Chansey and Charizard deck... this day shall truly live in infamy. But it was an exciting game, and came down to the very end! The flip of a coin was the deciding factor here, about midway through the game. But I get ahead of myself; let me start at the beginning. For the second game in a row, I start off looking at a Chansey. I guess right calling the flip, and get to go first... Lightning Energy on Buzz, shock, but no paralysis. He plays Clefairy to his bench, and attaches a Fire Energy. Uh oh! I had to take that ‘fairy out before it started doing nasty things to me, and I had the means to do just that. I played another energy to Buzz, gusted up Clefairy, and just to be on the safe side I slapped down a PlusPower. Lucky thing, too, because I flipped tails. I get the first prize, yay! ... but the game ain’t over yet, kiddies. He stalls with Chansey while building up a Charmander on his bench... I notice he discards a Cha! rizard to use Computer Search. Et. He has 2 prizes left to my 4, but I’m able to KO his silly Dark Charizard for another prize. Unfortunately for me, the timer lady starts counting down right in my ear — I have only about 30 seconds left, so I Oak with just 5 cards in my library, hoping for some kind of miracle. No miracle today though, kids... time runs out on me, and I lose by prizes with an empty deck. That one coin flip made all the difference, and I wasn’t able to recover in time to mount a sustained final assault. It was a great game for the spectators, though, and a lot of fun to play!

My goal coming into the tourney was to make it to Round Four, and I just barely fell short of that. I really didn’t do too bad, considering it was the first time I’d used the deck and I flipped maybe one heads the entire day. I wasn’t always certain what to do, having so little experience with this deck; I think with more practice, I could do very well with it though.
I don’t do props and slops... they’re silly. I would like to thank my wonderful friend Christine Amaral, though... I dedicate this report to you, darlin’!

Zach Luther
Zach@pojo.com