Beatdown Deck, Brian Bruce, Game Den, Orem Utah
 
Turnout: 16
Entry: $4
Single Elimination, until semi-finals
Prizes:     1st = 2 Metal Raiders packs, 1 Magic Rulers pack, 1 Tourney Pack
               2nd = 1 Metal Raiders packs, 1 Magic Rulers pack, 1 Tourney Pack
               3rd = 1 Magic Rulers pack, 1 Tourney Pack
               4th = 1 Tourney Pack
 
Monsters          (26)
2x BEWD (power city)
3x Summoned Skull (fast and tough
1x Shadow Ghoul (late game killer)
1x Labyrinth Wall (Blue-Eyes repellant)
1x Dark Elf (Hurts, but good in pinch)
2x 7Colored Fish (You know why)
2x La Jinn the Genie (Same as 7 Colored)
2x The Bistro Butcher (Needed 2 more 1800 hitters)
1x Battle Ox (Almost a Genie or Fish)
1x Neo the Magic Swordsman (Same as Ox)
1x Giant Soldier of Stone (Defense, plus Shield and Sword)
1x Lord of D. (Blue-Eyes best friend)
2x Witch of the Black Forest (Need Skulls now?)
1x Wall of Illusion (Nasty Surprise)
1x Prevent Rat (Soldiers pet)
2x Man-Eater Bug (Gotta love it)
1x Dragon Piper (NO MORE CAPTURE JAR)
1x Kuriboh (Just in Case)
 
Magic            (12)
1x Card Destruction
1x Change of Heart
1x Dark Hole 
3x Fissure
1x Flute of Dragon Summoning
1x Horn of Light
1x Monster Reborn
1x Share the Pain
1x Shield and Sword
1x Soul exchange
1x Stop Defense
 
Traps            (9)
1x Mirror Force
1x Robin Goblin
1x Solemn Judgment
3x Trap Hole
2x Waboku
1x Snake Fang
 
               Shortly after arrival, I learn that it is single elimination till the semi-finals. The losers would face off for 3rd place. Basically, if you won twice, you secured at least 4th place. Well, all 16 of us drew a random numbered card from a deck of 16 to determine the matches. I was placed against a descent player but I can’t remember his name). I’m horrible with names.
 
 
Round 1                  Duelists: 16
Brian vs. ?????(Unknown deck)
Duel #1
               He went first and played a set monster with two face down cards. I don’t remember my hand, but I had Summoned Skull out a few turns in. Despite the fact he had some great magic cards. He managed to get all my Skulls off the field using Man-Eater Bugs and Traps. But I did the same to him and won the duel by attacking with a Lord of D., MEB, and Kuriboh. He couldn’t defend himself. 
1-0
Duel #2
               This duel started out with the weirdest hand. I got a La Jinn, 2 Trap Holes, 2 Wabokus, and Mirror Force. I placed the Holes and Wabokus down and summoned La Jinn. For about 5 minutes, neither of us took any damage until he played Just Deserts twice and Princess of Tsurgi (spelling). I was out almost half my life, but he had only a few monsters down. Then I made the worst move ever. I played Share the Pain and sacrificed my Lord of D. But, all he had was a Man-Eater Bug, which destroyed my unprotected Blue-Eyes. Talk about dumb. Later, I was forced to use SJ to negate SoRL. Next thing I know, I have a Prevent Rat and a Man-Eater Bug paralyzed with potions and a Giant Soldier of Stone in defense mode while he has nothing. I have 1750 life points while he has 2500. I draw a WotBF. I attack with it and the Soldier to all but kill him. He draws a magic card and surrenders. He later told me he played too many magic cards.
2-0
 
What luck. I draw one of the top players in the tournament for Round 2
 
Round 2                  Duelists: 8
Brian(me) vs. Robert (Strategy Stall Beatdown Deck)
Duel #1
               Robert played hard and fast right off the top. But, I managed to slow him down. Early on, he hits me with a double dose of SoRL and my SJ is nowhere to be found. Me La Jinn and Fish were toast. NOT. My trap holes, wabokus, and fissures managed to keep them both alive. I tried to use Summon Skull, but he was waiting for it. Finally, I pulled out Lord of D. with the Flute and a Blue-Eyes. After I summoned them, he didn’t have a counter to it. The battle finished quickly to me. 
3-0
Duel #2
               This one started out with us trading blows with Fish, Skulls, Man-Eater Bugs, and Butchers. I used my Skulls and my Shadow Ghoul to finally work down his defenses. He even stopped my Blue-Eyes before it had a chance. But, he played SoRL on me again. I managed to put up a good fight, but he wore down my defense. However, the heart of the cards was with me because I drew Monster Reborn on the next move. I resurrected the Blue-Eyes and attacked with it and a Dark Elf. It was close, but I pulled out another win. I couldn’t believe I just swept one of the best players.
4-0
 
I knew I was going to get something. I chose a card and got a real tough opponent next.
 
Semi-Finals            Duelists: 4
Brian vs. John, I think (Strategy Beatdown)
Duel #1
               I knew he was good, but the first duel went totally my way. I got a Trap Hole, La Jinn, Change of Heart, SS, Lord of D. and a Flute. I used Change of Heart on his defensive monster and brought out SS and got the quick edge, which is my style. I placed the Flute and Trap hole face down. He countered with another defensive monster, but with a card behind it as well. I drew a Blue-Eyes and played the Lord of D. combo. My Skull trashed his GSS and my Blue-Eyes made a mark on his life points. Lord of D followed. This duel was quick, but a little too quick.
5-0
Duel #2
               This duel was anybodies game. I got an iffy hand right off, but it wasn’t to much avail. We must have countered each other every turn. He started to get sick of all my Wabokus and Trap Holes. Finally, he broke my defenses and got to my life points. The main kicker was when he played De-Spell and Destroyed my Flute before I could use it. I couldn’t counter when he attacked and lost the duel. It was my first defeat in a tournament.
5-1
Duel #3
               Since the other semi-final ended in straight duels, everybody was around out table. This had to be the closest duel in the tournament. We attacked, countered, trapped, and attacked again. I couldn’t get past his defense, but he kept losing monsters to my magic and trap cards. I had already used a SS and a Shadow Ghoul, but he destroyed them before they had a chance. Finally, he caught the edge. He played a trap to turn the tide, but I used SJ. He countered with a Fake Trap, thus his move continued. That loss cost me the duel and the match. I couldn’t get either of the Blue-Eyes in my hand onto the field before he drained my life points with a 4000 attack. All I needed was one more card to use the Lord of D. combo. 
5-2
 
Because of the time, I had to immediately start the 3rd place match against another good duelist
 
3rd place Match
Brian vs. Alexander
Duel #1
               I thought this was going to be a tough battle for 3rd. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The duel went by so fast I thought is was too good to be true. I used change of heart to pull SS out on my first move again. He tried to recover, but my traps were too fast for him. The duel ended after about 7 to 8 turns. I just pummeled him with my SS and La Jinn.
6-2
Duel #2
               This duel ended before it got started. I used change of heart again (lucky shuffle) to use his Karate Man’s effect against him along with 7 Colored Fish for 3,800 damage. He never recovered and I won after about 4 turns using only La Jinn, 7 Colored, and maybe a SS. My Blue-Eyes never made it to my hand once.
7-2
 
Final Score: 7 wins and 2 losses for 3rd place
 
Props:
- To Jonny and Thad for letting me use their cards
- To myself for getting 3rd place
- To the guy that traded me 2 Summoned Skulls and a Soul Release for some common cards 
- To the store owner for holding the tournament 
 
Slops:
- Not attacking when I should have
- No good cards from the tourney or magic ruler packs
- To the kid who refused 4 rare monsters for a Change of Heart card
- To myself for not equipping my deck with better magic cards
 
 
Contact me at jackalsnest@hotmail.com