Take_a_Look_at_Greatness_Merril_Hess_Altered_States_Syracuse_New

Merril Hess's Tournament Report

Location: Altered States Game and Hobby, Syracuse, New York

Time: 10:30 A.M.

Cost: $5

# of People: 35 Total ~ 20 Seniors, 15 Juniors

Deck used: Take a Look at Greatness

Deck Type: Control

# of Cards: 40

Deck List:

Creatures:

3x D.D. Warrior Lady

2x Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer

2x Mystic Tomato

1x Witch of the Black Forest

1x Sangan

1x Yata~Garasu

1x Jinzo

1x Sinister Serpent

1x Breaker the Magical Warrior

1x Don Zaloog

1x Fiber Jar

1x Tribe~Infecting Virus

1x Berserk Gorilla

Spells:

1x Harpie's Feather Duster

1x Change of Heart

1x Monster Reborn

1x Dark Hole

1x Raigeki

1x Graceful Charity

1x Pot of Greed

3x Mystical Space Typhoon

1x Delinquent Duo

1x The Forceful Sentry

1x Premature Burial

1x Snatch Steal

1x Heavy Storm

1x Mirage of Nightmare

Traps:

2x Torrential Tribute

1x Imperial Order

1x Magic Cylinder

1x Call of the Haunted

1x Mirror Force

1x Ring of Destruction

Sideboard:

2x Nobleman of Crossout

2x Waboku

1x Airknight Parshath

1x Berserk Gorilla

1x Cyber Jar

1x Spirit Reaper

1x Mystic Tomato

1x Magician of Faith

1x Magical Scientist

1x Confiscation

1x Painful Choice

1x Book of Moon

1x Torrential Tribute

Report:

We were playing Swiss format, which is 4 rounds of guaranteed match

play, then a Top 8 playoff pairing. I got a little practice in, winning the

only match I played, 2‑0. We are split into 2 divisions, based on age.

Seniors (+15) and Juniors (14 and under). Onto the rounds:

Round #1 Me (Merril Hess) vs. Albert (Decently built Burner)

Duel 1:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7000, 6700, 5700, 5100, 4400

Him ‑ 8000, 7000, 5600, 4200, 1800, 0

I got the dice roll, so I began. I don't remember much about this match,

but I remember seeing Kaiser Coliseum once. I also remember my

Jinzo being on the field for quite some time, picking away and his life

by killing creatures. He eventually started top decking traps against

Jinzo and I got him with a direct shot from Kycoo.

Duel 2:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7200, 6700, 5800, 4800, 3800, 3300, 0

Him ‑ 8000, 6900

This duel was pretty tough for me since I play 6 M/T removal and I

don't see any of them. He got Gravity Bind early and eventually got a

Stealth Bird. The turn after he got the Bird, he plays Wave‑Motion

Cannon and eventually hits me for 4000 with it when I was at 3300.

I was a little upset since I always get M/T removal when I don't need it,

but when it's needed, it isn't around.

Duel 3:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 6400, 5400, 3400

Him ‑ 8000, 7000, 5900, 2600, 0

Ok, this duel was a mix of the first 2. He saw G‑Bind early, but I had

M/T removal this time, so I got by it. He got another, then I got Jinzo

out. He saw Stealth once, hitting me for that 1000 before I Raigeki it

away. Witch got a direct shot, too. When push came to shove, though,

my Jinzo was just too overwhelming for him. I congratulated him for a

great match and helped him with his deck afterwards.

Record ~ 2‑0 (1‑0 Match Record)

Round #2 Me (Merril Hess) vs. James Gowett (Chaos/Control)

Duel 1:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7400, 7300, 6300, 4600, 3600, 0

Him ‑ 8000, 6600, 4700, 4600, 3800, 1800

This duel was back and forth, no one really ever took full control, but

when he was on the ropes, he hits me direct with Berserk and Slate for

game. I Duo'd his Yata away, too, which would have locked me much

earlier in the match.

Duel 2:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000

Him ‑ 8000, 7900, 6500, 5100, 3100, 1300, 500, 0

This was all me from the start. I used Don to discard his Yata, but it

didn't matter as I never was in a situation to worry. I easily took this

one.

Duel 3:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7000, 5400, 3600, 3400, 0

Him ‑ 8000, 7800, 5800, 4000, 3000

This duel, Duo from the start (got Yata for the 3rd time, noticing a

pattern yet?) was as goo as it got. I got my shots in, but he just about

double my every move, eventually getting me with the Chaos Emperor

Dragon.

Record ~ 3‑2 (1‑1 Match Record)

Round #3 Me (Merril Hess) vs. Tim Stonebruner (random deck)

Duel 1:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7000, 6200, 5700

Him ‑ 8000, 5600, 4200, 1800, 400, 0

I got Jinzo on the first turn thanks to my Change of Heart. It stayed

out to do 2400 direct, then it died, and got brought back again to finish

what he started. I won in about 3 minutes.

Duel 2:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 5350, 2700

Him ‑ 8000, 5600, 3600, 2800, 1700, 0

Once again, I got a FTJ (First Turn Jinzo) and hit direct for 2400. I got

him down to 1700 before he used Rope of Life to bring back his

Gagagigo at 2650. He attacked for his first damage that duel. I

activated the Ring of Destruction I drew on my turn in his Draw Phase

to end him. It also took a lot outta me, too, as it put me down to 2700.

Record ~ 5‑2 (2‑1 Match Record)

Round #4 Me (Merril Hess) vs. Cameron Hand (Chaos Control)

Duel 1:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7300, 6500, 5100

Him ‑ 8000, 6600, 6500, 4500, 2900, 1300, 0

I got Don out and hit direct first turn, and I saw Pot of Greed like 3

times thanks to Fiber Jar. I was a top decking fiend and I eventually

picked off the best junior player in our store. He was trying seniors

for a change.

Duel 2:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7300, 6600, 5200, 3800, 2400, 0

Him ‑ 8000, 6600, 5200, 2600, 1200

I was about to win this and take the match, but a Solemn Judgment

changed all that. I eventually lost from there on out because of bad

top decking. I saw Pot of Greed, but got Jinzo and MST. Two very

useable assets when your getting stomped by a Don directly and you

need a creature on the field.

Duel 3:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7000

Him ‑ 8000, 6600, Yata Locked

I got the Yata lock turn 2. I was pretty funny because I get both of my

Pre‑Negators off of Pot. I whacked his hand of all the monsters I could

and attacked with Don. He goes to defense and ends. I play Raigeki,

hoping it's not Witch or Sangan. It's Tomato, so I summon Yata and he

admits defeat right there, knowing I'll finish him. He was upset at me

because of me seeing Pot of Greed in every duel.

Record 7‑3 (3‑1 Match Record)

I made the Top 8 ranked 3rd overall. I get to play and old friend in the

first round. Onto the Quarterfinal Match:

Me (Merril Hess) vs. James Gowett (Chaos/Control)

Duel 1:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7900, 6000, 4600

Him ‑ 8000, 6200, 4200, 2300, 0

Ok, this match was a total turnaround from my loss to him earlier. I

Duo'd him and got the Yata for the 4th time straight. This got annoying,

but I managed to my shots in and pull out the W.

Duel 2:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7000, 4600, 2700, 3700, 1800

Him ‑ 8000, 5600, 3500, 1100, 0

Now I have to admit, even this duel shocked me. I played Duo, and I

got Change of Heart outta his hand (OMFG!!). We kept beating each

other down with each other's cards, but I was the only one to benefit

from Snatch Steal. I eventually got into his head with my bluffs (I give

credit for this win to Texas Hold'em Poker) and got him off his game

early. I got the win soon thereafter.

Top 8 Record ~ 2‑0 (1‑0 Match Record)

Overall Record ~ 9‑3 (4‑1 Match Record)

Semi Final Round:

Me (Merril Hess) vs. Mike Quintero (Control)

Duel 1:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 6200, 5400, 5000

Him ‑ 8000, 6200, 3800, 1400, 0

We shared Kycoo for a bit in the beginning, but he took total control.

Unfortunately for him, he couldn't get to my life. I got around his mass

field advantage thanks to a well timed Torrential. I got him when

summoned Tribe because I had Ring and Cylinder face down. Either

way, I had him beat there.

Duel 2:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7000, 6600, 4600, 1200

Him ‑ 8000, 6600, 4600, 2600, 1500, 0

This duel was hard to keep up with as Mike started to do what he does

best, play fast. I didn't mind, as I was going at the same rate he was.

Even with his fast acting tactics and slick moves, I managed to get

another W here. I got to move on to the Finals.

[Sarcasm]Yay!!!![/Sarcasm]

Top 8 Record ~ 4‑0 (2‑0 Match Record)

Overall Record ~ 11‑3 (5‑1 Match Record)

Final Round:

Me (Merril Hess) vs. Michael Cherniak (Most Creative Chaos I have personally seen)

He was playing cards from the exclusive pack like Familiar Knight and

also using Watapon. I enjoyed this match.

Duel 1:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7000, 5400, 3800, 2600, 2100

Him ‑ 8000, 6400, 4800, 6400, 4900, 3800, Yata Locked

I got him in the Yata lock after about 5 turns of trying. He managed to

pick up some of his lost LP by Chaining a Mystik Wok he had in his

hand to my TT. After we got through my Fiber, he had no monsters

and Yata showed up from there.

Duel 2:

LP:

Me ‑ 8000, 7400, 5800, 2800

Him ‑ 8000, 7300, 6900, 6200, 4800, 3300, 1900, 3300, 900, 100, 0

He managed to get his Wok off again and gained some of his life back.

This duel was all about Fiber. We saw it 3 times. The first time I got

the better hand, then he got the better hand the 2nd time around. He

flipped his Fiber after a direct shot with CED. He would have won had

he not been at 100 LP when the Dragon came out. I know my Fiber

has been nice to me before, but it spoiled me the 3rd time around. I

had game no matter what. I knew it, and he knew it. He set 1 M/T

face down and a monster in defense. I got Breaker, Snatch, Change,

Duster, MST, and Heavy. I played Duster, he Imperial Order's it, and

I'm like "Game." I summoned Breaker, used the counter on IO, then

played Change of heart to clear the way.

I won on pure luck, IMO, but I won nonetheless. I shook his hand and

we pooled our store credit prizes with the Junior division winner and

bought a box of DC. They both got Fizzles, while I got this kewl looking

8 Drop Superman. I never knew he was a Gotham Knight. Anyways,

Props and Slops time I guess:

Props:

Winning for the 4th time

getting a hell of a lot of DC

all the trades I never made (LOL!!!)

Slops:

Having to walk a mile to get there

Not pulling any Fizzles or Have a Blast!'s

Forgetting to buy Marvel Starters for $5 because I want to make a fun

Doc Ock deck

Anyways, that's it. Any comments, good or bad, about my deck or