Dear Pojo,
Hello, my name is William Hung.  This is my first time I'm writing to
Pojo.  This is my speical fire deck I used in the Pokemon League in Toys
R' Us on December 14, 1999.  It was Tuesday night and there were 30
participants.  They were mostly mean boys, although there were several
kind ladies.  I just know this time I have to get down to business and
play seriously.  I used 2 different decks because I know some of the
decks I had to go up against.

Pokemon (13):
4x Growlithe
3x Arcanine
2x Kangaskhan
4x Fossil Magmar

Trainers (23):
4x Bill
2x Professor Oak
1x Computer Search
1x Item Finder
3x Energy Retrieval
2x Switch
4x Potion
3x Defender
2x Super Potion
1x Scoop Up
2x Gust of Wind

Energy (24):
20x Fire Energy
4x Double Colorless Energy

All right, this is a good deck.  I was able to challenge 12 Pokemon
trainers.  The key strategy to this deck is to use either Fossil Magmar
and Kangaskhan for stalling.  Then, when Growlithe/Arcanine is charged
up, either switch or sacrifice the beefy Basic Pokemon quickly to win the
game.  After that, do everything to keep Arcanine and its energy in place
to assure the win.  Super Energy Removals have been a problem against
Rain Dance-Denial Decks.  Thus, there are 2 ways this deck would fail.
First, is energy crisis (stall me long enough to either kill all my
Pokemon); and second, would be killing my Arcanine before I can respond
with its powerful attacks (probably only water decks).

Battle #1: William vs. Brett's Haymaker
I fought against his deck many times with various decks.  His idea was
rather unoriginal, but his unique addition of grass energy made his deck
faster.  He used Hitmonchan/Electrabuzz/Scyther combination.  I lost many
times and I tried to avoid his early beatdown by sending out Fossil
Magmar.  He used SER on my charging Arcanine on my bench.  I kept
responding him with my Energy Retrievals.  I also attempted to stall with
Kangaskhan but he used a somewhat suprising Pluspower and now he already
drew 3 of his prizes, while I was trying to buy time.  Finally, I
suddenly got my desperately needed Double Colorless Energy for my
Arcanine.  I used up my Professor Oak and got what I needed: Defender,
Switch, Potion, Super Potion, and more Energies, plus another Fossil
Magmar.  He tried his very best with his Electrabuzz.  I knocked out 2
Electrabuzz, Scyther, Hitmonchan, and stalls me with another annoying
Super Energy Removal.  Finally, I used another 2 Bills, and got more
Defenders and another Fossil Magmar.  He almost killed my Arcanine.
Nevertheless, I got my 3rd Double Colorless Energy to finish the game.
It was a close match overall.

WIN 1-0-0

Battle #2: William vs. Regina with Lockdown
I knew her deck as well.  But she got a bad draw, and a tails on Gambler
virtually killed her because she only had a Horsea and Fossil Magmar for
the first six turns.  I felt sorry that she lost the match that way to my
Fossil Magmar.

WIN 2-0-0

Battle #3: William vs. Fire Dragon?
I had some idea about her deck, since I saw her beating others around me.
I stalled for time right from the beginning with Kangaskhan.  She
eventually killed it with her Dragonair, but I suprised her by evolving
my Growlithe to Arcanine, then put my DCE on the Arcanine for the kill.
She only had a Growlithe and Ponyta on the Bench.  I finished her off
with no mercy.  My advice: add Pokemon Traders, SER, and something to
keep your Pokemon alive for your Jap Arcanine.

WIN 3-0-0

Battle #4: William vs. Mind Burn
It was a variation of Mind Burn from Pojo.  I knew he was going to take
advantage with his Promo Mewtwo.  Thus, rather than stalling, I played
aggressively with Fossil Magmar with Smog.  However, the game slowed down
tremendously when he killed my Fossil Magmar with Smog.  I had no choice
but to use my Kangaskhan to stall.  I charged up my Arcanine, but it
didn't last too long because his only Basic Mewtwo took advantage of it.
I denied damage and he denied my energies.  This game took too long (half
an hour) and we settled for a tie.

DRAW 3-0-1

Battle #5: William vs. Rainbow?
This kid was inexperienced and I think he needs more focus on his deck.
His Ninetales and Basic Zapdos fell quickly by the tenth turn and he lost
the match.

WIN 4-0-1

Battle #6: William vs. Chris
He is my classmate and he built three great decks already.
Unfortunately, he used the Poor Man's Haymaker from the internet and I
creamed all his Pokemon with Flamethrower.

WIN 5-0-1

Battle #7: William vs. Misty?
His deck isn't focused enough on status problems.  He might have won but
he didn't have much of anything but a Horsea, Staryu, and a Magikarp.  I
killed the Magikarp and managed to finish off the rest of his bench
before he can stall for time and perhaps bring in the annoying Seadra.

WIN 6-0-1

Battle #8: William vs. Killer Power Reserve
I took advantage of his Scyther from the beginning, but I got caught with
my Arcanine because he used Mr. Mime.  By the time I switch, he denied
too much of my energies before I draw any Energy Retrievals.  I used
Kangaskhan to stall but it wasn't very effective since he brings in his
3rd Scyther and creamed it in 3 turns.  Now I wanted an advantage so I
used Gust of Wind on Mr. Mime and killed it.  However, his second Mr.
Mime did its part for stalling.  This game was boring now and he finally
used Imposter Oak for my first loss.

LOSS 6-1-1

Battle #9: William vs. Psychic/Balloon Pokemons
I battled against this deck several times in my school.  I grinded down
his Clefable with Fossil Magmar and victory prevailed quickly as my
Arcanine burned up everything that's left for my opponent.

WIN 7-1-1

Battle #10: William vs. Cheater!
My friends were around watching me because I won most of my battles that
night.  We spotted cheating when he evolved his Ninetales right on his
first turn with a DCE.  Nevertheless, I took advantage of him because he
Lured my Growlithe! Ha, ha, ha! Now I evolve it into Arcanine with a DCE
and wiped out his Ninetales.  His lonely Vulpix was also knocked next
turn for the win.

WIN 8-1-1

Battle #11: William vs. Fire/Fighting Deck
Well, her Machop did its part but her Charizard was killed right after
the first Knock Out.  I didn't give her much time because she had some
damage on Charmeleon.  Oh, well, she took a big beating after that.
Machokes, Dodrio, Fearow, all fell apart and perhaps incinerated.

WIN 9-1-1

Battle #12: William vs. Hydro/Fire Deck
His deck took too long to charged up.  He used Arcanine and Dewgong.  I
knew becuase he used Pokemon Trader for them.  I played more aggressively
with my Fossil Magmar and finished him again with my fully powered-up
Arcanine.

WIN 10-1-1

I've earned 260 points that night (I taught a new player, completed the
League Activity).  I've gotten both Technical Machines, which was very
useful.  They gave Deckbuilding guidelines.

PROPS to Toys R' Us for free promo cards, including a Mew on January 11,
2000.
PROPS to Toys R' Us for making the Pokemon TCG League.
PROPS to Chris and his father for giving me free rides every Tuesday.

SLOPS to Cheaters because it is a personal foul.

Thank you for posting my deck report.  If you have any suggestions or
comments on my deck, please respond to me.  My email address is:
dragonlord45@juno.com