Tuff Muk

This tournament was held in Outer Limits in Clifton, NJ on December 30,
1999.  There were 19 people participating with no restrictions on age.  I
only spotted 6 or 7 under 10, which made the enviroment sorta competitive. 
I'll start with deck strategy, then the round by round descriptions.

The Deck

Pokemon (25)

4 Grimer
3 Muk
4 Jigglypuff
2 Wigglytuff
4 Kangaskhan
4 Scyther
4 Farfetch'd

Trainers (11)

3 Energy Removal
2 Super Energy Removal
2 Professor Oak
2 Computer Search
2 Gust of Wind

Energy (24)

20 Grass Energy
4  Double Colorless Energy

The basic idea of the deck is to have a Muk on the bench while Wigglytuff
does the wave to give a serious beating to its competition. Muk's purpose is
twofold.  First, he shuts down all of the other poke powers, including
annoying ones like Damage Swap, Invisible Wall, Transparency, Fire Spin,
Prehistoric Power Cowardice, Rain Dance, etc.  Second, I found him to be an
effective attacker.  Wigglypuff is there for one obvious reason, beating
pokes senseless.  With Muk, he beats EVERY poke senseless.

Backing this up you have an army of haymakers.  Jigglypuff is descent
haymaker by itself, and evovles into Wigglytuff; Kangaskhan is there to soak
up cards and is used instead of Bill.  Scyther and Farfetch'd are there to
provide protection from fighting, backing up Wigglytuff and Kangaskhan. 
Grimer himself is only descent by himself, and he evolves into the awesome
Muk.

The trainers are your basic staples; ER's, SER's, Prof. Oak, Gust, and
especially Computer Search.  As for the energy, I put 24 because most
pokemon need three energy to operate.


The Tourney Report.

Round 1--Against Samantha with Grass/Fire Condition Causing Deck

About the only good pokes in this deck were Fossil Magmar and Arcanine. 
This match shouldn't have lasted as long as it did, but she went too slow
for my pace; I had to remind her of the basic flow of play since she was
less than half my age (I'm 19).  Anyway, I started with Kangaskhan and she
started with Caterpie (I don't remember the benches).  It took her nine
rounds but she eventually killed it.  Meanwhile, I built up a Muk and two
Jigglypuffs; I sent out the fully loaded Muk when Kangaskhan bit it.  She
seemed to have energy problems. Oh well, I knocked out every poke she put
out without losing another prize.
Record 1-0

Round 2--Bye Record 1-0-1(byes)

During this time I bought a holo-Moltres for $10.  I also took some time to
check out the rest of the competition.  There was one deck that scared me, a
Wildfire Stall Deck.  I was not scared because of weakness; only Scyther was
weak to it.  I found it to be annoyingly effective, you'd either run out of
cards or lose due to fossil Magmar or Molres's Dive Bomb.  Back to
business...

Round 3 (Quarterfinals)--Against Jaheeb with Grass Deck

At least this guy had a decent understanding of the game flow; this game was
much faster.  I started Jigglypuff as my active, and another puff and a
Kangaskhan. He started Nidoran(F), his lone poke.  I pounded it to 20 hp, he
called for another one. I then knock it out, and worked on the next one for
a couple of turns (he had potions).  After I knocked that one out, he
brought out another one with a grass on it.  He then dropped a DCE on it and
used Pokemon Breeder to evolve it to Nidoqueen.  He knocked out this
Jigglypuff and took the next Puff to 10 hp remaining.  Then I drew a SER and
disabled the queen.  He then gusts my energyless Kangaskhan out.  I then
fetch to set the rest of the deck up, but I did not find a Tuff or a Muk. 
We traded blows until we both had 1 prize left.  However, at that time, I
had the advantage and he was reeling.  I had a totally healthy Puff and he
was left with only a Weedle with 20 hp left.  He retreats that for his
fourth Nidoran(F) at full health.  I then drew a Wigglytuff.  I attached a
Grass Energy and evolved the active Puff.  Then, I filled my bench, did the
wave, and waved Jaheeb out of the tournament.

Record 2-0-1

Round 4 (Semifinals)--Against Chucky (real name?) with Fire/Fighting
Haymaker with Scyther

To begin the Match, I start one Scyther as my active and a Scyther and
Kangaskhan on my bench.  He starts with only a Hitmochan as his active.  I
knock out his first two pokes, Hitmochan and Rhyhorn, without taking damage.
  I then trade blows with his Scyther until mine had 60 damage and his was
dead.  He then gusts out my Kangaskhan and starts beating me over with his. 
I retreated him, then continued with the onslaught with another Scyther, and
when he was knocked out, Muk.  Muk finished the job.  I had four prizes
left.

Record 3-0-1

Round 5 (Finals)--Against Anthony with Wildfire/Stall.

This match was a real disappointment.  This was the same guy I scouted
during round 2.  He was older than me and had, at least in my mind, a better
deck.  He just did not have a good hand.

To tell you the truth, I did not have a great hand either.  I started a
Kangaskhan as my active and Jigglypuff, Farfetch'd, and Grimer on the bench
and was left with a Gust of Wind, a Super Energy Removal, and a Grass
Energy.  He started with only a Fossil Magmar, but he won the flip.  He
starts off by using Smokescreen.  I drew a Grass, then try to use fetch, but
fail.  He eventually kills it, I brought a Grimer.  I then drew a Computer
Search.  I attached a Grass on Grimer, and Searched for a Oak.  My new hand
consisted of 4 Grass Energy, A Wigglytuff, and enough basics to fill my
bench. I then used Nasty Goo, which did 10 damage and Paralyzed. He then
draws and ended the turn with no other basics on his bench.  I then drew the
card that clinched the game, Double Colorless Energy.  There was already a
grass on my Jigglypuff, so I evolved it, attached the DCE, and retreated
Grimer.  I then did the wave for the championship.

Record 4-0-1

The prize for first was five boosters; Anthony got two.  From the boosters,
I got a Holo-Gengar and a non-holo Aerodactyl, Muk, Ditto, and Dragonite.

Thanks-

-I have to say thank you to my opponents for being good sports, especially
Anthony.
-Thanks mom, you brought me home (I didn't use a car to get there).
-I thank the people who took their time to read this long report.
-Thanks to PoJo for what is the greatest Pokemon site on the net.

Any comments, suggestions, death threats, and criticisms could be sent to my
alter ego Xavier Blacksteel at tbmf4069@hotmail.com
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