Old-Fashioned Haymaker
        by William Hung
          Game Keeper
     Sherman Oaks, CA
        August 12, 2000
     About 35 participants

My note on STS:
It's been quite a while since I posted this deck back in the Qualifier
Tournaments in Torrance, CA.  My deck didn't prevail in the Super Trainer
Showdown.  Well, part of this is I must face the toughest trainers in the
world.  I could only win 4 out of the 8 matches played.  If you've read
other STS reports, you already know what the tournament is like.
Nevertheless, it was a great experience to meet and battle with some of
the best players.  I was somewhat embrassed and needed some "revenge".
At least I wanted another chance to play some of the matches again. (Bad
hand, etc.)

The Gym Heroes Tournament:
This tournament is similar to Swiss-format.  It counts as part of the
Pokemon League and you get stamps and points as usual.  2 points for a
win, and 1 for a loss.  If there is a tie, you MUST play sudden death.
There is a 15-minute time limit on each match.  The one with the MOST
prizes DRAWN is declared the winner.  There were a couple ties throughout
the tournament, so there were some delays.  Depending on the match, you
may be asked to finish the match.  The judges tried to make the best
judgment of the game situations.

I used this deck in the STS Qualifier tournament in Torrance, CA.  I
thought I could trust this deck more if I'm more cautious about my
strategies.  That's it.  When everybody has Hitmonchan, Promo Mewtwo,
Fossil Magmar: Haymakers, Wigglytuff decks, and Rain Dance decks,
strategy and luck (I usually don't rely on it) makes the difference.
Here is my deck:

Pokemon (12):
4x Scyther
4x Hitmonchan
4x Electrabuzz

Trainers (28):
4x Bill
3x Professor Oak
2x Computer Search
1x Item Finder
4x Energy Removal
2x Super Energy Removal
2x Scoop Up
2x Switch
2x Energy Retreival
2x Gust of Wind
4x Pluspower

Energies (20):
9x Fighting Energy
8x Lightning Energy
3x Double Colorless Energy

My strategy was fairly simple.  I remove mostly Energies on the
opponent's Benched Pokemon, and then Energies from Active Pokemon if it's
becoming a threat.  I also take advantage of "bad" hands by using my
Professor Oak(s) to get extra Pluspower to get a quick win.  I'll soon
tweak this deck to include some Gym Heroes cards and also try to have
more energies in my deck.  I wanted to try something different from these
"usual" decks I played against, but there's too much at stake for me
(reputation, 12 boosters for first place, my parents, etc.).  This is a
grueling 5-hour tournament, including a 45-minute lunch break.  Everybody
will end up playing somewhere around 10 or 11 matches.  All right, let's
get on with the tourney!

Match #1: vs. Fire/Fighting/Water Deck
I feel sorry for playing little kids sometimes.  A lot of them don't know
much about deck concepts or strategies.  I have no idea what he wants to
do.  However, I constantly knocked out his Pokemon with Hitmonchan and
Electrabuzz.  I alternate these two different Pokemon to "exploit" his
Weaknesses.  He tried to use Poke Ball - TAILS!  He tried again with
Gambler with four cards in his hand - TAILS!  That was it.  It cost him
the match.  I didn't need Super Energy Removals because he was using
Machops and Krabby.  His Base Set Magmar added nothing but trouble
because he couldn't charge up when he had to bring out this last Pokemon.
 He ran out of Basics and I won.

WIN 1-0, 2 points (=2 stamps in the league badge book)

Match #2: vs. Ghost deck
He used Base Set Haunter with the Trainer Sleep as his strategy.  It
failed miserably against my deck.  I didn't draw Switches or Scoop Up(s)
early.  I had a Hitmonchan out against his Fossil Gastly (MISERABLE)!  So
I used Computer Search for Professor Oak, then I played Switch with the
Electrabuzz on my Bench.  I had no other Basics to start with other than
Hitmonchan, so I had no choice at all.  I charged up Electrabuzz in 2
turns and Thundershock was HEADS.  I used Thunderpunch with Pluspower to
secure a KO.  After that his Base Set Gastly gave him no relief.
Sleeping Gas went HEADS, then TAILS!  I thought it was a bad card to use
in any deck.  He ran out of Basic Pokemon.

WIN 2-0, 4 points

Match #3: vs. Fire/Electric Deck
Okay, I got a decent hand, but again Hitmonchan never works against
Moltres.  Fortunately, I had a Scyther this time and I set it out first
as Active Pokemon.  I charged up Scyther with Double Colorless in two
turns and Slash twice to kill off Moltres.  Then he got an Electrabuzz
out but I used Energy Removal on turn three, the turn where I killed off
Moltres.  All he could do is to pray for Thundershock.  Then it was
HEADS, but I played Switch with Hitmonchan to Jab.  He suddenly ran out
of energies, because he used Wildfire early.  Oh, and afterwards he pulls
out a Chansey, but that won't save him because that was his last Basic
Pokemon.  I finished it with a Jab about two turns later.

WIN 3-0, 6 points

Match #4: vs. Psychic Wigglytuff deck
Well, I thought this is gonna be painful.  The match did took a while,
but not too bad.  I started off with a Hitmonchan against her Jigglypuff.
 I used Jab and she used Lullaby.  I flipped HEADS.  I wiped out the
Jigglypuff for the first prize.  Then she tried to use Team Rocket's
Drowzee to stall (Pokemon Power: Long-Distance Hyponsis).  TAILS!  I
started charging up my Electrabuzz on my Bench.  I used Jab, then
flip...TAILS again.  So she couldn't do anything but a Gambler.  TAILS!
She did manage to draw a Wigglytuff and evolve it, but that was it.  I
retreated Hitmonchan to use Electrabuzz.  I already attached some
Lightning Energies earlier.  I killed off Team Rocket Drowzee.  Her
lonely Wigglytuff did survive for three turns because of her Lullaby.  It
was like FIVE TAILS!  I had no Scoop Up or Switch on hand.  It was fresh
and had no damage.  However, I still knocked it out cold and she ran out
of Basic Pokemon as well.

WIN 4-0, 8 points

Match #5: vs. Rain Dance
I thought this could be tough, but Electrabuzz and Scyther made my life
easy.  At first, I only drew Hitmonchan and Scyther.  So I started off
knocking out his Squirtles.  Then Poliwag did nothing for his deck.
Water Gun was too weak to compete against my Scyther.  Also, after two of
the Squirtles were gone, I knocked out Articuno within the next two turns
for the win.

WIN 5-0, 10 points

LUNCH BREAK!!!
Well, I was busy getting food, talked to my friends, and that's pretty
much it.  I felt bad for my friend Grant for losing Scyther and
Hitmonchan in his Haymaker deck.  He told me he had to use an
experimental deck called Poisonous Burn.  Tough luck for him.  Those are
cards everybody needs.  No way people could have extras to trade in the
tournament.  I bought some Chinese food like orange chicken and chow
mein, but that's pretty much it.  Let's get back to the tourney!

Match #6: vs. Grant
Oh, this is BAD!  I didn't want to face my own friend or rival.  Anyway,
let's see how well his deck "behaves".  He used Team Rocket Oddish,
Fossil Magmar, and Doduo/Dodrio combination.  I controlled the Poison
damage early by sending out Scyther as my Active Pokemon.  We flipped to
see who went first.  He did.  So he started off with two Bills.  He used
Poisonpowder.  I retreated Scyther with Hitmonchan and Jab.  He got
Dodrio out early on the second turn.  He moved out his Team Rocket Oddish
and used Dodrio to stall for time.  I drew an Electrabuzz and set him
down.  My Hitmonchan already took 30 damage from poison.  Nevertheless, I
removed the Fire Energy away from Fossil Mamgar.  He had nearly nothing.
I decided to Gust of Wind, Pluspower, and killed off his Team Rocket
Oddish.  He finally Computer Search for the deseparate Professor Oak.  He
sent out his Fossil Magmar to use Smokescreen.  I used Scoop Up right the
very next turn and he told me, "Oh, that burns."  Well, I can't just give
in to someone's traps.  I thought it was safe so I started charging up my
Hitmonchan again.  I Thunderpunch for 40 damage against Fossil Magmar.
Oh no, he used a Super Energy Removal against my Electrabuzz.  Now it's
my turn to Computer Search for Switch, then I used Professor Oak myself.
I drew a Pluspower and blew it away.  I also removed another Grass Energy
away from the second Team Rocket Oddish.  Again, for some reason he had
difficulty getting out energies as well.  He played one more Grass Energy
and I removed it the next turn one more time.  After that the Fossil
Magmar on his Bench was left powerless and hopeless.  I finished it off
to draw the last prize.

WIN 6-0, 12 points

Match #7: vs. Charizard - Hydro Fire deck
Hydro - Water, never works against my Electrabuzz.  Dewgong got sent into
hell after two turns.  He had no stall cards like Kangaskhan to buy time
at all.  His Lickitung was slaughtered by my Hitmonchan.  I Jab and then
I Jabbed again with Pluspower.  He was charging up Base Set Charmander.
He then had no choice but to evolve to Charmeleon.  I used Super Energy
Removal.  His deck fell apart as well because that was his last Pokemon.

WIN 7-0, 14 points

Match #8: vs. Grass/Water deck
It was similar to the Overgrowth deck.  It had too many evolutions.  He
never got out his Misty's Seadra.  My Electrabuzz knocked out his Oddish,
Misty's Horsea, Oddish, Magikarp, and finally a Lapras.  There was some
luck in the coin flips though.  TAILS for Stun Spores and HEADS for both
my Thundershock and Thunderpunch.  I got one TAILS against Misty's Horsea
with Thunderpunch, but it didn't matter.  I knocked out 5 Pokemon within
about the first 7 turns.  Game over for him.

WIN 8-0, 16 points

Match #9: vs. Fire deck
All right, the first challenge of the day.  This guy had the right
concepts and strategy.  He used Arcanine/Defender and healing combos.  I
started off with Hitmonchan and he had...a Kangaskhan.  I took early
advantage and knocked it out with Pluspower in 2 turns.  He didn't have
much time to charge up Growlithe.  He used Flare for 20 damage, knowing
that he could use Flamethrower the next turn.  I didn't let up and used
Super Energy Removal.  Ouch, that hurts him!  Anyway, he used up a Switch
on his hand and stall for time with Fossil Magmar.  He obviously used
Smokescreen.  Then I retreated Hitmonchan for Electrabuzz and used
Thundershock.  HEADS.  He put down another Growlithe and started charging
him up.  I use Energy Removal on Growlithe and he did use Smokescreen,
but Thunderpunch, Smokescreen "check", HEADS.  Bye, Fossil Mamgar.  Flip
again, TAILS!  Oh, trouble.  He sent out another Fossil Magmar and he
continue charging up his Growlithe.  He had two Energies on Growlithe but
none on Fossil Magmar.  I had no way of removing Energies away.  I used
Thunderpunch as usual.  The next turn, Scoop Up!  Arcanine uses
Flamethrower.  KO Electrabuzz.  Hitmonchan, Jab, and then Double
Colorless Energy for HIM - Defender, and then Take Down.  I almost lost
the game.  Oh my god, Super Energy Removal!  That saved me.  I started
with Thundershock, HEADS.  At this time I only had one Scyther and one
Electrabuzz left.  Fortunately, his Energy Retreival gave him no relief.
I Thunderpunch next turn, HEADS.  Again, the following turn with
Pluspower, HEADS again.  That was the key turning point for me to win.
His Fossil Magmar did get a bit annoying though.  I started pumping up
Scyther as well.  I sacrificed a bit with Scyther by using him to attack,
and then the retreat since it had no damage, but it paid off.  I knocked
out Fossil Magmar in three turns and the last Pokemon I need to KO was
Kangaskhan.  He's gone for good against my Hitmonchan.

WIN 9-0, 18 points

Match #10: vs. Fire/Thunder deck
This guy got a bad hand.  Electrabuzz against my Hitmonchan.  I won the
flip.  I got to play first and I blew him away with Pluspowers.  I had
two Pluspowers in my hand.  I set them on Electrabuzz, used Professor
Oak.  Then I got a CPU Search and I got one more Pluspower and I won.

WIN 10-0, 20 points

The judges tallied up the points, and the Win-Loss records.  I was the
undisputed 1st Place winner.  I won 12 Gym Heroes booster packs.  For
what I remember, for holos, I got Brock's Rhydon, Erica's Vileplume, 2
Rocket's Moltres, and Lt. Surge Magneton.  For non-holos, I got No
Removal Gym, Misty's Goldeen, Misty's Tentacool, Brock's Onix, Erica's
Victreebel, Misty's Poliwrath, and Lt. Surge Electrabuzz (one with 60
HP).  I was glad that my deck was effective and undefeated.  The closing
rounds for both segments were difficult.  So I believe Haymaker, as dull
and boring they look, are still very reliable.

Here comes PROPS and SLOPS:

PROPS to ANYONE WHO READS MY DECK REPORT!
PROPS to Game Keeper for holding this $1 entry tournament.
PROPS to Game Keeper for giving everyone two FREE boosters for entering.
PROPS to Cathy for driving me to the tourney and driving me back home.
PROPS to my friend Chris Negron for all the great training and knowlege
you gave me on the Pokemon TCG. (I wouldn't be doing well at all without
your help.)
PROPS to Bo for being a nice friend in STS.
PROPS to Grant and Kyle for helping me with cards that I need.

SLOPS to the 15-minute matches -- it's too little time and I'm forced to
run fast decks like Haymakers or Wigglytuff decks.
SLOPS to kid who tried to help his cousin during the tournament.  (You
can't help anyone.  Feel lucky that judges didn't disqualify you and your
cousin.)

Thanks for reading my deck report!

William Hung
dragonlord53@juno.com

         

 
  
      
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