Hi, Pojo!
Please post this in the Killer Deck Reports.  I entered a tournament Feb. 5
at Pegasus Loft in Wichita Falls, Texas, with 10 players participating. It
was my first sanctioned tournament, and I decided to use my "Running Amuk"
deck, since so many of the players around here seemed to use Pokémon Powers
and Muk would hopefully shut them down.

My "Running Amuk" deck:

Energy - 23
7 Grass
6 Psychic
6 Lightning
4 Double Colorless

Pokémon - 17
3 Grimer
2 Muk
3 Scyther
3 Electabuzz
2 Mewtwo (Promo)
1 Jynx
1 Kangaskhan
2 Ponyta

Trainers - 20
3 Bill
2 Prof. Oak
2 Gust of Wind
3 Energy Removal
2 Super Energy Removal
3 Energy Retrieval
1 Energy Search
1 Item Finder
1 Computer Search
2 Scoop Up

The format was that everyone would play 4 matches, and the 4 with the best
records would move on to the semifinals.  The matches were only one 25-minute
timed game, however, and I was worried that an unlucky opening hand or draw
in one game could mess up the whole tournament.  As it turns out, I should
have been more worried about the time limit, but with my usually fast deck I
didn't think that would be a problem going in (I had never played any timed
games before).  Anyway, on with the matches!

Match 1 vs. Megan (nice youngster with a Fire/Colorless deck)

As I am old (30+) by Pokémon standards, I usually don't like to beat up on
small kids in fun games, but of course now it was no holds barred!  My
opening hand had only one Pokémon, Mewtwo, with a Scoop Up, a Super ER, and a
bunch of Energy (but only 1 Psychic). My Mewtwo came out against her
Charmander, and Mewtwo took a bunch of Scratches and one Ember up to 60 (I
ER'ed and Super ER'ed to hold down the damage) when I finally drew a Scyther.
I scooped the groggy Mewtwo and promoted Scyther, laid a Grass Energy, and
Swords Danced. Then I took a Scratch for 20, laid a DCE, and Slashed for my
first prize of the tournament!  She then promoted Growlithe but with only 1
energy, so I still had my Scyther in good shape. I retreated Scyther, and
promoted Mewtwo again since I finally started drawing Psychic energy. I Super
ER'ed Growlithe with a Grass energy from Scyther, laid a Psychic on Mewtwo
and Energy Absorbed.  Mewtwo then began Psyburning away for 2 more prizes.
Megan then drew a Lickitung (ouch!), promoted it, and started Tongue Wrapping
-- luckily, with every flip a tails, so no paralyzation!  I quickly retreated
Mewtwo for Scyther, which eventually Slashed the unlucky Lickitung out from
the game. She then promoted a Ponyta and knocked out my licked Scyther with a
Flame Tail, only to meet my Mewtwo which I had fully energized on the bench. 
Ponyta was out after one Psyburn, and she then promoted Jigglypuff. I
promoted my own Ponyta, slapped a DCE on him and Smash Kicked him 3 times
(she had only one energy and I woke up 3 straight times from her lullaby --
what a great coin) for the last prize!

1-0


Match 2 vs. Paul (Colorless/Psychic Deck)

Paul is a pretty good player, but I've almost always been able to beat him by
using Muk against his Pokémon Power deck (Raindance).  He put together a
different deck for this tournament, though, using Promo Mewtwo and
Wigglytuff, which can give me trouble if it's fast enough with the cards.  He
went first and started out with a Mewtwo against my Scyther, and he put
energy on it the first couple of turns while I benched an Electabuzz and
powered it up.  On my second turn I retreated Scyther for Buzz, and
Thunderpunched twice (doing 20 damage to myself in the process with 2 tails
-- where was that good coin from the first match??) while energizing Scyther.
Paul had by this time pumped up his Mewtwo and Psyburned Buzz up to 60
damage. He was willing to let me KO his Mewtwo so that he could KO Buzz the
next turn, but I didn't want that trade. I scooped up Buzz and used Scyther
to KO Mewtwo.  He had a bunch of Spearows without energy (I had drawn an ER
and Super ER and my first prize was an ER) that he evolved to Fearows to try
to hold out longer, but by the time his flock had finally Pecked Scyther out
for a prize, I had 3 more prizes and found a Lightning energy so that Buzz
could close out the match.

2-0


Match 3 vs. Justin (classic haymaker)

A boring but potent haymaker - yuk! My deck has some hay qualities itself,
but the Grimer/Muk combination slows me down a little and a fast haymaker
deck that uses no Pokémon Powers gives me problems. My coin turned against me
again this game, starting with the initial coin toss. Interestingly, we both
started out with a Scyther and an Electabuzz on the bench. The match swung
back and forth with both of us ER and Thundershocking and Slashing.  At the
crucial moment in the match, we both had 3 prizes left, I had a fully pumped
Scyther with 40 damage and an unpowered Buzz and Grimer on the bench, and he
had a Scyther with no energy and 40 damage out, with a Hitmonchan (30 damage)
on the bench with 1 Fighting and 1 Lightning Energy. I figured that I was
looking good, but he laid a Plus Power on Hitmo and Professor Oaked for a
dream pickup of another Plus Power and a Fighting Energy (!), both of which
he laid on Hitmo. He retreated his Scyther for Hitmo which Special Punched
for 30 damage (even over my resistance) to KO Scyther. I tried to regroup but
my Grimer and Buzz both failed to Paralyze (new coin time, I guess) and he
got me 6 prizes to 3.

2-1


Match 4 vs. Richard (Psychic/Colorless)

I needed a win to make the semifinals. I actually won the coin toss (was my
coin coming around?) and I put out my only basic, Kangaskhan.  What a great
pokémon!  I used 2 ER and 1 Super ER against his Dratini, and then I Item
Finder'ed an ER -- by the time he evolved into Dragonaire, he had only been
able to pound Kang 3 times and Kang was fully pumped.  He got to use Hyper
Beam only once and knocked a DCE off Kang, but I immediately replaced it from
my hand and the coin was flipping wildly every turn the rest of the match!
Kang was never was knocked out and his Comet Punch flattened 2 Dragonaires, a
Dratini, a Kadabra and 2 other assorted Psychics for the win!

3-1, making the semifinals


Match 5 vs. Paul (again)

Uh-oh, I figured that Paul's deck wouldn't be as slow as it had been in the
second round, and I was right. As it turned out, though, the real problem was
that the time limit had never come into play during the first 4 matches, so I
basically forgot about it. Anyway, my only starting basic was a Grimer vs.
his Zubat. Paul ignored my Nasty Gooing to build up a Snorlax on his bench.
After 30 damage, he evolved Zubat to Golbat, so I retreated Grimer, evolved
him to Muk, and promoted an Electabuzz. He retreated Golbat and brought out
Snorlax, who Bodyslammed me without paralyzing. I gusted out Golbat and
Thundershocked him for my first prize, but that brought back Snorlax with
another Bodyslam (again, no paralyzation - whew!). I Super ER'ed to strand
his Snorlax without energy or retreatability (he had Jigglypuff on the bench
which he was energizing), but Buzz was groggy with 60 damage, so I only
Thundershocked to try to buy some time to get some more cards. All I got,
though, was some Grass energy which I played on Muk, a Ponyta and some energy
which I played on him. Paul had Bill'ed some and had Oaked 2 times and his
card pile was getting a little thin, so I thought I could deck him if I
couldn't get any good cards to knock out his Pokémon. However, with his
second Oak he got a Wigglytuff and filled out his bench. After Snorlax
finally went down, he brought out Wiggly and KO'ed Buzz. I promoted Ponyta
and gusted out an energyless Mewtwo (base set) to again try to get some
cards, but I didn't get any. Paul kept on putting energy on Wiggly (to keep
me from ER'ing him), and ER'ing me.  At this time I had 4 prizes and Paul had
5.  His Mewtwo was now only 20 more from fainting, but he had 1 energy on him
and I knew that Paul would retreat him next turn. I should have either KO'ed
Mewtwo or just passed without attacking and played quickly, but I stopped and
thought awhile about my next step -- I only had 1 Trainer (an Item Finder),
and I finally decided to find a Gust of Wind to bring out the danger card
Wiggly, retreat Ponyta for Muk and Sludge for 30 and hope for poison. The
rest of my bench was Buzz and Scyther with no energy and a Grimer with one
energy, so I wasn't well placed if I didn't get Wiggly out of there or get an
Oak to get me some cards (ER! -- SER!). Well, that was my plan. I Sludged
Wiggly for 30, but didn't get poison, and Wiggly did the wave for 60 to Muk.
Muk sludged again, no poison again (that darn coin again), and Wiggly Waved
Muk away. My Ponyta Smash Kicked Wiggly out, but then Ponyta was gone to
Mewtwo's Psyburn. I promoted Grimer, but no paralyzation and Grimer was
Psyburned away, as well. I glanced at Paul's deck and he had about 5 cards
left with 2 prizes to take.  I thought Scyther would hold him off 2 rounds
and maybe I could get an Oak or an ER to delay, but all of a sudden, time was
called and Paul won, 2 prizes to 3!  Ouch -- that's what I get for thinking
too much..........

3-2


Match 6, Third Place game, against Chris (Alakazam/Tentacool/Mr. Mime Damage
Swap Deck)

I had played Cris a couple of times before in fun games, and I had beaten his
Electric deck easily.  However, Chris had said smugly that he was "saving"
his tournament deck, which would rip though everyone. Well, I had seen
earlier in the tournament that he was using an Alakazam/Tentacool/Mr. Mime
damage swap deck, which I thought I could kill if I got Muk out. And I was
right! Chris said after he dealt his cards that it was the perfect hand, and
he started showing it to his friends (with lots of ooohing and ahhhing). I
promoted Buzz against his Mr. Mime, and he put Abra and a Tentacool on his
bench. I benched a Grimer, and when he evolved Abra to Kadabra on the second
turn and to Alakazam on the third, I prayed for a Muk or a CPU Search to
appear soon. Well, Muk appeared on Turn 4, and Chris' friend said "Bye" to
Chris! Buzz ripped through 2 Mr. Mimes and 2 Tentacools with 4 Thunderpunches
(NOW the coin likes me again), and by this time Chris was just going through
the motions.

4-2, Third Place!

Overall, a good result, even though I wish I had been more alert in the
Semis; I would have liked to try my luck with Justin again, who won the
tournament.

Props to my son Alex, who just missed the semis with his Fire/Fighting deck;
Props also to Paul, for not delaying in the Semis when he could have (he knew
the time was running out but he didn't try to win that way);
Props to Megan for playing really well;
Slops to Pegasus Loft, for the prizes - first was a standard T-shirt, second
was a plastic pokeball with a stuffed toy, and my third prize was a Poliwhirl
keychain - wow......


Comments or anything else?
Email: MikLamb11@aol.com

Mik Lambert