Date: July 1, 2000
Place: Dragon's Lair
City: West Hartford
State: Connecticut
Country: DUH!
Name: Fleat Easley
Amount of people: about 10-12
Type of Turney: Swiss no elimination
E-mail: Feasley@Compuserve.com
Deck:
 The Burner 

    The first thing I wish to explain to you is my condition at the local
pokemon league.
    The first time that I ever went to this place, I had a deck based around
machop, Staru, Kingler and Gravelor. This was because I did not have enough
money in order to make a traditional Haymaker deck. In fact, I did not have
pretty much any money at all. The first person I battled against had a
Dratini deck. She evolved an Erika's Dratini into a common base Dragonair. I
said that this was against the rules, but she said that this was allowed.
    I went to the gym leader to see if this was ok and to see if she was
disqualified (Bad, I know, but I wanted to hurry up and trade for cards to
put into my deck, so that I would not get my butt kicked). He seemed totally
indifferent, so I played on, totally ignoring that fact, so that I could get
this over with. Afterwards, I went to other people to see if this was a
disqualification, and, since it was not, I formed a petition to make this
illegal. He said that if I made any more complains, I would not be allowed
back into the store. Since this is the only place to have pokemon tournaments
in the entire city, I had to comply.
 
Now that you know the conditions of this pokemon league, I will continue with
my deck analysis.

Pokemon:


3 Sabrina's Abra
Translations:
40 HP
Damage 20 for 1 Psy Energy (NRG)
Energy Loop
Select 1 energy card attached to this pokemon and put it back into your hand.
Weakness: Psy    Resistance: None   Retreat: None

My opinion
This card is great! When it becomes English, this card will finally give
psychic a good common 20 for 1 energy pokemon. No retreat only makes it
better! This pokemon can kill a Hitmonchan for only 1 NRG! Plus the text
"Select 1 energy card attached to this pokemon and put it back into your
hand" helps to conserve energies and make the attack extremely efficient. I
would have all of my abras of this type, but I do not have enough. 

 
2 Sabrina's Kadabra
Translation:
70 HP
Damage_ for one Psy NRG
Life Down
Flip a coin. If heads, put enough damage on opponent to reduce his remaining
HP to only 10.
Damage 30 for one Psy NRG and two colorless NRG
Psychoshot
Weakness: Psy   Resistance: None    Retreat: One

My opinion
Wow! This card is the epitome of brokeness! Reduce HP to 10! This card has
looming around it the question, "If I add to this attack a plus power and get
a heads, will it automatically KO any of the pokemon in the game?". I do not
believe this, as it is in the game in Japanese, but maybe this will change
when is in English. Amazing. Add to that the retreat cost of one and you have
an amazing card! This card, although not having the necessary one-two punch
to knock out any psychic resistant pokemon, is far better than any other
Kadabra in the game. 


1 Dark Kadabra

My opinion
There are only four reasons that I am using this low HP wonder. The first is
that I have no other Sabrina's Kadabra to that its place in the deck. The
second is that I need it to be sent out in order to finish of the other
psychic resistant pokemon, and help Dark Golduck. The third reason is this:
Even though I could use the base set Kadabra, this Kadabra's attacks are more
efficient to the other Kadabra's. The last reason is that, even though the
base set Kadabra has more HP than Dark Kadabra, Dark Kadabra has a lower
retreat cost, so that it can switch with another pokemon and become a bench
warmer to evolve into an Alakazam.


1 Sabrina's Alakazam
Translations: 
80 HP
Pokemon Power:
Psycho Link
  This card can use any of the attacks of any of the psychic pokemon now "in
play" 
(Either out or on bench).
 Damage 60 for one Psy and three colorless NRG
Mega Burn
Next turn you cannot use Mega Burn.
Weakness: Psy   Resistance: None    Retreat: Three   

  My opinion
This card is SWEET! There is no other term for it! Not only is its attack
enough to pretty much kills any pokemon that it wanted, but its pokemon power
can kill or maim any pokemon, that is if you have some good psychic pokemon
on your or your opponent's bench. This Alakazam is a pokemon that does not
have to be on the bench to be effective, and as a matter of fact, prefers to
be in the active position.


1 Base set Alakazam

My opinion
This is the card that was made for the damage swap deck. Other cards, like
Fossil Slowbro, tried to take the place of it, and steal the thunder out of
its hands, or "spoons", as the case may be, and failed. Its attacks may be a
little weak for its pokemon power, and its HP kind of low, but that is why
there is Sabrina's Alakazam in this deck!  


3 Fossil Psyduck

My opinion
Oh, how I wish there was such thing as a good Psyduck. I used to have 3
Misty's Psyduck for this deck (considering the rules in my Pokemon League),
but I traded all of them away for a Holo Dark Golbat. Oh well. This Psyduck's
headache attack sometimes comes in handy, because there are a lot of Haymaker
decks around where I play.



1 Sabrina's Golduck
Translations:
  70 HP
Damage_ for 2 Psy NRG
Damage Shift
Removes one damage counters from Golduck and each of your benched pokemon and
put them on your opponent's active pokemon.
Damage 20 for one water and two colorless NRG
Water Shot
Weakness: Lighting      Resistance: None        Retreat:    Two  

    My opinion
Man! I think this card was made to be put into a damage swap deck. Just think
for a moment. This card could put an amount up to 6 damage counters
(equivalent to 60 HP in damage) onto a pokemon of your opponents, and it can
get past annoying pokemon powers, such as Mr. Mime's (Mr. Mime prevents
damage, not damage counters). The only weak point about this cards is the
weakness to electric. 


2 Dark Golduck

My opinion
This is the first time I have ever tried to make one of my decks in which
Dark Golduck was a part of it. The Third eye attack may come in handy incase
I am really short of cards on my hand, but that is not the true purpose of
this card being in my deck. The purpose of these cards being in my deck is to
fight pokemon of the psychic resistance. Dark Kadabra can only go so far in
this pursuit. In my mind, this card takes the place of Base Set Kadabra,
since both of them have the Super Psy attack. This card will eventually
replace Base Set Kadabra's place in the psychic deck. It has the same HP of
the Base Set Kadabra, and another important factor… it has a lower retreat
cost! Dark Golduck also has some halfway decent basic forms (HP-wise).


1 Scyther

My opinion
Yes, I am going to take this card out in order to put another Base Set
Chansey into this deck, but until then I have to make due with what I have.
This card has a fighting resistance (something else to kill those Hitmonchan
out there) to protect my Chansey and Lickitungs. Its free retreat cost helps
it to get out of harms way, and its decent HP helps it to stall. All and all,
it is ok.


2 Erika's Dratini
 Translations:
40 HP
Pokemon Power:
Mysterious Barrier
If this pokemon takes 20 or more damage, the damage will be reduced to 10
(other effects from attack still occur). This attack can not be used if the
defending pokemon is asleep, confused or paralyzed when it takes damage.
Damage 10+ for two colorless NRG
Tail Strike
Flip a coin. If heads, this attack will do 10+20 damage. If tails, this
attack will do 10 damage.
Weakness: None  Resistance: Psy -30 Retreat: one    
   
My opinion
Well, I do not have any Mr. Mimes at this point, so I have to make due. This
card is the bomb! No matter how powerful the opponent's attacks are, it is
always reduced to ten! This card is amazing! Plus, it is only an uncommon, so
it was easier for me to trade for to put in my deck. Also, this pokemon has
the resistance to the type of pokemon that plaques the psychic pokemon in
this deck.


1 Chansey

My opinion
This is another card that can not be left out of any deck that hopes to stall
in anyway at all. It can stall with its Scrunch attack, preventing all damage
to Chansey. It also has a Double Edge attack to help it go out with a bang.
Its 120 HP can take a hit from all but the most powerful attacks from evolved
fighting pokemon, and is good for swapping damage counters onto. Its
resistance to psychic helps the psychic pokemon in this deck, and its
extremely low retreat cost helps to get it out of harms way. What a wonderful
pokemon!


2 Lickitung

My opinion
Oh man. Do I wish I had 4 Chansey, so that I would not have to put up with
this "wonder" of a pokemon. Well…I guess I have to look on the bright side of
this situation. For one energy, you can do ten damage counters with a chance
of paralysis, and for two colorless energies, you may have a chance for
confusion. Add that to its 90 HP and triple retreat cost, you have the
perfect pokemon to never send into battle and never attach energies to. It is
only meant to stay on the bench and soak up damage counters.        


3 Movie Promo Mewtwo

My opinion
Damn! This card is good! I know of no psychic deck that would be so stupid as
to have none of these in their deck. The traditional way to power it up in
two turns is to use a computer Search or a Professor Oak in order to discard
energy. I, how ever, cannot do this, namely because I do not have any of
those aforementioned cards in this deck. I just have to do with my deck.
Still, this is a good card!




Trainers:

 1 Challenge

My Opinion
I know that most of you are yelling "Put these in multiples," but I have
found from past experiences that there only needs to be one in a deck. This
is so that you can get the perfect bench and active pokemon.



3 Gamblers 

My Opinion
This card is perfect for any deck. When you shuffle your hand into your deck,
you replenish your draw pile and manage to help you keep longer in decking.
If you manage to flip a heads, you can get more cards than a Professor Oak
can.


2 Professor Utsugi
Translations:
Put your entire hand into your deck and shuffle it thoroughly. Then draw 7
cards from your deck and use it as your hand. You cannot use trainers for the
rest of your turn.

My Opinion 
This card is better than Professor Oak is! It can work like a gambler that
does not need to flip if the situation is right. It can also give you good
card advantage. Perfect for any deck. 


2 Team Rocket Experiment
     Translation:
         Flip a coin. If heads, search through your deck for any card and put
it into your hand. If tails, you cannot use any trainers until the end of
your next turn.  

My Opinion   
This card, although risky, and the consequences are great, is okay. It is
like a Computer Search that needs no discard. Therefore there is no waste of
cards.


2 Super Energy Retrieval
Translations:
Discard two cards from your hand. Then draws up to 4 energy cards from your
discard pile and add them to your hand.

My Opinion
This card is necessary for a deck with such a low energy amount. It is
similar to normal energy retrieval, but it is "super". It can also help to
build up Promo Mewtwo faster.



2 Nightly Garbage Run
 
My Opinion
This card is absolutely necessary in any deck. The ability to find any basic
and evolution pokemon in your discard pile, as well as any basic energy card
is invaluable.


3 Gust of Wind

My Opinion
Always extremely valuable, whether it is for a knockout, or stalling.   


2 Pokemon Center

Heals damage. It is that simple. This is not an opinion. It is a fact.


2 Scoop Up

Same as Pokemon Center, except on a lesser scale.




Energy

14 Psychic (Psy)
 
2 Full Heal NRG

2 Potion NRG 
 
  
 
    This deck has enough offensive capabilities as well as defensive
capabilities that can hopefully take on any archetype on equal grounds.



NOTES:
Even though this deck is similar to the deck made by "Justin Smith", it is in
no way related to it. I have been using a deck similar to it for several
months.
I also ask Pojo not to post my last report because it is divot of several
things.


  
Report

Match #1
Fleat with "THE BURNER" VS Roger with a Grass/Fighting deck

    Well, the first thing that I must admit is that this was a decent
opponent. My best friend, Martin and his younger brother had told me that he
was very good and to watch out (my friend showed up after the   
Matches and did not participate in the Turney).
    His deck had Venomoths, Hitmonchan, Wigglytuff, and Grimers (he may have
had Muks, but I did not see one). Later, he said he had got the idea of this
deck from Pojo Magazine to destroy Sponge decks. ^_^
Anyway, In my hand I got two Lickitungs. I sent one out and benched the
other. His only pokemon was a Hitmonchan. Oh no. With some good use of Scoop
Ups, I managed to stall him three turns and he used three bills and one Oak.
He killed one and seriously hurt another. Then I got a successful flip with a
Team Rocket's Experiment. I searched for a Professor U. and used it. I lost
two more pokemon and stalled with a Chansey. By then, he retreated Hitmonchan
for a powered Wigglytuff with a Venonat, two Hitmonchan (one with 30 damage)
and a Grimer.
I powered up a Dark Golduck; gust of winded out the damaged Hitmonchan, and
killed it. I then also damaged the other Hitmonchan, a Venomoth and
Wigglytuff before it died. I then finished off Hitmonchan, the two Venomoths
and Grimer with a Sabrina's Kadabra. I wrapped up with my Sabrina's Golduck
and killed a Jigglypuff.

Won by all 6 prizes
Win 1; Loss 0



Match #2
Fleat with "THE BURNER" VS Seth with "Lugia" deck

This man was about 35 years old and was new to the trading card game. I
battled him earlier and at beat his psychic deck easily. He had just made
this deck and was cocky. He said that He had all of the legendary birds in it
and in his words that "I was going down".
He never got the right energy at the right time. I got a Sabrina's Abra a
Lickitung. I used the Energy Loop attack three times in a row, so that his
Articuno was almost dead, but his benched Zapdos had 3 Lighting energies
attached to it, so I could not attack. I then got an Erika's Dratini, and
powered that up.  I retreated Abra a killed Articuno with my Dratini. I then
got a good coin flip with Tail Strike against Zapdos. When he saw his pokemon
power when he tried to do thunder, he was very angry. He flipped for the
thunder attack and got tails. I finished him off with another good coin flip
with Tail Strike. His Dark Gyrados Died in 3 turns, and he never attached the
right energy.

 
Won by no in play pokemon 
Win 2; Loss 0

In between this match and the next, I traded for an Eevee (Promo), as well as
with Seth. I traded him some Kangakhans to put into his deck.  Even though he
had lost the first 2 battles, he managed to win the third due to my
improvements. 

Match #3
Fleat with "THE BURNER" VS Carl with a Haymaker

    Carl was my neighbor's friend, and my neighbor was telling me that his
deck was hard to beat. He was also trying to find out a lot about my deck.
His deck had mainly Scythers (Jungle and Team Rocket) as well as Team Rocket
Zapdos and Electabuzz.
He sent out a Scyther and a TR Zapdos. I got two Psyduck. This battle lasted
longer than I expected, me using both of my pokemon centers early, I killed
two Team Rocket Scythers, but due to He Super Energy Removals and those
stupid Recycle energy, I lost the match, the points, and my first place rank.


Lost by all 6 prizes.
Win 2; Loss 1


Oh well. I ended up getting 4th place, and my neighbor, T., got 1st place and
a Non-Holo Fossil Dragonite.


Strategy
This deck is able to attack and kill as well as stall. The most important
thing to remember is to be creative with it.

Observations
I have observed this Turney, that bad draws, and the weakness of the Psyduck
line to lighting pokemon can seriously hurt this deck. . It can only be
remedied by some heavy amounts of card advantage. This deck would no longer
be able to stall to victory, but this deck is far than more capable as to win
by knocking out opponents' pokemon.  

Props & Slops

1. Props to me for getting Fourth place.
2. Props to my neighbor T. for getting first place.
3. Props to Seth for being a good sport.
4. Props to Roger for a good match.
5. Props to Martin for coming and getting a Holo Nidoqueen in a booster.

1. Slops to me for losing.
2. Slops to me for trading back for the Eevee (A kid offered me two 1st ED TR
Blastoise, a Dark Arbok, a Dark Magneton, and a Dark Slowbro.
3. Slops for Carl for gloating about my defeat.