TICKLE ME ELMO!
By: David Dyer

Tournament Info:
Triple Play
Memphis, TN
4 Rounds Top 8 in Finals
30 Competitors

First, let me tell you I hate it when every deck out there is a Haymaker,
Sponge, or Raindance deck. It shows that the person playing does not try to
build original decks but relies on other peoples deck building abilities. I
do approve of new players playing with them to sharpen advanced players
custom decks, but for some reason, they keep playing with them instead.
Myself, I have built at least 7 different, original, effective decks. I have
no problems helping others with original decks, but do not like trying to
improve Hays, Sponges or Raindance. Here is my latest creation - Tickle Me
Elmo!

Deck

Pokemon (6)
4 - Chansey
2 - Erika's Dratini

Energy (10)
1 - Water Energy
1 - Psychic Energy
1 - Lightning Energy
1 - Fire Energy
1 - Fighting Energy
1 - Grass Energy
4 - Potion Energy

Trainers (44)
4 - Erika
2 - Computer Error
4 - Pokemon Center
4 - Scoop Up
4 - Item Finder
4 - Recycle
4 - Potion
3 - Good Manners
2 - Computer Search
2 - No Removal Gym
2 - Nightly Garbage Run
4 - Tickle Machine
4 - Imposter Professor Oak

Deck Breakdown
Ask yourself this - What do Haymakers, Sponges and Raindance Decks depend
upon? Answer - Card Drawing!
This deck is a stall deck that speeds up the game. Here is how it works -
* Anytime you do card drawing give them the opportunity with computer
error and erika (Most of the time they will take the cards until they know
about it. If they take them, it will mean less coin flips you need to rely
upon, if they don't you get more cards and they have to hope they get the
right cards on their turn)
* Let them do their card drawing first (They will play their game.
Bill-Bill-Bill-Prof. Oak, etc. Less cards in deck)
* Your energy is used to retreat with any damage (Who cares that you
have 40 damage on chansey when you retreat - make those pokemon centers work
for you. Don't let the get knocked out)
* Only put down the pokemon you are working with and 1 more that can
take it's place in a pinch (When the need scoop-up, hold them until you need
to put them down. The best pokemon depends on the ones they have out. Any
Psychic ones are cool, any Pokemon put out Dratini, if Muk is in play or
evolved pokemon is active, put  Chansey active )
* If they play a challenge, ACCEPT! (You can put no pokemon down and
they can put up to 5. check the math - draw two cards vs. 5 pokemon cards.
Remember make them draw as many as possible)
* Only play cards when absolutely needed (The reason for this is if
your opponent has Lass or Sabrina's Gaze, you will not be affected. Lass
shuffles all trainers into your deck - that would give you a huge advantage
in deck size over your opponent, Sabrina's Gaze just gives you different
cards)
* This deck depends on 8 cards 4 - Tickle Machines and 4 - Imposter
Oaks (The Item Finders and Recycles are to retrieve Tickle Machines and
desperately needed cards)
* Play your energy smart (Your energy's main use is to retreat and
find cards with computer search. NGR them back into your deck for the last
minute surge in deck card count. Build up your attack after No removal Gym
is in play)
* Don't duplicate efforts (If your opponent plays a No Removal Gym
card, save yours for a computer search)
* If your opponent has 3 or less cards in their hand, Imposter Prof.
Oak (Once again, make them draw cards)
* When your opponent has about 20 cards left in the deck, Play Tickle
Machine after you heal. If you roll a heads, play Imposter Prof. Oak (If you
are good at rolling heads, it only takes 2 or 3 times)
* Deck them!
* Watch out for oddish. What could a Dark Vileplume deck do to this
deck?

Tournament Results
I had playtested this deck over the 2 weeks prior to this tournament to
refine the deck. As it turned out, it paid off.

Match #1 - Sponge Deck
As it turned out, I rolled a lot of tails. That was ok. I hit 2 heads out of
7 tries. The 2 heads happened on the same turn with them having 14 cards
left in their deck. They decked.
Record 1-0

Match #2 - Haymaker Deck
This match I rolled a little better and the match took 10 minutes. A quick
game considering I had no basic pokemon 3 times in a row. Erika's Dratini
saved me from those Hitmonchan's. I scooped-up and held onto my Chansey's
when I saw what I was up against. I then went on a heads rolling spree.
Tickle-Imp Oak-Tickle-Imp Oak-Tickle-Imp Oak. 21 of his 35 cards sitting on
the side. I decked him too.
Record 2-0

Match #3 - RainDance Deck
This was a 5 minute match. I had a Chansey, he mulliganed and had 4 basics.
I went first. Here is how it went by card count.
Turn # Me (Actions) He (Actions and Card Count)
1 Draw + Imposter Oak 43
Tickle Machine+Erika 40
Erika 37
Erika 34
Draw - 33
Professor Oak - 26
2 Draw+Computer Error 21
Draw - 20
Computer Search - 19
Computer Search - 18
3 Tickle Machine
+Computer Error 13
Draw - 12
Tickle Machine +
Imposter Oak 5
Draw - 4
4 Tickle Machine +
Imposter Oak Decked!
Record 3-0

Match #4 - Rocket Sponge!
This was a good match. The inclusion of the NGR in the sponge along with
Surge's Electabuzz held me at bay. I used a lot of trainers keeping my
pokemon alive. In the end I decked him and I had 2 cards left.
Record 4-0

Finals - Custom Deck
The only person to beat me. I rolled for Tickle Machine 9 times. All but 1
were tails. He NGR'ed 5 times and he only had 4 cards left in his deck when
I ran out. Just 1 more heads would have won it....

Final Record 5-1

My Deck Ideas!
Status Quo  -  Loofa  -  Slow Dance  -  Cloud Delerious  -  Big Bang Theory
-  Tickle Me Elmo  - (Olympic Torch)  -  (How Does Your Garden Grow?)  -
(Here Today ...)

Feel free to contact me about this or my other deck ideas. I enjoy helping.
My EM is ddyer@midsouth.rr.com

Props and Slops
* SLOP - WOTC    The PROP 15 that is being considered will KILL stall
decks entirely. These are the best decks to go up against Haymakers,
raindance, and Sponge decks. Using this rule will shift a lot of people to
Wiggltuff decks. Sure we need more creativity - try a better point system
for tournaments, have different divisions, limit the number of promo cards
and the number of pokemon with powers that can be used, or change some rule
around about the interpretations of cards.
* PROP - Triple Play The make things as fair as possible
considering maybe 3 or 4 people don't play Haymakers, Raindance or Sponge
decks.
* PROP - Kevin! You know who you are. Thanks for being the Guinea
Pig!!! Keep those decks handy for my next one --> Olympic Torch
* SLOP - To those of you who play Haymaker, Raindance and Sponge decks
every tournament, league meeting and opportunity. Especially those of you
who will only play newbies during prerelease tournament.
<ed note:  Hey!  I take offense to this!  I kinda like to think of Sponge as an original deck. *g* -Scott>
* SUPERPROP - To those of you who try to create an original deck. Keep
playtesting them. Keep refining them. But remember this - No one wins all
the time,  and some will win some of the time, but no one wins none of the
time.

I'M OUT!