A Draft of Many Words.....(Colorless/Grass Deck)

By: Sir Malechai (Paul Torres)

Hidden Treasures

Las Cruces, New Mexico

Saturday August 28, 2004

Fire Red/ Leaf Green Pre-Release Tournament

Attendance: 25 People (Highest Population was in 15+ Category)

Hello everybody! I barely started playing pokemon again about 2 months before the Pre-Release. I played when I was younger, but didn't really see the game the way that I do now. I'm 16 years old. This was the first Pokemon Pre-Release and first Pokemon Tournament I have ever been to. I have to admit, I was kind of nervous. All of my pals who also played and went with me to the tourney were way better then me. I didn't think I would go pretty far. We left early to the draft because it was in a city 40 minutes away from where we lived.

Now onto the Draft. My packs were not the best, but I guess not the worst either. I drew only one EX, Mr. Mime EX. I didn't really think he would serve a purpose, being the only psychic pokemon in the cards that I got. I tried to make with what I had. Here's what I made:

"A Deck of Many Words...." (40 Cards)

Pokemon (18)

4 Nidoran (Female)

1 Nidorina

3 Diglett

2 Lickitung

3 Doduo

3 Bulbasaur

1 Ivysaur

1 Mr. Mime EX (Odd One)

Trainers (6)

2 Celio's Network

1 Poke Ball

1 Great Ball

1 Switch

1 Energy Removal 2

Energies (16)

1 Multi-Energy

5 Psychic Energy

10 Grass Energy

**Yea, lots of basics and hardly any power. I made with what I got!**

NOTE: This tourney was 5 rounds of Swiss!

First Match vs. Wolfgang (Psychic/Grass/Colorless)

I was pretty intimidated by this guy. He used to play Pokemon a long time ago when my friends and I were young. He pulled a Charizard EX in his cards and put it in his deck. Nonetheless, I still tried my hardest. We both had okay hands in the beginning. I ended up using Lickitung's second attack to kill his bench. I tried to leave all of his bench at around 10 HP. He had pretty strong cards that could take out my puny basics. By the time he killed my Lickitung, I used Diglett to win the match.

1-0

Second Match vs. Jaime (Grass/Lightning/Colorless)

This was one of my pals who joined in the tourney as well. I was more comfortable playing my friends than somebody I don't know. I was really scared of him too because he pulled a Zapdos EX in his cards, which can practically win the game easily. We both were energy screwed in the beggining. He started winning the game by getting lucky flips with Bulbasaur's Sleep Poison, which made me really worried. Luckily, I drew Mr. Mime in the nick of time. He was kinda overloaded in hand size, so I used that with Mr. Mime to clear the victory.

2-0

Third Match vs. Andrew A. (Fire/Colorless)

This was another one of my pals. He was undefeated just like me, so this match meant a lot. I drew the worst hand while playing him. I had only one basic Lickitung for about three turns. By that time, he laready had butt-kicking Rapidash out and burned my Lickitung. Thanks to Celio's Network, I was able to create my bench by adding Mr. Mime EX in it. I started using Mr. Mime the next turns and was one prize away from the win. Unfortunately, Mr. Mime was really wounded and couldn't last another turn. He drew his two prizes and was really coming in on me. I was one prize ahead of him. I played a Diglett and killed his benched Rattata, thanks to the damage from Lickitung in the start of the match. This was a close game.

3-0

Fourth Match vs. Rosie (Fighting/Grass/Colorless)

This was the hardest match in the tourney for me. She and I were the only undefeated players left in the tourney. This made me stress out like crazy! I was next to her when I saw what she pulled in the packs and was scared. She was able to make a very good dugtrio/nidoqueen deck with what she got. Well in the begining of the match, I drew only 1 Nidoran. I was luckily able to use it's Look for Friends attack and get Lickitung out. I started immediately to attack her bench. I was able to kill two of her benched pokemon until she brought Dugtrio out. She was blowing up all of my pokemon that I played. She was one prize ahead of me. Then it happened. The tournament Moderator told us that whoever had theo most prizes at the end of my turn would win. I was sweating bullets, thinking she would pull off the win, until I saw her Bulbasaur with 10 HP left. I quickly attached an energy on the useless-at-the-time Diglett. I killed her bulbasaur and made the game go into Sudden Death. Whoever drew the next prize won the match. I had to hope that my next card could help me out a lot. Luckily, I drew, once again Mr. Mime EX. I quickly played him and attacked with it the next turn. She only had 3 cards in her hand but it was still dealing damage. She finally brought out another fully-powered Dugtrio and was ready to kill Mr. Mime when I noticed that Dugtrios attacks were both odd, which my Mime could handle without damage worry. She was really smart though and quickly got rid of her hand. The Dugtrio was still at 60 HP and I couldn't do anything to it anymore. Mr. Mime was at 20 HP and could get Sleep Poisoned by the Bulbasaur, giving her the win. I finally found the perfect death combo though and retreated Mr. Mime and sent out Diglett, killing an injured Diglett at 10 HP.

4-0

Fifth Match vs. Joe (Colorless/Fire)

This match determined whether I would win first place or not. If i lost, I would have tofight Rosie once again. My starting hand was really horrible, leaving me with a full bench and no energy. Second turn he evolved his Meoth into Persian. It started confusing all of my pokemon. I was almost gone when I drew Lickitung and killed some of his bench. Then, by luck I drew Mr. Mime EX again and was able to hold my placing and win the draft.

So I won the tournament and was really happy. My friends and I placed in top three. I plan on attending the next Pre-Release with my pals again. I really have to say that luck was really involved with me that day. I split my prize with my pals to share and have fun with.

Props:

-ToFu Crew: This is my crew that I am in with my friends. We couldn't have done it without each other.

-Rosie: She was the hardest opponent I have ever faced. Thank you for the greatest match ever!

-Andrew and Mark's Mom: If it weren't for them, we couldn't have been able to go. Thank You again!

-EX: Fire Red/ Leaf Green: Thank You for the great new cards and beautiful artwork you put on them.

-Hidden Treasures: Thanks for having a great place to play Pokemon and etc.

Slops:

-My Shoe: I stepped in gum the same day as the tourney lol!

-The Little Girl in Youngest Division: For doing absolutely nothing and still getting a box for being the only player in your category.

-El Paso, Texas: For not having a Pre-Release in the city which makes it easier for us to go to.

**Thank You for reading! I know it's long, but I wanted to make it exact when it came to the matches. **

 

Paul Torres

sir.malechai@gmail.com or sir_malechai@yahoo.com