Diamond and Pearl - Secret Wonders Pre-Release Tournament
Chris Nagel
Richmond Comix Midlothian, Virginia
October 28, 2007

Hi everybody, this actually the very first tournament I had ever been to, and I wanted to write a deck report no matter how it went. I used to play a lot back around the time of neo genesis, but mostly only played with a few of my friends. I only just recently picked it back up, and knowing a good deal about how to play, I wanted to try a prerelease first to ease my way into tournaments. So anyways, I was really excited and after an hour-long drive, I got there a little early and registered. In about a half hour we each received our boosters and were told to begin. I opened my packs and got some pretty decent stage 1's but barely any of the matching basic's. I did get 3 supporters and a few decent colorless basics which I hope would help a lot. Well, I got organized and decided to go with water and fire as my main, with a little fighting. Here is my decklist:

Pokemon (17)
1 - Lotad
1 - Lombre
1 - Squirtle
1 - Wartortle
1 - Shellder
1 - Cloyster
1 - Corsola
1 - Magmar
1 - Magmortar
1 - Entei
1 - Charmander
2 - Burmy (sandy cloak)
1 - Wormadam (sandy cloak)
1 - Smeargle
1 - Stantler
1 - Farfetch'd

Trainers (5)
2 - Professor Oak's Visit
1 - Professor Rowan
1 - PlusPower
1 - Potion

Energy (18)
8 - Fire Energy
7 - Water Energy
3 - Fighting Energy

I was disappointed because I got an Arcanine but no Growlithe. After making this deck, I figured everyone else had much better decks, as I heard a few younger players yell that they got a Blastoise. Yeah... I was lucky to get a few Stage 1's. Anyway, they announced that there were to be 4 rounds for my division, the Masters. I couldn't wait to get started, even though I really believed I was only going to go 0-4. Sorry that I am not listing any names, but I forgot one person's name and would feel bad by putting everyone else's in. Here's how I did:

Round 1 (Opponent's Record : 0-0)
I started this one out bad with only two basics (Lotad as active, and Shellder on the bench) while he had a Smeargle as an active. I hit him twice while he did Color Pick for energies. He then retreated for a Kecleon and had a water energy. Crap. Kecleon can be resistant to a pokemon that is the same type as an energy attached to it. So I can't attack, and begin attaching to Shellder in hopes of a Cloyster, which can hit the bench. He got the Kecleon two energies and quickly KOed my Lotad and then a Charmander. Next turn, I draw my Cloyster! I bring him out and begin to ravage his bench. My first attack, I got four heads! He had trouble hitting Cloyster, taking four turns to KO it. By that time, I had KOed three on his bench and had a Magmortar to bring out. We were each down to our last prize, so I was puzzled when he didn't retreat his Kecleon with 50 damage. Next turn I KOed it and took my last prize. I started to realize that I might have a chance.
*****1-0*****

Round 2 (Opponent's Record : 1-0)
This was definitely the hardest game. I again started slowly, once I KOed first first pokemon, an Ivysaur, he had trouble getting energy. He ended up with one prize left, I think when I still had 3. I don't remember everything else very well, but I think I brought out Wormadam and KOed a couple when he brought out a Venomoth. I needed to retreat because of poison and brought out a Charmander, that got poisoned also and I had trouble waking up. It came down to the fact that he could not attack because of lack of energies and Charmander was Asleep and Poisoned with 40 damage on it between turns. Tails, I remain asleep and lose due to Poison, or heads I wake up and attack doing 10 to a benched Bulbasaur for a KO and the win. HEADS! I wake up, attack, and pick up my last prize. A very very close game.
*****2-0*****

Round 3 (Opponent's Record : 2-0)
This round was also difficult, but not as close. I had Corsola out with a couple benched (Shellder and Stantler I think). He also had three Pokemon to start, with a Smeargle out. That made me nervous, so I did not use Corsola's attack to get 3 basic's from my deck to my bench. I had a lot fire energy, so I really wanted Entei. I hit him twice for 60, when he said that he wanted to try something that he was going to probably regret. I was all for it, haha. He put down a Miltank, benched Smeargle, and used the Energy-free healing attack. He flipped both heads to completely heal Smeargle. Great. It was basically a stall-fest that he initiated. I kept attacking for 30 while he was usually able to erase it the next turn. However, his plan never produced much. I eventually got a Wormadam, an Entei, and a Cloyster powered up. In about 6 or 7 turns from there, I got all 4 prizes, while he only got 2. Great game again.
*****3-0*****

Round 4 (Opponent's Record : 2-1)
This was over in two turns. If she would have won the coin flip, it may have ended differently. Anyways, I start with a Stantler and one other benched and the pluspower in my hand. She started with a lone Farfetch'd. I start by attaching an energy to Stantler and search for a supporter. She started by attaching an energy to Farfetch'd and used Sword's Dance to power up. I then attached an energy, used a pluspower, and used Stantler's second attack for 30 and automatic confusion (gotta love it). She still didn't draw any more basics, and decided to attack. Tails. Hit herself for 30 and knocked out her only pokemon. Wow, I can't believe I went undefeated!! However, we did play best of 3 (didn't count for the official tournament) and she won the next two. Oh well, I was still thrilled because I was the only one to go undefeated (out of about 12) and won my first ever tournament!
*****4-0*****


So, that's it, I won my first ever tournament (even though it was a prerelease). Can't wait to try some modified tournaments and, of course, more prereleases. I found that Cloyster, Stantler, and Wormadam (sandy cloak) were especially deadly in this format, so if you will be going to a Secret Wonders prerelease, hopefully you can get those! Thanks for reading, and good luck in future tournaments!

Chris Nagel
SsslumberBT@aol.com