Subject: Matthew Low's Worlds and GKI Tourney Reports

Matthew Low’s GenCon IN Worlds 2003 Report

After 40 or so hours of driving from jolly old Danville, California all the way to Indianapolis, Indiana, my parents along with my sister and friend Chris (aka reals) were more or less dead tired. Chris and I had just gotten back from San Diego ComicCon with a promising performance. Chris placed in Top 16 and I got all the way to Top 4. Anyway, with that promising note, we spend Thursday night scrambling to decide what deck we would finally play in Tuff Enuff, since we were both confident with our standard decks with their performance at San Diego.

My sister was playing Red TS Android 20 Android ally for both Standard and Tuff Enuff, altered a bit of course. You might have played her if you were there.

Chris was playing Namekian TS Piccolo the Trained Energy Chaining for both Standard and Tuff Enuff.

And I finally decided to settle on using my friend Rich Bondi’s wacked out Tuff Enuff deck. I called it the Messed Up Roshi Deck, but more or less I just call it the Carpet Deck for short. And thus, I played Black CS Roshi Carpet for Tuff Enuff and my special Low Roshi Ally Backlash (Colorless Roshi Ally Backlash) for Standard.

Unfortunately I had 10 more cards to write when they cut off the Namekian’s Strike and alt foil giveaway. I ended up taking it back on Friday night after the 2-3 hour line and Fanatics tournament. I had forgotten Hero’s Lucky Break, one of the more important cards in the deck. Good thing I kept it I guess.

Anyway… we were up and ready Saturday morning and ready to roll!

Please forgive me if I don’t give enough details; Worlds was a good week and a half ago. We took a long route home and that has contributed to me forgetting a lot of the basics.

Anyway… here we go!

Round 1: Black CS Roshi Carpet vs Majin Buu (attacking) 1-4? Black TS Hybrid

This was a pretty young kid that had all the expensive cards, but he claimed he was more or less a collector and just started playing. I believed him after I played his deck; he had some pretty good cards and it was nicely built for the most part, but for some reason it didn’t work enough to mess me over.
I was able to get out Android 20’s Absorbing Drill to mess over his energies, and Victorious Drill prevented him from ever leveling. Black Mischievous Drill controlled his non-combats like Fatherly Advice and Where There’s Life There’s Hope. After Black Searching Technique I realized he had no Are You Tuff Enuffs or City In Turmoils, so I believe I nailed Android 17 Smirks and something else. With things secure, I was able to wait things out, blocking what was necessary with Physical Defense Drill, Pikkon’s Leg Catch, and Black Body Destruction. I know one combat I believe I was able to Confrontation his hand, take his physical block, and then just Carpet Attack Technique/Surprise Hit my non-combats and take the overkill. He got me down quite low, but that’s kinda the point of the deck anyway.

1-0

Round 2: Black CS Roshi Carpet vs. Majin Vegeta Red CS Physical Beatdown

I first pointed out to this kid that I hated his character. With a passion. Majin Vegeta… Lucky me I wasn’t using my ally deck at the moment.
This game I believe started off similar to my other one, but the big attack with self inflicting damage never seemed to hit. He did give me major problems attacking and using his Mastery to add on some big damage, but I just Leg Catched at the right times to get things to work in my favor. I was taking quite a beating, but I was realizing that I was supposed to be doing that. One combat I was holding a Super Saiyan Effect along with I believe Surprise Hit, and ended up deciding to take every physical attack so I could nail him with Hit, but unfortunately, he throw a Red Arm Swipe at me for like 12 life. Lame. I removed all those cards in disgust, knowing that I couldn’t Hit them. He had no physical blocks left so I just Surprise Hit him anyway.
I ended up entering a combat with North Kai, Mastery with double/triple Thought Focus or Weakness Drill/Bulma’s Looking Good and plain destroying him with Surprise Hit (x2 I think). No overkill with some annoying endurance. I didn’t get screwed the whole game by City In Turmoil or Are You Tuff Enuff, so lucky me. I think this is the game I actually final physicaled for the win.

2-0

Round 3: Black CS Roshi Carpet vs. Cell Saiyan TS Hybrid

This deck was mostly physical based. He started off very nicely with well placed Saiyan Cross Punches and Saiyan Destinies that hit for life cards, even though I was able to well place Black Body Destruction and Pikkon’s Leg Catch. As the game dragged on, I was able to I think Long Journey for Physical Defense Drill, and with a ton of non-combats out, I controlled the game. His power with a Destiny just had me discarding a couple nons and taking the others. That Drill saved me a ton. With me losing all my nons to defending, I ended going Weakness Drill, then my turn, North Kai, Mastery/double Black Thought Focus, and Surprise Hit. No overkill. Oh well.

3-0

Round 4: Black CS Roshi Carpet vs. Piccolo the Trained Namekian Physical (Goken) I finally got to meet the amazing Goken. This was quite interesting; this game went down to the wire. Physical was quite interesting since he’s usually used for energy. That and he seemed to have a physical block almost all the time so it would be hard to get rid of his hand.
Piccolo ruins me, but being smart I decided not to pull Victorious Drill and was able to level him quite quickly with some entering and ending Combat I believe. I didn’t take that much damage form his breakthrough combat, and was able to set up my non-combats with I believe the help of Releasing the Sword and Physical Defense Drill. Getting him up to level 2 was quite interesting as he’d use his power and pull 3 cards that get rid of nons, like Namekian Surprise Attack, and Namekian Shield Destruction. Lucky me had a block when it was needed against the really good non-combat destruction cards.
I knew that this game wouldn’t be easy. I think I Searching Teched cards that would ruin me, but with a random deck that is quite good I needed a way to kill his hands. Weakness Drill helped me immensely. The only problem is I knew that if I wanted to do my breakthrough combat; North Kai, enter, Mastery/Thought Focuses, he would use his power and take three physical blocks. I’m like, shoot, I need Confrontation, Black Body Destruction, or Cell Smiles too.
This game went really long; I was almost wiped out when he made a crucial mistake. He did a final physical that knocked me to zero, but I was holding Surprise Hit. Good game, along with a final of my own. He was holding Namekian Ducking Technique. Poor guy. I was fretting over how I would get around his power and hit him until he did that final. Overall a really well played and good game.

4-0

I’m really stoked at going 4-0 with a deck I only used for a week. Anyway, back to my good old Standard Low Roshi Ally Backlash.

Round 5: Low Roshi Ally Backlash vs. Roshi Black CS Earth DB (Brian Hymen) I wanted to meet this guy; he’s one really good gamer. I groaned knowing that he was DB and my inherent weakness to it. I still had Backlash on my side with him not having it, so I knew that would help at least a little.
This game was almost over from the very start. First turn he goes Long Journey and pulls Black Mischevious Drill, Caught Off Guard Drill naming Black Front Punch, and I think Android 20 Absorbing Drill. He has major tech against me; I place out a Z Warriors Gather, gone. HUH??? had no chance. He Caught Off Guarded Black Pivot Kick as well. I was hoping to mill his deck away before he pulls Where There’s Life There’s Hope, but no such luck. He gets it out, and, taking a risk, EDB7s, and is able to put all the DBs out with the drawing power in the next two turns. Unfortunately for me he has 1 life left, but has WTLTH. I did manage to get allies out, but no time to use them, with a Pure Defense on my Black Physical Focus.
My next three cards were Power of the Dragon and I think Namekian Friendship and Trunks Energy Sphere. If only I had POTD to stall earlier, and nuke the WTLTH, I might have been able to pull it off.

4-1

Round 6: Low Roshi Ally Backlash vs. Black CS Goku DB (TheRealDiehl, Jordan Diehl) Another named and decent player. What luck. I soon find out he’s using a carbon copy of John Nelson’s deck, which put really made me thinking on how to actually pull this off.
He starts off getting Android 20 Absorbing Drill out quickly to stave off a great selection of allies I start to bring out. I get the major advantage by getting a couple of them out quick, probably a ZWG, but not quite sure. Thing was with his small deck, nothing really mattered in that sense. With my top 10 giving me broke hands and his normal 3 random card hands, he was not having much of a chance. I was able to get a drainer early on (Black Physical Focus) and just plain beat him to pieces two life cards at a time with Drill on his side. The biggest key was making sure nothing that was in my hand after the initial card I played was vital to the Combat. With a little patience, nothing seemed to go his way and I was able to mill his deck away little by little.

5-1

Round 7: Low Roshi Ally Backlash vs. Blue CS Trunks Goku’s Farewell (Richard Riddeck) Seeing his deck and the fact that it was 66 or so cards, I immediately assumed it was DB and senseied in HUH???. I figured this would be an interesting match because my allies would be doing a whopping 2 life cards of damage, so I’d have to take major advantage of the DB capture rule.
Then… little did I know I was wrong. He actually senseis in I think HUH??? and something else, and he accidentally shows me that he senseied out a Cell’s Presence. Lucky me.
Immediately, I was able to pull Chaiotzu and another ally, and passed. He entered and tried to Cell’s Presence me, which took me by surprise, mainly because he ran two and that he would use it so early on just two allies. I topdecked a Sphere, and from then on, just kept watch on that last Cell’s Presence in his discard.
Then the problems showed up. He drops The Eternal Dragon’s Quest, and I’m thinking… great… just great. He enters, EDQs, and searches his deck for… Namek 3 and Namek 4, then starts to shuffle his deck. I go like…. WHAT… I’m lost of course. Then I realize that this wasn’t a DB deck after all, and that can only be a good thing, at least for me.
I get more allies out, but as soon as one of the DBs hit the table, he starts to Trapped Strike me to no end. I try to block as many as I can, but I still lose a couple allies each time. I’m able to mill his deck away a little at a time, with two life an ally, and I think I actually manage to take his Namek 3 with the ally capture rule.
Later on I finally realize the point of his deck. He drops a Goku’s Farewell onto the table. Right. Trapped Strike with Farewell. Why didn’t I see it sooner.
What really threw me was he passed. That gave me a huge sigh of relief, seeing I was holding a Black Pivot Kick. I entered, Pivot Kicked the Farewell, and was able to mill his deck little by little away, taking damage with my allies and doing my whopping 2 life cards.

6-1

Round 8: Low Roshi Ally Backlash vs. Piccolo the Trained Namekian TS Energy Chaining (DaHoffman) The cookie cutter Namekian as we all know. This one was a bit different in running cards with Arqua’s Arena, but overall I just have to admit I was one lucky punk.
First turn I drop Saiyan Inspection, I think an ally, and pass, holding Black Scout Maneuver. He passes, then I draw and put out Fatherly Advice. I smirk, enter, and Black Scout his Cell’s Presence, nailing his only one. I think he does an energy, and then I Fatherly Advice for my other Black Scout. He passes, I Black Scout his Trunks Energy Sphere. LOL. I then later Saiyan Inspection him. He’s pretty much screwed; I use ZWG, pull the allies, get even more, and plain pummel him to pieces seeing I had the major advantage. Not many energies are able to make it in against me with all my defensive allies. Arqua’s Arena brought a nice twist, but it being able to power up allies only helped me in the long run. More or less, my allies bring him down without too much of a long battle.
Also, I’m able to meet wang, who is playing a copy of my Low Roshi Ally Backlash… gotta give him props for using it in Standard and TE. Still a bit off my deck, but it was decent.

7-1

I make it through Saturday as the 8th seed into Day 2. This exceeds my expectations by a long shot, but I’m just pleased I made it in.

Day 2: Sunday, the Top 64 of Worlds 2003

I already know my first opponent, and here I’m a bit uneasy seeing I know who he is. But that’s the name of the game; whoever comes your way to have to play…

Top 64: Black CS Roshi Carpet vs. Orange MBS Cell Physical (Nabeshin) Yep. He was one of the last people I wanted to play, both of us likewise. But more or less, he was screwed almost from the start.
The game started off in his favor, getting out a Joint Restraint Drill and two allies, I believe Guldo and Android 14. I don’t think he enters, but he does later on and is able to deal some quick damage, while Mastery for a Focusing Drill. But of course I realize this was coming so I senseied in Front Punches and Pivot Kicks, and with Vegeta’s Quickness Drill on my side, I’m able to manipulate what I draw in combo with Watching from Afar. I wait it out, but I keep a Pikkon’s Leg Catch handy to take minimal damage from his attacks. I’m able to psych him out a few times to avoid taking some physicals, and later am able to Presence his allies as well as Front Punch his drills. He gets screwed in later draws, not getting squat for Drills. I just wait it out, and when I get a perfect hand, discard his and Carpet him. I believe I really kill him off with overkill using Hero’s Lucky Break for Fatherly Advice and pulling Surprise Hit. It was overkill, and just plain wrong.

Result: Win

Top 32: Black CS Roshi Carpet vs. Piccolo the Trained Namekian TS Energy Chaining (reals) Chris and I were wondering where our spots for our Top 32 match would be… seeing all opponents were matched up. We find out the terrible news from Aik… we are playing each other. What the heck. We travel together for 4 days and now we have to duke it out against each other at Worlds… Chris was right, we would play each other someday in a big event. Just at the wrong time. Hey, one of us is getting a Champion Aura… I start out by attempting to level Piccolo and taking minimal damage, seeing I knew his deck by heart and he knew my deck somewhat well, but only through the playtesting we’ve done on the way to Worlds. Entering and ending Combat worked like a charm. Winter Countryside hit the table, and after he levels, I try to keep the advantage on my side. I’m able to stave off some big beatdowns with the help of combat enders, and the one focused energy attack trying to hit me I actually am able to block with one of my three energy blocks that can stop focused. LOL. With the help of Absorbing Drill, I’m able to take minimal damage and get the non-combats ready for a Carpet Attack. One major mistake was forgetting to discard Black Weakness Drill, which would have provided one additional life card to hit the Are You Tuff Enuff??? that was on the top of his deck. The thing was I Surprise Hit him and hit that Are You Tuff Enuff, which saved him probably at least 7 life cards, if not more. He gets down to around 7 life as well.
On the other hand, I’m down to 7 as well. He thinks about the scenario, and enters. He hits a Piccolo’s Power Ball doing 6 life, and regenerates 1. It hits, and he takes my Earth DB 7, stacking 18’s Staredown, Namekian Dash, and Pikkon’s Leg Catch to stave off another Carpet. I smirk, and after playing it all out in my head, know it is game. I Black Weakness Drill, then it being my turn, I draw Watching from Afar, use Where There’s Life There’s Hope, then attack and use Super Arm Cannon of Super Stuff for the win. He has no energy blocks of course. Good game.

Result: Win

Chris is obviously mad at me… but the funny thing is he still hasn’t been able to beat the Carpet deck.

Top 16: Black CS Roshi Carpet vs. Orange CS Krillin (Gabe Abner, future GKI champion) Gabe is one of JayManFu’s good friends, and thus I know it would be a big challenge. He was playing with the SS HT, which I thought was quite interesting seeing he had no first turn Krillin’s Surprise with the Freestyle Mastery.
Anyway, he pretty much gets screwed. I’m able to I believe second turn Winter Countryside, and it never goes away. I Caught Off Guard Drill his Heat Seekings and City in Turmoil, and while he’s able to get rid of the CIT one, it doesn’t matter as I deal damage in an attack that gets rid of it. He’s just not able to do anything on that level 1 as I set up and am able to discard the 4 or 5 cards needed to get rid of his hand and put him away with Carpet Attacks and Surprise Hit. With I believe Chi-Chi’s Cheering Drill and Black Searching Technique on my side, I’m able to get rid of all threats and cruise to the win.

Result: Win

Now the switch to standard… I personally am going insane, trying to get things right in my head. I hastily switch my deck and get ready for the following game after a bite to eat.

Top 8: Low Roshi Ally Backlash vs. Piccolo the Trained Namekian TS Energy Chaining (Piccolo #1, Dustin Moribito) What… another one… and this piloted by a really good player as well. Anyway, with South Kai on his side, he was being precautious about Stunned. I didn’t run it, but anyway, I start off with the strategy that seemed to be working; level Piccolo before he can screw me over. It doesn’t really work. I enter and attempt to level him, but he just is able to rattle off energy after energy. I bring out a few allies but to no avail as they aren’t able to do much damage compared to his. I do however get him up to level 2, but my main problem was he got City In Turmoil in play like second turn. I have… Caught Off Guard Drill naming Cell’s Presence, Saiyan Inspection, and Hero’s Lucky Break to name Z Warriors Gather. The biggest gamble that backfired was thinking I should wait and HLB for ZWG a couple turns later after I had more stable CP tech and a way to get to zero. Thing was CIT hit the table next and stayed there.
Once he hit level 2, Dustin knew to stay calm and not enter so I could set up Backlash. He kept a block to stave off the random Backlash. I kept passing, and finally I decided to enter and go for the Backlash with Confrontation and I believe Solar Flare, but Dustin was going defensive. I couldn’t break squat through, and he was able to enter and plain cream me with just a few energies. Nothing comes up as I crumble to defeat.

Result: Loss

Top 8 isn’t that bad… I did accomplish more than I thought I would. Great fun; I will be here next year. Count on that.

On the way back to the hotel I fall asleep. reals smacks me on the back of the head.
“Wake up!”
“…”
reals throws down Earth Dragon Ball 7. “I don’t think this sleeve is mine...”
Good game Matt, doesn’t do deck check after switching TE to Standard, and doesn’t have EDB7 for two games. Good job. You could have used EDB7 to set up Perfect backlash or close to it, but noooooooo….

It was fun regardless, but sometimes I wonder how things might have been different had I had EDB7 in my deck and drawn it sometime during the game, seeing my opponent ran Namek DB4. Oh well. Next time I am going to do a deck check…

This is Matthew Low, signing off until my next report from Vegas. It was fun, and well, I did much more than I thought I would. Props to Score for the great tourney, Rich for the Carpet deck, sister for doing great at Worlds, parents for taking me there, Amerisuites for the hotel that was the size of a big apartment, and all my buddies; you guys did great. Slops to pairings that made me face Chris, people who made fun of my sister, and of course the EDB7 thing… Until next time…

**********************************************

matthewlow’s Grand Kai Invitational Tournament Report

Thursday
I’m so stoked about GKI; the anticipation nearly killed me. I get to the airport a couple hours early, and finally I’m able to get on at 6:21 PM from San Jose, CA to Dallas/Forth Worth, TX. I get in at around 11:35 PM and my friend Chris (reals) is there to surprise me. We go around for long time to try to find Josh Moulder, and eventually call a shuttle to get to the Spring Hill Suites by Marriot at 12:50 AM. Jason (SaiyanPsycho) and Mike (gamersource) are both already in my room playtesting.

I try to sleep but that doesn’t do any good. I end up kicking all but Mike out of the room, and instead they throw steak burgers all over the hallway. Whatever.

Friday
We get up with a minimal amount of sleep and get over to the convention to pick up our badges. I manage to playtest my Rainbow deck a couple times and take out a Cell’s Instant Transmission to make my deck 90 cards. We turn in our deck list, and try to enter the con to get some sleeves but the lady in charge yells at us saying we should be in school. What the heck. I’m in college lady. Then again I don’t look like it. Oh well. No sleeves for us.

We get up to the room in the Wyndham where the tournament would start. There we get pairings and I find I’m playing kunk first round. -_- Instead, that would be our building spot for Mystery format, which ends up being 4 starters and 20 boosters for a giant sealed deck. No Rainbow TW, but still random regardless. I get decent stuff and settle on Piccolo MBS as my MP from options of Tien (1 SS, 2 SS, 3 CS), Goku (1-3 SS), A20 (1-3 CS) and King Cold (1-3 TS). I pulled South Kai, so I end up making my deck hero ally with the 8 allies I pulled. I use Black CS over Saiyan MBS as my Mastery.

New pairings are up, and GKI was ready to go.

Mystery Format

Round 1: Piccolo MBS Black CS South Kai Hero ally vs … Dang my memory is bad. I know I lost by beatdown. I remember screwing up by not putting out Other World when I had about 5 allies in my discard, and instead Final Physical with it. I didn’t lose by much, but I know I lost.

0-1

Round 2: Piccolo MBS Black CS South Kai Hero ally vs Red CS Buu Physical (Kevin Allstot) I think this was Round 2. This guy I played at Vegas and he beat me because I don’t know how to Sensei right. Anyway, he gets broke draws. Think Red Face Slap. Only pulling one. And using his power to keep shuffling it in and drawing it 3 times in a row. What the broke. I end up being able to discard it I think with my Mastery or something, and am able to ally him for the win seeing he had to knock me down to zero to do anything to me.

1-1

Round 3: Piccolo MBS Black CS South Kai Hero ally vs Goku SS HT Orange no Mastery Physical Beats/Drill This was a rather interesting game. He got Destruction Drill out so I gave up trying to use non-combats that did anything. He got Underdog Drills and Orange Energy Phasing Drill out as well, so he generally had control. The messed up part was… believe it or not, Determination Drill. He was able to pass enough to make it do +8 or something messed up like that. The hilarious part of it all is that fact that Saiyan Saga Goku was killing me.
I was constantly passing, and finally I got lucky and pulled The Untroubled Mind is Focused and removed his stupid Determination Drill. That out of the way, he was more or less screwed with my allies to take his physical beats, and him having to physical beatdown me to do any damage in the first place. I was able to suck up enough to get enough attacks in to finish him off after that.

2-1

Round 4: Piccolo MBS Black CS South Kai Hero ally vs Goku CS 1-4 anger no TW I don’t remember a lot about this game but what I remember he got screwed over by Weakness Drill, and I was able to stall him enough to stop him from being able to beatdown me with the drastic difference in life deck. I wasn’t watching his anger, and once I leveled he was able to jump to level 3. There he only had a couple life left, and I was able to finish him off without him getting to level 4.

3-1

Round 5: Piccolo MBS Black CS South Kai Hero ally vs King Cold something I don’t remember the order of the rounds, but I know I won my last 4 straight. The 3 previous rounds could be out of order, and for some reason I don’t remember the last round. I just know I played a King Cold deck…

4-1

Rainbow Format

Round 6: Cell 1-5 CS Namekian TS North Kai Energy Beatdown vs Goku 1-3 Freestyle MBS South Kai (Garret W.) This was an interesting game, but what gave me the advantage was getting rid of Chi-Chi early game, and able to get off Namekian Energy Focus for an early Goku’s Blinding Strike. Cell’s Power coupled with Cell’s Style did some hefty damage, and I managed to Apocalyptic Battle, him winning and us going to 3. I’m able to power, then Ki Push to 2. I believe I North Kaied and got rid of his drills, and later I have it in the bag after I Clash and Ki Push for the win with the help of Tree of Might. Half-Nelson was around to mill part of his deck away midgame as well.

5-1

Round 7: Cell 1-5 CS Namekian TS North Kai Energy Beatdown vs Buu 1-4 Orange MBS North Kai Energy/DB (Master-Dragon) He senseis in 2 GBS, which was interesting. After the deck check that took forever, he was able to quickly take the advantage with drill control. My energies were doing minimal damage with his power. With that, I was able to Earth DB Capture some of his DBs, but after Capturing Drill hit the table I was more or less screwed. I couldn’t steal his DBs, and he was able to DDB out easily. I wasn’t able to get any thing under control with all his Drills, and Winter Countryside or Bee was around so Clash would be of no good. The random thing was he stole EDB7, put GDBQ on top, I energy, he absorbs, then Battle Pausing… That and I tried to Door Explosion City the whole game, but Dimension Scream…

5-2

Round 8: Cell 1-5 CS Namekian TS North Kai Energy Beatdown vs SWK 1-3 Red TS North Kai (?) Energy/Ally/Anger (Travis Keller) Travis got screwed with my naming of even/odd correctly more or less. He was able to hit me with choice energies, but I was able to remove/discard his allies except for Oolong and avoid letting him get to zero. One thing that gave me the advantage was him hitting me with Red Leverage Blast, giving me a free unstoppable attack. Later on, I EDB7, stack Clash, Ki Push, and Apoc Battle. Entering with Apoc to level 5, power, Ki Push, and end up winning right there before I’m able to do the rest.

6-2

Round 9: Cell 1-5 CS Namekian TS North Kai Energy Beatdown vs Goku 1-5 Blue Goku DB (Ty Darkstar, Eric Gaiser) I owned Eric the whole game, and he knows it. I just didn’t use my card power and plain just energied him to death quick and early. He knew it was coming to a close, so he started to Ball out quickly with HUH??? still on the rise. All I can say is he got uber lucky… I Power Ball, he Masteries, I Power Ball to try to steal DDB2, and he gets Brothers In Training on 3rd card… and later top decks the last DB with like 10 life left or something random like that. I dunno, I just couldn’t steal a DB in the last few turns of the game. I entered in my final combat, he Initiatives, doesn’t pull a combat ender, The Trucks my Krillin’s Concentration, and that was it seeing that was my only attack (for NS, or even POTD and 14 him). Lucky for him that is.

6-3

Round 10: Cell 1-5 CS Namekian TS North Kai Energy Beatdown vs I have no clue Sorry, I don’t remember for some odd reason…

7-3

Saturday

Round 11: SWK 1-3 Black CS North Kai Carpet vs Gohan MBS Black CS Carpet (kunk, Eric Kunkel) What the… oh boy, ain’t gonna win, ain’t gonna win… No matter what I did I couldn’t get his hand to where I wanted it to hit him with a Carpet. His power obviously. Each of us got so many non-combats out it wasn’t funny, and the main reason he won on time was because he took the risk to use Surprise Hits and I didn’t want to throw an attack unless I knew it would work. I Scouted his Carpets, but more or less we just consecutively passed and passed until he got the timed win.

7-4, 1 timed loss

Round 12: SWK 1-3 Black CS North Kai Carpet vs Cell CS Namekian TS Energy Beatdown (Overtime, Sean P) Let’s just say this is one game I’d rather forget. We somehow get all the way to level 3 (I think double AYTE), and there I get my non-combat lock down. I get COGD naming FIR and PAHG, and am able to discard his hand to one card, GSSB. I plan everything out, North Kai, attack, discard, have Carpet and 2x Surprise Hit in hand. I Carpet, discard all nons but Cheering Drill, he takes and FIRs me to death. What the… for some random reason I forgot to leave the COGD naming FIR. I had that game in the bag and I just plain screwed it up.

7-5, 1 timed loss

Round 13: SWK 1-3 Black CS North Kai Carpet vs _________ Don’t remember again, but I know I broke my losing streak.

8-5, 1 timed loss

Round 14: SWK 1-3 Black CS North Kai Carpet vs Tien 1-4 (SS1) Orange WGS Physical Beatdown (Jojo, Jonathon Conbere) Interesting. I don’t know how he did it, but he managed to throw physical after physical and hit me with a ton of them. He controlled most of the board with his nons, and I wasn’t able to get him off level 1. He had a ton of modifiers, and hit me with enough attacks because he knows how to guess. I never got enough setup to hit him with Carpet/Surprise Hit at the right timing.

8-6, 1 timed loss

Round 15: SWK 1-3 Black CS North Kai Carpet vs No deck (Paul Price) I’m sitting and waiting for my opponent to show up. He comes, sits down, says “You’re matthewlow, I forfeit.” I go like “What??? Aik, can he really do that?” Aik says he can, and despite the fact I want to play, Paul says he wants to visit the con and knows I’ll win anyway seeing I owned him in the Fanatics tourney the day before. Oh well.

9-6, 1 timed loss

Standard: SWK 1-3 Colorless Ally Beatdown, aka Low SWK Colorless Ally

Round 16: Low SWK Colorless Ally vs Roshi Black MBS Beatdown/DB Now… the good old Low Ally.dec that everyone knows and loves. I have no clue what the other guy was playing because he just got plain owned second turn. Second turn I go to zero, already have a few allies, then ZWG for some more, ally him to death, then steal his DB, SWK to full, double Power Ball, Tribeam, and Mouth Cannon for the win. He didn’t know that the Mastery he had can power me up to full, which would of saved his butt. Oh well. That was just plain broke, pure and simple.

10-6, 1 timed loss

Round 17: Low SWK Colorless Ally vs Piccolo 1-5 Orange WGS Multiform (Kevin Allstot) I go first, VD and pass. He goes, draws, EDB5, forgets to raise his anger, and I don’t notice this until way later. Enters.
Him: Multiform.
Me: Power Ball.
Him: Rapid Attack. 1 anger.
Me: Power Ball.
Him: Rapid Attack. 3 anger.
Me: Orange Reflex for something I think, don’t really remember.
Him: Goku’s Power Strike, level, pull Champ Drill.
Me: Pass for remainder.
Him: Champ Drills TES.
Face Crunch for 3 anger. Power to level, takes Goku’s Training.
Face Crunch for 3 anger, Power to level.
Multiform twice for game.
First combat… and I could do absolutely nothing. Someone ban this card now.

10-7, 1 timed loss

Round 18: Low SWK Colorless Ally vs. Broly 1-3 MBS subset Saiyan CS Physical Beats/anger (Tek) The almighty Tek with his favorite Broly vs Low with his favorite ally. A classic.
I’m watching is anger for the most part. He is able to get a good combat off early, but I keep that in mind and am able to Mouth Cannon him back to level 1. I get a couple allies out but he Ki Balls them. Later I ZWG, pull more, and it ends up being an awesome war as he gets to level 2 with 2 anger. He’s able to use cards like Saiyan Planet Explosion to easily get his hits in. One thing that saved him was when he Furys when I’m holding Dazed and SSE. What the broke.
Anyway, I’m down to like 2 life, forced to enter with him at around 15 life, shuffle 5. I get to zero, use an ally and he Planet Explosions. GG I scoop right? SaiyanPsycho tells me not to, so he tries some physical and I either redirect to an ally or it gets stopped. I Roshi, he Saiyan Blocking Techs, double pass, end. He enters with power and levels, sets off WTLTH. I shuffle and draw Confrontation and 2x Power Ball and Straining Destruction Move. He uses an attack, it gets stopped. I Confrontation and take STC. He cross punches, it gets stopped. I Power Ball, he Headshots and kills me. I then go and ally him with what few I have left because he has no blocks. I breathe hard and SDM for game. What the broke. Best Game Ever. Well close to it.

11-7, 1 timed loss

Round 19: Low SWK Colorless Ally vs Roshi Orange MBS Orange Drill Energy/DB (Rick Hunter) He senseis in stuff and I don’t think he’s DB, but oh well. I send in HUH??? anyway. First turn I scout CP and TES, he has no CP and next to no ally hate outside of DDB4, Staredown, and Gohan Spots the Imposter Drill. I take this to my advantage and early North Kai so he can’t pull Absorbing, and quickly ZWG/ ally his deck away. He resorts to DB, but with no WTLTH he can’t suicide. I steal his Alt 7 but Dende 2 shoves it back in. He tries to pull it off with GDBQ and does get Imposter Drill and Absorbing out, but I manage to mill his deck down to one card (the DB) and he draws out during his turn. Great game.

12-7, 1 timed loss

Round 20: Low SWK Colorless Ally vs Buu Defensive Black CS Roshi Sensei Charged Attack (Jeremy B) I think he’s Carpet and Scout it, and he thinks it is funny. Anyway he screws me over with his power and Roshi Sensei; my allies do a whopping 1 life card. He does some massive regen with Cookie and his power while he hits me with a weak Charged Attack. More or less this game was just major stall. I get rid of most of his non-combats and control that part, but he’s able to just plain stall me for the win. Neither of us cared anyway.

12-8, 2 timed losses

The dinner was plain awesome at the Ballpark in Arlington. There isn’t much to say but it owned. gamersource opens some of my Kid Buu and pulls me a Spirit Bomb. Broke. GT will be great next year, and tournaments will be outmatched to the max. I find I’m 14th seed and have to play Geddon first round, one of my fellow members of ND. My only match against Carpet Attack with ally was a loss, so I was way too nervous. I also find I will either play Dustin or Richie second if I win, so even if I do win it really wouldn’t matter. Onslaught is so much better than me and Dustin… Ultimate Champion anyone? Let me guess…ally…

I decide to change Senseis after that screw up with Jeremy, and seeing North Kai helped me in only the game against Orange Roshi. I figure that I’m more comfortable with Roshi seeing I always playtest with it so that’s probably my best bet.

Sunday

Top 32: Low Roshi Colorless Ally vs Buu Defensive Black CS Carpet/Regen (Brian Blount, Geddon) Here we go. I enter to double Power Ball him, he draws junk so he takes it and it goes to him. He puts some nons out and pass. I pass as well, and then he enters and says this will determine most of the game. I’m like… what… He plays Human Extinction Attack. I go O_O, start to pray and Geddon doesn’t want me to stall anymore so I take a peek at the top card. He says odd. Black Physical Focus. I remove it and grab my deck and start to remove allies. Oh wait I take damage first. I take damage and lose Krillin and Yamcha. Awesome, two allies. I remove the other 12 (Bardock got Senseied). What the broke. Aint gonna win.
I need to get rid of his set up and his level 1 power, so I manage to Clash him. Later on, I Clash him yet again, and then he CTPs me. I Scout his Carpet Attacks, but on level 1 I get it going in my way. His level 3 helps him by no means, so I start to play on wits only with energy after energy, power ball after power ball doing 14. All these energies start to overwhelm him. I get Krillin and Yamcha out, he enters and tries I think Extinction again. It doesn’t work and he scoops, seeing I have a normal energy and Group Attack in my hand. I don’t know how I pulled it off but I did. See, I can win without allies.

Win

Top 16: Low SWK Colorless Ally vs Buu Defensive Red TS Anger (Richie Williams, Onslaught) I didn’t think I’d win this one honestly. He enters and starts the Energy Spray Chain, and gets 3 of them off as I GBS one of them. He jumps to level 3 early, and I’m already worried. I get some allies out, but he Face Slaps constantly. He also Upheavals my VD so there goes that. I manage to Quickness Drill for Mouth Cannon once he gets to level 4, and he gets back there with 0 anger with a Taunt. We both pass, and goes to me.
I enter, and Power Ball. He takes. He gets some anger, I lower it with Yamcha and whatnot as I have Bardock on the table to know what’s going on. He Vigor Orbs Roshi which saves him. I proceed to energy him to death, getting him to 15 life. I Saiyan Inspection him so no more regen will occur. Then I Hero’s Lucky Break for WTLTH because ZWG x3 and FA were all removed. We both pass, he passes, then I enter with Confrontation x2, Kick, and draw GBS with Quickness. I Confrontation, take Invincibility, then Batow says I can’t. Stupid me doesn’t remember. Then I GBS but apparently I can’t do that either. Then I Kick and he Invincibilities. ROA, 2 anger. I Yamcha, he Ricochets, 3 anger. Mastery 4 anger. Double pass. He has 6 life left. He draws, Namek 4, discards WTLTH, enter with Mastery for game. What the broke. He had CIT in hand, but still… I would of probably Reflexed (in discard) for Mouth Cannon or something. Good game to the max Onslaught. I honestly thought I had you.

Loss

Final Result – 12-8, 2 timed losses, 38 points, 14th Seed, T16

GKI was awesome, that’s all I can say.

Props:
Score for the awesome dinner and prizes and whatnot.
gamersource for being respectful (unlike my other roommates…) All the awesome people I met and played Pretty much everything People who traded me Help of Earth foils (yay, have set of 3!)

Slops:
reals for not letting me sleep
SaiyanPsycho for not letting me sleep and not trading me Energy Lob foil Me for not meeting the VAs yet again.
Me for not running Energy Gathering in the Spirit Bomb deck at the Fanatics tourney.
Me for forgetting Onslaught Taunted.
Majin Buu’s Childish Taunt
Human Extinction Attack
Piccolo’s Multform
Josh Moulder for not trading me Energy Lob foil

Must… have… Energy… Lob… foil…

Hope to see you guys at the next major tourney. This was awesome and I know everything to come will be as awesome as this one!

If anyone remembers what games I missed or if one match was you, feel free to let me know and I can update it.

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matthewlow@franceslow.com
"You will not be allowed to do this to anyone else!" - Gohan
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