Well, after getting knocked out in the first two rounds the two previous weeks, I came in with a vengeance and a lean, mean deck. As deck checker and assisstant judge at the tourney, I had a full plate. So, without further ado, let me present to you The Last Beatdown:

Magic

Raigeki

Dark Hole

Change of Heart

Snatch Steal

Axe of Despair

Black Pendant

2x Malevolent Nuzzler

2x Heavy Storm

Monster Reborn

Mystical Space Typhoon

Traps

2x Waboku

Mirror Force

2x Magic Jammer

3x Trap Hole

Monsters

3x Summoned Skull

3x La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp

2x Giant Soldier of Stone

3x Man-Eater Bug

3x Wall of Illusion

2x 7 Colored Fish

2x Mask of Darkness

Cyber Jar

Aqua Madoor

Well, after looking through several decks and registering for the tournament, I found out that I got a bye for the first round. So after many duels and much talking of smack, I entered the tournament in the second round.

Round 2

Me vs. Victim

I don’t know this kid’s name, but I have a grudge against him. Two weeks ago he knocked me out in the first round of the tourney, and to say the least I blew my top. Well, after apologizing for losing my temper, I proceeded to completely demolish this poor soul. In the second duel, he was dealt 5000 life points in two turns (my first hand had Change of Heart, Raigeki, Summoned Skull, and Heavy Storm, among others). This was over fast, and man was it brutal. End result, I won overwhelmingly. On to round three!

Round Three

Me vs. Unknown

This kid was a regular, but I don’t know his name. He’s got a decent deck, and he shows some promise. However, this week I was on a roll. It was over pretty fast, a 2-0 win for me. I really hope this kid gets some help with his deck because he has some real potential.

Round Four

Me vs. Will

Will, to put it bluntly, underestimates everyone. He plays a very good Burner deck that has taken my Beatdown and beat the snot out of it. This was going to be close, because I know if I could keep his field clear I had the win. The first duel was quick, with a cadre of monsters and none too few field clearing cards giving me the victory. The second duel was grueling, with me getting him down to 900 lps early on but then he took control of the duel and burned me. The third went down to the wire, with the lead seesawing back and forth until a pair of Cyber Jars gave me an edge in monsters (not to mention providing me with Magic Jammer, Raigeki, Dark Hole, and a Snatch Steal, plus two Skulls). It got close, me getting down to 100 before my overwhelming attack got through. A good match and I look forward to the next!

Finals!

Me vs. Another One

To be honest, I think this kid had an easy bracket. I’ve played him before, and while he has the basics layed out he lacks some necessary cards and a little skill. He’s a good kid though and a good opponent. The duels flew by, what with both of us playing Beatdowns life point loss was fast. He did score a win on me in the second duel, but I beat him in the third. The match really was a blur, with both of us pumping up Skulls and hitting hard and often. A good effort by the kid, and I look forward to him getting better as a duelist. I’ll make sure he does.

Well, first place went to me. Prize? Sadly, a lot worse than what they used to be. I got three Season One booster packs, which is rather pathetic for a first place prize seeing as how I have most of the cards already and 90% of the set is horrible. However, I do think that the Chief Judge, Ben, will have the prizes changed soon, so I’ll have to win again this Saturday to find out!

Pros

-very well organized, the tournament went very smoothly with few rule questions

-friendly atmosphere. There’s a great group of kids that come to the tournament, and if you’re in the area and want a good duel, come on down!

-Prices. You can find some real steals in the store, and if you look hard enough you can find some exceedingly rare cards (like a DDS Dark Magician) for cheap prices, Sci-Fi’s the place to be.

Cons

-Prizes. This is kind of a sore spot, but I do feel kinda jipped by the prizes. However, they’ll be changed soon, and I look forward to winning again.

-Parents. Sci-Fi is a small store, but all these parents, however good intentioned, make it feel far too small and crowded. It makes it difficult for big guys like me and Ben to move around.