Any Given Sunday Well, everything has its own way of evening out. I made a prediction two weeks ago concerning my rival, Jesse -- this would prove to be true. Anyone following my deck reports knows exactly what this means.
Michael Lucas
4-6-2003
Jahinie Productions, Munhall, PA
24 Competitors
Deck:
Monsters = 18
2 Gemini Elf
2 Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer
2 Bazoo the Soul-Eater
2 Goblin Attack Force
2 Magician of Faith
2 Penguin Soldier (MeB replacement)
2 Hayabusa Knight
1 Summoned Skull
1 Witch of the Black Forest
1 Cyber Jar
1 Jinzo
Magics = 22
2 Axe of Despair
1 United We Stand
2 Fissure
1 Nobleman of Crossout
2 MST
2 Heavy Storm
5 Staple Magics (Pot/Heart/Reborn/Raigeki/Hole)
3 Graceful Charity
1 Swords of Revealing Light
1 Premature Burial
1 Snatch Steal
1 Scapegoat
Traps = 7
1 Horn of Heaven (proved to be a mistake)
1 Magic Jammer
1 Seven Tools of the Bandit
1 Call of the Haunted
1 Mirror Force
1 Imperial Order
1 Magic Cylinder
Deck = 47
Side Deck:
2 Man-Eater Bug
1 Summoned Skull
1 Fissure
1 Delinquent Duo
1 Exchange
2 Prohibition
1 Axe
2 Dust Tornado
1 Royal Command
2 Seven Tools (for trap-lovers)
I renamed this deck Any Given Sunday because if I am at this tourney, and Jesse is at the tourney, we are destined to meet. And on Any Given Sunday, anything can happen. This proved to be true.
Apparently because 18 stores submitted false players into their ratings to steal the prizes from them and sell them during Season Two, the Season Three players are going to be required to fill out new forms and have photo IDs. Makes sense. Gee, those 18 stores banned from running tournaments sound like Phantoms of the Attic. Do yourself a favor, and NEVER attend ANY card game event at Phantoms of the Attic run by a William Miller. Normally I will not advertise someone as being so evil, but he has done such at Pokemon, done such at Magic, and will do so at Yu-Gi-Oh. Destroy the problem at its root -- the corrupt Tournament Organizer.
ANYWAY...because of this, our tourney started a little late, with forms and such.
I had the pleasure of facing Brian (the guy who never talks during duels) in the first round. He has proved himself to be a good competitor, but has not beaten me once.
Round 1: Any Given Sunday vs. Brian's Beatdown
The major difference between my deck and his is Gemini Elf. That proved to be all I needed in Duel 1.
Highlights: Gemini Elf did every single point of damage. He got a good start by an 1800 monster, and then a Kycoo, but after this, Gemini took the match.
LP: 8000-6200-5400 to his 8000-6100-4200-1500-1400 (Gemini hitting an 1800)-0
Second Duel was just blatantly wrong. Didn't take one point of damage against who'd I say is the 4th best Duelist there. Bazoo did the first hit unopposed, then Haya + MoF did the next set of damage...and then again...he was monster-screwed. He drew nothing usable.
8000 to his 8000-5500-3200-900-0
With that out of the way, I was feeling rather good. The next round, I had to play David, whom was rather newbish, but wasn't rude, or obnixous or anything. One of those kids who you don't really like to take out, but you have to.
These duels are best told by their LPs:
Duel 1: 8000 to his 8000-9000-6700 (GAF) - 4800 (Gemini) - minus 3600 (Reborning fit)
Duel 2: 8000-7200 (?) - 6750 (MeB) to his 8000-7800 (Gemini vs. 1700) - 6000 (Kycoo) - 5300 (Bazoo vs. 1800) - 3500 (Kycoo) - 0
Round 3: Storm with newb deck
Now Storm shouldn't be a newb. He's like at least 14. His deck should be better than it is, and so should he.
These duels were quite uneventful, and both involves massive Cyber Jar/Raigeki combos (1st duel) or Reborning fits (2nd duel).
Duel 1: 8000 to his 8000-6100-7100-6900-0
Duel 2: 8000-7500-6350-5550 to his 8000-4300-4200-0
Now, the moment of truth. The reason anyone READS this report. Jesse was next. He sat down, said "You know my deck, I know your deck." Our friendly rivalry meets for the fourth time at Jahinie's. And on any given Sunday, anything can happen...
Round 4: Any Given Sunday vs. Jesse's Hyper Beatdown
Duel 1: A hard hit right out of the gate. I play Haya in DEF. His turn, he Change of Hearts, it, adds Axe, plays GAF, and already I'm down to 1700. I have to 7 tools something the next turn, I'm down to 700. Haya's able to do 1000, but gets destroyed the next turn.
LP: 8000-1700-700-0 to his 8000-7000
Duel 2: Proves to be a reverse of the first. He gets one good shot in for 2850 (Jinzo + MeB?) The rest is dominated by hard quick blows by whom I can't even remember.
LP: 8000-5150 to his 8000-5450 (MeB + ???) - 2800 (MeB + Bazoo + 1) - 0
Duel 3: Any Given Sunday, anything can happen. And this time Jesse gets the ultimate combo to go second with. I get a Jinzo out Turn One and hit for 2400, with a Swords down. He MSTs Swords, Fissures Jinzo, plays Kycoo with an Axe (?), does 4800 on his second turn. I get his monsters out of there, but he plays GAF and does 2300. I get no counter, he gets a monster, and I lose.
8000-3200-900-0 to his 8000-5600
Not good. The first tourney that counts for points in Season Three and I lose in the semis. This is gonna put me behind points-wise. At least the prize wasn't even worth getting...
Props:
Jesse, for not being cocky like everyone else
Cory, for getting to the finals (but losing to Jesse, even though he suited his deck exactly against the guy -- Jesse lucked out in both duels)
That the prize was only a Spellbinding Circle, Prohibition, and some other not so good card
Slops:
Brian because he STILL doesn't talk during duels
Jesse's 00ber luck
So far, I'm two rounds behind where I should be in Season Three standings, and Cory's behind one.
Hopefully I can get my standings up. But then again, I've got as much of a shot as I do on any given Sunday...
MewtwoStruckBack@aol.com