2011 Nationals Reports, Part Two: A Not-So Detailed (Yet Nevertheless AWESOME) First Place Report
By Justin "Blisseyrocks" S.
I felt like those of you who don't read the forums would be quite interested to see this gem of a report. It may not be very detailed (as Justin disclaims); however, it's definitely one of the most interesting accounts from the event, and offers a great perspective on the HeartGold/SoulSilver on format. Enjoy!
-HeyTrainer
"So before I get into a report, I want to thank everyone I met this weekend for giving me the best weekend of my life. Without you guys, I would undoubtably not be in the position I'm sitting in right now. ILYGUISE! <3
So monday morning I get a call from my boy Jorge saying,"…what are you doing this weekend?" From then on, I knew I was attending U.S. Nationals. I scream for joy, run to my mom asking her for money, and quickly dart back to my room to pack. I'm going to fastforward to the pre tourney, because there is WAY too many funny, jumbled memories to tell you guys about regarding the drive up to Indianapolis.
Anyways, I was determined to do well at this nationals, so I tell Orion Craig and Jorge Ramirez that no matter what crazy deck idea I come up with, a good deck will be my play. After going x-3 bubble out both years, I was crazy determined.
Zach, a GREAT senior player from Florida comes into our room to testplay and whips out Yanmega Prime/Magnezone Prime, which was a very odd-looking deck. It seemed to keep up with everything we thew at it, though, and it had something I LOVED: consistency. Decks love to crap out on me, but this one, I felt, would not. So at 2:00 AM on Friday, I say, "GUYS, I'M PLAYING YANMEGAZONE! NIGHT." I then built it and fell asleep.
I Woke up early in the morning, got down to the convention center before Jorge and Orion, and felt GREAT about this. Eventually rosters and pairings go up, aaaand…
ROUND 1- Yanmegazone vs Donchamp
I win the coin flip, and he flips over Cleffa. I Communication for Tyrogue, and offer the hand shake with an active Yanma to Free Flight into a Mischievous Punch KO.
(Ironically enough, the guy was talking about how good Tyrogue is right before this happened.)
1-0
Round 2-Yanmegazone vs RDLBOAR
I setup MUCH faster than him in this match, hit a couple key Reversals, and there's just nothing he can do.
2-0
Round 3-Yanmegazone vs Yanmegazone
I go first with a STELLAR hand, and that's usually all my deck needs to win the mirror match. By the time he took his 2nd prize, I took my last.
3-0
Round 4-Yanmegazone vs Zekrom
He flips over Pachirisu going first, and I'm like, "crap!!!!!!" Zekrom always has a good advantage vs me going first, and while he got out a bunch of stuff, there was no Shaymin. Eventually the game became really close, but Zekrom seemed to run out of resources to win the game…And that's exactly what happened: it Didn't have the resources to take the last prize on a clean Magnezone.
4-0
Round 5-Yanmegazone vs Donmegacinno
I start with lone Cleffa and lose the flip; he flips over Tyrogue, GG.
4-1
Round 6-Yanmegazone vs Reshiphlosion
I start off so bad, mulliganning about 6 times with no Judge or Copycat in hand…I smell a loss!
He got a bunch of stuff setup, but suprisingly the game came down to him having to double pluspower bouffalant to take the last prize, winning 0-1 in prizes left.
4-2
I'm feeling rocky about the last two losses, but I know I'll do well.
Day TWO
Round 7-Yanmegazone vs Megaturn
I setup WAYYYYY too fast with, like, turn two double Zone/double 'Mega, and she cannot recover.
5-2
Round 8-Yanmegazone vs Yanmegazone
My start is pretty sick, especially to his mediocre start. I have a good advantage throoughout the couple turns the game lasted before he scoops.
6-2
Round 9-Yanmegazone vs Megaphan
He starts Cleffa, and I just Pokemon Collector for Tyrogue.
7-2
I rip my deck, find out im 28th seed, and wait for 128 pairings.
TOP 128 – Yanmegazone vs Mew/Vileplume
Game 1- I start misplaying for some reason by asking hand size AFTER I played cards down. I lose in a close game.
I was SO mad at myself, but at least I knew to be more careful in the next game…
Game 2- A different story: the prize tradeoff just isnt fair, and so I win.
Game 3- He Copycats into all of his attackers, meaning he can't use See Off. I win shortly thereafter.
8-2
TOP 64 – Yanmegazone vs Yanmegazone
This is one of the matches I barely remembered. All I know is that I won game 1, lost game 2, and won game 3 – it's all very blurry right now.
9-2
I start talking to Martin M (Nationals winner 2006), who seems to be cheering me on. This was quite inspirtational!
Top 32 – Yanmegazone vs Emboarzone
Game 1- He starts cleffa; I get tyrogue.
Game 2- He started off super poorly, while I had a great hand. There's not much else I can say, really.
10-2
DAY THREE
Top 16 – Yanmegazone vs Mewplume
Game 1- This was a close game, but Yanmega is just unfair against any Vileplume variant.
Game 2- See Game 1.
11-2
Top 8 – Yanmegazone vs Yanmegazone
Game 1- I won in a game where he tried mounting a comeback, but it was too late.
game 2- I started with Magnemite, but he went first, dropping Pachi with energy, and then Copycats for second energy, along with the win.
Game 3- He starts Cleffa; I grab Tyrogue.
12-2
Top 4 – Yanmegazone vs Megaking
Game 1- He completely wiped the floor with me due to him going first. Great start.
Game 2- He scooped mid game to save time, I guess.
Game 3- He scooped when he realizeed that I had the last prize.
13-2
FINALS – Yanmegazone vs Donphan/Yanmega Prime/Zoroark
Game 1- He hit a key Reversal coin flip to kill my double energied Magnezone Prime.
Game 2- I topdecked Pokemon Circulator to kill his benched Donphan.
[Editor's note: I think Kyle also whiffed some game-winning flips near the end of the game. Not sure if Justin did, but I do remember that.]
Game 3- He started Zorua versus my LONE Yanma, going first. He dropped Pluspower, Junk Armed for it back, Professor Oak's New Theoried, benched a Pokemon, dropped Double Colorless Energy on Zorua, and then flipped for Lunge to WIN THE GAME…..TAILS! THE DREAM IS ALIVE!
I quickly drew my card, Collectored, and then started setting up. As the game went on, time was eventually called with the prize count 6-5 in his favor. I as able to take a prize to even the count, while he wasn't. He knew he had to put Tyrogue to sleep in order to prevent him from losing the game by time: this worked for him, as he flipped tails to activate Sweet Sleeping Face. I was thinking to myself that he MIGHT have a Judge in hand, so I grabbed my own Tyrogue: if he woke up and I remained asleep, then I would remain safe. So I attacked, and in between turns…I flipped tails, and SO DID HE! YES!!!
He is forced to pass…And how do we flip? He got heads to wake up…AND I DID TOO!!! The last turn, I ended by attacking with Mischievous Punch, and just like that, I became the United States National Champion. I jumped up out of excitement, but since I felt like that may have seemed unsportsmanlike , I was SURE to shake Kyle's hand, congratulating him for placing in the top three of Nationals for three years in a row.
The crowd was jumping on me, and the Pokemon representatives were trying to talk to me…All of that excitement. But after all of it was over, I could barely grasp that I had just won the Masters Division National title.
PROPS
ORION, JORGE AND ZACH FOR THE TESTING GROUP
All the people who have supported me over the years. You guys got me here!
SLOPS
*LOSING THE SOFTBALL GAME BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT!
~Blisseyrocks"