Subject: Tournament Report for Ohio Valley Regionals Date: Mon, 18 May 1998 16:22:22 EDT From: YoYoGoat To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com OK kids, here's the story of a strange deck, a hangover, a goat, a yoyo, and, the strange guy from Kentucky that weilded them all (aka: ME) First of all, my teammates and myself met at our local bookstore/team sponsor at 4am on Friday night/Saturday morning. Unfortunately for me, when my team members picked me up, I was at a friend's going-away party, and, by the time we left, I was VERY drunk. So, for the entire drive from Louisville to Columbus, I slept in the back seat. By the time we arrived in Columbus, I was slightly hung over, and, still hadn't even designed my deck. I had the concept in my head, but, hadn't started on it. So, while the rest of the team ate at Frisch's Big Boy, I sat in the parking lot and built my deck. (by the way, I believe that Frishch's Big Boy is the Devil) So, half an hour later, we're back at the tournament, and, i'm rushing to finish my decklist and registration. I do so, and turn it in, confident about my quickly constructed deck. (I always do better when I put my deck together last minute...dunno why, I just do. sick, isn't it?) We chat a little while, then, the tourney begins. I don't remember many of the names of people that i played, but, i'll do the best i can... I'm also a very superstitious person when it comes to this damned game. so, i always have good luck charms with me. this time, i have my new favorite toy, Vincent Van Goat, the Goat InAction Figure. he sat next to my library, mask shining and cape fluttering, the entire tournament. just to let you know, you get several weird looks from your opponent when you have a goat on the table. :) Also, if you go to tournaments in Louisville or Indianapolis on a semi regular basis, you usually see a guy constantly playing with a yoyo. that would be me. i highly recommend it. play with a yoyo. great stress reliever. and, if ya want lessons, let me know. my goal is to get the entire world playing with yoyo's. and, by god, i'll do it!!! Round 1. 5cNecroSliver ??? I don't remember this guys name, but, he was by far the nicest guy i met at this tournament. i hope i have the pleasure of playing him again in the future. and, he had a cool-ass Shaft shirt on. I also don't remember these games very well either...I do remember that the game i lost to him was due his Acidic Slivers. he'd beaten me down enough previous to dropping it that when it hit the board, i new i was dead. but, i managed to pull it out the other 2 games. great deck, great player. matches: 1-0-0 games: 2-1 Round 2/Round 3 ???/Devin Poe at this point, i'm extremely tired and haven't gotten my second wind yet. I know that i played Devin in one of these 2 rounds, but, i can't remember if it was 2nd or 3rd. I won both games, and, both of the people were playing Cournter decks of one type or another. I know Devin well, and, i hated to play him, simply for the fact that one of us would take a loss. Both matches were hard fought and very close. Matches: 3-0-0 Games: 6-2 Round 4. R/G Sliver/Burn/Lhurgoyf type thingie. ??? I don't remember this guys name, and, i don't care to. he was cocky, his deck wasn't that good, and, he wasn't very nice at all. he claimed that i handed him his only game loss of the night, but, i didn't see him in the top 8 later, so, i guess he bombed out. Game 1: i got shitty draws, he kicked my ass. Game 2: i got great draws, i served him major shadow beatdown, and, for the first time of the day, i got my Spirit En Kor out on someone. WOOHOO!!!! needless to say, he died. Game 3: it was a close game. then, he cast a Lhurgoyf. i Dark Banished it. He cast ANOTHER fucking Lhurgoyf. i died. Matches: 3-1-0 Games: 7-4 Round 5. G/W Fattie/Geddon ??? i don't remember this guys name, but, he was really nice and hadn't been playing for that long. he wasn't a bad player, but, he did make a few key mistakes that might have cost him the game. i had both games well in hand, but, under a different situation, a couple of his plays would have definitely cost him game or match. the big one is: when i have a Propaganda on the board, and, you have 2 fattie creatures and 6 mana, and, i have 3 shadow creatures on the board, you DO NOT CAST ARMAGEDDON. needless to say, i won that game. 2nd game, he got absolutely nothing in his draws but a few small creatures, and, i had the burn and banishings to stop them. Matches: 4-1-0 Games: 9-4 Round 6. R/B weenie/burn ??? Don't remember this guys name either, but, he was super cool and had a good deck. i don't remember the specifics of the match, but, we both dropped weenie's and threw alot of fire to kill em. i had a hard time keeping up. but, i managed wonderful draws and top decked like a madman to keep his Disks and Knights from kicking my ass. the play that saved my ass was when he tried to K Torch my bottle gnome, and, I honorable passaged it. he then disenchanted it, but, the life was mine, and, the 3 he took from the passage was enough to get him in range. it was by far the best game i played all night, and, he was a wonderful opponent and excellent player. Matches: 5-1-0 Games: 11-5 Round 7. ProsBloom David Bartholow David is a nice guy, and, this is the first chance i've had to play anyone in Team Deadguy. I can definitely see why David is a part of Deadguy. He's a great player, and, builds great decks. But, ProsBloom is one of those decks that either gets the engine running and crushes you, or, it just dies. Unfortunately for David, in 2 out of the 3 games, it just died. Game 1: i beat him down with shadow and a little burn, he started the engine, but, it stalled. Game 2: i proceeded to beat him down, but, he started the engine and it ran like a top, and, i proceeded to get Drained for 20 after i'd been Abeyanced with an Honorable passage and 6 points of burn in my hand. oh well. Game 3: pretty much the same as game 1. the engine stalled, and, the shadow's trucked on through. Matches: 6-1-0 Games: 13-6 Round 8 Red Weenie/Sligh Michael Aten (hope i spelled it right) Inherently, my deck should have no problem with sligh, and, after i sideboard, sligh should just lay down and die. in this match, my deck did it's job perfectly. Game 1: 3 Soltari Priests by turn 4. 'nuff said. Game 2: Shaman En Kor, 2 Soltari Priests, Warrior En Kor, Bottle Gnomes. he got me low, but, i was holding onto an honorable passage while patiently smacking him with the shadows and the currently Pro Red En Kor's. i won. Matches: 7-1-0 Games 15-6 Ok, now, going into the final round of swiss, i'm currently ranked 6th. i have to play the guy ranked number 2, Brian Fox. he wants to Draw, but, i want to check out the numbers first. several people and myself all run through the numbers, and, see that it's still kind of up in the air. but, i look and see that if i lose, i'm almost definitely out. if i Draw, i still have a very good chance of making top 8. so, i take the draw. after squirming around the building worried as hell for what seems like an eternity, i finally get the results. i'm still 6th. i made Top 8!!! WOOHOO!!! I've qualified for my 1st Nationals!! I won't even talk about the single elimination part of the tourney. let's just say i lost first round due to the fact that i only drew 3 lands out of 2 games. also, everyone around me insisted that my opponent stacked my deck against me. by this time, i was so freaking tired, i couldn't tell. oh well. that's how it goes. all that matters is that i qualified. the one thing i noticed today was that the mono colored deck is still very strong. i know of 2 Straight black decks that made top 8, and, 1 straight red. that should tell us something. so, if you're going to nationals, prepare for this. now, for my props and slops, just so i can be as cool as everyone else: Props: That HOT AS HELL blonde girl that came to the tournament. you made my day just being there!! The guy i played first round. you were super cool. Andon, for running the smoothest tournament i've ever played in. My teammates, for driving my drunk ass to Columbus. Soltari Priests, for just all around kicking ass. Slops: Anyone who didn't bathe before this tournament. The guy that beat me, for being a cocky fucker. The other guy that beat me, for stacking decks. And, for anyone who cares, here's my deck: 4cW *name to be forthcoming* 4 Soltari Priests 3 Soltari Champions 3 Warrior En Kor 4 Bottle Gnomes 4 Incinerate 3 Shock 3 Frenetic Efreets 1 Shaman En Kor 2 Tradewind Rider 3 Propaganda 2 Dark Banishing 3 Disenchant 2 Spirit En Kor 3 Cursed Scroll 4 Gemstone Mines 2 Undiscovered Paradise 1 Reflecting Pool 3 Mountains 10 Plains Sideboard: 2 Mana Web 1 Phyrexian Furnace 1 Disenchant 2 Aura of Silence 2 Havoc 2 COP Red 2 Earthquake 2 Honorable Passage 1 i can't remember right now, cause, i already took the sideboard apart. oh well. :) thanks everyone. any questions/comments can be sent to: YoYoGoat@AOL.com Shaun J Cobble AKA: the Goat AKA: YoYoMan "dreamed i was a fireman...i just smoked and watched you BURN" Jawbreaker