las-vegas-grand-slam

Title: las-vegas-grand-slam
Author: Kyle "Jedi.02" Craft
Date: May 8, 2000

Well it was a very, very long trip to Las Vegas from my house, but hey I got to play Star Wars. I left Thursady afternoon. (The 4th) I actually went with Matt Reicks from Denver, CO. I live in Colorado Springs. We had been invited to stay at Dayel's (Conklin) house. He lives in Provo, Utah. It was a little out of the way, but it gave us a way to break the trip into two parts. It kind of sucked because the Provo area includes like 4 towns and we got lost for over an hour. So we left friday morning, and reached Las Vegas by about 4:30. I was supposed to stay with Mike Girard and his AZ cronies. Mike showed up around 6. When he got there we found out that he didn't even have a reservation. PERFECT! No where to stay. Eventually we got a room at the Maxium, where it cost alot more. I called downstairs for a wake up call at 8:30 because i am going to play YJ bofore SW. Then I go to sleep in between a bed and the wall with only a pillow and no blanket. I wake up at about 8:00 because Mike sounds like a chainsaw when he sleeps. This was actually lucky because they forgot to do the wakeup call.

I get to the hotel that the tournaments are at about 30 minuites before the tournament. I was actually looking forward to YJ because i had won my state championship and thought i could win this too. (I am gonna make this brief because i know most of you don't care about YJ.) There was me and the AZ state YJ champions present, so the director decided to put a bounty on us. Anyone who beat us got a pack of cards.
I started off 3-0 and i was in first place. Cool. Then i was pummeled by tanks. 3-1. won another, and then smack, tanks again. So i finished 4-2, and had fun. This was just an appitiser for the main event.

I couldn't believe how many people were in attendance. Like 52. It was nuts. I only knew a few people. I knew Matt, because i came with him. Conklin, because i stayed at his house. Lafferty, from D-con. Finally Girard, and his buddies from alot of tournaments. Before i start i will have to say that i am VERY bad with names and don't think i can remember a single one. I was playing me version of TRM, and Endor ops. I had talked to Hayes Hunter over AIM and he convinced me to put some things in my Endor Ops. I would post my decks, but i was told that there is going to be an extensive report here on decktech about the Vegas GS that will include the top 6 player's decks.

Game 1- My endor ops vs. a tosche mains deck.

HOLY CRAP! This game riled me up. I never had any control over the game. Basically 2 things cost me the game. I had a dreadnaught at the D* draining using Omnious Rumors. He hit me with the tantive, spiral, and some EPPS. I lost the dread and some. Then i never took back the D*. I got drained hard. I had to do something so i moved out of the bunker for a small drain. That is when i was bent over for a second time. EPP slaughter, and i lost more cards. So i lost by alot. I haven't lost by alot in a VERY long time. I think it was for the better though. I need one of these beatings ever once and a while to keep my ego in check. Although I guarantee I'm not going to play that deck ever again.

Game 2 My TRM vs. a COTVG deck.

This was a quick one. I took over tatooine and drained all game long. Every time he played some thing, i beat it up. It was a flashback from game 1, except i was in the driver's seat. One plus for him was that Obi was eaten by the Rancor. I won by alot. It put me around 2(+0)

Game 3 My endor Ops vs. a fake HB tatooine ground deck.

This game my endor ops set up well. I had ephont mon in the bunker and a big drain in space. Although he did hit me with the super falcon i had no problem dealing with it. I put a lateral damage on it, and hit it hard. He lost everything and some. I won by like 20.

Game 4 My TRM vs. a CCT deck.

This was a suprise. I actually have never played against CCT in a tournament. So my first plan was to free chewie. (the rebel i gave him before the game) It was sucessful. I expected him to hit me with alot of characters all game long. It just never happened. I owned ground all game long. It was a good game. I won by like 20 again.

Game 5 my endor ops vs. Brian Garrison's TRM

He played a @#$%load of the twix sites. He was activating a million right away. First i put ephont and tarkin in the bunker. Then he puts EPP han and Luke at the docking bay. WOW!, this means so Cpt. han killing me in space. I put down U-3po and killed his drain of 1. Then he grimnocks me for 2 bossk in busses and 2 masterful moves. From there on out it was a space fight. I play with an abnormal amount of ships. He really never stood a chance, especially with the lateral damage on the falcon. FW by a moderate amount.

Game 6 my TRM vs. Garrison's RALops. This was wierd. With 52 players in a 6 game tournamet i got to play the same person twice.

I actually don't remember much about this game. I have Reved his Rallitir system and Dag: Cave. Basically i hit him on ground all game long. Then he played the D*, so i moved the falcon there for a drain. He tried to fight me, but lost and i played legendary starfighter. Eventually i owned ground and won the game. FW by like 25.

Well i finish at 10(+90). This was kind of a weak differential, but after that game 1 beating i think i finished well at 5-1. So then i get to sit around and see if it is high enough to make the final confrentation. Lafferty finished high, but i think i can still get second. The some other Californian (don't know name) finishes at 10(+96). DAMMIT!!! 6 differential out of second! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!! It's all good though. I still get 3rd and an uncommon sheet. It was alot of fun.

Props-

To the guy who whipped me good.
To Konklin for giving me a place to stay.
Matt for driving there and back.
To Lafferty for being a cool guy.
To all the people who helped the Salacious Crumb collection to grow to 65.
To Girars, DJ, and all the AZ players for being so cool.

Slops-

To Girards for snoring like a chainsaw.
To myself for losing.
To myself for forgetting the names of most of the people i played.