guzman-at-comic-con-2001
Title: guzman-at-comic-con-2001
Author: Tim "Info Broker" Guzman
Date: Jul 27, 2001
Well I really wanted to write this report sooner, so everything was still fresh in my mind,
but that just wasn’t meant to be. I was burnt, and needed some good relax time. Anyway,
since I was unable to make Origins, I was really looking forward to this one. And as it
turns out this is going to be my only Major Convention this year, except Dcon. Past years
I was able to make much more. Wow I just don’t have the money I used to have
anymore. Now this report will be broken up starting with Pre-Tourney stuff, then actual
games, and then After Tourney stuff. So depending one what you want to read, skip to
whatever part. But note, that I do read a lot of your reports, so go ahead and take the
time to read mine. :)
Pre-Tourney stuff:
Well this trip starts off with only ME and Shane Watner, as for sure people to go. Dan
Christy was going to go, but ended up not to, and then we got Matt Berta to go, and Ted
Hansen. My goal was to have at least for in my car, and I got that. Me, Ted, Shane, and
Matt. Other Vegas players were going, but not with us, like Chris Hines, Brad Bedlion,
and Robert Corbett. Still others, but not sure on names. Now the four of us in my car
were always playtesting, and trying new things out, and pretty much was ready. I
probably was the only one who didn’t test as much as I would have liked. I am not sure
why, but it seems like after every year that goes by, I get less, and less time to play this
game, that I like so much. Maybe because my kids are getting older every year, and they
need my time. Still to young to get this game. But I wasn’t worried, even with a bad
deck, I should be ok... well its a nice thought :) We leave Vegas around 3:00 PM maybe
later on Thursday. So that pretty much means our fun starts Friday. Well not
exactly...Ted decides it is a good Idea to stop and get some beer while we test some
decks. Of course for those that know me, drinking is always a part of the fun. So we get
our 18 pack. I only ended up having 7 beers in 3 hours, and sleeping at 2:30 in the
morning. Probably not the best decision before an Open, but what can I say, I might have
a problem? :) So Friday morning comes around and Shane Watner is really the only one
completely ready, since he was smart enough to have only 1 drink and sleep at
12:00midnight. And he even did his decklist the night before, wow... So I write that out
quickly, and we head on down. Some funny sh it happened, but for some reason I am
unable to relate it...getting old I guess. Anyway the decks I went with were WYS
beatdown, with no Podracing(because I hate racing, and I wanted to show I could win
without it). And a Killer Huntdown old school, that kind of relies on luck, but when you
get locations it is Fast and Furious. Thanks Alex for the help with that deck. Mr. Avatar
himself pretty much help with my Darkside decision, and dispite it losing, I still think it
was a good decision. So here is a break down of what my group was playing.
Me Tim Guzman: LS WYS DS Old school HD
Shane Watner: LS MWYHL Racing DS HD Racing
Matt Berta: LS Hayes Pile DS HD Racing..
Ted Hansen: LS HB flip DS ISB with Frostbite(teched out)
Now I suppose I will go on to the games
Game1: My LS Vs Erik Stepnitz Tie deck...Rating 1433
This poor kid. I wonder what keeps kids like this playing. I respect him for that. Anyway
he starts with the TIE system...(I am not going to try to spell it when I am typing so fast)
and start with Twilek and Siennar fleet. To make a short story shorter, I drew Dodge in
my open hand so I wanted a quick start so I put a scrub down in cantina to drain, and he
never battle him, in fact at one point he puts Merrik at my docking bay, and says...get this
he says..I could get my system with this guy, and now what happens...he starts drawing. I
almost starting laughing out loud right then but I control myself. I was like cool, that guy
gets system, but for some reason you didn’t get system, but oh well do you mind if I
deploy these couple of guys, and kick Meijirks @ss. Well anyway I finish the game with
no cards in lost pile thanks to Celebrate, and 4 cards in hand. Full Win by 41.
Total: 2(+41)
Highs: Well it was an easy win, but I really didn’t want a big win at first.
Lows: I just r aped a kid, I should be ashamed of that...hope it doesn’t happen to me.
Everyone in my group wins except Shane.
Game 2 My DS vs Caleb Smith’s WYS Racing.... Rating 1876
Well I kind of remember Caleb from Vegas DPC, and we did talk over Dmail, so he is
cool, and he is a good player for being kind of new to the game with only like 70 tourney
games under his belt...or something like that? Anyway he played pretty good during this
game, but made a mistake at the start, when he pulled his podracing stuff, he didn’t put his
starting interrupt back into his deck, and we he drew his hand, he loved it to much for my
taste, so the judge ruled that he needed to put the interrupt back in his deck, and redraw.
Sorry Caleb, I still feel bad about that, but an open is an open... He still play good, but
with what I was going with, he had a small chance to win it overall. I was draining at a
endor site, and cloud city site, and had Visage killing him every turn, I lost the race of
course without a racing, but I didn’t care. He doesn’t retrieve because of the plans, and
things look good for me. I get a Full win by 18.
Total: 4(+59)
Highs: Well I did enjoy playing Caleb he was a cool opponent, and being at the top table
after one game was cool too.
Lows: Making him draw a new hand for his honest mistake...sorry, however I will do it
again... :)
Only two games go by, and I am told there is 6 more...oh boy...something I didn’t mention
is that I had a serious HEADACHE. I thought I was going to cry at time. Here I am, in
the TOP spot, granted only 2 games went by, but I didn’t feel good, and I was wondering
if I should get more sleep. I am not really the type to drop out so I don’t, but I had a
migraine, that felt like my head was going to explode.
Game 3 MY LS vs Joseph Floyd’s Brangus with Numbers, racing...Rating ????
Sorry I didn’t get his rating, but he is from San Diego, for those that care to look. He
pretty much had my number in the past winning against me at past ComicCon games.
When I saw the Superstar on this site I really wasn’t worried about it. This guy took it to
a new level however. But lucky for me, I had what I needed at the right time. First on the
second or third turn, I grimtaash...I get 2 Brangus, 2 Podrace Collision, 2 DS
dockingbays, and 2 or something else. I was only hoping for 2 Brangus’, but It was a no
go. He like that was a way to good Grimtaash, and I am thinking, that it was too much,
because then I played OOC....now you see why only 2 brangus would have been better.
Anyway he has like 10 or 11 cards in his lost pile, and I choose one. Guess what I
grabbed...Yes I did it. I take Brangus out of the game. But he still plays very well, and
kills some ships in space, and hits me with numbers for 7 and the damage goes back and
forth, but I win it. Full Win by 11
Total 6(+70)
highs: Well still top spot on top table, and beating Brangus.
Lows: Winning by 11...Hmmmm I wondering if losing the Tat system had anything to do
with that.
Well if I remember correctly, everyone in my group was winning, and at the start of game
4 we had 5 players from Tatooine on the top table, and 4 were from Vegas...got to love it.
OH and the four from Vegas were all in my group. Cool.
Game 4 My DS vs Paul McKelvey’s WYS Racing Rating 1924
Well I did say that my dark deck kind of relies on luck. Pretty much if I do not find my
sites, it could be a tough game. Well, I never met Paul before, but I will never forget this
guy, because he made me pull down my pants, and then he r aped me in front of
everybody. I thought Maul with Saber was safe in the cantina for a turn, I was wrong. He
drops Luke with Saber, and 2 other smugs, and hits maul, while I miss my swing and draw
a zero. Loose maul and 11. Now loose Race....Now Drain for three at Kessel. Now take
it up the @ss. I couldn’t find sh it but red cards and I couldn’t do anything, but lose.. He
has no cards in his Lost pile. I fu cking suck... Full Loss by 40...yes you see it right.
Total 6(+30)
Highs: Yea right... Ah... the pressure is off I guess?
Lows: This deck believe it or not, could win this match up, just read game 2.
Well this round my group was meant to lose, because we all do except Matt he gets a
Timed win.
Game 5 My DS vs Brandon Allen’s RST racing Rating 1827
This looked like a interesting match up. I have never really tested against this deck, but I
heard about it. I get a decent draw, and I deploy to his landing site, and pretty much have
that the whole game. I monnok and take key cards from his hand, and he is unable to ever
blow the bunker, however he does win the race, and I lose the race, he retrieves, and I
lose. I am pretty control of the game at this point. Now he is what happens. I have
zuchuss at Endor Draining for 2 and then draining for a total of 5 or was it 4 on the
ground. I will win as long as he doesn’t beat me down. MY headache is really pounding
in my head right now...I mean really bad...I can barely think. I look at my hand and
decided to risk it that he doesn’t have Draw their Fire in his deck. I janus and say GO.
He drains no big deal, and then plays OOC on my lost pile, I didn’t like that, but in my
mind everything was cool...He deploys Homeone, and a couple of characters, and no he
doesn’t deploy Draw their fire. I look at my lost pile and say man that OOC hurt me, but
what my dum @#$% did, and don’t ask me why I just did it. I janus back a ghhhk last turn.
Here I am worried about draw their fire, and he didn’t even need it. I just gave him the
win, because I just can’t play attention to what I am doing. Moral of the story do not
drink 7 beers the night before an open. I lose Zuchuss and 18 force. That is game in a
couple of turns...And I lose by 16.
Total 6(+14)
Highs: I at least know I could have beat that deck...sorry Brandon, but I think I would
have won.
Lows: I lost to myself, I hate that.
Well I am a little down, because Now I now my chances for the final is not possible, well
it is always possible, but it is pretty slim. I tell myself that I will not lose any more games.
Ok so do I listen...
Game 6 MY LS vs Tim Leung’s Brangus Superstar Rating 1658
He tells me that this is pretty much Joseph’s deck from early, and I am like thanks for the
info, and I play according. And for those that played against this deck it is kind of tricky,
but it can be done, with cards like Grimtaash, and WYS... hehehe. With a RFC abroad
Dash’s ship he missed with a weapon so you got to love that. Anyway it is getting late so
I will stop this with a FULL win by 18
Total 8(+32)
Highs: I guess my WYS doesn’t lose to Brangus
Lows: However Brangus does make for a small win.
I am still on my must win mind set, and everyone in my group is too. Only Ted is not
doing so good this tourney.
Game 7 My DS vs Peter Nordstrom’s HB Flip Mains. Rating 1834
His deck after watching every card go to his lost pile, should have beat mine. He had
some cool tech. I got a really good draw, and even though he cancel Visage many times, I
kept putting it out through other means, it was great. Early I monnok and got two Obi
with Sabers...and later in game I monnoked again and got two Luke with Sabers and two
Lost in the Wilderness. Things were just going my way, but because he flipped HB, and I
never canceled that, he kept my dif to 17...FULL win by 17
Total 10(+49)
highs: I have always looked to Peter to be a very good player, so beating him was cool.
Lows: At one point I never drain, only S&D and Visage was the only damage.
Ok so now here is the Top Table....well in my group anyway. Matt Berta just needs to
win, and hope Alfred Dong to lose. I just need to win, not for the final, but for glass, and
Shane just needs to win, not for final but for glass.
Game 8 MY LS vs Alan Jern’s HD Racing Rating 1664.
Wow when I came home and check this guys rating I was a little shocked, because he
played very well, not only in my game, but in all his games all day. Good Job Alan. When
I first saw HD with Racing, I was a little worried. But I did test against it, and most do
not have many characters, so once he got them out that must be it. He wins the race of
course, but never controls space, and Celebrate works the whole game, and with a good
beat down and some retrieving I am able to pull this out. OH and he had a lot of
characters he his deck. I have to say, with everything he was doing I was quite surprised,
and he made me actually do things out of my game plan, just to win. Nice work Alan.
Full Win by 16
Total 12(+65)
Highs: Well I won... So I am sure I get glass.
Lows: I might have won, but my dif really sucks.
As it turns out Shane lost his last game by 1...he should have won that, so we could have
had 3 people from Vegas to go home with Glass. And I won...so I get glass, and Matt
Won, and Alfred Lost so Matt is in the Final with Mike Girard.
Here is the Top 8..I think
1. Mike Girard 16(+???)
2. Matt Berta 13(+???)
3. James Lafferty12(+??)
4. Paul McKelvey12(+??)
5. Alfred Dong 12(+??)
6. Not sure I thing Nick Boll?
7. Tim Guzman..:) ME 12(+65)
8. Not sure sorry who ever 12(+??
13th Shane Watner..Top 5-3 player...good going Shane....Or was there one 5-3 above you
I can’t remember. It was a good tournament and if you read some of the past reports then
you know that Mike Girard Won... YES Tatooine wins, and Tatooine was in the Final,
and no Racing decks made the Final... Cool around.
After Tourney stuff:
That pretty much is it... other cool stuff happen like Shane played in the DragonBall Z
National Championship, and came in 5th. Top 4 was getting Money, to bad he missed
that, and we of course drank like fish up there, with Ted and I taking down a bottle of
Captain Morgans, oh I guess Matt had a sip of it... :) and the women at ComicCon or
some of the best in the world, far,... I mean far better than any other con out there, and I
have been to many so I know. And Meredith Mckoy is so FINE...she plays the voice of
Android 18 on DragonBallZ or so Shane tells me. I guess that is it...sorry for the lack of
comedy. If you wanted that then you should read my posting about the JK tournament.
That was some of the funniest thing that happened that weekend. First of all you know a
game must not be that good if only 12 people show up to the Open. And when 4 gets
disqualified...what does that leave. My gosh I could laugh about that forever...but I think
with the rumor I started and what’s been on my page, that is good enough for the comedy
in that. So funny.
Later...
Props:
Dan Bojo for running a great Open.
My car group for making the trip there and back fun.
Matt for making Top 2
Tatooine for Representing.
Girard for taking it all...and with sorry decks... :) hehe
Ted for keeping me stocked with booz
Shane for understanding
Shane for kicking A ss at DragonBallZ tourney
Shane for making the playboy chick blush
Ted for the awesome comedy
JK for producing comedy.
Slops:
Me for losing to myself
Matt for saying some jokes the wrong way... Next time Matt get it right :)
You know Matt it an Onion.
JK for 33% of theirs Players getting disqualified.
Actually that brought about comedy so you might say that is cool.
Shane for scary that poor kid in game 8 :)
Starballz for not showing the preview movie on Sunday.
Well if you read all this junk thanks for reading. When I write these things, and type fast,
and don’t stop until I am done, so sorry for any misspelling, or grammar sh it. Some
words were split on purpose to avoid the censor. Until the next big tourney....
Tim Guzman