jewish-mother-va-beach-11-15-11-18
Title: jewish-mother-va-beach-11-15-11-18
Author: Mike "OQrygg" Merletto
Date: Nov 26, 2001
I know all about you kiddies out there who couldnt go to this and are looking for TRs, so enjoy!
This whole thing starts November 8th for me... its my 16th birthday and I get $275 cash, so I wont have to borrow the money from my mom, sweet.
Then the week passes, and I talk to Brad Reinhold online and were trying to find something for LS but everything is garbage. Our DS has been finished for a while. Hunt Down beats, Imperial Supplies, 3 EPP Mauls, 2 new Fetts, just a huge kick in the nuts. Then on the Tuesday before it all, Im still talking to Brad and he says hell pick me up Wednesday night (early on, so we can test) so I go pack my stuff. School flies by and he comes and picks me up. When driving to his place, we go by a K-mart that sells gas. Can there be anything more ghetto than that? Well we eat some chicken (which will be the basis for his TR, or something) and get to playing. Hes built a Hidden Mains thing and it somehow owns the HD five times in a row so Im pissed (because he changed the deck since I played it last...dumbass). One of his Magic friends drops by and they play, but I just think about how to make the HD beat everything, and I got the idea: a fourth EPP Maul. So we test it out and now it rapes the HB and everything else, so Im set for day two. One added Maul changed the entire way the deck played. We go to sleep sometime around 2, but before that, Brad tells me that if its almost 8 and I dont hear noise coming from his room, to wake him up. He cant miss class.
THURSDAY:
So I wake up sometime in the morning, and see the clock: 8:51. Now, every single clock in Brads apartment is an hour fast, so I just knock on Brads door and he wakes up. I tell him its 7:51 but he tells me to look at his clock, 9:51. It turns out the clock I saw was the _one_ correct clock in the house, and he just lost 3 points off his final grade... dumbass. He forgot to turn on the noise or something.
So then Caleb Foth stops by and we test some then head out around 4:30 because we need to pick up Alan Sagan at the airport, and hed already be waiting 3 hours for us. So we head out for VA, but stop at Chick-Fil-A before, because Ive never had it before. Well, Im not too impressed and we leave. As were just leaving the parking lot, Brad asks me where his phone is and then makes me go get it from inside the restaurant, because he forgot it in plain sight on the table... dumbass (getting repetitive, huh? =).
So we go get the Vodka that Brad forgot at his place (dumbass... =) then go get some gas. Henry Jicha, a local player, calls and wants a ride to FCon, and Brad being so damn nice lets him, knowing that we have to be at the airport for Alan soon. Well somehow it takes 2 hours to get Henry, and were off. (From here, all jokes about Henry should be taken without malice) Virgina is a piece, and it takes forever to drive 100 miles. The damn state smells like Vodka too, because all the hicks make moonshine in their backyards. So we keep calling VA a Communist state, and Brad says he wanted to be pulled over, so he could ask, How may I help you, Communist brother? That had me rolling for 10 minutes straight. So we stop at Burger King and pull the drive-through-a-drive-through-in-reverse stunt again (read one of my recent TRs... C0cks And Cruisers maybe), but Brad is scared of Big Brother watching so he flips around half-way through. We get to the Norfolk airport at 10:30, so Alan has been waiting for 5 hours, and we page him, walk all through the place and cant find him, so we leave for the hotel.
As I walk into the lobby I see Rob Werbicki, another NC player, and a funny @#$% mofo. He says hes been there for hours, and we sign in. I have to pay cash for half the room up front, so I bust out my wallet and throw $120 in 20s on the counter. It felt damn good. We put the stuff in our room and go to the game rooms. I see a bright orange shirt and tell Brad to say Alan, and the guy turns around. So Alan got to the hotel alright, and hadnt forged any weapons to stab Brad with. We were going to let him stay for free with us because of Brad @#$%ing up, but he paid $30 in the end, thanks man. Brad meets up with Hayes Hunter, and I dont know anyone else in the room so I go build my day one LS that I worked on during the trip up. After its built I go try to find some people in the gaming rooms, find Rob and we head up to Hayes room but he sprawled across the bed puking so we get out of there and go back to our room.
I test once with my LS deck and forget what cool stuff I put in it, then test again and lose, so its garbage. A bunch of people keep walking in looking for Alan, but he isnt there. Then some other Raleigh players come in and build decks and test and its all good. A random guy just walks into the room and asks anyone for a game so I say sure. I grab Ryan Obman (a local player)s LS dueling and get set. Then I realize its Don Kitzman, the Ramapo champ and Im thinking: Whoa, a world class player just walked into our room randomly for a game! and it was sweet. I won somehow, because I didnt care since I was testing. After he left, I realized the reason I won was exactly because I didnt give a sh!t. So Brad and Alan come in right after someone calls for Alan, and I tell Brad Im playing WYS. So I start building this deck based on the new Chewie because Life Debt, him, and Han = 5 destinies, base of 10, and complete rapeage. So I build that at 6 in the morning, and we head out around 8 for breakfast.
FRIDAY:
Brad, Alan, and I go to Pocahantas Pancake Shop or something, and I get bananas on French toast (no maple syrup) and its the best damn breakfast Ive ever had. I fill out my DS decklist while they talk about Canada or something. The whole time, theres a huge painting of English settlers with Indians 10 feets tall looking down on me, and its kind of crazy. So we go back to the room and I fill out my LS decklist, have Brad check them both out (he took a sh!t while checking the DS, bastard!) and I go down with Rob. I pay my $35 entry and turn in my decks. I start feeling somewhat nervous about the sea of jizz, so I go back to the room and get hesitant about the Vodka when Brad tells me not to smell it. So I down the shot and feel my lungs on fire, but I also feel the hair on my balls starting to grow. So I go back down to the gaming area with Rob and we start making a bunch of jokes about my nut hair. Something about my nut hair growing to be more than Henry Jicha has on his head (any one whos seen him knows what Im talking about!) and thats just hilarious. Rob says that after the third game Ill have to go cut my hair because Ill be stepping on it while I walk! Ahhhhh! I almost died from that one. For a picture of Henry, go to: http://www.geocities.com/trianglejk/images/TrinocCon4.jpg and hes the one on the left. That picture was taken about a month ago, so his bush is even larger now! And the tournament gets underway...
But first, decks from the Raleigh people:
Me - LS: WYS new beats, DS: HD Beats
Rob Werbicki - LS: Alan Sgaans LS combat, DS: AOBS
Ryan Obman - LS: LS combat, DS: HD
Greyson Thompson - LS: LS combat, DS: Senate TIEs
Henry Jicha - LS: Throne Room, DS: ISB space (Brian Hunter didnt influence him, huh?)
John Irving (my b!tch) - LS: WYS, DS: ISB space
Game One: DS vs. Cameron Coiner (1759)
He starts HB with Insurrection combo, Strike Planning, and Squadron Assignments. I start Crush, IAO combo, and Mob Points (like every game today). My first turn I grab Carida, Death Star Docking Bay, then play Imperial Supply lost so I have 8 force. I drop Lord Vader to the DB and flip. Bet he never saw that coming. Back him up later with Palpatine. He plays Corran to the Holotheater early, but I dont want to mess him up just yet, so I wait and draw. I play Coward shield on his turn so he doesnt drain, but just draws. My turn I play EPP Maul and 4-LOM, cause 17 overflow (maybe there was a new Fett in there, or something... I just remember 17 overflow). Later on, he beats Palpy and Vader off the site and 12 overflow somewhere. The game is down extremely close, and he makes one mistake which wins me the game on drains and Battle Order. He had out his CC Docking Bay, and I had out mine, but he forgot that they were on the same planet, so he couldnt spend 2 to transit. FW by 1.
Total: 2(+1)
Highs: This guy kicks major ass; last night I was talking about how I would play someone where we just exchanged beats. He OOPed Maul and Palpy because he ran like 5 OOC (OOC for Maul while he was in my hand, ready for a beat, SH!T); winning by only one, so Id still be in the middle area.
Lows: I thought game one was supposed to be easy... having to win off his one mistake.
Next game I thought would be somewhat easy, but matchups are called and I play...
Game Two: LS vs. Charles Hickey (1901)
He starts Watto with No Escape, activate 1, and IAO combo. I start WYS, Insight, Insurrection combo, and Squadron Assigments. Ive never played against Watto before, so I figure Ill just save two force then lose it, so he puts down good cards and they go back into his deck. Well I set up at Kessel and Tatooine early on, and I keep losing hopefully so he doesnt get his Executor out. He has Palptine at Mos Espa, and I play Chewie, Enraged which he Kisses. Next turn I lose 2 to his objective and he laughs how wrong it was that he put back a site, bleh. On my next turn I play Chewie for free, then cancel the Emperors text (so he cant pull Lightning). I follow with EPP Han, EPP Luke, and Draw Their Fire. I fight and he reacts with Tempest 6. I miss the cut on Palpy, but play SATM combo to shoot him (+4 from blaster, -1 from Insight) and I also play Life Debt. I draw 5, 5, 3, 2, 5 or something insane, and its his site and 34 overflow. The game finishes quickly from there. FW by 31.
Total: 4(+32)
Highs: Beating a good player, laying a bomb on Palpatine, playing fine against Watto.
Lows: None.
After the game, we went over how Charles shouldve played differently, and he said he couldnt find his Sense combo before I flipped. He shouldnt of Kissed Chewie (who I played first), but since Chewie deployed free next turn, I was able to put down Luke also. He said my strategy of saving the two force, then losing put back the Executor. Sweet. Later on that day he came and told me he had the god draw against a WYS. First turn he played Watto, Televan to Mos Espa (free), Maul in Ship to Tatooine, Occupation, and Search And Destroy! He wound up winning by 44, lol.
Game Three: DS vs. Jeff Holmes (1902)
Jeff starts Quiet Mining Colony with Menace Fades, Squadron Assignments, and Insurrection combo. Well I remember Jeff from states, and how I was terrified of his Dagobah Regional winner sticker on his deck box. I looked at it now, and there was the sticker, but it didnt do a thing to me this time. He was playing WYS Beats, and I forgot to Barrier Luke, so he used up my 6 left for EPP Han... thats game. I felt like an idiot after that, so I was happy that I played him now.
My first turn I play Choke Vader to his Leias Hut and he starts losing to Visage. On his turn he puts Dash in Outrider to Bespin, and I see the Thrawn, Chimaera, and Lateral Damage in my hand. My turn I just back up Vader with his stick and Tarkin, then move them out to the CC Docking Bay. He flips with EPP Obi and Lando or something. He also puts Melas on the Outrider. So my turn, I come down with Zuckuss (for forfeit/power), Thrawn, Chimaera, and Lateral Damage and he winds up losing something like 16 overflow. EPP Maul comes down to Bespin but gets a Barrier or something, I just know he didnt fight. Emperor takes care of the other CC docking bay, but he puts an Arcona in front of Maul. I wouldve laid major smackage if I hadnt ditched the Ghhhk combo to a drain. Visage eats at us both, so it cuts into my differential. Jedi Luke felt like fighting EPP Maul late game, but I just played Maul Strikes, I Have You Now, and caused a ton of overflow. FW by 18.
Total: 6(+50)
Highs: Revenge for my sh!t playing at States, the beatdown in the air and against Luke.
Lows: Not having a Ghhhk combo for that gay Arcona.
So I realize now that Im 3-0 at Day One and I just feel impersonal, which kicks major @#$% because it means I wont start playing like a jack@$$. I starting to get up towards the top tables, but there are still a few undefeated people.
Game Four: LS vs. Maxim Briand (1605)
Is that rating right??? I always thought Maxim was 1900s-2000s. Whatever. He starts Senate, 2 effects, and Ability x3. I didnt catch it, but it didnt cause me any damage the entire game (I cancelled it, in fact). I heard people arguing over it day two, then realized I missed it this game. Not much happens though. He has out Edcel so I cant lay beats, but he never puts out anyone to beat on. I spread in space and then set up Ill Take The Leader to drain on Tatooine. He gets off two or three Limited Resources which makes the game close, but I edge him out in a long game. FW by 8.
Total: 8(+58)
Highs: Winning again, listening to his accent the entire game, figuring out how to play around Resources.
Lows: After the game he started yelling at Raphael in French and I couldnt understand a word they said (Im the mack in American French class).
So now Im high as hell and I start walking around because I cant find any of the usual people. I walk into a huge room with a great view of the ocean and Jeff Holmes calls me in to talk with him. We start talking about what well need for day two, how he might get the bye anyways (NC champ wasnt coming, hes runner up), and just cool things. I had always been intimidated by him before, but he turns out to be a really cool guy. So next matchups are announced and we come back late. Im not in the mood to play SW, and I just want to make this a quick game. I need food, sleep, and aspirin, but I only have access to the aspirin. I sit down, and start to play...
Game Five: LS vs. Paul Evans (1961)
I keep trying to remember where Ive heard this guys name before, so I just think that hell be a good player. He starts the new DS objective, activate 1, and 2 other effects. I start Insight along with WYS things. His first turn he puts Emperor and Janus down to his 2/2 site, and I put out Dash to Tatooine. I dont want to give him the force from Kessel, but I need to cause damage so I throw Phylo to the DB and move her inside the Cantina. Down comes Dr. E combo and Lord Vader with Stick, so she Dodges away. On his next turn he follows up with P-59 so I Dodge from lost back to the Cantina.
Heres where I start playing like a c0ck. I know hes going to win, because he causing me so much damage, so I just resign to lay the beats to hurt his differential. I draw a ton and get Luke, Chewie, Han, Life Debt, and Draw Their Fire, but the next turn I check my life and I cant do it all. So I throw Chewie in front of the Emperor, cancel his text, then put out Han. I cancel a Barrier with a Desperate Reach Id just grabbed with Tunnel Vision. Fight, shoot Janus, draw 5 destinies, and out of nowhere he loses like 25+ cards (not sure on exact amount because I caused too many beatdowns this weekend against world class players that I cant remember them all =). So I Control his drains at the Cantina and drain him out in a turn or two. FW by 24.
Total: 10(+82)
Highs: Pulling that game out by the hair on my balls.
Lows: Pulling that game out by the hair on my balls.
So after this I feel like a huge c0ck for having to play like that (resigning to lose, then winning unintentionally) so I go up to the room since I have 50 minutes left. I grab my aspirin and tell Brad and Alan the story. Brad thinks its awesome, but I still am pissed at myself. I clean up and go back to the gaming hall, and pairings are called.
Game Six: DS vs. Stephen Harpster (1600s)
This guy is cool. He was chilling in our room last night and Alan gave him the idea for a LS which he went up and built. He wound up getting into day two and going 4-4. Dude, if you read this: IM me. I know kind of how hes playing the WYS, but I wasnt listening much when Alan was talking. He starts WYS, Insurrection combo, Staging Areas, and Squadron Assignments. Well Im sitting at the top table, and I look back at the crowd of 70+ players and I dont know what Im doing so high up... shouldnt I have lost by now? Well, my first turn I play Lord Vader to my Executor Docking Bay and move him over to Tatooine to flip. Steve just sets up at Tatooine while I move into the Cantina (no, I didnt drain), start draining there, and letting Visage eat him. He plays EPP Luke against Vader, but misses the cut and destiny, but I wont draw so I lose like 3 overflow. He moves Luke over to the Tatooine Docking Bay.
On my turn, I forget to pull I Have You Now before activating, but play EPP Maul, new Fett, and 4-LOM in front of Luke. I fight and cause 20+ overflow on the fourth turn. So now hes just fighting to cut my differential, which he does. He plays Ill Take The Leader, Dash to one DB, Melas to another, but when I play Iggy against Dash he Portals, then Its A Traps. So Iggy is just sitting around waiting until I pull off another beatdown for the game. He had me scared late game because I know WYS is sick when behind. FW by 13.
Total: 12(+95)
Highs: Winning yet again, beating on Luke fourth turn.
Lows: Forgetting I Have You Now, WYS cutting my diff like a b!tch.
So everyone says Im in, which is great to know, but I keep putting pressure on myself. Heres my background (Hunter, youll like this =P): Im a scrub from NC (land of the kiddos, eh Paul?), won a few tournaments, best was for a box of Coruscant, I constantly scrub out in our sea of jizz, never have gone 6-0 before, and like to put pressure on myself. Also, the biggest tournaments Ive been to is states twice. Whoopie... The only way people have heard of me is through TRs. Well Im sitting here at 6-0 and I say, Wouldnt it be damn cool to go 8-0 and actually get myself noticed? Well I have an expectation now of going 8-0, instead of just getting in. Games are called and Im expecting a win...
Game Seven (SEVEN! WHAT???): LS vs. Tim Guzman (1958)
The first thing I notice is his defensive shields, so Im thinking thats what he got with his Best No R3 deck money. He starts Senate, activate 1, IAO combo, and something else. Tim seems really nervous and plays scrub cards (in my opinion, THEN) like Wrong Turn and His Name Is Anakin (yeah, he started that, btw), so I chalk this game up as a win, but he drains at the Cantina for three, 1 at the Senate, knocks back 2 cards, grabs Tunnel Vision combo, and plays Limited Resources and Defensive Fire. I thought his deck was a huge pile of jizz at first, but I thought about it some more and its a complete monster. It rapes the hell out of WYS and thats all that matters with me. Sorry Tim if I acted like a b!tch after the game, because now I realize how beefy your deck is. FL by ?.
Total: 12(+80?)
Highs: Playing another damn good player, learning never to give myself huge expectations at a big tourny.
Lows: Losing, now how I feel like a chump at how I originally thought of his deck. Tim, I cant say enough good things about your deck now, but Ill try to add some more in the game six of day two. ;-)
So heres why I shouldnt give myself such expectations, especially when Im a local scrub. I get all bent out of whack because I lost to an awesome deck played by an awesome player. Brad tells me to suck it up and go rape some @#$% with the dark side because that is its only job.
Game Eight (neeeeeeeddd..... sllllleeeeeeeeeeppppp....): DS vs. Tim Guzman (1958)
I sit in front of Tim and now I feel like I can get my revenge because hes playing the LS objective. The only bad part of this matchup is Visage becomes a LS card. My first turn I draw a few, and his he puts out Qui-Gon. I activate up and have 14. I play Choke Vader with Stick and Tarkin in front of Qui-Gon. I notice 4 force left, so I Imperial Supply lost, and now I have 8 force. I drop EPP Maul and fight. First cut, 7 total. Second cut, 7 total. Third cut, play Sniper to add 3, 7 total. I knew the destiny in this deck was garbage, but give me a break!!!!!!!!!!!! I wind up causing only 16 overflow (ONLY! How I wouldve loved 9 more! Tim said is was 6 in his TR, so thats probably more accurate) but he has the best idea on how to come back. He sets up at the other Naboo site, while I set up at Carida and drain. He kills off Vader, but I attack with Fett, 4-LOM, Iggy, and Vader but 2 get shot to used pile and my beat down is trash. He kills off my jedi, so Visage and his drains kill me. FL by 12.
Total: 12(+70?)
Highs: Thank you Tim for putting me back in place, I should never have expected to go 8-0 at a world class tournament.
Lows: How the hell did he come back from 16 overflow SECOND turn??? (Or was it 6? hmmmm...)
So Im disgusted at losing the last two games, so I go back to the room and call my mom (yes, I needed to check in, garbage). I tell her Im in but I might not play in day two because I feel like sh!t. She doesnt understand, and just says I did great at a tough competition and why wouldnt I play. I get off the phone with her and go on the balcony to chill (I did a lot of this over the weekend). I think about Tims decks and realize how awesome his DS is, so Im starting to feel better about my playing, and plus, no matter how much I hate to admit it, my mom was right.
I go out around 11 searching for a place to eat, and I ask the guy in the lobby and he tells me about Jewish Mother. I have to keep listening to him talk, but I cant look at him and think of Jewish Mother at the same time, so I run outside and explode. So I search for that and cant find it, and every other place is closed. Damn. When Im walking back to the hotel, I have to cross a street, and I wind up waiting for a truck like half a mile down the road because Im so tired. I keep thinking, Damn, I should go, but I just wait for it to pass. That sucked. I get back to the room and go to bed forgetting all about day two and my raging hunger.
SATURDAY:
I wake up around 7:30 and Alan is playing some LS Numbers thing and I watch the game and they mention day two, so I remember Im playing in it. Brad took the DS deck because 3/4s of the cards are his, so I need a DS. I give Greyson (good local player) a call, and wake his whole room up because no one made day two. He agrees to hook me up with his DS, but I have no time to test. I got a Kashyyyk in a pack of ANH Rob brought me yesterday, so I throw that in for a 2/2 system. Brad comes up to the room and tells me he took Honor out of the LS, and I have no time to search so I find a Barrier. I hope I dont play against HD... (couldnt find TT either). Rob checks my decklists and Im off with about 2 minutes to spare. I go have breakfast with Alan, and were talking about decks. We go up to the room and Brad and Hayes are talking. I head out to the balcony to think, but games are about to start, so we all head to the room... I told Brad my goal for the day was to see how many good players I could drop a bomb on...
They kick out all the non-day two people but Rob opened the door and looked inside like a dumbass. Well the first name is called, and its me, which kicks major @#$% because I wouldnt have to wait. Then the next name... Brian Hunter. Fooooccckkk. Rob just looked inside and busted out laughing at me because I guess I said it kind of loud. So we sit down and Scott Lingrell and Don Kitzman (guy who randomly walked into our room on Thursday) are right next to us talking about their first major con and I tell them that yesterday was mine. Someone asked me how I did so well and I told them that I just went in not giving a sh!t and it worked. Brian asks me if Im nervous now, and I tell him no, which I get a kick out of for some reason... I dont know why. He also asks if Im with Brad, then if Im better than him... Should I tell the number one player no? I say yes, heh. Well he shows his starting things, TDIGWATT, IAO combo, Im Sorry, YCHF combo, and one other thing (not Crush). I start WYS, Insurrection combo, Squadron Assignments, and Menace Fades. He makes some kind of joke about my start being standard, and I realize that it is, oh well. So the game starts...
Game One: LS vs. Brian Hunter (2340)
I take a look at my hand and its complete garbage for a WYS. 2 Chewies, Goo Nee Tay, a docking bay, and a Revolution (just one, for the DB beatdown). His first turn he pulls the Executor and plays the Bridge, the CC DB, and 2 2/1 sites so he gets an @$$ load of activation. My turn I play Goo and Revo his Bridge. I looked for a docking bay, and there was nothing in there, so he got to verify first turn, garbage. He saw Capital Support or something and had to read that, which he told me after the game (its the AO that limits them to one destiny). I draw big, which is extremely unlike me. His next turn he just draws and mine I draw some more. Then our game starts when we both have 20 card hands...
He plays the Executor to Bespin for free and Thrawn, Guri, and Piett aboard it. Im not touching that focker. So I check my hand and have trash for space, but I see Phylo, Melas, EPP Luke, Dodge, and a Houjix. So I play Melas to my Cantina, and Phylo and Luke to his docking bay. He attacks with EPP Maul and Dr. E, but Luke Dodges a cut, and he misses Phylo. I cut Dr. E and his side clears while I just lose Luke to be Resilienced. I drain for 5, but then for some reason Phylo is still alone on his turn... I dont remember what happened there (Brian, is that the mistake you were talking about?). He spends a minute or two counting his force, then drains (paying 3). Now, up until now hes been good about Goo Nee Tay. He spent +2 for Thrawn, Piett, and Maul. But he pays 4 force for Janus and I remind him about Goo. He says Oh yeah or something and pays the 2 extra. He has to fight with just Janus, so I Dodge away because Phylo needs to stay alive. He follows Phylo with Janus, and its my go.
I have the beats ready to go, but he played the AO that limits me to one destiny, and I cant convert it, so I just drop Chewie on Janus. I lose Chewie to attrition but cause him a few overflow. I move Phylo back to the docking bay. On his turn, he feels pressure to set up Deal, so he plays EPP Vader to one site, Ozzel to another, and a DS pilot guy to another, then plays Deal and Occupation. On my turn I put out EPP Han and Wedge against the DS guy, shoot him and draw a 6 for destiny, so he loses 6 overflow, then I move them in front of Ozzel.
So now Im starting to feel in control of the game, and its a damn good experience. I cant look at my hand on his turn because my hands start shaking, so I have to keep them in my pockets. All I can think about is in his TRs how he says, And then he got the glint in his eye that he was going to beat the number 1 player, and I c0ckslapped him for the game and I kind of chuckle to myself. Well I lose an @$$ load on his turn for Deal and Occupation, but he runs away from Han, and he also puts Zuckuss at Bespin and moves the Executor to Tatooine. Now I remember seeing Theron Nett somewhere in destinies, so I try to track him around, and use Squadron Assignments to put him at Bespin. I play the X-wing Cannon, and shoot Zuckuss out of the sky, killing Occupation. Then I move one guy over on CC to cancel Deal, and follow up with his pal. So that takes care of the hardcore-est part of his deck, so I just move around to drain for more. He causes me a few damage in drains, but I quickly drain him out from there. FW by 24.
Total: 2(+24)
Highs: Beating Jesus, winning by a hefty amount, everything else. Melas for not getting fought at the Cantina... he mustve drained for 10+ all by himself.
Lows: The first turn verification is all.
So I guess when Hayes finished his game he looked at mine and saw me winning, because when I walked out the doors I saw a huge mofo come lunging at me and throw me 8 feet in the air. Damn that was scary... so a crowd gathers and I talk about how my deck did, because I didnt want to give away Hunters so early. I walk back and forth to talk to people and I hear people whispering That guy just beat Brian Hunter and it feels good because they know me, but it feels like sh!t because they dont know my name. MY NAME IS MIKE MERLETTO. There you go.
So I start to get scared because I dont know how the DS will do, and I obviously showed it the next game.
Game Two: DS vs. Steve Brentson (2060)
Steve starts WYS with Insurrection combo, Staging Areas, and Squadron Assignments. I start Senate, Naboo, YCHF combo, Imperial Decree, and Begin Landing Your Troops. The game is wrapped up in about three plays: I forget EPP Maul deploys +1 to the <> Docking Bay, meaning Phylo doesnt get beaten on. I shoot down the Outrider and Pulsar in one battle with one TIE. I forget to drain in the senate THE ENTIRE GAME!!!!!!! Bend me over, laugh at me, do whatever you want, one game of testing wouldve won me this. FL by 14.
Total: 2(+10)
Highs: Playing the new DS decently.
Lows: Forgetting the best thing about the damn senate... the ping from turn two.
Also, the game was nearly timed, I think one minute left. So I go tell Greyson it lost, but I expect him to beat the hell out of me for forgetting the senate drain (I think I remembered it turn to last). So now I feel back down to earth, because Im used to playing like a scrub. Next game...
Game Three: DS vs. Matt Berta (2019)
Matt starts the new LS objective, which is this decks hardest matchup. I flip first turn with Lott and Baskol, then put a TIE and Cannon to Naboo. I drain for 4 every turn there, cause 1 damage with Baskol, and drop cards. I set up Imperial Decree so his drain bonuses are cancelled. During one of my activate phases, he Signaled for I Hope Shes Alright, then I drain for 4, cause 1 damage, probably drain at Senate (this game I didnt forget, I just needed to pay three) and he had a five card hand. I used the senate text and put back I Hope Shes Alright. Sweet. He tracks that around and sets it up in a few turns, so EPP Maul comes down and wipes out Obi Wan with 1 overflow or something, along with killing that effect. The rest of the game involves him using his one Baragwin, me draining for a ton (I spread out to Kashyyyk later on) and retrieving 6 from the senate. FW by 18?.
Total: 4(+28?)
Highs: Winning against a great player using this decks hardest matchup in my second game with the deck.
Lows: Nothing.
So Im feeling cool with the DS now, so I go tell Greyson who it beat and hes like Who? but thats okay because he doesnt know many people. Now my games have been close to time, so I need a quick game so I can get some mental rest.
Game Four: LS vs. David Irvine (2131)
Right.... mental rest... So yesterday I played against my first Watto deck, played by a 1900 player, and won by 31. Now Im playing against the second Watto ever, and its played by a 2100 player... right..... I get a really good hand for the beats, the turn before I Tunnel Vision for Bith Shuffle combo. I play Chewie on the Emperor, and cancel the Barrier. Then I cancel Palpatines text, followed with EPP Han. 21 overflow later the battle has ended and a chunk of his deck is gone. He played really well with limited cards, even flipping again, but I won the game with EPP Luke and Draw Their Fire taking on Watto for a few overflow. FW by ?.
Total: 6(+?)
Highs: Beating another great player with the WYS non-solid; getting time to chill.
Lows: None.
So Brad just beat Jason Kilby and hes 3-1 but we dont compare differentials...
Game Five: DS vs. Brad Reinhold (2004)
I know Brad is playing Numbers just because Ive seen the deck in action when I woke up this morning, but I cant do @#$% to stop everything else. He plays INCREDIBLY poorly, forgetting about I Did It, You Cannot Hide Forever (my starting effect), and many other things. I have him edged out on cards, and am going to win in the next few turns, but I make one mistake and it costs me the game. He has 8 life left, and one in hand (after I put 2 back), just enough to play the new Falcon and draw 2 destiny. I knew he had just the right amount of life, but I couldnt save force for my TIE gun, but it never occurred to me to use Yeb Yeb to make him lose 1 card until my TIE was being raped for 9 overflow on the second to last turn. FL by 12.
Total: 6(+?)
Highs: None
Lows: One mistake cost me the game.... I heard that about top level games, but now I understand it.
You see, Brad and I in testing are evenly matched, depending on deck matchups. But in tournaments, I cant ever beat him... the only time was in E1 when he borrowed a deck. Uggghhhh... I still couldnt beat him when he played like complete trash. At least he is still going on, although if I knew I was going to lose, Id want him to get more differential. So I seem incredibly pissed after this game, but whatever... I got over it quick.
Game Six: LS vs. Tim Guzman (1958 + 7-1 on day one)
So this is a repeat of yesterday, except he gets a worse hand and I still cant do anything. Tallon Karrde deploying for 7 is just not cool at all. Its official now, Tim Guzman owns me; I am his b!tch. Dont worry Tim, I wont tell your wife. =P First turn he got out Edcel so I had no hopes of lowering his differential through a beat. FL by 24.
Highs: Playing Tim again, I love seeing his deck work. It just messes around and wins by a ton.
Lows: None, really... except I only saw one ship in either of our games.
So I go and drop now, because I have no shot at top 8 and playing 2 more games doesnt sound like much fun. I go tell Hunter that he lost to someone who went 3-3 then dropped and he looks disgusted, heh. He looks over the DS and says something about it, but I dont remember. He also thinks its cool that Tim got revenge for their room (Berta, Guzman, and Hunter roomed together). Rob and I try to find somewhere to eat, but nothing is happening until game eight finishes and Brad has squeaked into eighth. We head out with a TD to McDonalds, but they are almost closed and all they have left is 2 cheeseburgers and 2 Big and Tasties. They give us free sundaes because they suck so much though...
We get back and the ceiling above our table is dripping, and no one notices it until theyre soaking wet. Hahahaha... so I take some glasses and put them all over to catch the water and it started to work. Sweet. The top eight go in to play, and Rob and I want to wait up and see how everyone does, but he really needs sleep. We go back to the room and I take my shower while he sleeps, and Greyson comes in looking for some cards after Ive just gotten out of the shower. So I wake up Rob and we bring down his QMC and AOBS to test while waiting.
We had already tried out this matchup twice before and AOBS won both, although it should be losing. The AOBS is winning again, then some British guy (Bruce?) comes up and helps Rob with his strategy and how to play against/with AOBS. He was really cool and helpful, but the Agents still beats the QMC, weird.... Brad had to play Martin Akesson game seven with his HD (my day one HD), and lost by 5, and they had to do it against for this game, although Brad lost by 18 now. Rob needs his sleep, so he goes back up, and I chill on the balcony. While just thinking, I realize Martin is playing against Hayes, who is also playing our HD, so I run downstairs and try to find out who is playing DS. After Hayes loses, I find out he had to play DS... damn.
So I go and watch some games, then they let us watch the final confrontation, which was cool. Even with a lack of sleep both played their games great. After that finishes (I couldnt give you a good report on it because I kept nodding off) I go back up to the room with Ben Young and give him his cards back that Brad was borrowing. I go out on the balcony once again (did anyone else do this? just looking out on the ocean, thinking was great) but it gets cold so I come back in and fall down to sleep around 6. My mom calls at 8:30, waking up the entire room, because she doesnt want us oversleeping checkout, and Alan starts making his team tournament decks. I find I have a jacket on me, which I didnt go to sleep with, so thats freaking me out. We have to beat the hell out of Brad to wake him up, but he does. We clear out the room and watch the final trophy thing. After saying goodbye to everyone, we head out to bring Hayes to the airport and go back to NC.
First, we stop at KFC and Rob gets a tub of warm, mashed potatoes which everyone is just staring at because Rob keeps pushing his spoon in and out of it. Then all of a sudden, Hayes asks Rob, Do you see that chicks crotch? because hes perplexed by it. The jeans dont form a normal V, more like a U, which gets everyone rolling. Then Brad is eating his mashed potatoes and something comes up with Rob bringing his potatoes to the bathroom. All I know is Brad got warm, mashed potatoes over his face and he turned purple laughing, while Hayes had some chocolate eclair pie for himself. All I had was a cup of water, bleh... That description really doesnt make it sound funny at all... I guess youll have to wait for everyone elses description.
We drop Hayes off at the airport and head out. The trip goes faster because Rob is there making cracks (or smoking it), but the thing to top off my weekend came about somewhere in VA. Brad was eating some chicken, and Rob said something hilarious so Brad inhaled the sonnab!tch chicken and started choking. We pulled off to a rest area and Rob had junk all over him so he got out of the car and yelled Jesus @#$%in Christ Mike. Now anyone who has met Brad knows hes kind of chubby (haha), and his red hair makes him look like Fat Bastard... Well, I looked over at him (Im in the passenger seat) and he has a huge hunk of chicken in his hand, crumbs all over himself, choking on a piece of chicken and I die laughing because he looks exactly like Fat Bastard in bed. I hop out of the car dieing and Rob is still cursing and I look in the window of the car next to us... the guy is reading a Ministry letter and has a pressed tuxedo in his back seat, like hes going to go preach a sermon. Go read the first thing Rob said when he got out of the car. Well he is still cursing, and so is Brad, and Im on the ground dieing at Fat Bastard and the minister and they think Im gay as hell but I cant control it. I get back into the car and laugh for another 20 minutes until I tell Rob about the minister, which he cant stop laughing at. I tell Rob later on why I was really laughing so damn hard, about Fat Bastard, and Brad wants to know why, so I tell him, and surprisingly he doesnt beat my @$$, but just laughs. I cant remember laughing so hard in my entire life... whew, its insane just typing it now.
So we get into Raleigh soon after, and I get home, go to sleep at 8 then wake up at 5:30 to write an essay, bleh. The next day in school, my friends ask what I was doing in VA Beach, and I know one used to play, so I tell them I was flopping cards. Well now one is probably getting back into the game and another is interested in starting. Booyah. Thats the only thing that couldve made the weekend better.
Last Minute Addition:
I just got the name of this TR, so Ill keep explaining it (I dont want to search for the right spot). I told Rob about Jewish Mother on Saturday or Sunday, and all he could keep saying was Your mothers a Jew because thats what the restaurant was saying, I guess. Well, that explains it.
Now, I know Ill forget some props (probably not slops), so let me know and Ill put them on my page.
Props:
Brad Reinhold, for driving, top 8, Fat Bastard, etc.
Rob Werbicki, for Minister, being a funny mofo, Your mother’s a Jew, etc.
Tim Guzman, for being my daddy
Hayes Hunter, for hooking me up with warm, mashed potatoes in December =)
Stephen Harpster, for being cool as hell and... being cool
Don Kitzman, for the confidence for day one
DeckTech, for helping out with the con
Mike Carr, for setting it up
Steve Baroni, for reminding me of my cousin in Jersey
Greyson Thompson, for coming and the DS
Ryan Obman, for getting his mom to drive them
Alan Sagan, for being cool and not stabbing Brad (how would I explain that my ride was killed??!)
Brian Hunter, for being cool (why does everyone hate you?)
Jeff Holmes, for doing good in day one and helping me with the confidence thing, even though he didnt know it
Charles Hickey, for my crash course in playing against Watto
Brian Speight, for the laughs about him taking States next year
Slops:
Me, for having to play in day one, having huge expectations, and not having my own DS for day two
Henry Jicha, for making us damn late
Henry Jicha, for going 3-5 with Hunter decks, its a damn shame
Those people who say FCon wasnt worlds, for sucking nut