Top 128 Masters U.S. Nationals Report

Hey 6P, it’s Rahul here with another report.

Pre-Tournament

guardian.co.ukBefore the tournament I had narrowed down my deck choices to either Speed Darkrai or Zekrom/Eelektrik/Terrakion. I had a horrible trip because my plane had difficulties and it got cancelled. Luckily a nice man offered up his spot on the 1:30 PM plane so I could make it to pre-registration.

I headed down to the open gaming room and played a few games until I felt that Zekeels was the play. I then heard about all the Vileplume UD floating around and I got a little nervous. Later I headed over to Collectors Cache and bought some cool Garchomp/Hydreigon sleeves with a matching deck box.

On a side note: Troll and Toad was nothing but a disappointment this year. They had much higher prices than Collector’s Cache, making the decision to buy something very easy. For example, the same sleeves I bought at Collectors Cache for $14 were being sold at Troll and Toad for $30. I lingered for a bit and headed back to my room to get some sleep for the next day.

Day 1

I got to the tournament area bright and early and wrote up my decklist. I met up with some people that I hadn’t seen in a while. I thought that I was ready, but as it turns out I wasn’t at all. As we sat down to turn in decklists I started getting nervous and suddenly I felt like I did the year before at Nationals.

As the number of people was announced, it sent a cold chill down my spine. In a futile attempt to get rid of the jitters I opened up a can of Monster and downed it in a matter of minutes. Note to all: Don’t ever, I repeat ever do this.

Round 1 vs Pokédad (Darkrai/Tornadus)

This is what happens after you chug a Monster.

This guy was a very nice opponent and I had a fun time playing against him. Unfortunately the game didn’t get rid of my jitters. I started average as long as my opponent had a Supporter. If I remember correctly, I opened Level Ball, L Energy, Smeargle, Tynamo, Eel, and Double Fighting.

Turn one I top deck into a Terrakion which I bench it immediately. I attach and my Portrait reveals nothing. We both have incredibly slow starts, but I am able to pull off a T2 Land Crush and I quickly take the game from here.

1-0

Round 2 vs Hipster (QuadTerrakion)

I start awfully and unfortunately my jitters are still around. I get set up and go into my deck to fetch my Zekrom. Both Zekrom and my Shaymin were prized. I tried to comeback with my Mewtwo, but he keeps switching through his Terrakions and I lose quickly.

1-1

Round 3 vs Trinh (I think) (Donphan/Dragons)

I get set up very quickly and she for some reason doesn’t. It was a quick win for me, but she was a cool person and fun to talk to.

2-1

Round 4 vs ??? (Darkrai/Tornadus)

I used Thundurus to take 4 Prizes on Smeargles that he kept putting back into the deck and pulling out with his Eevee. I took another prize on the Eevee and killed the Tornadus EX that he put down for a swift game.

3-1

Round 5 vs ??? (???)

I have no idea what happened this game. All I remember is that I won.

4-1

To end the day on a good note, some friends and I went out for mini-golf and to play some air hockey at the arcade. We planned on going to see Ted, but some of our group was tired so we decided to wait until Saturday to watch it.

Day 2

Round 6 vs Guy (Accelgor/Plume/Flora/Vespiqueen)

This game was very close and I can remember the last turn of the game. Both of us had 2-2 Prizes. He had an entire field set up and I had a Mewtwo with 6 Energy and a Terrakion with a Lightning on the bench, double Eels and a Smeargle. I looked through my discard and field and saw that I had only used three F Energies, so a fourth was left in my 6 card deck.

I Portrait, see a Sage and decide to use it. I realize that if I can pull off a Retaliate KO this turn I win the game. Turns out the last Fighting is Prized and I play out the game anyway, but that gave me a loss to start the day off.

4-2

Round 7 vs David (GaeEels)

pokemon-paradijs.com

I got set up much faster than he did.

5-2

Round 8 vs David R. (Eels)

This game was very close and came down to the wire with him N-ing me down to one. I drew revive and I had one Eel on the field. I top deck the Energy I need to KO his Mewtwo for the game. Close game and this guy was very nice.

6-2

Round 9 vs Darrel (CMT/Terrakion)

This game degenerated into an all out Mewtwo war from the get go, and even though I played only one Mewtwo and a Revive, I was able to cycle through them using Junk Arms and such to get the Prizes when I needed them. This was a close game. Darrel’s a cool guy and it was fun playing against him.

7-2

So I make Top 128 at 45th seed in my flight and see that I’m up against Jim Roll. I go around a bit to see who this guy is, and everyone I know tells me that this guy is the number 1 Pokédad around. Thanks to Kyle and Jav I figure out what I am playing against, but I couldn’t have forseen the wacky techs that he could be playing.

Top 128 vs Jim Roll (Zekeels/Terrrakion)

Game 1

I get set up with double Terrakion that can both Land Crush and I take the game, but he plays it out so it took much longer than expected.

Game 2

He does exactly what I did Game 1. I lose, but play it out and drew it to a close game with my Zekrom + PlusPower KOs.

Game 3

This game goes into sudden death and he opens Mewtwo with DCE. I open Smeargle and hold my Tynamos until I can use N. Eventually everything became a blur and I make a huge misplay by attaching 3 Energy to my benched Mewtwo, rather than one to my active Smeargle and two to the benched Mewtwo so I could retreat and swing for 160 and hope that he had no Energy in his one card hand. One of his crazy techs included I believe only 1 DCE paired with Energy exchanger rather than the standard Energy Search.

I lose because of this play. The game was super close and I’m glad that Jim made it in at 40th so he can play in Worlds this year.

7-3

The dream is dead, but looking back at my first season playing as a Master I realize I had a more than great year. Even though I only played in 2 Regionals, 3 States, and National. I realize that I have made top cut at every one of these events. I finished the year with 20 CP and I would say that’s good with no Cities or Battle Roads points.

I’d have to say one of the things that made my trip this year was when Sam asked me what I would be playing for Hawaii and when I responded with the fact that I didn’t have an invite, he said that he assumed I had an invite because I’m a good player. Thanks Sam, that brightened my day a little bit.

Following my Top 128 loss, a few friends and I went for dinner and watched Ted, which was the funniest movie I have seen in a long time. Though crude, it made me laugh until my sides hurt. I decided to pull an all nighter and the next day I went in early to watch my friend Chris Murray make T4 with his Supporter thin deck that beat me horrendously on Thursday. The games were all great and fun to watch.

I had a great time meeting some great new people and while I’m at it props to Ben for winning the Professor Cup. I had fun with a ton of people and that made me enjoy this year much more than last year.

Props

  • Making cut
  • Ted
  • My roomies
  • Philly crew
  • Chris M making T4
  • Ben winning the Prof Cup
  • STEAK N SHAKE!!!
  • Drunk people

Slops

  • Losing on a misplay
  • Airport security
  • Planes

I can’t wait until next season starts and I wish everyone going to Worlds good luck. And just because I can, good job on scrubbing out Henry Prior. So until prereleases roll around, that’s all you guys get to hear from me.

Reader Interactions

8 replies

  1. theo Seeds

    Sorry to hear about the planes, man, same thing happened to me for States (I live in California)

  2. Micah Smyth

    yeah sorry about the plane,same kind of thing happened to me when i landed to set to my connecting flight.I still made it but now I hate united.

  3. Micah Smyth

    And speaking of drunk people i saw this dude with a sign asking for beer money.

  4. Gage

    Honestly, I thought the matchups were a little short and it sounds like you were playing TerraZeels rather than ZekEels. If you aren’t going to Hawaii there doesn’t seem to be much point to not posting your list. Either way congrats on the Top 128 and 20 CP its a lot better than I did lol.

    • Rahul Reddy  → Gage

      Yeah Sorry about that, I forgot to take notes while I was there so it came down to memory more than anything. I didn’t use my Zekrom until late game in most situations, because I would start Terrakion in opening hand and fighting. The list I used will be played by 2 people at worlds and they asked that I don’t reveal it so I’m sorry about that. And thanks

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