2007-04-07 Mansfield, UK Regional Report – How I Ph4iled!!!

[Benji'sDad]

Mansfield is a small provincial town about 30 minutes north of Nottingham, hence the turnout wasn’t very big, although I think it was even smaller than expected. We ended with 6 rounds of Swiss with a cut to top 8.
This was my first proper tournament. Last year only Benji entered and I kept an eye out on him. He is now 10 and was happy to look after himself this year now that he was familiar with competition.

So I thought I would have a go, and fancied my chances of doing reasonably well. Unfortunately I didn’t have the right mix of skill and luck to achieve that (I fell way short on both – ho hum!! :-p)

My deck is an Advance Ritual Art variant. It started out as combining the power of ARA with Ancient Rules, but I dropped the Ancient Rules side of it. This history of the deck means it focuses less on the OTK ability and a little more on Normal support (or so I thought!). I chose to use the BEWDies version instead of the Doomiser OTK, just ‘cos it would be so great to do well with (well it would have been if I did! – but there hangs the dichotomy)

Deck:- "You little BEWDies"

Monsters (20)
Blue-Eyes White Dragon (x2)
Dark Master - Zorc
Demise, King of Armageddon
Gene-Warped Warwolf (x3)
Paladin of White Dragon
Luster Dragon (x3)
Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands (x3)
Senju of the Thousand Hands (x3)
Sonic Bird (x3)

Spells (14)
Advanced Ritual Art (x3)
Megamorph (x3)
Premature Burial
Snatch Steal
Card Trader
Giant Trunade
Heavy Storm
Metamorphosis (x2)
Nobleman of Crossout

Traps (6)
Solemn Judgment (x2)
Birthright
Call of the Haunted
Justi-Break
Torrential Tribute

Fusion Deck (10)
Cyber End Dragon
Super Vehicroid Jumbo Drill
Cyber Twin Dragon
D.3.S. Frog
Dark Blade the Dragon Knight
Dark Flare Knight
Ojama King
Dark Balter the Terrible
Fiend Skull Dragon
Reaper on the Nightmare

Side Deck (15)
My Body as a Shield (x2)
Mystical Space Typhoon
Twister
Non-Spellcasting Area (x2)
Confiscation
Magic Drain
Magic Jammer
Seven Tools of the Bandit (x2)
Solemn Judgment
Birthright
Dust Tornado (x2)


Round 1
Jonathan v Ian (Water Deck) Table 22

It was during this duel that I realised very quickly things weren’t going to turn out as hoped. I was very fortunate that everyone I duelled was very nice (lousy descriptive word, but there you go), and so I will let you take that as read as we go through. Ian seemed quite nervous as he started.

Game 1
Me – 8000-7300-4900-2900
Him – 8000-5600-1800-400-0

I win the roll and start of with Senju which quickly pulls Demise to my hand and set one card. Ian remarked he could see where this game was going. Anyway he plays Cyber Dragon (CyDra) which overwhelms Senju. I don’t have anything except another set S/T. He sacrifices CyDra for Mobius destroying both face-downs and attacks directly. I get Sonic or Manju and play it to get ARA. ARA comes down, Blue-Eyes (BEWD) goes from the Deck to the Graveyard and out comes Demise. I pay the 2000 and swing directly, I thought of playing Metamorphosis (Morph) on him, but didn’t quite have the kill, so pulled out of it. Finally I had got going. I set Call of the Haunted (Call) and pass over. He removes Demise somehow (Smashing Ground I think) and summons Abyss Soldier, which I stop with a Called BEWD. I draw and summon one of the Ritual searchers, Morph BEWD into Cyber Twin Dragon, and attack taking out Abyss Soldier and then another 2800+1400 in direct attacks, it’s still not enough for the kill and I wonder if he can come back with his 400 points. Fortunately all he had were a couple of A Legendary Oceans (ALO), so I took the first game.

I was feeling good, but it was soon to go down hill horribly.

Game 2
Me – 8000-6300-4600-4400-2800-1000-0
Him – 7800-7500

He goes first setting one monster. I summon Gene-Warped Warwolf and attack into a Mother Grizzly which pulls Treeborn to the field. He plays ALO, Special Summons Aqua Spirit (removing Mother Grizzly) and summons Amphibious Bugroth which uses its effect to attack directly for a boosted up 1700. In my Standby Phase he turns Gene-Warped to defense, I summon a second Warwolf and destroy the Aqua Spirit. He sets a monster and attacks directly with Bugroth again, setting one S/T. I attack the face-down with one Warwolf, it is flipped to reveal Serpentine Princess and I take 200 damage because of ALO. Second Gene destroys Bugroth. He sets one to each zone. Warwolf attacks new face-down and I run into Mirror Force. I summon Luster Dragon and set Justi-Break. He plays Enemy Controller to turn my Luster Dragon to defense, summons Hydrogeddon and attacks into my Justi-Break, I ensure the judge is called to explain the Errata to Justi-Break’s text and all monsters (including my defense Luster Dragon :-() are destroyed. His other face-down is Sangan which pulls a Grizzly to his hand. I pull nothing and he plays the Grizzly attacking directly for 1600. I summon Senju to get Zorc to my hand hoping I can hold him off, but he plays Torrential Tribute. He Calls Hydrogeddon and attacks for 1800, I draw nothing and its game over.

Game 3
Me – 8000-6500-5000-2600-200
Him – 8000

I still feeling this can easily go my way after all he had quite good draws last time with Mirror Force, Torrential and Controller at good times. Neither of us side – perhaps I should have put in a couple of Seven Tools of the Bandit for Solemn Judgments, but it wouldn’t have made much difference.

I choose to go first and draw. My opening hand includes 2 Megamorphs. I summon a Warwolf and set a Judgment. He Smashes the wolf and MSTs my Judgment, summons Bugroth and attacks for 1500.
I get nothing and set Storm as a bluff. He attacks again with Bugroth and I am down to 5000. I draw… nothing I can play and pass. He Tributes off Bugroth for Mobius destroying Storm and hitting for 2400. I draw… nothing I can play, I think I set a Nobleman of Crossout (NoC). Mobius hits again and I’m at 200. I’m down to my last topdeck, I draw and it’s…. another Megamorph (weeps inside!), I set it and die next turn.

So my day hasn’t started off in a blaze of glory. Without doubt this is a game I could have and should have won, but such is the luck of the draw. When Ian then said that he had been playing his water deck since Invasion of Chaos and didn’t usually do very well at these tournaments, my heart sunk a little lower, as I wondered about my tie-breakers at the end. Sure enough later in the tournament I was sitting next to Ian and his only victory to that time had been over me.

Me 0-1

Round 2
Jonathan v Robert (Doomiser OTK) Table 16

Still anyone could lose their first match so I went on to my next match and was sitting in some illustrious company. My opponent was Robert Hooley, son of the head judge Rob Hooley, and next to me was “Frog the Jam” (AKA James Pennicott – occasional UK reporter for Metagame and ranked 14 in the UK at the time of writing).

Game 1
Me – 8000-4000-1600-0
Him – 8000-6600-5800


After our first two plays it was clear we were in a kind of mirror match. I play Manju to get Demise and set Solemn Judgment. He plays Senju to get Demise and then plays ARA, which I Solemn. This was my first major mistake of the day and resulted in me losing this first duel. Robert’s surprised “You’re Solemning that are you?” made me realise very quickly it wasn’t the smartest move. I should have learnt from reading Simon Sangpukdee’s (Shai-Hulud) SJC Columbus report that this wasn’t the best thing to do. Hey you live and hopefully learn. Anyhow I stop him summoning Demise that go. He suicides his Senju into my Manju. I draw and summon my own Senju, which annoys me as I can’t get an ARA with Senju. He plays a Manju, discards Neo Bug, summons Demise, Manju knocks out Senju and Demise hits for 2400.
I get my own Manju and get ARA finally summoning Demise which gets Torrentialed. He plays Premature Burial and the game is over.

I take a little time to side-deck, having realised my mistake I put in two My Body as a Shields (MBaaS) instead of the Solemn’s, the one thing I forgot to do was put in the Seven Tools and Dusts as well, and ultimately this may have cost me. I had included them for this very match-up and the likelihood that someone would side in Threatening Roars. Again you live and hopefully learn.

Game 2
Me – 8000-6000-0
Him – 8000-6000

This game starts off with me playing Senju to get Demise and him playing Manju to get a Demise. I miss a few moves in my notes but eventually we are both on 6000 LPs, and I have enough to take him down. I’ve got Giant Trunade, Megamorph, Metamorph, ARA and Demise. I play Trunade to which he chains Threatening Roar, I can’t actually remember what I had face down, but I didn’t chain any of them. Next go he summons Manju, Demise, Meta to CTD, Mega’s it up and its goodnight Vienna.

I’ve got no complaints here though, I was beaten by the better player who in reality probably had the better deck.

Me 0-2

Benji was also 0-2 at this point, so it wasn’t going well, though he had played two players who regularly do well in local tournaments in the area.

Round 3
Jonathan v Jake (random Machines) Table 29

Jake was a young kid possibly a little younger than Benji, and he was running a machine type deck, though to be honest I didn’t see many of his cards.

Game 1
Me – 8000-6500
Him – 8000-7100-5700

I go first and summon Senju to get Demise. He plays Snipe, discarded to kill Senju and then attacked directly. I summoned Manju getting ARA and summon Demise. Demise takes out Snipe and Manju hits for 1400 direct. He plays Exiled Force to take out Demise and ends. I summon Sonic Bird, getting ARA, and summon Zorc which was in my hand from the start. Zorc gets Metamorphed and CTD finishes off the duel.

Game 2
Me – 8000-6000
Him – 8000-5200-0

He asks me to go first. I summon Manju for Demise. He plays Sage of Silence and suicides into Manju. I think he believes it will stop me activating spells next go but the judge rules that Sage needs to remain on the field to get its effect. It doesn’t matter too much though. Next I drew and summoned Senju and equipped it with one of the two Megamorphs in my hand to drop him to 5200. I think he Exiled that and next turn I got an ARA to summon my Demise, paid the 2000 and Morphed it into Cyber Twin.

Me 1-2


Round 4
Jonathan v Adam (Chimeratech OTK) Table 15

Adam was a particularly nice guy and very open, he showed the backs of his sleeves and told me he was running a Cyber deck. So it was OTK against OTKish. I had been paired up at this stage as Adam had a 2-1 record, so I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.

Game 1
Me – 8000-600
Him – 8000-0

This game just goes to show how fickle the hand of fate can be. He wins the roll and goes first setting one card. I summon Senju and attack into a Dekoichi. He plays Future Fusion and follows it up with Overload Fusion, and brings out an 8800 Chimeratech, which of course squishes my Senju. Unfortunately for him he had nothing to place in his back row, and fortunately for me I had Snatch Steal in my opening hand – well if he can draw that pair I can certainly have some luck on my side. However, I think I used up all my luck in that one turn as the rest of the duel will testify.

Game 2
Me – 8000-5000-1000-0
Him – 8000-6200

My notes aren’t too clear on this duel. Anyway he sets one and I summon Warwolf attacking into Dekoichi again. He dispatches my Warwolf with a Snipe Hunter and somehow gets in 3000 damage. He plays Different Dimension Capsule which gets him his card a couple of turns later. I just don’t seem to be able to draw anything. I do get to summon another Warwolf, but that just hits into a face-down DD Assailant (DDA) and is removed. He gets a couple of cards on the field which do me 4000 damage and its all over as I can’t draw anything. I think I drew about 3 monsters in the whole of the duel.

I table shuffle, hoping my luck changes. It doesn’t!

Game 3
Me – 8000-6200-3400-0
Him – 8000

I play Sonic to start with, the only monster in my hand. He plays CyDra and Proto-Cyber Dragon hitting me for a net 1800. I draw a spell or trap I can’t remember which. He tributes his Proto for another CyDra and attacks, I bring back Sonic with Call to reduce the net damage to 2800. I draw something random again (no monster) and have to bluff with a Metamorphosis. I get trampled again and its all over.

This is a game I could have won if the cards had turned out slightly different, but then we can all say that, it is Yugimonz! after all.

Me 1-3, Benji is at 2-2 however

Round 5
Jonathan v Chris (Spellcaster/Phoenix) Table 27

So I’m back at the nether end of the room again and meet Chris, again a really friendly chap, he is playing a deck that was close to one I nearly chose using and it appears was having as bad luck as I was. These games were interesting and close, and all could have gone either way.

Game 1
Me – 8000-7400-6400-4400-4300-3300-900-100-0
Him – 8000-5600-3600

He starts with a face-down which my Ritual searcher (I can’t remember which) runs into, it’s a Gravekeeper’s Spy, so I take the 600 hit. He Tributes it for a 2400 monster (Jinzo I think?) which finishes off my searcher. I get Demise out, pay 2000 and hit for 2400. He plays Exiled to kill Demise. I summon Warwolf for 2000 direct, he CyDras over it. I summon Sonic to get ARA. He plays Hand of Nephthys (Hand) to bring out the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys (Phoenix) which kills Sonic. I can’t draw anything so Phoenix swings for another 2400. I draw Premature Burial, pay the 800 and bring back ole’ Blue-Eyes, I attack his Phoenix and he flips …. Shrink!!! He’d just got it that morning from a STON Special pack. Them’s the breaks.

Game 2
Me – 8000-7700-5600-3600-2100
Him – 8000-5600-3700-700-0

I open up with a Senju to get Demise. He Storms my set and plays CyDra and DDA. DDA finishes off Senju and CyDra hits for 2100. I summon Demise, pay the 2000 and attack directly. He Exiles my Demise, but I can follow it up with Luster Dragon which attacks, he tries to Sakuretsu it, but I play MBaaS to save it. He sets one card face down. I NoC it, Call BEWD and its all over.

Game 3
Me – 8000-5600-4900-3200-0
Him – 8000-7700-6300

He starts with a set to each zones. I play Sonic and a face-down. I think I attack his face-down, but can’t remember what it was. Next he plays Snatch on Sonic, plays Hand and brings out Phoenix to attack directly. I play Manju and choose Zorc. I attack his Phoenix with Zorc, so that it can’t make a comeback and then hit with Manju. He summons a CyDra and sets one. I then make my second biggest mistake of the day. I should have used Zorc’s effect to get rid of CyDra but instead attack, which goes straight into Mirror Force (I don’t know that the result would have been any different but I couldn’t get anything over the CyDra from then on). I summon a Ritual searcher, but he follows it up with DDA. CyDra takes out the searcher and DDA hits directly. I can’t get much to defend myself with and a Called Phoenix finishes off the game.

So I have now totally bombed to 1-4, I’m just looking for some form of redemption. Benji lost his 5th round as well, and so was at 2-3.

Round 6
Jonathan v Liam (Random Warriors) Table 24

I had seen Liam playing Benji earlier and Benji had won that quite easily so I hoped I would be able to at least match his feat.

Game 1
Me – 8000-7800-3900-2500-2300
Him – 8000-6600-3900-900-0

I summon Sonic and set one S/T. He summons Command Knight and dispatches Sonic. I summon Zorc with ARA and Call BEWD. BEWD dispatches the Knight and Zorc hits for 2700. He tries to play Heavy to take out Blue-Eyes but I stop it with Solemn halving my Life Points. He plays Goats to stop my attacks, and although I use Zorc’s effect I can only get rid of one at a time, I also summon another Ritual searcher. He summons Zanji and Equips it with Axe of Despair to inflict some Battle Damage, but the line up is just too strong for him.

Game 2
Me – 8000-7300-4300-2800-1400-1000
Him – 8000-7900-5200-3800

I didn’t realise how close this had got until I looked at the LP totals at the end. He asked me to go first and so I summon Sonic and set a S/T face down. He summons CyDra and attacks over Sonic. I’m not sure how the rest of this duel went, but somehow he managed to hit me for 3000 in one go. The only searcher I could get seemed to be Sonic. At one stage he has a Zanji out and I Solemn him summoning an Irou to back him up, this is where my Life Points go from 2800 to 1400. Eventually I draw Paladin of White Dragon (yeah!) and for the first time in the Tournament get him out onto the field, he does what he needs to do and I Tribute him for a BEWD. I comment that now all I need for him is to have a Snatch Steal, to which he responds he doesn’t include it in his deck(!). He had no response and so BEWD finished him off.

So I finished 2-4, a very sad performance in such a small competition.
But there were some upsides, particularly that I managed to pass my Level 2 Judge exam, perhaps I should stick to Judging in future and leave the game to the younger players.
We were told that prizes would be given up to 48th place, and you guessed it, my tie-breakers shoved me to 49th! Couldn’t get a break all day.
Benji also ended 2-4 but finished 42nd as so got a TP7 pack (for what it was worth), still at least he beat his Dad.

I believe this is the time for the props and slops.

Props
Passing my Level 2 exams – I could in theory judge at the nationals, but that would be a bit of a scary experience so soon.
Benji beating his Dad
To Rufus Roberts, who for the second year running at the local regional we attended managed to go through the Swiss undefeated. I don’t know how the Top 8 finished, as we had to leave before they were completed.
The onsite catering.

Slops
To bombing – but still a good experience.
The three commons we got in Benji’s TP7
Playing 3 Megamorphs in a Deck which wasn't really focussed on an OTK

Hope you enjoyed reading!