Regional report

Well, today (3/26/2011) was the first regional I've played in for quite some time, and thought I'd write a report on what I played and noticed while at the event.

I went in with a well tested, very solid build of Six Samurai. Not a surprise, considering Samurai are both one of the best decks in the meta, as well as my personal favorite deck. I built my side to take on Karakuri/Machina/Plant, Machina Gadget, and Mirror Matches, as well as a few cards to just switch up the abilities and strategies of the deck itself. Let's Start:

Round 1: Miracle Gemeni

This was not a deck I have much experience playing, nor was it one I planned against. I knew it was a likely deck I would face, but my lack of experience with it left me nonplussed as to what to side against it.

Game 1: Pretty simple. I herped it out and swarmed my opponent to death. He had 5 cards set to back row turn one, I drew into Giant Trunade, and already had a Samurai, 2 United, a Gateway and a searcher. It was game.

Game 2: He made some really irritating plays, and despite an even fight throughout the game, he came out with the win.

Game 3: I started with advantage, and steadily steamrolled my opponent in this game until he topped Miracle Fusion, at which point he managed to put out Absolute Zero. He rammed Zero into my Shi En, prompting me to activate Magatama Musakani to save the rest of my field. He used his last back row (Solemn Judgment) to clean stop my Magatama, and kill my field. We were both then handless, and fieldless. His turn, he topped into Neos Alius, and beaned me for 1900. My turn. Top a trap, and set it. Hist turn, bad top, hit me for 1900. My turn. Draw, it is irrelevant, I activate my set Double-Edged Sword Technique, bringing back 2 Shi En to attack for game.

Drend is 1-0.

Round 2: Gravekeeper's.

This wasn't a fair match. At all. This guy had never been to a regional, and was playing Keepers without Pot of Duality OR Royal Tribute. Gravekeeper's already have a tough match up here, and it didn't help that his deck was half complete.

Game 1: OTK. Not much to say except DEATH PONY!!!!

Game 2: Using Oppression and Gozen Match, he managed to get me down to 200 LP without taking any real damage. Then I worked out a way to use only my EARTH monsters and wipe him out. Game over.

Drend is 2-0

Round 3: Samurai

Yay! My first mirror match, in my opinion, my best match up!

Game 1: Starts out pretty solid, I get first. Summon a few, get a Shi En, set some back rows, keep his plays from happening, turn around and swarm for game.

Game 2: He starts, summons Shi En, sets 3 back row, ends. I draw into my sided Puppet Plant. I drop it, grab his Shi En, SS Grandmaster and Kizan, normal summon Kageki into a Mizuho, pop his D-Prison with Mizuho, and drop my last card, another Kizan. Game.

Drend is 3-0

Round 4: Samurai

Second mirror. This guy is good. There wasn't much to remember, as it was an even match and close in all 3 games. Typical Samurai kicking each other in the face. I came out with the win.

Drend is 4-0

Round 5: Karakuri/Machina/Plant

This one should have been easy. I side into Cyber Dragons to take care of this, and Samurai have a good match up anyway. The only thing that kept me from crying after I lost, was the fact that I was playing a guy I know pretty well from our locals. We had a blast with this match.

Game 1: He goes first. Sets some stuff, summons some stuff, ends. He manages to keep my swarm from killing him (it doesn't help that my hand was aweful). He comes back 3 turns later after setting everything and refusing to attack because of my set Giant Trunade that he was convinced was a Mirror Force. It was the funniest thing I've ever seen. He was literally shaking at the prospect of a Mirror Force, but when he finally worked up the courage to attack, was so angry with himself that it was making me bust a gut.

Game 2: Didn't. Draw. Shit. Not a single CyDra, much less a good swarm. A bunch of stall, a few sets, and his Machines trample me down.

I am now 4-1. Not too bad, considering how long I've been out of competitive play.

Round 6: Dragunity

I don't know Dragunity either. I have no real interest in them, but still... I should have been better prepared.

Round 1: Not much to say, I manage to shut him down, and swarm for the win.

Round 2: I misplayed pretty bad. I thought he might have 2 Ravines in hand, so I didn't negate the one he played. I was wrong. (I had done the same thing in game 1, leaving his hand pretty dead.) He did the absolutely derpiest crap I've ever seen in this game. No deck should ever be able to automatically get a level 8 Synchro out. That's what this deck does. He got Stardust Dragon, and kept me down through out the game. His win.

Round 3: This time, I was a little more prepped. Did some siding I thought would help, and kept the game even until he got a Dux in a great draw, and proceeded to get out Scrap Dragon, and use it to keep my field clear, absolutely destroying my chances at a come back.

Record now is 4-2. Still in the running.

Round 7: Derp-A-Derp Miracle Gemini

I have officially decided I HATE this deck. He trounced me 2-0. The Shining and Absolute Zero just kept beating me down, while his back row shut me completely down. Nothing I could have done to change the outcome. Well, with me now being 4-3, I cannot get an invite, much less top.

Despite all that, I did enjoy myself. It was a great deal of fun, despite the fact that only 1 of the group I went with got their invite, nor did any of us win either of the win-a-mats, and Wes and Traviis both topped again. I got some good DT pulls (no Trishula though), and made some great trades, although the one I wanted didn't happen. Before I left, I traded the store my spare Kizan, and got 3 STOR-ENSE. Pulled a Vanadis from the packs. Freaking hilarious.