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Abington, MA 10/28/06 All-Axxess

On Saturday Family Guy and I travelled out to Abington MA for an All Axxess touranament at a place we saw advertised on the comic images website. The weather was ridiculous and driving conditions were insane, so I can understand that more people didn't show up. There were only six people in attendance counting us, but that was enough for a quick tournament, so that's what we had. The store was nice although I'm not a big fan of the bench seating (but that's a minor gripe).

I was playing DX Heat, since in All Axxess I will only play decks that use IAATG, that don't care about IAATG, or that can't pack Backlash cards. It's based around the idea Justin Brooks was developing with The Game, but benefits from DX's much larger card base, lower starting hand size, and ability to fish out exactly the right cards at the start of the game. Family Guy rebuilt his Rene and forgot that it was supposed to be an Afterburn deck, because it didn't fare very well on the day. With six people we just play 3 rounds of swiss and then prizes are handed out.

Round 1 vs Jay, Home Team

He won the coin flip and so got to play a belt before me, so no Champ is Here for me. I give him -8 hand size in the prematch and lead the game off with a Pump Kick since Icon, Showstoppa, Main Event put me ahead in superstar value (he played the ECW Belt). He is able to connect with Shhh Chop and Violent Vendetta because I only have Heat reversals available (and Headstrong doesn't hit uniques), but I am steadily gaining fortitude over several turns and without his ability he is unable to do anything. I undermine his Blindside Drop Toe Hold at one point which demolishes his ring area, then proceeded to almost throw the game away by playing I've Got Two Words For Ya and deciding to clear ring areas on a whim. I guess I was running out of heat moves to throw and wanted to re-play some of the cooler stuff I had out. BUT I fogot he had been sitting on Let Me Get a Shot In in the ringside pile all game, which he used his ability to grab and play after I landed a Sucker Punch. I reversed it on 2 and was able to finish him off with a pair of Atomic Body Locks, since despite having 25F he only had 2 cards in hand. Now that I've played Two Words For Ya to draw 6 by blowing up my own Cerebral Assassin once in my life, I am satisfied that I never need to do it again. Just wanted to see what would happen.

1-0

Round 2 vs Ace, D-X

Well, with only six people we have a mirror match, so rather than take an issue with it I just sit down to play. He's Chain D-X, I'm Heat D-X, and I'm pretty sure I've got nothing to worry about. He wins the die roll to go first and so plays a belt, locking me out of Champ is Here again. He doesn't play H's feud so I'm able to reduce his starting handsize by 10 with Fued, Old School Manager, Dare to Take a Challenge + Booby Trap, and It's Getting Hot in Here. He kept a Bring the Hammer Down, and on his turn popped Vince Interferes into the Hammer. He never really built a hand up though so I was able to effectively claw back into the game by forcing heat maneuvers through. We have a fun back-and-forth beatdown, I turn a couple Headstrongs early which helps, and I draw cards freely from stun value and Chyna Interferes since Cerebral Assassin is not in play. He packs Break the Hold which stops my Side Chinlocks repeatedly, but after the third BtH is overturned I am able to finish him off with Atomic Body Locks.

2-0

Round 3 vs Shawn, Lashley

This is a nightmare matchup for Lashley. His prematch evens things out a little bit....he drops Break You, Showtime, Managed by Vince, and I Don't Care About the Heat (!!). I give hi the standard -10 handsize but Managed by Vince lets him keep a couple. On his first turn he pops IDCATH (I forgot what it even did) and gets rid of two Headstrongs. D'oH! He then proceeds to play technicals drop kick into technical stomp, which I stop on overturn. I am able to get fortitude with For the Love of the Game and a random heat move, he lobs more technical cards and I am able to reverse from hand for a few turns. When his tech moves are successful he's usually picking up Tech Body Hug instead of Tech Stomp, which is what I was really hoping he'd grab to I could undermine it and blast his ring area. I'm rolling with heat maneuvers, I reverse one Ready to Fight and Road to Victory another, which he pops a couple turns after to pick up Atmoic Power Slam. I undermine the Power Slam to keep his fortitude from hitting 30, then a cautionary Backfire reveals he's holding two action reversals but no maneuver reversals so I just lob big heat moves. He is able to play That's Broken for the final Chained Heat and stall me by a turn, but my Maneuver of Doom chews up his ringside pile with the Volley trait before hitting the board and shuffling 9 cards back in to seal the game. By the end I was able to draw so many reversals I just let my handsize go above 4 because his ability didn't matter anymore. I randomly finished the game with a Pedigree.

3-0

Since there's only six people we don't have a playoff or anything, so I get first pick of the prize support and pick up the Family Guy/Roger logo'd card - Divine Intervention. Plus I finally get a set of those crappy 'official' sleeves. FG unfortunately bookended the tournament by finishing 0-3 (like I was saying, Rene is much better suited to Afterburn), but I suppose he was happy driving people to great lengths of frustration and was able to make some favorable trades.

It sucks that we weren't able to have a regular event with more people and a top cut, but like I said before we're just trying to reach out to people in other areas in the state and boost their attendance and encourage them to come play in our area tournaments. The three guys I played are all from the New Bedford area, they regularly play at a place called Loony Toonz I believe, which was mentioned on the rawdealma list a few days ago. We told them of our schedule up in Fitchburg and how to get information and directions, so hopefully they'll make the trip up for some of our future events. FG and I will try to make it down to New Bedford for one of their next few tournaments, schedules permitting.

Okay, that's all for now. Hasta la next tournament.

-John of Team BTY