THE TURTLE STORY

Day before X-Championship: The day before the event was a very long one. The Njoy crew and I were play testing for about a week before the event. It was really more like they were play testing and deciding what decks they wanted to build with my cards, but it was all good. The day before the X-Championship we ended up building about 5-6 decks and they each started building a sideboard. I didn't make my sideboard until about 10 minutes before the event, but more on that later. I still haven't decided what deck to take but I had a choice between two decks. It was between either mono-green or mono-purple. I couldn't decide so I told one of the guys to play mono-green and I'll play the mono-purple and whichever deck wins the match I will take to the X-Championship. Purple ended up beating green 3-0 so I now had my deck set. So I tried to make a sideboard, but ended up not having any tempests to side. I had about 8-10 before building 5 decks and after I had 0. I didn't really mind, but I was tired so I headed home and just passed out.

Day 1 Nationals: So I get to the Battle Spirits room around 9:30am and the crew decided that they wanted to change some cards so I helped them which almost left me with no time to fill out my deck list or make a side. I decided to go with a green and anti-red sideboard. Although I didn't think much of it at the time, my side helped me in some of the most crucial matches. So the tournament started and I turned in my deck list then waited till round 1 pairings were posted.

Round 1: Huy Hoang (Mono-White) vs. JBPandaTurtle ( Turtle-Purple)

He was one of the guys from the Comic Cult crew so I knew that he must have play tested against a good amount of decks. During the first game I really didn't know what to expect till he dropped one Gatling then another. At that point I decided he was maybe running some type of white stall so I just rushed him. This ended up working pretty well and I won the first game. The second game I sided in my rush and it was pretty much game over. I think I only saw one ribbon and 1 chest but he couldn't handle the amount of spirits coming his way. It was a good match overall.

1-0

Round 2: Robert Sampedro ( Dragon-Con rush) vs. JBPandaTurtle ( Turtle-Purple)

Once again I didn't know what type of deck I was going against so I started off slow. He dropped a beatbeetle and a couple other lower level spirits and that's when it hit me that he was running rush so I ended up playing cautiously. I eventually got a silent wall so I turned up the heat and made him over extend into my wall and it was over soon after that. I sided in all of my rush and I tried to beat him down early. The only way he could have beaten me was if he had 5 spirits that could be summoned and a binding torn for the leavwolf that was waiting in my hand. He drew the nuts and beat me down in one turn which got me pretty pissed but oh well, off to game three. I started with the basic play of grip-hands and he did 2 beatbeetle and binding thorned my grip hands. I was like ok and exhausted it. He then claimed that he meant to play storm draw but that he played binding torn. What's done is done so he just swung with 2 and that left him wide open for my 2 fogers and skulldevil beat down. It ended soon after that.

2-0

Round 3: Alex Lopez (Mono-purple) vs. JBPandaTurtle (Turtle-Purple)

He was by far the best and most difficult opponent that I played in this tournament and I had to play him twice. It didn't take long to see that he played at a very umm… steady pace and that the match would most likely go to time. The first game was very hard. He hit me with an early Shogun and I was never able to really stabilize but I dragged it as long as I could so I could see what else he was running. There was about only 5 minutes left so I decided that I couldn't let the game go into end of time procedures so I threw all of my rush in and it worked rather well. I was able to get him down to one and then time was called. I had cloak in my hand so the turn that time was called I finished it. I went first during the third game so that I could get the last turn. All I did was rush him and silent wall his attacks. It finally came to my turn were I just cloaked one of my spirits for game and that finished the match.

3-0

Round 4: Scott Gerhardt (Mono-Green) vs. JBPandaTurtle(Turtle-Purple)

This match was by far the most mentally straining match I had during both days. It was more like a battle of minds then of cards. We got deck checked and during that time Scott decided to play a bit of mind games which really didn't work, but more on that later. He starts off by saying good thing he play tested against purple over 100 times and I just smile and draw my hand. I start off with grip-hands and he plays hungry tree. I then summon another grip and he stargroves. I wait until in attacks me and then I drop foger and devil and rush him which leaves him a bit dumbfounded. He tries to attack back but runs into my silent wall and I finish him off with cloak.

Between game 1 and 2 I side in my rush and he stays quiet trying to get the judge to remove one of my friends that was sitting next to me saying that he was disturbing him. Game 2 was a game I lost due to a misplay I had the under hand and I swung with one extra monster that I shouldn't have. I should have left Death- Haides untapped but the idea of Emerald Scissors totally slipped my mind. He summons emerald and taps my sha-zoo and just went for it. I didn't have an answer and I lost. I was feeling pretty low after that game and Scott used that to his advantage. I knew that if I won this game the top 8 was nearly in hand I couldn't lose. I won't lose, I told myself. I don't remember what happened most of the game but I do remember that it went back and forth. The ending of game 3 I will never forget though. I had sha-zoo out along with foger and an exhausted haides. I was at one life and so was he. I didn't have a wall in hand only an invisible cloak. I knew that if I could get him to misplay I had the win. I just needed him not to go for game that turn. Told him if he had The Duke it was game. Guess what he top decked... the Duke Kingtaures. He had a storm draw and emerald in hand. He dropped the storm next to his mat and thought about his move long and hard. I guess he did this to prolong my loss and to make him feel superior. He then summons the Duke but not the emerald. If he would have summoned any other monster, he had the game. He swings with Duke and says game? I block with foger use invisible cloak taking the core off foger so that I wouldn't take damage and that move left him awe struck. He swung with his monster I blocked with sha-zoo and he shows me emerald scissors from his hand and says storm draw. He says that if he had a storm draw then he had game and he was correct. So he scoops and signs the win to me. My friend that's sitting next to me points to the card that he left next to his mat and what do you know... storm draw. I turned a situation were I was totally dead in the water with no ways out and turned it to my favor. On my turn my cloak won it and left my opponent speechless and dumbfounded. This shows that card games are not only played with cards, but also with our actions and mind games. Good game Scott ... you had it, but I guess you just couldn't handle the heat.

4-0

Round 5: Ryan Matas: Azure Matas (Mono-Green- vs. JBPandaTurtle (Turtle-Purple)

So after some quick chatter we see that Matas, Cao Cao, and I are the only undefeated players... we do some quick math and see that if we draw both of our next games we get into the top 8 automatically, so we say sure why not. Matas and I get deck checked, that's the seconded time for me. So we draw but decided to play out a few games. It went by pretty quick and I 3-0 him. They were good games though and we both did a couple of misplays.

4-0-1

Round 6: David Trevino : Cheaaaooo(Purple Rush) vs. JBPandaTurtle(Turtle-Purple)

He took an early draw to a friend but won the rest of his matches and ended with the same record as me. So we decided to draw so that we could get some auto money and what do you know, me, matas, cheaooo, cao cao all made it to top 8. Although David and I didn't play, we ended up playing in the finals.

4-0-2

Day 2: Top 8

So the top 8 all gathered expect for cao cao who was late ( man should have read the right time). We all did some interviews for Bandai and got some pics taken. So before our rounds could start we all got deck checked and our rounds began.

Round 1: Ryan Matas (Mono-Green) vs. JBapandaTurtle (Turtle-Purple)

Since I was able to see what he was running the day before I was able to play around some of his threats. All I needed to do was let him attack into me and rush him and just finish it off with the cloak. He played into to strategy and both games ended the same way. So I win my first round and I have to wait and see who my next opponent which was between Alex and Patrick. Eventfully Alex won and I had to play against Alex's mono-purple… again!!

5-0-2

Semis Round 2: Alex Lopez (Mono-Purple) vs. JBPandaTurtle (Turtle-Purple)

This match went on for what seemed like forever. Good thing that Bandai recorded it or else I would have died right on my keyboard. He won the first game. At that point I thought it was over. I really didn't think I could come back but nevertheless I pushed forward and evened the score. It was 1-1 and in a 90 min match we still went to time. I play the rush and we were both at 2 life with me once again being able to take the last turn. I rush and I hold a silent wall and cloak to finish it. If it hadn't gone to time he would have won the game, but the rules are set and I move on. I hated that I beat him twice that way. He is a great player and hopefully we will have our rematch sometime soon.

6-0-2

The Finals!! Cheaoo (Purple Rush) vs. JBPandaTurtle (Turtle-Purple)

This match was the most fun I had the entire tournament. We decided to do a sort of split because if he won by any chance he wasn't going to be able to take the trip to Japan. So we asked if it could be passed down and they said no. We agreed to split the cash prizing and he took the trophy and the check to display in his store. Anyone that knows me knew that all I wanted out of the event was the trip. I could really care less about money. All I wanted was the chance to be the best, prove myself in Japan, and to play and try to win it over there as well. Bandai's legal had to make a few phone calls but decided it was all ok. So we still decided to play it out for the video and to actually see which deck would have won. Match goes back and fourth which I don't remember much of but I do remember the ending. I have silent wall, cloak, and 2 leavwolfs in hand. He only has one card in his hand so I rush him with foger, grip, and another card. I have 1 creature left unexhausted and I end. Guess what this guy drew… He has a Sheyron in his hand and he top decks SHOGUN!! So he plays it and I ask him to count out the cores. We are both at one life and he swings with Sheyron thinking its game. I flash step leavwolf block and silent wall. He can't believe it. He says he ends and says that I hope I don't draw cloak. I show him my hand and we move on to game two. Game two went by pretty quick as well and I end up winning. So after all I ended up winning and showing the power of Turtle-Purple.

The X-Championship was fun and mentally straining at times, but all in all it was a blast and I hope to play in the next big event as well. Hopefully I can represent the U.S.A. well over in Japan and take the World Title from them. It will be a long and hard journey but I will have my World journey for you guys in video when I go. So you guys better like the report because it took a while to write. Thanks Bandai and also thanks to all the players that went to the X-Championship... without the players this game wouldn't nearly be as great as it is and hopefully it can grow to become greater.

Pros:

Meeting and beating Mike and getting some Japanese packs

Meeting Yuya

Also meeting a lot of the players on the forums

Winning...lol

Going to Japan

Winning an autographed card by the artist

Cons:

Beating Alex on time (not fun)

Scott misplaying and losing (sucks man)

Not being able to do the sealed event

Having to actually get better so that I don't get beaten in Japan

Thanks guys for reading and on my trip to Worlds I will have a video journal for you guys and hopefully ill bring back some extra luggage aka World Championship.

-JBPandaTurtle