Sunday 31 January 2010

[FAKE] 'Leaked' Ban List

Rumours have been swirling around about a supposed 'Leaked' Ban List. The story seems pretty legit, claiming it was leaked by Hatoshi, and the list has been removed from most major websites such as Pojo. Hatoshi is a japanese player who leaked the ban list last format during the World Championships, so he has some credibility. It's up to you to decide whether it's real or not.

Banned:
Elemental Hero Stratos
Brain Control
Necroface

Limited:
Judgment Dragon
Burial from a Different Dimension
Tragoedia
Magician of Faith
Beckoning Light
Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Boundary

Semi-Limited:
Gladiator Beast Bestiari
Solemn Judgment
Cyber Dragon

Unlimited:
Chaos Sorceror
Bottomless Trap Hole
Allure of Darkness
Gold Sarcophagus

Here's the original youtube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvIPJevkZOU&feature=sub

Getting the Most out of Tournaments

Tournaments give you the opportunity to meet with friends, trade, test out decks and qualify for larger events such as Nationals and even Worlds. However people often forget there are plenty of ways to give yourself and edge over your opponents. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your tournaments.

1) Bring Money
Don't just bring the entry fee along, bring a little extra cash. Most tournaments sell packs, sleeves, binders and snacks. Bringing along some extra money is always useful.

2) Keep all of your stuff in bags
Don't bring your cards loose in your pockets. Make sure you keep them organized in a rucksack, with the zip done up. The last thing you want is to lose track of where your cards are and even lose your deck (I've seen this happen so many times).

3) Bring trades
Most people at the tournament will want to trade, and you never know who may want something from you. Most people prefer it if you keep your trades in a binder. This not only keeps the cards safe but also improves presentation.

4) Test beforehand
Especially for major events like regionals and above. Don't forget to test out your deck against top tier decks. This can provide you with useful ideas and tips to improve your deck and playstyle. Testing against bad players or decks does nothing, you need to test against good players who will push you to improve.

5) Bring food and snacks
You don't know if you'll get hungry at any time during the day. Bring some extra snacks just in case, and most importantly water. It's vital you stay hydrated so you can focus throughout the day, especially in longer 7-10 round tournaments. Keeping hydrated will dramatically reduce the amount of misplays you'll make and improve your chances of success.

6) Respect your opponent
Going to tournaments is great for making friends to talk to and to test out decks with. Try to be as friendly as possible while playing, and it will make the tournament much more enjoyable for everyone. If you get in a bad mood, or 'tilt' it will result in far more misplays. Try to stay as pleasant as possible and your play will improve.

7) Game analysis
Whenever you lose a game, don't blame it on bad luck or being 'sacked', it happens to everyone. Analyse where you went wrong. Think what you could have done that may have changed the outcome of the game, no matter how unorthodox that play may have been to your play style. This will help you build up experience much faster which will lead to better reads and an overall better play style.

8) Keep your eye on your stuff
Don't be too paranoid about thieves, as the point of a tournament is to have fun. Be wary, and make sure you're conscious about where your cards are at certain times. Don't just leave your deck lying around on tables (you'll be surprised how often people do this). You occasionally get thieves at some tournaments, so remember to keep an eye out. Most people will be honest, and if they see a deck lying around, they'll hand it in to the head judge. If you lose anything, the first thing to do is to go to the head judge to see if anything had been handed in.

9) Write out your decklist the night before
I can't emphasize this enough. This gives you more time to trade the next day, and also gives you time to look round the tournament before it starts to see what decks are most common. Look at what people are writing on their decklists, and think about how you can prepare for each of these matchups. Try and remember who is playing which deck. You can gain great information before the tournament has even started, and this can give you an edge during Game 1 throughout the day. Don't be afraid of lurking!