Why Such a Big Turnout at Regionals?

[DJ Cdisk]

With the abrupt end to the License of Upper Deck in December 2008 to distribute the acclaimed card game Yu-gi-oh TCG, Thousands of Duelists from around the country was up in arms of the “state of the game” and where do we go from there. Many Duelists fell out of the game thinking their dueling days have come to an end, even here in Hawaii…

….Enter June 20, 2009…. The Biggest Turnout in Hawaii Regionals History!

When I playtested with Daniel @ McD’s that morning I thought we would have maybe 50 players if we were lucky. I stepped into the Sauna called Da-Planet at around 9:20 a.m. to my amazement of over 75-80 people trading and searching for cards they needed with more people coming to attend. Daniel’s cousin almost didn’t have the chance to enter as we came up upon the 96 player limit.

So many new/old faces at this event made me think why such a big turnout? I mean the game was in such limbo for so long; how can in just a few months change the state of the game so drastically? I mean ok I get that its summer, but we didn’t have this much people at the last summertime Regionals.

It came to my conclusion as to why such a big turnout…..









Dark Armed Dragon @ $30!!!! (Were it should have been in the first place).

Back in many forums before this I’ve discussed on how in the last format $1000
“Tele-DaD” decks ruled the format and how that affected players to play the game. Not everyone could afford it and thus played less competitive decks just to play and “hopefully” contend or not even play which was sad. Even through Upper Deck Day; Upper Deck’s last Premiere Event, Tele-DaD still ruled. (good job Kawelo and Henry)

With Komani’s first expansion release, Crimson Crisis, many duelists were wondering where Blackwings would be (the next big subtype for yugioh since Lightsworn) in rarity. I thought that for sure Armor Master would be a Secret Rare; I thought for sure Gale the Whirlwind would be an Ultra or Worse a Secret and all the others would be too. I mean it happened before with Lightsworns, (i.e. Judgment Dragon (Ultra turn Secret), Solar Recharge (Common turn Ultra), Charge of the Light Brigade, etc.) what would make me think different.

What, What, What?!? Armor Master is just an Ultra Rare! Gale is just a plain Rare! Yes!

Even the chase cards were at a reasonable price, I mean at the Pre-Release Dark Strike Fighters and Arcanite Magicians were going for like $10-20 cause they were Supers. This gives players the opportunity to get the cards they needed, without paying the hefty price than before. Could you imagine if Dark Strike Fighter had been a Secret Rare, we could have been looking at $200-300 per card? I’m glad Konami did the right thing for these cards to be the rarity they are now.

Fast forward to now, with an 96 player turnout with even more players missing the event due to tardiness, missing the cut, or just couldn’t make it (is Arnold still on a boat Yo! j/k). The Game is as wide open to ANYONE as ever. Look at the top 8 today, we have a few Lightsworn, few Blackwings, a Gladiator Beast, Rock Stun, and Syncro Cat, as well as (Professor) Rowen and Matt I. making their first top 8, (sorry I couldn’t stay and cover the final matches I had to DJ) very awesome indeed. Almost every deck with the exception to Lightsworn can be built without taking out a loan from the bank, (“so you want to take out a personal loan for a yugioh deck?” LoL) but just by buying packs and some trading you’ll be well on your way. Heck Syncro Cat can be built with just Starter Decks, commons, and just 2 Chase Cards.

As I am writing this I find out the Anthony Lauth won it all with Blackwings…a deck that doesn’t cost as much as the former Tele-DaD to even further prove my point. Good Job Anthony, Finally!!! A Regionals Championship under your belt.

So to conclude, with organized play continuing, and rarities back to Invasion of Chaos days, Yugioh will continue to grow in numbers. You never know, we could have Regionals or even a win-a-box Tournament that will exceed our Shonen Jump last year (Mike we might need more fans though. j/k). We’ll still have chase cards like DSF from Crimson Crisis and Cool Supers from Delta Crow and Swallow’s Nest from Raging Battle (people are still busting boxes of Crimson Crisis just to get him, including me) just not at the expense we were in the last format.

yea for this Tourney
96 player event
timely 7 rounds (finished by 5:30 for 7 rounds is good)
awesome sendoff for Matt Dunn (you da man Matt!!)

Neys of Tourney
Feeling HOT HOT HOT,
me having a 3-4 record me sad :(


Great Regionals guys and 2 girls (Stacie and Sharon)… Peace Out thanks planeters (Mike, Fey, Matt, Anthony x2) for another great event


Nick a.k.a DJ Cdisk





And a Big Mahalo to Matt Dunn, we was/has been a great judge for us here in Hawaii. A very proper as well as a very well deserved sendoff for Matt. Matt, you are a great guy and probably the nicest judge you will ever meet guys. I mean Yugioh is not even his forte but he takes the time to learn steps and rules and get Level 2 judge status so we can play big events like Regionals. I have the utmost respect for Matt and hope he has an awesome time working for UDE. It’s every gamers dream is to be working for a gaming company like UDE, wizards, etc. and making a contribution to the game they love (and getting paid to do it). Matt is living that dream….

[Asar]

thats a reason to not NEED crush.

im still waiting for a reason that explains why you would run something else instead of CCV...

[Joo-Soo-Ten]

because 80% of the time you win without crush ever activating lol

[Levi "Typical X-2" Viloria]

great job Nick, nice summary. Great prize support has always been an incentive for larger tournaments. five packs of RGBT for a 20 dollar entry fee was essentially a free tournament, as already mentioned. Synchro Cat was an impressive deck to say the least, albeit we dont have some of the more impressive synchros like Catastor, Brionac and Mist Wurm. I'm looking forward to more regonals/other OP events to come soon.

Mike, think we can get the ballroom in the Pagoda Hotel again for nex regz??

[BadKyat]

if you were a cheapskate with no intention of winning by all means do that lol

[Asar]

wtf why wouldnt you run crush?

[Joo-Soo-Ten]

besides you can do with 1 arcanite and maybe get away with 1 dsf.

but blackwings call for those as well.

[Joo-Soo-Ten]

you dont need sarcs.
you dont need crush.

sychro cat is an engine. not a deck.

[chad]

well yes, there r THOSE expensive cards, but majority of the deck, is cheap.

[Travis Kumano]

I think there wasnt much Synchro Cats probably because maybe many of the key cards are getting harder to get; 2 Gold Sarcs, Crush, Arcanites, and ofcourse Dark Strike Fighter.

[Asar]

wait, scratch that, crush is expensive.