Current Events of USC Deckmasters of Semester 951

January 6, 1995- The Saturday Gathering: Michael Nickoloff attended. Michael got to the second round in Type I with a blood moon deck. He took first place in Type II with a Necropotence/Ivory Tower deck. Finally, he also took first in Type 1.5 with a simular deck as in Type II.

January 13, 1995- The Saturday Gathering: Michael Nickoloff and Scott Manjourides attended. Michael did not fare well during the day, first by facing Henry Stern in Type I, and losing against a cap deck. In Type II, he lost a real close 3rd game. Finally, in Type 1.5, he got creamed by a fast weenie deck. Scott did very well for his first tournament. He recieved a bye in the first round of Type II, and then soundly beating his opponent in the second round. However, a discard deck got the upper hand in the third round, and Scott finally lost.

January 20, 1996- The Saturday Gathering: Michael Nickoloff attended. He creamed his first opponent in Type I, however lost to a R/Artifact blaster deck. His opponent went on to win the Type I finals. Michael was playing a Jester's Cap deck. In Type 1.5, Michael played a Living Plane deck, and got to the second round. However, the card that caused the trouble was Moat...and Michael couldn't get around it in time to win.

January 27, 1996- The Saturday Gathering: Michael Nickoloff attended. He played a variation of the "Kim" deck (see the Schools of Magic for more information). He beat his first opponent easily, but luck wasn't on his side, as he faced "The Deck", and lost. That person went on to win the Type I tournament that day. In Type 1.5, Michael played the Living plane deck and went to the quarterfinals, before losing to a discard deck in three close duals.

Feburary 3, 1996- The Saturday Gathering: Michael Nickoloff attended. He played Type II this week. After a bye in the first round, and an easy second round. (Corey said to include that Mike let 2 Eron the Relentlesses out at once for a turn. Is anyone reading this, anyway?) In the third round, a speed black deck outran Mike and creamed him.

February 9, 1996- Fist Blist III: Demo for Shadowfist: This was a huge success!! Over 15 attended the demo, and each participant got to take home a starter deck of a specific faction. Many people are interested into continuing the game and adding uncommons and rare cards to their decks. Thank you to all who attended. Special mention to Corey Benjamin and Richard Steele who organized the event.

February 10, 1996- The Saturday Gathering: Michael Nickoloff, Scott Manjourides and Tim Mossbarger attended. Michael did well in Type I, advancing to the quarterfinals with a red/artifact blaster deck. He finally lost to a speed black deck (who won the tournament this week). Scott played a discard deck in Type II and went three rounds before losing. Tim had a suprise loss in the first round to a red deck. Tim and Michael played in type 1.5. Michael played 3 rounds before losing to a weenie deck. Tim played 3 rounds as well before losing to a R/B/U deck.

February 16-19, 1996- Orccon 19: Michael Nickoloff and Lawrence Oei attended. Well, Lawrence just went crazy over the deals he found and all the Legnds of the Five Rings that was there. Michael did fine in numerous Type I and Type II tournaments. Even a first place win in emperor. However, the highlight of the weekend was the revenge for Jason Jung in melee! Last year, Jason and Mark Venthaus were the last two survivors in melee. Mark crushed Jason however, due to a mistake on Jason's part. However, this time it was different. Mark made a mistake and Michael was able to capitalize on the mistake. Even though it was cheezy, Michael won through mana burn/city of brass/mirror universe. However, it was revenge for Jason!

March 2, 1996- The Saturday Gathering: Michael Nickoloff and Garrett Wong attended. Michael played a R/W blinking spirit deck in Type II and got the quarter finals, before losing three good matches to Frank Gilson. Frank eventually won the Type II tournament. Frank, Henry Stern, Mario Robinia, and Mark Chalice were all playing Chalice's Necropotence of Death deck. Michael and Mark Venthaus played in teams, where they got 2nd place with Kird Ape decks. They lost to white weenie. Finally, Michael sold his beta booster and luckily, the rare was a Warp Artifact! Garrett arrived too late for Type II and played Type I with Mike's "The Deck". Garrett lost in the first round due to poor draws. He then moved onto Sealed Deck where he won the first round, and then had to leave.

March 9, 1996- The Saturday Gathering: Michael Nickoloff and Tom Page attended. Tom started in Type II with his b/w necropotence/land tax deck. His first opponent was a b/w deck as well. He got a first turn ihsan's shade on Tom, and Tom couldn't do much. However, Tom came back and crushed him in the next two rounds. Second match was against white weenie. Tom couldn't pull enough wraths of god against the prot-black stuff and was consumed by the charging knights. Tom then went onto Sealed Deck. He got a good sealed deck. However, he lost to a luckier deck in the first round. Then, Tom played Grandmaster and played B/R/G. His luck wasn't there as he played the same guy in sealed deck. He had a incredible draw on the third game and beat Tom after 3 long games.
Mike played at r/w blinky deck in Type II. First round he played a r/w millstone deck. Mike creamed the deck. Then, he played the meta-game and 15 creatures popped out during the second game. Mike was able to handle all of them except the abbey gargoyles. Mike lost the next two games. Type I was next where Mike played the atog/artifact deck. He won 3 rounds against a LD/shivan deck, discard/millstone, and a blaster/ball lightning deck. However, he lost in the fourth round against a r/u blood moon deck. Finally, he played Teams with Mark Venthaus. They got to second round where they lost because Mike made a mistake. Period. It was all Mike's fault. :(

March 10, 1996- Type II at FUCLA: Michael Nickoloff attended. The tournament was a 5 round round-robin Type II tournament, then 8 person single-elimnination. First round, Mike's luck lets him play the eventual winner of the tournament. R/G big creatures. Both games she got turn 2 erhnams and autumn willow followed. (0-2). Second round, Mike plays a r/g Orgg/Goblin Mutant deck. Both games the guy pulled a turn 2 mutant, and it was bolted. Mike dominated the game afterwords. (2-2). Third round, Miek played against a new kid: first tourny. (4-2). Fourth round, it was a serra/fallen angel deck. He got mana screwed both games. (6-2). Last game it was against Paul Beemer's Necrodeath deck. Mike got 1 land both games. (6-4).
There was a chance that Mike could advance to the next round. However, they started a booster draft tourney, so Mike played in that instead. (Mike would have gone on.) However, Michael got an awesome draft in the tourney. A Mahamotti, 3 DD, 6 flyers, 2 giant strength, 2 unstable mutations, and a couple of first strikers lead Mike to victory and the winning of the tournament. It was grandmaster, so Mike got to take home all the cards!

March 13, 1996- Wednesday Night Magic: Tom Page and Michael Nickoloff attended the Type II tournament. Tom lost in the first round against a merfolk deck. He then played booster draft and got a all black deck. However, Tom's {lack of} luck continued and saw a whirling dervish second turn during the last game. Michael played a r/w orgg/shivan deck first round and dominated it. Second round, he faced a good w/u deck with a bad player and escaped onto the third round. He faced another r/w deck and finally lost to 3 ball lightnings in a row.

March 20, 1996- The Saturday Gathering: Tom Page and Michael Nickoloff attended. Tom played his W/B Necropotence deck in Type II and did very well; he advanced to the fourth round. He then played in 2 Grandmasters where his luck was gone, and he lost in the first round of both tournaments. Michael got to the third round of Type II with his R/W/u/g blaster/big creature deck. He lost to a R/G/w big creature deck. Mike couldn't stop Autumn Willow after his erhnam was killed, and an icy was slapped down on the table. He then played Type 1.5 and got 4th place. His losses were to a discard deck (eventual winner) in the semi-finals, and to another living plane/tbernacle deck in the 3rd/4th place game. Mike decided that the living plane deck is really evil, and he hated being on the recieving end of it for once.

March 22, 1996- Fist Blist IV: This was a huge success!! Over 15 attended the demo, and each participant got to take home a starter deck of a specific faction. Many people are interested into continuing the game and adding uncommons and rare cards to their decks. Thank you to all who attended. Special mention to Corey Benjamin who organized the event.

March 23, 1996- The Saturday Gathering: Michael Nickoloff, Chad Kultgen, Mark ?, Tom Page Corey Benjamin and Eric Briggs attended. Everyone did fine in the tournaments...even Corey played my Type I deck!

March 30, 1996- Qualifer Tournament for 05/04/96 Pro Tournament: Michael Nickoloff attended. Tom Page and Eric Briggs watched. Michael went 3-3 with a r/g/w deck. Michael got crushed by 2 necro decks and then a r/w deck. After rebounding against a reanimator deck, millstone and a willowgeddon deck to finish 3-3.

April 6, 1996- The Saturday Gathering: Tom Page and Michael Nickoloff attended. Tom played Type II, Type I, and Grandmaster. He did fine, advancing in a few of the tournies. Michael fared better by reaching third place in the Type II tournament. After losing to Preston Pourtier in the Semi's, he beat his opponent to take third. Mike and Tom both played necro decks.

April 13, 1996- Qualifer Tournament for 05/04/96 Pro Tournament: Michael Nickoloff, Rei Nakazawa and Tom Page attended. Rei played in sealed deck and grandmaster all day. He lost first round in both due to icys by his opponents. Tom went 2-2 and then dropped out after loosing to two straight green weenie decks. Mike went 4-2 and lost in the 5th around against another necro deck.

April 17, 1996- Wednesday Night Magic: Chad Kultgen and Michael Nickoloff attended. Chad lost in the first round in Type II and then went on to play in 2 booster drafts. Michael had better luck, as he beat Randall Newhall in the Finals of Type II to win the tournment! Michael played Necro while Randall played anti-necro.

April 20, 1996- Qualifer Tournament for 05/04/96 Pro Tournament: Michael Nickoloff attended. He played Necro and went 1-2 before dropping. His opponents that won got god draws both games. Michael felt that he didn't have a chance to win...luck was against him.

April 21, 1996- Qualifer Tournament for 05/04/96 Pro Tournament: Michael Nickoloff drove to Las Vegas for the tournment. Mike got 24 points, and 25 were needed to enter the round of 8. Mike needed one more win against a Necro deck for the final 8. However, Mike didn't have the luck and the game got called on time, and Mike lost.

April 24, 1996- Wednesday Night Magic: Tom Page, Chad Kultgen and Michael Nickoloff attended. Chad and Mike lost first round in the Type II tournament due to bad luck. Chad was always, "one card away." Tom did better and lost in the second round against Scott Johns. Chad and Tom both played booster draft as well. Tom got another Cop:Black/Pestilence combo going, but still lost to the forces of the flyers after a tranqulity. Mike played Mark Chalice for Ante in Type I. Mike lost 2-1 after a choice of forking which spell. In the end, it proved to be the wrong choice.

April 26, 1996- Shadowfist Sealed Deck Tournement: Garrett Wong, Anthony Shubert, Rei Nakazawa, Michael Nickoloff, and That guy attended. Corey Benjamin judged. Tony won the first game due to a Bite of the Jellyfish on Mike. Mike was then unable to counter Tony's attack, and the rest of the players weren't able to stop him. Garrett won the second game after summoning a combat car to sweep up the game and uncut sheet of Flashpoint. Michael and Tony split second place. Note: Michael pulled 2 Banishes and 2 Chains of Bone in the packs. YUCK!

April 27, 1996- The Saturday Gathering: Rei Nakazawa, Chad Kultgen, Sean Butler, Eric Briggs, Tom Page, Matt ? and Michael Nickoloff attended. Chad, Sean, Eric. Matt and Mike all lost their first round in Type II. Tom lost in the second round with his necro deck. Rei, Sean and Eric did well in sealed deck, and Rei pulled a Jester's Cap, as well. Mike went to the third round of Type I, and lost after a 2 hour match with 6 timetwisters on the last game. Eric and Chad (team jouklhaups) took 3rd in teams and Sean and Matt took 1st with a control/DD team decks. Good job! Mike spent part of the day playing Autumnk's sister in 1.5 with his evil lock deck...:)