Oh my, I have been away for some time from this blog for a long time, but do not fear! I have still been going to locals(and topping a modest amount) with my (new, not Nordic)Karakuri deck and keeping tabs on the competition at the larger scale in Toronto. What I wish to discuss since my inconvenient departure a few weeks ago is the differences between my local venue(and perhaps yours) and my (wholly perceived non-participative) view of the national level.
I, like many of you, get onto the Konami Blog to read about the YCS coverage over the weekend, or even look at past YCS's to see past decklists for whatever insight I might find. So, last night I got on to review YCS Toronto's Top 16, and read further about Billy Brake with his historic victory over Nicky Lasaille: the drama between both of them at YCS Orlando and what not.
I finished reading and quietly sat there, somewhat wishing I could watch some Star Trek: The Next Generation before going back to the grindstone that is college when I had a question arise. It really was not a unique question and it runs like this: "Billy Brake has been to how many YCS's? Why does he, and other veterans of past YCS's, get to the top more readily than those randoms who are lucky enough for the YCS to be near their local?
The proper response may be, "Well, they are good. They deserve it. They are better players than those players at that locale."
Well, I had a different thought. Before I get to it, I wanted to talk about my locals. I live in Tulsa, OK and go to a store called Alien Games in Jenks, OK. This store is the most competitive locale I have been to in Tulsa, counting a Vintage Stock and another minor game store. We often have between 10-15 competitors on a Friday or Saturday night, with about 3-4 casual players. We adhere to Konami scripture and tenements for the rules regarding time and other hobnob.
There are notable players there, some that have been to many YCS's, won many regionals, and gone to Nationals. Never one that has won a YCS, or won nationals. These are competitive little peeps mind you, not afraid to rule shark and be male genitals when it comes down to it. They can net deck and come up with very good tech, or invent something all their own and be competitive. Yet, they tend to lack the ability to top a YCS, let alone reliably make it to day two. Billy Brake on the other hand can, a total of seven times in three years to the top 16.
"Billy Brake has adapted to his environment."
Those players like Mr. Brake have adapted to play on a national level against a variety of decks. They make decks, side decks, extra decks and plays appropriate to the expectations of a national opponent. I, on the other hand, and limited in scope to the locals in which I play. When players from my locals go to a national event, they evaluate with their experiences and what they can guess will come at them.
So in short, when a local player gets lucky enough to have a YCS in their locale, he does not get to have a home field advantage. He is stepping into the evironment of the Billy Brake's of Yu-Gi-Oh. So, if you want to win a YCS, you need to go to many YCS's. Do you really think Billy Brake got to day 2 on his first or second YCS? I doubt it.
Imagine, the creepiest looking YCS topper and get a image of him playing Yu-Gi-Oh with the words "Welcome to the Jungle" over his head, Scary.
