Wizard Newsletter: August 1, 2009.

It’s time for another Mac’s Moment

The 2009 Wizfest tournament in Scarborough Ontario brought together some of the best players in North America. Little know Jacqueline Wells, better known as Fiery came away with the victory and was crowned the 2009 Champ. I had a chance to sit with her at a local Mcdonald’s restaurant in Downtown Toronto to get all the details.

Mactonight – Congrats Fiery

Fiery – I WON I WON I WON. I just can’t believe it!

Mactonight – You did it. Well done.

Fiery – I owe it all to you Mac.

Mactonight – Me?

Fiery – All those lessons I learned from the Toronto East club.

Mactonight – Whatever

Fiery – I remember the Pictor Tourney where you won!

Mactonight – I did win that didn’t I?

Fiery – And I learned what you did to win and used the same strategies to win.

Mactonight – Your mockery of me is appreciated.

Fiery – Well Mac you are the B tourney Champ.

Mactonight –Shut up!

Fiery – Toronto East Club members won both tourneys. It’s too bad none of us played in the Demo Tourney. We could have had a clean sweep.

Mactonight – Yeah!

Fiery - Then your Wizfest Predictions helped.

Mactonight – How could that help?

Fiery – I think it cursed a lot of players. Putting unnecessary pressure on them to do well.

Mactonight – I really am that powerful.

Fiery – You’re a good sport Mac.

Mactonight –Now then, let’s run it down for the folks, tell us about your road to victory?

Fiery – Well, it started Friday at the social, Wayne and I arrived around 6:30 and saw a tourney in progress.

Mactonight – I was not a big fan of that tourney

Fiery – You didn’t like the concept of the game?

Mactonight –It wasn’t that at all. It’s just…. the tourney ran for about 4 hours which meant I couldn’t talk to 50% of the people there because they were all playing and concentrating on it. How am I going to get material if I can’t talk to people?

Fiery – So you were twitting instead?

Mactonight –I think it’s called a Tweet.

Fiery – At the social I did some practicing, learned a thing or two, watched as Wayne got vomited on and watched Sungoddess waste all her luck going perfect for three rounds at that demo tourney. Well done Jennifer.

Mactonight – At the tourney on Saturday?

Fiery – Played three games in the first round, came in 4th in the first game, won the second game which I was quite proud of because Trapizoid was on that table and I beat him. I thought, wow, if I can beat Trap maybe I’m better than I think I am.

Mactonight –So you gained some confidence.

Fiery – There’s nothing like going from playing against a champion to playing against a jerk.

Mactonight – A Jerk? You didn’t play against me.

Fiery – Not you that Geremie guy

Mactonight – I heard something about him, fill us in.

Fiery – Well I guess he had a bad start to the tourney coming in 5th and 3rd and he figured he needed to come in first to make it. The first three hands were just terrible for him and he got a little unlucky, so he figured he’d start bidding and not taking any tricks, or he started bidding 1 and taking 5. He kind of screwed up the whole table.

Mactonight -Doesn’t seem fair.

Fiery – There’s nothing in the rules that says he can’t do it, but it’s a tournament you’d think he’d know better than to do that.

Mactonight – Were you on the table that had the three extra cards?

Fiery: No, a deck of 63?

Mactonight – Yeah, one table had three extra cards and didn’t notice until round 11. You’d think someone would notice two 6’s in their hand or that the 10 of spades was played twice.

Fiery- Well that would have been funny.

Mactonight - You advanced to the quarter-finals where you won the table and moved on to the semi-finals.

Fiery – The Semi-finals were tough, but it was really tough on Trapizoid, he was on a table with Abacus, Billfromthebar and AP Sirius and my man Wayne.

Mactonight – That was a tough table.

Fiery – Wayne told me Abacus and AP Sirius were all over Trap, taking pretty much everything he tried to play and it worked, Trap was eliminated, but so was AP Sirius and my man Wayne.

Mactonight –Which kind of opened the door. Two-time winner out in the semis.

Fiery – In my semi-finals Ross and I moved on, but I didn’t realize I came in second, I was surprised when he said it was me.

Mactonight – Then the finals!

Fiery – It was a fun table. Anita was having a blast, Abacus and Nightrunner were insulting each other back and forth, Billfromthebar, Ross and I were just happy to be there.

Mactonight – Very nice.

Fiery – And at round 10 I had an 80 point lead. I had 2 wizards and 2 jesters and after everyone finished bidding I realized I had no chance to lose.

Mactonight –Can you describe what it’s like to win?

Fiery – I really can’t. I was just hoping to get out of the first round, but to win it all – It’s really unbelievable.

Mactonight – The trophy this year looked amazing. Do you have a spot to display it?

Fiery – It’s already sitting on my mantel. The stories I will be able to tell.

Mactonight –You logged into the site in 2006, but I haven’t seen you play much.

Fiery – No, but I do like the online game it’s fun.

Mactonight – So what’s next for you now?

Fiery – Well I’m just impressed to see my name with Master Points beside it.

Mactonight –Sixty points, a good start.

Fiery – So now I have to focus on building it, get to Earth status. Maybe I’ll start in September with the PicTor Tourney. Are you going to be there to defend your title?

Mactonight –I will be. It’s really the only live tourney I’ve won.

Fiery – Mac, you just won the B Tourney. That is still an impressive victory.

Mactonight – Blah!

Fiery – Imagine if you lost.

Mactonight – Geez, I’d have to quit.

Fiery – You’re pathetic. Do you think Merlin should quit or Sladist. They were there in the B finals and didn’t win.

Mactonight –No, but they are not me. I have issues.

Fiery – and I have the 2009 Wizfest Champion trophy sitting on my mantel.

Mactonight –And I have a piece of paper that says I won the B tourney.

Fiery – What are you going to do with that?

Mactonight –I’m going to photocopy it and send it to Charmin.

Fiery – Charmin?

Mactonight –The toilet paper company. Going to have them print it on a roll of paper and use it in my bathroom.

Fiery – Oh Mac.

* Join me next month as Mac and his guest sing a song worthy of the B side.

Wizard Fest Toronto 2009 Results

Main Tournament

1. Jacqueline Wells (Fiery)............520.....$300.....60 M.P.

2-3. Ken McCoy (abacus)..............380.....$150.....45

2-3. Bernie Lee (Billfromthebar)....380......$150....45

4. Sharon Leger (nightrunner).........340......$50......30

5. Anita Gray..................................310......$50......20

6. Ross Weir...................................300......$50......10

B Tournament

1. Marko Sapiano.(mactonight)...520.....$50.....16 M.P.

2-3. George Wellsbury (merlin)...480.....$35.....12.5

2-3. Stephen Mills (the steve).....480.....$35.....12.5

4. Ted McCoy.............................420.....$20.......8

5. Mike Blais (sladist).................350.....$10.......5

6. Nesta Pickering.......................330.................3

Joe's Demo Tournament

1. Jennifer Anderson (sungoddess)...18 points....................22 M.P.

2. Ted McCoy...................................15 points....................16.5

3. Ken McCoy (abacus)....................12 points (score 970)......11

4. Shirley Airdrie............................12 points ( score 580)......5.5

Brief Recap of Wizard Fest 2009

The 2009 Wizard Fest was held at the Delta Toronto East Hotel on July 17-18

The Friday Welcoming Reception was held in the Scarborough Suite which consisted of 2 separate rooms, one of which was used as the area in which the food was presented. The larger room had sofas, chairs, coffee tables, TV, lamps, etc plus a separate bar area. In addition there was an entrance foyé and a washroom.. The affair started at 4 pm and wound up around 11:30. The main activity was schmoozing but other events included a demonstration Wizard Tournament hosted by Joe Andrews in which 22 people participated. There was a “match-up-the baby-picture” contest and a brief “Dutch Auction”. The booze flowed copiously and the delicious food disappeared quickly which indicated people were enjoying themselves tremendously. Everyone received a Wizard T-shirt on departure. I am sure everyone had a great time which was the raison-d’ętre of the event.

The all-day Saturday Tournament took place in the Heritage Room which was located off the large indoor Atrium. The room was glassed on one side so that the greenery of the Atrium was always visible. A light breakfast was provided during registration and a coffee break in the afternoon also included light refreshments. The tournament schedule worked well and no major problems were encountered. The Tournament results are posted above. Congratulations to the winners and finalists.

2009 Photos: If you took pics at the show I’d love to have you send me the ones that you think are best for public viewing. I’ll put a selection together, make a CD and send a copy to everyone whose contribution is used.

Please identify the people in the pics for me and please provide a mailing address where I can send the finished disk. Thanks

Aside: Some people were asking about Tournament winners attending the German World Tournament. That is still a possibility for 2010. Amigo-Spiele declined to host in 2009 due to major internal transformations but expressed an interest in 2010. So if Amigo decides to host the World Championship in September or October of 2010 the Canadian and/or American Champion(s) may be sponsored to attend.

Fantasy Deck(s)

As previously reported “U.S. Games Systems” will be selling the German Fantasy deck which will be provided with English rule translations.

The art work for “North American Fantasy Deck” that I am having prepared is now complete and the final stage of color selection has begun.

I hope to make it available for download on the site as an option in the near future barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Results of Hidden Bid Tournament of July 27

Hidden Bid..July 27.09..Host mactonight.

*26 players

1-2. Eldor...............240.........24 MP

1-2. Frostie............240.........24

3. ap sirius..........220.........17.5

4. vj....................210.........13

5. wizard............180..........8.5

6. rfessu.............130..........4.5

Indy 2009 (GenCon)

AMERICAN FANTASY WIZARD TOURNAMENT

When? Saturday August 15, 2009

Where? Indianapolis (GenCon Convention)

Hours: 8 a.m - 6 p.m.

Who? Open to all but limited to max. of 60

Registration: Players must register through GenCon.

Badge Type: ...Pre-Registration (Feb. 15 – June 27).......Onsite (Aug. 13 –16)

4-Day Badge............................$68................................$78

1-Day Badge (Thurs-Sat)...........$38..................................$48

1-Day Badge (Sun).....................n/a.................................$28

Pre-registration will only be available online through the registration system. GenCon accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express for payment. Checks and Money Orders are not accepted at any time. An admissions tax will be charged for all onsite badge purchases.

For direct info go to the GenCon site:

http://www.gencon.com/2009/indy/default.aspx

Canadians attending this event will require a passport to enter the USA.

Tentative Cash Prizes & Master Points. Based on 60 players

1. $300.......60 M.P.

2. $200.......50 M.P.

3. $100.......40 M.P.

4. $50.........30 M.P.

5. $50.........20 M.P.

Fantasy decks of Wizard Cards will be used in place of the regular Wizard decks for this tournament. They are almost identical to the German decks which are available as an alternative download on the Wizard site.

Current Top 10 Worldwide Rankings

1 0935.5.....cargobeep.

2 0795.5.....merlin

3 0777........Mactonight

4 0743.......abacus

5 0657…...wizard

6 0595…...trapizoid

7 0581.5...ap sirius

8 0559.5...Twit Meister

9 0460.5...karmakarma

10 0437.5...Mr. Wizard.

Lansing Michigan Area Players Take Note

Wizard Tournament, Lansing, MI August 1, 2009

Featuring 5 Round Qualfying Format, and modified Rules

4 Player Tables, Matrix Matchpointing, and Playoffs.

Entry fee - $20 / 100% Return to the Prize Fund

Limited to first 32 players who register

For more information, send an email to Joe Andrews at

Heartsmoon@aol.com or check out:

www.grandprixtournaments.com

Have a great Summer

wizard