“Crown of Sand Semi Final.

Going into the game on paper, I was pretty comfortable with the task at hand. Dragons’ LRB4 FF bloated Khemri had one Tackler, his Guards were both immobile, and he didn’t have a ball carrier to speak of that could look after a ST4 Wardancer. I had 4 SI from the last game, but I didn’t feel that would make too much of a difference really. The match itself all turned into a bit of a nightmare.

I kicked with Sidewinder and Babes, and promptly began to find 1s. PeteW looked for a surf early but fluffed a safety GFI, putting him out of the game for a while, attracting DP attention with his side already 2 BH down. Still, it was easy enough to get shots at the ball on the largely defenceless Khemri with other players, but I didn‘t want to go too early, I felt there was bags of time and ample opportunity to strike. Eventually we got it down after a looseish cage let PeteW in, only to snake for getting away to punt or pass to score. Dragons eventually killed Pete (apo worked) and KO’d Duke with less meat shields about to give me more time for another ball shot, so WDless, he could walk into score. OTS was upset by snakes first thing, so, second half.

Fairly routine 8 turn Elfstall, dice weren’t too bad, certainly no more snakes when dodging cages away or anything. I played for 8 in the belief whichever way the OT coin went I could get the job done. I got a jammy CAS at one point. Dragons played fine, his team just didn’t really have anything to cope. Got to OT with 9 Elves and 4 RR, and ended up kicking. I didn’t feel too bad about this, I have to admit I didn’t think I could be as unlucky at the ball hit second time around, I still felt favourite to win the game. As it was, Dragons removed enough so that I couldn’t immobilise Guard for an easy 2D. Sidewinder continued to fluff Gaze attempts, and eventually I pulled the trigger on a 1D, ball could go anywhere kind of affair, with AG5 lurking and a Catcher ready to ice the game. I was pretty much out of time down to 6 or 7 Elves and in a poor position to play for time, if I remember correctly. I think more than half the time it would have landed good enough to get away and win, or at least in a really tricky spot for the Khemri, but as it was, it found 3 TZ in a fine position. I fluffed the AG5 pickup with RR leaving the AG5 surfable, and chaos ensued. I got one more chance at the win, this time on a 6 with RR, but no deal, and PeteW was dispatched to the niggle box leaving the victory a synch.

Obviously, it’s a bit of a kick in the wotsits to get booted out of the first Major I’ve had a proper go at in a way that feels a bit dice related, but it’s been a fun ride. I could conceivably have lost any game to get to this stage of the competition, so it’s with a hint of irony that I went out in what seemed the ‘easiest’ game on paper before kickoff that I‘ve played. BB reminds us that upsets happen every day, and it’s why we love the game. Dragons was as fun as the rest of my opponents have been, and played more than well enough to win with the gifts presented to him along the way; he went after WDs and used his Guards well when I couldn't lock them down. I’ve certainly had plenty of fortune in this tournament (as anyone that’s got this far has along the way), so I can’t bleat on too much about dice here - even if it will take a few hours to get over how it all went down in the end.

All the best in the final, I can’t really see a Khemri victory on paper… But then, upsets happen!”