Martin Akesson

From SWCCG Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Martin Akesson at FreedomCon 2001.

Martin Akesson is a Swedish player who was runner-up at the 2001 Decipher World Championship (FreedomCon) and won the 2000 European Championship in Brussels.[1] He won the DecipherCon 1999 Team Event with Paul Todd Feldman, Koen Meijssen and Yannick Lapointe.[1]

Service

Dates Service
By August 2000 Tournament director[1]

Interviews

Trandosite, 31 August 2000

Interview conducted by Rod Latham on Trandosite.[1]

Site player profile:

Martin Akesson has proved himself as one of Sweden's greatest SWCCG players. His performances in major championships is among the best in the world - he qualified for the World Championships in 1998 and 1999 (where he finished 7th), finished 3rd at Gen Con '99 and scored major victories at Goth Con and King Con in Sweden. Earlier this month he achieved his greatest success of all, winning the European Championships at Brussels, Belgium. In team events, Martin has also excelled - winning the team tournament at DecipherCon '99 with Paul Feldman, Koen Meijsen and Yannick LaPointe. He is also a tournament director, and writes regularly for both Sweden's Regional Website (where he answers strategic questions) and Decktech (where he is a columnist).

1. How did you get involved in SWCCG, and what attracted you to the game?

I started to play magic six years ago, so we went to those hangouts for role- and card players. A friend of mine bought some cards of premiere when it was released and introduced me to the game. Since I've been a star wars fan all my life, it didn't take long for me to get involved. I still had magic as my primary card game untill the release of hoth i think. By this time we got more involved, and started to know the rules better. Star Wars is a better game then magic, since it requires more skill, both when you build your decks and when you play. Eventually i quit magic, and traded all dual lands and stuff for star wars mains. Ever since star wars has been the one game for me.

2. How did it feel playing in both the World Championships of 1998 and 1999? Any highlights?

Both years were awesome! off course, 98 was kind of a bad year with the SE problems, but it still was a lot of fun. I still blaim myself for not spending enough time on deck building, when you look back at the decks I used i feel quite ashamed. I did not play opperatives, just looked at them and threw them away, concidering them as just another useless strategy. The highlights must have been when i qualified for day 2 last year, or when i beat Clint in the last game. But maybe meeting so many new friends was the best part.

3. What are the strongest and weakest parts of your game?

I think deckbuilding, and keeping focus on my game so that i don't make mistakes are my strongest parts. But when I feel I'm going to win the game I often lose focus, which might lead to stupid mistakes. I also wish i could know the rules better, I have lots to learn there

4. How do you rate the level of play in your native Sweden?

Very hard to tell, since the only times i have played outside Sweden is at big conventions and at worlds. But I think the level is higher then most think, our region is actually the second biggest in Europe (I think). Sweden has now got two persons qualifyed for worlds, so we've got to be pretty good, dont we!

5. What do you think of the latest expansion, Death Star II? Are ultra rares a good introduction?

In total, i like Death Star II a lot. There are not so many useless rares as in the other expansions, and it seems to be balanced. I don't like the ultra rares, since I don't buy much cards, usually 1-2 boxes per expansion. I lend those cards I don't have from friends though, so i don't suffer from it that much as many others do. I also got an 18 card booster with 2 rares in my box... I don't complain about that!

6. You have influenced many players through your writing on Decktech (your Ralltiir Ops deck caused a huge surge in that objectives use across the USA) - how did you get involved with this and is this something you particularly enjoy?

Well, I found decktech last winter when a friend of mine recomended it to me, so I signed up and sent some decks in, to gain access. Neal, one of the webmasters sent me a mail as soon as I joined and told me that he remembered my manipulation decks from the old star wars page "The Dragons Fang". He convinced me to write some article, so I did. The Raltiir deck became popular, since it was high rated, and it was fun to see it being used by big players and winning tournaments. In the same way, I take many ideas from decktech.

Nowdays, I rarely post anything there, but i check almost daily for tournament reports, and for any new decks. Tournament reports are very good to learn what decks that work, and what to meta against.

7. You are now the European Champion 2000. Did you enjoy the Brussels event this year, and does your success here put pressure on you to perform in the future?

I very much enjoyed Brussels. The best part was meeting old friends, and playing against players I've been looking forward to play against, Martin Falke, Bastian Winkelhaus, Nick Rice, Mat Allen to nemtion a few. I guess it puts pressure on me, but that is just good since it pushes me to do better. I also put a lot of pressure on myself, I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to star wars.

8. What do you enjoy doing outside of SWCCG?

I just started to study for a master of science degree, and so far it's pretty fun. In the winters i usually go north snowboarding. In the summers i try to do as much wakeboarding as possible, as often as the weather allows it which isn't too often. Also, music is an important part of my life, I play the guitarrs, but also listen to music a lot. I enjoy bands like Tool, Deftones and Smashing Pumpkins among others.

9. If you could play any player in the world, who would you most like to play and why?

If I can only say one, it has to be Gary Carman. I know he is a very good player, and a nice guy, but he is also the world champ! Other big names i haven't played against are Steven Lewis and veterans like Joe Alread and Paul Feldman.

10. What is the biggest misconception in SWCCG?

That it is based on luck (like many other card games are). Luck is a very small part of SWCCG, the thing that matters is the time you spend on the game.

Many thanks!

Tournament Results

Date Event Format Finish Dark Light
15–18 November 2001 2001 Decipher World Championship Premiere - Reflections III 2nd Tatooine Occupation[2] Lightsaber Combat
4 August 2001 2001 Malmö Swedish Open Premiere - Tatooine DQ (after round 3)[3] Maul's hut deck with the Jabba's Palace sites podprofit
3 August 2001 2001 Malmö Coruscant Pre-release Sealed Deck [3]
3 August 2001 2001 Malmö team tournament (3 August) 1st (team)[3]
28 July 2001 2001 Antwerp Belgian Open Premiere - Tatooine 5th[3] twix mains deck (8 twixes, Presence of the Force and beatdown interrupts) podprofit
2001 (before 20 May) 2001 Swedish National Championship Premiere - Reflections II 1st[4] Carbon Chamber Testing
8 October 2000 2000 DecipherCon Team Event Premiere - Jabba's Palace Sealed Deck 3rd[5] Court (rancor)
7 October 2000 2000 DecipherCon Japanese Sealed Deck (7 October) Japanese Sealed Deck [5]
7 October 2000 2000 DecipherCon Japanese Sealed Deck (7 October) Japanese Sealed Deck [6]
5–7 October 2000 2000 Decipher World Championship (Day 2) Premiere - Death Star II missed the twelve Bring Him Before Me[7] Yavin 4: Massassi Throne Room
5 October 2000 2000 DecipherCon Jabba's Palace Sealed Deck (5 October) Jabba's Palace Sealed Deck (format) 2nd[5] Jabba's Palace sealed (skiffmasters, Sandwhirl)
11 August 2000 2000 Brussels Grand Slam Premiere - Death Star II 1st[8] Bring Him Before Me with heavy drain potential and heavy sac Hidden Base with the new Falcon, undercover spies and many interrupts
August 2000 2000 European Championship Premiere - Death Star II 1st Ralltiir Operations, 'Martins Lek'[8] Profit speed deck, 'dodge this!' (convinced by Jesper Larsson to play Profit)[8]
1 July 2000 2000 Toola Regionals Premiere - Endor 2nd[8]
9 April 2000 2000 Swedish National Championship Sealed Deck Sealed Deck 5th[9]
8 April 2000 2000 Swedish National Championship Premiere - Endor 1st[9] Ralltiir Ops ('same old ROPs almost'), shared with Patrik Wallgren 'Big Banana': Throne Room mains similar to Clint Hays's and Charlie Herren's, with more grabbers and Obi-Wan With Lightsaber
20 February 2000 2000 King Con Sunday tournament Premiere - Endor 1st[10] Ralltiir Ops (with Monnok and Masterful Move) speeder ops beatdown (Clint Hays style), Local Uprising with Clak'dor VII Operatives and 20 speeders
19 February 2000 2000 King Con Hoth scenario 1st[10]
19 February 2000 2000 King Con Sealed Deck 2nd[10] sealed LS (Rendezvous Point, Traffic Control, Mantellian Savrip, high destinies)
13 November 1999 1999 Decipher World Championship (Day 2) Premiere - Endor 7th[11]
13 November 1999 DecipherCon 1999 Enhanced Sealed Deck Enhanced Format Sealed Deck [12]
13 November 1999 1999 Decipher World Championship ECC Sealed 1–2 record[12]
12 November 1999 1999 Decipher World Championship (Day 1) Premiere - Endor 8th[13]
12 November 1999 1999 Decipher World Championship [14] Ralltiir Operations Hidden Base X-wing / Tatooine Celebration (full list in report), Day 1, Anti-Hunt Down Hidden Base pulling 1/0 sites and Dagobah cards, Undercover spies instead of Transmission Terminated, no battlegrounds, Day 2[12]
12 November 1999 DecipherCon 1999 Japanese Sealed Deck Japanese Sealed Deck Dropped after game 1[12]
11–14 November 1999 DecipherCon 1999 Team Event Premiere - Endor 1 (team)[1] — —
11 November 1999 DecipherCon 1999 Progressive Sealed Deck 1st[12]
21–22 November 1998 1998 Decipher World Championship[15] Premiere - Special Edition
1998 1998 Toola Regional (Malmö) Premiere - Jabba's Palace 1st[16] Manipulator using Jabba's Palace (start) with Expand the Empire, Jabba and Scanning Crew Light side mains'n toys deck with Mantellan Savrip, Weapon Levitation and 4 Tunnel Vision (Yavin Throne Room start)

A blank place means no posted standings give the player's place.

Decklists

Decks published on Trandosite (see Trandosite decks):

Miscellaneous decklists

Date Format Title Side
6 January 2000 Premiere - Endor ECC version of the AT-ST ROPs deck Dark
9 January 2000 Premiere - Endor Lejfastator (worlds deck) Light
11 January 2000 Premiere - Endor I can make my own decks too Light
17 January 2000 Premiere - Endor ISB Swedish flavour Dark
27 January 2000 Premiere - Endor Mains-thing in true Swedish fashion Light
30 January 2000 Premiere - Endor Martin/Maarten Raltiir ops Dark
29 February 2000 Premiere - Endor Herring Light
9 March 2000 Premiere - Endor Baile De Los Locos Dark
31 March 2000 Premiere - Endor Evil Fish Dark
2 May 2000 Premiere - Endor Dantooine Cowboys Light
11 September 2000 Premiere - Death Star II The Celebration (The Conterpart) Light
11 September 2000 Premiere - Death Star II The Ocucupation (Tatooine ROPs) Dark
20 May 2001 Premiere - Reflections II Steken (the steak) Dark
5 August 2001 Premiere - Tatooine Martin Akesson LS Light
25 November 2001 Premiere - Reflections III This deck is better Light

Tournament reports

Appearances

Date Publication Title
April 2000 Star Wars Insider #48 All Decked Out[17]

Photographs

  • Martin Akesson, 1999 Worlds finalist. Photo: Decipher.
    Martin Akesson, 1999 Worlds finalist. Photo: Decipher.
  • Martin Akesson at DecipherCon 1999. Photo: Decipher.
    Martin Akesson at DecipherCon 1999. Photo: Decipher.

See also


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Martin Akesson interview, Trandosite (31 August 2000)
  2. ↑ All Your Base Are Belong to EUROPE, DeckTech (Bastian "Death Star" Winkelhaus, 21 November 2001). Preserved copy: Internet Archive
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 the-european-tour-2001, DeckTech (Martin "Mart" Akesson, 9 August 2001). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  4. ↑ Steken (the steak), DeckTech (Martin "Mart" Akesson, 20 May 2001). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 deciphercon-report-2000, DeckTech (Martin "Mart" Akesson, 12 October 2000). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  6. ↑ coruscant-operative-reporting, DeckTech (Chris "Jank" Jank, 13 October 2000). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  7. ↑ info-brokers-worlds-day-2-report, DeckTech (Tim "Info Broker" Guzman, 11 October 2000). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 european-continentals, DeckTech (Martin "Mart" Akesson, 16 August 2000). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 swedish-championships, DeckTech (Martin "Mart" Akesson, 11 April 2000). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 king-con-vasteras-sweden-20-21-feb, DeckTech (Martin "Mart" Akesson, 20 February 2000). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  11. ↑ DecipherCon 1999 – Event Scores: 1999 SW World Championships Day 2, Decipher. Preserved copy: Internet Archive
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 world-championships-by-martin-akesson, DeckTech (Martin "Mart" Akesson, 9 January 2000). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  13. ↑ DecipherCon 1999 – Event Scores: 1999 SW World Championships, Decipher. Preserved copy: Internet Archive
  14. ↑ day-one-world-championships, DeckTech (Matt "Old Skooler" Lush, 16 November 1999). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  15. ↑ 1998 World Championship packet, Decipher / Kendrick Summers (20 November 1998). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  16. ↑ scandinavian-regional-98, DeckTech (Martin "Mart" Akesson, 27 September 2000). Preserved copy: Internet Archive.
  17. ↑ Rich Handley, "All Decked Out", Star Wars Insider #48 (April 2000), pp. 78–79. Scan: Star Wars Insider 48, Internet Archive.
Retrieved from "https://wiki.swccg.com/index.php?title=Martin_Akesson&oldid=147632"