Qualification for the MoFI was awarded to the highest ranked player from each of our home countries (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales), the winner of a previous GenCon UK and the top finishers from the three main tournaments held over the course of the convention. Places were also awarded to one randomly drawn player from each clan at the Victories Cost storyline tournament, along with several other awards, including a special Spirit of Rokugan award that we awarded  to the players or players we felt best exemplified what makes a great Five Rings player. Due to the fact we found it impossible to separate them, the Spirit award went to Gary Whittle and Ian Dutton. To complete the thirty-two player line-up we drew random places from the winners of the side events held at GCUK.

As highest ranked Welsh player, I took my seat with the other players. As I'd spent the rest of the convention judging, this was going to be my only tournament of the con. I'd planned to build a Scorpion deck on Saturday night, but due to the fact we didn't finish the storyline tournament until the early hours of Sunday morning, I just didn't find the time. Instead I went with the only deck that I had, a Horde stomp deck that I'd brought along for someone else to use at Midnight Madness. I knew Horde were very strong in thirty-thirty, but expected them to be considerably metagamed against due to this. This is how the day went.

Round One - Drew Ricketts (Shadowlands/Nio Sensei)

I should point out that if I'd gone with Scorpion, I would have played Ruined Fortress Dishonour, so this would have been a really tough match-up. Drew actually got off to a better start, drawing more gold and faster personalities than me, along with an early Dark Oracle of Water. The game swung on Drew's attempt to destroy two provinces in one turn. I managed to repel both attacks, using Dark Lord's Favor to reduce his Kukanchi's force to zero after he had dumped his entire hand to gain just enough force to destroy both my army and my province. That turn he brought Oni No Ianwa into play, and although he still had considerable force, without a hand I was able to attack and take his provinces without fear of any surprises.

Round Two - Gary Whittle (Crane/Hantei Sensei)

As one of this year's winners of the Spirit of Rokugan, Gary is just about the perfect Five Rings opponent. Every game I've played against him has been an absolute delight, and this one was no different. Unfortunately, my deck just hit overdrive in this game, and after Gary used Hantei on Evil Portents and I named Entrapping (Gary had two in his hand at the time), I managed to destroy his provinces fairly quickly. We had enough time for a friendly, and I have to say that playing against Gary at this early point really relaxed me and put me in a good frame of mind for the rest of the tournament. Thanks, mate.

Quarter Final - Jimi Koivisto (Phoenix/Hantei Sensei)

 Jimi was, for me, the player of the convention. He placed highly in all of the tournaments, and earned his place in the Invitational by finishing runner-up in the storyline. His deck was just plain scary, a dishonour/Master of Five deck that just about hammered every deck going all weekend. Obviously Jimi would have to concentrate on MoF against my screaming beasties, but the deck contained enough defensive contingencies to seriously worry me. Jimi got off to a quick start, getting out early personalities and some quick corrupt gold. I turned over a Desperate Measures on the third turn, which Jimi avoided. On his next turn, with two personalities out, Jimi attached Rise from The Ashes to one of them. I used Dark Lord's Favor more out of habit than anything else, dishonouring his other shugenja. Jimi Rose, preventing my growing  forces from attacking that turn, and bowed to me. I should point out that due to the fact I hadn't tuned the deck much,  I'd left The Fallen Lion Fortress in the deck, rather than replace it  with Kolat Duplicate as I'd planned. I was hit with a Duplicate on the first two turns in no less than four of my six games, which was slightly galling. However, FLF won me this game. It knocked Jimi down to minus two honour, and without enough to personalities in his deck to get him back into positive honour and give him a shot at MoF, he chose to graciously concede. I'd just like to say how impressed I was with all the Finnish players (Jimi, Henri, Eero, Petteri and Marko). They were all fantastic players, and genuinely nice guys. I look forward to seeing them make a big impact on European tournaments in the future.

Semi-Final - Martin Provoost (Unicorn/Toshimoko Sensei)

Martin is a very good friend of mine and a fellow member of Clan Cymru. He had done well in all the tournaments so far, and I knew I'd be in for a very difficult game. As it happened, Martin surprised my by conceding before we even started, stating that as I hadn't played over the convention I deserved to go through. It was a fantastic gesture and one that I very much appreciated. Thanks yet again, bro'. I owe you for this, mate.

The other semi-final was a repeat of the 1998 GCUK final, as the two players who helped establish the Crane as a force to be reckoned with in this country, Mark Wootton and Tom Mulheims, faced each other once more. In a move that surprised no-one who knew these two friends, they decided not to play and instead hold a haiku competition for who would go through. The two haiku were presented to a judge, who deemed Tom's to be the more worthy.

Final - Tom Mulheims (Crane/Hantei Sensei)

I've played Tom on more than one occasion in the past, and in my  opinion he is one of the very best players around. What's more, he was playing his true clan here, Esteemed House Crane. So with a deep breath, we commenced battle. Tom's decks are always creative and fun to play against. Nio really turned this game, though. For maybe ninety percent of the game Tom saw no gold except for a first turn Hiruma Dojo which he was unable to bring out. My deck was pretty slow, and I only saw gold on the my first turn. On Tom's second turn he bowed for the Favor, attacked and played Arrival of the Emerald Champion! Luckily I had a Confusion in my opening hand to prevent the indignation of losing an early province to the Cranes. The game revolved a few crucial turns after Tom turned up the Ki-Rin. He needed to reach fifteen honour, and if he had the game was over. Tom was an experienced enough player to name Hantei Portents before bringing it out, and with two Ariteko's and the Favor to ensure the Ki-Rin remained honourable, there was no way I would have been able to attack. Fortunately, Tom's own Occult Murders managed to remove his solitary Poet from play, and we entered a standoff, as I tried to rebuild my forces (Tom had also Ambushed one of my units after a failed attack). Finally, with Tom on fourteen honour I attacked. The fortunes were on my side, and a Dark Lord's Favor reduced Daidoji Uji experienced's force to nothing, allowing me to just scrape through. After that I managed to overpower Tom's remaining units, and although the Emerald Champion arrived again, Deadly Ground stopped him from cutting my army to shreds. Tom refused to go out without a fight, though. His one remaining Ariteko, after being dishonoured by DLF, decided enough was enough and Ambushed my largest unit. With a smile I passed, and Tom Wedged her! This drew a huge round of applause, and all credit to Tom for smiling through it all. With no defenders left, I took Tom's last two provinces and earned the right to challenge Justin aka Isawa Hochiu, the Master of Fire.

Challenge Match - Justin Walsh (Phoenix/Hantei Sensei)

I'd seen Justin's deck on paper and in action during the storyline tournament the day before, which of course Justin won. Nothing prepared me for the sheer power of it, however. I did next to nothing the entire game, and it really seemed like everything I did Justin had a counter for. The only lucky thing for Justin was an early Kolat Duplicate, but even at that stage I felt Justin had the game well and truly under control. A Purity of the Seven Thunders later and the games was realistically over. Stubbornness prevented me from conceding, and I played out the remainder of the game just marvelling at how good his deck was. Justin is a truly worthy world champion, and I felt privileged to play against him.

So I'd won the Invitational, but failed in the Challenge. This is something that we're looking at making a yearly event on the UK Five Rings calender, and if the standard is anywhere near as good as it was this year, it should be some tournament.

I look forward to seeing you there next year.

With respect