HOLIDAY Sportz (1st Americas Continentals, 7-0)

Hee hee, I'm bad as Michael Jackson

This list is based off of the latest and greatest Sportz FA deck, Blamechanger. I wish I could say I had a hand in building it, but it was mostly a product of repeated testing by many other members of our testing group. This version is an ICE-heavier version meant to deal with the rise in Apocalypse/Clot hybrid Maxx decks. It beat @Limes' exciting Virus Loup on stream, as well as a 419 deck and five Maxx decks of various flavors. (Big shoutout to @CritHitD20's exciting Apoc Maxx with Swifts, Wanton Destructions and Run Amoks)

With regards to the card choices:

Agenda suite - This hasn't changed from Blamechanger. Vacheron is unfair, Luminal is disgusting, Megaprix and Vitruvius are your bread and butter, and Hyperloop is great bait.

ICE suite - Going from No-ICE +5 to No-ICE +12 is a big jump. But it's sorely needed to combat the increase in Maxx's disruption. In testing, we had lots of issues with Clot lock that Ark Lockdown just wasn't solving, so the solution that some of us went for was just to build heavier remotes. These 12 ICE are the strongest gearchecks, and the three Magnets were essential to disarming Botulus threats as well as providing a critical mass of ETR subroutines on codegates (to support a potential Black Orchestra Ark Lockdown plan).

Other installables - One of the sleeper hits of Sportz has been Tranquility Home Grid. It has a high trash cost, it serves as remote bait, it allows you to score off of 0 credits versus criminals who just hit you with a Diversion of Funds, it drips 2ish credits a turn if left unchecked. Rashida Jaheem is the ultimate punishment for not checking remotes. Bass and Jeeves are both good singletons, allowing you extra flexibility with your turns while also serving as effective bait with high trash costs.

3 Lateral Growth, 1 Hedge Fund - Hedge Fund is a great card, but it is not a great combo card. Lateral and Red Level Clearance encourage you to draw as much as possible, because they tack on extra value to what you're already doing: jamming. That said, Hedge Fund isn't the worst, especially if you're going to need to fire a Biotic Labor in the next turn or two.

0 Sprint, 0 Cyberdex Virus Suite - Sprint is a crutch. Just jam harder, or burn a Spin Doctor if you really need to. Cyberdex is a fine card, but doesn't help you go fast. Versus Clot lock, you just score out of a remote and versus criminals with Aumakua you just jam fast and almost never worry about purging.

I'd like to give very sincere thanks to everyone in the testing squad, NISEI members who have worked tirelessly to keep the game great, the streamers and guests who provide exceptional coverage of the weekend, and everyone who showed up for this exciting tournament. I'll be seeing you all in a few days for Intercontinentals -- here's hoping a Snare Bear takes it down!