Christian Zipper, Germany | openCards

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Christian Zipper, Germany

    Long-Small-BannerimagePart of the coverage for the Big-Event "EC 2007".

    This Interview with zippercommander was hold by openCards user Jaglom Shrek.

    Today we want to introduce to you another member of our writing team, Christian Zipper!

    Name: Christian Zipper
    Known on the dboards as: totally unknown
    Age: 38
    Regular player group: Magdeburg, Celle, Hannover
    Current/highest Decipher rating: 1611 (about 1700??)

    1). How did you start playing Star Trek CCG?
    I’ve been interested in Star Trek for many years. A friend bought some starter decks (1E) in 1995 und gave me one. We started with our own rules. Regular tournaments I played first in 2002. By the way, my friend quitted playing and collecting in 1997 :-(

    2). Do you play any other TCGs beside Star Trek?
    I don’t collect or play any other TCG because there is simply no time for.

    3.) How did you become member of the EC2007 writing team?
    Thorsten Wanek, the chief organisator of the EC, asked me to support the continental championship.

    4). Can you remember your first Star Trek 2E tournament? How did you do?
    I don’t really remember my first 2E tournament, I think it took place in Hannover or Celle. But I remember very well my first 1E tournament in Celle, which went not so good for me, but it was a great experience!

    5). What was the first major 2E event you attended outside of your own country or outside your regular playing area? Do you feel that your game improved after playing?
    My only one 2E event outside Germany was the EC in 2005 in Utrecht. It was a good experience to learn more about other strategies than the German players prefer.

    6). You have been running tournaments in Magdeburg (near Berlin) for years now. Can you tell us anything special about that local Metagame?
    It is difficult to keep the tournament scene alive. Many of former 1E players didn’t change to 2E and it is hard to recruit new players. But especially with the support of the players around Hannover we normally have 6-10 players on our tournaments.

    The players in Magdeburg prefer straight solvers, really interactive decks are very rare. And many players keep their “normal” deck and improve it from tournament to tournament, that means, you won’t often see really new decks in Magdeburg.

    7). The German Star Trek scene has always been the home of some top players. How do you think players from outside of Germany will fare at the event?
    I don’t know many foreign players. My only one international experience two years ago showed to me, that especially the German players were very successful, so I hope they’ll be again this year.

    8 ). Since Worlds 2006, we have seen Starfleet, Voyager and The Original Series enter the game. Do you think these 3 affiliations will make an impact at the European Championships?
    I think especially Voyager will have some strong decks.

    9). If you had to place a 10 euro bet to name 3 players to reach the final 16 on day 2, which 3 players would you choose?
    Thorsten Wanek, Tobias Rausmann and Marc Schütze.

    10). What are your personal goals that you hope to achieve at EC2007. How far do you think you will go?
    To reach day 2 would be great, but if I fail, I’ll take the opportunity to play 1E on Sunday :-)

    11). Are you already planning your European Championships deck, or will you wait until you see all the cards that will be legal?
    The main deck is already tested but it could happen that some single cards will be added or removed.

    12). If you could change one rule, or one game mechanic, of 2E, what would you do?
    I don’t know, I think, the mechanics of 2E are very well balanced and overpowered cards receive an erratum soon enough.

    13). Name your favourite ever card? Why?
    Kruge! I like his special skill and he is backwards-compatible!!

    14). Have you ever built a deck that looked great on paper, but did terrible in a tournament?
    Yes of course, and it is astonishing that a deck becomes second in a TOC and loses the first four games in den German Championship tough no card has been changed.

    15). When not playing Star Trek, what else do you enjoy doing?
    I like going to festival concerts, especially the “Wave Gotik Treffen” in Leipzig. I like the experience of various music styles (Gothic, Metal, Folk, Electro...).

    And of course I generally have a passion for gambling–games, played on a board (Monopoly, Zug um Zug – Train by train...), other card games like Doppelkopf, Dalmuti, Munchkin...