gistfile1.txt

Why wouldn't:

    db.my_collection.find({"shinies": {$elemMatch : { value1 : { "kases": {$exists : true } } } } } )

match the following document?

{
	"_id" : ObjectId("50f4908c75c10260ce8c47e9"),
        "shinies" : [
		{
			"kases" : [ "woot", stuff" ]
                },
        ],
        "other_stuff" : 7
}