On to the interview!
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Where are you from?
Champaign.
What year are you in school?
I’m going into senior year.
How old are you?
Just turned 17!
Where are you going to school? Centennial high school.
Can you tell us about your history with the game?
Well my history with Pokemon in general, probably not. I can’t remember a time before it was part of my life. However, I have been playing competitively on and off since I was a junior, if you can do the math there.
When did you first start?
The first tournament I ever went to was some tiny Battle Road in Rockford for my 8th birthday. I think I played a deck focused around Holon Phantoms Colorless Deoxys. I won a few games but I didn’t play again for a few years due to my parents not wanting to fund me.
When did you first get competitive?
The first time I really remember going to league on a consistent basis was after the release of Stormfront in 2009, I think.
Have you ever tried for a Worlds invite?
I would if I was able. My parents are super serious about school and me being involved in sports and stuff so if a tournament ever gets in the way of school (or at any point in swim season from like November to March), I probably just can’t make it. I’ll probably try more seriously once I’m out of high school.
What is the best you’ve ever done at a tournament?
I’ve won some Cities and Battle Roads, but mostly I just bubble.
In Seniors and in masters?
In seniors and juniors I was actually just bad at the game. I didn’t, mostly because I couldn’t, test enough. When I went to tournaments it was with bad decks because my only method of buying cards was with my parents’ money who didn’t really like me spending money on the game.
Are there any big matches from your career that stick out to you?
This past year at nationals I was playing Kyogre and the Metal player I was against had an Aegislash with 30 damage on it, a benched Cobalion with 150 damage on it, and a Jirachi and Shaymin benched with 30 damage on them each. I Ultra Balled for the one Absol I played, moved the 30 from the Shaymin to the Jirachi and Tidal Stormed for six prizes in one game. That was pretty sweet.
How many Championship Points did you have this year?
Shoot, I don’t even know. I’m not eligible for worlds, so that’s pretty much effectively zero.
How many tournaments did you go to this year?
I went to the last three city championships in the Chicago marathon when I got a small break from swimming, and I went to Kansas States as well as Ft. Wayne Regionals. Add on Nats and some LC’s and [the total is] probably around 8.
What decks did you play this year?
Yveltal. Darkrai has been my thing since it stopped being 40 bucks. I played Kyogre at Nats because I was expecting a lot of Bats and Metal, though.
What decks do you think you’ll play next year in Standard and Expanded?
I have no idea. Whatever does well in testing, I guess. If not, just Yveltal. It’s a safe play that I have a lot of experience with, and it’s super cheap.
What is your favorite card of all time?
I love N. Comeback potential I think is really important in all games.
What is your favorite deck of all time?
I honestly couldn’t tell you. I love old Darkrai with Dark Patch and Sableye, but I also like DialgaChomp and Scizor/Cherrim. RayEels and VileGar were cool too. My favorite deck is usually just the one I’m currently playing.
What was your favorite format of all time?
I always feel obligated to answer this question with “Oh it’s definitely SP format, so skill based and fast paced," but honestly when that format was a thing, I was a Junior/Senior and I wasn’t great at the game. It just wasn’t very enjoyable for me. My favorite format is usually like my favorite deck; whichever format we’re currently in.
Who do you test with the most?
Damien, Paul, CR and Daniel mostly. Luke when I can.
How much do you play online?
Barely. It seems like a hassle to me and the quality is never as good as when I actually sit down with the cards in my hands.
What do you do outside of Pokemon?
I swim during swim season but when it isn’t, I have a lot of friends at my church that I like to hang out with. I also play League of Legends and Hearthstone a lot.
What would you do if Pokemon suddenly stopped existing?
Pick up Magic or something. I like card games and any excuse to hang out with the guys I test with is a good one.
What is your favorite Pokemon?
Growlithe, but Trapinch and Breloom are close runner-ups.
Any shoutouts?
Everyone I test with, plus my non-Pokemon related friends who support me and ask how I’m doing at tourneys and stuff.
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Thanks for the interview Ben!
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Glossary:
Battle Roads- Before League Challenges, entry level tournaments were called Battle Roads. Instead of being year-round, they happened in the spring and the fall.
Chicago Marathon- Every year, around Christmas and New Years, Jimmy Ballard runs a "marathon" of City Championships in Chicago. The series is nicknamed the "Chicago marathon," and lots of great players come out and play for the Championship points at stake.
Standard vs. Expanded- The Standard format changes every year, and for the upcoming season will include every set released from the XY block, including the Kalos Starter Set. Feel free to ask a league member if a card is Standard-legal! The Expanded format consists of every set released since the base set of Black & White, but you don't need to worry about that unless you are traveling to a Regional tournament.
DialgaChomp- Dialga/Garchomp was a deck that was played upon the release of Garchomp C Lv. X, and the deck continued to exist until both Dialga G Lv. X and Garchomp C Lv. X saw rotation. The deck could tech in Palkia G Lv. X, Luxray G. Lv. X, or even Blaziken FB Lv. X. The deck had lots of options and had almost 50/50 matchups against any deck, meaning that a skillful player could pilot it very far. It was, however, a very difficult deck to play.
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