"118th? Not bad for a First Timer..."-A 118th Place Nationals Report!

     Hello fellow Pokémon players! Evan here and after a hiatus from writing articles, I'm back! I'll try to get out at least 1-3 articles every 2 weeks from now on. So now for what you've been waiting for... MY NATIONALS REPORT!!!!!

Travel and Check-in                         
                       

                                                  A 12 hour drive in a Nissan Pathfinder.

     My journey to Indy starts Wednesday the 1st at 4:30 p.m. My Dad and Grandfather drove us to the Mardi Gras Hotel to stay for the night. The next morning we left promptly at 10:00 a.m. We made it to the Convention Center at 3:42 p.m.(We skipped going to the hotel which was called LaQuinta.) I went very far back in the check-in line. I made a decent trade while I was in line. I traded a Dragon RayquazaEX (ROS 60) for 4 Baby Yveltals (NOTE:I had 3 so I could afford to trade ONE RayquazaEX).

     Funny story, when I was getting close to the check-in table, I realized that I did not have my Passport (My only Government expedited I.D.) and started frantically yelling, freaking out, and calling my Dad repeatedly (He wasn't answering.). When my Dad saw me, I asked "Do you have my Passport?" He replied "No." I was going berserk! When one of the Staff said that parents could vouch for kids, I was overjoyed. I checked in and attempted to start playing, but my Dad told me to go in front of the Giant Pikachu and he'll take a picture of me.

Last-minute Testing

                                                     None of my decks were tested.

     I had 3 contenders for Nationals that I would play. Baby Yveltal/Crobat, SeismitoadEX/Crobat, or MewMarch. In last-minute testing, Baby Yveltal/Crobat did not do well. So it was down to SeismitoadEX/Crobat or MewMarch.

     So after some more playing I still couldn't decide. Here are my MewMarch and SeismitoadEX/Crobat lists, so you could see how it was tough for me to choose:

MewMarch

Pokémon-18

4 Joltik PHF26

4 Pumpkaboo PHF44

4 Lampent PHF42

3 MewEX LTRRC24

2 ShayminEX ROS77

1 Bouffalant PRC119

Trainers-33

3 Professor Juniper

1 N

1 Lysandre

4 VS Seeker

4 Acro Bike

4 Battle Compressor

4 Ultra Ball

3 Trainers' Mail

2 Muscle Band

2 Revive

1 Computer Search

4 Dimension Valley

Energy-9

4 Double Colorless

1 Darkness

1 Fighting

1 Grass

1 Lightning

1 Metal

SeismitoadEX/Crobat

Pokemon-16

4 SeismitoadEX FFI20

4 Zubat PLS53

3 Golbat PHF32

3 Crobat PHF33

1 MewtwoEX LTR54

1 ShayminEX ROS77

Trainers-37

4 Professor Juniper

4 N

2 Colress

2 Xerosic

1 Lysandre

1 AZ

4 VS Seeker

4 Ultra Ball

4 Hypnotoxic Laser

4 Super Scoop Up

3 Muscle Band

1 Coputer Search

3 Virbank City Gym

Energy-7

4 Double Colorless

3 Water

     As you can see, both lists are very consistent and did what they were supposed to do. In the end after coming back to the hotel and waking up at 12:00 at night, I went downstairs to test and trade with a PokeCouple. (Here's a link to their website here.). Afterwards I chose to play SeismitoadEX/Crobat.

The Report

                                                    I accepted the challenge of 9 long rounds.

NOTE: I am not giving out names. And I don't remember some matches and no details, just the outcome like W/L/T.

     When I was seated in my spot (not playing yet) me and a few other Seniors were talking about random things (Like this sentence. LOL.).

R1 W
R2 L
R3 W
R4 W
R5 L
R6 T
R7 L
R8 T
R9 W

     Overall, I had a 4-3-2 Record. I had fun playing and also got my playmat signed (By all volunteers, staff, only seniors judges, and people who are well known or I played against.). I also got James Horvath's signature, (He is a member of Sixprizes just like me.).

Thanks for reading! And good luck to all going to Worlds!