Take No Imprisoners! A Top 4 US Nationals 2016 Report

This report was originally posted on Nugget Bridge on July 19th, 2016. 

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Hello everyone, my name is Grant Weldon, also known as Velocity online. I'm a competitive Pokemon VGC player from Michigan and have been playing in tournaments for just over a year now. I recently finished in the Top 4 at the 2016 US National Championships out of over 400 players in the Masters Division. Because of this result, I earned an invitation and paid trip to compete in Day 2 of the World Championships that will be happening next month in San Francisco, California. I'm extremely excited to share my story and team -- I hope you enjoy!

Special thanks to Jip Snoek (keonspy) for the artwork!

The Story

I began playing Pokemon with Diamond and Pearl in 2007. I played casually after that on and off for several years. What really got me hooked on the competitive scene, though, was watching the 2014 World Championships. I aspired to be on that stage. I aspired to be great. So I chased greatness. Every day after that, I trained as much as possible. There was a fire lit inside of me to pursue my dream.

I learned VGC by watching Aaron "Cybertron" Zheng's videos. I watched high level play over and over from previous National and World Championships and spent hours on Nugget Bridge combing through reports, learning and absorbing every detail I could about the game. I attended my first Premier Challenge in January of 2015 where I somehow managed to Top Cut. I also went 6-3 at St. Louis Regionals the next month. These two finishes reassured me as a beginner that I was doing something right, so I decided to continue my journey.

Unfortunately, I began to plateau. Two more X-3 finishes at Regionals and a 4-5 finish at Nationals inspired me to look for what I was doing wrong. They pushed me to train harder and to train smarter. I began seeing my results improve, going X-2 at 2 Regionals. Unfortunately, every time, a very small percentage knocked me out of Top Cut. Whether it was a Stone Edge miss or double Rock Slide flinch, it seemed that cutting an event remained elusive. I kept knocking at the door; I was so close, yet so far. Seeing the top players consistently rise to the top again and again showed me that there was something I was missing. I needed to figure that out to prove myself to the world.

I felt, however, that I was beginning to acclimate into the community. I had made friends from across the country and even across the world. I began to see new perspectives on the game and get new opinions about Pokemon and teams. By learning and gaining these outside viewpoints, I was able to shift my focus and enhance my gameplay even more. Ricardo Pinto (RPIndaHouse) was instrumental in this regard, helping teambuild and practice with me one-on-one. His help really allowed me to identify where I was going wrong and what I could do to fix my mistakes.

Once the 2016 season rolled around, I was able to Top Cut all 4 Midseason Showdowns I attended, and I managed to win in Columbus and make finals of Indianapolis. These really boosted my confidence going into Madison Regionals, however, I finished with another X-2 finish. My first loss was due to a double Precipice Blades miss and my second to a double Protect and another Precipice Blades miss. It seemed that once again, the Top Cut I was looking for would evade me. I was getting really frustrated, seemingly all the odds in the world were against me every time.

I didn't give up though; I never threw in the towel. I just kept my goal in mind, learning from each situation. I had failed to make it so many times, yet I persevered. I worked harder and harder, reflecting on what I had done wrong and improving along the way. I had a dream to make it onto the big stage, and I spent every moment I could working towards that dream. I did qualify for Day 1 of the 2016 World Championships, but this wasn't enough. I had achieved a large goal of mine, and I was extremely excited to play in Worlds Day 1, but this wasn't the large finish I was looking for. I would have that opportunity at the US National Championships, where I could make my dream come to fruition...

The Team-Building Process

When I first began using Double Primals, I used a team inspired by Alejandro Gomez (Pokealex) and built by Ricardo. I originally used this team because its matchup against Groudon+Xerneas was extremely good. This team featured Minimum Speed Kyogre and Groudon to sweep under Trick Room. The last slots were composed of Mega Salamence, Min Speed Smeargle, Bronzong, and Life Orb Thundurus.

The team performed well, however, Ricardo suggested that I try Maximum Speed Groudon to complement the team's faster mode. I kept the slow Kyogre because the combination of Bronzong+Kyogre was intended to beat Groudon+Xerneas teams. I also found that I rarely used Smeargle, so I switched to Ferrothorn in that slot to improve some weaker matchups.

I managed to win the Midseason Showdown in Columbus and seal my Day 1 Worlds invite with this variation. I still felt that the Ferrothorn didn't quite mesh with the team. It helped with matchups but still left me with some awkward positioning. I knew I wanted another steel type, so with the rise in Yveltal to counter teams like mine, I decided to give Mawile a go.

I really liked this iteration of the team, and I even took it to Madison Regionals. But again, I felt that Mawile was out of place. I had a large weakness to Rayquaza+Kyogre teams and to tricks such as Choice Scarf Smeargle. Groudon+Xerneas teams were increasingly difficult to beat as Xerneas were getting bulkier, and they incorporated new techs specifically for the Double Primal matchup. I tested many different Pokemon, from Lapras to Clefairy to Infernape, but none seemed to be working. I even considered scrapping the archetype and using Groudon+Xerneas, but Ricardo, Zach Droegkamp (Braverius), and Eduardo Cunha (EmbC) thankfully talked me out of it, since I was especially comfortable with playing Double Primals. I ultimately decided that Kangaskhan was the most neutral call, offering me a wide range of control against any opposing team. The final six Pokemon looked like this:

The Team

Groudon @ Red Orb  

Ability: Drought  

EVs: 12 HP / 244 Atk / 252 Spe  

Jolly Nature  

- Precipice Blades  

- Fire Punch  

- Substitute  

- Protect  

Groudon: the most dominant force in the VGC16 metagame and the first component of the Double Primal duo. Even though I had a Trick Room mode on my team, I opted for a fast Groudon; Kyogre was for the Trick Room mode. I could lead with Groudon and brute force my way through teams, then clean up with Trick Room in the back. I was able to cover both ends of the speed spectrum, and because most opponents came prepared for slow Groudon, they were often surprised or underprepared for a fast Groudon and the quick offensive pressure it exerts - even in best-of-three. The ability to deal massive amounts of spread damage with Precipice Blades after little to no setup could not have been more appreciated. Additionally, having both Primals on this team allowed for great defensive positioning; being able to switch in one of the weathers meant I could maintain control of gameflow.

Substitute was perhaps the most interesting move on this Groudon set. Having a fast Substitute initially was meant to outspeed Smeargle and block Dark Void. While this came in handy many times, Substitute was also used to buy free turns. If I expected a Protect and an attack into Groudon, I could Substitute, allowing me to gain a turn without wasting a Protect. Additionally, if the opponent had little offensive pressure on the field, I could set up a Substitute and make Groudon almost unstoppable. This was also used against opposing teams that had Icy Wind. I could Substitute in the face of Icy Wind, since Icy Wind usually doesn't break the Substitute or lower Speed through it. The 12 HP IVs place Groudon's HP at a 4n+1 number, meaning I could hypothetically set up 4 Substitutes with 1 HP remaining.

Kyogre @ Blue Orb  

Ability: Drizzle  

EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 SpA  

Quiet Nature  

IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe  

- Origin Pulse  

- Ice Beam  

- Thunder  

- Protect  

Kyogre is the second restricted Pokemon on this team and completes the Double Primal duo. Kyogre was mainly to pressure Groudon+Xerneas teams and does this exceptionally well when paired with Bronzong, especially under Trick Room. I decided to run absolute minimum Speed to be as fast as possible under Trick Room. Many players complain about Double Primal mirror matches because the first priority is learning opposing Speeds. This was never an issue with my team, however, since my Primals were maximum and minimum Speed, eliminating mindgames and making the worst-case scenario a Speed Tie. I originally ran Water Spout & Scald, but I switched to Origin Pulse & Thunder for Nationals because opposing Kyogre could be difficult to deal with. I really did not want to give up accuracy, but having Thunder allowed me to greatly improve difficult matchups. Also, many teams are surprisingly ill-equipped for Kyogre, so if I can position the Kyogre correctly against these teams, it can often have free turns to fire off large amounts of spread damage with Origin Pulse.

Salamence @ Salamencite  

Ability: Intimidate  

EVs: 4 HP / 52 Atk / 4 Def / 196 SpA / 252 Spe  

Naive Nature  

- Hyper Voice  

- Double-Edge  

- Draco Meteor  

- Protect  

Salamence is the Mega Evolution that I've had the most experience with. I often use it with Trick Room teams for the utility it provides. While this may seem counter-intuitive, Salamence does a tremendous job at supporting Trick Room. It can Intimidate potential threats to the Trick Room setter, allowing Trick Room to be set up more easily. It can also threaten massive damage, then pivot out into a slower Pokemon to begin taking advantage of the limited Trick Room turns. Additionally, once the effect wears out and the opposing team is thoroughly weakened, Salamence can return to the field and clean up with its high speed and large offense. I opted for Draco Meteor instead of Tailwind because I wanted to be able to win Salamence mirrors, and since Rayquaza was such a large threat to my team, Draco Meteor provided additional pressure to handle it. While Tailwind is good for large momentum swings, I found that I didn't find myself in situations where I needed it and instead chose to go for a more specific attack.

Kangaskhan @ Kangaskhanite  

Ability: Inner Focus  

Happiness: 0  

EVs: 12 HP / 164 Atk / 76 Def / 4 SpD / 252 Spe  

Jolly Nature  

- Frustration  

- Power-Up Punch  

- Sucker Punch  

- Fake Out  

Kangaskhan was chosen last on this team to fill the slot that Smeargle, Ferrothorn, and Mawile had once occupied. I was the least familiar with how Kangaskhan played, but I did have some experience with it. I needed a Pokemon that was versatile and just generally solid, especially against trickier threats. Fake Out pressure is extremely good at disrupting the momentum that more "gimmicky" teams rely on. It's also useful to help Groudon set up a Substitute or for Bronzong to set up Trick Room. Power-up Punch could instantly swing all offensive momentum into my favor. If +2 Kangaskhan is paired with one of the Primals, there are two powerful threats on the field to be dealt with. I opted for Frustration on Kangaskhan, because I usually don't prefer using Double-Edge in combination with Power-up Punch. Additionally, I used Frustration over Return because I would rather have zero Happiness on Kangaskhan. This is because Smeargle and Ditto usually run maximum Happiness to Transform into the more common Return variant. If one of these Pokemon Transforms into my Pokemon, however, their Frustrations will be doing minimal damage. Thanks to Nicholas Borghi (LightCore) for the EV spread.

Thundurus @ Focus Sash  

Ability: Prankster  

EVs: 4 HP / 248 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe  

Timid Nature  

IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpA  

- Thunderbolt  

- Thunder Wave  

- Hidden Power [Water]  

- Protect  

Thundurus has been one of the most consistent support Pokemon in VGC ever since it was allowed. Prankster Thunder Wave can immediately slow down offensive threats and begin putting dice rolls into the user's favor. If I couldn't bring Bronzong against a Xerneas team, I would often have to rely on Paralyzing the Xerneas before it was able to run through my team. I had used Life Orb on Thundurus all season, but I switched to Focus Sash for Nationals because it was too frail otherwise. Thundurus is able to be led against almost any opposing team because it provides a large amount of support and can even threaten offense with Thunderbolt. The absence of Taunt made Smeargle matchups a lot trickier, however I did have other means of dealing with Smeargle. I opted for Hidden Power Water instead to be able to snipe Groudon. Many teams rely solely on Groudon for offensive pressure, so I could instantly eliminate all offense on the opposing side of the field. HP Water also helped in the Double Primal mirror. Being able to threaten knockouts, switches, and the weather advantage all gave necessary leverage in combating the mirror.

Bronzong @ Chesto Berry  

Ability: Levitate   

EVs: 244 HP / 124 Def / 140 SpD  

Sassy Nature  

IVs: 0 Spe  

- Gyro Ball  

- Trick Room  

- Skill Swap

- Imprison

Last, but certainly not least... Bronzong! The bell is something that is no stranger to VGC but hasn't seen much success in more recent years. When the VGC 2016 rules were announced in December 2015, Bronzong was a Pokemon that I was using even then (there are Showdown replays to prove it!). I remember texting Chance Alexander ecstatically that I had discovered the meta call. Fast forward several months, and Pokealex had pioneered Bronzong in the new format.

Bronzong is best when supported by Kyogre, since it is then immune to Groudon's most common attacks. It can also Trick Room, shifting offensive power into the favor of my slower Kyogre. I can also Skill Swap my own Kyogre to reset the rain, allowing Kyogre to knockout a potential Groudon switch-in. This also transfers Levitate to my Kyogre, making it virtually immune to Groudon. Not only does Bronzong offer support, it pressures Xerneas offensively with Gyro Ball. This makes Bronzong a better option than Cresselia when attempting to deal with the Groudon+Xerneas core. In the final slot, I chose Imprison, perhaps the most interesting move on my entire team. I predicted that many people would be running Groudon+Xerneas teams with Cresselia or Bronzong. Bronzong typically suffers against Cresselia because it loses the Skill Swap weather war under Trick Room. Since Cresselia is slower under Trick Room, it will be able to Skill Swap last and ensure that the opposing weather dominates. However, if I use Imprison, the Cresselia cannot use Skill Swap, thus winning me the weather war. This also eliminates Trick Room reversal mindgames and can often render Cresselia slots useless.

A last unique choice on this Bronzong was the Chesto Berry. I used Lum Berry the whole season, but I realized that Chesto Berry would actually be more beneficial. This is because Burn is largely irrelevant, and Bronzong is immune to Poison. Also, I often actually wanted Bronzong to be Paralyzed so it could deal more damage with Gyro Ball and to prevent Dark Void. I could even Paralyze myself to accomplish these goals. Having Chesto Berry ensured I could be Paralyzed if necessary, while still being able to wake up from Sleep.

The EV spread was taken from a report by Kelvin Koon, Justin Burns, and Raphael Bagara. It survives an Intimidated Fire Punch from Adamant Groudon. I originally used a Brave Nature with 116 Attack IVs to OHKO Xerneas after Geomancy, however with nearly all Xerneas becoming more defensively invested, I figured I would 2HKO them anyway and invest more heavily in Bronzong's bulk. Lastly, my Bronzong at the tournament was Shiny, adding tremendously to the aesthetic appeal of my team.

The Tournament - Day One

This is the day I had trained for. Countless hours of hard work culminated to this moment. I had locked up my Day 1 Worlds invite, so that pressure was off. However, I wanted something grand. I wanted to Top Cut, something that had eluded me so many times before. I was nervous, but I remained calm and focused. But above all, I tried to enjoy the experience. After all, that's what Pokemon's about, right?

(Apologies if I make a mistake. I played 45 games over the course of the weekend and am going off memory, so some of the details might be a bit hazy.)

Round 1: Cassandra Fordyce (Cassie)

Before the first round started, I told my friends Eric Hogan and Jack Hatch that the one matchup I was the most scared of facing was Choice Scarf Kyogre. You wouldn't believe what I had to play against Round 1! The team seemed really similar to the one that an American used to finish Top 4 at Japan Nationals in Seniors. During these games, my main focus was to eliminate the Rayquaza, something made easier by having Draco Meteor. Once Air Lock/Delta Stream was gone, my Groudon's Desolate Land could overpower the Drizzle from the Scarf Kyogre, winning me the weather war and thus, the set. Defeating one of my scariest matchups early on gave me confidence going forward.

WW [1-0]

Round 2: Colby Mearns

When I first glanced at Colby's team, it seemed that he had almost nothing to stop Bronzong+Kyogre under Trick Room. His Crobat was threatening this setup with Taunt, so in the first game I immediately eliminated Crobat, clearing the way for Bronzong+Kyogre to sweep in the back. In game two, he smartly adjusted by bringing the Crobat late game to Taunt my Bronzong, denying my Trick Room and allowing his Groudon to come in and wreak havoc. In the third game, he used Psych Up with his Groudon, copying his Xerneas' Geomancy. At this point, I needed both Kyogre+Bronzong on the field at the same time, since Trick Room was the only way to win. If I had just Bronzong on the field, he could threaten the Kyogre switch-in. I switched in Salamence and allowed him to get the double knockout on both Salamence+Thundurus. From here, I was able to Protect Kyogre and Trick Room, then dish out massive offense. He still ended up needing a Triple Protect to win. I was nervous when he got the Double, but thankfully his third one failed.

WLW [2-0]

Round 3: Jacob Pocta (FlynRider)

If I thought my Scarf Kyogre matchup was bad, I just needed to wait until I saw Jacob's team. He's a really cool guy and was qualified for Day 1 Worlds, so I knew I was in for an extremely tough match. Rayquaza+Kyogre is an archetype my team struggles against in general. Add Raichu, Ferrothorn, and Landorus-T to that mix, and it's almost unwinnable. Jacob played very well, correctly predicting whether or not I would switch in Groudon and calling other moves of mine as well. I was a bit disappointed to get a loss this early in the tournament, but I tried to not let it faze me.

LL [2-1]

Round 4: Jeremy Odena

Jeremy's team appeared to be a variant of Wolfe Glick's Florida Regional winning team. I remember having to do a lot of shuffling in order to win the weather war. Once I confirmed that his Landorus was Choice Banded, I would try locking it into Earthquake against my Salamence+Thundurus or into Rock Slide against my Primals. In the first game, he landed a Critical Hit onto my Groudon with his Landorus, putting me into a really bad position, unable to knockout his Dialga. To win, I needed to Critical Hit the Dialga back with Draco Meteor from about 75%, and I was actually able to, allowing me to take the first game! He was able to manage his Landorus against my Primals well in the second game, bringing the set to a third. In the endgame, he got a crucial Rock Slide flinch, putting me into an almost certain losing position. On the following turn, however, my Groudon at 14 HP dodged his Rock Slide, allowing me to knockout the Landorus. I may have still won the third game because I had Salamence waiting in the back. Either way, I managed to come out on top in this set. Both games I won involved him getting extremely lucky, forcing me to need to get lucky in return. This was a very nerve-wracking set.

WLW [3-1]

Round 5: Chuppa Cross IV (Chuppa)

For this round, I got paired against Chuppa, one of the most consistent players all season. He was using Double Primals, the archetype that brought him success. I can't remember the exact details of this set, but in the first game he landed a timely Critical Hit onto my Kyogre with a Salamence Double-Edge. This got the knockout, preventing me from getting my Ice Beam off that turn, which would have virtually sealed the win for me. In the second game, Chuppa heavily outplayed me to lock up his win. It would have been nice to get a third game after the bit of RNG in the first, but that's Pokemon for you! There's a good reason Chuppa is one of the most consistent players of the format. This meant, however, that I had my second loss, and it was really early in the tournament. My back was against the wall. I needed to win four sets in a row if I wanted to move on to the second day. Each would be an elimination match where someone packs their bags and goes home, and the other would live for another round. It was time to focus.

LL [3-2]

Round 6: Kamran Jahadi (Kamz)

To stay alive, I got paired against none other than the 2011 Senior World Champion. He had a Groudon+Xerneas team with Bronzong and Thundurus being the more interesting picks. Again, I apologize that I don't remember very much about this set. I probably led Salamence+Groudon to break through most of his team, with the Bronzong+Kyogre mode to clean up in the back. In the first game, I ended up getting a first-turn wake-up with Groudon to win. In the second, a timely full Paralysis helped me seal the set. I'm not sure that either of these fortunate circumstances were game-defining, but they certainly helped. Kamran was a really cool guy, and it was disappointing that we had to play for elimination. I managed to survive another round; there were only three more wins to go.

WW [4-2]

Round 7: Toler Webb (Dim)

And here I am, paired against the defending US National Champion, playing to avoid tournament death. Not only was Toler the former National Champion, he also won Worlds as a Senior in 2012, making that the second consecutive Senior World Champion I faced. Looking at his team, my matchup was atrocious. Weavile defeats my fast mode of Salamence & Thundurus, and the Amoonguss shuts down my Trick Room mode. I suppose at this point I was due for a bit of luck, but man, did I get lucky. In game one, he revealed that he was Choice Scarf Smeargle, however, he double missed Dark Void, allowing me to get a free Precipice Blades off against his Smeargle+Weavile, giving me almost unstoppable momentum. We both adjusted a bit for the second game, but he was able to outplay me, bringing the set to game three. He correctly called my leads, and I was behind in the opening turns of the match. He then missed another Dark Void, however, bringing the set back into my favor. The game ended up with his Geomancied Xerneas against both of my Primals. Groudon was in Moonblast, but not Dazzling Gleam KO range, and Kyogre was at full health. I got a first-turn wake up with Groudon and Protected as he Dazzling Gleamed. Then I used Thunder onto Xerneas fishing for Paralysis, and I got it. Now, I just had to hit Precipice Blades and Origin Pulse to win the match. I got extremely lucky in this set, and it was unfortunate that it had to happen against Toler. I suppose that RNG is just an integral part of the game. I was disappointed for Toler, but incredibly thankful and relieved that after so many unlucky tournament runs, I was able to finally get some luck going my way. We have since spoken, and there was a play in the third game that he could have made to win, without needing to rely on Dark Void hitting. Regardless, I was extremely fortunate to come out with a win and defeat the reigning National Champion. Toler is a great player whom I have tons of respect for, and I wish him the best at college and in future endeavors.

WLW [5-2]

Round 8: Walter Morales (wally1021)

I knew Walter was a really good player from the very competitive area of New York, so I was in for another tough match. His team mirrored mine, however he had Regigigas where I had Thundurus, which was an extremely neat choice. I knew it had Wide Guard, but I wasn't sure what else it was capable of, so I had to play cautiously around it. I don't recall the exact details of the matches, but presumably I opened up with Thundurus to gain leverage against his team and used Groudon to get some fast damage off. Then in the back, I had my Trick Room mode of Bronzong+Kyogre to seal up the game. I believe I also used Imprison to prevent the Bronzong from Skill Swapping or reversing Trick Room. Both games played out somewhat similarly, and I was able to get another win. I found myself now one win away from making Day 2. I was one win from achieving my dreams. Everything I worked for, the hours of preparation, culminated to this moment.

WW [6-2]

Round 9: Jon Hu (Jhufself)

Jon's a really good friend of mine and a fellow Nationals Semifinalist (though I wasn't a Semifinalist yet). I was really nervous to play him in the last round for elimination, and it was unfortunate that we got paired when we did. He's known for using more eccentric teams, and he didn't disappoint here. I absolutely did not want to fall for any tricks his team might have had. I led Groudon, but pulled a switch to avoid a potential Hidden Power Water from his Gengar or an Encore+Disable on the following turn. This also preserved the Groudon for a potential endgame against Shedinja. I used my Kyogre, Salamence, and Bronzong to deal large amounts of damage to some of his more frail Pokemon. In the end, he brought out Shedinja, and my Groudon was able to win the game from there. The second battle played out in a similar fashion, but was a bit more difficult. At this point Jon had revealed Moonblast, so there was a turn where I had to predict that Whimsicott wouldn't Moonblast my Salamence, allowing me to get tons of damage off. I once again preserved the Groudon and was able to defeat Shedinja in the end, winning me the set and allowing me to move on to the second day. This was one of the greatest moments. After failing to make the cut for so long, it was finally my time.

WW [7-2]

Making Day Two was the goal of mine from the beginning. My dream had been achieved. I finally proved to myself I was capable of making the cut at an event. I wouldn't settle for just Day Two, though. I wanted to come out on top. At that moment, however, I celebrated my achievement. As soon as I turned in my match slip, I rushed around to tell people that I had finally made it! Nick and Chance were really thrilled and supportive. That night, Chance and I went Jim Olivola's house for a party, but I left early to prepare for the matches ahead.

The Tournament - Day Two

Round 1: Ian Lutz (TheLunatoneGuy)

Ever since I began, I aspired to be on stream. I wanted to give the world a show, and this was my opportunity. The match can be viewed here. Also, those headphones that streamed players wear have water noises playing to drown out commentary. It got annoying pretty quickly, but it was better than the crowd noises that Chance told me they used to play - just a fun fact.

I heard before the match that Ian had a Lunatone, which was really interesting. In the first game, I was able to break through his team early with Groudon's Precipice Blades, but also conserve it for the Aegislash, as it was really my only means of handling Aegislash. I tried setting up a Trick Room endgame for Bronzong+Kyogre, but it ended up working against me. I managed to stall Trick Room, and it ended up with my Groudon at very low HP against his Aegislash. However, he managed to get the 1/3 chance to double King's Shield, dropping my Attack to -2. Because of this attack drop, I was now unable to KO the Aegislash and lost the first game. I adjusted a bit in the second game, bringing Salamence instead of Bronzong since Trick Room didn't serve me well in the first. I did get a bit fortunate with some full Paralysis on the Lunatone. It also ended up with his Lunatone+Groudon against my Salamence+Groudon that were at -1 Speed due to Icy Wind. I decided to switch in Kyogre gain offensive pressure and reset speed, but this was extremely risky and made almost no sense, since he could've just used Icy Wind and Precipice Blades to win. Thankfully, he Protected, allowing my Kyogre to freely Origin Pulse the next turn, bringing the set to game three. I suppose I was nervous being on stream the first time and didn't think clearly, but I gambled a bit too much. Fortunately, however, it worked in my favor. In the last game, I revealed Substitute on my Groudon against the Lunatone to survive an Earth Power or block Icy Wind. I did Critical Hit & Burn the Lunatone as he missed Icy Wind, however these weren't critical. They definitely did help, though. I also eventually managed to HP Water his Groudon, essentially eliminating all offense from Ian's side of the field. From here, I was able to take the set and win my first ever streamed match. I was really delighted and ecstatic to be interviewed as well. Overall, this was a fantastic set and huge credits to Ian on a fantastic run with a really neat Pokemon!

LWW [1-0]

Round 2: Chase Lybbert (I Am a Rookie)

Chase and I have talked on several occasions, and he's a really cool guy. Little did I know, however, that I was sitting across from the soon-to-be US National Champion. His team was the "BigC" team, so I played against it like I normally would, setting up for the Bronzong+Kyogre Trick Room endgame. The first game wasn't even close. His Smeargle got a bit lucky with Moody boosts, however I really wasn't focused and made some poor plays. I was one step behind the entire time. In the second game, I adjusted nicely, however Chase managed to position a Xerneas Geomancy perfectly. The game wasn't over, however, I ended up timing out on one turn. Instead of Mega Evolving Salamence and using Double-Edge on Xerneas, I didn't Mega Evolve and went for Hyper Voice. Always watch the timer! Regardless, Chase was one step ahead of me throughout the entire set. His high level play definitely foreshadowed his success to come.

LL [1-1]

Round 3: Alberto Lara (Sweeper)

Very few people have managed to win multiple Regionals, and Alberto is one of them. His team was Groudon+Xerneas with Crobat, so I knew I wanted to go for the usual Bronzong+Kyogre Trick Room sweep in the back. I played too afraid of the Crobat, so I led extremely poorly. If I recall correctly, the Smeargle also got a turn one Speed boost in both games. Because of these factors, I was on the backfoot the entire time and was unable to gain enough momentum to come back. I was handed my second loss of the day and couldn't lose again. I found myself in the X-2 position early, just like the day before. I knew I had to seriously refocus and win three matches in a row if I wanted to remain in the tournament. The pressure was on as every match would send someone one match closer to Top Cut and the other going home.

LL [1-2]

Round 4: José Reyes-Homs (SirTirzoj)

José is a Puerto Rican player whom I was really excited to battle. This was a Double Primal mirror match where he opted for Cresselia instead of the Bronzong that I had. When I play against teams like this, the gameplan I have in mind is similar to the one against BigC. I gain leverage with Thundurus and Groudon, then attempt to set up a Bronzong+Kyogre endgame and need to Imprison the Cresselia so that I am guaranteed to win the weather war and prevent Trick Room reversal. The first game played out perfectly, however, just as I gained the desirable positioning, his Cresselia got the 10% chance to Freeze my Kyogre with Ice Beam. Kyogre couldn't unthaw in time as Trick Room began expiring, so I lost the first game. I would now have to win two in a row if I wanted to stay alive in the tournament. I managed to anticipate potential adjustments, so I switched around a bit differently, but still worked my way into the positioning I wanted. Once I brought out Kyogre under Trick Room and secured the Imprison lock on Cresselia, I was able to sweep through his team twice in a row. I was really glad to be able to recover, especially after having the first game slip from my hands. I managed to play these games methodically and execute my gameplan perfectly, giving me a confidence boost going forward, though I still needed to win two in a row to remain in competition.

LWW [2-2]

Round 5: Randy Kwa (R Inanimate)

Randy Kwa, another fellow Nationals Semifinalist and one of the biggest names in VGC. We were placed on the backup stream for this set. Before the match, someone told me that he was using Rayquaza+Kyogre, my least favorite matchup, so I was terrified going in. Much to my surprise, he had Groudon+Xerneas, so I breathed a huge sigh of relief. His team had a revolving door of triple Fake Out, which really disrupted my momentum, but most of his Pokemon were frail, so I knew that if I could set up Trick Room, I could use the sheer power of my Primals to win. I had to play carefully around the Hitmontop's Wide Guard, though. In the second game, Randy adjusted by setting up his Kangaskhan and Xerneas to overpower my team. In the third game, I switched back to my original plan and was able to keep on the offensive pressure. Randy's Smeargle was very tricky, but I was able to manage a win. I found myself now only one win away from making the Top Cut.

WLW [3-2]

Round 6: Justin Crubaugh (iMagikarp)

This match was also placed on the backup stream, so that meant more water sounds! I had just watched the crazy set between Justin and Conan, so I knew that his Kyogre had Psych Up. Words cannot describe how atrocious this matchup was, though. I needed Trick Room with Bronzong to defeat the Xerneas, however the Amoonguss threatened this from Team Preview, so his fast mode would be basically free to set up and sweep me. This was exactly what happened in game one. The combination of Amoonguss and Kangaskhan basically swept through my entire team. In the second game, I managed the tricky positioning much better; I needed to play flawlessly. I was able to Paralyze the Xerneas, which essentially rendered its offensive potential useless. I was also able to fully Paralyze the Xerneas for a few consecutive turns, so some fortunate breaks saved my set and chance of cut. Because I won the second battle, the set would go to game three. I was now literally one game away from Top Cutting US Nationals. This game opened up like the second, with me managing the positioning well. I can't remember what happened exactly, but the game essentially came down to my low HP sleeping Kyogre paired with my full health Salamence, against his 40% health Kyogre and paralyzed low HP Amoonguss. This was a tough call. I could go for the Double-Edge straight onto Kyogre to pick up the knockout, however I risked him using Rage Powder or going for Protect+Spore. I could go for the Hyper Voice to knockout Amoonguss, but if he used Ice Beam with Kyogre, then I would also lose. I decided to Double-Edge the Kyogre, recognizing that it was the offensive threat, and even if I made the wrong call, I could hope for the full Paralysis on Amoonguss. My heart pounded as I clicked my move; this was a $500 decision... It was the greatest feeling in the world to see my Salamence move first with Double-Edge, meaning that he didn't decide to Rage Powder or Protect with Amoonguss. I wouldn't even have to hope for luck. The Double-Edge knocked out Kyogre, which essentially secured the victory. I had done it. I had managed to make the Top Cut US Nationals.

LWW [4-2]

I was extremely delighted to be among the Top 12 players in the country and make it into the final Top Cut. I was brought on stream to be interviewed by Aaron Zheng again, and I just couldn't believe how surreal it was. After the interview, I was surrounded by people congratulating me, and I was so thrilled to see how much support there was. I had managed to Top Cut as the very last seed due to my rough start, but that didn't matter. I was among the best. In that moment, I felt at the pinnacle, the summit. Ever since I began, I always looked at the Nationals Top Cut as an extremely difficult and prestigious achievement. Now I was there, and I would be fighting for the championship title. I was also one win away from earning the paid trip to Day 2 of the World Championships, so more than ever would be on the line in next match. The waiting time was brutal - the calm before the storm.

Top Cut

Top 12: Jake Skurchak (Pokebeys)

For this match, we were placed in the center table, so we thought the whole time that we were being streamed. However, despite being in the center, we were the backup. Fortunately though, our third game did make it live! Check it out here.

Jake is a really good friend of mine, so it was a bit disappointing that we got paired so early in cut. We also both had the same six Pokemon, meaning we were the last Double Primal players in the tournament. I not only needed to win this match to earn the Day 2 invite, but I wanted to become the highest finishing Double Primal player in the country. Before the match, I was planning with Wolfe Glick, Caitlin Beach, Nick Navarre, Kevin Swastek, Nick Borghi, and many others. They told me that Jake opted for a "GravNosis" Bronzong, meaning that he didn't have Skill Swap and had no means of resetting his weather. If I could prioritize winning the weather war, I could win the match. Additionally, he didn't have much to handle the combination of Salamence+Kyogre, so if I led that and switched around to win the weather war, that could win me the match.

I don't remember much of the first two games. In the first, my Salamence Draco Meteor plowed through a lot of his team. His Salamence had the more common Tailwind instead, making my matchup a bit easier. I switched around and was ultimately able to win the weather war and ultimately the game. In the second game, I switched my lead to Kangaskhan+Thundurus. I underestimated the pressure that Salamence had provided in the first game. Jake adjusted well, and I was one step behind him for the entire match, so he won the game and brought the set to the third game, the one that was streamed. I changed back to my first lead of Salamence+Kyogre and my original strategy of prioritizing the weather war. Because this lead exerted so much offensive pressure, it put him in a really tricky position from the get-go. I Hyper Voiced predicting the Groudon switch and knowing that he was not pressuring my Salamence anyway. He Paralyzed my Salamence, but his Thundurus fainted to an Ice Beam. As he brought out Salamence, my own was stiil not very threatened, since he had no real means of dealing with it, and I still had Draco Meteor. He used Tailwind with Salamence and Swords Dance with Groudon, as I went for Draco Meteor on the Salamence for the knockout and brought out Bronzong. Because I forced a switch into Kyogre in the Salamence slot, I won the weather war, and my Bronzong was immune to his +2 Groudon. From there I set up Trick Room, so that my Paralyzed Salamence could Double-Edge the Kyogre under Trick Room. Unfortunately, I was fully Paralyzed and unable to put the Kyogre in Thunder KO range, but this did allow me to bring out my minimum speed Kyogre to pressure both of his Primals. Jake smartly enough chose to Protect his Groudon and Thunder my Kyogre, putting me just below 50% as his Tailwind ran out. I didn't know Jake was also minimum Speed Kyogre, however, on the next turn he won the Speed tie, knocking out my Kyogre before it could handle the Groudon. The Groudon then was able to knockout my Bronzong (I Skill Swapped my Kyogre at one point). Then, it was my Groudon against both of his Primals. I stalled Trick Room, then used Precipice Blades into his Groudon Protect, but I missed the Kyogre! All of the odds seemed to be against me. On the next turn, however, I was able to use Precipice Blades to knockout his Groudon and bring the Kyogre into Fire Punch range. Jake needed to Critical Hit his Ice Beam to win but thankfully didn't get it. I was now one Fire Punch away from moving into the Top 8 and securing my Day 2 invitation to Worlds!

WLW

I had done it! I asserted myself as the top Double Primal player in America at that moment. Not only that, but I was among the top 8 players in the country! At this point, I had secured my Day 2 Worlds invite, the paid trip to San Francisco, and $750, which was basically everything I went to Nationals for. But now I wanted more... I wanted to win the title of National Champion.

After the match, I was interviewed again, this time by Duy Ha. I had spoken with Duy once before at Madison, but it was honestly amazing to be interviewed with him after moving onto Top 8. The day was getting late. I thought it was around 2:00 PM, but someone told me that it was almost 8:00! I really lost track of time. There was only one more match to go before I could rest for the night. If I won, I would be moving on to Championship Sunday.

Top 8: Stefan Smigoc (Eekthegeek)

This entire match was streamed. It's a really intense one that you can check out here.

Stefan was interestingly using Rayquaza+Groudon, the unique combination that won Japan Nationals. Before the match, Wolfe really helped talk me through what I should be trying to accomplish. I would have to force Stefan into positions where he has to choose to make sacrifices. We noticed that Stefan didn't have a lot to deal with Kyogre, so if I eliminated its threats early on, I could win the game. Wolfe told me that the worst-case scenario would be a Kangaskhan+Suicune lead that sets up Tailwind, but we planned on how to deal with it.

In the first game, Stefan opened up with the lead we were fearing. I managed to set up a Power-up Punch with Kangaskhan to start offering a large amount of pressure. I eliminated the Kangaskhan, but because of a Scald Burn, his Rayquaza was able to hang around a bit longer than I would have liked. I did Paralyze it though, and the game ended up in a really interesting position with his Suicune+Rayquaza against my Groudon and Kyogre. He managed to get a double Protect with Rayquaza, trying to conserve Air Lock for his Scald to knockout my Suicune, however, I used Substitute to buy myself that extra turn and prevent my Groudon from being knocked out. The game ended up coming down to a really tough call. He had Ferrothorn+Suicune under Tailwind. I could read the switch into Rayquaza and Scald attempt, or I could predict him not to switch. I made the right prediction as Ferrothorn stayed in. From here, Kyogre was able to clean up the game, putting me up 1-0 in the set.

In the second game, Stefan adjusted really well and forced me to play from behind. He boosted his Kangaskhan and was able to get a lot of momentum going between the Kangaskhan and his Groudon. I should've HP Watered the Groudon to eliminate the threat, but played a bit too safe. On the last turn, I had a 0% chance to win, and I knew he would Protect to gain Leech Seed recovery, so I targetted the empty partner slot, but this was apparently way less hype than I thought it would be. Stefan adjusted really well, though, bringing the set to a third game, something I was very familiar with at this point.

In the last battle, I adjusted my lead perfectly, with Salamence+Kyogre providing tremendous amounts of pressure to his Kangaskhan+Groudon. I played the opening turns really well and had myself in an extremely good position, managing to play around his HP Ice from Groudon, scoring early knockouts, and dealing massive damage to his entire team. Things began falling apart though. I tried going for an HP Water, but I was a bit too late, as this allowed Ferrothorn to fall out of Thunderbolt+Origin Pulse knockout range - the play I should've made instead. I went for it the next turn still thinking it would pick up the knockout, but it just missed, allowing the Ferrothorn to knockout my Kyogre. I honestly thought my double-up would have knocked out, but I overestimated Thundurus, since I had used a Life Orb variant all season and was less familiar with Focus Sash calculations. I was just left with Thundurus+Groudon against his 70% Rayquaza, Low HP Ferrothorn, and 60% Groudon. I used Thunderbolt onto Rayquaza to put in range of a Fire Punch, but I get a Critical Hit, eliminating Rayquaza and its Air Lock. This did allow me to get the double knockout, but now I could no longer use HP Water onto the Groudon because Air Lock was unfortunately no longer in effect. I needed to go for the Precipice Blades and hope to win the Speed Tie. Because Stefan had Earth Power instead, the odds were slightly in his favor, since I could miss. Fortunately though, I won the Speed tie and connected, meaning I would move onto the Top 4. I gambled a bit too much in this set, and one slight miscalculation almost knocked me out of the tournament. Thankfully, I had put myself into such a good position that I was able to recover. I was fortunate to win the Speed tie, but there was definitely luck on both sides of the field throughout the set, and that's just the nature of the game. Tremendous credits to Stefan, though! He played phenomenally; making the Top 8 at Nationals twice in a row is an extremely impressive feat. For now, though, I was still alive in the tournament and would be returning for Championship Sunday.

WLW

At first I couldn't believe it, and I don't even know if it has sunken in yet. I was somehow one of the Top 4 players in America and was two wins away from becoming the National Champion. After my interview with Anna Prosser, there were so many people that wanted to see me, but the staff had to talk to me first about handlers. Essentially the next day, there would be a handler with me at all times. If I went to my hotel, the handler would have to follow. If I went to eat or even walked ten yards, the handler would have to follow. I asked Aaron Traylor about this, and he had the perfect response, "You're big business now." I was a bit surprised, but I suppose this was really cool nonetheless. When I was finally released for the night, I was instantly rushed by Chance and Nick. So many people came up to congratulate me and to wish me luck. It was incredible. I still couldn't believe that I had made it so far.

I knew Saturday night that Aaron Traylor would be my opponent. Aaron was one of the most influential and helpful people when I began just over a year ago, and now I would be facing him in Nationals Semifinals. That night, some friends and I did the usual "go-to-someone's-hotel-room-and-prepare-for-the-matchup-for-a-few-hours" thing. I had always wondered what this would feel like. I had heard the stories of people like Alex Ogloza and Jeudy Azzarelli doing this, but I never thought I would find myself in this situation! Patrick Donegan, Chance Alexander, Pat Ball, Ben Hickey, Sam Lubell, John Mills, Brian Youm, and I all went to Patrick's room where we ordered pizza, then spent the rest of the night preparing for the journey ahead.

Day 3 - Championship Sunday

I arrived at the convention center early Sunday morning to meet with my handlers. I pretty much spent that day with them and the other Top 4 guys - Chase Lybbert, Aaron Traylor, and Alan Schambers. It was a bit surreal to be surrounded and be part of the Top 4 players in the country. We had some really fun older format battles, but Chase continuously destroyed everyone with Linoone. Someone said we should do a multibattle with our Nationals teams, and since we all were scared of Alan's, Aaron joked that we could gang up on him. We went to the North Market for lunch that was a few blocks away. Aaron suggested that we try chicken & waffles at the Belgian place. Chase seemed a bit suspicious of this meal, so he and I got some regular waffles instead. When we returned and Seniors finals began, the nerves really began to hit. We would be up soon, with $1000 on the line in the next match, and the winner would be one more win away from becoming the National Champion.

Top 4: Aaron Traylor (Unreality)

This match was on the main Pokemon stream and can be viewed here. Before the match, Aaron, the judges, and I did the wave in front of the crowd. We also did the "Bird Up" handshake right before the battle started. Playing a high-level match in front of so many people was such an incredible feeling.

The night before, with the help of Caitlin Beach, Kevin Swastek, and the others in Patrick's hotel room, we decided that the Bronzong+Kyogre combination under Trick Room and Skill Swapping Levitate onto Kyogre would be my win condition. I was really scared of the bulky Xerneas and Hypnosis Bronzong, but thankfully Aaron never brought these. I knew the Smeargle would be a problem, so we decided that eliminating the Smeargle early on would be the key to winning the matchup, then setting up for Bronzong+Kyogre.

In the first game, I denied Aaron's bold Helping Hand Double-Edge play and secured the Imprison onto Cresselia. From here, Aaron tried making more predictions, but I played around them and secured the desired positioning of Bronzong+Kyogre under Trick Room. I was in an extremely commanding position. I started picking up some knockouts, but when Aaron brought out Smeargle, this was when the game began slipping from my hands. I should have eliminated Smeargle at all costs, just like my gameplan was. However, I went for Origin Pulse onto it and Power-up Punch onto my own Kyogre in the event of a double Protect. My heart sank when the Origin Pulse missed the Smeargle. By not committing 100% to getting rid of Smeargle, the 15% chance to miss allowed the Smeargle to gain unfortunate Speed and accuracy boosts. Once Trick Room expired, the Smeargle put my whole team to Sleep and won on timer.

In the second game, I adjusted a bit, but still played around Aaron's bold predictions. He kept trying to call a Kyogre switch, but always managed to target the wrong slot. I found myself once again with Kyogre+Bronzong under Trick Room with the Imprison lock on Cresselia, the perfect positioning that I wanted. Many have asked me why I was so adamant on using Imprison and why I didn't go for Trick Room first. My rationale is that Aaron knew Trick Room was my win condition, so he might've tried reversing it. Bronzong was not being offensively pressured, so I had a free turn to set up the Imprison. If I used Trick Room without the Imprison up, I risked Aaron reversing the Trick Room and making my turn null. If I could get the Imprison up first, I wouldn't have to worry about a possible Trick Room reversal. Anyways, once I gained the positioning that I desired, I missed an Origin Pulse on his Salamence, which proceeded to deal a large amount of damage to Kyogre. He managed to eventually get his Smeargle+Groudon back in. This is where my first big misplay occurred. I didn't go for the Skill Swap on the last turn of Trick Room. I was tunnel-visioned; I figured I could win with what I had in the back. The pressure must've gotten to me, and I didn't think clearly and consider every possible outcome. If I Skill Swapped Levitate back onto Kyogre and reset the rain, he would've had almost no means of handling my Kyogre. Since I didn't make this play he was free to get the double knockout. Once I brought out Kangaskhan+Groudon, I made my next fatal error. I should have gone for Fake Out onto Groudon and Fire Punch onto Smeargle, which would have brought the game to timer, a win condition I wasn't even considering. Instead I went for Fake Out onto Smeargle and single-target Precipice Blades onto Groudon, but the move missed, costing me the game, and thus, eliminating me from the tournament.

LL [13-5 overall] Eliminated from tournament, 4th in the United States

Did I get incredibly unlucky throughout both games? Yes. However, I wasn't thinking clearly and did not go for 100% win conditions, so I was punished by the small odds that I let occur. I could've played significantly better in both games. Aaron played to his outs, and they ended up costing me the game. I was really disappointed since the games seemed so winnable, and I started out perfectly in both. They just barely slipped from my grasp. Regardless, Aaron played a fantastic set, and I was so delighted to see him make finals of Nationals, especially after inspiring me so much. I was saddened that my run for the title of US National Champion was over, yet I was overjoyed to have made it so far. I would be leaving with a $1500 scholarship, an invitation to Day 2 of the World Championships, a flight and hotel to San Francisco, as well as the great finish I had so long pursued and worked for. There's always next year to take the title!

Concluding Thoughts

My tournament run proves that anyone who is willing to work hard enough can achieve their dreams. It started with a vision - I wanted to be great (which is something that I'm still seeking). I saw the legends battle it out on stream time and time again, and I thought to myself... why not me? In about a year, I went from a newcomer struggling to go positive at events to one of the top players in the nation. Anybody who is inspired enough and willing to dedicate themselves to a cause can accomplish their goals, as well. Have a vision, let it take root, and work endlessly to pursue it. Someone who has a fire lit inside of them, who is inspired, who is willing to go to the ends of the earth to achieve their dreams is definitely someone to watch out for.

Did I get lucky throughout the tournament? Absolutely, however, there were also many games that I lost due to unluckier rolls. This is the nature of Pokemon. RNG is a deciding factor in many games. I don't believe that there has ever been an extremely successful tournament run in the history of VGC that didn't involve some good fortune. Luck not only comes within the actual turns of the game, but in whom you're paired against and what their team is. I can't deny that the dice were hot in many of my games, but they can turn cold just as easily, and they did many times both in this tournament and in the past. It's how you manage the cards you are dealt that determines how well you will do.

Did I make some mistakes throughout the tournament? Yes, however, making mistakes is the only way to improve. Learning from each and every one and applying that knowledge in the future is the hallmark of any success. I cannot blame every mistake on nervousness or pressure, some were just pure miscalculations, and in others I was tunnel-visioned. These are aspects of my play that I can improve on in the future. With the Nationals format this year being all best-of-three sets and all X-2 Cut on both days, the format ensures that the best and most prepared players make it to the top. It's really hard to fluke your way through the sheer number of games, especially with them all being best-of-three. Overall, I won the right matches and played to the caliber of a Nationalist Semifinalist, and I am extremely proud of my play as a whole.

Lastly, I couldn't have made it so far without the support of a tremendous amount of people:

• Thank you to my parents for not only taking me to every single tournament, but for their unwavering support and belief that I could make it to the top. Not many parents would allow their child to travel the country playing a video game. I'm so glad that we'll be getting a free trip to San Francisco!
• Thanks to Aaron Traylor for believing in me since the beginning; it was an honor to battle you on such a large stage. I would never have made it if it wasn't for your tremendous help when I began.  
• Thank you to Aaron Zheng for his incredible dedication to the community through content and commentary and for supporting me from the beginning. It was amazing to be interviewed by you.
• Thank you so much to Ricardo Pinto for teambuilding help and for working with me on an individual level. Practicing with you has been the largest factor in improving my play.
• Thank you to Wolfe Glick. You took a longshot when you drafted me, and I'm so glad that it payed off. Thanks for helping me with preparing matchups. I couldn't have made it as far without your expertise and guidance.
• Thank you to the rest of the Spirits. I've improved exponentially at the game by discussing with you guys.
• Thank you to Chance for being my #1 Pokemon friend. I'm really disappointed that I won't get to see you at events, but I wish you the best in future endeavors.
• Thank you to Nick Borghi for being an amazing and supportive friend.
• Thanks to Brian Youm as well for believing in me and for being a wonderful friend.
• Thank you to Joseph Costagliola. You told me before the event that I was one of the best Double Primal players in the country. At the time, I didn't believe it, but I suppose that it's true now. Thanks for believing in me and showing me the power that dedication has.
• Thank you to Team Rank Rank Up: Adit Selvaraj, Ed Glover, Brendan Lewis, Cameron Swan, Eric Hogan, Jack Hatch, Jackson Hambrick, and Yan Rodriguez for all of the support.
• Thanks to Caitlin Beach and Kevin Swastek for helping me prepare matchups. Thanks to the rest of the Team Michigan people: Sam Schweitzer, Andrew Burley, Garrett Yee, Rosemary Kelley, Jonathan McMillan, and Keegan and Alec Beljanski.
• Thanks to Jim Olivola for opening up his house and dropping me off at my hotel. Thanks to Patrick Donegan and everybody else in that hotel room for helping me prepare for Top 4.
• Thanks to Andy and Evan Anderson for all of your support, hopefully we will meet again the future.
• Thanks to the other Top 4 guys for making Sunday such an enjoyable time.
• Thanks to the Pokemon Company, its staff, the handlers, and commentators for making this event such a great one.
• Thanks to Nugget Bridge and its staff for providing a community for all to enjoy.
• Thanks to you, the reader, for sticking with me until the end! I hope you enjoyed!

Now is my story over? Is this the summit, the end? Has everything settled? Am I content with the white noise? No, this is just the beginning. There are still places to go, people to meet, moments to embrace. There are still games to win and games to lose and learn from. There are still oceans to span, mountains to conquer, and walls to break down. Isn't that what Pokemon is about at the end of the day? It can cross language barriers and continents, bringing people together from around the world... But no, I will never settle on the path to greatness, there is way too much to experience on that journey. So come with me, my adventure is just unfolding. This story is anything but over.

See you in San Francisco.

- Grant Weldon (Velocity)