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Friday October 22, 1999, Gym for the Mind Woodland Hills
Pokémon tournaments sanctioned by DCI
DCI, a collectible card tournament sanctioning body fostered by Wizards of the Coast,
co-ordinated today's Pokémon tournament. The DCI system, originaly used for
Magic: the Gathering tournaments spred its reach to Pokémon this fall. GFTM was among the first
collectible card centers to host a DCI sanctioned Pokémon tournament. As an aside, GFTM is now a
premier Wizards/Gamekeeper store. David Esser describes the arrangement as somewhat like a
franchise. It means the cheapest Pokémon card prices in town.
David Butterworth, DCI tournament coordinator assigned DCI numbers to each Pokémon player
at no additional cost (the tournament still costs $1). He plans on continuing DCI involvement
in both the Friday and Sunday tournaments. The results of the Pokémon games are tabulated
according to the DCI system. This system derived from Professor Elo's chess rating system
results in a skill rating determined by the strength of the opposing Pokémon trainers.
Approximately 10,000 people have registered with DCI for various collectible card game ratings.
With the new system all games are timed and limited to twenty minutes, and no one is knocked
out -- all of the kids continue to play Pokémon games until the end of the tournament. Each win
is counted as 3 points and each draw as 1. Draws, however, only occur when each trainer
has the same number of cards left when time is called, and so, are rare.
Friday October 15, 1999,
Gym for the Mind Woodland Hills
New Pokémon discovered!
An elusive new basic Pokémon -- Cronin -- was recently discovered. Two of them can often be
spotted at the GFTm Pokémon tournaments.
The top five kids in today's Pokémon tournament (in no particular order, as this
reporter left before the end) were Jed R., Steve O., Kyle I., Dylan H. and Zach R.
Sunday, October 10, 1999,
Gym for the Mind Woodland Hills
Pokémon tournament size breaks a record
Forty-nine players entered today's Pokémon tournament, a record number. Dylan C. and Jon B.
tied for first place. The club now has a complete set of Fossil cards on display, including
foils!
Friday, October 8, 1999,
Gym for the Mind Los Angeles
David F. makes the finals on his first day playing Pokémon
David F., 10,
took third in today's GFTMLA Pokémon tournament. It was his first Pokémon tournament, and his
first day playing Pokémon. His favorite Pokémon is Ditto because it can transform into any
Pokémon. His favorite deck is the pyshic -- purple with an eye. Beatriz R. won the tournament,
and Robert V. took second.
Meanwhile at a simultaneous tournament at the GFTM Woodland Hills, Anthony and Liam C. tied
for 4th, and Dylan (not the tournament diriector, but another kid of the same name) Jonathan
and Tom advanced to the finals. There were 40 people in this tournament. Anthony now teaches
Pokémon both at the GFTM Woodland Hills and at Superkids. He plays Pokémon just about everyday,
including all the GFTMWH tournaments where he has made it into the finals four times since
his last interview. He regards Tom as his priciple rival. Liam C. may just give up on playing
Pokémon because of bad luck waves. He played his brother, tournament director Dylan C.'s
Haymaker deck. Due to repeated adverse coin flips he was unable to paralyze or confuse his
opponents Pokémon, and his brother is mad at him for the loss. His favorite Pokémon is
Alakazam because it is so awesome. Liam is an inventor of the stall deck which runs
opponents out of cards.
Friday, September 24, 1999, Santa Monica, California
Wizards of the Coast Flagship Center Lacks Spirit
This summer, Wizards of the Coast opened a retail store and game center here. This area is
one full of restaurants, people and entertainment in a very together low rise creative urban
center. There are many unique sites that would make terrific showcases for Pokémon and other
trading card games. Unfortunately, Wizards chose none of these, but instead a medium-sized
standard unit in the third floor of the indoor shopping mall.
The location isn't all that is over-standardized. The design is that of the already out of
style studio store. Cardboard cutout figures are in the entrance. The entire layout is
uninspired, like it is following a manual for retail marketing standard stuff. Most of the space
is filled with displays of unremarkable toy store fare positioned so as to leave room for only
two gaming tables. Neither was in use this Friday night.
The back is lined with monitors (a combination of game stations and computers) which
the Wizards T-shirt wearing staff of two rented by the hour. No Pokémon cards were
displayed outside of their official packaging. There were no loose cards at all. Further, there
were no decorations other than official retail displays. The effect was sterile and corporate,
and the resulting atmosphere far inferior to any of the independent gaming centers in Southern
California.
How disappointing that Wizards missed the opportunity to build a much better center -- one
that would have been enjoyed by thousands of children and adults and moved trading card games
further into the mainstream.
September 17, 1999,
Gym for the Mind Woodland Hills
This reporter arrived too late to determine the results of the Pokémon tournament.
Shaun-Michael's deck was entered and played by another kid, but it did not win. Several of
the Pokémon players remained for the Magic tournament. Dylan played his electric guitar -- it
sounds terrific.
August 20, 1999, Gym for the Mind Woodland Hills
Anthony T., 14, won today's Pokémon tournament beating Tom C. with a Psychic-Venusaur deck
in the final round. The victory came after Tom had no basic Pokémon left. Speculation had it
that Anthony's Mom wishing him luck before the game brought him good card draws. Anthony has
been playing Pokémon for 6 months. Venusaur is his favorite Pokémon. He seldom watchs the T.V.
show, but knows it contents as he is well informed about all aspects of Pokémon. He plays the
gameboy -- Red
July 9, 1999
Nick C. won the tournament, by winning the final round against
Mike W. who finished second. Daniel was third. Liam directed the tournament.
Nick C. won the tournament, by winning the final round against
Matt K. who finished second. Don't miss the
Player Interview with Yanav C, 14, Pokémon teacher
Matt K. won the April 18 pokémon tournament
by winning a single pokémon prize, tie-breaking game against Jared, who finished second.
Shaun-Michael won the April 16, April 11 and April 9
pokémon tournaments. Bobby took second in the April 16 tournament.
Mike W. won the April 2 tournament.
All the tournaments took place in the famous
Games Hall of Fame
building. Due to a pokémon card shortage many kids played
magic instead. The shortage is due to
the enormous popularity of pokémon. The Wizards of the Coast company that prints the
cards ran out of the high quality card stock that was cut to their specifications. It may take
weeks to replace the stock and print new cards.
The Gym for the Mind will have
pokémon cards immediately after they are printed, at the same time or
before any retail store in the United States.
Shaun-Michael won today's tournament at the famous
Games Hall of Fame
building. He played Gust of Wind in the final round with great effect.
Pokémon is peaceful.
The players, called trainers, do not fight each other; instead, their Pokémon
fight. They do not kill, they only knock out their opponents, causing them to faint.
Above all, it is friendly game.
Bobby R. successfully defended his Pokémon tournament
championship today at the famous
Games Hall of Fame building.
Due to a temporary shortage of cards, 1st place was $50.
Bobby R. won a 40 player Pokémon tournament held at in the famous Games Hall of Fame building.
The games are fun to watch.
An observing adult should pay attention to the number of face down cards in front of each child.
The game starts with six face down cards, known as Pokémon prizes, in front of each player.
Every time a player knocks out an opposing Pokémon he picks up a prize.
The first player to pick up all six prizes wins.
It also helps when one of the players narrates the adventure.
Due to a temporary shortage of cards, 1st place was $50 and and a chess set.
The raffle prize was a Zap Psyhic Electric Deck.
The tournament had 6 rounds.
It was directed by Liam.
A lot of Tangy Taffy was eaten during the tournament.
The apple and grape combination is the best.
The famous Games Hall of Fame
building was again overflowing with Pokémon players this afternoon. The 40 entrants,
parents, reporters, and other gamers gathered, in the store, the playing room, the library and
even outside in the front porch and in back by the pool and weight equipment.
Mike K. won the tournament for the second consecutive Friday besting Bobby
R, and Jacob G., 10, in a three-way final round robin. Jacob is the the
youngest player yet to advance to the finals.
Mike won a rare evolved Pokemon card and a dozen increasingly valuable booster packs.
He will now be tougher than ever. Prizes were also awarded in the tournament to
the other finalists and to the winner of the pre game raffle. The
tournament had 4 rounds prior to the round robin. It was directed by Liam
with judging assistance from David.
March 14, 1999
Gym for the Mind Tournament
Nick C., 12, regained the championship
by defeating Shaun-Michael, also a former club champion, in the final round.
Nick played Pokémon Center cards at just the right times. He won
one of the largest prizes ever awarded for Pokémon in the United States
-- a deck and 12 booster packs. He will now be tougher than ever.
A record breaking 48 players entered the
tournament. It was a 6 round single elimination tournament
directed by Liam with judging assistance from Dylan, David and Steve.
Other prizes included a Zap Deck to the
winner of the pre game raffle, and a booster pack to Max, 7, the youngest
player to advance beyond the opening round.
March 12, 1999
Gym for the Mind Tournament
Thirty-one Pokemon players aged 7 - 17 entered the March 12
Gym for the Mind tournament.
It was a 5 round single elimination tournament directed by Liam.
Pokemon cards were won by the tournament champion, Mike, and by the winner
of a raffle held before Round I. A bounty was also paid to Mike for
defeating Shaun-Michael, last week's champ. Players over 15 were
handicapped one pokémon prize, those over 16, two pokemon prizes.
The Alakazam and Charizard Pokemon were influential. In Round
II a Rattata killed a Zapdos. A Weedle was traded for a Computer
Search. Many Squirtles were played.
The old photo album |
The old bulletin board.
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