Jabberwocky Deals First Pokemon Card Tournament

Excitement brewed at the toy store Saturday morning, as young Pokemon trainers put on their game faces for some friendly competition.

This was the first time Jabberwocky had hosted a Pokemon card game tournament. However, this was a way for store owner, Ahmed Nahvi, to test out a new way for kids to get together and have a good time.

“Last week, nine kids came in to learn how to play the card game,” Nahvi said. “It lasted for an hour, but there was a good crowd that showed up.”

According to Nahvi, it was thanks to Drew Lilley, a junior from , that this tournament was even possible. Lilley came up with the idea after playing Pokemon with some kids he babysat. Since then, Lilley spent some time learning the card game's rules and decided that a tournament would be a good way to get other Pokemon trainers to compete.

“This would also be my first time hosting this tournament,” Lilley said. “I decided to do this not only because it's fun, but because I wanted to help out the store owner. Mr. Nahvi said he needed an organizer, so I happily took the job.”

The Pokemon card game follows a set of rules similar to Yu-Gi-Oh! or Magic: The Gathering. According to Lilley, there are a minimum of two players who are paired against each other. Each player starts with one Pokemon card on the field, while support cards are placed on the sidelines for future use.

There are three ways for a player to win a match. One way is to simply defeat each of the opponent's Pokemon. Another way is to collect six “prize cards” that are wagered at the beginning of the match by both players. The third means of victory, is to deplete the opponent's entire deck of cards. According to Lilley, a normal Pokemon deck is comprised of 60 cards, and to eliminate that many can be time consuming.

“There is a whole lot of strategy that goes into playing Pokemon,” Lilley said. “Sometimes its not about having the best cards, but also about being lucky. Victories can end up being situational at times.”

When the tournament started at 9 a.m., there was a modest attendance of eight children, falling into the range that Nahvi and Lilley had expected for a first event. Each Pokemon trainer brought in their own decks, personally crafted to fit their tastes and combat strategies. Some players came more prepared than others, but Lilley made sure they were matched up according to skill level.

Daniel Cappabianca, 14, was one of the more experienced Pokemon players participating in the tournament. He brought a few decks with him, each carefully prepared beforehand. According to Cappabianca, deck building is the foundation of ensuring a successful strategy. He had matched his cards according to their stats and abilities.

“I actually grew interested in the card game after playing the video game,” Cappabianca said. “I started collecting the cards at first, but I decided to make my own decks and compete every Saturday at local competitions.”

Kyle Kirk, 6, was one of the youngest participants in the tournament, but also one of the most experienced Pokemon players. His experience stems from his father, Jeff, who is a veteran player of Magic: The Gathering.

“Kyle started playing Pokemon about six months ago,” Jeff Kirk said. “I usually play Magic with my father. I hope that in the future, after Kyle figures out the rules of Pokemon a little better, he'll move up and play Magic with me someday.”

For newcomers like Tommy Giordano, 10, the tournament at Jabberwocky was the first time he had played Pokemon at a competitive level. Similar to Cappabianca, Giordana's interest in the card game was greatly influenced by the video game and the anime television show. His deck wasn't as fleshed out compared to veterans like Cappabianca, but like the others, he came to have fun.

“I was a collector of Pokemon cards in the beginning,” Giordano said. “But playing with other kids is way more fun.”

As usual with all Pokemon tournaments, a bracket was created to decide who would become the top finalists. But in addition, a consolation bracket was included for those who lost too soon and still wanted to play.

When the tournament ended, prizes were awarded to the top leading Pokemon trainers. First place went to John Swift, 10. Second place went to Kyle Kirk. Third place went to Cappabianca. The top-three contenders received a certain number of Pokemon card packs; five, four and three packs, respectively. All the other competitors weren't left empty-handed, as they were given one pack of cards as a consolation prize.

According to Nahvi, the tournaments will be held every Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to noon starting again in September. Dates and time are subject to change.