“Pokémon” is a worldwide success. We can say that, currently, the brand dominates thousands of different platforms and services. Animation series, virtual games, book collections and thousands of products printed with the franchise’s characters are just some of the spaces that the brand dominates.
But a global classic, which appeared in the brand a few years ago, is still successful: the so-called “Pokémon TCG”. It’s a collectible card game that portrays the excitement of a real-life Pokémon battle.
Although it may seem strange, young people still play cards in an era where technology dominates almost every aspect of our lives. Pokémon trading cards are a fan favorite.
Nowadays, there are even championships with attractive prizes for the players who stand out in a “Pokémon TCG” match. In one of these TCG game championships, recently, two Brazilians emerged victorious against foreign competitors.
Meet Gabriel Fernandez, ‘Pokémon’ World Champion
The city of Yokohama, Japan, was the stage for the grand final of the Pokémon World Championship, held last Sunday (13/08). On the occasion, two young people Brazilians took home important championship titles.
Gabriel Fernandez, aged 13, won the position of champion in the Senior category, while his namesake, Gabriel Torres, aged 11, secured runner-up in the Junior category. The two boys were competing in the TCG card game category.
Photo: Reproduction/ING Brazil
Gabriel beat the Dutch Sydney de Brujin 2-0, using a strong Lugia V-ASTRO deck. The boy left no room for his opponent to grow in the match.
The first game of the series was a little longer and more drawn out, but the second only lasted a few minutes, which meant that the fans present at the local vibrated with enthusiasm and expectation.
After receiving the title, during his speech, Gabriel thanked his family for their support. The boy gave special thanks to his older brother, confessing that it was he, who also competes, who taught him how to play the card game.
After winning the championship, Fernandez received a prize of around US$25,000 (approximately R$125,000). The amount can be redeemed through a card prepaid Pokémon Visa or used for a scholarship.
Gabriel Fernandez is the second Brazilian to win a Pokémon world title. In 2011, Gustavo Wada was the world champion in the Junior category.
Gabriel Torres, runner-up at 11 years old
Photo: Reproduction/ING Brasil
Brazilian Gabriel Torres won second place in the Junior category, intended for players up to 12 years old. Gabriel faced Taiwanese Shao Tong Yen in the final and ended up losing 2-0. As a reward, the Taiwanese player won with a very strong Dragonite V-ASTRO deck.
In second place, Torres earned US$ 15 thousand, around R$ 75 thousand. Just like in Fernandez’s category, this value can be redeemed as a scholarship or in the form of a Pokémon Visa prepaid card.
Gabriel Torres’ coach, Dalton Achetta, shared in an interview with The Enemy how the boy’s training works. He said that, in addition to the trainings of the game, the boy’s preparation involves a great deal of parental participation.
In an interview, his coach stated that:
“We always ask parents to talk to their children a lot in the weeks and months before the tournament, so that they arrive in the right frame of mind to play. Playing on a stage like this is an absurd amount of pressure. You can’t stay calm. But we try to keep them in the best condition possible.”
