Severn boy chases Pokemon crown
By KANIKA J. G. GEORGES Staff Writer
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With a deck of carefully cultivated Pokemon cards and three years of intense practice in tow, Benjamin Richards of Severn is set to compete in the 2004 Pokemon Trading Card Game Championships in Orlando, Fla., this weekend.
The 9-year-old's strategy is simple: "Play my hardest," he said.
"I feel great about the challenge," he added. "I started to compete because it's a fun game, and I like the strategy."
The Pokemon trading card game is based on a Nintendo video game in which players collect and train pets with various abilities and battle the pets against each other. The toughest part of the game is accumulating cards with the strongest characters, Benjamin said.
"The hardest thing is making killer decks," he said.
He said his two favorite characters are GardevoirEx, a bird-like character with the ability to induce trances in other pets, and Milotic, a sea-monster-like character.
The championship tournament, sponsored by Pokemon USA Inc., a global trading card company, will take place at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. Benjamin earned the trip by winning the Gym Challenge tournament in May in Rockville, said Brian Richards, Benjamin's father. Benjamin also won the Severn citywide Pokemon Championship in February.
More than 350 players from more than 25 countries will take part in the competition, which begins Friday and runs through Sunday, event spokesman Ashley Wolfe said. Benjamin will compete in the 10-and-under division. The competition also has 11-14 and 15-and-older divisions, she said.
Scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $7,500, Pokemon merchandise prize packages and trophies will go to the top finishers in each age category, Ms. Wolfe said.
Pokemon is a family affair for the Richards. Bradley, Benjamin's 7-year-old brother, won the Maryland State Championship held in February. The brothers study the cards to prepare for competition, Mr. Richards said.
Mr. Richards supervises Pokemon League sessions at the Provinces library in Severn where his sons practice the game with other enthusiasts from 10 a.m. to noon each Saturday.
"Yes, we all know the different characters," Mr. Richards said. "I am proud of both my boy's achievements. ... We encourage all three of our children to do their best, whether in a trading card game or in sports. I'm glad Benjamin was able to earn the chance to go. In the Pokemon world, it is quite a milestone."
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Published 08/18/04, Copyright © 2004 Maryland Gazette,
Glen Burnie, Md.
