I've been writing for the Rock Island Argus/Moline Dispatch for about 6 months now... and I write a monthly column. This month, I chose to write about the game we all know and love. It was printed today. Just a note... I played with the margins a little bit. Newspapers like to create paragraphs every other sentence... and I don't like that so I changed it back. 
Here's the article...
GUILTY PLEASURES ON THE POKEMON CIRCUIT
Everyone has a guilty pleasure, right? I know I do. I used to be very evasive when someone would ask me about it. These days I'm pretty open. My guilty pleasure is playing the Pokemon Trading Card Game.
The first thing you need to realize is that the Pokemon TCG is nothing like the television show. Not even close. The TV show is geared toward very young children, and the game is much more strategic and difficult to understand.
Although the game is a blast to play, there are some incentives (tournament play) that compel me to continue playing. There are some significant prizes involved, including free trips and huge scholarship awards.
Many of you have probably had some experience with Pokemon, most likely playing the video game. That's how I got my start in 1999. I loved the video game, and some friends of mine showed me the cards. Back then, Pokemon was a huge fad at school, and everyone was into it. I learned to play the card game, and I was intrigued by it.
When I found out there was a tournament circuit, I was hooked. This resulted in me winning trips to San Diego and Seattle, as well as other assorted prizes. It was a perfect mix of strategy, competition and leisure, and I still haven't found a reason to stop playing.
On May 14, I had the opportunity to attend a Pokemon Regional Championship tournament in Madison, Wis. I hadn't played competitively in a couple years, so it was a breath of fresh air to play again. I caught up with friends from the past and had a blast.
A Pokemon tournament consists of a certain number of rounds, and then it cuts the number of players to eight or 16. Those left battle in a single-elimination-style tournaent until only one player remains.
I won four of my matches and lost two. One must play exceptionally to make the top cut. There were more than 60 people in this tournament and any mark less than 4-2 would not make the cut. Many 4-2 records didn't even make it. I was one of the lucky ones, and I made it to the top 16.
I was excited to finally be in the situation to win big. The top two players would win trips to San Diego (to play in an invitation-only tournament) as well as a $1500 scholarship and a $1000 scholarship, respectively. However, I didn't do so hot in my first-round match and I was eliminated.
That's what happens when you haven't played the game in two years.
There are opportunities in the coming weeks to win that trip to San Diego, which is what I hope to do. There's also a chance to win a $7500 college scholarship.
So yeah, I play Pokemon. Want in?
Jon Schweppe, 18, lives in Aledo.
------
So yeah, there we go.
~ RaNd0m
Here's the article...GUILTY PLEASURES ON THE POKEMON CIRCUIT
Everyone has a guilty pleasure, right? I know I do. I used to be very evasive when someone would ask me about it. These days I'm pretty open. My guilty pleasure is playing the Pokemon Trading Card Game.
The first thing you need to realize is that the Pokemon TCG is nothing like the television show. Not even close. The TV show is geared toward very young children, and the game is much more strategic and difficult to understand.
Although the game is a blast to play, there are some incentives (tournament play) that compel me to continue playing. There are some significant prizes involved, including free trips and huge scholarship awards.
Many of you have probably had some experience with Pokemon, most likely playing the video game. That's how I got my start in 1999. I loved the video game, and some friends of mine showed me the cards. Back then, Pokemon was a huge fad at school, and everyone was into it. I learned to play the card game, and I was intrigued by it.
When I found out there was a tournament circuit, I was hooked. This resulted in me winning trips to San Diego and Seattle, as well as other assorted prizes. It was a perfect mix of strategy, competition and leisure, and I still haven't found a reason to stop playing.
On May 14, I had the opportunity to attend a Pokemon Regional Championship tournament in Madison, Wis. I hadn't played competitively in a couple years, so it was a breath of fresh air to play again. I caught up with friends from the past and had a blast.
A Pokemon tournament consists of a certain number of rounds, and then it cuts the number of players to eight or 16. Those left battle in a single-elimination-style tournaent until only one player remains.
I won four of my matches and lost two. One must play exceptionally to make the top cut. There were more than 60 people in this tournament and any mark less than 4-2 would not make the cut. Many 4-2 records didn't even make it. I was one of the lucky ones, and I made it to the top 16.
I was excited to finally be in the situation to win big. The top two players would win trips to San Diego (to play in an invitation-only tournament) as well as a $1500 scholarship and a $1000 scholarship, respectively. However, I didn't do so hot in my first-round match and I was eliminated.
That's what happens when you haven't played the game in two years.
There are opportunities in the coming weeks to win that trip to San Diego, which is what I hope to do. There's also a chance to win a $7500 college scholarship.
So yeah, I play Pokemon. Want in?
Jon Schweppe, 18, lives in Aledo.
------
So yeah, there we go.
~ RaNd0m
