hey everyone, we had to write about a life-changing event for my english class, and I chose the Team Multiplayer Championships from GenCon 2003. If you remember me, please note that I have stretched some of the details, for instance I did not win Worlds in Seattle, I merely t8ed the 2001 ECSTS in New Jersey, and my DCI rating is no longer 3rd global individual. also, our roommates Jim and Steph didn't get 2nd, they got 3rd and we beat Crobat1 and his son in the finals. But my teacher doesn't have to know that, so shh...
Pokemon Brian Six
The Pokemon community has played a very large part in my life. More specifically, I refer to the Pokemon Trading Card Game. However, I did not play the game for the furry little monsters; for me there was much more to it than that. The game involved of building a deck with different cards, and playing a game with that deck against an opponent. Strategy played a large part, as did luck, and the Pokemon community recognized me as one of the top players in the world. Today my ranking still stands on the internet: a 3rd place global individual rating, and a 1st place global team rating. Most Pokemon players knew me, and many players, whom I did not know, would come up to me at a tournament to watch me play or ask me to help with their decks. This celebrity status can boost one?s ego more than anything else I have experienced, and few people get to enjoy such a feeling. Fierce competition lurked at the top levels of the game, and there nothing could beat the thrill of traveling across the country for a large tournament. Luckily, I had parents who were willing to take me to various cities to compete in most tournaments. I did my fair share of the work, winning trips to some tournaments and paying for others with the prize money. Despite my success at this game, this is not something a middle-schooler wants to tell his friends about. Even though Revere Middle School had not heard of Pokemon since fifth grade, I knew that if my Pokemon playing leaked to a point outside my closest friends, I would be exiled to a point of no return. I knew that my chance of a middle school romance would fall greatly. After all, it is hard for a boy to get a girlfriend when he can not get a girl to come near him.
I played this game competitively for 3 years, from 6th grade to the beginning of 9th grade. Over these years, I made many friends, including my friends at the local card shop in Parma, whom I saw every week to play and to hang out in the dark, cramped room in the back of the store. Without these kids, I would not have played the game. I also made friends from all over the world, from New Zealand to London. They have always been some of my favorite people, even though we could only get together a few times a year at tournaments. We spent much time talking on Instant Messenger and occasionally on the telephone. However, as good as these friends were, my best friend of all fit into neither category.
Jim started out as a member of the former group, just another kid at the card shop to whom I talked on Instant Messenger during the week. Over time, Jim and I grew to be best friends. We both accomplished the task of spending more time at the other?s house than at our respective homes, and that is quite a feat. Before Jim, I had no friends who would sleep over at my house. I had friends at school, but not the kind with whom one can stay up all night doing nothing. It was nice to have such a good friend with so much in common, and our lives were connected by Pokemon. Individuals can not properly grow and mature without friends like Jim.
Years passed playing the game, big tournaments came and went, and I built a name for myself. After winning tournaments by myself in New Jersey, Chicago, Columbus, and Seattle, I was recognized as one of the top Pokemon players in the world. While one might ridicule this title, there were many highly intelligent people of all ages playing this game, and being good was no easy task. Winning took dedication, practice, and endurance. The whole time I played, Jim was my partner in the game and my best friend. Whenever I got a new idea for a deck, I would tell him about it before anyone else. It is obvious to me I would not have been nearly as successful without his constant advice and friendship. It was sad news to me when I realized that Jim would be leaving for college out of state at the end of the summer leading up to my freshman year of high school. During the last week of summer, there was a two-person team tournament in Indianapolis. As soon as the announcement was made, Jim and I knew we had to win the tournament together.
After a nice drive, we arrived in Indianapolis for the tournament. Common wisdom would say to go to bed and rest up for the next day?s tournament, but that would not happen, especially on the last chance we would have to be together. Instead, Jim, the two people we were rooming with, and I went to explore Indianapolis. Being a racing fan, I go to Indianapolis twice a year to watch two different car races, so I was familiar with the city. We sat at some 24-hour coffee shops, walked around for a little bit, and before we knew it, it was almost time to wake up and leave for the tournament.
We arrived at the tournament, weary-eyed and tired, coming from no sleep the night before. Everything went according to the plan, and the adrenaline from playing in the tournament woke us up for the round. We were relaxed but at the same time we knew we would not be content without winning the entire tournament.
Fifteen rounds later, early into the third consecutive sleepless morning, Jim and I were in first place, followed by our roommates, whom we had just defeated in the finals.
Winning this tournament was a huge boost of self-confidence, as the situation was not optimal. I had not had much time to practice heading up to the tournament, and gaming had taken a backseat to more current issues in my life. Also, the prizes from this tournament provide me with the money I use to buy things in high school. Most importantly, winning our last tournament together gives Jim and me something we can share for the rest of our lives, long after my best friend and I move on to our separate paths.
that was fun to write, brought back memories and made me rather nostalgic. Makes me want to get back in to the game...we'll see
Hope you enjoyed reading it, I got a cool 46/50 which was pretty good for this assignment. See you all around.
Pokemon Brian Six
The Pokemon community has played a very large part in my life. More specifically, I refer to the Pokemon Trading Card Game. However, I did not play the game for the furry little monsters; for me there was much more to it than that. The game involved of building a deck with different cards, and playing a game with that deck against an opponent. Strategy played a large part, as did luck, and the Pokemon community recognized me as one of the top players in the world. Today my ranking still stands on the internet: a 3rd place global individual rating, and a 1st place global team rating. Most Pokemon players knew me, and many players, whom I did not know, would come up to me at a tournament to watch me play or ask me to help with their decks. This celebrity status can boost one?s ego more than anything else I have experienced, and few people get to enjoy such a feeling. Fierce competition lurked at the top levels of the game, and there nothing could beat the thrill of traveling across the country for a large tournament. Luckily, I had parents who were willing to take me to various cities to compete in most tournaments. I did my fair share of the work, winning trips to some tournaments and paying for others with the prize money. Despite my success at this game, this is not something a middle-schooler wants to tell his friends about. Even though Revere Middle School had not heard of Pokemon since fifth grade, I knew that if my Pokemon playing leaked to a point outside my closest friends, I would be exiled to a point of no return. I knew that my chance of a middle school romance would fall greatly. After all, it is hard for a boy to get a girlfriend when he can not get a girl to come near him.
I played this game competitively for 3 years, from 6th grade to the beginning of 9th grade. Over these years, I made many friends, including my friends at the local card shop in Parma, whom I saw every week to play and to hang out in the dark, cramped room in the back of the store. Without these kids, I would not have played the game. I also made friends from all over the world, from New Zealand to London. They have always been some of my favorite people, even though we could only get together a few times a year at tournaments. We spent much time talking on Instant Messenger and occasionally on the telephone. However, as good as these friends were, my best friend of all fit into neither category.
Jim started out as a member of the former group, just another kid at the card shop to whom I talked on Instant Messenger during the week. Over time, Jim and I grew to be best friends. We both accomplished the task of spending more time at the other?s house than at our respective homes, and that is quite a feat. Before Jim, I had no friends who would sleep over at my house. I had friends at school, but not the kind with whom one can stay up all night doing nothing. It was nice to have such a good friend with so much in common, and our lives were connected by Pokemon. Individuals can not properly grow and mature without friends like Jim.
Years passed playing the game, big tournaments came and went, and I built a name for myself. After winning tournaments by myself in New Jersey, Chicago, Columbus, and Seattle, I was recognized as one of the top Pokemon players in the world. While one might ridicule this title, there were many highly intelligent people of all ages playing this game, and being good was no easy task. Winning took dedication, practice, and endurance. The whole time I played, Jim was my partner in the game and my best friend. Whenever I got a new idea for a deck, I would tell him about it before anyone else. It is obvious to me I would not have been nearly as successful without his constant advice and friendship. It was sad news to me when I realized that Jim would be leaving for college out of state at the end of the summer leading up to my freshman year of high school. During the last week of summer, there was a two-person team tournament in Indianapolis. As soon as the announcement was made, Jim and I knew we had to win the tournament together.
After a nice drive, we arrived in Indianapolis for the tournament. Common wisdom would say to go to bed and rest up for the next day?s tournament, but that would not happen, especially on the last chance we would have to be together. Instead, Jim, the two people we were rooming with, and I went to explore Indianapolis. Being a racing fan, I go to Indianapolis twice a year to watch two different car races, so I was familiar with the city. We sat at some 24-hour coffee shops, walked around for a little bit, and before we knew it, it was almost time to wake up and leave for the tournament.
We arrived at the tournament, weary-eyed and tired, coming from no sleep the night before. Everything went according to the plan, and the adrenaline from playing in the tournament woke us up for the round. We were relaxed but at the same time we knew we would not be content without winning the entire tournament.
Fifteen rounds later, early into the third consecutive sleepless morning, Jim and I were in first place, followed by our roommates, whom we had just defeated in the finals.
Winning this tournament was a huge boost of self-confidence, as the situation was not optimal. I had not had much time to practice heading up to the tournament, and gaming had taken a backseat to more current issues in my life. Also, the prizes from this tournament provide me with the money I use to buy things in high school. Most importantly, winning our last tournament together gives Jim and me something we can share for the rest of our lives, long after my best friend and I move on to our separate paths.
that was fun to write, brought back memories and made me rather nostalgic. Makes me want to get back in to the game...we'll see
Hope you enjoyed reading it, I got a cool 46/50 which was pretty good for this assignment. See you all around.
Last edited:
