Competitive Pokémon is Crazy | My First Regional Tournament
Video Description
Hi everyone!
Because style is my favorite subject, today I want to talk about my experience playing the Louisville Regional Tournament for the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Competing in Pokémon World Championships is a dream of mine and playing in my first regional tournament taught me a lot about the game and how I can improve as a player.
In this video we discuss: my thoughts going to Louisville, my experience upon arrival, what I wore, the regional tournament format, what I learned, and how I plan to improve for my next regional tournament.
Overall, I’m really thankful for my experience because it helped me grow my skills and passion Pokémon and the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
It’s a huge blessing to be a part of a community that has inspired so many to be the best that they can be, and I definitely hope to continue growing to be the best that I can be in honor of that.
As always, make sure to let me know in the comments what you thought of this video and if you have any experience with competitive Pokémon yourself.
But until then, make sure to have a wonderful day, and thank you so much for watching!
: )))
Outline:
0:00 – Introduction
0:17 – In this video
1:01 – Hi everyone!
1:22 – The drive to Louisville
2:35 – Arriving in Louisville
3:02 – Waiting to start
4:06 – What I wore
4:52 – Regional tournament format
6:43 – No breaks
7:16 – Match by match
8:52 – Atlanta training program
10:21 – Conclusion / The journey continues!
11:22 – Outro
My Other Social Media:
Instagram - @_ _JoshuaMiller
TikTok - @_ _JoshuaMiller
YouTube - @JoshuaMillerStyle
Blog – JoshuaMillerStyle.com
Mega Excadrill ex Deck List:
Pokémon: 7
2 Genesect ex BLK 161
4 Drilbur PBL 46
1 Fezandipiti ex ASC 288
4 Beldum TEF 113
2 Metagross CRI 61
2 Mega Excadrill ex PBL 65
4 Metang TEF 114
Trainer: 14
4 Team Rocket's Petrel DRI 226
1 Gravity Mountain SSP 250
1 Switch PFL 123
4 Buddy-Buddy Poffin MEG 167
1 Jumbo Ice Cream PFL 91
1 Lillie's Determination MEG 184
1 Special Red Card CRI 82
1 Jumbo Ice Cream CRI 109
1 Brock's Scouting JTG 179
2 Brock's Scouting JTG 146
2 Boss's Orders PAL 265
1 Hero's Cape TEF 152
2 Pokégear 3.0 UNB 233
1 Kieran TWM 206
Energy: 1
18 Basic {M} Energy Energy 52
Total Cards: 60
Tags:
#Pokemon #PlayPokemon #PokemonCards #PokemonTradingCardGame #PTCG #PokemonTrainer #PokemonCommunity #Dragapult #CrushingHammer #MegaExcadrill #Gaming #GamingVlog #GamingYoutube #Style #Confidence #Enthusiasm #JoshuaMillerStyle
Video Transcript
Heading into my first-ever regional tournament, I made a video talking about how my main methodology was going to be just focusing on winning the game in front of me. But what I didn't realize was that playing in this tournament was going to change not only the way that I think about the game, but also how much I love the game and how badly I want to be great at it. So in today's video, I want to just talk to you guys about what it was like to participate in my first-ever regional tournament for the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
Specifically, we're going to talk about my first thoughts going into the tournament, as well as what I wore while I was actually there. And then we'll get into how regional tournaments are formatted, what's different about them, and why this forced me to think about the game differently. We'll then talk about all of the main ways that I want to improve as a player of the Pokémon Trading Card Game and the specific plan that I have to improve at the game before Regionals in Atlanta in 13 weeks.
And of course, we'll conclude with why I love Pokémon and the Pokémon Trading Card Game. But first, hi, everyone. I'm Josh Miller, and welcome to my YouTube channel.
I create videos on fashion, pop music, and Pokémon so that you can live with style, confidence, and enthusiasm. And because style is my favorite subject, today I want to talk about the tournament that I very recently competed in, which is the 2026 Louisville Regional tournament for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. So without further ado, let's get to it.
Going into my first-ever regional tournament, I felt like I had a strong grasp of how I think about the game. I've always thought about the Pokémon Trading Card Game as a game of probability and resource management. But as I began the six-and-a-half-hour drive to Louisville from Chicagoland, I very quickly started to realize that the game isn't just about managing resources and probability.
It's also about knowing how to manage your emotions. Despite saving a lot of new music and podcasts to listen to on the drive there, I found myself unable to think about anything but the tournament that lay ahead. Like, I was constantly thinking about what decks I was going to play against, what deck I specifically was going to play, what the format was going to be, and what it was going to be like to have to play in that specific format.
And this made me feel really excited, but also kind of nervous. And while I love performing, and I definitely do really enjoy performing under pressure, a lot of the competitions I did growing up were as part of a group, or I was on a specific team. But this was the first time that I was going to be a team of one, and it was going to just be me and my Pokémon against other people.
And I was going to have a definitive numerical ranking that ultimately illustrated how I performed, and this was just a lot to think about. And I was definitely excited, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. But once we actually got into Louisville, this nervousness started to leave just because I felt so excited.
It was really cool getting to walk through downtown Louisville the day before the event. Like, I love Pokémon, but I sometimes feel like it's something I have to be a little bit quiet about in my day-to-day life. But in this environment, it felt like Pokémon had really just taken over the city of Louisville, which was just really exciting. And it just made me feel really proud to be a fan of Pokémon, and even more excited for the next day to come.
And the next day, when it was time for the actual tournament to begin, I just remember feeling so excited and pumped up and ready to do the best that I possibly could. Like, I trained for this event harder than I had ever trained for any Pokémon Trading Card Game event before, so I was at a point where I was feeling kind of confident. But I was also just genuinely really excited for all of the new things that I was going to learn about the game and about myself during this process.
And this was probably also caused by the fact that, prior to the tournament, they were playing Gym Leader battle themes. Having heard these songs during very stressful but exciting moments in the games growing up, I will always associate those songs with it being time to lock in and just get really excited and really focused on being the best that you can possibly be.
So when they announced that our round-one pairings were up, I was just so excited to finally get to start playing this game that I love so much on this day that I'd been thinking about and looking forward to for so long. But before we get into that, I want to touch a little bit on what I wore, because I think that this also just kind of demonstrates my overall enthusiasm for the event. So as you guys know, Oshawott is without a doubt my favorite Pokémon.
I love his personality. I love his voice. I love all of the different memes about him.
Oshawott is a Pokémon who just means so, so much to me. So going into this event, I definitely wanted to wear something that just represented that enthusiasm, because it would not only comfort me, but it would also function as a great conversation starter. Like, it was really fun walking through the event, and every time I'd see another Oshawott stan, I'd be like, "Oh my God, you love Oshawott!" I'd get to do my Oshawott impression.
It was just so lovely. And it was also funny, too, because, like, whenever you play a game, one of the first small-talk questions you ask, in addition to, like, what your name is and where you're from, is, "Who is your favorite Pokémon?" But people didn't need to ask me that, because I had my Oshawott sweater on, and I also had an Oshawott plush that I'll show you guys in a little bit. But back to the actual game: one of the biggest shockers going into this event was having to play under a different tournament style.
So I had previously been used to what I believe is the traditional competitive format, which is where players play one 30-minute game that does have the potential to go into overtime, and whoever wins that game gets the ultimate win for the match. However, during this tournament, things were going to be played a little bit differently. Instead of just playing one game, players were going to be matched up and have to play a best-of-three match, and they would only have 50 minutes to do this.
And this was really interesting for me, because I had always wondered, "How are you going to be able to play three games in 50 minutes if it's not that uncommon for a game at a local tournament to go longer than 30 minutes?" So when I first started playing, I just remember trying to move as quickly as possible to try and complete three games. But what I quickly realized is that playing three games isn't very common, at least at the tables that I was playing at. Instead, it kind of seems like the strategy is to win the first game and then either draw or win the second game.
And this really changed the way that I thought about the game, because going into it, I was operating under the methodology that I was going to play all three games. And because of that, I should probably concede the first game for the sake of time if I didn't think that I had a realistic chance of winning. But during the tournament, I actually encountered a lot of the opposite. I saw a lot of players who would continue playing the first game if there was even a remote chance that they were going to win, because even if they lost that game, they could then rush through the second game to hopefully get a win and make the entire match a draw.
And overall, I was really frustrated with this format at first. But the more that I've sat with it, I honestly find this metagame to be really, really interesting, because not only do you have to manage probability, resources, and your emotions, you also have to manage time. And I think all of these things just add all of these different factors that make the game so interesting and so exciting when you get to play it at a high level. And the other thing that I think is worth noting is that, in the tournament, there are no real breaks.
You play the eight rounds back to back, and the only time that you really ever have a break is if your match finishes early or if other matches go into overtime. It definitely is an added layer of stress, just having to constantly think about the fact that time to go to the bathroom, get something to eat, or even fill up your water bottle is a resource that you might not always have access to. And in this context, you also have to consider your focus as a player.
You can't eat or drink anything that's going to damage your ability to focus for a long period of time. And then, touching on how I performed at the event, I ended up going 3–2–3, which means that I had three wins, two losses, and three ties. But what I find more interesting about this is the actual overall story of the day.
So I ended up winning the first match, which was just absolutely crazy. That match was just really, really stressful, and there was such an excitement, but also just an anxiousness, in the air while we were playing it. And a lot of players, myself included, were just trying to get accustomed to this new format and this new environment, all at, like, 8:30 in the morning.
And then I ended up drawing the second match, but then, to my surprise, I won the third match. And at this point, it honestly just felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest, just because I knew that I was going to gain access to a tier of competitive Pokémon that I don't really have a lot of experience in. And the players that I got to sit next to during round four were unlike any players I'd ever played against before.
Like, getting to see their mannerisms and the way that they took their turns and managed their cards, even just the way that some of them shuffled the deck or carried themselves, was just so fascinating to me. And I just remember having an epiphany that I wanted to stay there, and I wanted to be the kind of player who deserved to be there so, so badly. And while the match didn't end up going the way that I wanted it to, I just think that this moment in the tournament is what really changed the way that I approach and think about the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
It was as if I had gained access to a room of people who were just so inspiring, and it forced me to be the best that I possibly could be. And I just really love that feeling, and it's definitely one that I'm going to keep chasing, which is why I'm going to work so hard for my next regional tournament. So the next regional tournament that I'm hopefully going to is in Atlanta in January 2027, which is around 13 weeks from now. And to prepare for this, I've written up a 13-week training program with four phases that I'm going to be following in preparation for this event.
The first three phases are going to focus on specializing in three decks that I definitely think I could use more knowledge of, and those are Basic Box, Dragapult ex, and Alakazam. And then, during the final four weeks, I'm going to pick which deck I'm going to be bringing: one of those three or Mega Excadrill, which is the deck that I played and that I love so, so much. And then, once I've selected my final deck, I'm really going to drill down into the core matchups and the core strategies that I want to use when I approach those matchups.
That way, after every single fist bump and eventual first draw for turn, I have a clear plan that I'm going to go into each game with. And even if I have to stray away from this plan, I think it's really good to have a framework for what you're supposed to start with, so you have something to weigh your decisions against, as opposed to just starting from nothing. Which is why I'm just really, really excited to try this training program. And it's definitely something that's just given me a new enthusiasm for the game and an overall, like, excitement for life.
Like, I don't know. I feel like I wake up every day just really excited to get to play Pokémon cards at the end of the day and on the weekend, just so that I can work toward my eventual goal of one day qualifying for Pokémon Worlds. And I get to continue to play in environments like the one that I described earlier, that just inspire me and motivate me so, so much. So to conclude, if there's anything that I took away from this experience, it's just that Pokémon is so, so important to me. Like, even after the end of the tournament, I just remember walking around, and I just felt so, so, so grateful to be a part of a community and a larger movement that means so much to me.
And even just thinking about it now, like, it brings such a smile to my face. I love Pokémon. I love how it inspires people, and it has just helped shape me into the person who I am today.
And I will always just feel so honored and so proud to get to be a part of each and every event that I participate in. And if you get the chance to participate in an event like this, I really, really encourage you to. And if there's anything that I can do to help you get started, please don't hesitate to reach out.
And on the day of recording this video, it's officially been one week since my first regional tournament. And besides a smile, the only other thing that comes to mind is a little song lyric that changed my life forever that goes, "I want to be the very best, like no one ever was." And what a tremendous privilege and what a tremendous joy it is to get to pursue this endeavor.
So there you guys have this week's video. Make sure to let me know in the comments if you were actually at Louisville Regionals, or what your experience with competitive Pokémon or competitive gaming overall is. I'm just really excited to hear your guys' thoughts.
And if you want to follow me on this journey of trying to get better at the Pokémon Trading Card Game, I will be going live here on YouTube every single Wednesday at 6:30 CDT. And I'll also be posting the live replays a couple of days after each event, whenever I'm able to get to editing them on the weekends. And I'll also have the deck list that I played in the description below for reference.
I played Mega Excadrill. I love that deck, and I've talked about it a lot on my livestreams. And if you'd like to follow me elsewhere on the internet, you can follow me on Instagram and TikTok at __JoshuaMiller.
You can subscribe to my YouTube channel, Joshua Miller Style, for new weekly videos like this one and daily Shorts as well. And if you want to check out my blog, you can go to JoshuaMillerStyle.com. And if you'd like to subscribe for weekly emails from me, you can get on my email list at JoshuaMillerStyle.com/subscribe.
But until then, make sure to have a wonderful day, and thank you so much for watching.
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