2007 Worlds Invitees

Age: 19

How long have you been playing the TCG?
5 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Seeing my friends again and competing with the best.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Playtesting as much as I can.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Nidoqueen

Age: 10

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
This year, going to Hawaii.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Practice, practice and more practice.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Groudon, Bonsly, Charizard, Tyranitar, Oddish

Age: 10

How long have you been playing the TCG?
2 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Playing with friends, talking about Pokémon.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Practice, practice, practice.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
All of them

Age: 10

How long have you been playing the TCG?
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Coming to Hawaii.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I made some decks and I play.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Flygon

Age: 17

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
About 6 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
The fun, and meeting players from the whole world.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
By playtesting decks.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Pikachu, Mew

Age: 7

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
2 1/2 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
To win and meet different people.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
By playing with different decks.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Flygon EX

Age: 10

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
18 months

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Seeing kids from all over the world and being in really cool places.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Going to league and playing with my family.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Plusle, Minun

Age: 34

How long have you been playing the TCG?
9 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Seeing Dave Schwimmer and Pete De Shaw again -- they are great!

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Practice with son.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Meditite, Deoxys 

Age: 14

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Visiting another country, traveling in a plane, and having new experiences.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Training hard all days after school and on the weekend, too.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Mew

Age: 13

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
5 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
The whole championship and all of what's going on.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Playing a lot.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Torchic, Flareon, Arcanine 

Age: 9

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
5 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Winning.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
No special preparations, I just let it happen.

What are the qualities of a good TCG player? 
Patience, clear thinking and a good deck.

Age: 15

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
About 7 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Hawaii, seeing friends from out of state.

How are you preparing for Worlds? 
Trying different decks.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Onix, Steelix 

Age: 23

How long have you been playing the TCG?    
7 years

What are your favorite things about playing the TCG?
Meeting people and making friends.

What are the qualities of a good TCG player?
Fair play and good partner.

How do you personally ? 
Shaking hands.

Age: 15

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
2 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
The competition and meeting new friends.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
A lot of practice.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Pikachu

Age: 17

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
8 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
The challenge of winning against the absolute highest level of competition.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I have been testing decks, either alone or with friends, nearly every day this summer.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Pidgeotto

Age: 13

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
That it is in Hawaii this year.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Testing at home and league.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Mew

Age: 13

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
5 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
The location, Hawaii.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Practice.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Munchlax

Age: 10

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
4 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
I get to go to Hawaii!

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Battling with my brother.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Mime Jr.

Age: 20

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
8 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Being with my friends.

What kind of strategy do you think will earn you a win at Worlds?
No mistakes, a new deck.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Skitty

Age: 22

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
9 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Hawaii, for sure.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I try to be aware of the most popular decks of the moment.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Bulbasaur

Age: 16

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
Since 2000

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Seeing "old" friends and players I don't know yet.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I look at the metagame and test different decks with my father.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Eevee, Eevee-lutions

Age: 11

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
5 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
The possibility of becoming World Champ!

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Playtesting and strategizing.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Smeargle

Age: 15

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
10 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
All the new and strong trainers from around the world.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Train my deck often, at least a minimum of 6 hours a day.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Charizard

Age: 39

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
7 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Seeing friends from prior Worlds and meeting new ones.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
To be honest, I probably won't prepare that much.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Pikachu of course

Age: 10

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
2 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
It's in Hawaii and it's an accomplishment to be there.

How are you preparing for Worlds? 
Practicing and building decks.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Rayquaza EX D

Age: 11

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
About 6 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Blue marlins are in season! And seeing my friends.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Finding the best deck.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Purugly

Age: 13

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
Since I was 5 years old.

What are your favorite things about playing the TCG?
Learning new strategies and meeting new people.

What are the qualities of a good TCG player?
Seeing beyond your next move.

How do you personally show good sportsmanship? 
Saying "good game" after each match.

Age: 17

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
About 2 1/2 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Meeting new people and trying to play against new players.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I play, play and play some more.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Raichu

Age: 14

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
2 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Being in Hawaii with friends.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Playtesting.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Raichu

Age: 9

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
I'm excited to go to Hawaii and meet new people.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I'm practicing against the different decks in our area.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Infernape

Age: 11

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
Approximately 5 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
That I will be going to Hawaii, and playing kids from around the world for the second year in a row!

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Practicing against other friends and especially my dad.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Munchlax

Age: 18

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
Since 1999

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Playing and meeting other great players.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Playtest against the metagame as often as possible.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
I have a few (but Pikachu is the greatest)

Age: 14

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
8 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Getting to meet up with friends, spending time with family, and getting another chance at 1st place.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I'm building decks and practicing more.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Slowbro

Age: 12

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Doing things in Hawaii and possibly getting top 4.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Testing online with an online team and friends frequently.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Spoink

Age: 9

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Meeting all the friends I made last year and making more friends.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Playtesting and more playtesting with my brother, dad and teammates.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Flygon

Age: 15

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
7 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
To see how far I can make it in the tournament.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Trying many deck and playing much.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Chansey

Age: 11

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
2 1/2 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Playing with the best players.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
With friends, my brother and my league leader.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Shiftry EX

Age: 11

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
To challenge new opponents and having the opportunity to attend.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
By buying cards to improve my deck and practicing.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Torchic

Age: 17

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
7 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
The ability to test my ability against the toughest and most talented field ever.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Researching my opponents and.testing my decks.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
I don't really have one

Age: 18

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
Since the game came out

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
The ability to compete with the best in the world.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Lots of playtesting.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Blastoise, Blaziken

Age: 10

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
All the new places to go.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Traying out new deck composition.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Salamence

Age: 18

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
Since 1999

How often do you play the TCG?
Way too much, or not as often as I would like.

Who do you like to play the TCG with?
Everyone I can (friends, relatives and rivals).

What are the qualities of a good TCG player? 
Creativity, attentiveness and respect.

Age: 11

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
7 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Going to Hawaii.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Training a lot!

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Plusle

Age: 14

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
It's all the famous players.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Training at home.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Lugia

Age: 12

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
2 1/2 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
To win and meet different people.

How are you preparing for Worlds ?
By playing with different decks.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Metagross

Age: 14

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
For almost 8 years, competitive since 2004/2005 season.

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
It's Hawaii: also, meeting my friends from all over the world is cool too.

How are you preparing for Worlds ?
I playtest a lot, and sleep enough.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Jirachi

Age: 25

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
Since 1st edition ... 8-some years?

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
It's a tournament far away with only a few people invited who try to find the best player among them ... and I will be there.

How are you preparing for Worlds 
No differently as for any other tournament: Testing some decks and deciding for the one I like most and has a good chance for winning.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Wartortle

Age: 15

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
4 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Going to Hawaii.

How are you preparing for Worlds ?
Practicing match-ups.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Piplup

Age: 9

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
Since March 2007

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
To meet new children who have the same passion as me.

How are you preparing for Worlds ?
Confronting different decks and playing against different people.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Lucario

Age: 21

How long have you been playing the TCG?
8 1/2 years

Who do you like to play the TCG with?
People over the Internet.

What are the qualities of a good TCG player?
Good sportsmanship, honesty, good strategizer.

How do you personally show good sportsmanship? 
I say "Good Game" after every game and shake my opponent's hand.

Age: 10

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
Seriously, 9 months only

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
I have traveled to Europe and Asia but not the U.S. Testing my skills on a world stage is very exciting.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Making sure my deck is perfect. Researching cards.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Empoleon

Age: 14

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
3 years competitively, 2 overall

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
The chance to compete against some of the world's best players and at becoming World Champion.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Testing decks vigorously and tweaking them to perform their best.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Shiftry

Age: 10

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
A little over 4 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
I want to play the best in the world (again) in Hawaii!

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I am playing with my sister and the Peeples (friends who play) every day.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Rayquaza

Age: 10

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
2 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
That I have never been there before, to the World Championships.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I have never stopped preparing ever since I knew that I was going.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Charizard

Age: 16

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
About 3 1/2 years

What are your favorite things about playing the TCG?
To meet everyone at tournaments.

What are the qualities of a good TCG player? 
Fair play, thinking ahead.

How do you personally show good sportsmanship? 
Being nice to others and playing fair.

Age: 17

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
4 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Playing with people from all over the world.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Keeping up the good work.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Flygon

Age: 18

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
10 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Meeting with my friends I can't see along the year.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Training hard every day with my friend Omar.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Mew

Age: 14

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Bikinis.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Practicing in small tournaments.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Squirtle

Age: 15

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
9 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Hawaii.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Eating cake, playing video games, going to hang out with my best friend or girlfriend.

What is your favorite Pokémon character?  
Charizard 

Age: 10

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
A year and a half

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Just going there, because this is my first time.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I am preparing for worlds by playtesting new decks.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Seedot

Age: 10

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
2 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
To see how I battle against players from other countries.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
By playing my new Wii.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Typhlosion

Age: 17

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
6 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Competing with the very best around the world and representing your country.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Testing my deck. Finding its rhythm. Also finding its strengths and weaknesses.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Lucario

Age: 13

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
4 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Meeting the new players.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I practice with my friends.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
At this moment it's Pichu

Age: 11

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
8 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Playing with the best players in the world.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Practicing with my deck.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Palkia

Age: 14

How long have you been playing the TCG?    
About 8 1/2 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Seeing my old friends again, and competing for huge prizes.

How are you preparing for Worlds? 
By practicing a lot.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Charizard

Age: 13

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
3-4 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
All the competition.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I'm testing a lot and coming up with ideas, also just talking to good players.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Hariyama

Age: 23

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
4 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Knowing' other countries' people and playing with them.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Practicing.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Umbreon

Age: 11

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
About 3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
I get to see so many different kinds of people -- but they all play Pokémon!

How are you preparing for Worlds?
I'm practicing as much as possible with my dad and at league.

What is your favorite Pokémon character?
Infernape

Age: 41

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
About 2 1/2 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Competing against the best and being fortunate enough to have earned an invite.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Playtesting what I feel Worlds metagame will be.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Umbreon

Age: 15

How long have you been playing the TCG?   
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
To compete with the best players in the world.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
By playtesting a lot.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Charizard

Age: 13

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
2, 5 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Hawaii is an island I only dreamt of. Only the best players are here.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Play a lot, with the same deck.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Banette EX

Age: 11

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
About 7 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Being able to stay in Hawaii while getting to play against the toughest competition in the world. 

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Practice, practice, practice!

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Gardevoir

Age: 14

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
5 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
The main event.

How are you preparing for Worlds? 
Practice and more practice.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Miltank

Age: 17

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
7 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Can recognize different countries' top players.

Who do you like to play the TCG with?
With my good friends.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Lickitung, Shiftry

Age: 13

How long have you been playing the TCG? 
About 3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
Going to Hawaii and meeting new friends.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
By practice.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Blastoise

Age: 11

How long have you been playing the TCG?  
3 years

What excites you most about going to the World Championships?
The location.

How are you preparing for Worlds?
Working on a new deck.

What is your favorite Pokémon character? 
Infernape X