This Underground staff interview will be with the webmaster of SixPrizes himself, Adam Capriola! Enjoy!
What’s your favorite thing about the TCG?
I love how it is such an intellectual competition. I may be writing a post on this soon (if not by the time that this interview comes out), but to me the Pokémon TCG is like mental warfare… everyone tries extremely hard to out-do one another, even though there really aren’t any killer prizes on the line for most tournaments.
If you wanted to play for big prizes, you’d be playing Magic: The Gathering. But what’s cool about Pokémon is that everyone mainly plays to win and I love that competitive spirit. The quest to qualify for Worlds is something that seems to stoke everyone up to the point of obsession, but it’s awesome! It makes for a fun challenge. Everyone that plays is really friendly too which is great. We’re all fiercely competitive, but kind enough to shake hands after the game.
Where do you play test the most?
I playtest online using Apprentice most of the time. It’s most time efficient for me, though I do like to spend late nights playtesting in person. I really should start going to league, but it’s just more convenient for me to hop on Apprentice at any hour of the day.
What is your most memorable match?
Hmmm… good question. I have a few in mind. Most of the ones that stick in my head were losing bouts, but one memorable match I won was in the finals of the Pennsylvania Gym Challenge in 2006. I was using Blastoise ex/Steelix ex/Lugia ex/Pidgeot RG and was up against Chris Fulop who was using this brand new deck called “Mew Lock.” Nothing more than a paid trip to Worlds was on the line.
Luckily I had tested a couple games against Mew Lock because Seena Ghaziaskar had leaked it to me before the tournament, so I somewhat knew how to play the matchup. Otherwise I’m sure Chris would have crushed me. It was a really hard deck to play against, and possibly even harder to use, but Fulop is a pro and knew what he was doing. I think Fulop was one of the first people to ever use the deck.
Game 1 took almost the full hour of time allotted for the finals. I managed not to get totally locked and got the point toward the end of the game where if I could topdeck 1-of 2 cards, I would pull out the win. I topdecked a Power Tree stadium card to break the lock, allowing me to use Quick Search with Pidgeot to get what I needed, and Chris scooped.
Truth be told, I actually think I Quick Searched for the wrong card. There was one card I could have gotten that would have just ended the game, but I think I got something that would have given Chris a chance the next turn, but luckily he scooped (assuming I made the right play). Maybe I had it won anyway, I’m not sure. There was no way Game 2 could be completed so I won the trip for Worlds in a hard fought, exhausting match.
What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
In 2005 I helped to create Queendom (Nidoqueen/Pidgeot/Milotic) which placed 1st and 3rd at Worlds that year. Jeremy Maron and Pablo Meza did such an incredible job, it was a pleasure working together with them that year.
Do you play the video games or watch the anime?
I played the Red version and Pokémon Pinball, and watched the anime when it initially came out, but haven’t watched the anime or played the games since. I was caught up in the craze when it first came out, but through the years I’ve only stuck with the card game. I like the interaction and competitive nature of the card game more than anything.
Did you have a mentor or someone who taught you Pokémon or did you learn on your own?
Pojo was an incredible resource for me what I was starting out. Specifically I remember worshipping Scott Gerhardt, I thought he was the best player ever. I read his articles like they were scripture. I even wanted to travel to Canada to play against him one summer and almost convinced my mom to stop by his local card shop while we were at Niagra Falls on vacation.
What was your favorite modified format to play in?
I honestly forget all the formats, and I was out of the game for a few years, but when Nintendo took over those formats were kind of fun because nobody was real serious back then, so you could play some whacky decks and have a chance to win bigger tournaments. I think the format was Expedition onward or Ruby & Shappire onward.
I remember having success with a nutty Team Aqua deck with Suicune ex that nobody else used. I don’t think I won any huge tournaments with it, but it was unique. I also did well with a Gorebyss / Starmie deck at the East Coast Stadium Challenge in 2004. The deck was ridiculous and simply built as a total metagame counter, but it worked!
How does it feel to be regarded as one of the top Pokémon players?
I am not sure if I am still regarded as a top player by other people, but I feel I’m at the point in my Pokémon TCG career where I’ve achieved pretty much all I could ask for. I’ve made it to Worlds a few times, helped create a deck that surprised everyone at Worlds, and have done well at various tournaments. I play without pressure now and just go out there to for the challenge and to help other people become better at the game.
Do you have any special talent other than being a top-notch Pokémon player?
I like to play tennis, though I’m not really that great at it. Serving and consistency are difficult to maintain and it takes years of practice to get good. I still really enjoy playing just for the hell of it though. It feels great whenever you can get that lucky ace or smash a cross-court forehand winner.
I don’t know if I really have any special talents though. I don’t consider myself to be great at a lot of things I do. I just like to do them.
In 2 years, do you still plan to be playing the TCG?
2 years ago I said I’d quit and here I am… so why not?
I hope you enjoyed this interview. If you want to know more about Adam, feel free to leave questions for him in the comments section below.
Martin Garcia
Interesting interview, but as Ed said, who is responsible for the article control? man, he must be asleep if he let this adam-guy get an interview as the article of the day (?)
But seriously, i dont have the pleasure to know you in person, but from what i hear and read, you seem like a really cool guy, and a pretty good player, so i hope i can get a chance to play with some of you elites someday.
Would need to go to the states for that, tough, but i look forward to the chance.
Ed Mandy
How’d this sad excuse for an article get past the moderator?
Heh Heh. Just kiddin’!
eli moses
hey adam my account Sirbloopsalot isnt working can you help me out here, thanks man
Adam Capriola
Send me an e-mail: adam@sixprizes.com and I’ll help you out
Joshua Pikka
Did you interview yourself for this article?
It must have been a tough interview.
That picture of you without the beard is quite funny.
Dakota Streck
I conducted this interview as well as all the other “Meet the Staff” Interviews.
Adam Capriola
Adam does not interview himself.
venny kid
Of course not! Capriola interviews Adam!
Zachary Slater
You look so young in the picture Adam haha, besides that, good article.
I liked reading it and wish I could get to know you a little more…
You seem like a cool guy :)
Adam Capriola
Come to Nationals this year and we’ll hang!
Anonymous
“I also did well with a Gorebyss / Starmie deck at the East Coast Stadium Challenge in 2004. “me and you both ;/ I think I got 9th with it that day. up until April I still had my starbyss deck all sleeved up.this is my first whole season back so maybe i will do good again. are you going to the BR on sunday?
i would love to have good people to play test with again. you, jermy and pooka all seemed to move on to great things without me =/ haha
Adam Capriola
Oh yea I forgot you played it too! You must have ran into all the non-gardy and blaziken decks.
I’m not going to make it to any Battle Roads unfortunately, I’ve been busy with stuff. I’ll hopefully make it to a bunch of Cities though.
Do you still play on Apprentice at all? Maybe we can practice sometime.
Anonymous
“I also did well with a Gorebyss / Starmie deck at the East Coast Stadium Challenge in 2004. “me and you both ;/ I think I got 9th with it that day. up until April I still had my starbyss deck all sleeved up.this is my first whole season back so maybe i will do good again. are you going to the BR on sunday?
i would love to have good people to play test with again. you, jermy and pooka all seemed to move on to great things without me =/ haha
chrataxe
The man….
The myth…
The legend…
Anonymous
I am one of the best Pokemon Pinball players of all time, no joke. My high score on both tables is around 100 billion each.
Adam’s one of the nicest players I ever met. I hope to see you again at Nats, hopefully with all your teeth this time :)
Adam Capriola
Dude I couldn’t beat the game! I remember spending one summer trying to get Kabutops and could never do it. Pissed me off so much!
Hah and ya hopefully I have all my teeth by then.
Matthew Tidman
Do you ever take a picture without a hat on? Inquiring minds want to know.
Seriously, you said you playtest on apprentice all the time. Who are your most regular opponents?
Adam Capriola
Hahah yea I wear hats a lot. Just a habit of mine.
I’ve been super busy maintaining the site so I haven’t been able to playtest a lot, but I usually play against quaziko who’s written a few article on here and Ian Ryave who says he’s not playing this season. I play with Jason Chen and Pablo from time to time too.
TheFresko
Nice to get some insight on Ada. <3 Tennis, favorite sport. It was great meeting you at Nats, hopefully we can hang more next time around.
Adam Capriola
Tennis is awesome. Who’s your favorite player?
And yea we’ll have to hang more, stay at the homewood suites if it’s in Indy again.
TheFresko
Roddick and Baghdatis for men’s, Wozniaki and Kirilenko for women’s.
Adam Capriola
Interesting to hear you say Baghdatis and Kirilenko, I wasn’t expecting those two. I think I like Baghdatis’ girl more than him. :P
This is going to sound like a cop out but I like Federer best along with Hewitt and Djokovic. As far as women… Sharapova.
TheFresko
Everyone likes fed, if they say they don’t, they’re lying. Too good and too nice to not like. I hate Hewitt. Djokavic is fun to watch. Sigh, Sharapova… Not as good as she used to be, especially with all the amazing womens players coming out of retirement.
Scott Gerhardt
If you had stopped off in Canada you would have been sadly disappointed as I was a Texas player. :(