Rayquaza and Chill

Hello again, 6P readers! I hope everyone is staying safe through these hard times with the pandemic going on. Today I should be on a flight to Berlin for EUIC 2020. However, we know that organized play is canceled until further notice. If you are a longtime player like myself, it hits you hard having this long of a break without any big events. Still, we have to make the best of it and focus our attention on staying healthy and practicing social distancing until this whole ordeal has passed.

For this article, I want to basically go over my life as a competitive player over the years and how I came to be who I am today. I know there aren’t events coming up, so I figured you guys may enjoy getting to know my journey more in-depth. I have been playing competitively since 2010, so I won’t go every year but the ones that stand out the most.

2010

How I Got Into the Game

I got into playing the game during the era of Pokémon SP. At the time I had been playing Yu-Gi-Oh. However, I wasn’t playing it competitively; I’d more so just go to league and play casually. This is mainly due to the fact that I had no idea about competitive play at the time. Out of the blue, I thought about Pokémon and how the cards looked because I had old-school cards from Base Set and Fossil. I figured I’d take a look at some of the recent cards at the time. This is where I came upon cards like Uxie LV.X and was immediately hooked just by their artwork. Maybe a week later I decided to sell all my Yu-Gi-Oh cards and bought three booster boxes of current Pokémon sets. I believe they were Arceus, Supreme Victors, and HeartGold & SoulSilver. I fell in love with the cards. I found a league at Sci-Fi City in Orlando, FL where I shared many memories and met some of my closest friends that I still talk to till this day. That is how I got into Pokémon in a nutshell.

Why I Started Playing Competitively

I decided to start playing competitively and travel to events very soon after I went to league and met some awesome people who got me more serious into the game. There are so many people I would shout out, but they know who they are. I loved the competitive aspect of the game. I knew I had the potential to become a great player if I put my mind to it. I wanted that feeling of getting a Worlds invite and trophy because quite frankly I never had that in my life. I knew Pokémon could be something I can look back on and say “wow I did that” and be proud of it. I had a lot of motivation from friends and peers.

I started when I was 18 years old, pretty much right around when I graduated high school. I didn’t go to college like many others did, so I just pursued my Pokémon addiction and never looked back. I don’t regret it because I’ve had so many great memories and met so many awesome people, and to be honest I don’t know where I would be without Pokémon, so thank you to everyone who has been a part of my journey till this day.

2012–2013

1st Worlds Invite, 1st Breakout Regionals (2nd @ Georgia)

I’m fast-forwarding to 2013 since my first few years weren’t that interesting, as I was still getting used to all the big events and slowly trying to make a name for myself. I wasn’t able to find this decklist, but the deck I used was Rayquaza-EX DRX/Eelektrik NVI to place 2nd at Georgia Regionals that year, losing to a mirror match in the finals. This was my biggest Regionals finish at the time and boy was I excited to have made it that far because it sure wasn’t easy.

This Regional was actually the very last Regional of the season, and before then I did not have an invite. In order for me to get my invite this year, I needed to literally make the finals of this Regional.

When I reached that milestone I couldn’t believe it because you also got two byes for Nationals for making the finals of Regionals at the time. I had to get through some great players such as Harrison Leven in Top 4 and many others. My first Worlds invite was in 2013, meaning I missed it the others three years before I got my first, though I don’t really count my first year since I started late into the season.

Another thing to note: 2010–2012 were some of the hardest seasons to get an invite due to (1) the Worlds requirement at the time and (2) having some of the strongest players to ever play the game all playing at the same time, many of whom don’t play today.

1st Breakout US Nationals (Top 16)

The two byes surely helped me achieve a strong finish at Nationals this year. Not only was I able to get my first Worlds invite and a big finish at a Regionals, but I also had my biggest Nationals finish at the same time. Back in 2013, countries had their own Nationals (in lieu of International Championships and Special Events), and US Nationals had over 900 Masters that year. I was able to place 14th/927 to be exact. I was one win away from making Top 8, and that’s usually where you make a name for yourself. Having barely missed that I was disappointed but still excited at the same time. I gave it my all that year and felt I was almost there to make a name for myself with the other top dogs.

Speed Lugia Decklist (14th @ US Nationals)

This is the list I used to place 14th at Nationals 2013. I loved playing fast decks and this deck was no slouch. It was fast, aggressive, and could take multiple KOs at once. The combination of Deoxys-EX and PlusPower adding damage was extremely strong at the time and made the deck a beast. You could win in just two attacks with Lugia-EX if it were to KO 2 Pokémon-EX because of its Ability. This deck was so much fun to play and so fast. Shout-out to Michael Canaves for showing me the original list at the time.

Worlds in Vancouver

My first Worlds. I’ll admit I went 0-3 drop. My deck choices for Worlds for some reason haven’t been the best. I usually keep to myself and play whatever I feel seems fun at the time. However, I’ve started to learn that that’s not the best decision if you want to make it far.

The greatest feeling for me personally, when attending Worlds, is waiting in line ready to get your swag bag—waiting in line with other great players that also have their invites, just talking and having a blast. The feeling you get once they hand you that swag bag is the best because it means you did it. You got your first World Championships invite. It’s something you will never forget because it’s not easy.

Even though I went 0-3 drop, I had the time of my life. Knowing you played and gave it your all still means something and will only make you stronger and hungrier to do better next time.

It was also the first time I’ve ever been outside the US. That’s when I got my passport, which was good for 10 years and still useful to this day.

2013–2014

1st US Master to Get 500 CP Worlds Invite

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Yes, you heard that correct. I was the first US Master to get their Worlds invite back in 2014 when the CP requirement was at its highest at 500. This is assuming you don’t count the previous Top 4 Worlds players who auto get invites. I had a great season that year and it was an achievement I thought I’d never do. That proved to me that I was only getting better and better and how far I’d come since 2010.

2nd Breakout Regionals (2nd Florida)

It’s now back-to-back years I placed 2nd at a Regionals and had two byes yet again for Nationals. I was still unable to get that big win yet, though. If there was one Regionals I always wanted to win, it was my hometown Regionals in Florida. I really wanted to win Florida Regionals, and being so close was very tough to take in because the finals literally came down to a coin flip in Game 3 against my good friend Ryan Sabelhaus. Spoiler Alert: The coin flip was me using Hypnotoxic Laser and putting Ryan to sleep. If he flips heads, he wins the Regionals, and if he flips tails, I win my first Regionals. Unfortunately, he flips heads to wake up and wins the following turn. It was literally that close of a match and one of the best matches I’ve ever played.

If you guys want to see the video, it was streamed; however, the quality isn’t the best.

Virizion-EX/Genesect-EX Decklist (2nd @ Florida Regionals)

Here is the list I used to place 2nd at Florida Regionals that year. I built my list to try and handle mostly everything in the format at the time, but namely the Yeti deck that uses Snorlax PLS, which is where the Potions would ultimately come in handy. This is because what the Yeti deck would do is chip away at you with Thundurus-EX then follow up with Lugia-EX. By using Potion, it puts them a turn behind and basically nullifies their last attack. Potions were MVP for sure, and a lot of people were confused as to why Potions were in a deck. I loved this deck and it alone netted me 400+ CP that year.

Professor Cup Champion

At the time I was a Professor because it was so easy to become one. All you had to do was pass the test, and just like that you were a Professor with no other background requirements or anything. So I decided to play in the Professor Cup at Nationals that year and I ended up winning it with literally 4 Pokémon in my deck. My only Pokémon were a 2-2 line of Avalugg FLF. The idea of the deck was basically to prevent Avalugg from ever being KO’d, so I had cards that would make it a tank and a wall. The event was free to enter; you just needed to be a Professor is all. I won an iPad mini (which I sold for $300 I believe), Professor backpack (which I sold for $200), and some other cool things along with some packs. Even though I bombed the Nationals main event, I felt like I made up for it and had an awesome time playing in the Professor Cup with all its wacky rules.

In the photo is Ray Cipoletti congratulating me on the win. Ray is an old-school player who was great at Pokémon and now plays Hearthstone at a high level.

2015–2016

1st States Win (Georgia)

This year I finally won my first State Championship. This was actually the last season to have State Championships, so I was glad to have won one before they were gone. On top of my win, I also placed 2nd at Florida and Top 4 at Alabama the same year. I had a crazy States run that year. Winning Georgia was definitely nice.

M Rayquaza-EX Decklist (1st @ Georgia States)

This is the list I used to win Georgia States in 2016. As you can see, I’ve been a longtime Rayquaza fan, even to this day. The inclusion of Jolteon-EX was something I first made popular. I liked that it had free retreat, and Night March was a big deck that would have otherwise destroyed this deck. So I added a couple of Jolteon-EX and started attacking with them to turn the auto-loss into essentially an auto-win should you get Jolteon-EX attacking.

Soon after I won Georgia States, my good friend and former teammate Connor Finton ended up winning both North and South Carolina States with the same deck, so shout-out to him for making me proud of my creation. The deck was fierce; the combination of Hex Maniac and being able to KO anything was too much for a lot of decks to handle, making it a force to be reckoned with.

2016–2017

Joined My First Professional Team (ARG)

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I finally joined my first professional team with other great players. I had been trying to get on the team for sometime now and eventually got there. Being a part of a team like ARG was awesome. Not only for the benefits, but for being a part of something that you and your teammates can look back on. I had so many memorable moments with everyone that was on the team. We had some great, great times and I’m glad to have been a part of ARG for as long as it existed. Shout-out to Jim McMahan for being a cool team owner and everything he did for me and the team over the years.

How I Became the Captain

Soon after I joined the team we ended up having a poll in the chat, and for some reason the unanimous decision for captain was me, so I took the job. What it meant to be captain was making sure our players were at events and ready to take pictures and advertise for ARG. I was not getting paid extra to do anything as captain, but it more so came with the perks of being on the team. People looked up to me even more since I was captain of an awesome team and that felt good.

What Motivated Me to Keep the Team Going

Being captain of the team motivated me to make the team stronger and one of the best teams to play the game. I think I did a good job in that aspect. Like I said, just being a part of something great makes you want to try harder and strive to achieve your goals. I had a lot of motivation with all the players on the team and just seeing more and more teams start popping up was awesome to see.

2018–2019

1st IC Top 4, 1st Regional Win, 1st Worlds Top 32

@Jose_MarreroTCGI finally made it to Top 4 of an International Championship. Getting that trophy felt great and of course the other prizes were nice. I always wanted an IC trophy and finally I was able to get one. I also won my first Regionals and with one of my favorite decks and Pokémon, Rayquaza. Both of these events were streamed, so I’ll link them below if you want to see how they played out. I also finally placed in Top 32 at a World Championship. If you are able to at least get Top 32 or higher then that’s a really successful Worlds for you. Most players just want to have that exclusive Worlds Top 32 bag. Aside from the Top 4 Pikachu Trophy cards the Top 32 bag is the next prized possession when it comes to Worlds. That means you were able to make it to the best 32 players in the entire world in your division with some sweet cash and prizes.

At the Oceania IC, where I placed in Top 4, I was quickly taken out by Isaiah Williams, who ended up winning the event, so shout-out to him. At Hartford Regionals I started the event with a 0-2-0 record and finished 14-2-1. I couldn’t believe I made it all the way after a poor start, but it’s not how you start but how you finish. Remember that, and never drop too early because you never know what can happen. Just believe in yourself and play to the best of your ability. One day you’ll get that big win and surprise yourself like I did as long as you stay motivated and hungry.

Winning about $13,000 in cash and prizes at the IC, Hartford Regionals, and Worlds felt awesome; however, the title meant more to me than the money because I could now call myself a Regional Champion along with many other great players.

PikaRom Decklist (Top 4 @ OCIC)

This is the list I used to place Top 4 at the Oceania IC 2019. I played a fast and aggressive version of PikaRom that took me pretty far. You can see why I like fast decks that take quick Prizes and have one goal in mind. From previous lists, you can see that it’s one of my favorite playstyles, if it’s not my favorite.

VOD: vs. Isaiah Williams (Oceania IC, Top 4)

Rayquaza-GX Decklist (1st @ Hartford Regionals)

This is the list I used to win my first Regionals, which many already know since this wasn’t too long ago. Great deck, and yet again another Rayquaza-based deck.

VOD: vs. Sam Ertman (Hartford Regionals, Finals)

ReshiZard Decklist (Top 32 @ Worlds)

This is the list I used to place 22nd at Worlds 2019 and finally get a Top 32 bag. I was super excited to have finally won one. I liked that the list was fast, and the idea of spamming Welder and having the potential to hit for 300 on turn two seemed too good not to play. Ninetales’s Ability also made the deck even more powerful, being able to pick your Prizes as you go. After seven World Championships, I finally can say I won a Top 32 bag myself, which a lot of veteran players haven’t done, which is another achievement that I’ll never forget. The list was actually given to me by my buddy Karl Peters, so shout-out to him. As soon as I saw the deck I fell in love with it and took my chances at Worlds with it. I’m glad I played it because it helped me achieve another goal that strayed from me for a while.

Finished 3rd in US, 5th in World Rankings

2019 was by far my best year and it made me proud to call myself a Pokémon player. I had the time of my life being able to finish ranked 3rd in the US and 5th worldwide. It’s just crazy to think from how far I’ve come since 2010.

2020–Present

There really isn’t much to say about my 2020 season since I feel like I haven’t done too much, yet I’m still somehow in the Top 16. You have your good seasons, bad seasons, and average seasons. If I had to choose one, I’d say mine finished as an average season. I did join a new and upcoming team, Ultimate Spice Gaming. Be on a look out for some future news from the team as soon as the season starts back up. The virus stopped any potential breakthroughs, but hopefully we regroup and make the future of Pokémon even better than before.

My Mindset as a Player

Winning Isn’t Everything

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It’s important to have fun at events. When I go into an event I just want to make the best of it. My mindset going into an event is if I get any CP at all then it’s a win for me. Especially when you are just chasing the standard invite. You just want to get as many points as you can, even if they are small amounts, because eventually they will add up.

Always Stay Humble

No matter how you do at an event just be sure to stay humble or else people won’t care about your accomplishments and think you are bragging. Even if I won the World Championships, I’d be the same Jose I am today. I see many top players not even bat an eye at casual players or the lesser known players. For me, I’ve always made sure I let anyone into my circle, no matter if it’s just a simple chat or serious discussion, because players look up to other players. So just be chill the next time someone new approaches you. You never know what they may have to say.

Closing Thoughts

That will conclude this article on myself and my journey as a top player. I hope you enjoyed this article and learned something from it. Be sure to keep up with social distancing and stay healthy, clean, and safe. At the moment I don’t see the virus letting up anytime soon, so I hope everyone is finding some way to keep busy through this time of crisis. One day we will all rejoice again and come together, but until then please listen to safety rules and regulations.

As usual, I do full-time coaching, even with the pandemic going on, so if you are interested in lessons, feel free to message me either on Facebook or @Jose_MarreroTCG and we can go over the details.

If you have any questions, leave me a comment below or message me through social media. I’ll be sure to get to back to you as soon as possible. Until next time!

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