>From: "Carathos Mathiot" <xlhaplolx@hotmail.com>
>To: thepojo@thepojo.com
>Subject: Chris Wallace, Trainers and Pokemon


>  Hi, i've just recently started playing pokemon and going to tournaments.  
>I won the first one, six rounds undefeated.  Now this may seem like quite a 
>feat, but you have to know that i'm an ex-magic player who knows a lot of 
>CCG strategies.  Everything from Netrunner to the unheard of Shadowfist.  
>The other fact is that most players were under twelve years old and know 
>nothing of strategy or deck construction.
>  The first thing i notice is the use of a lot of 'fatties' creatures with 
>heavy hp and expensive, powerful attacks.  Many people overlook the 
>usefullness of such pokemon as Rattata, Abra, and Oddish.  Those without 
>evolutions.  The other thing i notice are decks with fewer than ten 
>trainers.  I play from 15-19 trainers in my deck, about the same number of 
>TOTAL pokemon.  Card drawing is essential, but there are others that are 
>usefull in almost any deck.  Potions, Super Energy Removals, etc.  The more 
>trainers you have, the more you can screw with your opponents strategy.  Put 
>in a few energy removals and maybe a gust of wind and you can easily finish 
>any Mewtwo Mulligan deck.  Use something like a few defenders and 
>switches/gusts to put the moves on a haymaker.  Bill is a good card, but 
>don't hesitate to replace him if you use a lot of evolutions.  Poke Balls 
>are great, but unreliable.  As long as you play agressively and have a deck 
>that keeps options open to you as to what pokemon you can use, computer 
>searches are about the best card drawomg tool you can use.  Keeping a card 
>advantage is an essential part of winning.  There are no useless trainers, 
>but some are more 'generic,' they have a lot more general uses.  Just always 
>keep in mind what decks other people play in your area and use trainers not 
>only to help YOUR deck, but to counter THEIRS.
>
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