View source for 2008 World Championships (TCG)

[[File:TCG World Championships 2008 logo.png|thumb|200px|Logo]]
[[File:Pokémon World Championships 2008 artwork.png|thumb|Artwork]]
The '''2008 Pokémon Trading Card Game World Championships''' were held at the Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista hotel in Orlando, Florida from August 15-17, 2008.  They were the fifth World Championships event hosted by [[Play! Pokémon]].  In addition, this year featured the 2008 Video Game Showdown, which would evolve into the annual Video Game World Championships starting in 2009.

The event used the {{TCG|EX Holon Phantoms}} onwards Modified Format.  The second day of the tournament featured seven rounds of Swiss Pairings for all three divisions.  The top 32 players in each division were then seeded into single-elimination tournaments on Sunday to determine each division’s World Champion.

==Single-Elimination Brackets==

===Junior Division===
[[Jun Hasebe]], of Japan, was the defending Junior Division World Champion.  Jun finished in sixth place, losing in the quarterfinals to eventual runner up (and future World Champion) Takuto Itagaki.

Tristan Robinson, of the United States, claimed victory with a 10-2 record, defeating Takuto in the final.

{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=Round of 16
| RD2=Quarterfinals
| RD3=Semifinals
| RD4=Championship Match

| RD1-seed01=1
| RD1-team01=Joey Gaffney
| RD1-score01=[[File:Canada Flag.png|20px|Canada]]
| RD1-seed02=17
| RD1-team02='''Tristan Robinson'''
| RD1-score02=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD1-seed03=9
| RD1-team03='''Jacob Tamm'''
| RD1-score03=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed04=8
| RD1-team04=Emily Chan
| RD1-score04=[[File:Norway Flag.png|20px|Norway]]

| RD1-seed05=5
| RD1-team05='''Sean Goh'''
| RD1-score05=[[File:Malaysia Flag.png|20px|Malaysia]]
| RD1-seed06=21
| RD1-team06=Joshua Simon
| RD1-score06=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD1-seed07=13
| RD1-team07=Olliver Barr
| RD1-score07=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed08=29
| RD1-team08='''Simone Zucchelli'''
| RD1-score08=[[File:Italy Flag.png|20px|Italy]]

| RD1-seed09=3
| RD1-team09='''Takuto Itagaki'''
| RD1-score09=[[File:Japan Flag.png|20px|Japan]]
| RD1-seed10=14
| RD1-team10=Andrew Lin Sun Choong
| RD1-score10=[[File:Australia Flag.png|20px|Australia]]

| RD1-seed11=11
| RD1-team11=Ty Wheeler
| RD1-score11=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed12=6
| RD1-team12='''Jun Hasebe'''
| RD1-score12=[[File:Japan Flag.png|20px|Japan]]

| RD1-seed13=26
| RD1-team13=Heikki Kettunen
| RD1-score13=[[File:Finland Flag.png|20px|Finland]]
| RD1-seed14=10
| RD1-team14='''Kazuho Mizuta'''
| RD1-score14=[[File:Japan Flag.png|20px|Japan]]

| RD1-seed15=18
| RD1-team15=Olivier Marcant
| RD1-score15=[[File:France Flag.png|20px|France]]
| RD1-seed16=31
| RD1-team16='''Noah Lawson'''
| RD1-score16=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD2-seed01=17
| RD2-team01='''Tristan Robinson'''
| RD2-score01=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD2-seed02=9
| RD2-team02=Jacob Tamm
| RD2-score02=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD2-seed03=5
| RD2-team03=Sean Goh
| RD2-score03=[[File:Malaysia Flag.png|20px|Malaysia]]
| RD2-seed04=29
| RD2-team04='''Simone Zucchelli'''
| RD2-score04=[[File:Italy Flag.png|20px|Italy]]

| RD2-seed05=3
| RD2-team05='''Takuto Itagaki'''
| RD2-score05=[[File:Japan Flag.png|20px|Japan]]
| RD2-seed06=6
| RD2-team06=Jun Hasebe
| RD2-score06=[[File:Japan Flag.png|20px|Japan]]

| RD2-seed07=10
| RD2-team07=Kazuho Mizuta
| RD2-score07=[[File:Japan Flag.png|20px|Japan]]
| RD2-seed08=31
| RD2-team08='''Noah Lawson'''
| RD2-score08=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD3-seed01=17
| RD3-team01='''Tristan Robinson'''
| RD3-score01=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD3-seed02=29
| RD3-team02=Simone Zucchelli
| RD3-score02=[[File:Italy Flag.png|20px|Italy]]

| RD3-seed03=3
| RD3-team03='''Takuto Itagaki'''
| RD3-score03=[[File:Japan Flag.png|20px|Japan]]
| RD3-seed04=31
| RD3-team04=Noah Lawson
| RD3-score04=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD4-seed01=17
| RD4-team01='''Tristan Robinson'''
| RD4-score01=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD4-seed02=3
| RD4-team02=Takuto Itagaki
| RD4-score02=[[File:Japan Flag.png|20px|Japan]]
|}}

===Senior Division===
Jeremy Scharff-Kim, of the United States, was the defending Senior Division World Champion, but chose to withdraw from the tournament after completing five rounds.

Dylan Lefavour, of the United States, posted a 9-3 record to win the tournament, along the way defeating 2005 Junior Division champion Curran Hill in the semifinals.

{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=Round of 16
| RD2=Quarterfinals
| RD3=Semifinals
| RD4=Championship Match

| RD1-seed01=1
| RD1-team01='''Aziz Al-Yami'''
| RD1-score01=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed02=17
| RD1-team02=Malik Hisyam Bin Zaihan
| RD1-score02=[[File:Malaysia Flag.png|20px|Malaysia]]

| RD1-seed03=24
| RD1-team03=Keegan Cox
| RD1-score03=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed04=8
| RD1-team04='''Paul Atanassov'''
| RD1-score04=[[File:Canada Flag.png|20px|Canada]]

| RD1-seed05=5
| RD1-team05=Jonathan Bristow
| RD1-score05=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed06=12
| RD1-team06='''Garrett Farrington'''
| RD1-score06=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD1-seed07=13
| RD1-team07=Justin Bokhari
| RD1-score07=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed08=29
| RD1-team08='''Nicholas Kolibas'''
| RD1-score08=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD1-seed09=30
| RD1-team09='''Dylan Lefavour'''
| RD1-score09=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed10=19
| RD1-team10=Takashi Yoneda
| RD1-score10=[[File:Japan Flag.png|20px|Japan]]

| RD1-seed11=22
| RD1-team11=Tord Reklev
| RD1-score11=[[File:Norway Flag.png|20px|Norway]]
| RD1-seed12=6
| RD1-team12='''Andy Meier'''
| RD1-score12=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD1-seed13=7
| RD1-team13='''Dylan Bryan'''
| RD1-score13=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed14=23
| RD1-team14=Tim Hornung
| RD1-score14=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD1-seed15=18
| RD1-team15=Christian Miller
| RD1-score15=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed16=2
| RD1-team16='''Curran Hill'''
| RD1-score16=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD2-seed01=1
| RD2-team01=Aziz Al-Yami
| RD2-score01=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD2-seed02=8
| RD2-team02='''Paul Atanassov'''
| RD2-score02=[[File:Canada Flag.png|20px|Canada]]

| RD2-seed03=12
| RD2-team03=Garrett Farrington
| RD2-score03=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD2-seed04=29
| RD2-team04='''Nicholas Kolibas'''
| RD2-score04=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD2-seed05=30
| RD2-team05='''Dylan Lefavour'''
| RD2-score05=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD2-seed06=6
| RD2-team06=Andy Meier
| RD2-score06=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD2-seed07=7
| RD2-team07=Dylan Bryan
| RD2-score07=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD2-seed08=2
| RD2-team08='''Curran Hill'''
| RD2-score08=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD3-seed01=8
| RD3-team01='''Paul Atanassov'''
| RD3-score01=[[File:Canada Flag.png|20px|Canada]]
| RD3-seed02=29
| RD3-team02=Nicholas Kolibas
| RD3-score02=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD3-seed03=30
| RD3-team03='''Dylan Lefavour'''
| RD3-score03=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD3-seed04=2
| RD3-team04=Curran Hill
| RD3-score04=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD4-seed01=8
| RD4-team01=Paul Atanassov
| RD4-score01=[[File:Canada Flag.png|20px|Canada]]
| RD4-seed02=30
| RD4-team02='''Dylan Lefavour'''
| RD4-score02=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
|}}

===Masters Division===
Tom Roos, of Finland, was the defending Masters Division World Champion, and finished 35th in Swiss Rounds.

[[Jason Klaczynski]] made history by winning his second World Championship with a record of 10-2.  Jason is the only person to have achieved such a feat in the TCG ([[Ray Rizzo]] would win three Video Game (Senior/)Masters titles from 2010-2012).  His path to victory included the defeats of the top two players from the 2008 U.S. National Championships.

{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=Round of 16
| RD2=Quarterfinals
| RD3=Semifinals
| RD4=Championship Match

| RD1-seed01=32
| RD1-team01='''Esa Juntunen'''
| RD1-score01=[[File:Finland Flag.png|20px|Finland]]
| RD1-seed02=16
| RD1-team02=Agustin Pugliese
| RD1-score02=[[File:Argentina Flag.png|20px|Argentina]]

| RD1-seed03=24
| RD1-team03=Kyle Sabelhaus
| RD1-score03=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed04=25
| RD1-team04='''Jimmy O'Brien'''
| RD1-score04=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD1-seed05=5
| RD1-team05=Sami Sekkoum
| RD1-score05=[[File:United Kingdom Flag.png|20px|United Kingdom]]
| RD1-seed06=12
| RD1-team06='''Frank Diaz'''
| RD1-score06=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD1-seed07=20
| RD1-team07='''Khanh Le'''
| RD1-score07=[[File:Norway Flag.png|20px|Norway]]
| RD1-seed08=29
| RD1-team08=Morten Gundesen
| RD1-score08=[[File:Denmark Flag.png|20px|Denmark]]

| RD1-seed09=30
| RD1-team09=John Silvestro
| RD1-score09=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed10=19
| RD1-team10='''Jason Klaczynski'''
| RD1-score10=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD1-seed11=22
| RD1-team11=Tom Dolezal
| RD1-score11=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed12=6
| RD1-team12='''Yacine Sekkoum'''
| RD1-score12=[[File:United Kingdom Flag.png|20px|United Kingdom]]

| RD1-seed13=7
| RD1-team13='''Takae Suzuki'''
| RD1-score13=[[File:Japan Flag.png|20px|Japan]]
| RD1-seed14=23
| RD1-team14=David Atanassov
| RD1-score14=[[File:Canada Flag.png|20px|Canada]]

| RD1-seed15=15
| RD1-team15='''Gino Lombardi'''
| RD1-score15=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD1-seed16=2
| RD1-team16=Matthew Koo
| RD1-score16=[[File:Canada Flag.png|20px|Canada]]

| RD2-seed01=32
| RD2-team01=Esa Juntunen
| RD2-score01=[[File:Finland Flag.png|20px|Finland]]
| RD2-seed02=25
| RD2-team02='''Jimmy O'Brien'''
| RD2-score02=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD2-seed03=12
| RD2-team03=Frank Diaz
| RD2-score03=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD2-seed04=20
| RD2-team04='''Khanh Le'''
| RD2-score04=[[File:Norway Flag.png|20px|Norway]]

| RD2-seed05=19
| RD2-team05='''Jason Klaczynski'''
| RD2-score05=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD2-seed06=6
| RD2-team06=Yacine Sekkoum
| RD2-score06=[[File:United Kingdom Flag.png|20px|United Kingdom]]

| RD2-seed07=7
| RD2-team07=Takae Suzuki
| RD2-score07=[[File:Japan Flag.png|20px|Japan]]
| RD2-seed08=15
| RD2-team08='''Gino Lombardi'''
| RD2-score08=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD3-seed01=25
| RD3-team01=Jimmy O'Brien
| RD3-score01=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD3-seed02=20
| RD3-team02='''Khanh Le'''
| RD3-score02=[[File:Norway Flag.png|20px|Norway]]

| RD3-seed03=19
| RD3-team03='''Jason Klaczynski'''
| RD3-score03=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
| RD3-seed04=15
| RD3-team04=Gino Lombardi
| RD3-score04=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]

| RD4-seed01=20
| RD4-team01=Khanh Le
| RD4-score01=[[File:Norway Flag.png|20px|Norway]]
| RD4-seed02=19
| RD4-team02='''Jason Klaczynski'''
| RD4-score02=[[File:United States Flag.png|20px|United States of America]]
}}

==Invitation structure==
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" align="right" style="margin: 5px; border: 1px solid #88a; border-collapse: collapse;"
|- style="background: #ccf;"
! !! Junior !! Senior !! Masters
|-
! 2007 World Champions !! 4 !! 4 !! 4
|-
|colspan=4|
|-
! National Championships !! Juniors !! Seniors !! Masters
|-
| Argentina || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Australia || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Austria || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Belgium/Luxembourg || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Canada || 4 || 4 || 4
|-
| Chile || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Czech Republic || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Denmark || 3 || 3 || 3
|-
| Finland || 3 || 3 || 3
|-
| France || 4 || 4 || 4
|-
| Germany || 4 || 4 || 4
|-
| Italy || 4 || 4 || 4
|-
| Japan || 5 || 5 || 5
|-
| Malaysia || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Malta || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Mexico || 4 || 4 || 4
|-
| Netherlands || 4 || 4 || 4
|-
| New Zealand || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Norway || 4 || 4 || 4
|-
| Philippines || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Portugal || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Singapore || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Slovenia || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Spain || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| South Africa || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Sweden || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Switzerland || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| United Kingdom || 4 || 4 || 4
|-
| United States || 8 || 8 || 8
|-
|colspan=4|
|-
! Premier Ratings !! Juniors !! Seniors !! Masters
|-
| Ratings APAC Zone || 4 || 4 || 4
|-
| Ratings LA Zone || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Ratings NA Zone || 25 || 25 || 25
|-
| Ratings EU Zone || 20 || 20 || 20
|-
|colspan=4|
|-
! Last Chance Qualifier !! Juniors !! Seniors !! Masters
|-
| Guaranteed Invites || 25 || 22 || 12
|}

Previously, there were four guaranteed invites per division in the Last Chance Qualifiers: however, due to unprecedented numbers of players, Pokémon Organized Play announced an additional 47 invites into the World Championships. Similarly, it was announced at the United Kingdom Nationals that fourth place in each division would, in addition to the top three finishing players, receive an invitation to the championships.

There were, in total, 435 invites announced (also known as Travel Awards) for the 2008 World Championships; 145 in each division. Of these, Pokémon Organized Play sponsored and paid for 41 Travel Awards, including the top four finishers in {{TCG|2007 World Championships|last year's World Championships}}. After the announcement of various additional invitations, there were at least 485 invitations available for the World Championships.

==Event Pokémon==
{{G4event|
ball=Cherish|
pokemon=Lucario|
nick=LUCARIO|
gender=m|
level=30|
ndex=448|
item1=Leftovers|
types=2|
typea=Fighting|
typeb=Steel|
otcolor=blue|
ot=WORLD08|
id=08178|
ability1=Inner Focus|
encounter=fateful|
nature=Adamant|
met=Pokémon Event|
type1=Fighting|move1=Force Palm|
type2=Ground|move2=Bone Rush|
type3=Fire|move3=Sunny Day|
type4=Fire|move4=Blaze Kick|
country=the United States|
disdate=1|
datedis=August 17, 2008|
ribbon=Classic|
originlang=English|
diamond=yes|
pearl=yes}}

==External links==
*[http://www.pokemonworldchampionships.com/2008/ Official site]

{{World Championships}}
{{Project TCG notice}}