2013 World Championships
The 2013 Pokémon World Championships were held at the East Building of the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from August 9 to 11, 2013. It marked the tenth invitation-only championships for players of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, as well as the fifth for players of the Pokémon video games. For the first time, the World Championships were being held outside of the United States.
This year marked the only time that all four semifinalists in the TCG Masters Division were from the United States. In all other years of the tournament, at least one semifinalist was from outside of the United States, including the 2007 edition, where all four semifinalists were not American.
Trading Card Game Championships
The Pokémon Trading Card Game continued with the 2012-13 Modified format, using all cards from Black & White onward. Players were able to receive invites from outstanding performances at their country's National Championships, the previous year's World Championships, or through the number of Championship Points they obtained throughout the year. In addition, players could win an invitation during the Last Chance Qualifier on the first day of the tournament.
The second day of the tournament featured seven Swiss Rounds for the Junior Division, the Senior and Masters Divisions playing eight. At the end of rounds, the top players in each division were seeded into single-elimination tournaments, with the finals being played on Sunday, to determine each division's World Champion.
Junior Division
Shuto Itagaki, of Japan, was the defending Junior Division TCG World Champion; however, he became eligible for the Senior Division in 2013, where he finished in 72nd place after day two.
Ondrej Kujal, of the Czech Republic became the new Junior Division TCG World Champion, finishing with a record of 10-1.
Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Championship Match | ||||||||||||||
1 | Abaan Ahmed | US | |||||||||||||||
16 | Roman Thome | US | 1 | Abaan Ahmed | US | ||||||||||||
9 | Samuel Mowrey | US | 9 | Samuel Mowery | US | ||||||||||||
8 | Marcos Haugestad | NO | 1 | Abaan Ahmed | US | ||||||||||||
5 | Yugo Sato | JP | 5 | Yugo Sato | JP | ||||||||||||
12 | Jackson Ford | CA | 5 | Yugo Sato | JP | ||||||||||||
13 | Robert Lau | DK | 4 | Quentin Deppe | US | ||||||||||||
4 | Quentin Deppe | US | 5 | Yugo Sato | JP | ||||||||||||
3 | Carson St. Denis | US | 7 | Ondrej Kujal | CZ | ||||||||||||
14 | Xeius Tran | CA | 3 | Carson St. Denis | US | ||||||||||||
11 | Samuel Battis | US | 11 | Samuel Battis | US | ||||||||||||
6 | Koto Nishimura | JP | 11 | Samuel Battis | US | ||||||||||||
7 | Ondrej Kujal | CZ | 7 | Ondrej Kujal | CZ | ||||||||||||
10 | Omar Ben-Gacem | GB | 7 | Ondrej Kujal | CZ | ||||||||||||
15 | Brian Rivas | US | 2 | Alex Reger | US | ||||||||||||
2 | Alex Reger | US |
Senior Division
Chase Moloney, of Canada, was the defending Senior Division TCG World Champion; however, he became eligible for the Masters Division in 2013. There, Chase advanced to the Round of 16, where he would finish in 15th place.
Kaiwen Kabbabe, of Australia, posted a perfect 13-0 record to win the Senior Division title.
Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Championship Match | ||||||||||||||
1 | Kaiwen Cabbage | AU | |||||||||||||||
17 | Hale Obernolte | US | 1 | Kaiwen Cabbabe | AU | ||||||||||||
24 | Emily Cheng | US | 25 | Dario Ang | SG | ||||||||||||
25 | Dario Ang | SG | 1 | Kaiwen Cabbabe | AU | ||||||||||||
28 | Joey Gaffney | CA | 28 | Joey Gaffney | CA | ||||||||||||
12 | Jan Nickel | DE | 28 | Joey Gaffney | CA | ||||||||||||
13 | Jacob Howard | US | 4 | Spencer Lawson | US | ||||||||||||
4 | Spencer Lawson | US | 1 | Kaiwen Cabbabe | AU | ||||||||||||
3 | Jeremy Gibson | US | 18 | Clement Lamberton | FR | ||||||||||||
19 | Ian Whiton | US | 19 | Ian Whiton | US | ||||||||||||
11 | Alexander Weber | AT | 6 | Alex Hedge | US | ||||||||||||
6 | Alex Hedge | US | 19 | Ian Whiton | US | ||||||||||||
26 | Noah Yoshida | US | 18 | Clement Lamberton | FR | ||||||||||||
23 | Jacob Carrasco | US | 23 | Jacob Carrasco | US | ||||||||||||
18 | Clement Lamberton | FR | 18 | Clement Lamberton | FR | ||||||||||||
2 | Tomas Blei | AR |
Masters Division
Igor Costa, of Portugal, was the defending Masters Division TCG World Champion. Igor chose to withdraw after the final round of swiss, with a record of 2-6.
Jason Klaczynski, of the United States, made history by winning his third World Championship in the Masters Division, previously winning in 2006 and 2008. In addition to putting up an 11-2 record for the main event, Jason also qualified for the tournament through the year's Last Chance Qualifier, giving him a final weekend record of 17-2.
Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Championship Match | ||||||||||||||
1 | Takuya Yoneda | JP | |||||||||||||||
17 | Gunther Kirchhofer | AT | 1 | Takuya Yoneda | JP | ||||||||||||
9 | James Good | US | 9 | James Good | US | ||||||||||||
8 | Gino Lombardi | US | 9 | James Good | US | ||||||||||||
5 | Johnny Rabus | US | 13 | Simon Narode | US | ||||||||||||
21 | Joey Ho | SG | 5 | Johnny Rabus | US | ||||||||||||
13 | Simon Narode | US | 13 | Simon Narode | US | ||||||||||||
29 | Chase Moloney | CA | 13 | Simon Narode | US | ||||||||||||
30 | Kerwin Lee | AU | 26 | Jason Klaczynski | US | ||||||||||||
19 | Dustin Zimmerman | US | 19 | Dustin Zimmerman | US | ||||||||||||
11 | Josue Palomino | MX | 7 | Rick Verwaal | NL | ||||||||||||
6 | Rick Verwaal | NL | 19 | Dustin Zimmerman | US | ||||||||||||
26 | Jason Klaczynski | US | 26 | Jason Klaczynski | US | ||||||||||||
10 | Dylan Bryan | US | 26 | Jason Klaczynski | US | ||||||||||||
15 | Mike Newman | US | 31 | Jonathan Bristow | US | ||||||||||||
31 | Jonathan Bristow | US |
Video Game Championships
This year, participants used Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. All matches were conducted via Double Battles and any Pokémon in the National Pokédex can be entered, with the exception of Mewtwo, Mew, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Celebi, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Jirachi, Deoxys, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin, Arceus, Victini, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, Keldeo, Meloetta and Genesect.
Similar to Flat Battle mode, Pokémon of Levels 51 and above were temporarily reduced to Level 50, while Pokémon Level 50 and below would retain their levels. Held items may be used, but no two Pokémon from the same team may hold the same held item. Players are not allowed to change their held items after they have registered, and can only use items from within the game and those received at an official Pokémon event or promotion.
Moves were restricted to those learned from the game through leveling up, breeding, TMs and HMs, from a character in the game or from an official event or promotion. Sky Drop and Dark Void are banned in this format, with Sky Drop being banned due to a glitch.
In addition, the Wonder Launcher was not permitted to be used.
Junior Division
Abram Burrows, of the United States, was the defending Junior Division VG World Champion; however he became eligible for the Senior Division in 2013, where he finished in 21st place after day two.
Brendan Zheng, of the United States, became the new World Champion in the Junior Division, winning with a perfect 9-0 record.
Round Six | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Championship Match | ||||||||||||||
1 | Brendan Zheng | US | |||||||||||||||
8 | Izumi Motoe | JP | |||||||||||||||
1 | Brendan Zheng | US | |||||||||||||||
5 | Haruka Narita | JP | |||||||||||||||
5 | Haruka Narita | JP | |||||||||||||||
4 | Seigo Nakamura | JP | |||||||||||||||
1 | Brendan Zheng | US | |||||||||||||||
2 | Fuko Nakamichi | JP | |||||||||||||||
3 | Ryusei Yasue | JP | |||||||||||||||
6 | Kota Nakamura | JP | |||||||||||||||
3 | Ryusei Yasue | JP | |||||||||||||||
2 | Fuko Nakamichi | JP | |||||||||||||||
7 | Melisa Akcos | DE | |||||||||||||||
2 | Fuko Nakamichi | JP | |||||||||||||||
Senior Division
Toler Webb, of the United States, was the defending Senior Division VG World Champion; however he became eligible for the Masters Division in 2013, where he finished in 12th place after day two.
Hayden McTavish, of the United States, won the the Seniors Division VG World Championship with a final record of 7-2.
Round Six | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Championship Match | ||||||||||||||
1 | Cameron Swan | US | |||||||||||||||
8 | Paul Chua | US | |||||||||||||||
1 | Cameron Swan | US | |||||||||||||||
5 | Hayden McTavish | US | |||||||||||||||
5 | Hayden McTavish | US | |||||||||||||||
4 | Mark Mcquillan | GB | |||||||||||||||
5 | Hayden McTavish | US | |||||||||||||||
3 | Ben Hickey | US | |||||||||||||||
3 | Ben Hickey | US | |||||||||||||||
6 | Alejandro Gomez | ES | |||||||||||||||
3 | Ben Hickey | US | |||||||||||||||
7 | Brian Hough | US | |||||||||||||||
7 | Brian Hough | US | |||||||||||||||
2 | Markus Liu | DE | |||||||||||||||
Masters Division
Ray Rizzo, of the United States, was the three-time defending Masters Division VG World Champion. Ray's fortune would not continue this year, finding losses in rounds one, four, and six, to finish in 26th place, right behind rival Wolfe Glick in 25th.
Arash Ommati, of Italy, became the new VG World Champion in Masters, playing to an 8-1 record. Arash is the only European player to win the VG World Championships in any division.
Round Six | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Championship Match | ||||||||||||||
1 | Sejun Park | KR | |||||||||||||||
8 | Ryosuke Kosuge | JP | |||||||||||||||
8 | Ryosuke Kosuge | JP | |||||||||||||||
4 | Aaron Zheng | US | |||||||||||||||
5 | Luigi Lo Giudice | IT | |||||||||||||||
4 | Aaron Zheng | US | |||||||||||||||
8 | Ryosuke Kosuge | JP | |||||||||||||||
3 | Arash Ommati | IT | |||||||||||||||
3 | Arash Ommati | IT | |||||||||||||||
6 | Matthias Hellmoldt | DE | |||||||||||||||
3 | Arash Ommati | IT | |||||||||||||||
7 | Benjamin Gould | GB | |||||||||||||||
7 | Benjamin Gould | GB | |||||||||||||||
2 | Enosh Shachar | US | |||||||||||||||
External links