Winners of PokeBeach’s November 2017 PTCGO Tournament!
PokeBeach’s November 2017 PTCGO Tournament is over and the winners have been crowned!
Ninety-six players competed for the title in this exciting monthly event, with the top eight players facing off in a top cut. The tournament was played in the Standard format at the time — BREAKthrough through Shining Legends.
Interview with the Champion
This month’s tournament was won by stevexue! As a subscriber, he walked away with two booster boxes, courtesy of TCGplayer.com!
Here’s our interview with him:
What is your real name, and where do you live?
Steve Zhang, I live in New Jersey.
How are you doing this season in Play! Pokemon tournaments?
I got 17th place at Hartford Regionals and some Cup finishes.
Why did you decide to participate in this tournament?
As a premium member I can get really good prizes in it.
[cardimg name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”132″ align=”right” c=”none”][/cardimg]
Why did you play Alolan Ninetales-GX? Were you considering any other decks?
At that time it was a newer deck and I just wanted to test it.
Did the single baby Alolan Ninetales do anything worthwhile?
Yes, it helped me win one round, although I don’t remember what my opponent was playing.
What decks did you play against? Did any interesting techs stand out to you?
[card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Volcanion-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”26″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card] are the main decks I played against.
What was your most exciting game or set?
Top 8 against Greninja was pretty exciting, it wasn’t a good matchup and was intense.
With the focus on spread and devolution, did you ever consider Necrozma-GX?
The only Energy acceleration is [card name=”Aqua Patch” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”119″ c=”name”][/card] which does not work on [card name=”Necrozma-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”63″ c=”name”][/card] so no.
Would you make any other changes to your list?
I think the list itself is good enough but I wouldn’t play it in the current format with the new decks.
What do you think of the Prism Star mechanic? Any room in your deck for Cyrus Prism Star, or others?
It is an exciting new mechanic; unfortunately, I cannot see any use in this deck.
Congratulations, Steve!
Here is the deck list he used to win the tournament:
[decklist name=”stevexue” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”22″][pokemon amt=”18″]4x [card name=”Alolan Vulpix” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”21″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”22″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Alolan Ninetales” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”28″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Zorua” set=”Shining Legends” no=”52″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM30″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Espeon-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”117″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”30″]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”N” set=”Black and White Black Star Promos” no=”BW100″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Professor Kukui” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”128″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”161″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Aqua Patch” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”119″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Fates Collide” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]8x [card name=”Water Energy” set=”XY” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ amt=”8″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Other Top Finishers
Below are the top eight players and the decks they used:
- 1st: Steve Zhang (stevexue) — [card name=”Alolan Ninetales-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”150″ c=”name”][/card]
- 2nd: Steve Murphy (semurphy444) — [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”name”][/card]
- 3rd: Dominic Decker (xTITAN) — [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”name”][/card]
- 4th: Ben Pechota (theprp30) — [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”155″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Lunala-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”153″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”110″ c=”name”][/card]
- 5th: Faris Alwawi — [card name=”Raichu-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”29″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Koko-GX” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM33″ c=”name”][/card]
- 6th: Austin Fernando (woahaustin) — Greninja BREAK
- 7th: John Macaulay (TheCraftyScot) — [card name=”Gardevoir-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”93″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Sylveon-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card]
- 8th: Dario Bocanegra (F4H_Jay) — Golisopod-GX / [card name=”Zoroark-GX” set=”Shining Legends” no=”53″ c=”name”][/card]
Shout outs to Dario for making Top 8 two months in a row! Great job!
Most of the players here made out like bandits thanks to the huge increase in prizes they are offered because they are premium subscribers. You can see how many packs each of them earned at the top of this page. The deck lists of second, third, and fourth place can be seen below:
Steve Murphy, Second Place
[decklist name=”semurphy444″ amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″][pokemon amt=”14″]4x [card name=”Wimpod” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”16″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Golisopod-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”17″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Golisopod” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”9″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]3x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Koko” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM31″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Oranguru” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”35″]4x [card name=”Acerola” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”112″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Steam Siege” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]1x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”Plasma Freeze” no=”99″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Heavy Ball” set=”Next Destinies” no=”88″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Bodybuilding Dumbbells” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”113″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Super Rod” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”149″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Enhanced Hammer” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”124″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless Energy” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”166″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]7x [card name=”Grass Energy” set=”Black and White” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Dominic Decker, Third Place
[decklist name=”xTITAN” amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″][pokemon amt=”16″]2x [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Trubbish” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”56″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”51″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Garbodor” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”57″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]3x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”60″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Eevee” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Espeon-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”140″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Espeon-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”52″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”33″]4x [card name=”N” set=”Fates Collide” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”115″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”XY” no=”122″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”135″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”134″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”2″][/card]4x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]4x [card name=”Float Stone” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”125″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Rescue Stretcher” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”130″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Po Town” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”121″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”4″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”11″]4x [card name=”Double Colorless” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”136″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]7x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Black and White” no=”109″ c=”deck2″ amt=”7″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
Ben Pechota, Fourth Place
[decklist name=”theprp30″ amt=”60″ caption=”” cname=”Lunala-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”153″][pokemon amt=”18″]4x [card name=”Cosmog” set=”Sun and Moon Black Star Promos” no=”SM42″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]2x [card name=”Cosmoem” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”65″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Lunala-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”153″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Solgaleo-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”155″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Tapu Lele-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Remoraid” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”32″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Octillery” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”33″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Magearna-EX” set=”Steam Siege” no=”110″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Hoopa” set=”Shining Legends” no=”55″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card][/pokemon][trainers amt=”30″]3x [card name=”Professor Sycamore” set=”Steam Siege” no=”114″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]2x [card name=”Brock’s Grit” set=”Evolutions” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Guzma” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”143″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”N” set=”Noble Victories” no=”101″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]2x [card name=”Brigette” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”161″ c=”deck2″ amt=”2″][/card]1x [card name=”Wicke” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Mallow” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”145″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Lillie” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”147″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Wally” set=”Roaring Skies” no=”107″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card]4x [card name=”Ultra Ball” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”161″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Rare Candy” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”165″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Field Blower” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”163″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]3x [card name=”Max Potion” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”164″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]1x [card name=”Special Charge” set=”Steam Siege” no=”105″ c=”deck2″ amt=”1″][/card]1x [card name=”Choice Band” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”162″ c=”deck2″ divide=”yes” amt=”1″][/card][/trainers][energy amt=”12″]4x [card name=”Rainbow Energy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”137″ c=”deck2″ amt=”4″][/card]3x [card name=”Metal Energy ” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”163″ c=”deck2″ amt=”3″][/card]5x [card name=”Psychic Energy” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”162″ c=”deck2″ amt=”5″][/card][/energy][/decklist]
In addition to all 8 top finishers above, everyone in the Top 32 also earned Prize Wall points on TCGplayer.com, which allows them to exchange their points for even more products like booster packs and promo boxes. Points are received via e-mail. If you won points, be sure to check your inboxes!
Creative Deck Winners
As part of every tournament, PokeBeach’s article writers voted for the five premium members that didn’t make Top 16 whom they felt used the most creative deck lists. Each of them earned some additional booster packs or a promo product.
Julio Penaloza, Ilir Nikqi, Michael Robb, MoFoTY86, and Nsheng each walked away with five booster packs or a specially selected Pokemon promo product from TCGplayer.com. The decks they played were [card name=”Greninja BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”41″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Talonflame” set=”Steam Siege” no=”96″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Drampa-GX” set=”Guardians Rising” no=”115″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Zoroark BREAK” set=”BREAKthrough” no=”92″ c=”name”][/card], [card name=”Lapras-GX” set=”Sun and Moon” no=”35″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Palkia-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”31″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Golduck BREAK” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”18″ c=”name”][/card], Lapras-GX / [card name=”Espeon-EX” set=”BREAKpoint” no=”52″ c=”name”][/card] / [card name=”Tapu Fini-GX” set=”Burning Shadows” no=”133″ c=”name”][/card], and Drampa-GX / [card name=”Cobalion” set=”Steam Siege” no=”74″ c=”name”][/card], respectively.
You can find each of their deck lists in the forum thread below.
Want to Become a Premium Member?
December’s tournament is currently underway. Each tournament awards up to 7 booster boxes of product to top finishers plus promo products and additional booster packs to premium members. The prizes for premium members are bigger than ever before, so don’t miss your chance to play in the next tournament! Signups for January are currently scheduled to be posted Friday, December 29th. Mark your calendars!
If you’re interested in becoming a premium member, be sure to check out this link. All premium members get reserved slots in the tournaments, a huge increase in prizes, double the amount of Prize Wall points, a chance to win even more product for using creative decks, and of course all the other benefits that go along with having a premium membership, including weekly articles from the game’s top players and deck help from said players. A premium membership is extremely diverse!
Thanks, TCGplayer!
All of these prizes are brought to you by TCGplayer.com. Their online store offers the cheapest Pokemon cards on the Internet from thousands of different sellers — you will find no better deals! So be sure to check them out any time you want to purchase or sell Pokemon cards!
You can always check the “Sets” tab at the top of our website to access their store.
(Note: The Pokémon Company International is not a sponsor or endorser of PokeBeach’s tournaments, contests, or prizes, nor does the company or its affiliates have any formal association with PokeBeach. Our activities are by fans, for fans, and are not sanctioned or approved by TPCi.)