<h2>The Tournament</h2>

Registration went quite smoothly in the morning then there was about an hour of waiting around, which wasn't too bad. Then when they put the first pairings out about a quarter of the masters had been missed out so they had to be registered again. Then came more waiting in which time a friend and I were able to go to Asda and pick up some lunch. The first round of Swiss started a around 2pm and the numbers I'm sure had thinned out a bit due to all the hanging a round. So after about three hours we sat down to our first round of swiss.

<h4>Round One: Chris Marley</h4>

[sugimori name=gothitelle][sugimori name=ludicolo][sugimori name=heatran][sugimori name=mawile-mega]([sugimori name=sylveon][sugimori name=hariyama])

Chris led with Gothitelle and ludicolo. I was quite nervous at first and ran out of time in the first turn causing me to Close Combat the Gothitelle and Charizard just protecting (lucky that it was the move in slot one). Ludicolo went for the Fake Out on Charizard so all was not lost and I did about 20% health to Gothitelle which went for trick room. Next turn I managed to KO the Gothitelle with a Feint from Hitmontop and a Flare Blitz from Charizard X not before taking a Scald from Ludicolo and a Psychic on Hitmontop. Chris brought in Heatran and I switched Hitmontop for Gastrodon aborbing the Scald, but to be safe I protected Charizard X. I KO Heatran with Earth Power, then survive a Giga Drain with 6 HP, then I Dragon Claw Ludicolo. I Earth Power his Mega-Mawile expecting the Protect or Sucker punch but he didn't and I pick up the KO, but I lose Gastrodon to a Giga Drain, but Charizard and Hitmontop KO Ludicolo next turn.

W 1-0

<h4>Round Two: Matthew ?</h4>

[sugimori name=manectric-mega][sugimori name=mienshao][sugimori name=metagross][sugimori name=ludicolo]([sugimori name=milotic][sugimori name=talonflame])

Sorry Matthew I didn't get your surname. This game was a bit of a blur I remember getting off an early Dragon Dance and being able to OHKO his Metagross. I had to Feint Mienshao thought a Protect to get the KO after his Focus Sash kicked in. But I think Charizard at +1 was hard to stop.

W 2-0

<h4>Round Three: Eugenio Discalzi</h4>

[sugimori name=hariyama][sugimori name=cresselia][sugimori name=mawile-mega][sugimori name=heatran]([sugimori name=dusclops][sugimori name=talonflame])

I led with Thundurus and Hitmontop vs Cresselia and Hariyama. I Quick Guard to block the Fake Out from Hariyama and Swagger the Cresselia which manages to get off Trick Room, then Hariyama's Poison Orb activates. Eugenio switches Cresselia out for Mawile and I switch Hitmontop for Gastrodon. I Swagger the Hariyama which hits itself for about 45% health and Thundurus KO's it with Thunderbolt. He brings out Cresselia and I bring in Hitmontop. I go for a Feint on the Mawile he Protects and Gastrodon KO's with Earth Power. The game came down to Charizard X and Gastrodon vs Heatran Cresselia which ended in my favour.

W 3-0

<h4>Round Four: Lajos Kowalewski</h4>

[sugimori name=landorus-therian][sugimori name=amoonguss][sugimori name=heatran][sugimori name=gardevoir-mega]([sugimori name=rotom-wash][sugimori name=hydreigon])

This game starts with Lajos leading with Landorus-Therian, Amoonguss vs Charizard, Hitmontop. He switches Landorus for Heatran and Amoonguss Protects, I Wide Guard and go straight for a Dragon Dance. Now he knows I'm Charizard X I predicted that he would bring back Landorus so I go for another Dragon Dance, it was the right play as he switches Amoonguss for Landorus, his Heatran goes for a Heatwave hitting both of my Pokemon and I go for a Close Combat on Heatran and manage to KO it with a lucky Critical Hit (I apologize). Lajos then brings in Gardevoir, I go for a Feint on his Gardevoir in which he did go for the Protect, allowing me to Flare Blitz and KO it. His Landorus Superpowers my Charizard X to KO it after recoil damage. I bring in Scizor he brings out Amoonguss, his Landorus KOs Hitmontop with Superpower and I Bug Bite his Amoonguss, and his Amoonguss goes for a Spore on Scizor which triggers my Lum Berry. So its now Scizor and Gastrodon left I go for a Bug Bite on Amoonguss KO it and his Landorus Superpowers my Scizor. So then it was 2 vs 1 and Lajos forfeits.

W 4-0

<h4>Round Five: Mitchell Rodgers</h4>

[sugimori name=dragonite][sugimori name=kangaskhan-mega][sugimori name=landorus-therian][sugimori name=rotom-heat]([sugimori name=smeargle][sugimori name=milotic])

Seeing Smeargle in the Team Preview filled me with dread, but I was lucky as Mitchell didn't bring him to the game. I can't really remember too many details, except us both Dragon Dancing in the first turn I KO his Dragonite with Feint (to get rid of multiscale then a Dragon Claw from Charizard X. I remember after the game asking why he didn't bring Smeargle and he said that he hadn't used him all Tournament so maybe it was just to catch people off guard with an incorrect lead.

W 5-0

<h4>Round Six: Chris Wilson</h4>

[sugimori name=greninja][sugimori name=talonflame][sugimori name=virizion][sugimori name=gardevoir-mega]([sugimori name=landorus-therian][sugimori name=hydreigon])

This match was very tight. I remember the point at which I lost the game as Chris made a great prediction when I switched out my Gastrodon into Charizard assuming a Leaf Blade from his Virizion, but he used Stone Edge which KO'd my Charizard X. The game ended with Hitmontop vs Greninja with Greninja locked into Gunk Shot with a Choice Band. A very close game. Just a shame that Chris got disqualified for his Hydreigon as he was 7-0 and playing very well.

L 5-1

<h4>Round Seven: Thomas Plater</h4>

[sugimori name=gallade-mega][sugimori name=cresselia][sugimori name=zapdos][sugimori name=gengar]([sugimori name=landorus-therian][sugimori name=heatran])

This is one game I don't remember any details for, other than as we sat down Thomas said that he recognised my team and that we had played on battle spot, so that got me a little nervous as I couldn't remember his, Although he thought I had Charizard Y. I was a little worried about Gengar but he didn't cause me too many issues.

W 6-1

<h4>Round Eight: Matteo Gini</h4>

[sugimori name=landorus-therian][sugimori name=charizard-mega-y][sugimori name=heatran][sugimori name=sylveon]([sugimori name=kangaskhan-mega][sugimori name=aegislash])

Matteo was the strongest player I faced all day. It felt as if he could see into my mind as every play I made was wrong. It ended 4-0 but it was still a fun game.

L 6-2

<h4>Round Nine: Johnathan Robus</h4>

[sugimori name=clawitzer][sugimori name=thundurus][sugimori name=terrakion][sugimori name=salamence-mega]([sugimori name=heatran][sugimori name=sylveon])

I knew of Clawitzer but it was still a slight moment of what can it do.I knew it was a water type but I didn't know it's ability. So it began Thundurus, Clawitzer vs Thundurus, Hitmontop. I switch Hitmontop for Gastrodon and Thunderbolt his Thundurus and Johnathan Taunts and Ice Beams my Thundurus. I KO his Thundurus with another Thunderbolt and he KOs mine with another Ice Beam and I Ice Beam his Clawitzer. He brings in Terrakion and I bring in Hitmontop. I go for a Wide Guard and Scald on his Terrakion which went for a Rock Slide I think hoping for a flinch his Clawitzer Ice Beams my Gastrodon again. He brings in his Salamence KO's Hitmontop and I Ice Beam it for the KO and then I KO Clawitzer with Charizard X and Gastrodon.

W 7-2

On day two the Top Cut rounds went alot more smoothly than swiss. My friend (soon to be brother-in-law) and I was saying how it would be bad if we got paired together in the top 32. Unfortunately we did which was a little disappointing as we knew that only one of us would be able to go further, plus we knew each others teams as we had trained and tweaked our teams together.

<h4>Joe Cox</h4>

[sugimori name=charizard-mega-y][sugimori name=cresselia][sugimori name=thundurus][sugimori name=terrakion][sugimori name=sylveon][sugimori name=mamoswine]

I knew this was going to be a tough match but I went in feeling quietly confident in my team. In game one I got too reckless went for a Dragon Dance and allowed his Cresselia to Thunderwave my Charizard X which got fully paralyzed twice, but I learn't that in the sun that I could OHKO Cresselia at +1. I also stupidly left in Gastrodon in on his Charizard Y and completely forgot about his Solor Beam, so game one did not go well for me, I was out played. In game two I knew I had to KO Cresselia quickly as it seamed to be a thorn in my side. So I decided to bring Gardevoir to this game which worked out to be a very good decision, as I feel it won me the second game. The third was very tense as there was alot on the line. Joe led with Terrakion and Cresselia, I remember getting an early KO on Terrakion and KOing his Mamoswine on a switch in leaving me 3-2 up, but a great prediction from Joe caused me to lose Charizard X and Hitmontop (both of which were on about 25% health) to a Heatwave from Charizard Y

I only had Scizor in the back to face off against his Charizard Y and Cresselia so that was the game. They were acually the most tense matches I had played, not just against Joe but ever. I wasn't disappointed at losing as it was my highest ever finish at a Tournament and it was to someone who has taught me so much about Pokemon over the last year or so.