Meet the Staff (that Didn’t Quite Make it to the Underground) – Tony Smith

This self-interview is with non-Underground writer Tony Smith. Enjoy!

What’s your favorite thing about the Pokemon TCG?
Wow! What a great question. I honestly have to say it’s about getting to eat so much junk food. Seriously, it’s an incredible experience to see how well your brain can work relying on a 20oz coke, a balanced diet of M&Ms and Fusion Doritos.

Your least favorite thing?
The least favorite thing is definitely the toilets at the tournament facilities. I don’t know how they all get the same blueprints, but it’s always a bathroom with a 50-year-old toilet with like a plunger sitting in the corner and a shelf piled full of cleaning supplies and paper towel rolls. I honestly wish I didn’t have to use them, but when nature calls, I respond.

What is your most memorable match?
I remember a match early on in my development where I made it to the top cut by beating a really competitive player with a Torterra deck versus Kingdra. I almost peed in my pants from being so nervous, but I managed to hold it. But, I promised my wife I would be home early, so I had to drop from the tournament.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
My greatest achievement has to be finishing 532nd at Nationals this year. I barely made the Top 600 cut but managed to pull out an epic win in my final match.

What is your favorite Pokemon TCG site?
Umm…SixPrizes.com, though I also like Bebessearch.com, Pokegym, and the new website www.possiblymorethansixprizeswiththenewpalkiadialgalegend.com.

Do you play the video games or watch the anime?
No- I’m perfectly happy being addicted to the card game. My son Nicholas, though, is an avid DS player.

Did you have a mentor or someone who taught you Pokemon or did you learn on your own?
I have mostly learned by getting beat soundly at tournaments in the South-Central Pennsylvania area, especially getting beat by all of the Sauk family. Greg is a judge and his sons are both like freakin’ Poke-prodigies. I also learn from talking with other Poke-dads like Brian and Doug.

And, my son Nicholas is really good too, so we bounce ideas off each other and read articles and reports to get better. And, as you all know, my keen knowledge of the game is such that that I can write amazing articles on Sixprizes.com that have truly taken the game to a whole new level (whether up or down, I’m still trying to figure out…)

What modified format was your favorite to play in?
What’s a modified format?

What is your favorite deck to play?
I have this sick fascination with Magnezone Level X and have tried every possible combination to make it work. I actually won a battle roads with it about a year ago with Palkia X, but it’s like the slowest deck ever invented. Most of my opponents simply concede the matches from sheer boredom.

What do you like to do when you’re not playing Pokemon?
I like intrepretive dancing, origami, growing Bonsai plants, Dallas Cowboys Football, and of course, disc golf.

In 2 years, do you plan to still be playing the Pokemon TCG?
Not sure – it depends if I can graduate from my Pokemon Anonymous program. My counselor thinks I can break the addiction, but I keep having relapses every time there’s a prerelease.