Justin Sanchez Interview

Justin Sanchez, fresh from his 2011 US Nationals Victory gives us the lowdown on how he’s feeling, what he’s playing for Worlds and gives some great tips on how to keep your game face on when things aren’t looking too great. Here you go:

 

 

 

 

Q. Congrats on winning such a huge event, first off, how are you feeling?

A. I’m still feeling pretty shocked, its kind of hard to believe. All the interviews and questions im getting, its just so surreal to me.

 

Q. A lot of us know already, but which deck did you run and how did you come to choosing it for the event?

A. I ran Yanmegatron(Yanmega/Magnezone). The way i came about choosing it for the event was actually kind of suprising. I saw my friend using it in testing, and he was able to keep up with everything. I didnt really do much of playtesting at all(WHICH I DO NOT ADVISE), but i was fairly familiar with decks like it anyway.

 

Q. This format is still fairly fresh to us, so what are your thoughts on it at the moment? Did you find the transition fairly easy?

A. Well a lot of people are saying “oh, if you go first you win the match”. If you look at my tournament report, i lost both first games of my top 4 and top 2 matches. Theres a lot of other factors that come into play, luck, and skill.

The transition was actually pretty hard, after playing sp a lot, and creating smearglock. I was so used to just not having to play real games xD.

 

Q. Your last game came down to a nail-biting set of flips. How vital are you finding flips to be in this current format both during the game and the initial flip at the beginning?

A. Luck will always be a part of the game. No national champions can say that they won nationals on skill alone. I find the initial flip to be a very big advantage, but it does not instantly win you the game.

 

Q. Obviously you’ll be going to Worlds, do you reckon you’ll be sticking with the same deck or have you got something else planned?

A. I already have a couple secret decks in mind actually, as much as i’ll regret saying this. So far its looking like i wont be playing my buddy Yanmegatron.

 

Q. Any thoughts on what will be sitting at the top tables when we get to Worlds?

A. I expect Yanmega/*insertcardhere* to be at the top tables, and reshiram/typhlosions.

 

Q. The ‘Baby Donks’ seem to be quite a predominant part of the game right now, do you think this will put people off running them in the run up to Worlds?

A. Yes, i actually do. Even if stuff like manaphy and jynx are clearly inferior to cards like cleffa, the donk aspect is really making this format look worse than it really is.

 

Q. During your day you suffered two defeats in a row which could cause people to lose focus. What advice would you give to others when put in the same situation?

A. Honestly, dont let anything psych you out. Before my top two match i had many people telling me second was an acceptable placing. Play the game with confidence, play with your natural playstyle. It’s only for your best benefit that you are comfortable throughout the whole tournament.

 

Q. Lastly, with Pokemon Catcher confirmed for the next set, what kind of impact do you think it will have on the current format?

A. Very big change for the game IMO. It will greatly decrease the luck used to win games. Pokemon Catcher wont really be GOOD for the game, but it wont be THAT bad. If both players play pokemon catcher, they have an equal amount of times they can gust up pokemon, compared to one player hitting reversal and the other not hitting reversal.

 

Thanks a lot for your time, Justin and I think everyone will join me again in congratulating you on your victory!