CGC Trading Cards Forms Competitive Team

Three all-star international Pokémon players have united to form a new trading card competition team to compete in regional and national Pokémon tournaments. Team CGC Trading Cards will take its first seat at the Secaucus Pokémon Regional Tournament on May 21.

The team began when Danny Oesterreich met with Matt Quinn, CGC Trading Cards Senior Grading Finalizer, to discuss content for Oesterreich’s YouTube channel about trading cards. Quinn pitched the idea of a CGC Trading Cards competitive team and asked Oesterreich to help him enlist players.

“I used to own a business and all three of them were on my competitive team,” Oesterreich said. “These are three of the best players in the world. They are constantly in the Top 16 Rankings, and they competed in the World Championships every single year.”

Team CGC Trading Card includes:

Daniel Altavilla

International Champion and four-time Regional Champion, Daniel Altavilla has also added eight Top-Cuts to his resume between various regional and international events. He is currently ranked third globally in the Modern Era according to Limitless Rankings.

Azul Garcia Griego

Azul Garcia Griego brings 18 Top 8 finishes at major events including four Regional Event wins. He is currently the top-ranked player globally in the Modern Era, according to Limitless Rankings.

Caleb Gedemer

Three-time Regional Champion, with 11 total Top 8s at major events, Caleb Gedemer is currently ranked sixth globally according to Limitless Rankings.

Kidd Starck

With 1 Top 4 placing and 1 Top 16 placing, Kidd Stark is currently ranked 101, according to Limitless Rankings.

The team’s first competition will be at the Secaucus Pokémon Regional Tournament, at the Meadowland Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey, taking place May 20-22. The team will return the following month to compete in the Milwaukee Pokémon Regional Championship, at the Wisconsin Center, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, taking place June 17-19.

“The goal is to win a regional event and get points. Then you add up those points to qualify for the World Championship. There are also cash prizes and other prizes provided if you perform well. On Saturday, May 21, we’ll compete for a certain number of wins, and if we get enough wins, we’ll get to compete on the second day, and that will narrow it down to a winner for that regional tournament,” Oesterreich explained.

There are about 15 regional events each year, and all new players start with a rating of 1600 when they play in their first sanctioned tournament match of the year. The seasons begin in the fall and end with an international tournament in August.

The Pokémon Regional Championships are the largest events (after the International Championships), in terms of both attendance and Championship Point payouts, with prizes, scholarships and gift cards up to $50,000. Prizes are awarded to the top players in each age division, based on attendance.

You can watch the event live on the Pokémon YouTube and Twitch channels all day long to see players do battle. And check CGC Trading Cards social channels, @CGCcards, for updates on the team’s performance throughout the season.