Lincoln’s Regional Tournament Q&A January 17–18, 2026 | Toronto, Canada

Our very own Lincoln recently headed to Toronto to take on a Pokémon Regional Tournament! As the largest event he’s ever competed in, we caught up with him to hear all about his journey.

Q: How is a Regional Tournament different from our Greenwich tournaments?

Lincoln: Regionals are much bigger, and you play against people you’ve never met before, which makes it more competitive. I played 8 matches total. Each match is 45 minutes, and sometimes they even go into overtime. It’s a long day and every round really matters!

Q: How many players were there? What did it feel like walking into such a big event?

Lincoln: There were 184 Junior players (elementary school), 295 Senior players (middle and high school), and 2,270 Masters players (adults). It was huge! I was really excited to be part of something that big. It’s the largest Pokémon tournament I’ve ever attended.

Q: Were you nervous before your first match? And how did you stay focused during such a long tournament?

Lincoln: I wasn’t too nervous because I’ve played in a lot of local tournaments. That experience helped. I focus on my breathing and stay in the present moment, thinking only about what’s in front of me.

It’s definitely a long and tiring day. I made sure to eat snacks between rounds and stay hydrated. Taking short breaks and resetting between matches helped me stay focused and ready for the next game.

Q: What deck did you play at Regionals? Why did you choose it?

Lincoln: I played Marnie’s Grimmsnarl ex. I like spread decks and control decks, and this one really stood out to me. It can set itself up well and apply pressure across the board, which fits my play style.

Q: What advice would you give to kids who want to play in a Regional Tournament someday?

Lincoln: Play in as many local tournaments as you can. The more experience you get, the more confident you’ll feel. You can also study deck lists and tournament results on Limitless Labs. It’s a website that tracks Pokémon tournaments and shows popular deck lists, so players can learn what decks are doing well and understand the current “meta” (the most common and competitive decks).

Most importantly, keep practicing and have fun!