American Wolfe Glick and German Markus Stadter came intoFriday with the same team. They both made it through Friday, and they did sowell on Saturday that they ended up battling in the semifinals. Top-8 finisherBaris Ackos of Germany even used the same team, too! Their team features two Pokémonthat know the move Fake Out, a Rayquaza that knows Swords Dance, a Hitmontopholding Eject Button, Mega Gengar’s Shadow Tag Ability, and a Raichu strategythat may be one of the most groundbreaking in Video Game Championships history.All in all, this team is one of the most complex teams we’ve ever seen, butthese Trainers were able to master it on Pokémon’s biggest stage.

Jonathan Evans has been one of the more interesting storiesthis year as an American player that spent most of this season in Europe. Jonathan’stake on the Double Primal archetype involved two different Mega Evolved Pokémon.He was both one of the players who combined his Primals with Mega Gengar aswell as one of the only top Trainers to give Mega Manectric a shot in the 2016Video Game Championships. He also trained his Talonflame very defensively,allowing it to play a different role than the more offensive Talonflame we sawfrom other Trainers.

German Markus Stadter and American Wolfe Glick came intoFriday with the same team. They both made it through Friday, and they did sowell on Saturday that they ended up battling in the semifinals. Top-8 finisherBaris Ackos of Germany even used the same team, too! Their team features two Pokémonthat know the move Fake Out, a Rayquaza that knows Swords Dance, a Hitmontopholding Eject Button, Mega Gengar’s Shadow Tag Ability, and a Raichu strategythat may be one of the most groundbreaking in Video Game Championships history.All in all, this team is one of the most complex teams we’ve ever seen, butthese Trainers were able to master it on Pokémon’s biggest stage.

Eduardo Cunha is the first Portuguese player to make it tothe top cut of the Masters Division Video Game World Championships. He broughta team built around some powerhouses such as Xerneas and Groudon, but he puthis own spin on the team. We don’t often see Trainers teach their GroudonSubstitute, but Eduardo used the move to capitalize on turns where his Groudonwas in little danger. He was also one of the few players we’ve seen useHitmontop this season. Hitmontop gave Eduardo a second Pokémon that could usethe move Fake Out while also providing the extremely powerful IntimidateAbility.

Germany’s Baris Ackos was another player that used theinnovative Raichu, Hitmontop, Rayquaza, Kyogre, Gengar, and Bronzong team thatwas also used by Wolfe Glick and Markus Stadter. Their team features two Pokémonthat know the move Fake Out, a Rayquaza that knows Swords Dance, a Hitmontopholding Eject Button, Mega Gengar’s Shadow Tag Ability, and a Raichu strategythat may be one of the most groundbreaking in Video Game Championships history.All in all, this team is one of the most complex teams we’ve ever seen, butthese Trainers were able to master it on Pokémon’s biggest stage.

The runner-up at the United States National Championshipsmade it to the top cut at the World Championships with a team that is verysimilar totheteam he brought to Columbus. The Bronzong enthusiast has trained up a newBronzong since his last major tournament, and this one has the HeatproofAbility instead of the Levitate Ability. He also slightly changed his strategyby swapping out his old Naive Salamence for a new one with a Hasty Nature, andhis Sassy Cresselia was replaced by a Modest Cresselia.

Justin Carris brought one of the more unique combinations ofPokémon among players in the top cut. Xerneas is most commonly paired withGroudon, and occasionally paired with Rayquaza, but Justin went for somethingelse entirely by pairing it with Kyogre instead. He opted not to use Kangaskhanlike many other players, instead using the faster—and frailer—Infernape to useFake Out or Quick Guard before his opponents. He is also noteworthy for givinghis Bronzong a Mental Herb to hold instead of the more common Lum Berry, andfor sticking with the Levitate Ability instead of Heatproof.

Barry Anderson has finally earned his chance to representGreat Britain in the top cut of the World Championships after just barelymissing out by a single position in 2013. Volcarona is a rare sight thisseason, but it has a whole suite of tricks that are sure to bug Barry’sopponents. The Red Card it holds can stop opposing Xerneas from tearing throughBarry’s team after using Geomancy, and Volcarona can eject Xerneas from battleeven if it doesn’t activate Red Card by using its Whirlwind move, too. Barryalso brought a Smeargle holding a Choice Scarf that knew the move Switcheroo,which could definitely mess with opponents that were maneuvering to avoid anexpected Dark Void.

The combination of Rayquaza and Kyogre were popular at thetop tables of this year’s World Championships. Matthias Suchodolski ofGermany put his own spin on the team by including Landorus Therian Forme, a Pokémonthat was one of the best last season, but has been crowded out from top teamsas an offensive Pokémon this season by the restricted Pokémon. Ferrothorn wasalso a Pokémon we haven’t seen much of this year. It was likely a key performerfor Matthias with Kyogre’s surge in popularity making waves in San Francisco.

Sebastian Escalante of Argentina excited the crowd bybecoming the first Latin American player to make it to the top cut of theMasters Division Pokémon Video Game World Championships. Sebastian’s take onthe popular Groudon and Xerneas team archetype doesn’t feature the commonCresselia or Salamence. Instead, Sebastian uses both the disruptive Amoongussand the aggressive Talonflame on his team. He also taught his Groudon RockTomb, an uncommon choice that allows Groudon to do reliable Rock-type damage andslow down enemies.

American Giovanni Costa was the first Double Primal playerto clinch a spot in the top cut. Unlike most players pairing Kyogre withGroudon, Giovanni used a Groudon that specialized completely in special attacksinstead of physical attacks. His team included the combination of a Mega Gengarand a Whimsicott that knew Encore. This pairing of Pokémon may not be able todish out huge amounts of damage on their own, but they’re so good at disruptingfoes together that their presence on Giovanni’s team makes team preview muchmore difficult for his opponents.

Edward Kh Cheung was the first player from Hong Kong to makeit to the top cut in the Video Game Masters Division. He brought a team ofwell-established Pokémon, but like most of the other players in the top cut histeam had some unique quirks. Edward’s Groudon had a Serious Nature, which werarely see on any Pokémon in competition. Edward also taught his Cresselia thecombination of Icy Wind, Thunder Wave, and Trick Room to maximize his optionsfor Speed control. This strategy was popular in the middle of the season, buthas since lost favor. Edward proved it’s still a powerful strategy.

Jamie Boyt of Great Britain’s team was definitely the mostIntimidating team in the field. Most players select one Pokémon with the IntimidateAbility for their teams, but Jamie broughtthree.Several players brought Hitmontop’s combination of Intimidate and the move FakeOut to San Francisco, and Jamie selected the similar Scrafty for his team. Healso used both an Arcanine and Gyarados that knew the move Roar. Consideringthe Whimsicott with Encore also on Jamie’s team, it was almost impossible forfoes expecting to deal their damage using Kangaskhan and physical Groudon or Xerneaswith Geomancy to do much against Jamie’s team.

Blake Hopper has been one of the top Masters Divisionfinishers from the United States at both of the past two World Championships, andthis year was no exception. Blake was one of the few players who paired Groudonand Rayquaza at this event. This combination enabled Blake to use a Groudonthat focused on special attacks and leave dishing out the physical damage toRayquaza. Blake’s most uncommon Pokémon was Scizor. The combination of Life Orband Swords Dance can allow Scizor to deal damage equivalent to a restricted Pokémonif it can get rolling, especially against Xerneas, Cresselia, and Bronzong. 

Australia’s Sam Pandelis was the sole player using Yveltalin the top cut of the Masters Division, and he had some other interesting trickson his team, too. Yveltal held a Life Orb, allowing it do more damage than itcould with the Blackglasses we sometimes see instead at the expense of doingdamage to itself, too. Sam’s choice of giving Smeargle a Choice Scarf to holdwas itself uncommon, but it was particularly interesting because he taught SmeargleTaunt and Feint, two moves that we don’t normally see from Smeargle.

Michael Lanzano of the United States was one of the lastplayers to squeak into Day Two after an incredibly close match against fellowAmerican Trista Medine on the stream at the end of Friday. He seemed to have amuch easier time on Saturday, needing only six rounds to pick up the five winsnecessary to move on against the best competition in the world. Most of Michael’sGroudon and Xerneas team was unlikely to surprise many opponents, but he did haveone big trick: a Smeargle holding a Chesto Berry instead of a Focus Sash orChoice Scarf.

Won Seok was the second South Korean player to qualify forthe Video Game World Championships after 2014 Champion Se Jun Park, and he becamethe second South Korean player to make it to the Masters Division top cut thisweekend, too. This team includes a speedy Arcanine that can use Safeguardbefore being hit by Smeargle’s Dark Void, and Won Seok even taught it a newtrick by giving it a Red Card to eject Xerneas from battle after using Geomancy.We don’t see Meowstic very often to begin with, but the Yawn and Heal Bellmoves Won Seok’s Meowstic knew must have absolutely shocked his foes.

Much like Aaron Traylor, Conan Thompson didn’t change muchabouttheteam that helped him get to the top cut of the United States NationalChampionships. His biggest change was definitely giving his Smeargle aChesto Berry to hold instead of the more common Focus Sash. Chesto Berry is ahuge leg up in battles with other Smeargle at the expense of opening up thepossibility of Smeargle being knocked out in a single blow. Conan also made afew other changes—he switched to a Kangaskhan with an Adamant Nature instead ofa Jolly Nature, his Groudon knows Earth Power instead of Swords Dance, and hisSalamence is Hasty instead of Naive.

The combination of Pokémon Germany’s Till Böhmer brought toSan Francisco probably seemed pretty conventional when his opponents saw themon team preview, but they were hiding some surprises. Till’s Bronzong held aRed Card, allowing it to force the first Pokémon that attacked it to switch outof battle. He was also the only Trainer in the top cut to use a Groudon with aLonely Nature, sacrificing some Defense to keep up its offense and Speed. Till’sGengar was also one of the few that knew Substitute, which probably added evenmore surprise for his opponents.

Most of the Trainers who went deep with the pairing ofGroudon and Xerneas chose to complete their teams with the combination ofSmeargle, Kangaskhan, Salamence, and Bronzong, and American Patrick Smith wasno exception. He taught his Groudon the move Swords Dance to give his versionof the team some added offensive power. Like most other top Trainers, he choseto bring a Bronzong with the Heatproof Ability instead of the more commonLevitate.

Most players using Groudon and Xerneas chose Bronzong astheir Pokémon of choice to use the move Trick Room, but Alejandro used theclassic Cresselia instead. Surprisingly, he was also one of the few Trainers touse a Smeargle with Follow Me in the Masters Division, as most other Trainerschose to teach their Smeargle different moves this time. Alejandro also taughthis Groudon Substitute, perhaps opening up some extra opportunities for it toattack safely.

We last saw Andrew Nowak on stream when he waswinning theRegional Championships in Illinois, and he put up another greatperformance in San Francisco after sitting out the US National Championships.He was one of the few players who selected either Crobat or Ferrothorn for histeam, and he was the only player in the top cut to use Suicune. The combinationof Roar, Tailwind, and Icy Wind on top of some hardy defensive stats made Suicunea great choice to support Anrew’s Groudon and Rayquaza.

The team used by American Dane Zieman stands out due to hisunconventional choice of Mega-Evolved Pokémon. We saw a few players using theregular Gyarados to support their teams, but Dane’s Mega Gyarados that knewDragon Dance went in a direction that was completely unique to him. Raichu’sLightning Rod Ability and Fake Out moves were great choices to help Gyaradosand Xerneas power-up. Amoonguss could use its Spore or Rage Powder attacks toadd even more protection for Dane’s big attackers.

Christian Cheynubrata of Germany was another player who brought Raichuto San Francisco, but he used a slightly different strategy than the others. ThisRaichu’s Life Orb allows it dish out a little more damage than the others, butit’s most noteworthy for knowing the move Encore. With Raichu’s excellentSpeed, Encore can be very disruptive. Christian also taught his Salamence Roar,allowing it to stop Trick Room, or if he’s feeling very confident, a Xerneas’Geomancy.