2019 Origins Game Fair Tournament Coverage

This week, the 2019 Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio is playing host to a series of Pokémon TCG League Cups and League Challenges, as well as a Special Event on Friday. These tournaments include both Standard and Expanded format events, and offer a good chance for players from around North America to finish off their Worlds invites or rack up some more CP before next weekend's North American International Championship. Most of NA's Top 16 players will be in attendance for the Special Event. 

PokéStats will be posting day-by-day coverage of the Top 8 standings from each event and providing other notes, including decklists and player commentary, when available. Below is the full tournament schedule for Origins. 

Wednesday, June 12

Expanded League Cup
28 Masters
  1. Frank Percic, Gardevoir & Sylveon-GX/Aromatisse
  2. Jared Zander, Archie's Blastoise
  3. Scott Denham, Pikachu & Zekrom-GX
  4. Connor Finton, Archie's Blastoise
  5. Joe Ruettiger, Sableye/Garbodor
  6. Alex Schemanske, Spiritomb/Ultra Beasts
  7. Zac Cooper, Trevenant BREAK
  8. Trey Reese, Seismitoad-EX/Garbodor
Notes:
  • Winner Frank Percic intended to play Alolan Exeggutor TEU 115 for this event, but left most of his Expanded cards at home and was forced to borrow cards from Connor Finton, who he beat in Top 4. Percic says the list he used is sub-optimal and "you don't want it." 
  • Joe Ruettiger stuck with Sableye/Garbodor for Thursday's Expanded Cup as well, and reached Top 4 there. 

Thursday, June 13

Expanded League Cup
  1. Joshua Sutherland, Trevenant BREAK
  2. Grant Manley, Vespiquen
  3. Joe Ruettiger, Sableye/Garbodor
  4. Alec Geissler, Sceptile/Vileplume/Cradily
  5. Wesley Hollenberg, Spiritomb/Ultra Beasts
  6. Frank Percic, Gardevoir & Sylveon-GX/Aromatisse
  7. Sean Lyden, Shock Lock
  8. Alex Schemanske, Spiritomb/Ultra Beasts (notes)
Notes:
  • Alex Schemanske also made Top 8 at Wednesday's Cup with the new Spiritomb/Ultra Beasts archetype, which Schemanske says is 50% his creation, 40% Wesley Hollenberg's (who also reached Top 8 here), and 10% Alex Krekeler's. Click notes above to see the list and read more of Schemanske's insights. 
  • Finalist Grant Manley decided to play this event about five minutes before registration ended. Consequently, his list was sub-optimal (for example, 2 Unown and 2 Klefki instead of 4 Unown), but Manley's play was good enough to pull him through until he hit (in his words) an "autoloss" in the finals. 

Friday, June 14

Standard Special Event

This event is currently ongoing. 126 Masters are in attendance, according to PokéStats's Loc Nguyen, so there will be seven Swiss rounds. 

Rahul Reddy has provided us with information on most of the top players' decks:
  • Athavan Akilan - Silvally-GX/Lapras-GX
  • Danny Altavilla - Zapdos/Ultra Beasts
  • Justin Bokhari - Zoroark-GX/Silvally-GX
  • Michael Catron - Silvally-GX/Lapras-GX
  • Jon Eng - Pikachu & Zekrom-GX
  • Azul Garcia Griego - Weezing
  • Caleb Gedemer - Weezing
  • Wes Hollenberg - Zoroark-GX/Silvally-GX
  • Will Jenkins - Zapdos/Ultra Beasts
  • Alex Krekeler - Zoroark-GX/Silvally-GX
  • Zach Lesage - Blacephalon UNB with Salazzle UNB
  • Jit Min Lim - Nidoqueen/Meganium
  • Jose Marrero - Reshiram & Charizard-GX
  • Jimmy Pendarvis - Weezing
  • Xander Pero - Zapdos/Ultra Beasts
  • Michael Pramawat - Weezing
  • Rahul Reddy - Zoroark-GX/Silvally-GX
  • Alex Schemanske - Zoroark-GX/Silvally-GX