I chose to attend Puebla Regionals for three reasons.

1. Tax free winnings
2. Cheap flight+hotel
3. Queretaro was a good time so I thought it would be similar

Now allow me to regail you with tales of a crazy trip to Mexico City: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The itinerary for this trip was kind of brutal in order to keep things cheap. I found Flair flights direct from Vancouver to Mexico City for just $420 round trip. We land in MEX at 11:30pm on a Wednesday and have to leave at 12:25am on the Sunday. Since the tournament is a 3 hour bus ride away, it made more sense to spend all of Thursday in Mexico City before heading out to Puebla.

I booked a cheap Marriott hotel thinking, “its a Marriott, how bad could it be?” TOUGH DRAW. The air was scented with a damp smell that made you a bit uncomfortable when you walked in. The beds were as firm as stone and the air conditioner didn’t work. Is it worth the rate of just $65/night? I guess. It came with a free “American breakfast” which ended up being chip + salsa. Typical.

After a rough night, we hit up the museum of Anthropology.

It was full of ancient artifacts from different civilizations that settled in Mexico. I learned about the process of a ritualistic sacrifice while wondering what deck I should play for the tournament.

I’ll be honest, I don’t like this format. I’m in the new rotation waiting room but I’m still forced to earn points where I can. As

such, I haven’t tested for this tournament. At all. Thus, I decided to rely on my Worlds testing and just play the same deck.

After a long 3 hour bus ride to Puebla we get our check in swag and go to start testing at the rooftop of a beautiful hotel.

I just watch because I don’t really want to play. I do contemplate some card choices. In particular I wanted to add a Chi-Yu as a Crustle counter that also has utility elsewhere (+draw). I end up making a single change: cutting Patrat for a Judge. Patrat wasn’t really pulling its weight, especially since it doesn’t improve the Zoroark matchup at all. Judge was a response to, well, everyone putting Judge in their Pult lists. It is good against Alakazam and is another way to push early aggression in the mirror. I would just hope to dodge Crustle and hit lots of other good matchups.

Our hotel this time is much nicer, shoutout the Four Points hotel Puebla. We are able to get a better night’s rest before starting bright and early on Saturday.

The Tournament

R1 Alakazam/Dun/Togekiss WW

I’m glad I added a Judge.

Game 1: I have a slower set up but still find Budew to item lock. I have a searchable stadium bump thanks to Chien-Pao so I’m able to take big KOs with Pult. It comes down to tied prizes at 3 each. Usually a single-prize deck has the advantage here, especially as I am out of hand disruption. I have the option to Boss KO (with Mind Bend) either abra or togepi and hope to get a double prize turn next turn. I go for the Abra and pray he doesn’t find Togekiss. Prayer works but I still need to find Dragapult, Blaziken, and a stadium bump off of just a Lillie. I sacked.

Game 2: This time he got a Togekiss out midgame. I have a slowish start so I need to get quite lucky here. Somehow two Togekiss flips came down Tails and thus he had a single prize left when I was eventually able to close out the game. I’ll take the 25%, must be my lucky day.

Round 2: Hydrapple WLW

Matchup is favored but can come down to finding rare candy on time.
Game 1: I opt second and have a good hand to find Torchic and some Dreepy. My opponent gets a KO with Ogerpon and I have the turn two Blaziken on the ready. They do not find a response and I am able to set up a second Blaziken to secure the prize race.

Game 2:  I start Clefairy and I don’t find Blaziken until much too late. I couldn’t keep up.

Game 3: After two turns of set up, my opponent KOs Budew with an Ogerpon. I find a Dragapult and Stamp. Phantom Dive into Ogerpon + 20 on dipplin. They find Lillie but whiff Hydrapple, still Dragapult gets killed by Ogerpon + Meganium. I have a second pult + Boss to take out Dipp, Applin, and Ogerpon to tie prizes and remove all damage on board. With no way to take a KO, I am able to get a follow up KO with Blaziken on the next turn to win.

Round 3: Festival Lead WLW

I’m seated next to Drew so I snap a selfie with him. This causes the Mexican guy on the other side of me to assume that he is famous and he asks for an autograph.

Game 1: I am usually blind second because I like to play the game and T1 Lillie is what does that most often. However, my opponent pulled out the Applin plushie and had the Dipplin tokens. I choose first. They bricked under item lock and I won in three turns with a Phantom Dive.
Game 2: I misplay by benching Fez + Meowth to just lose to prize race.
Game 3: He gets a slow start and misses Rabsca on a crucial turn. I KO Rellor and win after three Phantom Dives.

R4 Honch WLT
Game 1: This matchup is one where you win if they dead draw off of Reset Stamp. This worked in game one and I was able to win after two missed attacks.
Game 2: I got greedy this game and chose to use Reset Stamp early. They drew Arianna and were able to keep up and win the prize trade.
Game 3: There isn’t much time left but I still get an early Dragapult attack. He missed attack twice and time was called at 5-4 prizes so we agreed to tie.

R5 alakazam WW
Game 1: I set up quickly and started using Phantom dive to take double KOs and he missed the KO twice after a Judge. I just got too far ahead in prizes.
Game 2: I drew the absolute nuts with a Lillie into Rare Candy, Dragapult, Reset Stamp to Phantom Dive on turn two after my Budew got KOd. I won the next turn.

R6 crustle LWT
This is one of the matchups I was dreading. I have no techs for it so I just have to rely on Combusken flips.
Game 1: I got Combusken out early but missed double heads to deal with Crustle #1. They were able to set up a Crustle with a Cape and lot of energy that I could not deal with and I eventually lose.
Game 2: I was able to early boss Dwebble which promptly evolved into Crustle. Luckily, he missed energy for enough turns for me to KO the Crustle with a Cape with a Kloak. I was able to deal with the follow up Crustle thanks to a lucky double heads on Combusken and I KOd a Dwebble along the way as well. Got quite lucky here.
Game 3: I try to play faster and I get a bit lucky with another double heads Combusken for an early prize. After a turn of Kang draw I have the option to Boss KO a Dwebble but I decide that is too slow so I go for the hit onto Kang threatening his bench with Phantom Dive damage. He gets the Mist on the Dwebble and at this point I know I messed up since it will take much longer to KO two Crustle than it would to KO one Kang and one Crustle. We run out of time with him at one Crustle left and I would likely lose to deck out if we had another 10 minutes or so.

R7 Pult hammer WW
The FIRST PULT MATCHUP OF THE TOURNAMENT~!
Game 1: I prized itchy so i just presented a board where he couldn’t take a double KO (he had no Risky Ruins damage and he was bench locked). He also discarded judge turn 1 so I just built up a hand to go Phantom Dive into Dragapult + Reset Stamp as soon as a KO happened.
Game 2: WAS CRAZY. I start Clefairy active with a Meowth in hand going first. I just attach energy and pass. He plays no supporters on his turn and just goes for an Itchy Pollen. I figure that he must be on a brick so I’ll just take a risk here, I Meowth for Crispin and take the KO. He finds double Drakloak, Reset Stamp, Boss on Meowth, and with a second Budew, uses Itchy Pollen. I have Munkidori, Dark, and Reset Stamp in my hand. This looks like a great hand so I just pass. He Phantom Dives to KO my Meowth? Strange choice given that I have a powered up Clefairy on board. I top deck a Poffin to guarantee the return KO and play my hand out with Munkidori + Dark + Reset Stamp netting me the KO on Dragapult and Budew putting me at just two prizes remaining. He uses Red Card and my draw is Stretcher + Crispin – the exact combo that wins me the game after a Phantom Dive. So I just sit there until he Phantom Dives and I win.

Not a single Itchy Pollen used by me in the match.

R8 Zoroark LWT
A controversial game, I will refrain from going over details except the one where my opponent cheated.
Game 1: L
Game 2: W
Game 3: There isn’t much time left and it is clear I have to go for the tie. I don’t slow play though because I always try to maintain the same pace. With just 15 seconds left my opponent finishes their turn giving them an out to a win with two extra turns. With three Boss’s Orders in the discard, I can just promote things that won’t get one-shot due to his full board. He Boss KOs something to go down to two prizes, I promote Dragapult and use Reset Stamp. On the final turn of the game, he cheats. He uses his Trades and then plays a Night Stretcher while asking how many cards I have in my hand. I know the answer (I just played Reset Stamp and passed) so with my eyes glued to his discard pile search I answer “5” and as I do I see him place a card into his hand. I immediately place my hand over his hand and call a Judge. Unfortunately, I think I get some details about his turn wrong, I couldn’t remember the Night Stretcher that was played and, while it is clear that he has an extra card in hand, the judges could not determine where the extra card came from. My argument is that if he has a Boss in hand why would he even bother playing anything else, he just wins the game on the spot. This isn’t enough – I probably needed to be able to account for each Boss’s Orders but it was very late in the day and fatigue was setting in. The final ruling is that he has an extra card, he gets a DPL and a judge will shuffle a random card in. The judge binks the Boss and my opponent just says “tie?”. Bruh, we are in the same spot as if you didn’t cheat – just don’t do that next time.

R9 Zoroark WW
Game 1: I target Zekrom/Reshiram because he discarded one and played a Night Stretcher already. This causes him to miss attack for several turns so I win.
Game 2: I hard brick with nothing but a bunch of basics. He has a Zekrom stuck active and takes a few turns digging for N’s Castle, discarding Pecharunt and filling up his bench along the way. When he finally gets the stadium and retreats to attack, I immediately bump the stadium and Boss up Reshiram. As soon as he attaches to the Reshiram I know I’ve won. He ends up having no way to retreat the Reshiram after I Boss it up a second time. It turns out his last three prizes were Night Stretcher, Energy, N’s Castle.

That is the end of the first day. We head back to the hotel to pack and have a later dinner…

I wake up feeling a bit rough in the stomach but there is very little time to do anything since they want to start R10 at 8:30 once again. We head to the venue and I do my best to lock in.

R10 Basic Box LWL
Game 1: I opt second and dreepy pass. He donk :c
Game 2: I opt second with a board of Budew, Dreepy, Torchic and Lillie into a hand of Rare Candy, Dragapult, Blaziken, Fire energy and I use Itchy Pollen on his fez. I know if he goes for Dreepy KO then I have a strong response, otherwise I’m struggling. Luckily, he KOs Dreepy I have the KO in hand and he misses attack for a few turns since he committed his Meowth for Crispin and just got his Fez KOd.
Game 3: I have a slower set up with three energy prized, I miss Itchy Pollen turn 1 and he gets to Pechaurnt retreat lock my Shaymin for a KO going into his turn. He Boss KOs Torchic again by poison and I have two Recon Directives to find Dragapult or a supporter but I see 4 dead cards. My only saving grace is sticking him with a brick off stamp but he draws boss. I cleared my board of Meowth/Fez with Chien-Pao the turn prior so he just hits into Blaziken. Its obvious he has Boss so I have to play Judge instead of my own Boss. I also cannot set up a Phantom Dive with 3 energy prized. He finds N’s plan + energy to KO Blaziken for game. I think I should have gone for Clefairy KO to get energy/stretcher off prizes then try and go for a cheeky Clefairy one shot, but the odds of that are low.

Having terrible draws for two of those three games feels quite bad but that’s just Pokémon. Even though this puts me out of contention for top cut, I can still cash out by winning out.

R11 Mega Excadrill WLW
Game 1: I start Chien-Pao going second. This signals to him that I’m likely playing Basic Box so he benches Shaymin and retreats to it then Transceivers for Petrel and passes. I get into Itchy Pollen much to his dismay and on his next turn he has to Petrel for Judge. This gives me a lot of time to set up a Dragapult and he never actually finds another basic so I Phantom Dive for game on turn 5.
Game 2: I have a brick but I have Budew, Dreepy, Torchic and Unfair Stamp in hand. I top deck judge and decide to play it since there are infinite outs to a Drakloak and a Supporter. However, I proceed to DEAD DRAW FOR 5 STRAIGHT TURNS. I look at the next handful of cards after conceding and it was just more junk.
Game 3: Opting second, I play Buddy-Buddy Poffin and start looking for Budew. My opponent begins praying that it is prized and… Prayer works! I prize Budew so he is able to set up. He swings in with Mega Excadrill and I have a lot of cards to look for Rare Candy but I miss after digging with Reset Stamp, Lillie, two Drakloak, and Fez (20 cards lol). I promote Dragapult so that at least I can get the two Prizers off my board when he KOs my only Tera in play (causing Area Zero to kick em out). I find Rare Candy finally and KO the Mega Excadrill. He gets the Gravity Mountain return KO with Metagross. He’s now at 1 prize, I’m at 3 and I can either Boss Metang to leave him at just 1 Metal Maker or I can Judge and KO active, hoping he misses Metal Makers with already 12 energy in the discard. Because I only have two cards in deck, if he can find just a single energy off his Metal Maker then he can mill me for game with Excadrill. So, I decide to Judge and pray. PRAYER WORKS?! He benches Mega Mawile and attaches from hand. He needs to find just two energy off his two Metal Makers – one to retreat and one to power up the Mawile. Thankfully, he misses and I have Boss for game.
Great opponent ❤

R12 Zoroark LL
Game 1: My deck doesn’t work
Game 2: my deck doesn’t work. Going second, I open Clefairy, Ultra Ball, double Drakloak. If I topdeck Poffin I can get aggressive by finding Meowth for Crispin, I don’t. I could take a KO on his active Tatsugiri anyways (which just whiffed) but he has Zorua with an energy and Zekrom on bench so I die to just Zoroark + energy. Thus, I have to Meowth for Lillie and I still hit a brick.

It feels like my deck has just been drawing poorly for most of the day. I’m hoping that my luck turns around but I’m also feeling physically ill – possibly from something I ate.

R13 Zoroark LWW
Game 1: No surprises here, I brick !!
Game 2: I FINALLY start hot going first with Poffin to get Dreepy, Torchic with a Dreepy active and Combusken + double Drakloak in hand. I get to evolve and set up and because he started Budew and was forced to bench Meowth his board was kinda cooked. He missed an attack after I stamp KOd Reshiram and I won shortly after.
Game 3: We were low on time so I have to sack. He starts dead and my hand is gas, I start using Itchy Pollen. It’s clear that he’s slowed down pace of play but not to an egregious enough amount to warrant calling a judge. He starts retreat locking with Yveltal. I clear my board of any retreat lock targets and he bosses Munkidori to try and buy more time. I start Mind Bending and take a prize off Yveltal. He attacks with Purrloin to try and force a tie, discarding a Boss from my hand. It works and time is called with him at 0. I have just two attacks to take 5 prizes. I Phantom Dive his Zoroark and put 60 on purrloin, zoro is at 250 after poison. He heals 30 off the Zoroark to go to 220 and takes the KO on Dragapult with Reshiram’s attack and his Zoroark takes an additional tick of Poison damage. This was just enough damage for me to Boss the Pecharunt and Phantom Dive for game (10 on Purrloin + 50 on Zoroark). If he had retreated out of poison then it would have sealed the tie.

At this point I’m feeling good and bad. Good because I am finally starting to see good opening hands again. Bad because… maybe I’m hungry?

R14 Hide n Sneak WW
Game 1: I get first attack to KO Sinistcha by committing Crispin to Dreepy. He misses energy for Banette attack but my hand is a brick so I Judge and get a bunch of Poffin to get Dreepy and attack for 40. He KOs Dreepy. I promote another Dreepy and have Rare Candy + Blaziken to take another KO again attacking for 40. He KOs Dreepy, at this point I found Drakloak and started rolling. The prize trade is even so I just have to swap between Blaziken and Clefairy and play around Spiritomb by bouncing stuff with Area Zero + Chien-Pao.
Game 2: I start Budew and his board is 2 Shuppet + 1 card in hand. I figure yolo, and pad for munki and Meowth for Crispin to take a KO. He has Explorer for that Special Psychic Energy and finds 2 Dhelmise. I’m bricking, I just take another KO on the Shuppet. He gets energy to KO Munkidori, I promote Budew and finally topdeck a Drakloak. I get 2 Drakloak out and itchy pollen. He doesn’t have Boss so he KOs Budew to tie prizes. I find Rare Candy Blaziken my next turn and similar to game one I presented a board that could win prize trade and won the prize trade.

FINAL RECORD 9-2-3
While it is unfortunate that I lost to slop box due to bad draws, I think my record is decent especially given the matchups I had. Going 2-1-1 into zoroark is crazy. As soon as the tournament ended I got some food from the nearby food stands and very quickly noticed a decline in my health. I got a massive headache and was worried that maybe I was feeling effects of dehydration. My stomach was also feeling awful. I somehow made it through a long 4 hour bus ride back to the Mexico City Airport and taking some medicine + water + naps seemed to help quite a bit. I think I got a tad bit of food poisoning.

Summary

This trip overall only cost around ~$700 CAD.

• Flights $420 round trip
• Hotels $110 for 4 nights split 3 ways
• Transportation: $90 for buses + ubers all weekend
• Food: ~$60 (food is cheap)

For comparison, a round trip ticket to Louisville Regionals was looking to be around $700 total on the low end from Vancouver.

Would I recommend Puebla or Mexico City Regionals to someone in the future? If you are looking for a cheap Regional trip then yes, for sure it is worth it to go. There is also a hidden added benefit of being able to claim back tax withheld winnings since the tournament doesn’t take place in the US (see more about that here: https://joeyg.ca/2026/09/16/pokemon-prize-tax-refund/).

One caveat that I have to mention is that the city is not very IBS friendly. You must stick to bottled water and it is hard to be sure that all the food that you eat is safe so make sure to bring some stomach meds (or just buy them there).

PROPS AND SLOPS

PROPS

• Back to back top 64s with the same 59
• Another unique list to add to my records
• Cheap hotels and food in Mexico
• Jack P bubbling in at 64th
• My Mega Excadrill opponent for providing the most entertaining match of the season so far
• Blaziken ❤
• Chien-Pao
• Tim Hortons spawning when I needed it the most – at the MEX airport Departures Terminal
• That one Uber Driver who taught us the phrase “México Mágico” and told us to stay away from “the Pink Cocaine” because it is laced with Fent
• AMIGOS (Friends dubbed in Spanish) playing on the bus ride
• You for reading this :))

SLOPS :c

• L FOOD POISONING

• L WEIRD SINKS

• Immense highway traffic caused by a CAR ON FIRE YES LIKE FULLY ABLAZE
• Becoming traumatized by the bathrooms in the Puebla convention center
• That one Uber Driver who didn’t have a working front seat belt and drove through the side streets like an F1 racer trying to gain position (I swear my Uber rating is good)
• One of my opponents cheating against me and getting away with it (see round 8)
• The City Express hotel in Mexico City for their lack of AC and rock solid beds
• Bathroom trauma deserves to be on here twice