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Isaiah Cheville compares Crushing Hammer and Dusknoir builds for Louisville Regionals, favoring Hammer's comeback potential in the Dragapult ex mirror and questioning Dusknoir's consistency.
Alakazam/Dudunsparce is pitched as an August Worlds sleeper after winning Indianapolis Regionals, despite placing only two decks in NAIC’s Top 64 amid an unfavorable Dragapult ex matchup.
Hey PokeBeach readers! It’s Michael and I am happy to be back with another article. Last time, I discussed and its persistence as a threat in the current
Gabriel Smart finished 14th among over 2,900 players with an 11-2-1 record, choosing Alakazam to target Dragapult builds without Special Red Card.
Alakazam/Dusknoir took both finalist spots at Frankfurt Regionals after Mateusz Łaszkiewicz's Worlds Top 8 run. The build uses three Strange Timepiece, but Dragapult remains a tough matchup.
Alakazam / Dusknoir won Frankfurt Regionals and Arboliva ex won Recife, showing room for alternatives ahead of Louisville despite Dragapult ex and Basic Box remaining leading decks.
Alakazam / Dusknoir won Frankfurt Regionals and Arboliva ex won Recife, highlighting alternatives to Dragapult ex and Basic Box ahead of Louisville.
After a 10-3-1 Baltimore finish, Grant Manley examines a Mega Chandelure ex control deck that stacks Retreat Cost increases and pivots to single-Prize Chandelure attacks.
Isaiah Bradner revisits his Mega Excadrill ex list after Baltimore Regionals, where his group faced no Alakazam/Dudunsparce decks across 36 combined rounds.
Isaiah Bradner explains why he stayed with Mega Excadrill ex for Baltimore Regionals, where his group faced zero Alakazam/Dudunsparce decks across 36 rounds despite teching for that matchup.
Grant Manley argues Blaziken ex improves Dragapult ex by countering Lillie’s Clefairy ex, Mega Excadrill ex, Hydrapple ex, and other difficult matchups.
Alakazam placed second and earned multiple Top 32 finishes at Worlds, while Henry Chao’s Dusknoir-based Dragapult ex deck reached the Top 4 ahead of upcoming Regionals.
Study Season runs September 3–15, 2026, with a 30-card Bitty Basic Brawl, Special Conditions lessons, login gifts, and Twilight Masquerade Build & Battle matches.
Study Season runs September 3–15 in Pokémon TCG Live, adding a Basic-only 30-card Trainer Trial, free 2027-season cosmetics, and Build & Battle play using Twilight Masquerade cards.
Cerys Jones, 17, has earned four Regional Top 4 finishes since the 2024–2025 season, including a win at the 2026 Indianapolis Regional Championships.
TPCi’s Series 27 collection will be sold at North American and European Regionals starting in September, including apparel, playmats, deck boxes, sleeves, coins and markers.
Regional Championships in Mérida and Monterrey will stream in Latin American Spanish, while Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre will offer Brazilian Portuguese broadcasts.
Testing suggests Pitch Black decks will claim only 10–12% of the metagame, while Dragapult ex builds evolve through tech choices such as three or four Crushing Hammer copies.
Alakazam/Dudunsparce is pitched as an August Worlds sleeper after winning Indianapolis Regionals, despite placing only two decks in NAIC’s Top 64 amid an unfavorable Dragapult ex matchup.
A Junior-compatible Nintendo Switch version will launch September 9, 2026, allowing younger players affected by Germany’s age-rating restrictions to compete at Frankfurt Regionals.
Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi won the 2026 Houston Regional Championships with Mega Absol ex after a Top 4 finish at LAIC and four consecutive Worlds qualifications.
Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi won the 2026 Houston Regional Championships with Mega Absol ex after a Top 4 finish at LAIC and four consecutive Worlds qualifications.