“I’ve already had to disqualify someone who tried to cheat…” Beneath his good-natured air, just a city teacher, a Pokémon teacher when it comes to competitions, Stephane Ruffe will put on the white coat for the Yokohama Pokémon World Championshipsfrom August 11 to 13, 2023. And it’s no joke… He is one of the referees of the competition of trading card game (TCG). The “Pokémon Worlds” also host competitions from the Pokémon video game, Pokémon Go and Pokémon Unite (team version of the video game)…
If the title of Pokémon professor may seem high-sounding, it is above all a question of distinguishing the players authorized to arbitrate and organize competitions. In Yokohama, even if the winner will leave with more than 25,000 euros in rewards, the other players come mainly to live their passion for these first “worlds” organized in Japan.
The competition starts on Friday but you arrived in Japan two weeks ago. For what ?
I arrived well before the Worlds. I take advantage of my summer vacation to visit Japan. And it also allows me to acclimatize. Japan, we don’t go there every day, it’s an event! I make sure to satisfy both my desires as a tourist and my duty as a referee. For people like me, who compete in Pokémon, it’s the event of the year, or even of the decade…
Do you need to be in shape?
Yes, the days will be very intense, you have to know how to stay focused. If in addition we suffer from jet lag, we do not hold.
Is it intense for the players or for the referees?
Both. As referees, we have to monitor the competition, check that no one is cheating, of course, but above all it requires a little different rigor. The referees who are around the players, in the room, must respond as soon as there is a call. We must provide a quick response so as not to distort the competition. This is the main difficulty: responding to the situation so as not to delay the event.
What kinds of questions do you get asked as a referee during games?
Mainly questions about card interactions. You have to know them all.
But there are thousands…
And yes. But hey, with a logical mind and a good knowledge of the game, it’s fine. Players who ask for arbitration often do so out of spite of the defeat, but in reality, they already know the answer… You have to respond quickly to avoid arguments and keep a good atmosphere. It’s a bit like a tennis match, we are there above all to decide on the disputed points. If there is an error in judgement, it must be repaired as soon as possible so that there is no serious impact. That’s why the most important matches are under total surveillance, while on the other matches, there is a referee for several tables at the same time.
Are Pokémon referees former failed players like in other sports?
(laughs) I don’t think so… We’re mostly passionate about the game, we don’t do it for the money or the glory, because we don’t get either one or the other… I was a player, that I’ve been in the game for 20 years and I’ve done a lot of competitions. And I won, I was champion of France in 2016. Today I do almost nothing more than arbitration. I do a lot of things locally, at home in Toulouse. I organize small local competitions in a specialized shop, meetings and training sessions. In short, I do transmission. Well, I still try to maintain my level of play…
There are always new cards and expansions. Can you follow?
Well yes, all the same, you have to know how to stay in the game. But it’s not that difficult. Yes there are a lot of cards but the game hasn’t become complex unlike other collectible card games. There aren’t 100 different ways to play Pokémon TCG. I would say there are 10 to 15, with small subtleties. If we missed an extension, in one or two days of training, we caught up. Other card games have more tactical depth, and I find that very good. But thanks to its simplicity, it is quite easy to enter the Pokémon competition.
Are there any favorites for the World Championships? Unbeatable players?
There are great players but no favourites. This aspect is not very present in the community. The big Japanese names are not known for example, we know some American names, but it is not of capital importance. Great players do not win all competitions. There, for example, no one knows who will win in Yokohama. We cannot make predictions or bets because there is also a dimension of chance.
Luck ?
Yes, but the biggest players have total control to minimize the impact as much as possible. At this level, the slightest mistake is fatal and can tip the game. The greatest Pokémon champions are those who know how to stay focused for nine hours of play, without making mistakes.
Only the best players in the world will be present in Yokohama?
No. The particularity of this card game is that it is not a closed championship, like Dragon Ball for example, where the Worlds see ten players compete against each other. The purpose of the Pokémon Championships is to make a big celebration reunion of the games. This is what is very attractive in this game: you can qualify by being “casu” but involved.
“Casu”?
“Casual” player, lambda player in short. Lots of people qualified for Yokohama just because they wanted to join the party in Japan, not because they are pro players.
What is the atmosphere at these Pokémon Championships? Cozy like golf, or more explosive?
The atmosphere is good, there are no tensions, even if everyone supports the players from their country; Especially the French…
The French are more nationalistic?
More united in any case.
And do we have a chance of a French victory?
Oh yes, we have a lot of hope. Especially in the Juniors, because we have a lot of young competitive players here. France is in the top 10 of the best nations in Pokémon games.