TRAINER'S EYE #179 - Inadequance

TRAINER'S EYE #179 - Inadequance

Inadequance: [00:00:00] My name is Inadequance, and this is my Pokemon story.

["Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy"]

["Monodrama Suite No. 3," by La dando pa' tu madre OST Little ribbon, NOIR, feature theme. song by La dando pa' tu madre OST Little ribbon, NOIR, featuring weatherians and children ULLIDEON"]

David Hernandez: Welcome to As The Pokeball Turns, where every voice, every journey, and every memory brings us closer to the world of Pokemon. I'm David Hernandez, and I'm joined by a competitive battler who does not only reach legend in Pokemon Go.

He has dominated many tournaments from many lands, even [00:01:00] becoming a 2024 worlds finalist. Please welcome, inadequacy. Inadequacy. Welcome to As The Pokeball Terms turns.

Inadequance: Thank you, David for that fantastic introduction. Um, and thank you for having me. Of course. Yeah. that's me more time. also known as inadequacy in game

David Hernandez: Mm-hmm.

Inadequance: content now and then playing in, uh, Pokemon Go. And I'm also, uh, commentator as well in, uh, some of The Pokeball tournaments.

David Hernandez: Yes. And you know, there's so many different directions we can take your story, for me, every battler has this kind of competitive edge to where they they have fond memories of just winning or competing. And I kind of wanna start there. Do you remember the first time you ever won a Pokemon Go PVP match and felt like.

Yeah, I could actually be good at this. And what kind of moment was that like for you?

Inadequance: Yeah, that's, that's way back. So let me start on, when I actually picked up Pokemon Go, of course a lot of people, a lot of us started playing in 2016 when it came out, but I actually started [00:02:00] really playing consistently. when my ex-girlfriend at the time got me back into it and PFP didn't come out long before, I think it was around 2018 or 2019 and before the go B League came out, that is the system where you can basically just queue up with three Pokemon and battle anyone around the world. before that, there already was some sort of similar system against, uh, NPCs, the team go rockets. And

David Hernandez: And from there, I.

Inadequance: well. Uh, maybe this is not that difficult. Perhaps I can get into it. And from there the mechanics kind of were very similar in just online PVP when I play against other battlers and, you know, having the typing knowledge and everything, knowing The Pokeball stats a little bit, because they translate quite well from video games to go, that already helped me have like a bit of a basis to get into it.

And, uh, I think that's kind of where I started. I

I remember

That I

I.

it in a local telegram group at the time, and I, I, I thought it was a, a real hot shot with a 60% win [00:03:00] rates and then there were people who were even bad at it. And, you know, you had like an 87% win rate, though technical Philip Con creator and also from my same city. and I think that just drove me to where I am now.

David Hernandez: Wow. I mean, that's such interesting because, you talked about how, I'll say speech or in Pokemon Go nowadays. What was it, I guess, specifically about that, that hooked you deeply that led into PPP? What, was it just the battle idea of the, I guess the way the battle kind of worked out?

Or was it just more of you kind of won more competition compared to just facing MPCs?

Inadequance: First off, when the Team Girl Rocket came out, I just liked the lore behind it, you know, because I played Pokemon one XD kill of darkness on a game cube in my childhood. And I, I love the concept of shadow Pokemon, shadow Luga and

David Hernandez: Mm-hmm.

Inadequance: so that's kind of just how I played that a lot. I didn't really have the idea that I could become competitively good at it, but Pokemon goal was the game I. pretty much every day anyway, so I may as well just have tried it out, see if it was something for me at the time. There was [00:04:00] also, I believe you had to walk five kilometers or one kilometer, I can't remember exactly,

And I was in college at the time, so I had quite some free time and just like every day I walked, downtown a little bit and I was able to get quite some battles in. so just kind of how I got into it. And, you know, I got to the highest rank. Pretty early on. I mean, in the first season it kind of wasn't as difficult as it is nowadays or the seasons after, but you know, just that quick confidence boost really helps you get into it.

David Hernandez: Now, you mentioned earlier how the typings translated from Pokemon main series to Pokemon Go. how did that early part of Pokemon experience, you have shape into the competitive side. You do now.

Inadequance: I have played a lot of Pokemon, my childhood, so that really was just in my brain, all the types of stuff. However, I played up until the fourth generation, Pokemon, platinum, and after that I, I, you know, I was like, I think I was like 14, 15, 16 or something.

And I, I quit Pokemon for a while. Um. So, you know, when I came back

I

I saw a

saw

typing, I had no

I, no,

what was going [00:05:00] on. what

what is this?

Why

This,

my de yoga?

David Hernandez: this wasn't here when our last played. This is something new.

Inadequance: Exactly. Um, but

but you know.

all that knowledge from my childhood, uh, I played Pokemon yellow like probably five times minimum, you know?

David Hernandez: Oh, wow.

Inadequance: just don't forget the kind of stuff. Um, you know, you can give me an exam to study for hours. I will forget it the next day. Uh, Pokemon Typings, I can snap my fingers and name all 20 probably soon-ish.

David Hernandez: It sounds like you had at least some very good memories of those early days of when you were playing Pokemon Yellow and, you know, going through the generations up to gen four. I guess, what series of games do you hold most fondly of when you look back on them?

Inadequance: I think, the third

generation.

was my favorite.

that was Pokemon Emerald. I played that the most, even when my game falls little bit corrupted and kept crashing. I was like, well, it happens. Let's just start over. you know, I was very much persistent in keep playing and [00:06:00] at the time, it lined up pretty much well with when the Game Cube came out. Pokemon and, uh, Gule of Darkness. You could transfer The Pokeball, which was very new. You, you get them in 3D What a revelation that was, you know, we had Pokemon Stadium.

David Hernandez: right.

Inadequance: two, and then nothing, 3D for a little bit until Colosseum. So, you know, I, I get a big whooping groundling out there and it's just like, whoa. It's even better than I, than I imagined it would look like. so I think that's kind of the, the favorites, generation of mine and, and the series I played the most, fortunately, I can't remember what the name was of the one coming after for, I believe the, we, there was the, for the four Generation, it wasn't exactly as similar. yeah, then it's just kind of, I guess I got more interested in, in real life things, or more busy with with that until I picked it up again.

David Hernandez: Well, what's cool is that you said Gen three was your most fondness memory, and you were very determined. It sounds like, 'cause having a corrupted file and having to restart it, it is gotta be defeating after a while, especially for Pokemon Emerald. What kept you wanting to even try to play. At that point,[00:07:00]

Inadequance: I feel like you can just, and I still have that every time

David Hernandez: okay.

Inadequance: a game again, I can play it differently.

and of course if, if, if you, if your game crashes and says you have to start over from the fourth gym, yeah. That, that could be a little bit demotivating. Maybe I won't open for a couple days, but you know, if I completed already, I'm like, well, I was gonna play again anyway. and it helps, like I said, I could transfer some of my Pokemon two coum, so they weren't exactly 100%

Fault.

It's even easier with Pokemon Home nowadays. Of course.

David Hernandez: So when it came to Pokemon Coliseum, you know, you talked about how this was cool, it's brought it 3D, which made it seem more epic, especially, I remember Pokemon Coliseum seeing all The Pokeball kind of double battle. Did you get a chance to kind of do kind of, I guess.

Connectivity or was it just more the story you enjoyed about those games? Like what was your relationship with just Pokemon call Team M XD at that point?

Inadequance: I think

David Hernandez: I think that

Inadequance: I can't, no double, double, uh, battles were introduced in Gen three I think so we

David Hernandez: correct, yes. Yeah,

Inadequance: But they definitely just double battles on their own. I think

David Hernandez: I think

Inadequance: actually was only double [00:08:00] battles even.

David Hernandez: yes, and I.

Inadequance: concept way more than, than singles. just goes a little bit faster, has a little bit more, uh, it's a bit more dynamic at times. but for Collo scene specifically, it's really the lore behind. The shadow Pokemon and they expanded even further on that in Pokemon Xd Kill of Darkness. I was poking out when that came out. You know, shadow Luga on the, on the cover.

David Hernandez: Oh, it's such a sick cart. Yeah,

Inadequance: right. That, that, I thought it was really cool.

David Hernandez: Now, before we dive into Pokemon Go and your experience with that, what is your favorite Pokemon?

Inadequance: I don't really have one, actually. I keep changing it. So,

The Pokeball that has my, logo the most of the time is, is Chandler. which used to be kind of a favorite Pokemon of mine, but also because when I got very far and it didn't gobel, like on the leaderboards, my viewers started calling me the, the Candleman guess I just kind of rolled with it. But it, it never really has been a favorite, I think since I played Pokemon. Or I got platinum specifically for the Gina storyline.

David Hernandez: Mm-hmm.

Inadequance: say Gina is, is definitely [00:09:00] there.

David Hernandez: Just because of, I guess, 'cause that would be the altered form, right? I think is, or is it? No, it's origin. The origin form.

Inadequance: came out. Yeah.

David Hernandez: Yeah.

Inadequance: I was like, what is this? And it

David Hernandez: And

Inadequance: on me just like De Po Origin. I was like, what? What are these? And they, you know, at some point they just grow on you. I like them now.

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David Hernandez: Well now, you know, you talk about how you You came back to Pokemon Go because you know, at the time in X and you know, you were diving to Team Rock, which led you into [00:10:00] PVP. What were those early days of when PVP, I guess, was still trying to be figured out or trying to figure out how to battle at that point?

Like, was it difficult? Was it easy for you?

Inadequance: So I didn't play the, the start, start of it,

David Hernandez: Sure.

Inadequance: because when it actually came out, you can only play against friends and, this might sound sad. I did not have many or any friends that played Pokemon Go at the time. I only, my mom played with me, so, uh, you

David Hernandez: Aw.

Inadequance: and she did like the battle.

David Hernandez: Uh, so.

Inadequance: I really started when the Go Battle came out. Uh, the grassroots perform at the time was sil already was going running for a little bit. So, you know, that player I just talked about, the technical, he already had been playing that, and that experience has helped so much playing all of it. And you know, I already had kind of a local community that's well local.

They were like a 20 minute drive away

David Hernandez: Right.

Inadequance: sometimes was in contact with for rates. And I met some people there that also played PVP or were interested in it. And it's kind of how we started working together a little bit, sharing [00:11:00] ideas on PFP, how it works and everything. Because everything, everyone was figuring out what is exactly the best Pokemon. The higher you climb up in the rankings, the more of the same Pokemon you often see. In some formats. And from that, I got a pretty good idea. Like if I saw, in the very first seasons, I saw ulterior register, zuro everywhere. And at some point I'm like, well, maybe I should run The Pokeball. And then you start winning suddenly, well, suddenly it's because they're good. yeah, 

David Hernandez: yeah.

Inadequance: that's kind of how, how. Worked together to get up there. I started a Discord server at the time because, you know, I saw the technical for one streaming on Twitch and I was like, you know, I wanna share battles with my friends as well. I asked him how to do that and stuff, and we got software to, to share in my, tiny little discord that was like five people at the time.

David Hernandez: Mm-hmm.

Inadequance: Uh, and that's a bit bigger. Yeah.

David Hernandez: probably a lot more bigger I would imagine, than five people.

Inadequance: Yeah, yeah,

David Hernandez: Yeah.

Inadequance: a lot of, uh, practice in there. Uh,

David Hernandez: Um.

Inadequance: that, that's definitely not what it was at the time. because basically the practice came all from the Go Ball League because you play as you, [00:12:00] you learn as you play.

David Hernandez: When you know, eventually got invested into Pokemon Go, and you know, you got the tournaments happening in the world. Were you immediately jumping into it trying to become kind of a world's competitor or were you kind of still trying to feel your way through the competition at that point?

Inadequance: Man, I had no idea what was going on because, uh, the time, I believe the first tours I went to that was 2022, which I believe. Started up pretty much right after COVID or, well, when, when Most, when COVID was, going down a little bit.

before

David Hernandez: before that.

Inadequance: in grassroots formats that was sil and I think I won the Silver Regional, which always played.

That was all played remotely.

And from there I was like, well, maybe I'm decent at it, you know, and I, you know, I got close to it, like the tactical and other locals from here. and I had a pretty good. of ballers, around me as well. And, the technical traveled before to tournaments. you know, he told me, yeah, I played at like a go fist and I was like, what? went there to catch you go there, you travel to [00:13:00] battle. and you know, it was in Frankfurt at the time, which wasn't too far. I believe it was like a five hour train trip.

and. yeah,

David Hernandez: yeah.

Inadequance: there and I had no idea what to expect really.

When I came, when I went to the EYCI was like, well, we're just gonna play like tables, and, uh, dunno what it's gonna be. So it was quite a surprise, uh, quite an experience as well when I

When I got in there,

got hooked pretty much immediately. As soon as I, uh, as soon as we started playing.

David Hernandez: was it just because of all the competition that was going on, or was it just kind of the scenery? 'cause you went from. You know, grassroots online to in person. You said you just fell in love with it immediately. Was it just seeing all the players and all the competition that was going on?

Inadequance: So at the time, everyone. You know, the people I knew who went there were like, well, everything's very new. They didn't know exactly how to deal with, with this and that, because for example, from what I remember, I was being told they played at tables and in Pokemon Go.

When you swipe or when you launch attacks, you have different bubbles to swipe for each typing of an.[00:14:00]

David Hernandez: Hmm.

Inadequance: that if you sit in front of your opponents and they have their phone up, you don't have a divider between you. You can basically tell which attack they're throwing sometimes, but they're throwing like a, for example, dragon type, uh, attack or a ground type attack.

Uh, they, they just swipe entirely different and you can, you use a protect shield based on that or not. and they, they just didn't, didn't understand why some people were trying to hide their phones or trying to hold it under the table so the opponent can't see it. So, you know, my expect expectations were just kind of a little bit low I came there.

and

And then

I

I saw,

I

I saw the.

You know, there were, there were chairs, people watching. PAP. Okay. There were whole TV screens, with, with Casas that I, I know they were from, there were three of them were from the us. I, I talked to them online quite a bit. Never met them in person, so definitely cool to meet those people. And, uh, also others from like Austria, Germany, Spain, friends that came there that I only talked to online, and now you sell 'em [00:15:00] in person. That was, it was very cool. And in Pokemon Go, it's a very. Social, there's a lot of so socialization there. for most events there's at least one individual. Most of the time that organizes like a meetup where Pokemon Go players can come, have a drink or, or even have dinner. And I was, you know, it was just a really good time. Even, even not just at the event itself, but also around it. It's, it's really felt

Like

an adventure and, It

it also felt like,

Even seeing a whole stream being, being going on Twitch. people showing up in suits for Pokemon Go, you could, could never imagine at the time, you know.

David Hernandez: yeah. Yeah. It's interesting 'cause you said when you first started, I guess. Battling, you know, you couldn't play because you didn't have any friends or you didn't have many who played Pokemon Go. And nowadays you've got people who you kind of spar with to kind of get better to kind of, you know, talk strategy with.

I guess how has having that friend group improved you as a [00:16:00] battler and what kind of something that maybe you found that you didn't have before?

Inadequance: I think that really develops over the course of time. but I also must say that I find it hard to tell if I was better three years ago or now. I feel like the. Players that have been going to these tournaments, a lot of them are the same names you come across in the Gobel League or in play Pokemon competition. everyone's just kind of good, you know? And I've never really had an opponent where I was like, well, I have no chance they're there. you definitely have opponents where you lose more often than against, than you win. but it's never where like, wow, I really got out plate. I can never win against this person. And in that You know,

you know, I'm not gonna say that.

haven't improved. Perhaps I have. I just feel like, it's hard to draw that comparison.

David Hernandez: Yeah.

Inadequance: with my friends, of course, because some of them, they are really good at this. They haven't won a regional yet. Is that because they haven't grown as a battler?

It's, it's kind of hard to tell, you know,

David Hernandez: Mm-hmm.

Inadequance: there's a mindset. There's RNG, you know, sometimes you need some [00:17:00] luck. It's kind of hard to say. I do like to have a consistent. group of friends, multiple groups of friends, even to exchange ideas with, and their take on particular metas, whether that's play Pokemon or grassroots forms or even even the Go Battle League to just ask, what are you running, what do you think is good?

Uh, how do you play out this matchup? what, what are the stats on on your poke on this? Do I, do I need more tech? Do I need more

David Hernandez: Hmm

Inadequance: You know, all, all that kind of stuff.

David Hernandez: Now, eventually, you know, you attend your first championship in 2023. I wanna know, like, were you nervous when you actually got there when you arrived, because you're battling the best, the best of that year.

What was your mindset, I guess, going into that?

Inadequance: I've also been at the 2022 World Championships. at the Last Chance qualifiers, and that didn't go well.

David Hernandez: mm-hmm.

Inadequance: so I definitely had that on my mind too. Every time I go in a competition, that's, that's after the tournament, after Eey, the first EIC Leo, I went oh two because in Pokemon Go we have double elimination

David Hernandez: Right.

Inadequance: that's, yeah, very unfortunate experience, especially because I went straight [00:18:00] after, uh, a food poisoning there.

So it was kind of a, kind of a rough trip as well.

David Hernandez: Oh my gosh.

Inadequance: that, that is just always there.

The

David Hernandez: the,

Inadequance: I have at rules and rules is, is maybe a unique case. You could even perhaps say the same for international championships. are big events. Almost everyone involved in competition is going there, even if I lose early, I had a

David Hernandez: I had a.

Inadequance: a phenomenal time spectating at 2022 rules and rules.

I was qualified myself. and going into that was, I afraid 100%. I was definitely afraid I had no faith in my team that I brought because you keep overthinking everything open. Great league, everything's allowed. Anyone can bring anything. Of course, most of the time it's meta, but you might just face the one person who brings one Pokemon, no one brings, and it beats every six of yours.

You know, it's possible, or you just happen to, to make a slight misplay. I don't really have a particular [00:19:00] mindset going into that. It, I just feel like this is what

What I signed up for

Let's just get it over with. and when I win,

it's fun. So I keep going.

David Hernandez: I mean, it sounds like, you know, despite the pressure you felt, you still feel grounded enough to say, Hey, I had a good time. I still remember this fondly, despite maybe not ending the way you wanted it to be.

Inadequance: Yeah, well

well, I wouldn't

wouldn't call it

call it.

I don't really feel a lot of pressure. playing. I feel pressure before, but once you're in the moment, I just, I'm just like, well, these are, these are battles. Let's, let's just do it. know? so that, that, that's not really there. The pressure and, you know, and anyone who does experience that, it really just comes with playing more and more and even getting practicing for yourself to, get more comfortable with The Pokeball that you bring in the battles that you play. Because, especially at World Championships, that that's exactly where it matters. Right. I've seen some of the best players win multiple championships and then go at O2 at the World Champ, go [00:20:00] O2 at the World Championships. It's, it's, it can be very, it can be very deflating and I've also seen names that hardly performed anywhere and they get super far at Worlds Well makes the great, uh, season, they'll definitely want to play more.

Right. It, it's just kinda a balance.

David Hernandez: And then even the following year you were close, you almost won the entire thing in 2024. was it kind of defeating afterwards to kind of face like, I was so close yet so far? Like 

Inadequance: Yes, it was bittersweet. because the World Championships was a little bit different in, in both 20 23, 20 24.

Mm-hmm.

I got to top 10. 2024, we've had seeding in that season. based on your previous performances, you would get paper a more or easier opponent. And at roles there was no seeding. And somehow I found that a, a relief. F because of course The deep sea ice circuit that we have Europe, south America, north America and Australia

David Hernandez: Mm-hmm.

Inadequance: very much different [00:21:00] from Asia. So I was afraid that if it's being seeded. you know, I'm, I, I will probably be seated quite high 'cause I did well that, uh, season even won the championship in, uh, in my, in my country. then I

And then I against most,

the Japanese player. That that was what I was kind of afraid of.

yeah,

I

I played against.

a Brazilian player who I knew pretty good at the game. I played against, a player who's been traveling between London and Australia. Uh, also a decent battler. I believe he got to fourth place. In the tournament this season. and I played against someone. I had no idea who that was. And those are the most scary ones, right? Because I feel like if you know someone, you at least might know their play style a little bit.

David Hernandez: Mm-hmm.

Inadequance: then I play against someone, I don't know, I was on the brink of defeat, barely managed to come back. then I play, on stream. Against someone I played in the the championship I won. Kind of a rival. You know, sometimes you might play against someone you've played multiple times. I also played at UIC almost becomes my [00:22:00] nemesis and it becomes scary. the relief that comes out when you reach day two is it, it makes me feel like, okay, from this point it's successful tournaments, even though that is, You know, you don't see my fingers right now, but, but I'm saying, uh, on between Parentes only, but you know, top 32 at rules. Very good.

David Hernandez: Yeah.

Inadequance: that kind of relieves some pressure there. the first match I played on day two was against someone from my country as well. Not exactly locally, but he does live two hours for me. And, that was success. Then I played against, friends from Argentina. And notice how I call all, all these people friends. 'cause I just know so many people. It's a very dense community,

And from

from there,

I

I.

disappointed because at 2023 World, that's where I. Also lost in that same position. I came from the win side of the brackets, won my first one against, and a very tough opponents, I won against the guy who won UIC this season and he got third NAC well this season. So, and you know, I lost, I was like, please [00:23:00] don't let me lose the next one. I want to try and get further.

You know, it was already like top 10 or something, which is good, and then I managed to go eight Owen wins. So. That day went

Went on

long that I

I was like

just lost track at

at point

of, of, of the

the time because I arrived there like 9:00 AM.

by the time I was like, wait, I won a trophy.

It was like six or 7:00 PM so I was there all day.

David Hernandez: geez.

Inadequance: Right. And, you know, get, getting to, to the grand finals. I, I just lost kind of belief. I was talking to one of my friends, James in game was Lu Rockets, and he told me what I won. I want like a lot of cash. Uh, look on the website. He said, I said, wait, what?

10,000 already? He said, yeah, if you, if you beat me, you, you win a trophy. I'm like, wait, what? What? Really we're not far already, you know, and yeah, then I play against the Argentinian who defeated me earlier on the day I managed to overcome him. yeah, there was just such emotion coming through. I got back to the till like nine 30 and we [00:24:00] had to be there again at 9:00 AM so there was not a lot of time to practice.

my first. Battles of the day are usually kinda my worst because I feel like I play better when my opponent's not prepared for what I play. I play a lot of off meta. so it means that I bring Pokemon that people might not expect or have practiced against. And now it's a little bit more preparation.

I think my opponent just had a better strategy than I had. I practiced that morning against my friends. I went nine. Oh. So I was like, this is it. I'm becoming world champion. My match is so good, but you know. That's where I also find that practice should just be for thoughts and you shouldn't try to get in your opponent's heads because clearly my grand final's opponent had other ideas than my friends did, and, it was a well deserved win. It was a very, well, like, what else can I say? Right? His strategies were better than mine. I don't think I played any worse than it's on the previous days,

Mm-hmm.

uh, he also showed why he won on the previous days on the wind side of the reco. So, you know, there was something deflating about it [00:25:00] so

So far,

confident.

when I look back

at

at it,

especially if

if you asked before,

if you

if you get second,

uh, if you

if you cannot get

you get second at, at role. I mean, you, you, you sign up for that. Like, no, no question.

David Hernandez: right, even though you didn't reach, at least you got to kind of experience it. And you know, it's kind of the idea of competitive battle. Like even though you get knocked down, you get back up and you wanna try again kind of thing.

Inadequance: Yeah, and especially the support, the messages I got, it was very big amount.

Mm.

yeah, it was just, you

You know, when I, when I there,

they asked us,

when.

up for the interviews before the battles, I just saw like the crowd filled up entirely. remember 22 and three year olds, because I was there as well, it was not as filled up.

And you know, I, I understand of course, because, with go people, socializing a lot. Uh, they usually go to bed pretty late on Saturday, so I understand that it's not as full, but I know some

some people

up

were up until like 3:00 AM and they were sitting there and I was like,

yeah, I, I got people behind me.

Uh, yeah, [00:26:00] I was happy about that.

David Hernandez: Well, I know you mentioned how you use off meta picks, and that was one of the big storylines Was you using the origin form routine that we talked about earlier? like what made you want to use that Pokemon over something that maybe would've been meta? Do you feel like it was just a spicy pick, or do you feel like it could do something that other people wouldn't expect?

Inadequance: I just think Scoop woman.

David Hernandez: Really?

Inadequance: it's, uh, so they made it very hard to get at the time you would get only one from, uh, a research and then

David Hernandez: Yeah.

Inadequance: trade it with someone. To get it under 1500 CP and 1500 CP is a threshold to play the Great League.

David Hernandez: Mm.

Inadequance: So not everyone had one. It's quite a rare Pokemon. It was by, not by any means, in my opinion, overpowered because you put one normal or dark type Pokemon against it and it just cannot do anything,

David Hernandez: Sure.

Inadequance: ruins a monotype ghost, move set. I won in my country with it when it came out like two weeks before that and I got gold with it immediately, from there I was like, I need to bring it more times. I brought it to NAIC. I, unfortunately, well [00:27:00] unfortunately top 25, it was day two, so I'm not like disappointed, but it didn't go as well as I was hoping to because, I couldn't really figure the met out exactly. I can't remember what my initial draft was for World, for the World Championships, but an Italian friend of mine showed what he got, and I was like, thi this is an inadequate scheme. Th this is what I usually run. I, I will, I will take this.

David Hernandez: Yeah.

Inadequance: and unfortunately he went O2 with it. and I kind of felt like, man, I hope he doesn't feel bad about me showing what the team do. you know, it was ruin there for me, so we're good on that. I just always want to bring The Pokeball that I like and I'm happy when The Pokeball I like are also very viable. it was definitely a risk to bring it because the main Pokemon was meta was leaky tongue, which had a ghost type fast tech and double resist ghosts from Georgina.

So And if you saw the grand finals, you know also what happened there is

David Hernandez: Yeah.

Inadequance: going to describe.

David Hernandez: Um.

Inadequance: your GU is aligned on a li tongue, [00:28:00] over. you do not come back from that. li tongue dominates the matchup so hard. Probably comes out of, its full energy, 80% hp. that's, uh, that's also what happened at the grand finals. It, I kind

I kind of find

Pride in it

that

I

I manage

Ton with the Guino origin from up until the grand finals at rolls. I, there's something poetic about it that at the very end, Guino does meet its fate there. It can't keep getting away with it.

David Hernandez: You know, even after, the heartbreak that you experienced and then the whole idea of GU and then even just coming back from the down of the bound of support you had from worlds and seeing all the positive message and everything.

How did that, I guess you carry that into the new year and even moving forward as both a, as a competitive battery as well as a content creator.

Inadequance: Yeah,

David Hernandez: Yeah, I.

Inadequance: made Guino my signature thing, especially after what having a world championship. It. I, couldn't really believe the boost, uh, only like a, a while after, I couldn't really believe the boost that it gave me in [00:29:00] so many things. Like just getting my name out there as a world's finalist.

Yeah, it helped my content, helped me getting more known with some people, giving me other opportunities within Pokemon. So yeah, it

David Hernandez: Yeah,

Inadequance: definitely did something. And it's, it's not just a po it's a cool Pokemon

David Hernandez: sure.

Inadequance: I think, I think most people like Gina, it's not like. Uh, and a Zoom rule respectfully to a Zoom rule, but a Zoom's been around all the time, doesn't deal damage, it just absorbs it.

it's great Pokemon, but it's not Gina I just kind of went rolling with it. even to the day of now. I still try to bring it into some tournaments, even though it's not as good into the matter as it used to be. the first tournament I played again after the World Championships in Stut Guard. I almost brought it

It again.

but I found a flaw, uh, in my team, in ground types and I just couldn't bring it.

yeah, EYCI just continued story of bringing crazy dragon type Pokemon. So I brought a Pokemon on step.

David Hernandez: [00:30:00] Something with you Just gotta have those one spicy pick to kind of throw people off. Yeah.

Inadequance: It's, it's really, it really has been a thing. I, I

I became,

with it. I, I did it again Reza, and that didn't go well, so now I've

oh no,

it.

a great league. Reza is probably paper thin. I'd rather go with car at that point.

is, it goes down to a lot. Yeah. It doesn't take a lot of damage. Even the resisted matchups usually loses the dose.

David Hernandez: Well, inadequacy. I just want to ask this final question because you know, you do a lot of content creation, you know, you stream on Twitch. What kind of experience do you want people, especially I guess coming off the world's ex finalists to have whenever they kind of watch your content, whether it be on YouTube or whether the times you do stream?

Inadequance: So what

what I.

mainly try with my content, and that's especially what YouTube, YouTube has been around, is trying to get people into show six. If you only play Pokemon Go itself, you don't use any, let's say you have a phone and the only thing that works in is Pokemon Go. You, you do not have any context, no social media, anything. do you [00:31:00] know about show six in grassroots formats or play Pokemon? It's kind of hard to make the transition and, you know, I, I am trying the best that I can to make that transition or possible. For anyone watching my content, it is quite difficult though because especially newer players or players that haven't gone as far in the Go Battle League, don't find the confidence to compete in Show six 'cause they feel like they will get overwhelmed by players that are really good at the game.

so, you know, giving advice to the kind of players. I think that show six is very different from the Go Battle League. there's luck involved, but in my opinion, way less luck than there is in the Go Battle League. There's a lot of creators that, that can help with the Go Battle League, but most of the time it is basically showcasing how good they did with a team or how good another trainer did with a team.

And what I also want to. Try and teach people is to pick The Pokeball you wanna play, not The [00:32:00] Pokeball someone else tells you to play. Because if you understand a Pokemon can do or what you can do with that Pokemon, that's you become actually good at. Understanding what's going on, right? You, you, you can know your matchup from one Pokemon or, or the three Pokemon you play in the Go Battle League.

Once there's a moves update, you might as well throw it all in the bin because either the meta changes or, or the whole Pokemon changes. And that's, in my opinion, something that kind of holds down as well, or the, the growth at the times because it's just so hard to make the transition. Right. We, we need like, In my opinion, I think we need that also in the game or in the app itself. so that's just kind of what I'm trying for. I'm also sometimes in, in contact with, Niantic or Scopely people now, about these kind of things. And yeah, just trying to, to see what's possible, trying to help people get into that. I basically dedicated my Discord server. I think, I think it's grown to like three or 4,000 people now make it a place [00:33:00] where people can practice because there's not really a practice, place for show six, you know, anyone can join there.

And we have like four or five practice tournaments every day. 30 minute rounds, 30 to 50 people are playing. So, you know, just trying to adapt to every time zone possible and make it. As accessible possible to everyone.

what I dedicate my content value. All mouthful.

David Hernandez: No, it's good because the thing that I've always found it difficult when it comes to Pokemon Go Battle League, and it's not even just difficult for mine, it's just from. Like you said, a new player's effective. You think of the main series, the battling iss the same whether you play the main game or whether you even get competitive.

Now. The way you approach it's differently. Pokemon goes the opposite. if you do raids or, anything else Pokemon Go related, it's just tap button. But PVP, it's just a whole different battle dynamic that you actually have to invest in. You don't get to kind of, I guess, casually yourself invest to, and it just seems like it's a whole different.

Uphill battle for you guys, [00:34:00] whether, you know, you're trying to get people involved or even just trying to, like you said, get people just to use Pokemon that they're comfortable with. Because I don't think Pokemon Go really has that connection with their favorite Pokemon compared to the main series. Like I will use, Arto for the longest, even if it's not good.

But a lot of players won't want to use, say their Pokemons may be, a jol on, or if their favorite Pokemons may be a mein or whatever have you. They feel not as an. Applying to try to experiment, if that makes sense.

Inadequance: Exactly. I wish that it, that could be different. and I think that there could be a place for maybe not every but many Pokemon, it's just that the meta rotates now, which I'm happy about. you know, maybe that me, maybe that Arto will be met at some point. And I think at that point, you know, if you become comfortable or you already know, those machos might be an advantage to you. which is, you know, when you started with the question, what is your favorite Pokemon Man? I, I need 20 by now, because otherwise I have no problem to play with in my, in my competition,

David Hernandez: Yeah. Yeah. [00:35:00] But you have those 20 with different reasons though.

Inadequance: Yeah. And just, just finding the joy in also discovering what they can do or their matchups, you know, I, I like learning the matchups as well. we don't have those in game sources, but there's like, fan sources that have simulations of, matchups. And you can basically look up, oh, how does my digital do into this, uh, shadow scissor, for example. And from there you can basically move on. Oh, if I face one in the go be leak, I can do this. And if they shield, I do that, or I shield as well. or I just get energy on my Pokemon in the back and I wanna use my protection. You know, you can basically kind of get those ideas. But the thing is you need a point to start from. that's something that is hard to give trainer. especially because we also in the gobel work with an ELO system. And for some. Trainers. especially when you come from the main series where you just bash on every NPC, you don't do that in the Go Battle League if, if you have like a 50 to [00:36:00] 60% win rate, it's very normal.

So, you know, you always end up winning and losing about as many games. You just wanna get as high as possible as you can. 

David Hernandez: Well in Ade quiz, if people want to check out your content, if they wanna connect with you, where can they go? But Al always please plug away.

Inadequance: Yeah. So I am active on Twitch under inadequacy, the same as, my ex profile, my ex pro was actually inadequate. Bogo, right? BOGO. And my YouTube is also inance, which is sometimes a little bit difficult because then you get very different videos sometimes when you type that. but just look for Pokemon Go when you search for inadequacy if you are interested in looking that up. I think those three, those are the three I mostly make content. It's, it's, it's videos. It's uh, I also make graphics with golic teams. Yeah. you know, uh, sometimes I just, I just ask, like some people from the community or, or from the gobel leader boards, and I just ask them, you know, do you, what do you think is good in this meta?

And they provide me a team, I make a graphic with, with, with, uh, with 10 teams. Something, all full of that kind of stuff.

David Hernandez: Well, thank you [00:37:00] for listening to As The Pokeball Turns, if this story resonated with you, share the podcast with a fellow trainer. Don't forget to follow us. For more voices, more journeys, and more memories. I'm David Hernandez, and remember, your next Pokemon adventure begins here.