To some it may seem like just a game, but for Langford teen Chase Moloney playing the Pok茅mon card game led him to a world championship win in Hawaii and a $10,000 scholarship prize.

Moloney, 15, competed at the invitation only Pok茅mon World Championships on HawaiiB次元官网网址檚 Big Island from August 10 to 12. The Grade 10 student competed in the seniorB次元官网网址檚 category, for those born between 1997 and 2001 and came out the champ.

B次元官网网址淚t felt almost like a dream because I didnB次元官网网址檛 expect to do that well coming into it,B次元官网网址� Moloney said. B次元官网网址淚 hadnB次元官网网址檛 been to world championships before, it felt weird being on stage and actually competing. B次元官网网址� It was pretty awesome.B次元官网网址�

As champion Moloney won a $10,000 scholarship, about $1,500 worth of Pok茅mon cards and a trip to next yearB次元官网网址檚 world championships in Vancouver.

Pok茅mon is a trading card game based on a video game series that started in the 1990s. Since 2003 the cards have been published by Nintendo. In the game players use cards to have characters battle in head-to-head matches.

To qualify for the worlds players need a certain amount of points in their region. Moloney took third place at the Canadian national championships in Toronto in June and took first place in a North American regional championship, securing his spot at the worlds.

In Hawaii Moloney faced off against players from the U.S. and Hong Kong. The tournament starts with a number of rounds of playing to determine the top 16. From there players play against each other one-on-one, first in a best of three format and then sudden death, to whittle the bracket down to a victor.

ItB次元官网网址檚 an old adage, but Moloney said his skill is the result of practice, practice, practice. Players build their own decks to play with and Moloney said he has honed his deck into a championship winner. He likes to work with a deck that is easily adaptable to all kinds of situations.

B次元官网网址淚 went for something that would consistently work, (and) not sometimes fall apart based on what I draw,B次元官网网址� Moloney said. B次元官网网址淪ome decks will have a big advantage but a big disadvantage. No matter what I faced, there was nothing I was afraid to face.B次元官网网址�

Moloney started playing casually just over two years ago with friends at Pacific Christian school. Soon after he found a local league and started playing competitively.

MoloneyB次元官网网址檚 mother, Sherry, said that when her son started playing she never imagined the card game could take him this far.

B次元官网网址淚t was surreal, it really was,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 had no idea. I didnB次元官网网址檛 know how big this Pok茅mon was.B次元官网网址�

Next year Moloney will play in the master division, the highest level of play.