Ellie Cleverley

Eleven-year-old Declan Peers from Portsmouth is preparing to compete in the under-12 division at the Pokémon World Championships in San Francisco. It will be his third appearance at the event, following strong results at regional tournaments in Europe. Declan describes the trading card game as a blend of chess and poker and says he is focused on enjoying the competition and seeing friends from around the world. His mother Fiona says the international Pokémon community has supported his development and that the family considers the travel costs worthwhile. The San Francisco event will bring together about 1,000 competitors across the trading card, video game and Pokémon Go championships.