What's up, everyone, it's Guilherme Geber here, and today I'm talking with a guy who genuinely helped me get better as a player: Justin Newdorf, aka Goomy35. Anyone who read my article about my own journey in the TCG knows what I'm talking about. And anyone who follows the world stage knows who he is, but for those who don't yet: Justin is just 17 years old, in his second year in the Master division, and was already the World runner-up in 2025, playing . This 2026 season, he made Top 4 at the Puerto Rico Special Event, Top 3 at the Indianapolis Regional and Top 4 at NAIC, which put him among the best in the world in the Championship Points ranking on Play! Pokémon, reaching 15th in the world. All of this while he's still in high school, or rather, while he takes college classes early.
Beyond his in-person results, Justin is known for dominating the ranked ladder on TCG Live in a way few players can, consistently reaching the top of the ELO ranking season after season. He's the kind of player who doesn't separate the digital grind from live results, and his answers here show exactly why.
Here at TCMG Top Cut we keep up this hunt of sitting down with the best players in the world to understand how they think. It already happened with James Kowalski, aka Alloutblitzle, the 2026 NAIC champion, and now it was Justin's turn.
I tried to avoid the obvious questions. I wanted to understand what goes through the head of someone who almost quit the game in 2019 and reached the final of the biggest tournament in the world six years later. I think he answered with an honesty that means a lot.
I hope you all enjoy it. Let's get to the interview.
About the beginnings
1. You have 10 years in the Pokémon TCG. What made you start so young? Was it your own choice or did someone introduce you to the game?
I was introduced to the game when I went to a summer camp at 7 years old. A kid gave me a Diglett card and I thought it was awesome. My dad always knew I was competitive with card games and wanted me to give it a try. Two weeks later he got me the XY Trainer Kit: Pikachu Libre and Suicune. Even though they were just 30-card decks playing against each other, I loved it. Three weeks later I went to my first local tournament and got paired against Liam Halliburton, the 2022 Senior World Champion and former Junior National Champion. I got destroyed, but my dad and I learned the game from his dad, Brent. Brent gave us decks to test with, since none of ours were competitive or even legal. We didn't even sleeve our cards because we didn't know we were supposed to.
2. When you were a kid playing, did you ever imagine you'd one day be in a Worlds final? Or did that come little by little?
I never imagined it, haha. At my first Worlds in the Junior division, in 2019, I didn't even make it to day two. I always loved playing during the pandemic and that motivated me to keep going.
About life outside the game
3. When you're not playing or studying the meta, what do you do? Is there a version of Justin that nobody would associate with Goomy35?
I'm an early college student, studying Business at Montgomery College, in Maryland. I also bike a lot, I try to stay in good shape when I'm not practicing. I like spending time with family and friends. The Washington Wizards are my favorite team, so I root for them even after a horrible season. I'm excited to follow them more this year and I'm hoping they do better.
4. How do people outside the TCG world react when they find out what you do? School, family, friends, has anyone ever looked at you funny for it?
In high school I was afraid to tell people about my love for the game, I was worried they'd think it was weird. But when they found out about my Worlds result, I had no idea how many people thought Pokémon was cool. Even students at my school I'd never talked to came up to congratulate me. It made me regret not talking about Pokémon sooner. My family has always supported me a lot and it's because of them that I love playing so much.
5. Has Pokémon ever gotten in the way of something important in your life, a test, a commitment, a relationship? Or do you manage to balance it well?
I usually manage to balance it. I have a lot more free time since I started college. In high school it was much harder to keep that balance. I also take care of my mental health by exercising and I usually take a break from the ladder to reset mentally and avoid burnout.
About competition and mindset
6. In the 2025 Worlds final, you played Dragapult ex against Riley McKay's Gardevoir ex, an unfavorable matchup. What goes through the head of someone in the final of the biggest tournament in the world knowing they're on the wrong side of the matchup?
Honestly, I thought the matchup was 50/50. I tried to build a game plan around where I'd try to use Budew on him until I could clear the board and win the prize trade. I also thought whoever went second would have the advantage. I ended up losing the flip and he had a much better start than me, but the game reached a really interesting point. Basically he needed to play an to find an energy and break out of the lock with Pollen (Budew) that I had set up, and unfortunately he found an energy off the Iono, which sealed the game for him. But I was so happy just to be in the final. I'd lost in the Top 8 of Worlds twice in the Seniors division, so I was genuinely euphoric the moment I made Top 4 and locked up the trophy.
7. Have you ever felt like quitting everything after a bad loss? What brings you back?
I came close to quitting during the 2019 World Championship. I told my parents: "I never want to play Worlds again." I know it might sound crazy, but that's how I felt after being completely dominated by every opponent I faced in the Junior division. The pandemic made me invest a lot more in the game. The people I met along the way are the reason I still play. The friendships you make in this game are my reason to keep going in the Pokémon TCG.
8. At the 2026 Indianapolis Regional, you finished 3rd with Dragapult ex/Dusknoir, a deck a lot of people know well by your name. Is there a special weight to playing an archetype that people already associate with you?
Honestly, I felt the format was really different from pre-rotation, with a lot more variance, and if that variance went my way, it would be a good event. I only had 10 games with the specific list I played, so I knew it was a risky call. I always knew that was super important in the Dragapult mirror, so I put it in my list. I believe that if one player has Crushing Hammer and the other doesn't, the one who has it gets a huge advantage.
9. How do you choose the deck you're going to play at a tournament? Is it a cold decision, taking what you believe is objectively the best in the format, or is there room for fun, for playing what you think is coolest? Is there ever a moment when those two things conflict?
I usually always play what I like. That's why I stuck with Pult basically the whole season, except in Toronto, where I played Garde (), I worked on that deck with World Champion Riley McKay. I think playing what you're best at is essential to getting results. If I'd had more games with Garde, I would have played much cleaner. Even if a deck isn't the best choice, the number of games you have with it is essential.
10. Looking at your 2026 season as a whole (15th at Pittsburgh, Top 4 at the Puerto Rico Special, 11th at Houston, Top 3 at Indianapolis and Top 4 at NAIC), all of that right after reaching the 2025 Worlds final. How do you explain this consistency? Is it talent, preparation, a study routine, or a combination you can describe?
I had a lot more free time this year because of the early college program and I feel like I used that to my advantage. I was able to focus on a single deck and play more games with Dragapult, which let me see more lines of play. I was also super motivated to face the best players on the PTCGL ranked ladder. Shoutout to everyone I faced at some point this season, you're the reason for the success I had.
About TCG Live
11. You're known for putting up absurd numbers on TCG Live, often reaching the top of the ELO ranking across several seasons. What motivates you to keep climbing the ladder even though you're already recognized on the in-person scene? Do the ladder and in-person tournaments ask for different skills, or is it the same game deep down?
I feel like playing on Live is much more efficient than playing in person at locals. At local tournaments, people usually play rogue decks instead of meta decks. On the Live ladder, for example, you have a much higher chance of facing a Dragapult deck than at a local tournament. I believe that if you dedicate your time to the ladder instead of playing in person, you have a better chance of succeeding at the big events. Overall, I'd say in-person and PTCGL games are the same thing. PTCGL obviously has some bugs, but it's the most valuable resource we have. In person, it all comes down to time management, if you know how to manage your time well, like knowing the right moment to scoop, you'll do better.