Well, this is how I got my Charizard:
I had a deck that I called my Ghost deck. It consisted of Exeggutor, Alakazam, and Gengar, with Pokemon like Lickitung (for paralysis) and Kangaskhan (for Fetch) It was okay, nothing special, and I took it to school with me for the Pokemon Club my sister set up (she worked at my school, it was great.)
I battled this dude, who I didn't really know all that well. He was my friend's older brother, and was renowned for his ownership of a Charizard. I agreed to battle him, but then he said that we would bet cards. I asked him what he meant, and he explained that we would play for keeps, where we would both choose one of our cards, and then whoever beat the other got to keep the two cards in question.
I was no way going to accept those terms, as that deck was practically two thirds of my Pokemon collection, however, he then said that he would put his Charizard in the bet, providing I put my alakazam in for the bet.
I accepted.
THe battle was actually crap. He stalled for most of the turns using his Magmar's Smokescreen, and was just powering up his Charmander. Eventually, I KOed his Magmar with my Kadabra, and he came along and sent out Charizard.
Fire Spin.
Kadabra died.
I sent out my Abra on the bench.
Psyshock. No paralysis.
Fire Spin.
Abra died.
I sent out Gastly.
Ordered a Destiny Bond.
Fire Spin.
In his haste, he didn't realise that I had orderd a Destiny Bond, and though my Gastly died, I managed to kill his Charizard. His energy was low, and hadn't bothered to put any on his bench, as he assumed he could wipe out the POkemon on my bench. My Gengar soon got rid of the rest of his cards, and I won.
And that was how I got my Charizard. which currently resides in my protective Pokemon card folder.
_________________"Play with fire and expect to be burned."