I have played and beaten FF8 six times. This is my seventh time playing thru, and I only now found this out...
You don't have to wait for the Galbadian occupation of Balamb to be over to win the Pandemona card in Triple Triad. After you help that Rascal kid talk to the parents of the little girl spazzing out next door to Zell's place, the little girl calms down, and says she's feeling better, and she has her father's cards and will keep them as a good luck charm. Her father is the hotel owner! If you play her enough times (mind you this is during the occupation, before you fight Fujin and Raijin) she WILL play the Pandemona card, and you can just get it from her...
Yay for discovering new stuff...in really old stuff...a very long time after it's actually been relevant. YEAH!