2009 Pokémon TCG Regional Championship Series FAQ

Information is subject to change: Last updated 3/19/2009

What are the Pokémon TCG Regional Championships?

The Pokémon TCG Regional Championship is a title event series where players in each of the three POP-recognized age divisions compete to earn the title of Regional Champion! The Regional Championships will be held in fifteen locations in the U.S. and Canada.  Results of the Regional Championships count toward your Premier Rating!

In addition, the Regional Championships award a Travel Award to the U.S. or Canadian National Championships!

Prizes are awarded to the top 16 finishers in each of three age divisions (Junior, Senior, and Masters).

Pokémon TCG Regional Championship events are operated by independent Pokémon Organized Play Premier Tournament Organizers.

When are the Pokémon TCG Regional Championships?

The Pokémon TCG Regional Championships will be held on April 18th, 2009. Click here for event dates, times, and locations. Please contact the individual Tournament Organizer for additional details.

Where are the Pokémon TCG Regional Championships?

What does it cost to attend?

All Pokémon Organized Play Premier events in North America, other than those that use a Limited Format (such as Prereleases), are FREE! So, there is no admission fee for a Regional Championship! Organizers may charge for side events run at these tournaments.

What are the player eligibility requirements?

• To participate in the event, you must be a player in good standing and abide by the Pokémon Tournament Rules and all other applicable event rules.
• Non-U.S. residents are not eligible to collect a Travel Award to the U.S. National Championships, as the U.S. Nationals are open to U.S. residents only.  Non-Canadian residents are not eligible to collect a Travel Award to the Canadian National Championships, as the Canadian Nationals are open to Canadian residents only.  If a non-resident wins a Regional Championship, the Travel Award will pass down to the next eligible resident. All other prizes will be awarded to the actual winner of the event.
• Players who are found to be in violation of the rules of eligibility are subject to suspension from Pokémon Organized Play and to the loss of prizes, including, but not limited to, invitations and travel allowances.

Review the Rules of Eligibility in our Tournament Rules document here.

What is the tournament structure?

The tournament is run using the Modified Format and Swiss pairings. See the Tournament Rules for additional information about the Modified and Swiss formats. The number of Swiss rounds run will depend on the total attendance of the event.

After Swiss rounds are complete, there will be a cut to single-elimination finals. The number of players to qualify for the finals will depend on the total attendance in each age bracket, with a maximum of 16 players playing off in any one division.

Regional Championship events have a K-Value of 32. For more information on K-Value, Ratings, and Rankings, click here.

What are the Prizes?

Prizes are awarded to the top 16 players in each age division.

The divisions are:

Junior Division: Born in 1998 or later

Senior Division: Born in 1994, 1995, 1996, or 1997

Masters Division: Born in 1993 or earlier

Participants will receive a Pokémon TCG Regional Championships promo card and a commemorative Regional Championships pin, while supplies last, all just for playing!

The top 16 finishers in each of the three age divisions will receive the following prizes:

U.S. Regionals

1st Place

• A Pokémon TCG Regional Championships 1st Place Trophy
• A Travel Award for the winner (including a parent or legal guardian for players under 18), U.S. residents only, to the 2009 U.S. National Championships at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
• A scholarship award worth $1500 (Click here for scholarship details and restrictions).
• A combination of 36 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions
• Other cool Pokémon merchandise

2nd Place

• A Pokémon TCG Regional Championships 2nd Place Trophy
• A scholarship award worth $1000 (Click here for scholarship details and restrictions).
• A combination of 36 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

3rd and 4th Place

• A Pokémon TCG Regional Championships 3rd or 4th Place trophy
• A combination of 36 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

5th Place through 8th Place

• A combination of 18 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

9th through 16th Place

• A combination of 9 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

Canadian Regionals

1st Place

• A Pokémon TCG Regional Championships 1st Place Trophy
• A Travel Award for the winner (including a parent or legal guardian for players considered a minor, Canadian residents only, to the 2009 Canadian National Championships)*
• A scholarship award worth $1500 (Click here for scholarship details and restrictions).
• A combination of 36 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions
• Other cool Pokémon merchandise

2nd Place

• A Pokémon TCG Regional Championships 2nd Place Trophy
• A scholarship award worth $1000 (Click here for scholarship details and restrictions).
• A combination of 36 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

3rd and 4th Place

• A Pokémon TCG Regional Championships 3rd or 4th Place trophy
• A combination of 36 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

5th Place through 8th Place

• A combination of 18 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

9th through 16th Place

• A combination of 9 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

* If you have already earned a Travel Stipend (U.S. residents only) as a previous 2009 S/P/T  Championship winner, your prizes will "stack."

Other Information:

• Your deck must comply with the Modified Format as outlined in the Pokémon Tournament Rules.
• Bring your POP ID card, if you have one. If you don't have a POP ID, one will be given to you at the event.
• Every qualified player must have an updated "My Pokémon Account" in order to be eligible for the travel award.
• See the Pokémon Tournament Rules for more information about what to bring to an event.
• To participate in the event, you must be a player in good standing and abide by the Pokémon Tournament Rules and all other applicable event rules.
• Local residency is not a requirement to participate in the Pokémon TCG Regional Championships.
• See the Legal Notices for certain eligibility requirements and other information.

What Happens After the Tournament?

After the tournament ends, the Tournament Organizer will submit the tournament results to Pokémon USA, Inc., which sanctions the tournaments and will determine player rankings using the ELO rating system.

Legal Notices