Pokémon TCG State/Province/Territory Championships FAQ

Information subject to change; last updated: 11/8/2007

What are the Pokémon TCG State/Province/Territory Championships?

The Pokémon TCG State/Province/Territory Championships is a title event series where players in each of the three POP-recognized age divisions compete to earn the title of Champion! These events will be held in various locations throughout the world during March, 2008. Results of the State/Province/Territory (S/P/T) Championships count toward your Premier Rating!

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

Pokémon TCG S/P/T Championship events are operated by independent Pokémon Organized Play Premier Tournament Organizers.

When are the Pokémon TCG State/Province/Territory Championships?

North America: March 1st & March 8th
International: March 1st through March 30th

To find times and locations of State/Province/Territory events in your area, click here. Please contact the Tournament Organizer of individual events for additional details.

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 State/Province/Territory 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.
State, province, or territory residency is not a requirement to participate in the Pokémon TCG S/P/T Championships.
National residency is not required to participate in the Pokémon TCG S/P/T Championships; however, the travel allowance and Origins Pass are awarded to U.S. citizens only and will be passed to the first eligible finisher in the case that a non-resident wins 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 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 division, with a maximum of 8 players playing off in any one division.

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

What are the prizes?

Prizes for North American events are listed below. For information on prizes at international events, please contact the Organizer of those specific events.

Prizes are awarded to the top 8 players in each age division.

The divisions are:

Junior Division: Born in 1997 or later

Senior Division: Born in 1993, 1994, 1995, or 1996

Masters Division: Born in 1992 or earlier

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

The top 8 finishers in each of the three age divisions will receive the following prizes:

1st Place

A Pokémon TCG S/P/T 1st Place trophy
A $300 travel allowance to participate in the Pokémon TCG National Championships. This allowance will be given on-site at the National Championships*
Full Show Pass to the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio, U.S. residents only*
A reserved event ticket for the U.S. National Championships (player must complete and return Origins Pre-Registration form)
36 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

2nd Place

A Pokémon TCG S/P/T 2nd Place trophy
Full Show Pass to the Origins Game Fair in Columbus, Ohio, U.S. residents only*
A reserved event ticket for the U.S. National Championships (player must complete and return Origins Pre-Registration form)
16 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

3rd Place

A Pokémon TCG S/P/T 3rd Place trophy
8 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

4th Place

8 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

5th through 8th Place

4 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions

* Players can win multiple travel allowances and Origins Passes. Travel allowances must be collected by the winner of record. Forms for claiming Origins Full-Show Passes must be completed by the winner, but may be assigned to anyone the winner chooses. Canadian and Mexican winners do not receive Origins admission Passes.

How do I collect my travel allowance (1st place) and Origins Pass (1st and 2nd place)?

Upon receiving your prize package at your State Championships, the Tournament Organizer will provide you with a packet. In this packet there will be a checklist, Origins Pre-Registration Form, and Player Fact Sheet. In order to qualify for the benefits, the checklist and Origins Pre-Registration Form must be postmarked by April 4th, 2008. If you would like to participate in our marketing efforts, we ask that you mail the Player Fact Sheet by April 4th, 2008.

The Origins Pre-Registration Form must be mailed directly to Origins at the address provided on the form in order to secure your Full-Show Pass. Players who fail to return their Pre-Registration Form to Origins in time will lose the benefit of free admission to the convention. Please note, this year Origins will require parents/guardians and additional guests to purchase a spectator pass to enter the event hall. Please visit www.originsgames.com for more information.

The travel allowance will be given on Friday, June 28th, between the hours of 1:00 P.M. and 4:00 P.M. and for one hour after Swiss rounds on Saturday, June 29th, at the Pokémon TCG Tournament Headquarters in the TCG Hall. Photo ID of the player or the player’s parent/guardian will be required to collect your travel allowance.

For those individuals who have already purchased a pass but who are eligible for a pass, you may contact GAMA directly to ask for a refund. This is your responsibility. GAMA has offered to waive the $20 administration fee.

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 State Championships.
Players planning to attend the Pokémon TCG U.S. National Championships at Origins should consider booking accommodations early. Origins is a very popular event, and the hotels nearest the Convention Center fill up quickly. A list of hotels near the Convention Center, as well as other helpful information, can be found at www.originsgames.com.
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