Pokémon Trading Card Game State/Province/Territory Championships
March 2009
Frequently Asked Questions
Information subject to change; last updated: 1/26/2009
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, 2009. 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 14th & March 21st
International: March 1st through March 31st
Click
here for event dates, times, and locations. 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 an S/P/T Championship within North America! 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 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 is awarded to residents of the host country (U.S. & Canada) 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.
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 16 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 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 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 (U.S. &
Canada). This allowance will be given on-site at the National Championships*
- 36 booster packs of
Pokémon TCG:
Platinum
- Other cool Pokémon merchandise
2nd Place
- A Pokémon TCG S/P/T 2nd Place trophy
- 16 booster packs of Pokémon TCG: Platinum
3rd & 4th Place
- A Pokémon TCG S/P/T 3rd/4th Place trophy
- 8 booster packs of Pokémon TCG: Platinum
5th through 8th Place
- 4 booster packs of Pokémon TCG: Platinum
* Players can win multiple travel stipends. Travel stipends must be collected by the winner of record.
How do I collect my travel allowance (1st place)?
Upon receiving your prize package at your State Championships, the Tournament Organizer will provide you with a checklist. In order to qualify for the benefits, the checklist must be completed and returned to us, postmarked by April 10th, 2009.
Travel allowances will be distributed on Friday, June 26th, between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. and for one hour after Swiss rounds on Saturday, June 29th, in the Pokémon Tournament Hall near the main stage. Photo ID of the player or the player’s parent/guardian will be required to collect your travel allowance.
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 S/P/T Championships.
- Players planning to attend the Pokémon TCG U.S. National Championships at America's Center in St. Louis, that do not have a Travel Award, should check out www.explorestlouis.com for a listing of hotels in the area near America’s Center. Check back later for a listing of preferred hotels and any special rates that become available.
- 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
