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What is Organized Play?

Pokémon Organized Play gives players of all ages and skill levels across the globe a chance to compete for prizes and the rights to call themselves a true Pokémon Trainer.

009_BlastoiseLeague Play
Pokémon League is a great way to hone your skills in a casual and friendly environment. Players in local communities gather and play, earning Promo cards and other special prizes as they go. This is a great way to learn more about the Pokémon TCG, test out new decks and strategies, and make new friends in Pokémon Players from your area! Look for the League Locator to find the location nearest you. If you would like to see, or host, the Pokémon League in your area, new locations are being approved all the time. Playing for fun has never been so exciting! Learn about Leagues!

POP Tournaments
When you are ready to compete for prizes at a higher level of competition, check out the POP Tournaments. Tournament Organizers hold sanctioned tournaments all over the world! These events are held regularly in game stores near you, and players compete for new and exclusive Promo cards. In addition, each player will be able to track their rankings and rating online. These events, while competitive, offer regular, inexpensive organized play to everyone and are fun for players of all ages and skill levels. Learn about Tournaments!

Premier Events
The True test of a Pokémon TCG player's skill and devotion is shown at a Premier Event. Ranging from City Championships to the highly competitive World Championships that pit the best against the very best, Premier Events include a wide variety of special formats like the Prerelease events, where players compete with never-before-seen cards! Learn about Premier Events!

Spirit of the Game

114_TangelaAs a game of skill, the Pokémon TCG is enjoyed for its complex strategies, entertaining characters, and atmosphere of friendly competition. While the objective of a Pokémon TCG tournament is to determine the skill level of each player involved, our ultimate goal is to ensure that every participant has fun. It is this attitude that Pokémon Organized Play wishes to emphasize during Pokémon TCG events.

Regardless of the size of the prizes on the line, adherence to the Spirit of the Game helps to ensure that all participants, including players, spectators, and event staff at a Pokémon TCG event, have an enjoyable experience. This spirit should guide the conduct of players as well as the tournament judges as they interpret and enforce the rules.

The Spirit of the Game is composed of the following tenets:

  • Fun: The Pokémon TCG is a game, and games are meant to be fun for all parties involved. When a game ceases to be fun, players find other things to do.
  • Fairness: Games cease to be fun when players break the rules to achieve victory. A player should prefer to lose a game than to win by cheating.
  • Honesty: Players of any game should strive to act honestly while playing that game. If a player inadvertently breaks a rule during a game and becomes aware of the error before his or her opponent or a judge, that player should make the opponent and the judge aware of the misplay.
  • Respect: Players, spectators, and staff should be treated with the same respect that players would expect for themselves. Distracting an opponent or a judge to gain advantage shows disrespect to everyone involved in a Pokémon TCG event.
  • Sportsmanship: Winning or losing with grace is vital to the enjoyment of a game. The desire to continue playing a game can be soured by players that berate their opponents after winning or losing a match.
  • Learning: Players should strive to help each other increase their Pokémon TCG play skills. It is not a player's responsibility to make his or her opponent's plays for that opponent. However, discussing strategies, offering deck tips, or constructively critiquing game play decisions after the match has been completed helps both participants to become better players.