2012 Pokemon Video Game Regional Championship - Sunday, April 15, 2012

Pennsylvania Convention Center
1101 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Inside the Convention center: Rooms 201 ABC (Seating for 560)

Juniors and Seniors - Registration 9:00am to 10:00 am. play to start by 10:30am

Masters - Registration 10:00 am to 11:30am. play to start by 12:00pm (noon)

All participants will receive 5 Play! Points, and a Pokémon Regional Championships promo card (while supplies last), just for playing!

Entry is FREE

Players must bring their Nintendo DS (any DS system), a Pokemon game card (Black or White), and a charger for their DS. Please be sure that your game is charged. Players may be restricted on what Pokemon can be used for a tournament based on that event's format. Please check pokemon.com for the latest video game requirements for the spring VG Regionals.

Rounds: The tournament will be Swiss rounds with no top cut and will last 3 to 4 hours. Winners will be determined by rankings at the end of Swiss play.
Swiss rounds means that you get to play every round even if you lose every game. The first round you are paired at random. Round 2 (and later rounds) you are paired to battle someone with a similiar match score to you. So, for example, if you won round one, then in round two you will play someone who also won round one.

Format: The Modified format is the standard tournament format for PLAY! Pokémon video game events. This format will be used at all premier events unless specified otherwise. The Modified format for the 2011–2012 season will use the following restrictions:
Only Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version Game Cards are permitted for use.
Players may use Pokémon from the National Pokédex, from No. 001–646, that are caught in the game, transferred from a previous Pokémon title, or received at an official event or distribution
 
The following Pokémon may not be on a player’s team:

• 150 – Mewtwo
• 151 – Mew
• 249 – Lugia
• 250 – Ho-Oh
• 251 – Celebi
• 382 – Kyogre
• 383 – Groudon
• 384 – Rayquaza
• 385 – Jirachi
• 386 – Deoxys
• 483 – Dialga
• 484 – Palkia
• 487 – Giratina
• 489 – Phione
• 490 – Manaphy
• 491 – Darkrai
• 492 – Shaymin
• 493 – Arceus
• 494 – Victini
• 643 – Reshiram
• 644 – Zekrom
• 646 – Kyurem

All sanctioned Pokémon video game tournaments require players to assemble a team of Pokémon, with items, prior to the start of the event. The standard format style for all PLAY! Pokémon tournaments is Double Battle. In Double Battles, each player selects four Pokémon from his or her party of six to battle with. At the start of the battle, players send out the first two Pokémon in their party, making a total of four Pokémon on the battlefield. Game play continues until a player knocks out all four of his or her opponent’s Pokémon.

Standard Team Construction Rules When building a team for a PLAY! Pokémon tournament, all players must adhere to these standard construction rules.

• A player’s team cannot contain two Pokémon with the same Pokédex number
• Each Pokémon on a player’s team can hold an item, though no two Pokémon may hold the same item
• A player’s team cannot contain two Pokémon with the same nickname
• A player’s team cannot contain a Pokémon nicknamed with the name of another Pokémon (for example, an Unfezant named “Pidove”)
• Pokémon may only use moves that have been learned through one of the following methods:
  1. By leveling up
  2. By TM or HM
  3. As an Egg move, through breeding
  4. From a character in the game
  5. A move already known by a Pokémon received at an official Pokémon event or promotion
• Pokémon must be placed in the Battle Box.
Pokémon above level 50 are permitted, but they are auto-leveled down to 50 for the duration of battle.

• Players may use Pokémon with Hidden Abilities that have been officially released via Black Version and Pokémon White Version, the Pokémon Global Link, or an official event or promotion.
  
• Pokémon may not know the moves Sky Drop or Dark Void.
  
• The Wonder Launcher cannot be used during battle.
  

Age Groups

Juniors and Seniors play in one division

Masters play in their own division
Masters Division: Born in 1996 or earlier

Prizes

1st Place

2nd Place

3rd & 4th Place

5th Place through 8th Place

9th Place through 12th Place

13th Place through 16th Place

17th Place through 32nd Place

33rd Place through 64th Place

* Non-U.S. residents are not eligible to collect a Travel Award or travel allowance 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 or travel allowance 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 or travel allowance will pass down to the next eligible resident. All other prizes will be awarded to the actual winner of the event.
** Byes do not ‘stack.’ If you have win byes at both the Autumn and Spring Regional Championships, you will only receive a first- and second-round bye at your National Championships.

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