• 2013 Spring Friendly Tournament; Registration from May 9th - 16th!

    Looking for a fun way to wind down after a series of International Challenge tournaments and the 2013 Spring Regional Championships? Well, you're in luck, because the 2013 Spring Friendly tournament on the Pokémon Global Link is slated to take place in the middle of the month, with registration open from May 9th until May 16th!

    The rules for the 2013 Spring Friendly mix things up a bit by featuring only Pokémon from the Unova Pokédex in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. Here are some more highlights from the rules of the 2013 Spring Friendly:

    • All battles will be played in the Single Battle style.
    • Only Pokémon in the Unova Pokédex in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 may be used. (#000–#300.)
    • The Soul Dew item may not be held.
    • The moves Sky Drop and Dark Void may not be used.
    • Pokémon's levels are automatically set to level 30 for the tournament.

    Every player that participates in at least five battles that end in either a win or a loss (in other words, no disconnecting) will be entered in the rankings and will receive two special Kyurem-themed C-Gear skins for their Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 versions.

     

    The tournament itself runs from May 17th until May 20th, with registration running from May 9th until May 16th. You can register while signed in to the Pokémon Global Link. Good luck to everyone participating, have fun, and enjoy the game!

  • Pokémon 2013 Spring Regional Championships results!

    Over the weekend, the 2013 Spring Regional Championships took place across North America. These Regional Championships determined who the best of the best was in five different regions across North America, and I had the opportunity to participate in the Midwest Regional Championship in my home state of Wisconsin.

    The winners for each event, in each age division, are listed below. Congratulations to them all!

    Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    DivisionTrading Card GameVideo Game
    Junior  Carson St. Denis  Elsian Atienze
    Senior  Hayden Jacobus  Hayden McTavish
    Master  Bidier Jing  Tony Chueng

    Athens, Georgia

    DivisionTrading Card GameVideo Game
    Junior  Keegan Abley  Wyatt Gardner
    Senior  John Croxton  Erick Bowen
    Master  Mike Newman  Jerry Woods III

    Foxboro, Massachusetts

    DivisionTrading Card GameVideo Game
    Junior  Ian Robb  Lucas Monroe
    Senior  Orrin Wilson  Paul Chua
    Master  Dylan Lefavour  Aaron Zheng

    Salt Lake City, Utah

    DivisionTrading Card GameVideo Game
    Junior  Elisa Covitz  Caleb Gardiner
    Senior  Ryan Harris  Zach Thornberg
    Master  Roberto Lozada  Michael Fladung

    Madison, Wisconsin

    DivisionTrading Card GameVideo Game
    Junior  Joey Ruettiger  Beau Berg
    Senior  Ben Moskow  Brian Hough
    Master  Casey Smith  Corey Moeller-Fountain

     

    So how did my time at Madison, Wisconsin go? Well, here are some pictures along with my report of the event! (Click the "Read More" button to the right if you don't see them!)

  • 2013 International Challenge April registration now open!

    Ready for another Wi-Fi tournament for Pokémon Black 2 and White 2? Or are you just unable to make it to this week's Pokémon Regional Championships and itching for a battle? Well, good news, because registration for the 2013 International Challenge April is now open!

    Like last month's 2013 International Challenge March, this tournament takes place on the Pokémon Global Link, so you'll need an account registered there that has been Game Synced to your Pokémon Black 2 or White 2 version. Participation is limited to the first 50,000 registrants, so it's better to register as early as possible to ensure you get a chance to play!

    The tournament itself starts on April 18th at 8:00pm Eastern, 7:00pm Central, 6:00pm Mountain, and 5:00pm Pacific for North American timezones, or 00:00 UTC, Friday, April 19th for everyone else. It's the same time, don't worry! If you want to be sure you know right when it starts, here is a world time calculator that should help. It runs until April 21st (23:59 UTC), giving you a full 72 hours to battle it out online.

    Rules for the tournament are essentially the same as for January and March's challenges, utilizing the Double Battle format, restricting the use of certain Pokémon, items, and moves, and grouping everyone into one of three different age divisions, based on their age.

    Players that have played at least five completed games will enter the rankings for the tournament and will be eligible to receive two special berries — the Salac Berry and Liechi Berry — as a reward. The top 128 ranked players in each age division, for both North America and Europe, will also receive coveted Championship Points, which can help secure an invitation to enter the 2013 Pokémon World Championships in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada!

  • Pokémon Spring Regional Championships coming this weekend!

    The Pokemon Spring Regional Championships are coming up very soon for North America, so in preparation for these events, let's take a look at where they'll be held. The Trading Card Game portion of the Regional Championships takes place on April 13th and April 14th (Saturday and Sunday), while the Video Game (VGC) portion is only on April 14th (Sunday). Keep that in mind while making plans!

    Links to the official details page for each event (and additional relevant links):

    If you're playing in the Trading Card Game...

    The full rules of participating in the Trading Card Game portion of the tournament can be found on the official website, but here are the important things to keep in mind:

    • You must have a modified-legal, 60 card deck, as well as your own dice/coins/damage counters. Modified-legal cards are cards from the Black & White expansion set and all sets past that.
    • You must know your Player ID (POP ID). If you participated in any local Pokemon TCG league or tournament, you should have one if it was sanctioned. Make sure you get it ahead of time to save the organizers trouble.
    • You need to have a deck list filled out containing your deck's contents. You can either fill that out at the event or print it out in advance using a tool like PokeGym's Decklist Creator.
    • It's recommended that you read both the General Event Rules and the TCG Rules and Formats documents.

    Participating players for the Trading Card Game Championships will receive a special Pokémon Regional Championship Series Umbreon card (on a first come, first serve basis, although there's usually plenty).

    If you're playing in the Video Game...

    The full rules of the Video Game event can be found on the official website, but here are the basics:

    • You need to bring your Pokemon Black 2 or Pokemon White 2 version (no older versions are allowed), along with your Nintendo DS, DSi, or 3DS, a charger, and a legal team in your Battle Box.
    • Your team must be a legal team, as defined by the VG Rules and Formats document. In a nutshell, this means no duplicate Pokemon, no duplicate held items, no illegal moves or items, and none of the following Pokemon: Mewtwo, Mew, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Celebi, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Jirachi, Deoxys, Chatot, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin, Arceus, Victini, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, Keldeo, Meloetta and Genesect. The moves Sky Drop and Dark Void are banned, as is the Soul Dew item.
    • All battles will be in a Double Battle. You'll be able to see your opponent's team before each battle and will then choose four of your Pokemon to battle, so you and your opponent won't know for sure what the other will use.
    • You need to have your team deposited in the Battle Box instead of your party! Do this before the tournament. You can put Pokemon into the Battle Box from Amanita's PC.

    Starting at noon (on Sunday), a special Ludicolo modeled after the 2012 Senior Division World Champion, Toler Webb, will be distributed over Local Wireless at each of the Regional Championships. This Ludicolo has the same ability, nature, and moves as the one Toler used to win the 2012 Pokémon World Championships in his division. You don't have to be entered in the Video Game Championships in order to play and can receive this special gift on Pokémon Black, Pokémon White, Pokémon Black 2, or Pokémon White 2.

    I'll be playing at the tournament in Madison, Wisconsin on the 13th and 14th, so who knows, you may just see me there! I assure you that all of the tournaments listed will be fun, even for spectators! There are going to be tons of side events and activities all throughout both days, so you'll have plenty to keep you occupied even if you're just a casual player.

  • 2013 International Challenge March registration opens today!

    Ready for another Wi-Fi tournament for Pokémon Black 2 and White 2? Well, you're in luck, because registration for the 2013 International Challenge March is about to begin!

    Like the 2013 International Challenge January, this tournament takes place on the Pokémon Global Link, so you'll need an account registered there that has been Game Synced to your Pokémon Black 2 or White 2 version.

    For players in North America, registration opens on March 13th at 8:00pm Eastern Time, 7:00pm Central Time, 6:00pm Mountain Time, and 5:00pm Pacific Time, and is then closed on March 21st at roughly the same time. The official start time for registration is 00:00 UTC, Thursday, March 14th, so those of you in Europe and elsewhere will be able to register after midnight. Participation is limited to the first 50,000 registrants, so it's better to register as early as possible to ensure you get a chance to play!

    The tournament itself starts on March 21st at 8:00pm Eastern, 7:00pm Central, 6:00pm Mountain, and 5:00pm Pacific for North American timezones, or 00:00 UTC, Friday, March 22nd for everyone else. It's the same time, don't worry! If you want to be sure you know right when it starts, here is a world time calculator that should help. It runs for four days, wrapping up on March 25th at approximately the same time it started (23:59 UTC).

    Rules for the tournament are essentially the same as for January's challenge, utilizing the Double Battle format, restricting the use of certain Pokémon, items, and moves, and grouping everyone into one of three different age divisions, based on their age.

    Players that have played at least five completed games will enter the rankings for the tournament and will be eligible to receive a special berry, the Rowap Berry, as a reward. The top 128 ranked players in each age division, for both North America and Europe, will also receive coveted Championship Points, which can help secure an invitation to enter the 2013 Pokémon World Championships in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada!

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  • 2013 Winter Friendly Tournament; Registration from Feb. 7th - 14th!

    Ready for another Wi-Fi tournament on the Pokémon Global Link? Well, you're in luck, because the 2013 Winter Friendly has just been announced!

    This tournament features a rather drastic change from the previous tournaments, with all Pokémon legal for use (except for Chatot) and with each battle using the Rotation Battle format. This means Pokémon such as Arceus, Darkrai, Keldeo, and even Genesect are allowed in your team. The Soul Dew item and the moves Sky Drop and Dark Void are all banned.

    Registration is open on the Pokémon Global Link from February 7th (00:00 UTC) until February 14th (23:59 UTC). You will need a Pokémon Global Link account as well as either Pokémon Black 2 or Pokémon White 2 that has Game Synced with your online account, as with any Pokémon Global Link tournament. Registration is open to the first 50,000 entrants, so make sure you register early if you want to be guaranteed a chance to play!

    The tournament will take place from February 15th (00:00 UTC) until February 18th (23:59 UTC) online. Full instructions can be found on the official tournament page. Everyone that participates in at least one battle with a win or loss result will receive a Micle Berry after the tournament concludes. This interesting berry is consumed when the user's HP falls low and it then raises the accuracy of the next move the user uses by 20%.

    This is a great chance to battle against players from all around the world and in a different format than usual, so you should definitely check it out!

  • 2013 International Challenge January: Registration begins January 17th

    Unable to make it to the upcoming Pokemon Winter Regional Championships? Well, no need to worry, because registration for the 2013 International Challenge January tournament on the Global Battle Union is set to open from January 17th to January 24th, with the Wi-Fi tournament itself spans from January 25th to January 28th.

    The rules are pretty standard, closely following the rules used in the Video Game Championship series. You need to have an account on the Pokemon Global Link and your copy of either Pokemon Black 2 or Pokemon White 2 registered to your account. Entry is limited to the first 50,000 people that enter, so don't wait until the last minute if you think may may participate!

    The full rules and details can be found here. Definitely be sure to check them out! Plus, everyone who registers and ranks in the tournament will receive a Jaboca Berry for their efforts. Additionally, the top 128 players in each age division from North America and the top 128 players in each age division from Europe will receive Championship Points, which are used to qualify for the Pokemon World Championships.

  • Pokemon Winter Regional Championships are right around the corner!

    The Pokemon Winter Regional Championships are coming up very soon for North America, so in preparation for these events, let's take a look at where they'll be held and give you links to the rules to the events. The Trading Card Game portion of the Regional Championships takes place on January 19th and January 20th (Saturday and Sunday), while the Video Game (VGC) portion is only on January 20th (Sunday). Keep that in mind while making plans!

    Links to the official details page for each event:

    If you're playing in the Trading Card Game...

    The full rules of participating in the Trading Card Game portion of the tournament can be found on the official website, but here are the important things to keep in mind:

    • You must have a modified-legal, 60 card deck, as well as your own dice/coins/damage counters. Modified-legal cards are cards from the Black & White expansion set and all sets past that.
    • You must know your Player ID (POP ID). If you participated in any local Pokemon TCG league or tournament, you should have one if it was sanctioned. Make sure you get it ahead of time to save the organizers trouble.
    • You need to have a deck list filled out containing your deck's contents. You can either fill that out at the event or print it out in advance using a tool like PokeGym's Decklist Creator.
    • It's recommended that you read both the General Event Rules and the TCG Rules and Formats documents.

    If you're playing in the Video Game...

    The full rules of the Video Game event can be found on the official website, but here are the basics:

    • You need to bring your Pokemon Black 2 or Pokemon White 2 version (no older versions are allowed), along with your Nintendo DS, DSi, or 3DS, a charger, and a legal team in your Battle Box.
    • Your team must be a legal team, as defined by the VG Rules and Formats document. In a nutshell, this means no duplicate Pokemon, no duplicate held items, no illegal moves or items, and none of the following Pokemon: Mewtwo, Mew, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Celebi, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Jirachi, Deoxys, Chatot, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin, Arceus, Victini, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, Keldeo, Meloetta and Genesect. The moves Sky Drop and Dark Void are banned, as is the Soul Dew item.
    • All battles will be in a Double Battle. You'll be able to see your opponent's team before each battle and will then choose four of your Pokemon to battle, so you and your opponent won't know for sure what the other will use.
    • You need to have your team deposited in the Battle Box instead of your party! Do this before the tournament. You can put Pokemon into the Battle Box from Amanita's PC.

    I'll be playing at the tournament in St. Charles, Missouri on the 19th and 20th, so who knows, you may just see me there! But I assure you that all of the tournaments listed will be fun, even for spectators, and there's still the Spring Regional Championships in April if your region has not yet been covered! Train well, Trainers!

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  • Pokemon Black 2 & White 2 Tournament at Apex 2013

    While Apex is a tournament that generally focuses on the Super Smash Bros. series in addition to other fighting games, it has opened its doors to Pokemon fans this year and is giving them a chance to compete head to head in Apex 2013. This tournament will take place on Friday, January 11th, 2013, in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

    Our friends at Nugget Bridge will be providing live commentary during the later rounds of the event, which is excellent, as they've got some of the top Pokemon pros in the world contributing to their site. They'll be working with CLASH Tournaments to stream the event live and in high quality, so even if you aren't able to attend, you'll still be able to enjoy a good show. The stream will start at 8:00pm EST on January 11th, 2013, and we intend to provide a link here once the stream is live.

    Sound exciting? Well, there's even more details behind the break, so check it out and be sure to check out the news update on Nugget Bridge about it as well.

  • Wi-Fi Tournaments for the Video Game Championship Series

    The Pokemon Video Game Championships have now added Wi-Fi Tournaments to their list of official, large-scale tournaments, with the introduction of the Global Battle Union tournaments to the series. These online tournaments have been done before, but they haven't given out coveted Championship Points before, which are required in order for players to earn invitations to the Pokemon World Championships in Vancouver, BC. This new series of GBU tournaments changes that by giving out Championship Points for top finishers.

    The first tournament in this series is the 2012 VGCS Winter Battle, which takes place online from December 13th through December 17th. Registration takes place starting today at 4:00pm PST and ends Thursday, December 13th, at 3:59pm, right before the tournament itself takes place. This tournament requires participants to have a copy of Pokemon Black 2 or Pokemon White 2 as well as an account on the Pokemon Global Link that is tied to their game cards, although keep in mind that registration is first come, first serve. Players with a low rate of disconnects during the tournament will receive a Custap Berry, which is a rare berry that, when held, allows a Pokemon to strike first after consuming the berry when its HP is low.

    Here is a list of all of the upcoming tournaments in the North American 2013 Video Game Championship Series:

    • Wi-Fi Event: 2012 VGCS Winter Battle (December 13th-17th, 2012)
    • Live Event: 2013 Pokemon Winter Regional Championships, North America (January 20th, 2013)
    • Wi-Fi Event: 2013 Pokemon International Challenge January (January 24th-28th, 2013)
    • Wi-Fi Event: 2013 Pokemon International Challenge March (March 21st-25th, 2013)
    • Live Event: 2013 Pokemon Spring Regional Championships, North America (April 14th, 2013)
    • Wi-Fi Event: 2013 Pokemon International Challenge April (April 18th-21st, 2013)
    • Wi-Fi Event: 2013 Pokemon International Challenge June (June 20th-24th, 2013)
    • Live Event: 2013 Pokemon U.S. National Championships, Indianapolis, Indiana (July 5th-7th, 2013)
    • Live Event: 2013 Pokemon World Championships, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (August 9th-11th, 2013)

    The full press release can be found after the break.