UK Games Expo to host 2017 Pokémon Regional Championships

Next year’s Pokémon Trading Card Game Regional Championships have found another new home at the UK Games Expo show in June.

The Regionals are official tournaments that grant top finishers the chance to win prize money, scholarships or travel certificates based on the number of people that take part and the age of the winners.

2016’s Championships were held in Liverpool’s Exhibition Centre in May; one set of 2017’s Regionals will take place on June 3rd and 4th during the UK Games Expo in Birmingham’s NEC Centre.

There will also be Regional Championships in Sheffield’s Ponds Forge International Sports Centre between March 4th and 5th and a return to Liverpool’s Exhibition Centre at the end of July.

There are up to 1,000 seats available for competitors in three brackets: masters, senior and junior. Finishing first or second will grant you the choice of a scholarship or cash if you’re over 18, with a travel certificate replacing the cash prize for those under 18.

Prize money depends on the number of participants, with prizes going up to $5,000 for first place with over 500 competitors. Every player will nab a promo card and three Play! points for taking part.

Players must bring their own 60-card deck adhering to either to the Expanded or Standard format – it’s yet to be confirmed which arrangement the Regionals will stick to in 2017, although last year’s Championships used the Standard format.

It costs £35 to enter as a master and £20 to enter the junior and senior legs of the Birmingham competiton, including entry to the UK Games Expo.