SAN JOSE AREA VIDEO GAME WINNERS HEADING TO

2011 POKÉMON VIDEO GAME NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Local Competitors Earn Invitations to Compete in National Tournament in Indianapolis This July

BELLEVUE, WA- May 23, 2011- After hours of intense competition against some of the area's best Pokémon video game players, 48 competitors from the San Jose area nabbed invitations to compete in the 2011 Pokémon Video Game National Championships, July 8-10 in Indianapolis, IN. Sixteen players from three different age divisions - Junior, Senior and Masters - used remarkable skill and strategy, edging out hundreds of players in the 2011 Pokémon Video Game West Regional Championships held at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose this past weekend. These players will now head to Indianapolis to battle against some of the best Pokémonvideo game players from across the country with an eye toward advancing to the 2011 Pokémon Video Game World Championships this August in San Diego, CA.

A list of the top four winners in order of finish in each division includes:

JUNIOR DIVISION   

1^st place-Bernie Mora (age 8)

Watsonville, CA

2^nd place-Gerardo Gonzalez (age 10)

Fremont, CA

3^rd place-Bernabe Mora (age 9)

Watsonville, CA

4^th place-Michael Aguirre (age 11)

Anaheim, CA

SENIOR DIVISION

1^st place-Aaron Traylor (age 14)

Boston, MA

2^nd place-Richard Escalante (age 15)

Union City, CA

3^rd place-Shreyas Canchiradhakrishna (age 14)

Cupertino, CA

4^th place-Gavin Michaels (age 13)

Los Angeles, CA

MASTERS DIVISION

1^st place-Paul Hornak (age 23)

Oak Hills, CA

2^nd place-Alan Schambers (age 20)

Modesto, CA

3^rd place-Andrew Bishop (age 22)

Visalia, CA

4^th place-Duy Ha (age 19)

Fremont, CA

These Pokémon champs join other Pokémon video game players competing in Regional competitions in six cities throughout the U.S. for a chance to battle at the National Championships. The list of cities hosting 2011 Pokémon Regional video game tournaments includes:

May 14-Seattle, WA

May 21-San Jose, CA

May 28-Dallas, TX

June 4-Atlanta, GA

June 11-Washington, D.C.

June 18-Newark, NJ

July 8-Indianapolis, IN *

*Last Chance Qualifier for Nationals

It is not necessary to win a Regional Championship event to attend the National Championships, so even players who haven't participated in a Regional tournament are welcome to travel to Indianapolis to play in the Last Chance Qualifier July 8 at the Indiana Convention Center for a chance to compete in the National Championships that weekend. The top eight Pokémon Trainers in each division at the National Championships will earn an invitation to the ultimate stage-the 2011 Pokémon Video Game World Championships in San Diego on August 12-14.  Players at the World Championships have a chance to win international travel packages, trophies, and special Pokémon prize packages.

For more information about the Pokémon Video Game Championship series, including rules, tournament locations, dates and times, prizes, and more please visit www.pokemon.com/vgc.