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Pokemon Tournament Organizer's Handbook October 2003-2004 Edition This document exists to detail what Pokémon USA, Inc expects from tournament organizers interested in running sanctioned tournaments. If you have any questions regarding the specific details, please contact us at tournaments@pokemon-tcg.com. You will notice that the most recent Pokémon Organized Play Floor Rules have been included within this handbook, in addition to the details of the various formats for the Pokémon trading card game. The tournament organizer is, in the end, responsible for all tournament operations and reporting for the event. The tournament organizer's responsibilities are as follows: Selecting an Appropriate Tournament Venue The tournament organizer is
responsible for selecting an event site that is safe and
secure for children and adults, in a site available to the
general public. Specifically, the tournament must take place
in a well-lit location, with appropriate safety measures in
place. Tournaments may not be held in private locations,
such as a person's house. Tournament organizers are
encouraged to hold it in likely venues, such as a local game
Providing Materials to Operate the Event Tournament organizers are responsible
for making sure they have enough material to run a
successful event. In the case of a Limited-format
tournament, this means that the tournament organizer has
enough booster product of the appropriate type to run the
event. Additionally, extra care must be taken to make sure
that the tournament organizer has enough material to support
the advertised events. The tournament organizer is
responsible for finding whatever tournament staff their
event requires. This includes locating competent judging
staff for the event, as well as general tournament staff who
assist in scorekeeping and announcements. The tournament organizer is responsible for the promotion of their event. Organizers are encouraged to promote their event in a reasonable time in advance of the tournament. Running a Quality Tournament The tournament organizer is expected to run their events in a professional fashion. The tournament should start at the stated time, and the rounds should be closely monitored to keep the event running as smoothly as possible. The tournament organizer should be prepared to administer prizes before the end of the event. Reporting the Tournament Results in a Timely Fashion Tournament organizers are ultimately
responsible for submitting accurate information of their
event in a timely fashion. Organizers who are delinquent in
submitting results may be suspended from sanctioning events
in the future. The tournament organizer is also expected to
submit any extra information to
tournaments@pokemon-tcg.com, such as players that were
disqualified as a result of cheating. The tournament organizer is responsible for keeping all event results for at least one full calendar year after the event has been completed. This also includes general event information, such as the date and location of the event, as well as any penalties that were administered. Additional Responsibilities The tournament organizer is also responsible for any additional activities, mutually agreed upon between Pokémon Organized Play and the tournament organizer. Tournament Management Software Pokémon Organized Play has secured the
use of software for Pokémon tournament organizers. Any
tournament organizer using that software is bound by the End
User License Agreement (EULA) that was agreed to before
downloading that software. The tournament organizer is not
granted rights to use that software for other purposes,
outside of what was defined in the EULA. Sanctioning Events Tournament organizers are encouraged to sanction events online at least 14 days in advance. This allows players to find out about your tournament, leading to better attendance. We do allow tournament organizers to sanction events on the day the event occurs, but this should be used in very rare circumstances. Minimum Number of Players For an event to remain sanctioned,
there must be a minimum of 8 players. If there are not
enough players, run the tournament as normal, but report the
tournament as cancelled. Tournament results are due to Pokémon
Organized Play within 14 days after the event. Any results
not submitted by this time are considered delinquent, and
may jeopardize the tournament organizer's ability to host
future tournaments. As this also affects the player's
enjoyment of the game, it is important for tournament
organizers to report their events in a timely manner. Results for an event may be updated at
any time by the tournament organizer, until the tournament
has been marked as "Completed". Once that tournament is
final, ratings and rankings for individual players will be
calculated the next morning. For any changes to the event
results after that point, the tournament organizer of record
will need to contact
tournaments@pokemon-tcg.com to have the match result
corrected. Pokémon Organized Play reserves the
right to remove privileges of any tournament organizer
sanctioned by the program. A tournament organizer who has
been suspended for substantial delinquent tournaments or
other reasons may contact
tournaments@pokemon-tcg.com to appeal for
re-instatement. Rules effective October 1, 2003 for the 2003-2004 Tournament Season Introduction These rules are used in conjunction
with the most recent Pokémon trading card game rules. The
latest descriptions on how specific tournament formats are
run can be found on our website at
op.pokemon-tcg.com. This document is a resource to
preserve an equitable and consistent tournament environment
for every match across the globe. These Pokémon Organized
Play (POP) tournament rules apply to the Pokémon trading
card game, and any other games supported by POP. Anyone is allowed to participate in a Pokémon Organized Play sanctioned event, except for the following positions:
Wagering Anyone in the event may not gamble on
the outcome of any match or standings of a sanctioned
tournament. Spectators attempting to wager on any outcome of
the event should be removed from the event site. Tournament organizers are allowed to
publish the results of their events, subject to local,
state, and national laws. Pokémon USA reserves the exclusive
rights to publish event information such as the contents of
a player's deck, transcripts, video recordings or any other
applicable recounts of a Pokémon Organized Play sponsored
event, as well as any player suspensions resulting from
those events. Players, judges, and tournament
organizers are required to be familiar with the most
recently published Pokémon trading card game rules, as well
as the relevant information contained in this document. Players are expected to participate in
a sportsmanlike manner at all times. Players participating
in a constructed deck tournament are required to bring their
own deck composed of cards for the appropriate format. Judges are expected to administer
impartial rulings, and assist the tournament organizer and
head judge in running a quality event. Judges are expected
to encourage sportsmanlike behavior at all times. The head judge serves as the final arbiter of all rulings and rules interpretations for that tournament. The head judge is chosen by the tournament organizer before the event, and is ultimately responsible for making sure that all participants abide by the rules set forth in this document. The head judge is also responsible for reporting players who are caught cheating at their events to the Pokémon Organized Play staff. Spectator Responsibilities Spectators may watch a match, but cannot interfere with a match in any way. The only way a spectator can interact with an event is by contacting a judge to ask whether a specific play is legal or not. Spectators are expected to behave in a non-disruptive fashion. Organizer Responsibilities The tournament organizer is in charge of the non-game elements of the tournament. The organizer is in charge of finding a well-lit and safe event location, providing appropriate staff, sanctioning their POP tournaments, submitting the results of those tournaments in a timely fashion, and distributing the prizes for the event. Appeals A player may appeal any ruling made by
a judge to the head judge of that tournament. The head judge
is the final authority on card rulings and interpretation of
floor rules for that event. Players are expected to be at their matches when the round begins. If a player is more than 10 minutes late to the match, it is assumed that they have forfeited that round. Any player who does not arrive in the tournament area by the end of the round will be removed from the event. Pre-game Players will shuffle their decks and give their opponents the option to shuffle and/or cut their deck. If a judge decides a player (or players) is taking excessive amounts of time for shuffling before the game begins or during the game, the judge may assign penalties based on as if the player was late for the match Taking Notes Players may not take notes during the match, with the exception of tracking the effects of cards in play. Conceding a Match A player may concede a match to his or
her opponent at any point during the round. Players are not
allowed to determine the winner by random means, and may not
receive anything from their opponent for conceding the
match, or for drawing with their opponent. Engaging in
bribery or collusion will result in both players being
disqualified from the tournament and/ or suspended from
Pokémon Organized Play. Players may agree to declare their match an intentional draw at any point during a round of swiss pairing. Players report the intentional draw to the scorekeeper instead of reporting a win or loss. An intentional draw is scored the same as a regular draw. Withdrawing from a Tournament Any player desiring to withdraw from
an event may do so. That player notifies the scorekeeper by
stating their first and last name, and allowing the
scorekeeper to drop them from the event. If a player wishes
to withdraw from the tournament after pairings have been
posted, that player will receive a match loss before being
removed from the tournament. Players may not re-enter the
tournament. Players are expected to play at least
the first round of any Limited tournament. If a player
leaves the event before the first round of pairings have
been posted, they will receive a match loss for that round
before being removed from the event. Cards Allowed Players may only use cards legal for
that tournament. In the instance of a Limited tournament,
players may only play with cards that have been given to
them for Sealed Deck events, or cards they have drafted for
Draft tournaments. The head judge is the final authority
on how a card is interpreted during an event. If a player
has a question on how a card (or combination of cards) is
supposed to interact, they may ask the head judge before or
during the tournament. Players are required to sufficiently randomize their deck at the start of the match, before presenting it to their opponent for his or her deck to be cut and/or shuffled. Card Elevation Players must keep all of the cards of
their deck above the edge of the table at all times. A card that has been damaged or marked during the course of a tournament may be replaced, at the discretion of the head judge. During Limited-format tournaments, cards that have been damaged during the manufacturing process, it is the head judge's discretion on how the card or booster is replaced. Card Sleeves Card sleeves are legal for tournament play. Players may use Pokémon cards with different card backing only with opaque sleeves. All sleeves must be of uniform size, color, and approximately the same worn condition. Sleeves that do not meet this criteria will be treated as marked cards. Game Markers Players are responsible for providing
their own markers for their cards. Damage counters and
markers denoting Special Conditions may not placed in such a
way that would obscure the game card. If a player has a
question about whether their markers may be used, the player
should discuss the matter with the head judge before the
event. The head judge is the final arbiter of any ruling for the event. They may assign any penalty, ranging from cautioning the player for relatively minor problems, assigning a penalty for illegal card play or unsportsmanlike conduct, up to ejection from the tournament for cheating or significant unsportsmanlike conduct. Cheating Players found cheating will be removed from the event to preserve the integrity of the tournament. The head judge may decide to reduce the penalty for lesser offenses and is the final arbiter of any penalty assigned during the tournament. Cheating is generally defined as any intentional act to gain advantage during a match through deceit or unfair play. Examples of cheating:
Unsportsmanlike Conduct Unsportsmanlike conduct is not welcome
in any Pokémon event, whether or not that event is
sanctioned by Pokémon Organized Play. Everyone is encouraged
to be polite and respectful to each other, even during a
disagreement. This rule applies to spectators, players, and
the tournament staff. Anyone engaging in disruptive,
unsportsmanlike behavior will be asked to leave the event,
subject to the head judge's discretion. Players should attempt to complete
their match in the allotted time. It is important for the
players to avoid the appearance of cheating or
unsportsmanlike conduct, especially when it comes to playing
slowly. If the head judge determines that a player is
intentionally attempting to stall out a match, it will be
considered cheating, and subject to the appropriate
penalties. Players using marked sleeves or cards may be asked to leave the event by the judging staff. In general, if it can be determined that the cards or sleeves are scuffed or discolored in a specific fashion, it will be considered a form of cheating. The judging staff may ask the player to replace damaged or worn sleeves/ cards, instead of removing the player from the event. Official Tournament Formats Constructed Deck Formats
Limited Formats
Rating Points Players gain and lose rating points after each match, in whichever category that match took place in. Each player is assigned a Pokémon Organized Play ID to track matches won and lost. If a player does not have a POP number, an ID will be assigned by the tournament organizer at the event. Cards legal for constructed deck format All Pokémon cards from trading card game expansion sets that have been released in the United States, including promotional cards, are legal for tournament play. Specific constructed deck formats may include additional rules on which card sets are allowed. Players who use Pokémon cards with different backs must play with uniform sleeves with opaque backs on all cards in the deck. Card Interpretation Tournament judges will base their card rulings and interpretations on a card, based on the event location's local language. Major tournaments that span multiple countries will default to the original intent and design of Pokémon cards produced in Japan. Pokémon Organized Play will issue card rulings based on that information. New Releases All Pokémon trading card game sets and promotional trading game cards are allowed in POP-sanctioned tournaments as soon as they are released to the public. In addition, highly competitive tournaments supported through Pokémon Organized Play may include specific rules on which expansions will be allowed for those events. New expansions may not be allowed for such events. Please check our website op.pokemon-tcg.com for specific details on the event. Tournament Structure Definition of a Match Each match consists of one game of
Pokémon. A tournament organizer may declare at the beginning
of a tournament, that a match consists of more than one
game, but must state this before the tournament starts. Each round has a recommended time limit of 30 minutes. The head judge will announce the time limit for each round at the beginning of the event. Deck Registration For tournaments that require decklists:
Pre-game set-up 1. Whoever wins the coin toss
chooses which player goes first. Reporting Results Upon match completion, each player is
responsible for reporting the match results to the
tournament judging staff. Optionally, the tournament
organizer may state at the beginning of the event that only
the winner of each match reports the score. If time for the match has been called,
the current player is allowed to finish their turn. At the
end of that turn, the player with the least amount of Prize
cards left is considered the winner. If both players have an
equal number of Prize cards, the game is a draw. Tournaments
that include multiple-game matches check games won by each
player. If both players have the same number of game wins
for that round, the match is a draw. Deck-Size Each player will have a 60-card deck at all times. Players may not have more than 4 of any single card, with the standard exception for basic Energy cards. A card is defined by the name of the card. Unlimited Constructed Deck Format Unlimited decks may contain cards from
any and all Pokémon trading card game sets that have been
released in the United States, as well as all promotional
cards. New sets are allowed as soon as the product has been
released.
Modified Constructed Deck Format Modified decks may include cards from the following Pokemon trading card game sets:
With the exception of basic Energy cards and previously printed cards that appear in current sets, players may not use cards from older Pokémon sets. New sets are allowed as soon as the product has been released. Banned Cards There are no cards currently banned in the Modified tournament environment. Rules Specific to Limited Tournaments Deck Construction Limited decks contain exactly 40
cards. Players who open or draft multiple copies of a card
are not limited to only 4 of any single card that is
normally applied to the Pokémon trading card game. Any extra
cards are set aside for the remainder of the event. Players set aside 4 Prize cards at the
start of each game, instead of the normal 6. Tournament organizers may provide
basic Energy cards to participants in the event. For events
that supply basic Energy, an equal amount will need to be
made available to each player. Tournament organizers will
state during event registration and before deck construction
begins, whether or not Basic energy will be provided.
Players may only use the actual cards they receive at the
Limited Format event, for that tournament. Participants who
receive non-standard booster packs (too many cards, too few
cards, all of one card or rarity, etc) must contact the head
judge of the event, for a possible product replacement. Each player will have 6 booster packs for a Pokémon Sealed Deck tournament. Players add Basic Energy cards to build a 40-card deck. Please refer to the Pokémon Sealed Deck Format document found on the op.pokemon-tcg.com website for more details. Booster Draft Format Each player should receive 6 Pokémon booster packs. The suggested format is 6 booster packs of Pokémon-e TCG: EX Ruby & Sapphire, however, other breakdowns are allowed as long as the sets use similar Evolution paths for the Pokémon. After players have finished drafting, they may add Basic Energy cards to build a 40-card deck. Please refer to the Pokémon Booster Draft Format document for more details. This document can be found on the op.pokemon-tcg.com website. Rochester Draft Format Each player receives 6 Pokémon booster packs. The recommended format is 6 booster packs of Pokémon-e TCG EX Ruby & Sapphire, however, other breakdowns are allowed as long as the sets use similar Evolution paths for the Pokémon. Please refer to the Pokémon Rochester Draft Format document, found on the op.pokemon-tcg.com website. Document Updates Pokémon Organized Play may from time
to time alter these rules, or make updates to these rules,
and reserves the right to do so with or without prior
notice. The tournament organizer registers
each player for the event, similar to a constructed
tournament. Once registration is finished, the tournament
organizer assigns seating for all players. Players will then
receive their boosters with which to construct their 40-card
deck. Players may only use the cards they have received in
their booster packs, and any basic Energy cards necessary to
finish building the deck. Any cards that are not used in
their deck are set aside for the remainder of the event.
Tournament officials will announce at the beginning of the
event if decklists are required for the event. During the deck building portion of
the tournament, players should not be talking or offering
other distractions. Players may not trade cards received in
their sealed deck, until after the event is over. The event works very similar to a
constructed deck tournament. The only differences are
that players use 40-card decks and put 4 Prize cards out for
each game. Setting up a Booster Draft Tournament The tournament organizer registers each player for the event, similar to a constructed tournament. Once registration is finished, the tournament organizer divides the players into separate drafting tables at random. Each drafting table should have an equal number of players. The judging staff then distributes the boosters being used for the draft. Starting the Draft Once the players have been seated and
have their boosters, the judging staff will have the
players start by opening their first booster. Each player
looks at cards from their booster and chooses one card,
placing it face down in front of them. The judge will now
have the players pass the remaining cards from each of their
boosters to the person on their left (clockwise around the
table). Each player will then draft one card from that
stack. Once players have chosen a card, the judge will
instruct the players to pass the remaining cards again,
until all of the cards from those boosters have been
drafted. When the initial booster packs have been completely
drafted, each player may look at the cards he or she has
drafted. At the judge's signal, players set aside their
drafted cards, and open the second booster. This time, after
choosing a card, each player will pass the remaining cards
to their right (counter-clockwise around the table). After
each series of
packs have been drafted, the next booster will be drafted in
the opposite direction, until all six boosters have been
drafted. During the drafting portion of the tournament, players should not be talking or offering other distractions. Once a player has chosen a card, it should go into a neat pile in front of that player. After each round of boosters have been drafted, players may examine their own drafted cards. Finishing the Draft portion After players have finished drafting
their cards, they will start building a 40-card deck. They
may only use the cards they have drafted, and any basic
Energy cards necessary to finish building the deck. Any
drafted cards that are not used in their deck, are set aside
for the remainder of the event. Tournament officials will
announce at the beginning of the event if decklists are
required for the event. The event is run similar to a constructed deck tournament. The only differences are that players use 40-card decks and put 4 Prize cards out for each game.
Pokémon Rochester Draft Format Setting up a Rochester Draft Tournament The tournament organizer registers
each player for the event, similar to a constructed
tournament. Once registration is finished, the tournament
organizer divides the players into separate drafting tables
at random. Each drafting table should have an equal number
of players. The judging staff then distributes the boosters
being used for the draft. Starting the Draft Once the
players have been seated and have their boosters, the judge
chooses a player to start. That player starts by opening two
of their boosters, and laying out all of the cards from
those boosters, face-up. The players at that table then have
30 seconds to look at the cards before drafting begins.
Starting with the first player, that person chooses one
card, placing it face-up in front of them. The player to his
or her left becomes the next person to draft. That player
chooses
one of the remaining cards, placing it face up in front of
them. The draft continues in this manner, until the last
person at the table has chosen a card. That player chooses a
second card, and then the person to the right drafts a
second card from the cards remaining. Drafting proceeds back
to the initial person, counter-clockwise. If there are cards
remaining, the initial person drafts a third card, and
drafting resumes to the left, clock-wise. After each booster
pack has been completely drafted, each player may look at
the cards he or she has drafted. At the judge's signal,
players set aside their drafted cards, and prepare for the
next set of boosters to be drafted. The next person to open
their boosters is the person sitting to the left of the
previous person opening the boosters. During the drafting portion of the tournament, players should not be talking or offering other distractions. Once a player has chosen a card, it should go on top of their stack in front of that player, with the most recently drafted card face-up. After each round of boosters have been drafted, players may examine their own drafted cards. During the draft, if a player touches a card during their turn to draft a card, they must draft the touched card. If they touch more than one card, that player drafts the first card touched. If the current player drafting takes too long to draft their card, the judge chooses the card that was placed first on the table, for that player. (If that card has already been drafted, the judge chooses the second one placed, and so on.) Finishing the Draft portion After players have finished drafting
their cards, they will start building a 40-card deck. They
may only use the cards they have drafted, and any basic
Energy cards necessary to finish building the deck. Any
drafted cards that are not used in their deck, are set aside
for the remainder of the event. Tournament officials will
announce at the beginning of the event if decklists are
required for the event. The event works very similar to a constructed deck tournament. The only differences are that players use 40-card decks and put 4 Prize cards out for each game. Pojo.com is here to provide guidance to all Pokemon trainers out there. Whether it's the Gameboy Game, N64 or the Trading Card Game, PoJo.com provides all the wisdom you desire. If you have cool game tips, a killer deck, or breaking news ... send them to us. We'll post it on the site ... and give you all the credit.
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