World Championships
The Pokémon World Championships are an annual event staged by the Play! Pokémon organized play division of The Pokémon Company International (formerly known as Pokémon USA). As part of taking over the licensing of the Trading Card Game from Wizards of the Coast, a division of Hasbro, the first World Championships were staged in 2004.
An annual invitational-only event held in August of a given year, players are chosen on overall ratings, national champions and past performances in the previous year's World Championships.
Trading Card Game
The championships are staged over three days with a last chance qualifier (known to players as "The Grinder") on the Friday to fill seats left vacant for various reasons (no travel, local qualifiers) until all seats are filled. The second day is limited to Swiss Pairings over a set number of rounds, and the top players (16 each in the Junior and Senior Divisions, as well as the top 32 in the Masters division) move onto the Sunday rounds. The format for this final is single elimination, until the finals, which are a best two matches out of three to decide the World Champion.
Video Game
The format for the Video Game Championships, first staged in 2009 in San Diego, California is virtually the same as the TCG counterparts with winners comprised of those in National tournament play. A Last Chance Qualifier is held on Friday to fill all vacant spots. The most recently released Pokémon game (which will be Black and White in 2011) is used for battles. The event is a single elimination format, with the top eight players in the Junior and Senior divisions competing from a list of approved Pokémon by the organizers on Saturday. On Sunday, all eight play in a single elimination event to decide the World Champions.
History
TCG only 2004-2008
- For the 2004 Pokémon TCG World Championships, see 2004 World Championships (TCG)
- For the 2005 Pokémon TCG World Championships, see 2005 World Championships (TCG)
- For the 2006 Pokémon TCG World Championships, see 2006 World Championships (TCG)
- For the 2007 Pokémon TCG World Championships, see 2007 World Championships (TCG)
- For the 2008 Pokémon TCG World Championships, see 2008 World Championships (TCG)
TCG and Video Game World Championships since 2009
- For the 2009 Pokémon TCG and Pokémon Video Game World Championships, see 2009 World Championships
- For the 2010 Pokémon TCG and Pokémon Video Game World Championships, see 2010 World Championships.
