Most people know pokemon from its early 2000s anime series, but it actually is a video game that was created by Satoshi Tajiri around 1996. Since then, it has been merchandised into trading cards that are played professionally today.

The trading card game is popular amongst Pokemon players, both kids and adults alike, who have been exposed to the earlier Game Boy Pokemon in the late 1999s. The whole goal of the play is to collect legendary cards from the masters in order to become a card master.

For those who are beginners, they need to set up their bench Pokemon, and then put together “energy cards” so that they pocket monsters will grow and attack.

Since Pokemon was introduced to the Northern part of America, the video card game has gained a lot of players in the region. The first Video Game Championships were started in 2004. Its vast popularity in TCG events have led the Nintendo and the Pokemon Company to hold video game competitions alongside trading card games. Since then, tournaments have been held in the U.S. and Canada.

Mechanics in championships like Regional, National, and World have been held. This year’s regionals will be held pretty soon in the month of April. The Trading Card Game (TCG) tournaments will held on April 14, 2012, Saturday, while the Video Game match will be held the next day all throughout North America.

The format for this spring’s regionals will be modified and swiss pairings. Players will be paired with opponents having the same status. In addition there will be some restrictions on which cards to use in making decks.

If you are going to participate, be sure to bring a player ID. You can get them at https://www.pokemon.com/us/account/upgrade2/ if you do not have one.

Also, interested players must bring their own Nintendo DS systems including the Black or White version of Pokemon Game Cards. Don’t forget to bring chargers for there won’t be any available for rent.