POP rules in Europe

[Prof Donphan]

I ask to myself why outside of USA, and I talk about Europe, many TO/Distributors don’t follow the rules that are inside the Tournament Organizer Handbook and the POP Floor Rules.
I try to explain better…
In Italy we had Premier Events like CC that we ran as Modified/Constructed format.
National Championship will be in Modified format and open to all players of the world that got an invite. We will run a LSQ the day before Nationals for players that have not invite.
In France there will be a National Championship with a Modified format but cards allowed are from Expedition Set to EX:Emerald.!!! I think that the question on Professor Test need a change…. This format is Hybrid… and then allowed.
Last month I play a CC in Slovenia and… what a surprise….. the draw is still possible!!!
Foreign players can’t play at Slovenian Nationals… decision from distributor.
I red some news about Rep.Chech that will run Nationals in Unlimited Format….
Holland is always a mistery….. and Belgium? Michel could know something about it.
I don’t know if foreign players can play to UK Nationals….
I think that there will be reasons about all that I said but I would like that things are the same for all players…
If Dave or Mike could answer I will be very happy because I don’t understand nothing….
I only ask the respect of the rules….

[metagross]

Czech Republic will run all events properly and according to rules. I WILL make sure of that, as I did when my distributor decided to run Unlimited Citys/States. I immediately emailed Jarrod and the situation got better. However I don't think it will be the same without my email. But thats the point.
Any players from Countries, where this is happening should immediately contact PUI.

UK Nationals are open to all who got Invites. And I heard there were quite a lot of invites. We are making a trip to London to play and qualify at their States so I know.

The main reason, in my opinion, is that most of Local Distributors runs not only Pokémon but Magic, LotR and other TCG as well, therefore splitting theit attention in many different ways, and from my experiences mostly to Magic. I wish we could have such OP as Magic has.

Do you know if France Nationals are open to all? I would surely make a trip if they were.

[MvdV]

The Belgium website has been updated and now announces the Belgium Nationals on May 1. Format (off course) modified, but the decklist shows Ex Emerald as possible set...

See flyer http://www.intrafin.be/files/PKM_BCflyer.jpg

No seperate age categories, Swiss (age???) modified constructed, 7 rounds game followed by top 8 (no specification but I assume best-of-3).

Belgium nationals are open for all players but the trip + stay to Worlds will go to the first Belgium player.


For the Netherlands we still are waiting for an official announcement. Unofficially I have heard that the dutch nationals will be end of june/start of july.

[Rainbowgym]

MvdV - Were did you read Swiss age modified on the Belgium website, I didn't find it.
It says 7 rounds swiss.


We have said from the start of POP that every player should be able to play under the same conditions and rulings.
See what is happening.
Differences all around, some could be explained (like less trips)
but using different sets in "Modified", is not needed per example.
I also can understand that it's unaffordable for LD's to give away 4 boosters at a pre-release to each person attending, but playing a pre-release with 5 boosters to construct a deck is something else,.

Donphan - Holland is no mystery.
If you play at any of the UNOFFICIAL clubs you know exactly what to expect.
If you play at the official POP tournaments, you never know. Most times it's not according the PUI/POP rules.

But please don't try to chance it, you can be bookmarked as disruptive.
And the penalty for that is ----> suspension for ever.

[ukpokemonpro]

The issue of foreign players who win invites to UK Nationals has yet to be determined. It could be that the first prize is limited to players who are resident in the UK but the LD has yet to make their mind up on that.

[NoPoke]

....yet to make their minds up.... LOL plus ca change plus est la meme chose

[Michel]

MvDv is right about Belgium.
It will be age modified swiss (confirmed by the LD).
If Emerald is on the decklist, it's because it's a document made by PUI for their National and Emerald will be in the format at the US National.

So, for Belgium :
- one age group
- 7 rounds age modified swiss, one winning game in 30 minutes
- top 8 (in best of 3)
- open to any player
- trip + hotel to the first belgian player (one trip given ay the event)
- invite for the winner of the National, and eventually a second invite if the winner is not belgian
- format modified (the official one)

Info on Intrafin website (www.intrafin.be) and also official info (from the distributor) on TE forum (http://84764.aceboard.fr)


I'll probably have more info about France this week-end as I go to play a CC in Lille.
I suppose that Exp and Aquapolis are allowed because they allow 2 sets that are not issued in France yet (TRR and deoxys).


Prof Donphan, my answer to your question is really clear.
We play the same game all over the World.
There are official rules for the game.
These rules have to be followed by EVERYONE anywhere in the World, without any exception.
PUI must take care of that each tournament follows the official rules and must take sanctions if it's not the case, even if the TO or Head judge is a local distributor.
PUI must be clear on their website about what is official for every country and what is decided by the local distributors (prize support for Nationals for example).

If you don't follow that, POP may not be taken seriously and International POP is a joke.