Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Illinois State Championship - March 9th-10th, 2013 (updated as 2-day event)

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Top Cut Comics

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Illinois State Championships​

This will be a 2 day Event!!!​

As the size of events continue to grow, so does the time constraints on the venue, staff and you, the players. To relax the tension and stress associated with such a large event, we have decided to make this a 2-day event. We want this to be a fun and enjoyable atmosphere for ALL staff, parents, and players alike. We understand this is a new direction for States and look forward to setting the standard for future events. We also understand this structure may not fit the availabilities of each individual player. Planning ahead for this event will determine the level of success and enjoyment you have as an individual. Updated 2-4-2013 9:27pm


This event is open to all players. We are running this event using the Swiss pairing format, so you can play through each round and never be eliminated till swiss rounds are over. State Championships are a great place to test your new deck strategies and bring your play skills to the next level! The top players of the State Championship are awarded prizes for the skills needed to do well in such a large event.

When preparing for a State Championship Tournament make sure you have a Deck that is ready to play in a competitive sanctioned tournament. To do this first check that your Deck complies with the current Modified Format Regulations. After checking your cards are legal for play, you will then need to fill out a DECKLIST!

If you are using sleeves be sure they are all the same color and size. Damaged sleeves will NOT be allowed for this event. Shiny backs or printed backed sleeves will also not be allowed.

LOCATION
Science & Arts Academy
1825 Miner Street
Des Plaines, IL. 60016
http://www.scienceandartsacademy.org/

DATE
March 09-10, 2013

TIME
Saturday, March 9th doors open and Registration begins at 9:00 AM and will close at 10:30 AM.

Sunday, March 10th doors will open at 9am for side events. (EDITED 2-16-2013) 75 minute Top Cut rounds will start promptly at 10:00am FOR MASTERS AND 11:30AM FOR ALL JUNIORS AND SENIORS. Any top cut players not in their seats ready to play will be subject to tardiness penalties. A full schedule has been posted below.

Registration closes thirty minutes before the event is scheduled to start. Any player who wants to enroll after registration has closed will be able to do so, but will receive a round one match loss. Players arriving after round two has been paired will not be able to enroll in the tournament.

Tournament Schedule Day 1 (updated 2-16-2013)
• 9:00-10:30 Registration
• 10:40 Player Roster Posted
• 10:50 Pairings Posted
• 10:55 Announcements
• 11:00-11:30 Round 1
• 11:45-12:15 Round 2
• LUNCH till 1:30
• 1:30-2:00 Round 3
• 2:15-2:45 Round 4
• 3:00-3:30 Round 5
• 3:45-4:15 Round 6
• 4:30-5:00 Round 7
• 5:15-5:45 Round 8
• 6:00 Bubble Presentation

Tournament Schedule Day 2
• 9:00 Doors open to Public
• 10:00 Masters Top 16 Start Time
• 11:30 All Ages Top 8 Start Time
• 1:00 All Ages Top 4
• 2:30 All Ages Top 2
• 4:00 Closing Ceremonies

Side Event Schedule Day 2
• 9:00 Open Registration for all scheduled side events
• 2:00 Last Chance for Side Event Registration
• 3:00 Side Event Top 4 - Rock, Paper, Scissors Showdown


TOURNAMENT FORMAT
Modified Constructed.
For a copy of modified legal reprints look HERE!

TOURNAMENT STRUCTURE
Modified Swiss with a cut to MAXIMUM top 16 players. The number of rounds will be based on number of players in the event.

ENTRY FEE
FREE!!!
Players will be entered into random door prize raffles just for signing up!

DECK REGISTRATION:
Every player must provide us with a legible copy of their decklist PRIOR to close of registration. Anyone failing to turn in a decklist on time will be considered late and will receive a round 2 loss.

PRIZES (edited 2-23-13)
Prizes are awarded to the top players in each of three age divisions.

All participants will receive 3 Play! Points and a Pokémon SPT Championship promo card (while supplies last) just for playing!

1st Place
A Pokémon TCG SPT Championships 1st Place trophy
A $500 travel stipend to participate in the Pokémon TCG National Championships (Juniors and Seniors) 1,2
A $300 travel stipend to participate in the Pokémon TCG National Championships (Masters) 1,3
A first-round bye at the U.S. or Canada National Championships 3
A combination of 36 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions
100 Championship Points

2nd Place
A Pokémon TCG SPT Championships 2nd Place trophy
A combination of 36 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions
90 Championship Points (if division attendance is 4 or greater)

3rd & 4th Place
A Pokémon TCG SPT Championships 3rd or 4th Place trophy
A combination of 18 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions
70 Championship Points (if division attendance is 8 or greater)

5th through 8th Place
A combination of 9 booster packs from current Pokémon TCG expansions
50 Championship Points(if division attendance is 32 or greater)

9th Place through 12th Place
30 Championship Points (if division attendance is 64 or greater)

13th Place through 16th Place
20 Championship Points (if division attendance is 64 or greater)

17th Place through 32nd Place
10 Championship Points (if division attendance is 128 or greater)

33rd Place through 64th Place
5 Championship Point (if division attendance is 256 or greater)

1. Travel stipends and byes are awarded to the winning Canadian or United States player and are awarded at the National Championships corresponding to the player’s nationality. A Canadian player is therefore eligible to win a travel allowance at the Canadian National Championship from an event hosted in the United States, and vice versa. STP Championships held in Mexico do not award travel allowances.

2. Travel stipends ‘stack’. Players who win more than one SPT will receive the sum of their travel allowances. Players who also win a Regional Championship will receive both the Regional travel award and the SPT travel allowance.

3. Byes do not ‘stack.’ If you have won a bye in another event, either a different SPT or a Regional Championship, you will receive the largest bye you have earned. You will not receive the sum of all the byes you earn.


First 200 players to register will get a special promotional item.

DIRECTIONS
We recommend using Google Maps for directions to this location.

SIDE EVENTS

League Play
Cost: FREE!!!
Players may play a game with any other registered league player. Both players will get a pull from box of random cards. The winner then gets an additional pull. The Box will contain 5 cards that are marked Booster box. If a player pulls that card they win a booster box. There will be several other prizes distributed within the box from stickers to booster packs.

Win-a-Box
Format: Modified
Type: 8 player pods, 2 out of 3, Single Elimination Tournament
Price: $15.00 - each player receives one pack when they sign up
Prize: Full Sealed Box of most current set
Players WILL need a deck list for this event. All current modified rules would apply to this event.

Limited Draft
Format: Limited Sanctioned
Type: 8 player, 2 out of 3, Single Elimination Tournament
Price: $15.00 for 4 pack draft
Prize: 1st place: 4 packs of most current set
Players will Draft 4 booster packs of the newest set. Build 40 card decks, (energy will be provided).

Mutant Draft
Format: Limited Unsanctioned
Type: 8 player, 2 out of 3, Single Elimination Tournament
Price: $15.00 for 4 packs chosen at random
Prize: 1st place: 4 packs of most current set
Players will Draft 4 booster packs of random sets. Build 40 card decks, (energy will be provided). Decks do NOT need to follow standard evolution lines. As long as the type is the same a player may evolve ANY pokemon.

Tin Can Mutant Sealed
Format: Limited Unsanctioned
Type: 8 player, 2 out of 3, Single Elimination Tournament
Price: $15.00 for a Pokemon tin chosen at random
Prize: 1st place: 4 packs of most current set
Players will open the booster packs in the Tin chosen at random. Build 40 card decks, (energy will be provided). Decks do NOT need to follow standard evolution lines. As long as the type is the same a player may evolve ANY pokemon.

Starter Deck Challenge Sealed
Format: Limited Sanctioned
Type: 8 player, 2 out of 3, Single Elimination Tournament
Price: $15.00 for a Pokemon starter deck chosen at random (all modified legal). Players will also get 1 Random pack to incorporate into the deck. (Deck must remain 60 cards)
Prize: 1st place: 4 packs of most current set
Players will open the starter deck and pack chosen at random . All players will then play 3 rounds to determine a winner.

MAT BATTLES NEW ADDITION!!!
Format: Modified Sanctioned
Type: 8 Players, 2 out of 3, Single Elimination Tournament
Price: $10.00 per player - Every Player gets 2 booster packs for entering
Prize: 1st place: Exclusive Top Cut Central Mat for Nationals 2013. This exclusive mat can be used to receive an advertising bonus at Nationals. (more details to come)

Kiddie Corner
There will be several smaller events such as, coloring contest, guess how many, drawing contest, etc... available for all to win additional prizes.

Vending
Top Cut Comics and Games will be onsite with a full assortment of singles and sealed merchandise. We will also be buying bulk cards at this event. For the most current buylist click HERE!

TRADING
While trading is fine, please note that buying/selling cards with anyone except for our authorized dealer(s), or soliciting to do so elsewhere, is strictly forbidden at this event. Failure to obey this rule may result in both the buyer and the seller being removed from the event, and banned from attending future events.

Top Cut Comics also reserves the right to limit the amount of space being occupied by any one individual while trading, and does not allow the use of suitcases, handcarts, luggage carts, etc. to be used for the purpose of transporting excessive amounts of trade stock. We need to be considerate of all those around us.

MORE INFORMATION
Players who want specific information can contact us at [email protected] or by phone at 815.633.0330.
 
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Awesome decision to do two days. This will not only add a day of fun to the event, but take a lot of pressure off the players and especially the judges. We'll have time for a legitimate lunch break and hopefully 75 minutes in the Top Cut, too.

If tournaments continue to grow like they have, I'll hope by next year more PTOs follow your example, Jimmy!
 
I for one am extremely disappointed in this decision. I know that Jason pushed very hard for this because for him it makes all the sense in the world. For this with jobs and families this makes it much more difficult to attend. Judging from the response on Facebook most people are against this

I will be looking for another tournament to attend.
 
Gah, I really only wanted one day because then if I cut I don't have to miss out on Sunday and this complicates things planning wise as well.
 
I think too many of you are too quick to complain. To be fair, the only people who will need to stay another day to play are Masters or their travelmates who make Top 16.

Whether we like it or not, tournaments are growing, and one-day State Championships are already a strain on everyone, even when they compromise with early registration, late finishes, and 60-minute top cuts. By next year, some states might have no other reasonable options but to extend their events to two days. Jimmy just took the initiative by starting two-day events this year.
 
The people that need to stay are those in the top 16, AND people traveling with them. The point isn't that someday these events will need to be two days, the point is that this year they didn't need to be.

I was planning on cutting back the number of tournaments I played due to this in the next few years, I didn't need to this year until you started this crusade.
 
I believe that this is a poor decision on behalf of the Illinois Staff. I respect your decision, as in the end it is yours, but I feel that a majority of the community was not even taken into consideration. I also know for a fact that Jason K. pushed very hard for this, and I respect Jason and a player and a friend, but his opinion was being weighted far higher in comparison than all the other players. This same topic was posted to heyfonte (a facebook group of over 800 players, 200+ of which play in the midwest), and the overwhelming majority were against two day states. By having two day states you are essentially just creating three more weekends of regionals, which for some might be great, but for the working class of our community it just creates three more tournaments they cannot attend due to work constraints. If you create two day events to lower turnout to make the tournament shorter, then you are in turn removing the reason to have two day states in the first place. I understand that there is no happy medium to this situation, and this is something that TOs need to discuss with Pokemon during the nationals meeting that is held every year. Either there needs to be a round limit, divisions (like nationals) or something else of the sort (such as making it so that people can only play in one state outside of their home state). I hope you guys have a great two day state tournament, but as of this moment I'll choose to attend a different state in protest of this measure. I'd like it to be noted that it has nothing to do with the staff, Jason K., or anyone else in the Pokemon community, but is clearly just an act of protest against this type of transition in the Pokemon community. I do not want other states to turn to this, and I hope Derek Farber (as well as other TOs), TO of the Indiana State Tournament (as well as many cities, battle roads, and regionals), will take note of the progress of this and decide accordingly.
 
The schedule mentions top 16 Masters on Sunday--do you anticipate finishing top cut for Juniors and Seniors on Saturday then?
 
Lets see, all of the staff (unless cut before the T16) WILL have to stay overnight, some making it a 2nd night. That costs $. Extra day = more costs for food. Plus, it isnt just the T16 and travel mates that have to stay overnight, but any MA player expecting/hoping to topcut has to get a room or find a place to crash bc the expense of finding a hotel at rack rates when you pull up at 11pm or later just sucks. Sooooo, all those players will have to get a room for saturday night, whether they topcut or not. Not the route I would want to take.

Jimmy, I know you are trying to push the envelope here and "help" the players and staff, but unless you are going after midnight to finish up, I think this is an error. I dont think that happened last yr.

Good luck with this, but I predict that your numbers will go down this year.

Keith

PS Of course, if you are local or have good friends that are, you have easy cheap places to stay and reduce your out of state competition.....just sayin'
 
My wife and I coordinate the venue for Jimmy, and you're giving Jason way too much credit in having sway in this. Jimmy considered many issues involved with this decision, and solicited multiple viewpoints. As a PTO trying to improve the game and tournament environment, he is choosing to test the waters with this.

Let's face it, his tournaments are among the swiftest run....he doesn't need an additional day to run a State tournament. But based on last year and anticipating 128 Masters meaning 8 rounds, that would put the tournament ending at around 11pm. 8am to 11pm does not make for a fun day near the end both for staff and for players. Now imagine other States whose tournaments don't run as well, and how they can (and certainly have in the past) run well past 11pm. Why is it okay that a Tournament runs this long by design?

TAndrewT, yes, Juniors and Seniors Top Cut will finish on Saturday, and the venue will be set up on Sunday for side events.
 
wiem0014 said:
I for one am extremely disappointed in this decision. I know that Jason pushed very hard for this because for him it makes all the sense in the world. For this with jobs and families this makes it much more difficult to attend. Judging from the response on Facebook most people are against this

I will be looking for another tournament to attend.
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I just want to make this clear....

I called Jason to ask his opinion on this topic. He did NOT reach out to me to pitch the idea. This had been something that has been discussed in years past. I am happy to finally reach the point where we have the attendance and support to hold such an event.

I understand this wont be for everyone. There are more options for players to choose from. I encourage you to go where you feel you will have the most fun. If you are a player that doesnt mind the grind of staying at an event till midnight or later, I applaud you. However, don't assume that it is accepted by the player accross from you.

Jimmy
 
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I really hope this does NOT become the standard. I guess I can kind of understand 1 or 2 of the bigger State Championships doing this, but if all States eventually become 2 days, I will have to stop playing in State Championships.
 
Squeaks101 said:
I hope Derek Farber (as well as other TOs), TO of the Indiana State Tournament (as well as many cities, battle roads, and regionals), will take note of the progress of this and decide to fit the tournament into my personal timeframe, without regard for anyone else involved in the event.
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Corrected... Seriously though,

Whether we like it or not, attendance at these events have outgrown 1 day. Like I said before, Just because you don't mind sitting at a table at midnight doesnt mean the parent across from you, with his kids sleeping on the floor in the corner, appreciates staying this late.

This reminds me of the conversations we had when moving Regionals to 2 days. Some events are now 3 days. Change is always tough to swallow, but usually done for the good of the masses, not individuals.

Also, I like how suddenly players are in support of playing in 12+hours single day events. However, when an event runs long they are also the first to complain about it. You can't have it both ways. We plan on giving players an option. A LONG 1 day event or a casual 2 day event. You can attend you preference in various places in the country.

Jimmy
 
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All you people that are complaining about this I don't get why you all are complaining. Isn't the point of these tournaments to have fun overall? 2 day events isn't something that bad at all, it actually makes the event even more fun to partake in. I mean who cares if it add costs, you should be planning that ahead of time, Jimmy DID notify you all of this change more then a month in advance. So you do have efficient amount of time to plan everything and attend the event if you'd like. If you don't then so be it, you all would be missing out in a fun states. I seriously think its a great idea and should be implanted if it all runs smoothly. Great idea!
 
MiniWade said:
All you people that are complaining about this I don't get why you all are complaining. Isn't the point of these tournaments to have fun overall? 2 day events isn't something that bad at all, it actually makes the event even more fun to partake in. I mean who cares if it add costs, you should be planning that ahead of time, Jimmy DID notify you all of this change more then a month in advance. So you do have efficient amount of time to plan everything and attend the event if you'd like. If you don't then so be it, you all would be missing out in a fun states. I seriously think its a great idea and should be implanted if it all runs smoothly. Great idea!
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In the defense of those complaining, many players (especially in Masters) have other obligations beyond Pokemon. We have school, work, and some of us have religious obligations too. Looking beyond the financial burden an extra hotel stay can add (which is a very real issue for a poor college student who is already spending lots of money on T1 decks), the simple drain on time can be a real issue. One or two 3 day events? Ok, fine. Most people can swing that. But if more and more events become 2 day events, a lot of folks (myself included) just won't be able to play as much. I'm not going to be able to spend lots of money to travel to an event if I know I couldn't play in the cut if I made it that far.

I will say, however, that if only a select few States do a 2 day format (which should really be the case, since only maybe 3 or 4 get numbers that warrant it), then it's probably fine. People that can't play in a 2 day event can simply choose a different event, and that's fine. I just do not want to see any kind of 2 day mandate.
 
I'm curious about the poor college student argument. Aren't they already planning a hotel stay, perhaps for Friday night? With registration pushed back an hour Saturday morning, now they'd have time to drive in Saturday morning and spend the night in a hotel Saturday night instead....and only if they needed to. If they don't make cut, they could just go home if they can manage the transportation, without any hotel expense at all.
 
losjackal said:
I'm curious about the poor college student argument. Aren't they already planning a hotel stay, perhaps for Friday night? With registration pushed back an hour Saturday morning, now they'd have time to drive in Saturday morning and spend the night in a hotel Saturday night instead....and only if they needed to. If they don't make cut, they could just go home if they can manage the transportation, without any hotel expense at all.
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2 words....rack rates! If you have ever tried to get a room at 10, 11 pm or later w.o a registration, good luck! You get reamed. So, to avoid that, you reserve a room. You play no matter what.

Keith
 
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