Free events in cities across the country kick-off premier season for Pokemon Trading Card Game Players of All Ages

Pokemon USA, Inc. today announced Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) City Championships for players of all ages. City Championships provide players the opportunity to succeed at an intellectual sport and test a player's Pokemon TCG skill, strategy, and creativity on the path to becoming a Championship-level player.

Competitors are divided into three divisions: Junior Division (Born 1997 or later), Senior Division (Born in 1993, 1994, 1995, or 1996), and Masters Division (Born in 1992 or earlier). The winner in each category will earn the title of City Champion. City Championships players also have the opportunity to earn Pokemon prizes including booster card packs and exclusive merchandise.

The Pokemon Championship series events begin in November 2007 with City Championships, followed by State/Province/Territory Championships, Regional Championships, and National Championships, all leading up to the 2008 Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) World Championships in August 2008.

WHO: Pokemon Trading Card Game players and the general public

WHAT: Pokemon TCG City Championship; FREE admission, open to the public

WHEN: November 23, 2007 to January 6, 2008

WHERE: Cities across the U.S.

WHY: For the chance to compete against other Pokemon players for prizes!

For more information, visit the City Championships homepage.

Volume 28 of the manga Pokemon Special has been announced, with a tentative release date of December 25, 2007. The book is expected to bring the Emerald arc up to its climax, which was published in Pokemon Wonderland. The ISBN-13 of the book is 9784091404565 and the book will retail for 460yen.



Pokemon Special is serialised in the Shogakukan Shogaku-4-nensei, Shogaku-5-nensei and Shogaku-6-nensei magazines. The December issue of these magazines was released on November 2.

Sources: http://netkun.com/pockemon/ & http://bulbanews.bulbagarden.net/

Pokemon TCG: Diamond & Pearl - Secret Wonders doesn't hit store shelves until November 7th, but many Pokemon enthusiasts across the U.S. and Canada have already been treated to an early look at the latest cards. How did they score such a sweet opportunity? Savvy Pokemon fans got to play with brand-new cards before anyone else by attending Secret Wonders Prerelease tournaments. Additional Secret Wonders Prerelease tournaments will be taking place November 3rd and 4th.

Pokemon Fans Across North America Sneak a Peek at the Latest Cards! To get a feel for the excitement, go-pokemon.com attended a Secret Wonders Prerelease tournament held at Phoenix Games in Mukilteo, Washington. When we arrived, there was electricity in the air as dozens of Pokemon fans prepared to play with cards they had never seen before. One of the best parts of playing and collecting Pokemon trading cards is the excitement you feel just before opening a booster pack. What will be inside? Your favorite Pokemon? A powerful Trainer card? An oddly alluring Bidoof? Imagine this same feeling, but now consider that after you open the pack, you'll immediately have to put these cards to use against another player in your same position. That's a thrilling experience, and that's what Pokemon Prerelease tournaments are all about. After opening six booster packs each, competitors have an equal amount of time to construct 40-card decks with which to challenge their rivals. At the Secret Wonders Prerelease tournament, foil wrappers were flying as eager fans soaked up the new possibilities and formed their plans of attack. It didn't take long for strategies to be formulated, and before long, the competition was underway. The tournament bracket was broken down into three divisions based on age: Junior, Senior, and Masters. As we wandered from table to table, it was clear that the competition was fierce in each age group. Attacks were flying everywhere. We witnessed Charizard using Blast Burn to K.O. an opposing Pokemon. Wild Waves from Gastrodon West Sea wreaked havoc on Benched Pokemon on more than one occasion. Damage counters flew in all directions, and Prize cards were snatched up with glee. With ultimate victory or an unfortunate defeat hanging in the balance, time seemed to stand still as coins were flipped and fates were determined. When the dust settled, three Pokemon Trainers stood above the rest as the champions of the day. There wasn't a loser in the room though, because all participants got to keep the cards they opened during the competition. On top of that, tournament goers each received a special foil-stamped Prerelease card, as well as a couple Secret Wonders booster packs when they completed the event. Everybody wins at Prerelease tournaments! If you missed last week's tournaments, you're not out of luck. Additional Secret Wonders Prerelease tournaments will be taking place November 4th and 5th. For more information, and to find a tournament near you, visit the prerelease tournament page at go-pokemon.com. While most Pokemon Organized Play tournaments are free, Prerelease tournaments require a minimum $25 entrance fee. For more details, visit the Secret Wonders prerelease tournament FAQ.

Source: http://www.go-pokemon.com/tcg/news/