WCQ Information

• What happens at a World Championship Qualifier?
• When is the United States World Championship Qualifier?
• Where is the United States World Championship Qualifier?
• When is registration for the United States World Championship Qualifier?
• What are the prizes for the United States World Championship Qualifier?
• How much does it cost to enter the United States World Championship Qualifier?
• Are there any pack prizes?
• Is there a participation prize?
• What is the format for the United States World Championship Qualifier?
• How many rounds will the United States World Championship Qualifier?
• How many Duelists will advance to the Top Cut?
• What will I need to bring to the United States World Championship Qualifier?
• I’ve never been to a Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Qualifier, what should I expect?
• I will be bringing my children to the United States World Championship Qualifier. Is there anything I should know?
• Will the United States World Championship Qualifier have the Bounty Feature?
• Will there be meal breaks during the tournament?
• Who should I contact if I have questions about the United States World Championship Qualifier?

Registration Information

• When can I register for the United States World Championship Qualifier?
• What will I need to bring in order to register?
• When and how will I receive my participation prizes?

Public Events

• Will there be Public Events?
• What are the point values for the Public Events?
• What is the Public Events playoff?

Invitations

• Do I need an invitation to participate in the United States World Championship Qualifier?
• If I qualified in a Dragon Duel tournament (for players aged 12 and under) can I play in the regular World Championship Qualifier?
• How and when will I receive my invite?
• What should I do if I can’t find my name on KDE’s online invite list?

Card Legality

• What cards are legal for play?
• Can I play with cards I got from American Duel Terminals?
• Can I use OCG cards (cards printed for use in Japan and other Asian territories) in my Deck?
• Can I use foreign language cards in my Deck?

Video Game

• Who will be competing in the 2010 Video Game National Championship?
• How many will go on to the World Championship?
• What game will the Finalists be competing with?
• What do the Top 2 Finalists win?
• When will the 2010 Video Game National Championship take place?
• How can I participate next year?

Travel

• What is the closest airport to the United States World Championship Qualifier?
• What’s the best way to get to the tournament from the airport?
• Is there a Yu-Gi-Oh! room rate at any nearby hotels?

Miscellaneous

• I want to judge at the United States World Championship Qualifier, instead of competing as a player – how can I volunteer?
• Will there be vendors on site so I can buy single cards and supplies and sell my cards?
• I want to vend at the United States World Championship Qualifier, whom should I contact?
• Can I buy and sell from other people at the event?
• Where can I get food and drinks during the tournament?
• Will there be Duel Terminals at the United States World Championship Qualifier?
• Can I get a COSSY ID number at the United States World Championship Qualifier, or will I need to have one before I attend the event?
• Will there be coverage of the United States World Championship Qualifier?

WCQ Information

Q: What happens at a World Championship Qualifier?

A: The United States World Championship Qualifier is an invite-only tournament, where Duelists will compete for a chance to represent the United States at the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship tournament, held in Long Beach, California on August 14th-15th. The winner of the WCQ will receive paid travel and accommodations, along with a host of other prizes, and the title of “United States National Champion 2010.” Runners-up will also receive exciting prizes.

The United States World Championship Qualifier is a 3-day event. On Friday, July 9th, Duelists who have not qualified for the WCQ can play in Last Chance Qualifiers to earn an invite for the WCQ, which will take place on Saturday, July 10th.

In addition to the World Championship Qualifier, there will be numerous Public Events, including tournaments specifically for Duelists aged 12 and under, and Regional Qualifier tournaments. Competitive or casual, there is something for everyone to do at the WCQ.

Q: When is the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A: July 9th-11th, 2010

Q: Where is the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A:  Minneapolis Convention Center
Friday: Rooms L100 C-H
Sat/Sun: Exhibit Hall A
1301 Second Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55403

www.minneapolisconventioncenter.com

Q: When is registration for the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A: Friday, July 9th: 10:00am – 7:00pm
Saturday, July 10th: 8:00am – 9:45am 

Q: What are the prizes for the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A:

Q: How much does it cost to enter the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A: There is no entry fee to the United States World Championship Qualifier.

Q: Are there any pack prizes?

A: 5th-16th place will receive 24 booster packs of The Shining Darkness. No other booster pack prizes will be awarded.

Q: Is there a participation prize?

A: Yes, all Duelists who register for the United States World Championship Qualifier will receive a World Championship Qualifier Game Mat, and a pack of World Championship Qualifier Card Sleeves.

Q: What is the format for the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A: World Championship tournaments are Constructed events, which means each Duelist must bring his or her own Deck in order to compete. Decks must be constructed according to the latest Advanced Format guidelines. (See here for more information: http://www.yugioh-card.com/en/limited/#limited_adv) The Advanced Format changed as of March 1st. You will need to make sure your Deck matches the current format.

Q: How many rounds will the United States World Championship Qualifier have?

A: The total number of Duelists will determine the number of rounds that are played.

Q: How many Duelists will advance to the Top Cut?

A: The WCQ will cut to Top 64 after all rounds of Swiss are completed.

Q: What will I need to bring to the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A: You should bring a tournament-legal Deck as described above, along with any tournament supplies you will need; such as paper and pen to track Life Points, dice or counters if you are using cards which require them, extra sleeves to replace any that become damaged, and so forth. If you have earned an invite to the WCQ, you must bring your COSSY ID number and a form of personal identification with a picture, as you will need proof of identity in order to register.  If you are only competing in Public Events, if you already have a COSSY ID number, you should bring your number and barcode or if you do not have one, you can obtain one at the event.  You should also bring money for your incidentals (food, drinks, Public Events, etc.).

Q: If I’ve never been to a World Championship Qualifier, what should I expect?

A: World Championship Qualifiers are a showcase for a country’s top Duelists, and attract other Duelists of all ages and skill levels to participate in the Public Events. Many Duelists will travel great distances to attend the World Championship Qualifier, so you can expect to meet lots of fellow Yu-Gi-Oh! fans from all over your country.

Duelists are responsible for paying attention to information from judges and/or tournament staff in order to understand what is going on. If players have questions about the event either beforehand or while they are there, they should check with the Event Manager.

Duelists should read over the KDE Penalty Guidelines carefully before the event. You may find these Guidelines by clicking here:
http://www.yugioh-card.com/en/gameplay/penalty_guide/KDE_Penalty_Feb2010.pdf

Q: I will be bringing my children to the United States World Championship Qualifier. Is there anything I should know?

A: We will have a Parents’ Lounge available, where parents can relax while their children are occupied in the tournament. This area is open only to parents and their children. You are not required to stay on site, but we strongly recommend that you do, especially if your children are young or this is their first event. Please know that the tournament staff cannot be responsible for looking after your children, or their possessions. Always make sure your child has a way to contact you, and is provided with any necessities such as food, drink, or extra money if you do not wish to remain in the tournament area.

When your child is preparing for the event, encourage him or her to leave any bulky or expensive possessions at home. Electronics and large collections of cards are hard to keep track of during a big tournament – your child will have a much easier day without having to worry about these kinds of items.

Trading cards is a big attraction at large tournaments, but if you are concerned about your child trading away valuable cards, talk to him or her before the event and set some guidelines. You can always have your child check with you before making a trade.

Q: Will the United States World Championship Qualifier have the Bounty Feature?

A: No, the Bounty feature will not happen at the United States World Championship Qualifier.

Q: Will there be meal breaks during the tournament?

A: There will not be any meal breaks scheduled into the tournament.

Q: Who should I contact if I have questions about the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A: e-mail: us-cardsupport@konami.com

Registration Information

Q: When can I register for the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A: Registration will be open on Friday, July 9th from 12:00pm until 7:00pm, and on Saturday, July 10th, from 8:00am until 9:45am. We strongly recommend that you register on Friday, to make sure you are ready to play on Saturday. If you register on Friday, you do not need to register again on Saturday.

Q: What will I need to bring in order to register for the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A: Make sure you have all of the following, in order to register for the United States World Championship Qualifier:

• Your COSSY ID (if you have lost your ID and cannot remember your number, we will be able to look it up on site).
• A proper form of identification, with your name and photo. A driver’s license, school ID, or passport are all acceptable forms of identification. Since this tournament is invitation-only, it is important that we verify the identity of all participants.
  

Q: When will I receive my participation prizes?

A: You will receive your participation prizes when you register for the WCQ.

Public Events

Q: Will there be Public Events?

A:

Q: What are the point values for the Public Events?

A:

Duelists must be present for the start of the first round of each event for which they register, in order to receive the entry points. You cannot register in more than one event at a time. If you register for an event while you are still enrolled in a previous event, you will forfeit all Public Event points for all events in which you are simultaneously registered.

Q: What is the Public Events playoff?

A: The Public Events playoff gives 8 hopeful Duelists a chance to win their very own copy of the coveted YCS Prize Cards! There are two different playoffs, each of which awards the YCS Prize Cards to the winner.

Playoff 1: Four names will be drawn at random from all Public Events entrants over the course of the weekend. These four competitors will then play two rounds of single elimination to determine a winner, who will receive a Super Rare set of the new YCS Prize Cards.

Playoff 2: The four Duelists who have accumulated the highest number of Public Event points will play two rounds of single elimination to determine a winner, who will receive a Super Rare set of the new YCS Prize Cards. In case of a points total tie, the selection will be made by random drawing from the tied competitors.

Invitations

Q: Do I need an invitation to participate in the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A: Yes, you must have earned an invite at a Regional Qualifier, SHONEN JUMP Championship Series, or Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series event in order to participate in the United States World Championship Qualifier.

Q: If I qualified in a Dragon Duel tournament (for players aged 12 and under) can I play in the regular World Championship Qualifier?

A: Duelists who are 12 or under, who have earned an invitation through a Regional Qualifier are eligible to play in the World Championship Qualifier, in addition to any separate events held specifically for Duelists aged 12 and under.

Q: How and when will I receive my invite?

A: The list of players who have earned invites to their World Championship Qualifier is posted online at www.yugioh-card.com/en/events. You will not receive a physical invitation, or an invitation through email or postal mail – you will be entered into the invite list database.

Information about your World Championship Qualifier will be posted online – it will not be mailed or sent to you. Duelists are responsible to verify that their name appears on the appropriate invite list, and to access posted information about their World Championship Qualifier tournament by checking the www.yugioh-card.com/en/events page for updates.

Q: What should I do if I can’t find my name on KDE’s online invite list?  

A: First, look at the Regional Qualifier list. Events that are highlighted in blue and marked with an asterisk have had their results updated to the invite list.

Check the invite list carefully, to see if you have missed seeing your name. Look at the COSSY ID numbers as well.

If you do not see your name and the event at which you qualified is highlighted in blue, you should email us-opsupport@konami.com and ask. Please provide your full name, COSSY ID number, and the date and location of the event at which you qualified, along with your question, so we can answer you quickly and efficiently.

If you see an error in your name or COSSY ID, you can also report this to us-opsupport@konami.com. Make sure to include your full name, COSSY ID, and the date and location of the event at which you qualified.

 If your event is not highlighted, we have not yet processed those results. Remember that invite status information isn’t automatically or instantly updated, so you should allow some time for results to be posted from your tournament – it can take several weeks for the data to be entered into the system, and be posted online.

Card Legality

Q: What cards are legal for play?

A: Please check the “Products” page online at http://www.yugioh–card.com/en/products/ for an updated look at the legality dates of product releases, prior to preparing your Deck for the event. In addition to checking the tournament legality of a product, please also consult the current Advanced Format Forbidden/Limited list. Certain cards in products with tournament-legal dates can sometimes be excluded from the current format.

You can include the following promos:

• All SHONEN JUMP Magazine promos up through “Golem Dragon” (JUMP-EN040), “The Tyrant Neptune" (JUMP-EN041), and “Transforming Sphere” (JUMP-EN042)
• All GX Manga promos up through “Elemental Hero Absolute Zero” (YG04-EN001)
• All Yu-Gi-Oh! R Manga promos up through “Alector, Sovereign of Birds” (YR05-EN001)
• All video game promos up through “Samurai Sword Baron,” “Stygian Security,” and “Stygian Sergeants” from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s World Championship 2010 Reverse of Arcadia
• Cards from all booster sets up through The Shining Darkness, Duelist Pack – Kaiba, Gold Series 3, and cards from Starter Deck - Duelist Toolbox.

Q: Can I play with cards I got from American Duel Terminals?

A: Cards obtained from American Duel Terminal sets (DTP1-EN###, DT01-EN###, DT02-EN###) are only legal if they have been released in another product. Cards exclusive to the Duel Terminal are not currently legal for play.

For Duel Terminal 2 cards (DT02-EN###), reprints of older cards are legal for play immediately. New cards are not tournament legal until their release in Hidden Arsenal 2. (The new cards are cards number DT02-EN007-036, and cards DT02-EN061-090.)
 
The following Duel Terminal cards are not currently legal for play in sanctioned events. This includes Public Events.

DT01-EN061        Genex Power Planner
DT01-EN063        Genex Worker
DT01-EN065        Royal Knight of the Ice Barrier
DT01-EN070        Flamvell Poun
DT01-EN071        Flamvell Archer
DT01-EN072        Flamvell Fiend
DT01-EN077        Ally Salvo
DT01-EN078        Ally of Justice Thousand Arms
DT01-EN079        Ally of Justice Unknown Crusher
DT01-EN083        Worm Illidan
DT01-EN084        Worm Jetelikpse
DT01-EN085        Worm King
DT02-EN007 through DT02-EN036
DT02-EN061 through DT02-EN090

Q: Can I use OCG cards (cards printed for use in Japan and other Asian territories) in my Deck?

A: No, cards printed for Asian markets are not legal for play in TCG tournaments, even if you have a translation available.

Q: Can I use foreign language cards in my Deck?

A: You may use foreign-language copies of legal-for-play cards printed for the TCG market, as long as you can show an official translation of the card when asked to do so by an opponent or tournament official. Translations do not have to be a local language version of the card. An official translation written down or printed is acceptable. If you want to use a local language version of the card as your translation, you must keep that card outside of your Deck box.

Video Game

Q: Who will be competing in the 2010 Video Game National Championship?

A: The Top 8 Regional Finalists from across the nation have been invited to compete live in Minnesota.

Q: How many will go on to the World Championship?

A: The Top 2 Finalists will go on to compete in the World Championship Tournament in Long Beach, CA August 14th and 15th.

Q: What game will the Finalists be competing with?

A: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s World Championship 2010 – Reverse of Arcadia

Q: What do the Top 2 Finalists win?

A: The Top 2 Finalists receive travel and accommodations to the Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship to be held in Long Beach, California (USA); Trophy; Complete set of Gold Series 3 and Gold Series 2009; a complete set of Super Rare Yu-Gi-Oh! Championship Series Prize Cards; a trip to Disneyland® the day before the World Championship; Personalized hoodie sweatshirt; 120 min. mini-video camera.

Additionally:

1st Place: Xbox 360 Elite, a one-year subscription to Xbox Live, 1600 MS Live points, a promo code to download Decade Duels on Xbox Live and an additional Dark End Dragon card.

2nd Place: 16GB personal music player.

3rd – 4th Place: 8GB personal music player.

Q: When will the 2010 Video Game National Championship take place?

A: Sunday, July 11th at 11:00am at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Q: How can I participate next year?

A: Visit the tournament website www.yugiohuschampionship.com and register to compete.

 

Travel

Q: What is the closest airport to the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A: Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)

Q: What’s the best way to get to the tournament from the airport?

A: There are a variety of transportation options, which can best be viewed from the MSP Ground Transportation web page: http://www.mspairport.com/GroundTransportation.aspx
http://www.minneapolisconventioncenter.com/public/directions.asp

Q: Is there a Yu-Gi-Oh! room rate at any nearby hotels?

A: There is a room block arranged for Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG players at the Hilton Minneapolis for $119/night. The hotel is attached to the Minneapolis Convention Center and there are two ways players can book their rooms there.

1: Call 1-800-HILTONS (445-8667) and tell them you are with the Yu-Gi-Oh! group.
2: When making your reservation at the Hilton Minneapolis webpage, enter the group code YGO to receive the rate.

Miscellaneous

Q: I want to judge at a World Championship Qualifier, instead of competing as a player – how can I volunteer?

A: If you’re interested in judging at a United States World Championship Qualifier, please email KDE’s Judge Manager at us-judgesupport@konami.com. We are always on the lookout for judges – please provide your full name, contact information including email and phone number, and a description of your previous judging experience. You can also request to be added to the KDE Judge Roster, which will enable you to receive additional information and updates about the Judge Program. WCQ Event Managers are not responsible for organizing the judge staff, so you will need to contact KDE directly if you want to judge.

Potential judges do not currently need to hold Konami certification in order to judge, however we recommend all potential judges pass the online Rulings Comprehension Level 1 test, in order to better prepare themselves for these prestigious events. You can find information about the test, and a link to take it, here: http://www.yugioh-card.com/en/judges/index.html

Q: Will there be vendors on site so I can buy single cards and supplies and sell my cards?

A: There will be a number of vendors present, selling single cards, sealed product, and card supplies such as sleeves and deck boxes. Vendors will also be buying cards on site.

Q: I want to vend at the World Championship Qualifier, whom should I contact?

A: Vending space is available free of charge at the World Championship Qualifier, but is only available to Official Tournament Stores in good standing. Vendors must meet certain requirements and agree to abide by set guidelines. Interested vendors should email us-opsupport@konami.com with the header “Request to Vend at [name and location of event].” Vendors will be required to complete and submit an application for each event at which they wish to vend.

Cash transactions with anyone other than an approved vendor at an approved location are prohibited at World Championship Qualifier events. Attendees who conduct cash transactions, such as selling of cards or product, to anyone other than an approved vendor at a World Championship Qualifier event risk penalties including disqualification and expulsion from the venue.

Q: Can I buy and sell from other people at the event?

A: Duelists are not allowed to buy or sell from one another at World Championship Qualifier venues. If you do so, you risk incurring penalties, including being disqualified and removed from the event.

Q: Where can I get food and drinks during the tournament?

A: There are numerous dining opportunities at the convention center and immediately outside the venue. For a comprehensive list of dining options, please follow this link: http://www.minneapolisconventioncenter.com/public/restaurants.asp

Q: Will there be Duel Terminals at the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A: Yes, there will be Duel Terminals at the Yu-Gi-Oh! US World Championship Qualifier. The Duel Terminals will be set up during normal tournament hours in the event hall. The Duel Terminal machines accept single dollar bills only – please bring an adequate amount of dollar bills if you would like to use the Duel Terminals – each Duel Terminal costs $1.00 per play.

Q: Can I get a COSSY ID number at the United States WCQ, or will I need to have one before I attend the event?

A: If you do not have a COSSY ID number, you can get one at the event.

Q: Will there be coverage of the United States World Championship Qualifier?

A: There will be round-by-round online coverage of this event, including feature matches, a photo gallery, Deck analysis and more at www.yugioh-card.com/en/events. Even if you’re unable to make it to the event, you can still be part of the action as the coverage page is updated with live content from the tournament site.