Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG United States National Championship 2009 FAQ
BASIC INFORMATION
Q: What is the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s TCG US National Championship 2009 tournament?
It is the most prestigious Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG tournament in the United States – it is an invitation-only event in which qualified players from all across the US will compete to select four US Champions to represent their country at the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship 2009 in Tokyo Japan, August 8th and 9th.
Q: Where and when is the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s TCG US National Championship 2009 tournament?
The event will be held at:
David L Lawrence Convention Center
1000 Ft. Duquesne Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15222Spirit of Pittsburgh Ballroom (National Championship July 11th- July 12th)
Rooms 303-305 (Last Chance Regional Qualifiers – Friday July 10th)The event takes place from Friday, July 10th through Sunday, July 12th.:
Fri, July 10: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Sat, July 11: 8:00 PM – end of Swiss Rounds
Sun, July 12: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PMWhile the US National Championship 2009 weekend runs from Friday through Sunday, please note that the main National Championship tournament begins on Saturday, July 11th, and finishes with the Top 32 playoff on Sunday, July 12th.
Q: Where and when is the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s TCG World Championship 2009?
The TCG World Championship 2009 tournament will take place in Tokyo, Japan on August 8th- 9th. Please remember that competitors (and their guardians, if they are under 18) will need passports in order to travel to Japan.
KDE is not responsible for obtaining or paying for passports for competitors or their guardians.
Q: How do I qualify to compete in the US National Championship 2009 tournament?
Players have several ways to qualify to compete in the US National Championship 2009. Players who finish in the Top 32 of a 2009 season KDE Regional Qualifier tournament or in the Top 16 of a KDE SHONEN JUMP Championship tournament will appear on the list of qualified players. Players who are 12 and under and place in the Top 4 of a Dragon Duel event will also appear on the list of qualified players.
Players may also participate in Last Chance Regional Qualifier events held on Friday, July 10th – the day before the US National Championship 2009 tournament.
Q: How much does it cost to enter the US National Championship 2009?
There is no cost to enter the National Championship tournament, it is free to all players who have qualified.
Side Events vary in cost – please see the Side Event Schedule for more detailed information.
Q: What are the prizes for the US National Championship 2009 tournament?
• 1st place – Travel and accommodations to the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship 2009 Tournament held in Tokyo, Japan on August 8th-9th; US National Championship Trophy; Complete set of Raging Battle and Ghost Rare Cards; “Dark End Dragon” Prize Card, Digital Camera; Day of sightseeing in Tokyo, Japan; DSi with Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Stardust Accelerator 2009 World Championship game, National Championship 2009 Game Mat; Player Profile on www.yugioh-card.com; National Championship 2009 Card Binder; Set of 4 Ultra Rare Token Cards
• 2nd place – Travel and accommodations to the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship 2009 Tournament held in Tokyo, Japan on August 8th-9th ; US National Championship 2009 Trophy; Complete set of Raging Battle and Ghost Rare Cards; Digital Camera; Day of sightseeing in Tokyo, Japan; DSi with Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Stardust Accelerator 2009 World Championship game, National Championship 2009 Game Mat; Player Profile on yugioh-card.com; National Championship 2009 Card Binder; Set of 4 Ultra Rare Token Cards
• 3rd place – Travel and accommodations to the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship 2009 Tournament held in Tokyo, Japan on August 8th-9th; US National Championship 2009 Trophy; Complete set of Raging Battle; Digital Camera; Day of sightseeing in Tokyo, Japan; National Championship 2009 Game Mat; Player Profile on yugioh-card.com; National Championship 2009 Card Binder; Set of 4 Ultra Rare Token Cards
• 4th place – Travel and accommodations to the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG World Championship Tournament held in Tokyo, Japan on August 8th-9th; US National Championship 2009 Trophy; Complete set of Raging Battle; Digital Camera; Day of sightseeing in Tokyo, Japan; National Championship 2009 Game Mat; Player Profile on yugioh-card.com; National Championship 2009 Card Binder; Set of 4 Ultra Rare Token Cards
• 5th – 8th place – US National Championship 2009 Trophy; Wii Console with Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breaker video game; National Championship 2009 Game Mat, National Championship 2009 Card Binder; Set of 4 Ultra Rare Token Cards
• 9th – 16th place – DSi and Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Stardust Accelerator 2009 World Championship game; National Championship 2009 Game Mat; National Championship 2009 Card Binder; Set of 4 Ultra Rare Token Cards
• 17th – 32nd place – National Championship 2009 Game Mat; National Championship 2009 Card Binder; Set of 4 Ultra Rare Token Cards
• 33rd – Last place – National Championship 2009 Game Mat; Set of 4 Ultra Rare Token Cards
Q: What is the format for the US National Championship 2009 tournament?
The US National Championship 2009 is a Constructed event, which means each player 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: Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Limited & Forbidden Cards, Advanced Format List).
The tournament will be run using Swiss Format, which means players will play a set number of rounds determined by the number of players. Players are not eliminated during the event, and can play through all Swiss rounds. The Swiss Round portion of the tournament will be completed on Saturday, July 11th. On Sunday, July 12th, the Top 32 players from the previous day will compete in a Single Elimination playoff, to determine the winner.
Q: Can I play in more than one National Championship tournament?
Players can only compete in one National Championship tournament each year.
Q: Can I get a Player ID and COSSY number at the US National Championship 2009 tournament, or will I need to have one already?
If you have already competed in a KDE Regional Qualifier or other event, you should make sure that the COSSY number you received is registered online before attending a National Championship. If you have not yet received a number (and are attending to compete in the Last Chance Regional Qualifiers) you will be able to get a number at the event.
Q: What cards are legal for play?
Currently, you can include all SHONEN JUMP Magazine promos up until “Beast King Barbaros," all video game promos up to and including “Gallis the Star Beast," “Red-Eyes Wyvern,” and “Darkness Destroyer” from GX Tag Force 3, and cards from all booster sets up until Raging Battle in your Decks.
The following cards will be legal on the dates listed:
5/26/2009:
NDS Stardust Accelerator – World Championship 2009 (DS)
“Infernity Archfiend,” “Infernity Dwarf,” and “Infernity Guardian”5/26/2009:
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breakers (Wii)
“Supersonic Skull Flame,” “Skull Flame,” and “Burning Skull Head”6/9/2009:
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s 2009 Starter Deck
Q: Can I play with cards I got from the North American version of the Duel Terminal?
Any cards from the North American Duel Terminal (currently numbered DTP1-EN###) are allowed for use if the card was previously available in another product. Any cards from the Duel Terminal that are not currently available through another source are not yet legal for play.
PREPARING FOR THE TOURNAMENT
Q: What will I need to bring to the US National Championship 2009 tournament?
Players should bring a tournament-legal Deck as described above, along with any tournament supplies they will need, such as paper and pen to track Life Points, dice or counters if they are playing cards which require them, extra sleeves to replace any that become damaged, and so forth. Players who have been issued COSSY ID numbers should bring their number and barcode.
Players will be responsible for their own belongings at the event.
Q: What do I need to bring in order to register for the US National Championship 2009 tournament?
Players will need to present a valid form of photo ID, to verify their identity, when registering for a National Championship tournament. Acceptable forms of ID include current-year School ID cards, Driver’s Licenses, passports, or other government-issued identification documents. Players under the age of 16 may bring in a copy of their birth certificate as proof of ID. Be prepared to present your COSSY number along with your name at registration.
Players who register or attempt to register under another player’s name or COSSY number will be disqualified from the event.
Q: If I’ve never been to a US National Championship tournament, what should I expect?
Players competing in a National Championship tournament are held to the highest standards of play. All players should know how the cards in their Deck work, and should take great care to prepare their Deck, sleeves, and Deck List. Players are responsible to pay 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 Tournament Organizer.
All players attending this National Championship should prepare themselves to travel – four players will be chosen to represent the United States at the World Championship tournament in Tokyo. Travel to Japan requires a passport, so all players competing in the event should be prepared to expedite their passport if they don't currently have one. If a selected champion is unable to attend Worlds, a replacement will not be chosen.
Q: Whom should I contact for more information about the US National Championship 2009 tournament?
Please email us-opsupport@konami.com with your detailed questions and contact information.
AT THE TOURNAMENT
Q: Will there be Side Events?
Yes, there will be side events on both days of the Tournament – please see the Tournament Schedule for more information.
Q: Will there be anything else new and exciting?
Players will be able to try out the Duel Terminal machines at the US National Championship this year. Don't miss your chance to check out the arcade-style gameplay and the Duel Terminal cards!
Q: How long will the tournament last?
The number of Swiss rounds is determined by the number of players present.
• 257 – 512 Players = 9 Rounds of Swiss.
• 513 – 1024 Players = 10 Rounds of Swiss.
• 1025 – 2050 Players = 11 Rounds of Swiss.
• 2051 or More Players = 12 Rounds of Swiss.Rounds in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME are 40 minutes long. Since players can play all rounds in a Swiss tournament, they should expect to be at the event for several hours.
Q: Will there be coverage of the US National Championship 2009?
There will be live coverage of the event on http://www.yugioh-card.com/en/events.
Q: Can I attend the US National Championship 2009 even if I am not qualified, to watch and play in Side Events?
Yes, the National Championship Side Events are open to all players, whether or not they have qualified for the National Championship. Spectators must abide by tournament rules, including those for spectating. Spectators will be obligated to observe the matches from specific areas in the tournament, and cannot wander the aisles during the round.
QUALIFICATION FOR 2009 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Q: Do I have to qualify in my own country?
Players can earn a Nationals invite through standard Regional Qualifiers, Dragon Duels, and SHONEN JUMP Championships in any country, but they can only compete in the National Championship held in their own country. For instance, if a player from the US qualifies in Canada, he or she will still play in the US National Championships.
Q: How do Last Chance Regional Qualifer tournaments work?
Last Chance Regional Qualifiers are run under a different format than a regular Regional Qualifier, in order to give more players a chance to qualify. They are Advanced format Constructed events.
Last Chance Regional Qualifiers at the US National Championship will be run as 16-player Single Elimination flights. Each flight will cost $10.00 and each player will receive 2 booster packs and one Duelist Pack with their entry fee. As soon as 16 players are ready to play, a new Last Chance Regional will begin. These flights will run until the hall closes for the night at 8:00 PM.
The winner of each flight will receive a 2009 Regional Game Mat along with an invite to the next day's US National Championship.
Please note: Last Chance Regional Qualifiers are only open to players who have not previously qualified. All invites received in the Last Chance Regional Qualifiers held on July 10th are valid only for the US National Championship 2009. They cannot be used for next year's US National Championship, or for another country's National Championship.
Q: If I qualified in a Dragon Duel tournament (for players aged 12 and under) can I play in the regular National Championships?
Players who are 12 or under are eligible to play in their National Championship, in addition to any separate events held specifically for players aged 12 and under.
Q: Will Regional Qualifier invites “pass down” if someone in Top 32 has already earned an invite? How will I know if I have received a “pass-down” invite?
Yes. If a player in the Top 32 has already earned an invite at a different KDE Regional Qualifier, his or her invite will pass down to the next-highest ranked player, outside Top 32, without an invite. Players should always stay for the finish of the Regional to determine if invites are passing down, but if a player left an event without filling out an information sheet for Nationals Invites, he or she can check the list of qualified players posted here: http://www.yugioh-card.com/en/events/qualifiers_2009.html
Q: I qualified at a KDE tournament, but I can't see my name or COSSY ID on the invite list. What should I do?
If you made Top 32 at a KDE Regional Qualifier, Top 16 at a KDE SHONEN JUMP, or Top 4 in a KDE Dragon Duel event (or know that you received a pass-down invite) and you either do not see your name or COSSY ID posted in the list of qualified players or see an error in your information, please email us-opsupport@konami.com and give an exact description of the issue along with your full name, your COSSY ID, and the date and event at which you qualified.
Please remember that all information is reviewed from the invite paperwork you filled out on site. If you did not fill out a form, filled it out incompletely, or filled it out illegibly it may be difficult to quickly verify your information.
It does take time for Tournament Organizers to send in paperwork and for the data to be entered into the system.
Q: How and when will I receive my invite?
A list of players who have earned invites to a National Championship is posted online at http://www.yugioh-card.com/en/events/qualifiers_2009.html. Players will not receive a physical “Invitation," rather, they will entered into a database. Players who qualify for invites will fill out information sheets on site at the Regional Qualifier – it is very important that all information is clearly provided.
Players with questions about their invite status can email us-opsupport@konami.com, and should provide their full name, COSSY number, and the date and location of the event at which they qualified, along with their questions.
Q: Is travel or hotel included with my invite?
Travel and/or lodging are not included with invites earned at a Regional Qualifier – the expenses incurred in order to attend a Nationals Championship tournament are the responsibility of the player.
Q: I earned an invite from a previous Organized Play program, will I have to earn another one from Konami in order to attend the Canadian National Championship 2009 tournament?
Only invites earned at KDE Regional Qualifiers, Dragon Duels, or SHONEN JUMP Championships are valid for entry into 2009 National Championship events. Invites earned at any previous events run under any other Organized Play system no longer exist.
