Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Trading Card Game (TCG)
North America Regional Qualifier 2010 FAQ
Basic Information
Preparing for the Tournament
At the Tournament
Qualification for 2010 National Championship Tournaments
Q: What are Regional Qualifiers?
Regional Qualifiers are high-level tournaments in which Duelists compete to earn invites to their National Championship, along with exclusive prizes. Participants in Regional Qualifiers are held to a high standard of sportsmanship and are expected to be fully prepared for the event.
Q: Where and when are the Regional Qualifiers?
A list of dates and locations for currently scheduled Regional Qualifier events can be found online at http://www.yugioh-card.com/en/events/regionals_locations.html. This list is updated as new events are scheduled – the 2010 Regional Qualifier season will extend into the summer of 2010, so there is a long stretch of time in which these tournaments will run.
Q: How much does it cost to enter a Regional Qualifier?
The cost of the tournament is $20.00 in the United States, and $25.00 in Canada. With your entry fee, you will receive 5 booster packs of the latest Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s expansion.
Q: What are the prizes for Regional Qualifiers?
In addition to the 5 packs each player receives upon entering the tournament, prize distribution will be as follows:
- Top 8 players each receive a 2010 Regional Qualifier Game Mat.
- Top 4 players also receive a Card Binder.
- At the Tournament Organizer’s discretion, the above prizes may be supplemented with additional product.
- Invites for 2010 National Championships, depending upon the total registration of the event.
2010 Regional Qualifier Game Mat
Q: How many players will earn invites at a Regional Qualifier?
Invites to 2010 National Championship tournaments are awarded based on the total number of players entered in the Regional Qualifier, beginning with the first place finisher and extending downwards in order, as follows:
- 4 – 32 players: 4 Invites to the 2010 National Championship
- 33-64 players: 8 Invites to the 2010 National Championship
- 65 – 128 players: 16 Invites to the 2010 National Championship
- 129 + players: 32 Invites to the 2010 National Championship.
If a player who has already received an invite to 2010 Nationals at a Konami Regional Qualifier or SHONEN JUMP Championship earns another one, the invite does not pass down.
Duelists who earn invites will be responsible for completing the 2010 Invite form on-site at the Regional Qualifier, in order to be placed on the Invite List. Incomplete information could prevent your invite from being verified by KDE, so make every effort to ensure that your information is complete and legible.
Q: What is the format for Regional Qualifier tournaments?
Regional Qualifier tournaments are Constructed events, which mean 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).
Regional Qualifiers will be run using Swiss Format, which means all Duelists 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. After the Swiss Round portion of the tournament is completed, the 8 top-ranked Duelists will participate in one Single Elimination playoff round, to determine a top 4.
Swiss Rounds for the 2010 Regional Qualifier Season:
- 4 – 8 Players : 3 Rounds of Swiss
- 9 – 16 Players : 4 Rounds of Swiss
- 17 – 32 Players : 5 Rounds of Swiss
- 33 – 64 Players : 6 Rounds of Swiss
- 65 – 128 Players : 7 Rounds of Swiss
- 129 – 256 Players: 8 Rounds of Swiss
- 257 – 512 Players: 9 Rounds of Swiss
- 513 – 1024 Players : 10 Rounds of Swiss
Q: Can I play in more than one Regional Qualifier?
Duelists who meet the requirements can compete in any number of Regional Qualifiers, regardless if they have already earned an invite.
Q: Can I get a COSSY ID number at the Regional Qualifier tournament, or will I need to have one before I attend the event?
If you do not have a COSSY ID number, you can get one at the event.
Q: What cards are legal for play?
Currently, you can include all SHONEN JUMP Magazine promos up until “Tragoedia"; all GX Manga promos through “Winged Kuriboh LV 9; all video game promos up to and including “Infernity Archfiend," “Infernity Dwarf,” and “Infernity Guardian” from NDS Stardust Accelerator – World Championship 2009 and “Supersonic Skull Flame”, “Skull Flame”, and “Burning Skull Head” from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breakers (Wii); and cards from all booster sets up until Ancient Prophecy in your Decks.
Please check the “Products” page online at http://www.yugioh-card.com/en/products/ for an updated look at the legality dates of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s product releases.
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. Cards from the Duel Terminal that are not currently available through another source, such as Ally of Justice – Catastor , are not yet legal for play.
Q: Can I use OCG cards in my Deck?
No, cards printed for Asian markets are not legal for play in TCG tournaments.
Q: Can I use foreign language cards in my Deck?
You can 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, kept outside of your deck, when asked to do so by an opponent or tournament official.
Duelists who wish to enter a Regional Qualifier must meet the following criteria:
- Have a Deck that meets the current Advanced Format criteria.
- Have a COSSY ID number (obtainable at the event) and be in good standing.
- Duelists who have been suspended from Organized Play by KDE are not considered to be in good standing, and may not register for or compete in sanctioned events.
- Suspended persons may not enter the venue of a Regional Qualifier tournament. If a suspended person is discovered at the venue, they may be charged with offenses including but not limited to trespassing, as well as an extension of their suspension.
Q: What will I need to bring to a Regional Qualifier tournament?
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 a COSSY ID number, you should bring your number and barcode. You’ll also need the entry fee for the tournament, as well as money for your incidentals (food, drink, etc.)
Duelists are responsible for looking after their own belongings at the event.
Q: What will I need to bring in order to register for the tournament?
Be prepared to present your COSSY ID number along with your name at registration, and be prepared to show ID if it is requested. Acceptable forms of ID include current-year School ID cards, driver’s licenses, passports, or other government - issued identification documents.
If you are under the age of 16, you can bring in a copy of your birth certificate as proof of ID.
Duelists who register or attempt to register under another Duelist’s name or COSSY ID number will be disqualified from the event, and risk suspension from Organized Play events.
Q: If I’ve never been to a Regional Qualifier, tournament, what should I expect?
Regional Qualifiers are usually rather large tournaments, and attract competitive Duelists who are interested in earning Nationals invites, winning the Regional prizes and keeping their Dueling skills honed.
When you compete in a Regional Qualifier tournament, you’ll be held to high standards of play and sportsmanship. You should know how the cards in your Deck work, and should take great care to prepare your Deck, sleeves, and Deck List. Duelists 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.
Regional Qualifiers are an excellent place to test your skills, learn more about deckbuilding and strategy, and see how well you match up against the other Duelists in your area.
Q: I want to judge at a Regional Qualifier, instead of competing as a player – how can I volunteer?
If you’re interested in judging, you should contact the Tournament Organizer for the Regional Qualifier as soon as possible (use the contact number provided in the Regional Locator listing). Most Tournament Organizers are always on the lookout for judge staff, so be prepared to provide your full name, contact information including email and phone number, and a description of your previous judging experience. You should also email us-opsupport@konami.com with the same information, to be added to the KDE Judge Roster and receive additional information and updates about the Judge Program.
Potential judges do not currently need to hold Konami certification in order to judge.
Q: I want to vend at a Regional Qualifier, whom should I contact?
Vending space is generally available at Regional Qualifiers held outside of Official Tournament stores, and is open 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 Regional Qualifier]”.
Q: Whom should I contact for more information about a specific Regional Qualifier?
Your best resource for answers about a specific Regional Qualifier event is the contact number listed on the Regional Locator. KDE won’t be able to answer questions such as “How do I get to the venue?”, “Where should I park?”, “When does registration start?”, and so forth. For questions such as these, you will need to contact the Tournament Organizer directly.
If you have more general questions about Regional Qualifiers, you can send them to us-opsupport@konami.com. Please be as detailed as possible, so we can try to provide you with the answers you’re seeking!
Q: Will there be Side Events?
Some Regional Qualifiers will offer Side Events such as Dragon Duels and Win-A-Mat events. Check with your Tournament Organizer to find out!
Q: How long will the tournament last?
The number of Swiss rounds is determined by the number of players present. Rounds in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME are 40 minutes long. Since you can play all rounds in a Swiss tournament, you should expect to be at the event for several hours.
Q: Will there be vendors on site so I can buy single cards and supplies?
If your Regional Qualifier is being held in an Official Tournament Store, you will certainly have access to cards and supplies. Regional Qualifiers held outside of Official Tournament Stores will provide vendors selling single cards, sealed product, and card supplies such as sleeves and deckboxes.
Q: Can I buy and sell cards from other players at the event?
Duelists are not allowed to buy or sell cards from one another at Regional Qualifier venues. If you do so, you risk being removed from the event.
QUALIFICATION FOR 2010 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENTS
Q: Do I have to qualify in my own country?
You can earn a Nationals invite through Regional Qualifiers, Dragon Duels, and SHONEN JUMP Championships in any country, but you can only compete in the National Championship held in your own country. For example, if a Duelist from the United States qualifies in Canada, he or she will still play in the United States National Championships.
Q: If I qualified in a Dragon Duel tournament (for players aged 12 and under) can I play in the regular National Championships?
Duelists who are 12 or under are eligible to play in their National Championship, in addition to any separate events held specifically for Duelists aged 12 and under.
Q: Will Regional Qualifier invites “pass down” if someone who has already earned an invite earns another one?
No, invites will not pass down for the 2010 Regional Qualifier season.
Q: How and when will I receive my invite?
A list of players who have earned invites to a National Championship will be posted online. You will not receive a physical invitation – you will be entered in the Invite List database.
You will not receive an invite or certificate in the mail. You will not receive an invite or certificate via email. You will not be required to present any kind of certificate in order to enter your National Championship. Your name and information will be added to the Invite List, and that is proof that you qualified.
Information about your National Championship will likewise 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 National Championship by checking the www.yugioh-card.com/en/events page for updates.
If you have a question about your invite status, you can 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.
Please 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.
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 attending a National Championship tournament will be the responsibility of the Duelist.
