Preface:
Summary
This article will continue to be a work in progress for as long as we are still digging up old archives from this time period. The 2003-2004 period as well as the 2007-2009 period are notoriously hard to gather information on due to the online infrastructure of that time period and while I have done my best to include all dates and locations of events that have survived, I guarantee there are things missing from my research. As time goes on and we uncover more surviving info or if you happen to own any advertising materials, tournament results or other info from this period please DM me to get it added to this article!
Pokémon Organized Play (POP) 2003-2004
After the announcement in March of 2003 that Wizards of the Coast (WotC) was to end production of the Pokémon Trading Card Game, manufacturing and distribution of the TCG was taken over by Nintendo of America (NoA) and Pokémon USA Inc.
(Pokémon USA Inc. would merge with Pokemon UK Inc. in 2009 to become The Pokemon Company International. For the purposes of this article the abbreviation TPCi will be used. Just note that these are the same company, simply at different points in their corporate history.)
NoA/TPCi stated that they intended to wait until the last two sets in pre-production (Aquapolis and Skyridge) were distributed to start production of the first NoA/TPCi-produced expansion. They also stated competitive play was to be taken over and run by NoA/TPCi, but only after the last events run by WotC (at Origins Game Fair 2003 and GenCon 2003) had passed in July. So confusingly enough, there was a brief time in the summer of 2003 where organized competitive play was run by Wizards of the Coast, while production and distribution for the TCG had already been taken over by Nintendo of America/Pokemon USA Inc.
Pre-POP & Ruby & Sapphire Prerelease
Before the start of competitive play in late 2003 there were a handful of events to promote the newest expansion, EX Ruby & Sapphire, released in North America on June 18, 2003. NoA/TPCi chose to keep the “thick border” e-Series card layout introduced in Expedition Base Set, as well as the “Pokemon-e” name (this would only last until 2004.) The first time cards from this new expansion were available to the public was a prerelease event at Pokemon Center New York on June 14, 2003.
Attendees were given the option to buy “Learn to Play” or “General Gameplay” tickets to the event, and local Pokemon Professors and league organizers volunteered to teach new players as the game transitioned to a new era of organized competitive play. Experienced players were encouraged to battle with friends to get familiar with the new Confusion damage and Retreat Limit changes to the card game. About 50 people attended this prerelease event, and it can be considered as the predecessor to Pokemon Organized Play (POP) in the U.S. There were no prerelease promo cards for the EX Ruby & Sapphire expansion and no exclusive cards handed out at this particular event.
Ruby & Sapphire Challenge
Ruby and Sapphire Challenge hybrid VGC/TCG events were the first official POP tournaments, taking place in late August and September 2003. At these events, participants would receive two holofoil copies of Kyogre-ex and Groudon-ex, the first Nintendo Black Star Promos. Also included at registration was an Eon Ticket e-Reader card used to obtain Latias/Latios in Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald.
When participants arrived they would receive 6 booster packs of the EX Ruby & Sapphire expansion. They then had 30 minutes to assemble a 40-card deck and event organizers would supply needed energy cards. Games were shortened, and only 4 prize cards were put down for each game. After 30 minutes competitors would move to the next 2 rounds, which were in VCG “Battle Tower” formats. 3 Pokemon Lv. 50 or under were sent into battle, and the winners of those two rounds would move onto the final TCG round of the tournament. Prizes at these tournaments typically consisted of a copy of Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald, TCG booster packs, Pokemon.com gift cards, and prize medals. Occasionally there would be drawings for Nintendo GameBoy SP game systems and E-Readers.
In September of 2003, Year 5 of the Pokemon League began, aptly named the “Hoenn Series.” This would be the first year of Pokemon Organized Play (POP) which still remains the entity responsible for organizing and sanctioning all competitive Pokemon TCG events today (now known as PLAY Pokemon.) At this point, DCI Sanctioned Play had ended, and the Modified format of the competitive TCG was rotated to include cards from Expedition Base Set and onward.
POP League Kits
All Sanctioned POP Tournaments were allotted a certain number of “league kits’’ containing badges, stamps, promo cards, and more needed for the Tournament Organizers running the event. In North America these kits were usually distributed based on league and tournament attendance. Starting in September 2003, league kits contained new Nintendo Black Star Promos each month for local tournaments. There was also a Jumbo card included in these kits until March 2004 (except for December 2003.) One league kit was meant to support play for 16 players, so using the first month of September as an example the breakdown of promos included looked like this;
- 16x Torchic #008 Promo
- 8x Combusken #009 (Winner) Promo
- 1x Combusken #009 (Winner) Promo Jumbo Card
- September 2003 (Season 1)
(Torchic #008, Combusken #009, Combusken #009 Jumbo) - October 2003 (Season 2)
(Trico #003, Grovyle #004, Grovyle #004 Jumbo) - November 2003 (Season 3)
(Mudkip #010, Marshtomp #011, Marshtomp #011 Jumbo) - December 2003 (Season 4, No Jumbo)
(Darkness Energy 93/109 Cosmos Holo, Darkness Energy 93/109 Winner) - January 2004 (Season 5)
(Metal Energy 94/109 Cosmos Holo, Metal Energy 94/109 Winner, Metal Energy Jumbo) - February 2004 (Season 6)
(Multi Energy 93/100 Cosmos Holo, Multi Energy 93/100 Winner, Multi Energy Jumbo) - March 2004 (Season 7)
(Oran Berry 85/109 (same as EXRS Print,) Oran Berry Winner (not foil,) Oran Berry Jumbo) - April 2004 (Season 8)
(Flygon 15/97 Cosmos Holo, Flygon 15/97 Winner) - May 2004 (Season 9)
(Salamence 19/97 Cosmos Holo, Salamence 19/97 Winner) - June 2004 (Season 10)
(Beldum #022, Beldum #022 Winner) - July 2004 (Season 11)
(Chimecho #024 Promo, Chimecho Winner) - August 2004 (Season 12)
(Flygon #025, Flygon #025 Winner)
Moving into 2004, NoA/TPCi was slowly getting the ball rolling for Organized Play and tournament organizers found it difficult to get their local tournaments sanctioned by NoA/TPCi, especially in Europe. Wizards of the Coast had the infrastructure for organizing tournaments across the globe due to several years of experience in Magic: The Gathering, but NoA/TPCi had a hard time picking up where WotC had left off leaving a large portion of international Pokemon fans waiting for close to a year for any sort of Organized Play support in their local area. As they moved into the 2004 competitive season, tournaments had adopted the Modified Format and Age Modified Swiss pairings.
December 2003
In early December, Pokemon USA Inc. made an announcement regarding plans for larger tournaments to be held in North America called City Championships. These larger events would soon be known as “Premier Events.” (Announcement: here)
January 2004
In Europe, POP tournaments were only just becoming a reality due to difficulties in distributor transitions in most of Europe. The UK had one of the quicker transitions, starting officially sanctioned tournaments in late January. Winners of these tournaments were awarded with a holofoil Mudkip Nintendo Black Star Promo card. This was the first time in the Pokemon TCG that a promotional card was intentionally distributed in Europe before the U.S.
City Championship Series 2004 (North America)
Over 65 City Championships events in North America took place from February 7, 2004 to March 28, 2004. Participants were given a secret rare Charmander card from the EX Dragon expansion, this time with a unique City Championship stamp on it.
- Barrie, ON, Canada: Gamer’s Lair on February 7, 2004
- Jacksonville, FL: Jack & Shelly’s Comics, Gaming & More on February 7, 2004
- Ames, IA: Mayhem Collectibles on February 7, 2004
- Henderson, NV: Monsters Direct on February 7, 2004
- México DF Sur, México: Arlequin Hobbies on February 10, 2004
- México DF Norte, México: Comicmania 2004 on February 14, 2004
- Chandler, AZ: Gamer’s Edge on February 14, 2004
- Orlando, FL: Coliseum on Comics on February 14, 2004
- Ft. Lauderdale, FL: Dragon’s Lair on February 14, 2004
- Cedar Grove, NJ: TimeWarp Comics & Games on February 14, 2004
- Delaware, OH: Ohio Wesleyan University on February 14, 2004
- Salem, OR: Dragons Alley on February 14, 2004
- Estado de México, México: Sky fox Games on February 15, 2004
- Tucson, AZ: Amazing Discoveries on February 15, 2004
- Brooklyn Park, MN: Outpost 2000 & Beyond on February 15, 2004
- Manitowoc, WI: My Parents Basement on February 15, 2004
- Auburn, MA: Toys “R” Us on February 19, 2004
- Chino Valley, AZ: I’m Game on February 21, 2004
- Riverside, CA: GMI Games & Collectables on February 21, 2004
- Colorado Springs, CO: Dale’z Kardz & Komicz on February 21, 2004
- Pembroke Pines, FL: Pembroke Lakes Mall on February 21, 2004
- Collinsville, IL: Dizzy Dugout on February 21, 2004
- LaGrange, IN: Moose Lodge Conference Room on February 21, 2004
- Milford, MA: TJ Collectibles, Inc. on February 21, 2004
- Garden City, MI: Pandemonium on February 21, 2004
- Las Vegas, NV: Cheese Boy Comics on February 21, 2004
- Staten Island, NY: Alternate Realm on February 21, 2004
- Gresham, OR: Interzone Comics Cards & Gaming Arena on February 21, 2004
- Memphis, TN: Triple Play Cards & Comics on February 21, 2004
- Sandy, UT: Press Box Sports Cards on February 21, 2004
- Stafford, VA: Comic World on February 21, 2004
- Virginia Beach, VA: Comic Chest on February 21, 2004
- Ridgeland, MS: Game Zone on February 22, 2004
- Bakersfield, CA: Russo’s Books & Sports Collectibles on February 22, 2004
- Wellington, FL: Wellington Mall on February 22, 2004
- Rockville, MD: Dream Wizards on February 22, 2004
- Ridgeland, MS: Game Zone on February 22, 2004
- New York, NY: Pokemon Center on February 22, 2004
- Tualatin, OR: Ancient Wonders on February 22, 2004
- Plano, TX: Creative Gift Baskets on February 22, 2004
- Tempe, AZ: Showtime Collectible Cards on February 28, 2004
- Fountain Valley, CA: Fountain Valley Public Library on February 28, 2004
- Winter Haven, FL: Downtown Comics/Coliseum on February 28, 2004
- Winamac, IN: Winamac Fire Dept. on February 28, 2004
- Severn, MD: Provinces Library on February 28, 2004
- St. Louis, MO: The Gathering Ground on February 28, 2004
- Charlotte, NC: Underground Games on February 28, 2004
- Asheville, NC: Craftish Geeks on February 28, 2004
- Parma, OH: York Comics & Cards on February 28, 2004
- Sugarland, TX: Heroes Collectables on February 28, 2004
- Salt Lake City, UT: End Zone Cards & Comics on February 28, 2004
- Mandeville, LA: BSI Comics on February 29, 2004
- Littleton, CO: Sports Cards Etc. on March 6, 2004
- West Valley City, UT: Game Den on March 13, 2004
- San Diego, CA: Game Empire on March 20, 2004
- South Bend, IN: Fantasy Games on March 20, 2004
- Presque Isle, ME: Eagle Hill on March 20, 2004
- Sedalia, MO: Queen City Collectibles on March 20, 2004
- Dallas, TX: Valley View Center on March 20, 2004
- Lakewood, WA: The Game Matrix on March 20, 2004
- Denville, NJ: Dark Tower Games on March 21, 2004
- St Albert, AB, Canada: Mission: Fun & Games on March 27, 2004
- Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico: Rookies on March 27, 2004
- Diamond Bar, CA: All-Star Games on March 27, 2004
- Newark, DE: The Days of Knights on March 27, 2004
- Cromwell, IN: Cromwell Community Center on March 27, 2004
- Oklahoma City, OK: Game Headquarters on March 27, 2004
- Federal Way, WA: SeaTac Mall Federal Way on March 27, 2004
- Oshawa, ON, Canada: Skyfox Games on March 28, 2004
Players were split into 3 age divisions dependent on their age at time of registration:
- Under 10
- 11-14
- 15+
The Top Four finishers in each of the three age categories received these prizes;
1st Place
- City Champion Medal
- 1x EX Dragon Booster Box
- 1st Round bye at their local State Championship in April or May
- A merchandise gift package redeemable at their local State Championship
2nd Place
- 18x Booster Packs of EX Dragon
3rd Place
- 9x Booster Packs of EX Dragon
4th Place
- 9x Booster Packs of EX Dragon
March 2004
European POP sanctioned tournaments awarded a Torchic card similar to the Mudkip awarded in January.
State Championship Series 2004 (North America)
In North America, there were 36 State Championship events taking place between April 3, 2004 and May 2, 2004. All participants were given an EX Dragon Charmeleon card with a State Championship stamp. These events were all in North America due to lowering attendance at league events internationally (State Championships would eventually become State/Province/Territory Championships to help include the growing competitive scene internationally.)
- Columbus, OH: Franklin County Veterans Memorial on April 3, 2004
- Garden City, MI: Pandemonium on April 4, 2004
- Exton, PA: Inn at Chester Springs on April 4, 2004
- Boise, ID: Magic Dragon Games on April 10, 2004
- Henderson, NV: Galleria at Sunset on April 10, 2004
- Las Cruces, NM: Hidden Treasures on April 11, 2004
- Costa Mesa, CA: Costa Mesa Women’s Club on April 17, 2004
- Colorado Springs, CO: Satellite Hotel on April 17, 2004
- Kissimmee, FL: La Quinta Inn Lakeside on April 17, 2004
- Niles, IL: Pastimes on April 17, 2004
- Ft. Wayne, IN: Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites on April 17, 2004
- Olathe, KS: Holiday Inn on April 17, 2004
- Amherst, NH: Silver Dragon on April 17, 2004
- Nashville, TN: Guest House International on April 17, 2004
- Ridgeland, MS: The Game Zone on April 18, 2004
- Plano, TX: Creative Gift Baskets on April 18, 2004
- Chandler, AZ: Gamer’s Edge on April 24, 2004
- Newington, CT: Newington Knights of Columbus on April 24, 2004
- Newark, DE: Best Western Delaware Inn & Conference Center on April 24, 2004
- Hapeville, GA: Best Western Airport East on April 24, 2004
- Louisville, KY: Holiday Inn Louisville-SW on April 24, 2004
- Pesque Isle, ME: Eagle Hill on April 24, 2004
- Charlotte, NC: Underground Games on April 24, 2004
- Cedar Grove, NJ: TimeWarp Comics & Games on April 24, 2004
- Midwest City, OK: Heritage Park Mall on April 24, 2004
- Portland, OR: Marriott Courtyard - Portland Airport on April 24, 2004
- Manitowoc, WI: Riverview Elementary School on April 24, 2004
- New York, NY: Pokemon Center on April 25, 2004
- Stafford, VA: Comic World on April 25, 2004
- Mexico DF, Mexico: Convencion TNT Centro de Convenciones Tlatelolco on May 1, 2004
- Ames, IA: Iowa State Center on May 1, 2004
- Salt Lake City, UT: Trolley Sq Mall on May 1, 2004
- Federal Way, WA: SeaTac Mall on May 1, 2004
- Mandeville, LA: BSI Comics on May 2, 2004
- Rockville, MD: Dream Wizards on May 2, 2004
- Brooklyn Park, MN: Outpost 2000 and Beyond on May 2, 2004
- New York, NY: Pokemon Center on May 2, 2004
- Stafford, VA: Comic World on May 2, 2004
The Top 8 finishers in each age category were awarded the following prizes:
1st Place
- State Champion Award
- 1x Booster Box of EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua
- Two Round bye at the National Championships on June 26, 2004
- A Stage One VIP Package containing Pokemon Merchandise redeemable at Origins Game Fair/National Championship in Ohio.
2nd Place
- 18x Booster Packs of EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua
3rd Place
- 9x Booster Packs of EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua
4th Place
- 9x Booster Packs of EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua
5th-8th Place
- 4x Booster Packs of EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua
City Championship Series 2004 (International)
Internationally, the 2004 City Championships took place between April 17 and June 20, 2004. Participants were given the same Charmander promo card handed out earlier in North American City Championship events. Winners of the tournaments went on to their local National Championship since attendance was low, and States were mostly meant for the U.S.
- Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland Town Hall on April 17, 2004
- Sorocaba, SP, Brazil: New Station on May 8, 2004
- Helsinki, Finland: Asuskaspuisto Kesanto on May 16, 2004
- Amsterdam, Netherlands: Buurtcentrum de Havelaar on May 23, 2004
- Sydney, Australia: Gamescape on June 14, 2004
- Port Adelaide, Australia: Fisherman’s Wharf on June 20, 2004
Awards and prizes were identical to the North American City Championships in February/March.
Gym Challenge Series 2004
Gym Challenge events in May of 2004 mostly took place in North America, with only one officially sanctioned tournament taking place in Germany in early June. Participants were given a Beldum promo card with a Gym Challenge stamp.
- Columbus, OH: Franklin County Veterans Memorial on May 8, 2004
- Blue Bell, PA: Infinite Quests on May 8, 2004
- Columbia, SC: The Fine Art of Baseball on May 8, 2004
- Houston, TX: Heroes Collectables on May 8, 2004
- Garden City, MI: Pandemonium on May 9, 2004
- Toronto, ON, Canada: Dolly’s on May 15, 2004
- Oshawa, ON, Canada: Skyfox Games on May 15, 2004
- Irvine, CA: Atrium Hotel on May 15, 2004
- Colorado Springs, CO: Satellite Hotel on May 15, 2004
- W Palm Beach, FL: Past, Present and Future Comics on May 15, 2004
- LaGrange, IN: Moose Lodge Conference Room on May 15, 2004
- Pesque Isle, ME: Eagle Hill on May 15, 2004
- Memphis, TN: Triple Play on May 15, 2004
- Salt Lake City, UT: Trolley Sq Mall on May 15, 2004
- Stafford, VA: Comic World on May 15, 2004
- Brooklyn Park, MN: Outpost 2000 and Beyond on May 16, 2004
- New York, NY: Pokemon Center on May 16, 2004
- Plano, TX: Creative Gift Baskets on May 16, 2004
- Cary, NC: Sportz Zone on May 16, 2004
- Mexico DF, Mexico: Convencion TNT Centro de Convenciones Tlatelolco on May 22, 2004
- Ames, IA: Mayhem Collectibles on May 22, 2004
- St. Louis, MO: Gathering Ground on May 22, 2004
- Charlotte, NC: Underground Games on May 22, 2004
- St. Albert, AB, Canada: Mission: Fun & Games on May 23, 2004
- Mandeville, LA: BSI Comics on May 23, 2004
- Milford, MA: TJ Collectibles on May 23, 2004
- Clackamas, OR: Monarch Hotel on May 23, 2004
- Manitowoc, WI: My Parents Basement on May 23, 2004
- Casselberry, FL: Gathering Place Games on May 29, 2004
- Niles, IL: Pastimes Card, Comics and Games on May 29, 2004
- Rockville, MD: Dream Wizards on May 29, 2004
- Olathe, KS: Holiday Inn on May 29, 2004
- Midwest City, OK: Heritage Park Mall on May 29, 2004
- Cedar Grove, NJ: TimeWarp Comics & Games on May 29, 2004
- Federal Way, WA: Seatac Mall on May 29, 2004
- San Diego, CA: San Diego Concourse on May 30, 2004
- Las Cruces, NM: Hidden Treasures on May 30, 2004
- Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany: Spielzeugland Werner on June 5, 2004
Prizes varied by location
June 2004
In the month of June, European sanctioned POP tournaments awarded the long-awaited Treecko promo matching the Mudkip and Torchic cards previously released in January & March. Several European countries received these promos, but the majority of them were handed out in the UK.
Stadium Challenge Series 2004 (International)
Stadium Challenge events took place in May and June of 2004, and all participants were awarded a Metang promo card with a Stadium Challenge stamp.
- Winterthur, Switzerland: Ev. Zentrum on May 16, 2004
- Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany: Sangerhalle Unterturkheim on June 12, 2004
- Berlin, Germany: Einkaufszentrum Bärenschaufenster on June 12, 2004
Prizes varied by location
National Championship Series 2004 (International)
National Championships outside of the U.S. took place between May 30 and July 28, 2004. All participants received an EX Dragon Charizard card similar to the stamped versions given out at State and City Championships, this time with a National Championships Stamp.
- Kowloon, Hong Kong: Toyland Castle on May 30, 2004
- Makati City, Philippines: NG Glorietta Tournament Center on May 30, 2004
- Winterthur, Switzerland: Ev. Zentrum on June 13, 2004
- Salzburg, Austria: StieglKeller Salzburg on June 19, 2004
- Espoo, Finland: Servin Mokki on June 19, 2004
- Oslo, Norway: Outland Oslo on June 19, 2004
- Koln, Germany: Gurzenich Koln on June 26, 2004
- Utrecht, Netherlands: Nationaal Denksportcentrum on June 27, 2004
- Caulfield South, Australia: Absolute Games on July 4, 2004
- Ra, Israel: Stadium Sports on July 28, 2004
Prizes varied by location
U.S. National Championship 2004
The United States National Championship was held at the Origins Game Fair on June 26, 2004 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH. Participants were given a Charizard promo card with a National Championship stamp.
Three winners were crowned Champion in their respective age division:
- (10 & Under) Kevin White
- (11-14) Steve Davis
- (15+) Jacy Sturkie
Prizes were awarded to the Top 16 finishers in each of the 3 age categories:
1st Place
- U.S. National Champion 1st Place Trophy
- An invite to compete in the World Championships on August 20-22, 2004
- A Travel award (for competitor plus a guest) to attend the World Championships
- 72x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
2nd Place
- U.S. National Champion 2nd Place Trophy
- An invite to compete in the World Championships
- A Travel award (for competitor plus a guest) to attend the World Championships
- 44x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
3rd Place
- U.S. National Champion 3rd Place Trophy
- An invite to compete in the World Championships
- 36x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
4th Place
- An invite to compete in the World Championships
- 36x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
5th-8th Place
- 18x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
9th-12th Place
- 9x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
13th-16th Place
- 5x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
At Sanctioned POP tournaments in the month of June, Mudkip promo cards previously only awarded in Europe, were handed out as prize support in the U.S. These promo cards were distributed in packs of 4, and Tournament Organizers were instructed to award one to winners of each age group, and then to hand out the fourth card at random. It is unclear whether or not these Mudkip cards were handed out at side events in the U.S. Nationals, but it is likely.
In the month of July, Torchic promo cards that were previously European-exclusive were handed out at Sanctioned POP tournaments in the U.S. These were also distributed in sealed packs of 4 with the same distribution instructions as Mudkip in June. These are confirmed to have been handed out as prize support at the three Stadium Challenge events in July.
Stadium Challenge Series 2004 (North America)
Three Stadium Challenge events took place on July 10 and 17, 2004 in the U.S. All registered players at each of these 3 events received a Metang promo card with a Stadium Challenge stamp. Besides one event in Austria in 2005, these would be the last POP sanctioned Stadium Challenge events.
South Stadium Challenge - July 10, 2004
- Arlington Convention Center, Arlington, TX
- Attendance: 101 people
East Coast Stadium Challenge - July 17, 2004
- Quality Suites Hotel, Rockville, MD
- Attendance: 132 people
West Coast Stadium Challenge - July 17, 2004
- UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
- Attendance Unverified (~100-150)
Prizes were awarded to the Top 16 finishers in each of the 3 age categories:
1st Place
- An invite to compete in the World Championships on August 20-22, 2004
- A Travel award (for competitor plus a guest) to attend the World Championships
- 72x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
- A Stage Two VIP Package containing Pokemon merchandise
2nd Place
- An invite to compete in the World Championships
- A Travel award (for competitor plus a guest) to attend the World Championships
- 44x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
3rd & 4th Place
- An invite to compete in the World Championships
- 36x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
5th-8th Place
- 18x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
9th-12th Place
- 9x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
13th-16th Place
- 5x Booster Packs from the Pokemon-e TCG: EX Series
In August, U.S. Sanctioned POP tournaments were given the final Hoenn starter promo card, Treecko, with the same distribution instructions. It is unclear if these were handed out at side events in the World Championships in August.
World Championships 2004
The 2004 World Championships took place from August 20 to 22, 2004 in Orlando, FL. All attendees received a non-holo Tropical Wind promo card, which was changed in 2005 making this the only year a Tropical Wind card was given out to every attendee. Tournament-legal sets included Expedition Base Set through EX Hidden Legends.
2004 Pokemon World Championships
Wyndham Palace Resort & Spa, Walt Disney World Resort
Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
A total of 310 people attended Worlds, and Japanese players swept all three age categories:
(10 & Under)
- Hayato Sato
(11-14)
- Takuya Toneda
(15+)
- Tsuguyoshi Yamato
Other versions of the Tropical Wind card were awarded to Staff members overseeing the tournament and top place finishers in each age category. A special 9-card collection/pack was given to each attendee at the beginning of the tournament, which contained a Tropical Wind card with a “Worlds 04” embossed stamp in 7 languages; English, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, as well as two advertisement cards with the POP logo. This commemorative pack would continue to be distributed each year at the World Championships. Special “Quarter-Finalist,” “Semi-Finalist” and “Finalist” versions were awarded to the respective players in each age group. Unlike the years following, competitors only received Tropical Wind promo cards stamped with their highest placement, making the trophy cards from Worlds 2004 scarcer than the years following.
Tropical Wind Distribution
(Tropical Wind #026 “Finalist” Stamp)
6 Copies Officially Awarded
(Tropical Wind #026 “Semi-Finalist” Stamp)
6 Copies Officially Awarded
(Tropical Wind #026 “Quarter Finalist” Stamp)
12 Copies Officially Awarded
(Tropical Wind #026 “Top Sixteen” Stamp)
24 Copies Officially Awarded
(Tropical Wind #026 “Staff” Stamp)
Unknown Distribution, Estimated ~40 Copies
The Top 3 finishers in each of the age categories also received “No. 1/2/3 Trainer” Trophy Cards.
Pre-POP Associated Events
Origins Game Fair and GenCon 2003*
Origins Game Fair and GenCon 2003 Events
Origins Game Fair 2003 (Wizards of the Coast)*
Formerly known as “Origins International Game Expo,” the Origins Game Fair took place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, OH from June 26-29, 2003. Origins Game Fair held the 2nd Professor Championship** where Pokemon Professors would battle it out for prizes, and unlike previous Wizards of the Coast Premier Events, the Professor Championship had a Rule Enforcement Level (REL) of 2. This meant small mistakes in gameplay like drawing an extra card by accident were met with a disqualification rather than a penalty. The World Championships in 2002 was the only other event up to this point in the TCG that followed this REL 2 rating, which goes to show the level of experience Pokemon Professors had to exhibit. The winner of the 2003 Professor Championship was Eric Richard with his Houndoom/Electabuzz/Muk deck, utilizing the power of Dark Houndoom from Neo Destiny. The Runner-Up was Douglas Zuver with his Metal Zapdos deck.
**(In old records this tournament was often referred to as the 2002 Professor Championship even though the event took place in the summer of 2003)
Some attendees of Origins 2003 were given a holofoil Kyogre-ex promo card; the first Nintendo Black Star Promo. EX Ruby & Sapphire promotional mouse-pads were also handed out to attendees at the NoA/TPCi booths.
GenCon 2003 (Wizards of the Coast)*
Regarded as the very last Wizards of the Coast event in competitive Pokemon, GenCon took place at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN from July 24-27, 2003. Two large tournaments were held, the first being the Team Play Championship won by “Team Six & Ferrell,” consisting of Brian Six and Jim Ferrell. This tournament took place on the second day of GenCon on July 25th. The following day a second tournament called the Fan Appreciation Tournament was won by Jason Klacyznski, who is notably the only person to have won multiple Pokemon TCG World Championships (2006, 2008, 2013.)
It is rumored that copies of either the holofoil Kyogre-ex or Groudon-ex were handed out at both Origins and GenCon in 2003, but I have only been able to verify distribution at Origins.
*[I had included these events in chronological order, but these may eventually be removed and added to a separate article with the tail end of the WotC era of competitive play.]
It’s time consuming, though. I want to make sure not to miss too much valuable info, and as time goes on records get better so the articles will continue to grow in length 
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