Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Pokemon Scholarships

Players that end up as top finishers at the Pokémon Trading Card Game U.S National Championships and the Pokemon World Championships will obtain a scholarship though the Pokemon Company International. This scholarship program can be used to pay tuition, books, fees, supplies, and equipment required for courses at a qualified educational institution. Either the winner can choose to participate or he can delegate someone to take the scholarship reward in his or her place. This means if you have an older brother who wins the scholarship he can transfer it to his younger brother if he chooses.

The schools that qualify for this include:
  • Elementary schools
  • High schools
  • Middle schools
  • Colleges
  • Community colleges
  • Universities
  • Graduate schools
  • Technical schools
  • Trade schools (or country equivalent) anywhere in the world at which the winner or his or her permitted transferee is a candidate for a degree.
The school's qualification is determined by Pokémon Company International and will require school or colleges to be accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation agency to be a "qualified educational institution".

The amount rewarded for scholarship programs is determined on a event by event basis so the maximum and minimum amount is to be determined by the Trading Card Game during that specific event.

You have a maximum of 10 years from when the scholarship is obtained to use it or up till your 28th birthday to use the amount awarded to you. After the time as passed above the Pokemon Trading Card game will donate the money to a charity that they choose and that donation will be made in the name of The Pokemon Company International and is not put in the name of the scholarship owner.

To transfer your scholarship to someone else you must contact The Pokemon Company International before the end of the scholarship expires and during the writing transfer instructions, including the name and contact information of the person to whom you are transferring your scholarship on the form we provide. To receive the scholarship, the transferee (or, if the transferee is under the age of legal majority, his/her parent or legal guardian) must complete a certificate agreeing to agree by the terms of the Pokemon Scholarship Program, allowing to the release of the transferee's personal information to third parties in connection with the scholarship, and certifying that the transferee has been admitted to a qualified educational institution and is a candidate for a degree and provide such other information and documentation as The Pokemon Company International reasonably require. The transferee must also provide Pokemon with a release from certain liability. 

You also need to contact The Pokemon Company International to receive your scholarship award and you or your guardian must do the following:

  • Agreeing to abide by the terms of the Pokémon Scholarship Program

Certifying that:
  • You intend to use the funds for qualified educational expenses at a qualified educational institution
  • You have been admitted to a qualified educational institution
  • You are a candidate for a degree    
  • Consenting to the release of your personal information to third parties in connection with the scholarship
  • Agreeing to provide such other information and documentation as we reasonably require. In addition, you must sign a document releasing Pokémon and related parties from liability and allowing Pokémon to use your likeness and deck composition in advertising, products, and promotions.
If you need to make a change of address you need to keep Pokemon informed of any contact information changes or changes of location. Everything must be in writing and you need to receive a confirmation from Pokemon before any changes are made final.

No interest is paid on scholarship awards so the value will not increase for the duration of the award period. The scholarship money is paid directly to you.

You can also get expenses paid by at least 45 days prior to the date and you must write Pokemon's Scholarship Administrator and include the following:

  • A certificate from you (or, if you are under the age of legal majority, from you parent or legal guardian), certifying that you have been admitted to the named qualified educational institution and are a candidate for a degree, and that you will use the funds for qualified expenses at such qualified educational institution;
  • The name, address, and telephone number of the qualified educational institution;
  • Your consent (or, you are under the age of legal majority, the consent of your parent or legal guardian) to allow Pokémon or its authorized representative to contact the qualified educational institution to discuss your enrollment in the institution and to confirm your candidacy for a degree;
  • Your consent (or, if you are under the age of legal majority, the consent of your parent or legal guardian) to provide personal information (such as your phone number, email address, and mailing address) to third parties who may assist Pokémon in the administration of your scholarship;
  • The amount of the scholarship that you would then like to receive;
  • Your social security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number;
  • Such information as we are required to request in order to comply with any tax withholding or other laws;
  • Proof of enrollment at the qualified educational institution in a form acceptable to Pokémon (such as a transcript or letter of enrollment);
  • Information showing your tuition, if any, in a form acceptable to Pokémon (such as an invoice or tuition schedule);
  • Such other information as we may request to administer the recipient's scholarship.
Then the Scholarship Administrator will issue you a check for any qualified expenses up to the full amount of the scholarship reward.

The scholarship amount is paid in U.S. dollars and you can obtain the forms needed from Pokemon.com or from below:

You can contact them at:
Contact us at support or send a letter to:
Scholarship Administrator
The Pokémon Company International
333 108th Avenue NE, Suite 1900
Bellevue, WA, USA, 98004

Be sure to show this to your parents if they give you a hard time about participating in the championships so that you don't miss out on scholarships which can be used to pay your future college loans. The costs of colleges continue to increase so it is very wise to keep in mind that Pokemon can help pay these costs and allow you to obtain your college degree for free.

End of the Winter Regional Championship this weekend!

If you didn't already know the end of the Winter Regional Championship will be this upcoming weekend. You will want to make sure you don't miss it because the prizes at these are quite nice. These types of tournament's have no prerequisites they only require that you bring a Legal Trading card game deck and you can play all day. The matches are done in Swiss-style so players get to play every round until the players for the finals are chosen.

The regional champion points recieved in the tournament give players a chance to earn travel awards which can allow them to participate in the national games and it can also allow them a chance to get an invitation for the Pokemon World Championships located in Washington, DC.

The location of the Regional Championship this weekend will be:

January 25th–26th, 2014
International Palms Resort
6515 International Dr.
Orlando, FL 32819

Besides the chance to get into the national's top finishers will recieve booster packs, trophies as well and usually promo cards are also given out at many of these events for all the players who participate. These type of events can be a lot of fun for someone who really loves playing the Pokemon Trading Card Game.

During these Regional Championships there are three different age divisions and players that are top of each are awarded the first, second, and third prizes for each age bracket. All participants 3 Pokemon play points and a Pokémon Regional Championships promo card just for participating in the Winter Regional Championships.

1st Place:
  •  Pokemon Trading Card Game Regional Championships 1st Place award
  •  First- and second-round bye at the U.S. National Championships##
  • A combination of 72 booster packs from current Pokemon Trading Card Game expansions
  • 150 Championship Points
**Masters Division players obtain an extra 144 packs (216 total)

2nd Place:
  • Pokemon Trading Card Game Regional Championships 2nd Place award
  • First- and second-round bye at the U.S. National Championships##
  • A combination of 72 booster packs from current Pokemon Trading Card Game expansions
  • 135 Championship Points (if division attendance is 4 or greater)
**Masters Division players obtain an extra 72 packs (144 total)

3rd and 4th Place:
  • Pokemon Trading Card Game Regional Championships 3rd or 4th Place award
  • A combination of 36 booster packs from current Pokemon Trading Card Game expansions
  • 105 Championship Points (if division attendance is 8 or greater)

**Masters Division players obtain an extra 72 packs (108 total)

5th Place through 8th Place:
  • A combination of 24 booster packs from current Pokemon Trading Card Game expansions
  • 75 Championship Points (if division attendance is 32 or greater)

**Masters Division players obtain an extra 27 packs (54 total)

9th Place through 16th Place:
  • A combination of 18 booster packs from current Pokemon Trading Card Game expansions
  • 45 Championship Points (if division attendance is 64 or greater)

**Masters Division players obtain an extra 18 packs (36 total)

17th Place through 32nd Place:
  • A combination of 9 booster packs from current Pokemon Trading Card Game expansions
  • 30 Championship Points (if division attendance is 128 or greater)

**Masters Division players obtain an extra 15 packs (24 total)

33rd Place through 64th Place:
  • Masters Division players receive a combination of 9 booster packs from current Pokemon Trading Card Game expansions
  • 15 Championship Point (if division attendance is 256 or greater)

## Players can earn a bye at a country other than their country of residence. Byes are awarded at the National Championships corresponding to the player’s nationality. Byes do not “stack.” If you have won a bye in another event (such as the S/P/T Championship) and finish in the top 2 of a Regional Championship, you can only receive a maximum first- and second-round bye at your National Championships.

The travel awards and Travel Stipends are awarded to the top Trading Card Game performers during the season’s Championship Point rankings. The awards will be given out according to the points at the end of spring and will be as follows:

  • 1st–16th: Travel Award and a $300 Travel Stipend
  • 17th–30th: $750 Travel Stipend
  • 31st–60th: $500 Travel Stipend
  • 61st–100th: $300 Travel Stipend
The Pokemon video game players can also earn Travel Stipend depending on ranking points during the end of spring as well these will be as follows:

  • 1st–16th: Travel Award and $300 Travel Stipend
  • 17th–32nd: $700 Travel Stipend
  • 33rd–64th: $350 Travel Stipend
The first place winner of the Pokemon video game players during each division at each Regional Championships will also win a Nintendo 3DS handheld system.

You might also be wondering how to obtain these play points if you only have heard about them more recently. These points are awarded at the various Pokemon tournament's and events during the rest of the year some of these include:

Non-Premier Events:
  • Tournament: 1 per event per month, up to 12 total per year
  • League: 1 per League season, up to 8 total per year
Premier Events:
  • Pre-release tournament: 1 per event, no limit
  • League Challenge: 1 per event, no limit
  • City Championships: 2 per event, no limit
  • State/Province/Territory Championships: 3 per event, no limit
  • Regional Championships: 3 per event, no limit
  • National Championships: 10 points Some side events may also award Play! Points
World Championships: Award 3 points

Some side events may award Play! Points as well!

Another reason to participate in the Pokemon tournament's is that top finishers at the Pokemon Trading Card Game U.S National Championships and the Pokemon World Championships also get Pokemon Scholarships. With all of these great prizes it is worth it to participate in all of the games that you can. And you still have the chance for promotional cards and other great prizes. One year I received Pokemon pins as well.


Thursday, January 2, 2014

Plasma Blast Pokemon Card Expansion

The Plasma Blast Pokemon card expansion is the 10th expansion of Black & White series from the pokemon trading card game. This expansion brings the trainers from team plasma their pokemon and also features genesect also contains cards which are used to counter team plasma. This expansion has 105 cards including shiny secret cards and was released August 14, 2013 to English. Plasma blast is one of the 3rd sets of Black & White that contains fossil pokemon. The promo which was given for Pre-release is Porygon-Z which is a repeat of the same pokemon that can be found in the expansion of Plasma Blast.

Error Card Information: No error card information at this time.

Plasma Blast Pokemon card prices

Symbol Map:
E-Energy
Su- Support Card
I-item Card
- Common
- Uncommon
- Rare
- Rare Holographic
- Ex Holographic
- Ultra Rare Holographic
- Ultra Rare


Additional Cards:

No. Card name Type Promotion
10/101 Genesect   Cracked Ice Holographic exclusive from Mind Wipe theme deck
13/101 Volcarona   Cracked Ice Holographic exclusive from Solar Strike theme deck
16/101 Blastoise   Non-Holographic exclusive from Solar Strike theme deck
46/101 Golurk   Non-Holographic exclusive from Mind Wipe theme deck









 

Plasma Blast Card List:


No. Card name Type Rarity
1/101 Surskit    
2/101 Masquerain    
3/101 Lileep    
4/101 Cradily    
5/101 Tropius    
6/101 Karrablast    
7/101 Shelmet    
8/101 Accelgor    
9/101 Virizion-EX    
10/101 Genesect    
11/101 Genesect-EX    
12/101 Larvesta    
13/101 Volcarona    
14/101 Squirtle    
15/101 Wartortle    
16/101 Blastoise    
17/101 Lapras    
18/101 Remoraid    
19/101 Octillery    
20/101 Suicune    
21/101 Snorunt    
22/101 Glalie    
23/101 Froslass    
24/101 Relicanth    
25/101 Snover    
26/101 Abomasnow    
27/101 Tirtouga    
28/101 Carracosta    
29/101 Ducklett    
30/101 Kyurem-EX    
31/101 Tynamo    
32/101 Eelektrik    
33/101 Eelektross    
34/101 Drifloon    
35/101 Drifblim    
36/101 Uxie    
37/101 Mesprit    
38/101 Azelf    
39/101 Munna    
40/101 Musharna    
41/101 Sigilyph    
42/101 Solosis    
43/101 Duosion    
44/101 Reuniclus    
45/101 Golett    
46/101 Golurk    
47/101 Machop    
48/101 Machoke    
49/101 Machamp    
50/101 Machamp    
51/101 Throh    
52/101 Sawk    
53/101 Archen    
54/101 Archeops    
55/101 Houndour    
56/101 Houndoom    
57/101 Aron    
58/101 Lairon    
59/101 Aggron    
60/101 Jirachi-EX    
61/101 Escavalier    
62/101 Bagon    
63/101 Shelgon    
64/101 Salamence    
65/101 Dialga-EX    
66/101 Palkia-EX    
67/101 Axew    
68/101 Fraxure    
69/101 Haxorus    
70/101 Druddigon    
71/101 Kangaskhan    
72/101 Porygon    
73/101 Porygon2    
74/101 Porygon-Z    
75/101 Teddiursa    
76/101 Ursaring    
77/101 Chatot    
78/101 Caitlin  Su  
79/101 Cover Fossil  I  
80/101 Energy Retrieval  I  
81/101 Iris  Su  
82/101 Plume Fossil  I  
83/101 Pokémon Catcher  I  
84/101 Professor Juniper  Su  
85/101 Rare Candy  I  
86/101 Reversal Trigger  I  
87/101 Root Fossil Lileep  I  
88/101 Silver Bangle  I  
89/101 Silver Mirror  I  
90/101 Ultra Ball  I  
91/101 Plasma Energy  E  
92/101 G Booster  I  
93/101 G Scope  I  
94/101 Master Ball  I  
95/101 Scoop Up Cyclone  I  
96/101 Virizion-EX    
97/101 Genesect-EX    
98/101 Jirachi-EX    
99/101 Dialga-EX    
100/101 Palkia-EX    
101/101 Iris    
102/101 Exeggcute    
103/101 Virizion    
104/101 Dusknoir    
105/101 Rare Candy   I