Kick off your 2023 Championship Series season and your run toward the 2023 Pokémon World Championships at the 2022 London Open. The Pokémon TCG and VG (Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield) competitions will take place at the ExCeL London events center August 20–21, 2022. The Championship Point payout will be the same as a Regional Championships event in the 2023 season, meaning the winners will be well on their way toward an invitation to the next World Championships.
Worlds competitors who have been eliminated from play are welcome to participate in the London Open by registering ahead of time with all other potential players before the event sells out. If you are a competitor who advances to Saturday, your registration to the London Open will be refunded. All players should note that the first day of the London Open runs concurrently with Saturday of the Pokémon World Championships. You will not be able to participate in multiple events on Saturday!
Registration
The entry fee for the London Open is £30 for Masters Division players and £15 for Junior and Senior Division players if you already have a badge for the event. Players who do not have a badge will need to purchase a spectator badge in addition to the entry fee for the London Open. Entry fees are not refundable unless you are a player who competed in Worlds and advanced to Saturday.
Registration will take place online only. Seating is limited, and seats will only be on sale until the event is capped or until Thursday, August 18, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. BST, whichever comes first. No additional seats will be opened to replace players who no-show or Worlds competitors who advanced to Saturday.
Register now to compete in the London Open!
Entry and Badges
All participants in the London Open must already have a badge to enter the World Championships event space, either as a main event competitor or by purchasing a spectator badge. Spectator badges can be purchased during London Open registration (if they are still available). A spectator badge will allow access into the main event hall to watch the main event and to participate in side events.
VGC Battle Teams
VGC players will have their Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield Battle Teams locked in the morning near the video game competition area in Hall S19. Players must submit their team list online with the RK9 Labs Team List Creator and be in line ready to have their Battle Teams locked by 8:15 a.m.
Pokémon TCG Deck Lists
Players must submit their deck list online with the RK9 Labs Deck List Creator by 9:00 a.m.
Player Meeting
All players will need to be seated for the player meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 20, 2022. Players who are not present at the beginning of the player meeting may be dropped from the event. Play will begin for all age divisions immediately following the player meeting.
Tournament Format
The Pokémon TCG competition will use the Standard format, and players will use cards that are legal for the 2022 Championship Series season.
The Pokémon VG competition will use the Series 12 format.
Tournament Structure
Trading Card Game
Play for Pokémon TCG Junior, Senior, and Masters Divisions for the London Open will consist only of Swiss rounds. There will be no single-elimination top cut. Standings will be determined based on the final results following Swiss rounds. Play will be best-of-three (50 minutes + 3 turns). If the number of Swiss rounds exceeds six, the Swiss rounds will be split into two days based on the criteria below.
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If 7 rounds: 5 rounds on Saturday and 2 rounds on Sunday
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If 8 rounds: 6 rounds on Saturday and 2 rounds on Sunday
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If 9 rounds: 7 rounds on Saturday and 2 rounds on Sunday
Please note that this structure is unique to the London Open.
If more than 800 Masters Division players compete, the Masters Division tournament will be split into two separate tournaments (in this example, two tournaments of 400 players). Each tournament will operate as its own separate event (meaning there will be two first-place finishers who will not play each other), with its own separate Championship Point prizes based on the kickers for that stand-alone tournament. Players will be divided randomly between the tournaments.
VGC Format
Play in the VGC Junior, Senior, and Masters Divisions for the London Open will consist of the standard Play! Pokémon tournament format for a VGC Regional Championships event. On Saturday, Swiss rounds will occur, and on Sunday, the top cut will occur. Rounds will be played in best-of-three format.
Structure subject and timing to change.
Championship Point Payouts
The number of Championship Points awarded at the London Open is based on attendance per age division per the 2023 season Championship Point schedules.
Information subject to change.
