Get ready for the biggest Pokémon event yet for 2009! This weekend on June 27th and 28th, St. Louis, Missouri will host the Pokémon Video Game and TCG National Championships. The event is open to the public, so if you can make it to St. Louis this weekend, be sure to stop by the America's Center and view the event live.

A National Tournament in the Cards

This year will be the sixth time the Pokémon TCG National Championships have been held, and 2009's event will be bigger and better than ever! The National Championships will feature about 1,000 competitors from all over the United States, and the event caps off a nine-month season of tough competitions around the country. The Champions in each division will be invited to the World Championships, so the competition will surely be intense.

For the TCG Nationals there are three age groups: the Junior Division is for players born in 1998 or later, the Senior Division is for competitors born between 1994 and 1997, and the Masters Division is for pros born 1993 or earlier. The Champions in each division will be invited to the World Championships, so the competition will surely be intense.

This year’s prizes are nothing short of jaw-dropping. The top four finishers for each age division will receive a scholarship award (up to $5,000 for the champion!), an invitation to the Pokémon World Championships, a Nintendo DSi™, a trophy, TCG booster packs, and a bunch of other awesome Pokémon-related merchandise. With so much on the line, you can expect the contestants will come prepared.

The Pokémon TCG National Championships are an open event, so if you think you've got what it takes be sure to make it to St. Louis this weekend. On-site pre-registration for the event begins this Friday, June 26th, between 4 P.M. and 8 P.M. You can also register Saturday morning before the event from 8 A.M. to 9 A.M.

A Platinum Event

The build-up to the National Championships has been fierce for both groups of Trainers. For the Video Game Championships, dedicated Pokémon Trainers have been vying for National Championships invitations at Regional Championship Events set all around the country. After hundreds of fierce battles, only 48 amazing Trainers from the more than 1,500 regional competitors have been selected to compete at the National Championships! The 48 Trainers are split evenly between the Junior division (players born in 1997 or later) and the Senior division (players born in 1996 or earlier).

If you weren't able to compete in a Regional Championship Event but you still want a chance to take on these Pokémon pros in St. Louis, show up the morning of the 27th for a last-chance opportunity to be randomly selected for entry. Remember to bring your own copy of Pokémon™ Platinum Version, as well as a team you think can hang with the best in the nation!

There's a lot on the line at the National Championships—not only will the winner claim the title of best player in America, but the top 16 players in each division will also be invited to San Diego, CA for the Pokémon World Video Game Championships in August! In addition, each division's champions will earn a Nintendo Wii™, while the first and second place winners will take home a Nintendo DSi™.

Source: http://go-pokemon.com/op/news/articles/56.html