In the early years of the Pokémon TCG, tournaments were all locally run events, and nothing really official—let alone international—existed. Worlds? Nationals? Regionals?? Forget it. At this point in time, the only thing that was anything CLOSE to being an “international tournament” was the Pokémon Tropical Mega Battle hosted in Hawai’i in 1999. But Wizards of the Coast—then current licensee of the Pokémon TCG—wasn’t gonna let this game blow up in popularity without making sure players can get something out of it, right? Afterall they knew first hand how much player support is key to keeping a game alive, and organized tournaments are the best way to keep that going. And what better company to run it than the one that run gaming’s BIGGEST card game tournament: Magic the Gathering‘s ProTour and World Championships?

Thus enter the Super Trainer Showdown, the first official series of Pokémon TCG tournaments outside of Japan (and even then!). This was a series of four tournaments which would now be considered “Regionals” which were hosted in the United States between 2000 and 2001:

  • West Coast Super Trainer Showdown 2000 — on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA; July 22, 2000
  • East Coast Super Trainer Showdown 2000 — The Meadowlands in Secaucus, NJ; November 18, 2000
  • East Coast Super Trainer Showdown 2001 — The Meadowlands in Secaucus, NJ; June 23-24, 2001
  • West Coast Super Trainer Showdown 2001 — San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA; December 1-2, 2001

The Super Trainer Showdown was such a success that it paved the way for the very first Pokémon Worlds event in Seattle, WA in 2002, based on the Magic the Gathering World Championships event that they also held… though Worlds 2002 would be the only one that Wizards would host before losing their license in 2003.

With all the long forgotten history hidden behind the scenes, there’s so much to be shared and a lot to remember about Pokémon’s first real organized tournament event. Everything that is part of the modern day Pokémon TCG tournament scene—even it’s very name!—wouldn’t be what it is today if it wasn’t for it standing on the shoulders of the Super Trainer Showdown. This page therefore aims to remind everyone what that is!

 

Tour Goodies!

Below are a bunch of scans I’ve made of various bits and bobs from the Tour stop and my invite package. Check ’em out! (BTW, you can click on the thumbnail picture in order to get a high quality scan of that item; front and back views of the same item are kept together. However, personal info, phone numbers and other contact info have been removed.)

The Pokémon TCG Tour baggie, where you can put in all your… stuff.
This was the pamphlet for the Tour event itself, showcasing all the different attractions, events, etc, for visitors. I wish I had actual pictures of the Tour stop, but this was before even common use of digital cameras, and we didn’t think to bring the camera… so this’ll have to do.
Stickers handed out at the Tour stop, including ones for the TCG sets. And on the back is a list of all the West Coast tour stop dates and locations.
Here is my result sheet, showing off my wins and points earned. On the back are also the rules for the event too.
Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a Pokémon League location near you, here’s a handy list. You can tell this is old because it still references Toys R Us locations.
And if you wanted a chance to win a Pokémon shopping spree, you’d fill out and send in this card.
Here’s a handy sticker to put on your card binder in order for people to know that it’s actually yours… and totally not Danny’s binder, because my sticker is on it, not Danny’s, and why would my name be on Danny’s binder I mean its not like I just added this sticker to Danny’s binder or anything!
Oh wait, I guess it is Danny’s binder, because I forgot that he had this binder insert with his name on it there. Nerts, I forgot about that…
This was the invitation letter I got in the FedEx packet after the event. And if you won an invite too, you would’ve gotten this as well.
Unfortunately I don’t remember where my invite went, but I’m positive I still have it. In any case, I did scan it for the site back when I originally got it, so here it is.

 

That’s all I have to share right now, but that isn’t everything to share! Keep an eye on this page for more info!