The Stambler Open [Spring 2024]
Organized by Shoddysseus Battle
EX Series (RS–PK) format
Simulator

You are cordially invited to the second Stambler Open, a tournament series that will evolve through the ages most assuredly from your attendance. A Tournament series where the most respected gentlemen play a most respected format. "Very Good Hand!" Indeed!

Where will the tournament be played?

The tournament is played through the online Pokémon TCG Simulator, TCGOne: play.tcgone.net

What format do we owe the pleasure?

The tournament will be centered around the ex Ruby & Sapphire to ex Power Keepers. All sets available in this expansive format are included below:

Legal Sets

  • ruby-sapphire-symbol Ruby & Sapphire
  • sandstorm-symbol.png Sandstorm
  • dragon-symbol.png Dragon
  • team-magma-vs-team-aqua-symbol Team Magma vs Team Aqua
  • hidden-legends-symbol Hidden Legends
  • firered-leafgreen-symbol.png FireRed LeafGreen
  • team-rocket-returns-symbol Team Rocket Returns
  • deoxys-symbol Deoxys
  • emerald-symbol Emerald
  • unseen-forces-symbol.png Unseen Forces
  • delta-species-symbol.png Delta Species
  • legend-maker-symbol.png Legend Maker
  • holon-phantoms-symbol.png Holon Phantoms
  • crystal-guardians-symbol.png Crystal Guardians
  • dragon-frontiers-symbol.png Dragon Frontiers
  • power-keepers-symbol.png Power Keepers
  • pop-1-symbol POP Series 1
  • pop-2-symbol POP Series 2
  • pop-3-symbol POP Series 3
  • pop-4-symbol POP Series 4
  • pop-5-symbol POP Series 5
  • promo-symbol Nintendo Black Star Promos 001–040

What will prizing be?

CASH! Prizing will be distributed through PayPal or Venmo.

First Place - $50 USD

Second Place - $30 USD

Third & Fourth Place - $15 USD

Fifth-Eighth - $10 USD

Tournament Structure

The tournament begins at 5:00pm EST (-05:00 GMT), May 18th on a Saturday. The tournament will be Best of 1, and each round will be timed by the TCGOne Timer of 25 minutes for each player. NOTE: Matches are determined by prizes taken after time expires in-game (TCGONE has max 50 minutes of in-game time). Players are NOT allowed to extend time to an opponent. This prevents unnecessary delays.

Top Cut will proceed after the Swiss Rounds, the top 8 players will play Best of 3 matches.

What happens if my opponent is late to the round?

Players have exactly 5 Minutes to begin playing. If a player's time has exceeded 5 minutes without proper acknowledgement by the admin(s) contacted or both players' consent, the player who is not late must mark themselves as the winner after confirmation.

Are there any bugs that I should be aware of?

Currently, there are no major bugs on TCGOne. However, if any significant bugs are discovered during tournament play, a tournament admin may allow or direct any affected players to replace those cards with either Basic Energy cards, or in some instances, a similar card. For example, if a particular Magikarp was bugged and could not evolve into Gyarados, that player could be allowed to use a different Magikarp for the remainder of the event.

What happens if there is a Game Engine Error or a Major Bug is discovered?

TCGOne has been known in the past to have Game Engine Errors and new bugs appearing. If a player encounters a new bug or encounters a Game Engine Error, do not restart your match! Please contact the tournament organizer or admins if you run into this issue, and the players and the admin will help to determine what the best course of action is. Generally, game-breaking errors will award the win to the player that was leading in prizes when the crash occurred. (If the game was tied, the players may be directed to play a Sudden Death match.) However, if restarting the game is unlikely to cause any delays to the event, a tournament admin may allow the match to be replayed. If a game crash was caused by one player disconnecting (or any sort of exploitation of online play), that player will forfeit the match.

Are there any restrictions to Decklists?

Lists will be public to avoid any foul play and give transparency to the players, spectators, and to archive the tournament. Your list MUST be legal to participate. Please contact an administrator if you have any questions or trouble submitting your list.

New to TCGOne? To create a decklist, locate the "Quickplay Decks" on your dashboard on TCGOne. Make sure when creating your deck, the format is set to "EX Block" to find the proper cards.

Is there a good reference point to get started?

Check out these link below!

https://jklaczpokemon.com/ex-decks/

https://jklaczpokemon.com/ex-decks-2/

https://ptcgarchive.com/rs-pk-decks/

Having trouble with the tournament or the format? Contact @shodysseus on X, formerly Twitter, or through discord @shoddysseus if you have any questions.

Tournament Structure

Swiss Rounds
6 Swiss Rounds - BO1
untimed rounds
no round check-in
8 players advance to the next phase
Top 8 Cut
Single Elimination Bracket - BO1
untimed matches
no match check-in
Wins are worth 1 match point, ties 0