2012 World Championships: Bochum, Germany

[HawkeyeSPF]

2012 World Championships: Bochum, Germany

Postby imrahil327 » Tue Nov 30, 2010 7:12 pm

In 2012, Star Wars CCG will be taking its show on the road! For the first time in the game's history, Germany will play host to the Star Wars CCG World Championship.

When: October 11-14, 2012
Where: Bochum, Germany

This event is the product of years of discussion between the PC and players both in America and Europe. We are announcing it nearly two years in advance in the hopes that a number of American players will be able to attend this event. In preparation for hosting Worlds, the European SWCCG community has agreed to meet certain conditions to ensure that this event will be a success. In the coming year, they will have two tournaments with at least 20 players (currently, these events are the German and Dutch regionals), and at least 35 players at the European Championships in 2011.

Chris Menzel (Shadow 14) is the ‘Emperor of Europe' in regards to all things Star Wars, and will be assisting me in answering any questions you may have about this tournament, especially in terms of logistics and travel. He will soon be posting pictures of the site that he has chosen, and information about travel arrangements.

•Why Worlds in Europe?
Star Wars CCG has been in existence for 15 years now, and European players have always played a role in its success and history. Four World champions and three runners-up have hailed from Europe, and Europeans have played a role in creating some of the programs and technologies that have helped our game (SW-IP, for example.) It is only fair that we allow them to host a World Championship.

•Will Europe regularly host Worlds now?
Not at this time. The Europeans have been extremely gracious, and stated that they understand that this is likely a one-time event.

•Will money be taken from U.S. players to fund this event?
No, the European players have volunteered to fund the prize pool entirely through European events, so no money from U.S. tournaments will go toward funding it. The prize structure will be similar to those offered at past Worlds events, and will be able to be claimed in a variety of currencies through PayPal, should a non-European cash.

•Is there anything to do in Germany?
Yes, actually. The event is scheduled one week before Spiel Essen, one of the biggest gaming conventions in the world. So if you are a nerd (and let's face it, who here isn't?), you'll definitely want to stay and check that out as well! Additionally, I am working on putting together a tour group with the help of European SWCCG players, where those of us from the States who go will be able to see the sights of Europe together.

•What will I need to travel?
You will need a passport to travel. Once there, you will want to convert your money to Euros. If anyone knows of any other international travel restrictions that I am unaware of, please let me know ASAP.

•Why October? Aren't we running Worlds in the summer now?
There are two reasons for the October date: First, to correspond with Spiel Essen as mentioned above, and second, in order to allow for the U.S. to hold a large event at its normal time as well.

•What if I can't afford to go to Europe?
As I mentioned above, we will still hold a large tournament with a cash prize in the United States in August of 2012; it will simply not be a World Championship.

•Will I need to qualify or get a bye to attend?
No, anyone who attends from the United States will be automatically qualified for Day 2.

•I saw that proxies were allowed at some European events, will they be allowed at Worlds when it is held there?
No, Worlds will be held using all of the same tournament rules as are currently used for Worlds here in the States.

•Who will direct the tournament?
Chris Menzel, who has a history of running great tournaments in Europe, will direct the tournament himself, and have at least two other rules gurus on hand. In addition, it is possible that I will be assisting him personally.

•What if the Europeans cannot reach their attendance goals?
In this unlikely and unfortunate scenario, we will have a contingency plan in place for Worlds.

•When will we know for sure if these goals have been met?
Currently, the European Championship is scheduled for September 3, 2011. This will give players over a year's notice as to whether or not the goals have been met. Thus, players will be able to begin saving now for plane tickets and travel expenses, and still have plenty of time to book in advance.

•What about Worlds 2011?
We are exploring a couple of different hotel options, and an announcement should be up soon. We do know that it will be in Washington D.C. on the weekend of August 11-14.