The Play! Pokémon Grassroots Program is a series of events hosted by Play! Pokémon Stores, where Pokémon fans come together as a community. Whether trading the newest cards, playing a couple of casual games, or competing in Premier Events, program participants enjoy a great time while playing the games they love.
Events are open to anyone who wants to play (or learn to play) the Pokémon Trading Card Game. We can teach you all of the basics that you need. Everybody has to start somewhere and even if you are confident in the game’s mechanics, it can still take a few games to adjust to playing people that you don’t already know. Mostly this is just a psychological hurdle, not too difficult to overcome and, when with other Pokémon fans, players generally adapt very quickly.
Parents are encouraged to play too. The kids will do all the hard work of building your deck for you, so you can join in simply by learning the basic game mechanics.
As you proceed through the various events (detailed below) the structure becomes a little more formal and the competition gets a bit stronger. Prerelease and League are simply play events. Challenge is an introduction to tournament play, and Cup events are a stepping stone to much larger competitions and venues.
All Pokémon TCG events separate players by age, loosely: <10, 11-14, and 15+. For simplicity, this is based only upon the YEAR in which you are born (so the age brackets are a little fuzzy). Each Pokemon tournament effectively runs as three separate events – provided that there are at least 4 players in each age category – and in all cases final standings are calculated for each of the three age groups individually. You may occasionally play outside of your age group, but you only compete within your age bracket.
Prerelease events allow players to receive and play with cards from the newest Pokémon TCG expansion before the expansion’s official release date.
- Quarterly tournament
- New cards from the latest expansion up to two weeks before release date
- Each Build & Battle Box contains:
- A 40-card ready-to-play deck, including 1 of 4 alternate-art promo cards
- 4 booster packs (10 cards and 1 basic Energy per pack)
- Additional booster packs for all participants
Pokémon TCG Prerelease events at Clifton Road Games, Exeter:
- Saturday, 25/03/2023 – Scarlet & Violet
- Saturday, 27/05/2023 – Paldea Evolved
- Saturday, 29/07/2023 – Obsidian Flames
- Saturday, 28/10/2023 – Paradox Rift
- Saturday, 09/03/2024 – Temporal Forces
Pokémon League is a fun and accessible way for Pokémon fans to get together and have some fun! League events are open to all Pokémon TCG players regardless of experience level or skill. Using your own cards, you can play, trade, and even earn cool prizes! The best part is that you can do all this with other Pokémon players who love collecting and playing just as much as you do.
Pokémon League events are a great way to learn game basics and get the feel for Pokémon competitive play before beginning to compete in Pokémon tournaments.
Pokémon League runs every Friday afternoon at Clifton Road Games, Exeter. From 3pm, until 6pm for the younger players, on into the evening for older/adult players.
Pokémon League Challenge tournaments are small, local, entry-level events, designed as an introduction to competitive TCG play.
Pokémon League Challenge events at Clifton Road Games, Exeter:
- Saturday, 04/11/2023
- Saturday, 02/12/2023
- Saturday, 13/01/2024
- Saturday, 10/02/2024
- Saturday, 02/03/2024
- Saturday, 13/04/2024
- Saturday, 04/05/2024
- Saturday, 08/06/2024
- Saturday, 06/07/2024
- Saturday, 03/08/2024
- Saturday, 07/09/2024
- Saturday, 05/10/2024
- Saturday, 02/11/2024
- Saturday, 07/12/2024
Pokémon League Cup tournaments give players an opportunity to earn Championship Points and practice their skills for larger competitions.
Pokémon League Cup events at Clifton Road Games, Exeter:
- Saturday, 22/04/2023
- Saturday, 23/09/2023
- Saturday, 19/11/2023
- Saturday, 23/03/2024
Regional Championships events take place all around the world. After the Pokémon International Championships, the Pokémon Regional Championships are the largest events in terms of both attendance and Championship Point payouts. International Championships draw Pokémon TCG players from all around the globe during the Championship Series season. These amazing events feature high Championship Point payouts and a larger prize pool. Ultimately, the best players throughout the season can earn invitations to the Pokémon World Championships!
Venue Information
Clifton Road Games
16 Clifton Road
EXETER
EX1 2BR
Tel. 01392 259 988
www.cliftonroadgames.co.uk
Transport
Cars: The Triangle Car Park is at the end of Clifton Road. In addition, there are 30-minute parking bays just up the road near Newtown Stores convenience shop, as well as 2-hour bays in each of the side roads off of Clifton Road (Clifton Street, Chute Street, Sandford Walk, etc). If you have an electric vehicle, there are charging points in Belmont Road (along the front of Belmont Park), on the left from the end of Clifton Road.
Bus: The nearest bus stop is Lower Summerlands at the junction of Clifton Road and Heavitree Road. The new Exeter Bus Station is only a few yards further away, by St. Sidwell’s Point Leisure Centre and the VUE Cinema (walk down past the VUE cinema, across Western Way, between the Leonardo Hotel – formerly Jury’s Inn – and Belmont Chapel to the Triangle Car Park and then turn left past The Clifton Inn).
FOOD & DRINK
Clifton Road Games do not provide or sell food and/or drinks on the premises, but customers are welcome to bring their own.
We generally advise that gamers take specific breaks for food and drinks, rather than snacking throughout. It’s safer for the games components!
Newtown Stores is just up the road (on your left as you exit the shop), The Clifton Inn, and (across the Triangle Car Park) Dee Yi and Exe Coffee Roasters are a short distance to the right of the shop. Waitrose is at the top of the hill, directly opposite the shop entrance.
Customer toilets (wheelchair accessible) are available.
Clifton Road Games 