The 2016 Pokémon U.S. National Championships takes place this weekend from July 1 to July 3. The event is being held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.
Players from across the United States compete against each other in both trading card and video game tournaments. Winners from the U.S. Nationals earn points necessary to qualify for the Pokémon World Champion occurring this August in San Francisco, Calif.
For the first time, the recent fighting game Pokkén is in force at the event. Senior and master players are invited to compete, with the top two players from each winning a trip to the Pokkén Tournament happening at the Pokémon World Champion.
The event can be viewed streaming from Pokémon's official Twitch account. For an idea of what the Canadian Pokémon world is like, check out our breakdown of some of the north's top Pocket Monsters.
Our Take: I haven't kept up with Pokémon in recent years, but its good to see such a thriving competitive community still alive. I may have to check in once or twice to see how the tournament is going.