Pokémon Winter Regional Championships to debut Pokémon X & Y competition

The Pokémon Winter Regional Championships will be taking place across the US over the next three weekends, and will mark the first time competitors will battle in a Pokémon Video Game Championship Series event playing Pokémon X or Pokémon Y.

Here's the schedule:

Doswell, VA - January 11th-12th - (TCG both days, Video Game Jan. 12th only)
Long Beach, CA - January 18th-19th - (TCG both days, Video Game Jan. 19th only)
Salem, OR - January 18th-19th - (TCG both days, Video Game Jan. 19th only)
St. Charles, MO - January 18th-19th - (TCG both days, Video Game Jan. 18th only)
Orlando, FL - January 25th-26th - (TCG both days, Video Game Jan. 26th only)

Each event is open to the public, and if you would like to compete, bring your copy of Pokémon X or Y along with your 3DS or 2DS system with you.

Pokémon tournaments use "Swiss-style pairings," so all players can play in every round of the event until the finals are determined.

Top finishers in both the TCG and video game events will receive booster packs, trophies, and stipends from a pool of nearly $200,000 in travel allowances, which can be applied toward earning a Pokémon U.S. National Championships Travel Award or even an invitation to the 2014 Pokémon World Championships in Washington, D.C. this August.

More information about each event and entry details can be found through the Video Game Pokémon Winter Regional Championships and TCG Pokémon Winter Regional Championships websites.