The 2023 Hartford Regional Championships event has now concluded in Hartford, Oregon, USA! Read on to learn the event dates, location, results, and more!

VGC Tournament Results
Oceania International		European International		Portland Regional
Hartford Regional		Milwaukee Regional		Fresno Regional
Japan Nationals		North America International		Yokohama Open (Canceled)
VGC World Championships			2024 Championship Series

Possible Next Champion Mystery Gift Pokemon

Shiliang Tang's Chien-Pao

Chien-Pao
Level	50
Tera Type
Ability	Sword of Ruin
Held Item	Focus Sash
Moveset	・ Ice Spinner ・ Sucker Punch ・ Sacred Sword ・ Protect

Shiliang Tang's Chien-Pao closed out the match against his Finals opponent, Ryan Haig by Terastallizing into Ghost in an attempt to predict a Fake Out from Iron Hands. Though this was not the play that transpired, it was Chien-Pao who dealt the finishing blow on the runner-up's Pelipper, sealing the Regional win for Shiliang Tang.

2023 Hartford Regional Championships: Champions Team

Team Breakdown

Chien-Pao	Flutter Mane	Arcanine
Dragonite	Kingambit	Iron Bundle

Team Cores and Strategy

Flutter Mane and Arcanine

Flutter Mane

Arcanine

Flutter Mane and Arcanine offer the champion leads that can be both offensive and defensive, with Choice Specs Flutter Mane being a fast and powerful Special Attacker, and Arcanine debuffing physical threats with Intimidate and WIll-O-Wisp.

Chien-Pao and Dragonite

Chien-Pao

Dragonite

Chien-Pao and Dragonite have natural synergy together, with Chien-Pao's Sword of Ruin Ability decreasing the defense of the Pokemon on the field, and Choice Band Dragonite always going first with Extreme Speed and Aqua Jet.

Competitive Team Building for Doubles Ranked Battle

Teams Strengths

Shilang Tang's team has solid offenses and defenses, with good switch-ins and great type coverage all around. This team is able to mix and match depending on the match up, which Shiliang Tang masterfully did, earning him the Championship at Hartford.

Champion's Pokemon's Moveset and Held Items

Tera Ghost Chien-Pao (MVP)

Ability	Sword of Ruin
Tera Type
Held Item	Focus Sash
Moveset	・ Ice Spinner ・ Sucker Punch ・ Sacred Sword ・ Protect

Tera Ghost Chien-Pao is a difficult Pokemon to take down, with its Ghost Tera giving it an immunity to two types, and Focus Sash letting survive more than one hit. It is a solid match against opposing Iron Bundles and Kingambit thanks to its Sacred Sword, and against opposing Dragons with its Ice Spinner.

Chien-Pao Movesets and Best Builds

Choice Specs Flutter Mane

Ability	Protosynthesis
Tera Type
Held Item	Choice Specs
Moveset	・ Shadow Ball ・ Moonblast ・ Dazzling Gleam ・ Thunderbolt

This Pokemon is difficult to wall, with Tera Fairy and Choice Specs boosting its already high Special Attack. What sets this set apart is its inclusion of Thunderbolt, which can deal sizeable damage to opposing Electric-weak Pokemon such as Dondozo.

Flutter Mane Movesets and Best Builds

Extreme Speed Arcanine

Ability	Intimidate
Tera Type
Held Item	Safety Goggles
Moveset	・ Will-O-Wisp ・ Flare Blitz ・ Protect ・ Extreme Speed

This Arcanine runs Extreme Speed instead of the usual Snarl, which is useful for when Shiliang needs a high priority move. Tera Grass gives Arcanine immunities to Water and Ground, which it would normally be weak to.

Arcanine Movesets and Best Builds

Choice Band Dragonite

Ability	Multiscale
Tera Type
Held Item	Choice Band
Moveset	・ Outrage ・ Extreme Speed ・ Aqua Jet ・ Stomping Tantrum

Choice Band Dragonite is capable of massive damage. Choice Band, coupled with Tera Dragon, can make Outrage OHKO most Pokemon, making Dragonite an unstoppable offensive force.

Dragonite Movesets and Best Builds

Assault Vest Kingambit

Ability	Defiant
Tera Type
Held Item	Assault Vest
Moveset	・ Sucker Punch ・ Assurance ・ Iron Head ・ Low Kick

Shiliang Tang's Kingambit was given Tera Fire so that it can resist notable Fire-type Attacks such as Chi-Yu's Heat Wave and Torkoal's Eruption. Sucker Punch gives the team yet another priority option. Assurance and Iron Head allows Kingambit to deal good damage with STAB, while Low Kick is useful for opposing Kingambit and other Fighting-weak Pokemon.

Kingambit Movesets and Best Builds

Booster Energy Iron Bundle

Ability	Quark Drive
Tera Type
Held Item	Booster Energy
Moveset	・ Freeze-Dry ・ Hydro Pump ・ Icy Wind ・ Protect

Booster Energy Iron Bundle is nearly impossible to outspeed without Speed modifiers, making it a powerful inclusion to the team. Tera Ice can boost the offensive power of Icy Wind, which would otherwise be rather weak. Freeze-Dry and Hydro Pump are standard Iron Bundle moves, which it rarely does not carry.

Iron Bundle Movesets and Best Builds

2023 Hartford Regional Championships Details

Tournament for Best Players in Pokemon Games

The 2023 Hartford Regional Championships is a Regional tournament where players could compete for Championship points, which can help players qualify for the 2023 Pokemon World Championships to be held in Yokohama, Japan.

Separate tournaments were held for Pokemon TCG, Pokemon UNITE, Pokemon GO, and Pokemon Video Game Championship, through Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

Pokemon World Championships 2023

2023 Hartford Regional Championships Date and Location

This season's 2023 Hartford Regional Championships event took place at Hartford, Connecticut, on May 19 to May 21, 2023.

Event Registration

Registrations for the event opened from April 4th to May 19th, for players in all age divisions, namely Juniors, Seniors, and Masters.

Current Series

Players were able to join Side Events for VGC, the Pokemon Trading Card Game, and Pokemon Go by purchasing Game Tickets at the event. Prizes were also available for winners in these side events.

Championship Point System

Points Awarded from Regional and International Tournaments

CP, or Championship Points are points awarded to players who participated in this regional tournament. Points vary depending on the tournament, and the players placement.

International Championships Point System

2023 Hartford Regional Championships Eligible Pokemon

Regulation C

Treasures of Ruin Permitted in Regulation C (Series 3)

The four Treasures of Ruin are now eligible to use in Regulation C (Series 3)!

Treasures of Ruin
Wo-Chien Best Build	Chien-Pao Best Build	Ting-Lu Best Build	Chi-Yu Best Build

Best Treasures of Ruin Builds for Ranked Battle

Koraidon and Miraidon were Banned

Koraidon and Miraidon are also banned from competitive play in Regulation C (Series 3).

Koraidon

Miraidon

Non-Paldean Dex Pokemon and Regional Variants

Regional variants of Pokemon not found in the Paldean Region are also banned from competitive play. Even though some of these Pokemon share a Pokedex Number with their legal counterparts, they are all banned from online play.

Previous starters who appeared in 7-Star Tera Raid Events are also banned from competitive play as they are not part of the Paldea Pokedex.

Charmander	Charmeleon	Charizard
Scorbunny	Raboot	Cinderace
Froakie	Frogadier	Greninja
Rowlet	Dartrix	Decidueye
Oshawott	Dewott	Samurott
Sobble	Drizzile	Inteleon
Wooper	Quagsire	Galarian Meowth
Perrserker	Hisuian Zorua	Hisuian Zoroark

Walking Wake and Iron Leaves

Although Walking Wake and Iron Leaves are Paradox Pokemon, they are banned from the current Ranked Battle Series as they are not part of the Paldea Pokedex.

Walking Wake

Iron Leaves

All Legal Pokemon

Almost all Pokemon in the Paldea Pokedex are available to use for Ranked Battle Regulation C (Series 3), including Paradox Pokemon and Treasures of Ruin but still excluding Koraidon and Miraidon and Pokemon not included in the Paldean Pokedex.

Complete Paldea Pokedex

Next Major Pokemon VGC Tournament

2023 North America International Championship Tournament

The next major VGC event will be the North America International Championship (NAIC) Tournament, which will be held on June 30th to July 2nd, 2023.

It will be played with Regulation C rules, which means that the Four Treasures of Ruin, as well as Paradox Pokemon will be legal. Koraidon and Miraidon, Walking Wake and Iron Leaves, and Pokemon which are not in the Paldea Dex such as Quagsire, Perrserker, and raid event Pokemon such as Charizard, Cinderace, and Greninja and their pre-evolutions will not be usable in this tournament.
Ranked Battle Regulation C (Series 3): Rules and Banned Pokemon

Related Guides

Latest News and Game Info

All Ranked Battle Series (Regulations)

Event	Description
Ranked Battle Regulation H [LIVE]	Ruleset: Paradox, Legendary, and Mythical Pokemon are banned in Regulation H!
Ranked Battle Regulation G	Ruleset: Legendary Pokemon will finally be available in Regulation G!
Ranked Battle Regulation F (Series 6)	Ruleset: New and Returning Pokemon from Indigo Disk DLC will be available in Regulation F! Regulation F Duration: 01/04/2024 ~ 04/30/2024
Ranked Battle Regulation E (Series 5)	Ruleset: New and Returning Pokemon from The Teal Mask DLC will be available in Regulation E! Regulation E Duration: 10/1/2023 ~ 01/02/2024
Ranked Battle Regulation D (Series 4)	Ruleset: Pokemon transferred from Pokémon HOME except Restricted Pokemon will be available in Regulation D! (Regulation D) Regulation D Duration: 7/1/2023 ~ 9/30/2023
Ranked Battle Regulation C (Series 3)	Ruleset: The Four Treasures of Ruin are available in Regulation C! Regulation C Duration: 4/1/2023 ~ 6/30/2023
Ranked Battle Series 2 (Regulation B)	Ruleset: Paradox Pokemon can now be used in Series 2 (Regulation B)! Duration: 2/1/2023 ~ 3/31/2023
Ranked Battle Series 1 (Regulation A)	Ruleset: Paradox and Legendary Pokemon are banned from competitive play! Duration: 12/1/2022 ~ 1/31/2023

Ranked Battle Rules and Banned Pokemon

Current & Upcoming Online Competitions