Decked Trading Cards closes out its summer Pokémon season with the Pokémon Summer League Finals on Saturday, August 29, 2026, starting at 12:00 PM Mountain Time in Rio Rancho. The Finals are the capstone of a summer-long league run — the qualifier stage ran through the second half of August, and this is where it resolves. Of every Pokémon event on the store's August calendar, this is the one with the most on the line and the biggest expected turnout.
Unlike the store's ordinary weekly league sessions, which are deliberately unstructured and open-ended, a Finals event carries a defined field and a real competitive edge. Expect stronger decks, closer games, and a room that is paying attention. Bring a legal sixty-card Pokémon Trading Card Game deck built for Standard on current Scarlet and Violet era cards. Whether the Finals field is limited to players who competed in the Summer League Qualifier stage or open to walk-ins was not spelled out on the store's public calendar, and that is the single most important thing to confirm before you drive over — call 505-796-5478 or ask on the store Discord.
The Finals run alongside the store's regular Saturday Pokémon League, which occupies 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM the same day, so even if you are not in the Finals field there is a full afternoon of casual play available in the same room. That combination makes August 29 the best single day of the month to see the Rio Rancho and northwest Albuquerque Pokémon community at full strength. Decked stocks a deep Pokémon singles inventory behind the counter plus sealed Elite Trainer Boxes and booster boxes, sleeves, deck boxes, and playmats, and also carries Magic: The Gathering, Flesh and Blood, Riftbound, and Warhammer.
The store is at 3301 Southern Boulevard SE, Suite 403, Rio Rancho, NM 87124, with free parking immediately outside on the Southern Boulevard corridor. Saturday hours are 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM. The drive is short from Corrales, Bernalillo, Placitas, and the entire northwest side of Albuquerque, and there is no parking cost or garage to deal with — a small thing that matters when you are bringing kids and a bag of binders.
This event suits the competitive end of the local scene above all: players who ran the qualifier stage, teens and adults who want a real Pokémon tournament without traveling out of state, and anyone who wants to watch good Pokémon played well. It is also a fine spectator day for families and collectors, since the casual league is running in parallel. Practical advice — arrive by 11:30 AM to register, check your list, and get settled before the noon start; bring a sleeved deck, dice or damage counters, a coin or die for flips, and a pen; bring your binder for the trading that happens around a big event; and bring cash for singles and sealed. Confirm eligibility, entry fee, and prize support at 505-796-5478 or on the store Discord first. The complete schedule is posted at deckedtradingcards.com/local-events, with updates on the store's Facebook page.
