PRESQUE ISLE – While video game company Nintendo could pick just about any city in Maine to host a state gaming championship, Floyd Rockholt is elated that organizers chose his city – for the fourth year in a row and during the game’s 10th anniversary.

Rockholt, who runs Eagle Hill Stamp and Coin on Main Street in Presque Isle with partner Paul Saija, is hosting the Maine competition of the North American Pokemon Trading Card Game State Championships.

“I think it’s a great honor to host it,” Rockholt said Monday. “They can put it almost anywhere they want it, but they chose a small area like ours.”

The Pokemon trading card game, a collectible card game that debuted in Japan in 1996 and hit the U.S. in 1999, is based on the Pokemon video game series. Pokemon is a combination of the words “pocket” and “monster” – the creatures appear on trading cards and are used by card players in duels of skill and strength.

The Maine state championship will be held at the collectibles shop at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 4.

The event is one of about 50 North American championships taking place across the U.S., in Canada and in Mexico during weekends between March 4 and 19, and it is the only one taking place in the state of Maine.

According to Rockholt, the game and the championship events provide young players with the opportunity to succeed at an intellectual sport, test their strategy and creativity, and hone their math, reading and social skills.

“Pokemon involves a lot of younger kids. They learn math, reading – it’s actually very educational,” Rockholt said. “Sometimes in school, it’s like pulling teeth to get them to learn things, so this can help.”

Rockholt said he expects about 30 to 40 kids to participate in the 10th anniversary event.

The championships divide competitors into three age categories: 10 and younger, 11 to 14, and 15 and older. Winners have the opportunity to advance to the Pokemon TCG National Championships, which will be held in July during the Origins International Game Expo in Columbus, Ohio. Winners from that event will advance to the Pokemon TCG World Championships.

Prizes will be awarded to the top eight players in each age category and the first-place winners will receive a state champion trophy, Pokemon merchandise, a $300 travel allowance to attend the National Championships and a four-day admission to the Origins Expo.

In the three years that Rockholt has hosted Pokemon championships, he said local kids have made impressive showings many times. The standouts were George Belanger of Caribou, who finished 18th at the national championships in 2004, and David Correale of Hermon (formerly of Fort Fairfield), who finished eighth at the world championships, also in 2004.

“We’re hoping our players do well and make it into the finals at the national tournament,” Rockholt said. “But the one thing I always try to stress with kids is to have fun playing the game. If they win, great. But it’s more important to have fun. That way they learn a lot, too.”