Reading Card Show

The Reading Card Show takes over Loddon Valley Leisure Centre on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November, a two-day gathering for anyone who collects, trades or just likes looking at cards. It's open from 09:30 to 16:00 both days, so you can drop in for a quick browse or spend the whole weekend there.

Inside, there are over 100 vendor tables, and the range covers a lot of ground. You'll find Pokémon and other TCGs, sports cards and rare or vintage items, with everything from the latest releases to hard-to-find classics on display. This year brings the show's first international vendor: Reid, a Pokémon content creator from the United States, trading as @rjs.collectibles. If you're into the Pokémon side of things, he's one to keep an eye out for.

Sunday is when the competitive side kicks in. Eclectic Games is running a 64-person Pokémon TCG tournament in Standard Format: 60-card decks, best-of-three Swiss format. Every participant gets a pack from the latest sets, and prizes range from 5 to 60 packs, so there's something to take home regardless of where you finish. It's a good shout if you've been playing at home and fancy seeing how you stack up against other trainers from across Berkshire.

Practical side: the venue is Loddon Valley Leisure Centre on Rushey Way in Lower Earley, RG6 4GD. There's free parking at the main car park and two overflow car parks, so you shouldn't have any trouble getting in. Tickets range from £0 to £88.46, and the doors are open 09:30 to 16:00 on both Saturday and Sunday.