Checking for null only gets "Cannot read property '1' of null" in nodejs

I am trying to test for a null value after a # in a string. I have tried it various ways but I always get a Cannot read property '1' of null when submitting test data. I have ferreted out the errors I can think of but this one I cannot seem to get around. Please keep in mind I am a beginner at this, I haven't programmed since cobol days and the last time i worked on javascript was in the early 2000s.

//First lets test to see if # is in the message. If true then we will parse it and add it to the database.
var str = elt.message;
var substr = '#';
var vtest = str.indexOf(substr) > -1;
if (vtest == 1){
var Vname = elt.author;
console.log('We tested for # and the value is true');

//extracts the number and the letter after the # from incoming chat messages
var test = elt.message; // replace with message text variable. 
var pstr = test.match(/#(\d{1,3})([a-zA-Z])/);
if (pstr) {
var numbers = pstr[1];
var character = pstr[2];
var chupp = character.toUpperCase(); //Converts the lowercase to uppercase
}

//Tests to see if neither the question number or the possible answer is left out
//if (pstr[1] !== '' && pstr[2] !== ''){ //doesnt work =(
if (pstr[1] !== null && pstr[2] !== null){ //doesnt work either =(

console.log('we processed the numbers after the #sign and assigned the numbers and letter into variables.')
console.log('The question number is: ' + pstr[1]);
console.log('The letter processed is: ' + pstr[2]);