Welcome to the Pokémon TCG!

Hi there! If you're new to playing Pokémon, I'll go over some of the basics. If you're not new, I'll also address some of the key differences between Pocket and the original TCG.

How does the Pokémon TCG work?

At its core, Pokémon is about powering up your Pokémon and defeating your opponents'. Pocket is a quick, abbreviated form of the original TCG. Its objective is to obtain 3 "points" (down from 6 prize cards), using decks of 20 cards (down from 60). Strategies for deck composition and gameplay will be detailed in sections below.

To begin, each player draws 5 cards, and must place a basic Pokémon in the Active position. Unlike the original TCG, this 5-card draw is not entirely random, as you are guaranteed to pull a basic Pokémon. You can use this gameplay quirk to your advantage in certain situations.

Players take turns consisting of 3 phases: draw, act, and attack. Each turn begins with the player drawing a card, unless their deck is empty. On all turns except turn 1, a random (of the deck's selected types) energy is generated in the bank to be applied to the player's Pokémon. If this energy is not attached, it is wasted. This is the primary power economy of the game. During their turn, the player can play any number of Trainer cards (but only one Supporter), play or evolve Pokémon, utilize abilities, and optionally retreat once.

By knocking out your opponent's Pokémon with attacks, you gain "points" - 1 for standard Pokémon or 2 for Pokémon EX. Reach 3, and you win! But if your opponent gets 3 points, or you run out of Pokémon in play (it can happen!), you lose. Pocket also has a mercy mechanic - games that go 30 turns with no winner are forced draws.

Sounds like fun! Now what?

Once you have a few cards you want to try in battle, read on to learn some strategy!

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