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Learn the basic TCG gameplay and strategy with our full guide
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If you want to do more than look at your collection of Pokémon cards, the trading card game (TCG) is a ton of fun and easy to learn! Just like the video games and TV show, you and your opponent play cards to send out your favorite Pokémon and battle. Even though there are tons of cards, the rules and strategies are pretty easy to pick up. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through setting up your first game from start to finish!

Pokémon TCG Rules Overview

During the Pokémon card game, players play their Pokémon to battle against each other. On a turn, you can play cards, activate abilities, evolve your Pokémon, and attack. Knock out a Pokémon to win a Prize Card. Earn 6 Prize Cards, knock out all your opponent's Pokémon, or make your opponent empty their deck to win!

Section 1 of 7:

Parts of Pokémon Cards & TCG Play Zones

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  1. Pokémon cards are the main part of your deck and what you’ll play during your turn. Each Pokémon card can be a little different, but they all have the same basic info listed on the card.[1]
    • Name: The name of your Pokémon
    • HP: The number of Hit Points your Pokémon has
    • Type: Your Pokemon’s type
    • Stage: Either Basic, Stage 1, or Stage 2; Stages 1 and 2 also show which Pokémon they evolve from
    • Attacks/Abilities: Abilities and attacks your Pokémon can use on your turn with their Energy costs
    • Weakness: The type your Pokémon takes extra damage from
    • Resistance: The type your Pokémon takes less damage from
    • Retreat Cost: The Energy cost to return your Pokémon
  2. Each player has their own play area in the Pokémon card game. Pokémon game mats have the zones marked out, but you can play without one as long as you make room for these play areas:[2]
    • Active Spot: The spot in the middle of the play area for the Pokémon you’re battling with
    • Bench: The bottom row of your play area where you can play up to 5 other Pokémon
    • Deck: The face-down deck of cards on the right side of the play area
    • Discard Pile: The pile above your deck where you discard cards after they’re played or knocked out
    • Prize Cards: 6 face-down cards on the left side of the play area that you can win back during the game
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Section 2 of 7:

How to Set Up the Pokémon Card Game

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  1. Each player needs a deck with exactly 60 Pokémon cards. Shuffle the cards face-down so they’re mixed really well, and put them in the deck zone on the right side of your play area.[3]
    • If you’re a beginner, use a starter deck that’s prebuilt and has everything you need to play the game. Alternatively, jump to our strategy section to learn how to build your own deck.
  2. Start off each game with a friendly handshake. Then, flip a coin and have the other player call heads or tails. Whoever wins the coin toss chooses which player takes the first turn of the game.[4]
    • If you don’t have a coin, pick a first player with another game like rock-paper-scissors, or choose a first player randomly.
  3. Each player takes the top 7 cards from the top of their deck. You can look at your own hand of cards, but keep them secret from your opponent.
  4. Check your hand for any Basic Pokémon, listed in the top-left corner of the card. Pick one of them that you want to use first in your game. Set the card face-down in the Active Spot in your play area.[5]
    • If you don’t have a Basic Pokemon in your hand, you can take a mulligan. Show your cards to the other player and shuffle them back into your deck. Then draw 7 new cards.
      • Whenever you take a mulligan, your opponent draws 1 extra card into their hand.
  5. If you have more than 1 Basic Pokémon in your hand, you may play any of them face-down in a row below your Active Pokémon. You can have up to 5 other Pokémon in your Bench.[6]
  6. Draw the top 6 cards from your deck and set them face-down on the left side of your play area without looking at them. Any time you knock out your opponent’s Active Pokémon in a battle, you’ll add at least 1 Prize Card right to your hand.[7]
    • If you want a shorter game, then you can use fewer Prize cards.
  7. Once both players set up their starting Pokémon and Prize Cards, flip over all the cards in your Active Spot and Bench. Then, the first player can immediately take their turn.[8]
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Section 3 of 7:

How to Play Pokémon Cards

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  1. At the start of every turn, take the top card of your deck and add it to your hand. You’re required to draw a card every turn, and it’s not an optional action.[9]
    • If your deck runs out and you can’t draw a card at the start of your turn, you immediately lose the game!
  2. There are multiple actions you can take during your turn, but it doesn’t matter which order you do them in. We’ll cover what each action does in the following steps, but the actions you can take are:[10]
    • Play Basic Pokémon to your Bench
    • Evolve your Pokémon
    • Use Pokémon abilities
    • Play Trainer cards
    • Attach an Energy card to a Pokémon
    • Retreat your Active Pokémon
  3. If you have any Basic Pokémon in your hand, you can play as many of them as you want face-up in your Bench. Remember, you can only have up to 5 Pokémon on your bench at once, unless another card in play says otherwise.[11]
  4. If you have a Stage 1 or 2 Pokémon in your hand, check if you have the Pokémon it evolves from in play. Then, play the evolved form on top of the Pokémon card in your Active Spot or Bench.[12]
    • You can evolve any number of Pokémon during your turn.
    • You can’t evolve a Pokémon on the first turn it’s played or during the first turn of the game.
  5. Some Pokémon have special abilities on their card that let you take extra actions. Announce the ability you’re using and do all of the actions listed.[13]
    • Each ability only activates once, but you can use as many abilities as you want on your turn.
  6. Trainer cards are either Items, Tools, Supporters, or Stadiums, and they each have a special effect when you play them. You can play any number of Item and Tool cards on your turn, but you’re limited to 1 Supporter and 1 Stadium card each turn.[14]
    • Discard Trainer cards, except for Stadiums, right after you play them.
    • When you play a Stadium card, set it horizontally between both players and leave it there until someone plays another Stadium.
  7. Energy cards each have a specific type and they help power up your Pokémon attacks. Tuck 1 Energy card underneath one of your Pokémon so its icon in the corner is still visible.[15]
    • You may only play 1 Energy card per turn unless another card says otherwise.
    • You can play an Energy card on your Active or Benched Pokémon.
    • Energy stays on a Pokémon when it evolves.
  8. If you want to switch your Active Pokémon, check the retreat cost listed at the bottom of the card. Discard Energy cards with matching symbols from that Pokémon to move it back into your Bench. Then, choose one of your Benched Pokémon to move to the Active Spot.
    • You can only retreat once per turn.
  9. After you’re finished with your actions, use your Active Pokémon to attack your opponent’s Pokémon if it has enough Energy. Once the attack is finished, your turn ends immediately, and your opponent takes their turn. We’ll cover attacking in depth in the next section.[16]
    • If you aren’t able to attack or choose not to attack, then your turn ends after you’re finished taking actions.
    • You can’t attack your opponent during the first turn of the game.
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Section 4 of 7:

Attacking Your Opponent in Pokémon TCG

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  1. Every Pokémon attack has an Energy cost listed next to it. Check the symbols next to the attack and confirm you have matching Energy cards tucked underneath your Pokémon. If you have enough Energy, then you can use that attack.[17]
    • A grey symbol with a star is considered “colorless” and can use any color Energy card.
    • A grey circle symbolizes no Energy cost, so you can use the attack for free.
  2. Most cards have a Weakness and a Resistance to particular types of Pokémon. If the type symbol of your Active Pokémon matches the Weakness, then your attack does the extra damage listed. If your Pokémon’s type matches the Resistance, then reduce the attack’s damage by the listed amount.[18]
    • Weakness and Resistance values vary between different Pokémon.
    • Weaknesses and Resistances are only applied when an attack targets your opponent’s Active Pokémon.
  3. Look for the attack’s damage to the right of the attack name. Place damage counters onto the defending Pokémon equal to the attack’s damage. Once you finish the attack, your turn ends.[19]
    • Each damage counter counts as 10 damage.
    • Some attacks also have special effects listed beneath the name that may help you deal extra damage, so don’t forget to activate them.
  4. When you reduce a Pokémon down to 0 HP, it’s knocked out and can’t be used in battle anymore. Choose any of your face-down Prize Cards and put it directly in your hand.[20]
    • It’s a common mistake to take your opponent’s Prize Cards when you knock out a Pokémon, but you only take the Prize Cards you set out in your play area.
  5. Place the knocked-out Pokémon, along with any Energy, Items, or previous evolutions, in the owner's discard pile. Then, choose a new Pokémon from the Bench and move it into the Active Spot.[21]
    • A Benched Pokémon brings along any Energy or Items you already attached to it.
    • If your opponent doesn’t have a Pokémon on their Bench, then you win the game!
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Section 6 of 7:

Rules for Special Conditions and Cards

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  1. Some attacks apply status effects to Pokémon that change how they attack or act during your turn. The effects include Poisoned, Burned, Asleep, Paralyzed and Confused. Status effects stay on a Pokémon until they recover, evolve, or move back to the Bench.[22]
    • Poisoned: Put a Poison marker on the Pokémon. After each player’s turn, put 1 damage counter on the Pokémon.
    • Burned: Put a Burn marker on the Pokémon. After each player’s turn, put 2 damage counters on the Pokémon and flip a coin. If it’s heads, remove the Burn marker.
    • Asleep: Turn the card to the left. The Pokémon can no longer attack or retreat. At the end of your turn, flip a coin. If it’s heads, the Pokémon wakes up.
    • Paralyzed: Turn the card to the right. The Pokémon cannot attack or retreat. After the card owner’s next turn, the Pokémon recovers.
    • Confused: Turn the card upside-down. Before you attack, flip a coin. If it’s heads, the attack is normal. If it’s tails, put 3 damage counters on your Pokémon.
  2. Some Pokémon abilities and Trainer cards heal damage from your Pokémon so they can battle longer. Whenever you heal, remove damage counters from your Pokémon and set them back into the supply.[23]
  3. Pokémon cards that have “ex” or “EX” in their name usually have higher HP and stronger attacks. When you knock out an ex or EX card, take 2 Prize Cards instead of 1.[24]
  4. GX Pokémon cards all have a special GX attack that’s more powerful than others. You may only use 1 GX attack during your entire game, so make sure to time it out wisely during your match.[25]
    • GX Tag Team cards feature 2 Pokémon, and they are worth 3 Prize Cards when you knock them out.
  5. Mega Evolutions are a new evolution stage that make your Pokémon even stronger than before. Check the “Evolves from” box in the top-left corner to see what Pokémon the card evolves from. Mega Evolutions are either listed as EX or ex.[26]
    • EX Mega Evolution: When you play a Mega Evolution with EX in the name, your turn ends immediately. When the Pokémon is knocked out, the other player gets 2 Prize Cards.
    • ex Mega Evolution: When this Mega Pokémon is knocked out, your opponent takes 3 Prize Cards.
  6. BREAK Evolutions are horizontal and feature gold artwork. When you play a BREAK Evolution, set it sideways so it covers the top half of the card below it. The BREAK Evolution card keeps all of the attacks, abilities, Weaknesses, Resistances, and Retreat Costs of the card below it.[27]
  7. VSTAR Powers are extremely powerful abilities or attacks that can quickly change the course of the game. You can only use 1 VSTAR Power during your entire match, so use it wisely.[28]
  8. VMAX Pokémon bring the Sword and Shield’s Gigantamax Pokémon to the TCG, and most of them have more than 300 HP. When a VMAX Pokémon gets knocked out, the opponent gets 3 of their Prize Cards.[29]
  9. V-Union Pokémon are pieced together from 4 different cards to make a massive Pokémon with strong attacks and high HP. During your turn, you can play all 4 pieces of a V-Union card to your Bench from your discard pile, and it’s treated as 1 card. V-Union Pokémon can only be played once per game.[30]
    • When you defeat a V-Union Pokémon, you take 3 Prize Cards from your play area.
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Section 7 of 7:

Pokémon Card Game Strategy

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  1. While a starter deck is great for learning the game, building a custom deck with your favorite Pokémon is the most fun. Your deck has to include exactly 60 cards, so start with a good balance of 20 Pokémon, 20 Trainer cards, and 20 Energy cards.
    • You can only have 4 cards with the same name in your deck.
    • As you play more with your deck, try out different card ratios. Many TCG players recommend using 20 Pokémon, 30 Trainer cards, and 10 Energy to streamline their deck even more.
  2. While you may be used to playing video games and catching a lot of different Pokémon types, focusing on 1-2 Energy colors makes your deck more streamlined. Pick Pokémon that use the Energy types for their attacks so you can always power them up during your turn. The different Energy types and their basic play styles are:[31]
    • Grass: healing and dealing poison
    • Fire: using slow, powerful attacks that cause burns
    • Water: manipulating Energy and moving Pokémon around
    • Lightning: recovering Energy and paralyzing Pokémon
    • Psychic: causing status effects with powerful attacks
    • Fighting: taking risks to deal combos and heavy damage
    • Darkness: forcing discards and dealing poison
    • Metal: resisting attacks
    • Fairy: making opponents attacks less effective
    • Dragon: dealing strong attacks that require 2 Energy types
    • Colorless: versatility with any kind of deck
  3. When you’re building your deck, try to choose a couple Pokémon with high HP and attacks that deal a lot of damage as your main cards. Remember you can have 4 cards with the same name in your deck, so include a couple extra copies so you’re more likely to draw them and get them in play.
  4. Pokémon can activate their abilities even when they’re on your Bench, so always play a few when you can. Pokémon abilities can range from gaining Energy, drawing cards, healing, or dealing damage, so try to use them every turn they’re available.[32]
    • Leave space for a backup attacker on your Bench at all times so you can switch it in if your Active Pokémon is weak or gets knocked out.
  5. Pokémon with a higher HP take longer to knock out, so it can really stop your opponent from getting their Prize Cards. Trainer cards also have a variety of effects that can send Pokémon back to a player’s hand or make them discard cards important to their strategy.[33]
  6. Each deck has a certain play style for defeating your opponents, so choose one that works for you! Make sure the cards you choose have abilities or stats that match your play style so your deck is cohesive. Some of the most popular play styles include:[34]
    • Aggression: Play powerful Pokémon and knock out your opponent quickly to earn Prize cards
    • Control: Use abilities and Trainer cards that stop your opponent from getting Energy, Trainer cards, and other resources
    • Mill: Make your opponent discard cards from their deck so it runs out quickly
    • Stall: Play high-HP Pokémon that are hard to knock out to prevent your opponent from getting Prize cards
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What is a damage counter?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    A damage counter is a little token that tracks how much damage a Pokemon took. Usually one counter is worth 10 damage.
  • Question
    If you attack, do you discard energy?
    WikiHowUser20180619201339
    WikiHowUser20180619201339
    Community Answer
    You do not discard any energy unless the attack specifies otherwise.
  • Question
    What else can I use if I don't have a burn counter?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You can use anything small that you can place on the card as a reminder, such as a coin or pebble. You can also try to keep track of the condition in your head.
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  1. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/tef_rulebook_en.pdf
  2. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/twm_rulebook_en.pdf
  3. https://youtu.be/8cbHjCWZZn0?t=189
  4. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/tef_rulebook_en.pdf
  5. https://youtu.be/eKC5PlYoboE?t=136
  6. https://youtu.be/eKC5PlYoboE?t=121
  7. https://youtu.be/8cbHjCWZZn0?t=372
  8. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/meg_rulebook_en.pdf
  9. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/twm_rulebook_en.pdf
  10. https://youtu.be/eKC5PlYoboE?t=270
  11. https://youtu.be/eKC5PlYoboE?t=330
  12. https://youtu.be/eKC5PlYoboE?t=321
  13. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/meg_rulebook_en.pdf
  14. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/meg_rulebook_en.pdf
  15. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/meg_rulebook_en.pdf
  16. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/twm_rulebook_en.pdf
  17. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/meg_rulebook_en.pdf
  18. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/meg_rulebook_en.pdf
  19. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/twm_rulebook_en.pdf
  20. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/meg_rulebook_en.pdf
  21. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/twm_rulebook_en.pdf
  22. https://www.pokemon.com/static-assets/content-assets/cms2/pdf/trading-card-game/rulebook/twm_rulebook_en.pdf
  23. https://youtu.be/acw7lveJuls?t=169
  24. https://youtu.be/acw7lveJuls?t=469
  25. https://www.justinbasil.com/guide/deck-strategy

About This Article

Ishrak
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Gaming & Video Expert
This article was reviewed by Ishrak and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Ishrak is a Gaming & Video Expert specializing in sharing Pokémon and Minecraft videos. With over eight years of gaming and streaming experience, Ishrak has a follower base of over 35,000 YouTube subscribers and over 8 million views. He is also a Pokémon ROM-Hacker and some of his most popular videos highlight tips and advice for people learning how to play Pokémon games. This article has been viewed 2,303,669 times.
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Co-authors: 120
Updated: October 15, 2025
Views: 2,303,669
Categories: Pokemon Card Games
Article SummaryX

To play with Pokémon cards, draw your hand and Prize cards, and set up your active and benched Pokémon. When you’re ready to play, draw a card and determine if you can use it on your playing field based on the description written on the card. When you gather enough energy, use your Pokémon to attack your opponent. If the damage is greater than the Pokémon’s HP, that card must be discarded. You can then take a Prize card. Whoever gathers all of their Prize cards first is the winner. To learn how to deal your Pokémon cards, keep reading!

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