Pokémon Trading Card Game: Difference between revisions

To begin a match, players need a {{TCG|Coin|coin}} or a six-sided die (where the even-numbered sides represent "heads" and the odd-numbered sides represent "tails"). One player calls ''heads'' or ''tails'', while the other player flips the coin or rolls the die. If the player calling the coin flip gets their choice (heads or tails), that player gets to choose which player goes first. If the player calling the coin flip does not get their choice, the player flipping the coin gets to choose which player goes first. The player who goes first is not allowed to {{TCG|Attack|attack}} or play any {{TCG|Supporter card|Supporter cards}} on that player's first turn. In best-of-three match play, after a game has been completed, the loser of that game decides who goes first in the next game instead of determining it by a coin flip. This decision is made at the same point during setup that the coin flip would take place.<!--Dead link: <ref>[https://assets.pokemon.com//assets/cms2/pdf/play-pokemon/rules/play-pokemon-tournament-rules-handbook-03312021-en.pdf Play! Pokémon Tournament Rules Handbook]</ref>-->

 

After determining which player goes first, both players must {{DL|Appendix:Glossary (TCG)|Shuffle|shuffle}} their own decks and allow their opponent to make a deck cut; alternatively, the opponent may choose to shuffle the other player's deck and allow the deck owner to make a deck cut. Each player then places their deck faces-down in the play area or "{{DL|Appendix:Glossary (TCG)|Field|field}}" in a north/south orientation, with the short sides of cards facing each player, and any card sleeve openings facing the opponent. The players then each take seven cards from the top of their respective decks. These cards go into their {{DL|Appendix:Glossary (TCG)|Hand|hand}}. Players then place at least one {{TCG|Pokémon|Basic Pokémon}} from their hand face down into play: one to the {{DL|Appendix:Glossary (TCG)|Active Spot}} and up to five onto the {{DL|Appendix:Glossary (TCG)|Bench}}. Next, each player sets aside six cards from the top of their deck face down as {{DL|Appendix:Glossary (TCG)|Prize Card|Prize cards}}. Finally, each player flips over their Active and Benched Pokémon and the game starts.

 

 

If both players had to take mulligans, the player that took fewer mulligans may draw a number of cards up to the difference in the numbers of mulligans. This means if the player took 1 mulligan and the opponent took 3, the player may draw up to 2 cards.