Rules made simple
Pokémon TCG Guides
Clear, practical explanations of the rules that come up in almost every Pokémon TCG game, written by players for players. Each guide also shows how to track the rule with PTCG Companion.
Open the match counterGetting started
New to the Pokémon TCG? Start here: how a game works, how to read a card and the mistakes everyone makes at first.
- Getting started
How to Play the Pokémon TCG: A Complete Beginner's Guide
Learn how to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game from scratch: the goal, the three card types, setting up, what you can do on your turn, attacking and the three ways to win.
5 min read Read guide → - Getting started
How to Read a Pokémon Card: HP, Attacks, Weakness, Retreat and More
A walkthrough of every part of a Pokémon TCG card: name and stage, HP, type, Abilities, attack costs and damage, Weakness, Resistance, Retreat Cost, regulation mark, set number and rarity.
5 min read Read guide → - Getting started
Pokémon Card Types Explained: Basic, Evolution, ex, Items, Supporters, Stadiums and Energy
Every kind of card in the Pokémon TCG explained: Basic and evolution Pokémon, Pokémon ex and Mega Evolution ex, Item vs Supporter, Stadiums, Pokémon Tools, ACE SPEC, and Basic vs Special Energy.
5 min read Read guide → - Getting started
15 Common Pokémon TCG Rules Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
The rules beginners and even experienced players get wrong most often in the Pokémon TCG: first-turn limits, Energy and Supporter limits, Weakness on the Bench, evolving, Special Conditions and Prize cards.
4 min read Read guide → - Getting started
Pokémon TCG vs TCG Pocket: Every Rule Difference Explained
Moving from Pokémon TCG Pocket to the physical card game (or the other way)? Compare deck size, copy limits, Energy, Prize cards vs points, Bench size, Weakness, mulligans and first-turn rules.
4 min read Read guide → - Getting started
How to Use PTCG Companion at the Table
A walkthrough of every control on the PTCG Companion match counter, from damage counters and prize cards to Checkup, the coin flip and the match timer.
4 min read Read guide →
Rules explained
Turn order, Special Conditions, damage and Prize cards, explained step by step with examples.
- Rules explained
Turn Structure and Once-per-Turn Rules
The order of a Pokémon TCG turn, what you can do any number of times, what is limited to once per turn, and special first-turn rules.
2 min read Read guide → - Rules explained
Going First or Second in the Pokémon TCG? First-Turn and Mulligan Rules
Should you go first or second in the Pokémon TCG? The first-turn restrictions, how the coin flip works, the full mulligan rule including when both players mulligan, and how to decide.
3 min read Read guide → - Rules explained
Special Conditions Explained (Poisoned, Burned, Asleep, Paralyzed, Confused)
What each Pokémon TCG Special Condition does, how Pokémon Checkup works, which conditions can stack, and how to remove them.
2 min read Read guide → - Rules explained
How Damage Is Calculated (Weakness, Resistance and Modifiers)
The official order for calculating attack damage in the Pokémon TCG, including Weakness ×2, Resistance −30, and effects on the attacking and Defending Pokémon.
2 min read Read guide → - Rules explained
Pokémon TCG Types, Weakness and Resistance Explained
The ten Pokémon TCG types, how Weakness (×2) and Resistance (−30) work, common type matchups, when they do not apply, and how to use Weakness when building and playing a deck.
4 min read Read guide → - Rules explained
Retreat Cost and Switching in the Pokémon TCG
How retreating works in the Pokémon TCG: paying the Retreat Cost, the once-per-turn limit, what happens to Special Conditions, why Asleep and Paralyzed Pokémon cannot retreat, and how switching cards differ.
3 min read Read guide → - Rules explained
Prize Cards and How to Win a Pokémon TCG Game
How Prize cards work, which Pokémon give up two or three Prize cards, the three ways to win, and how to plan your Prize trade.
2 min read Read guide →
Deck building and strategy
Build a first deck that works and use the maths behind consistent draws.
- Deck building and strategy
How to Build a Pokémon TCG Deck: A Beginner's Template
Build your first 60-card Pokémon TCG deck step by step: deck rules, choosing an attacker, evolution line ratios, how many Trainers and Energy to play, a starting template and how to test and improve it.
4 min read Read guide → - Deck building and strategy
Deck-Building Odds: How Many Copies Should You Play?
The math behind 60-card Pokémon TCG decks. Opening-hand odds for 1 to 4 copies, how often cards are prized, mulligan rates by Basic Pokémon count, and what to do with the numbers.
3 min read Read guide →
Formats and reference
Formats and rotation, tournament timing and a glossary of player terms.
- Formats and reference
Pokémon TCG Formats: Standard vs Expanded, Regulation Marks and Rotation
What the Standard and Expanded formats are, how regulation marks decide which cards are legal, how yearly rotation works (including the 2026 rotation), and what it means for your collection.
3 min read Read guide → - Formats and reference
Match Timers and Tournament-Style Play
How time limits work in Pokémon TCG tournaments, best-of-one versus best-of-three, what happens when time is called, and good table etiquette.
2 min read Read guide → - Formats and reference
Pokémon TCG Glossary: Terms and Slang Explained
A glossary of Pokémon TCG terms, from Active Pokémon and Bench to Prize trade, gust, mulligan, rule box, ACE SPEC and deck out. Plain explanations for new and returning players.
5 min read Read guide →