It can be somewhat intimidating when first becoming acclimated to the game of Pokemon cards; there is just so much information to take in, starting from learning the rudimentary facets of the game, all the way to advanced strategy. Once you have acquired a firm grasp of the basic rules of Pokemon cards and are ready to play an actual match against an opponent, here are a few tips that will aid you in your quest towards becoming a Pokemon card master:
1. Pay Attention To Your Opponent's Moves
It may be tempting to stare at your oh-so-shiny holographic cards or think about what Mom is making for dinner, but during your opponent's turn, you should always focus on what your opponent is doing. This is of utmost importance for a couple reasons.
Your opponent may accidentally make a mistake, and if you do not catch it, no one will ever know. I know that I every so often commit game infractions even though I have been playing the Pokemon TCG for over 10 years. Nobody means to make mistakes, but they happen. If you are not keeping a close eye on your opponent, they may make a major mistake, causing a complete change in the game state and thus altering the outcome of the game.
It is also in your best interest to follow your opponent's turn because this gives you the chance to plan out your turn in advance. New players really need to learn get this principle under their belt; you will make smarter plays and take less time to perform them. It is difficult to figure out everything you want to do doing your turn if you are not thinking all game. You should be continuously contemplating and planning during the course of the game.
2. Keep Your Hand Organized
The better arranged you keep your hand, the most likely you are to make intelligent moves. When you hand is disorganized, it can be trying to calculate what the best play is; it makes it more arduous to determine what cards you have in your hand and what all your potential options are.
I like to keep all my Pokemon cards in the front of my hand, Trainer cards in the middle, and Energy cards in the back. Every time I draw a card, I place that card in the correct partition of my hand, then complete my turn. I always know what cards I have in my hand using this method.
3. Announce All In Game Actions
Every time you attach an Energy, using a Pokemon Power, play a Pokemon card from you hand, play a Trainer card, or attack, announce that you are doing so. This makes it much easier for both players to follow along. All too often I see players not annunciate what they are doing, and it causes confusion among both parties.
As long as you make it a point to verbally demonstrate what your actions are, all your games should run smoothly.
Take these three pieces of advice and try to incorporate them in to your Pokemon TCG repertoire. I know that these tips helped me get on the road to becoming the Pokemon card master that I am.
