Games Mothership · Beginner's Guide

How to Play Pokémon
the Trading Card Game

A friendly, complete walkthrough of the Pokémon TCG — from what's in your deck to landing the knockout that wins the match. Perfect for first-timers pulling up a chair at the shop table.

Start Learning ↓ Jump to Winning

The Basics

What's the Objective?

Two Trainers face off, each with their own 60-card deck. You send Pokémon into battle, power them up with Energy, and attack until your opponent is out of the game — by prizes, by knockouts, or by running out of cards.

1 Take Prizes

Every time you knock out an opponent's Pokémon, you claim one of your six face-down Prize cards. Collect all six first and you win.

2 Clear the Bench

If your opponent has no Pokémon left in play — Active or on the Bench — they lose on the spot, no matter how many prizes remain.

3 Starve Them Out

If a player can't draw a card at the start of their turn because their deck is empty, they lose immediately.

Building Blocks

Your Deck & Card Types

Every deck is exactly 60 cards, built from three card types working together. Understanding what each card does is the fastest way to feel confident at the table.

Pokémon cards are what battle for you — Basic Pokémon evolve into Stage 1 and then Stage 2 forms for bigger HP and stronger attacks. Each card lists HP, attack costs, damage, and any Weakness or Resistance.
Trainer cards break down into Items (play as many as you like per turn), Supporters (only one per turn), and Stadiums (stay in play affecting both players until replaced).
Energy cards power your attacks. Attach one per turn to any Pokémon in play — the type must match what an attack calls for, with Colorless accepting any type.
A legal deck is exactly 60 cards, with no more than four copies of any card (basic Energy is the exception).

Fire Water Grass Lightning Psychic Colorless

Before You Begin

Setting Up the Table

Both players set up at the same time, hidden behind their playmats.

A Shuffle & Draw

Shuffle your deck and draw a starting hand of 7 cards. If you don't have a Basic Pokémon in hand, reveal your hand, reshuffle, and redraw — your opponent draws one extra card as compensation.

B Place Your Pokémon

Put one Basic Pokémon face-down as your Active Pokémon. You may also place up to five more Basic Pokémon face-down on your Bench.

C Set Your Prizes

Count out the top 6 cards of your deck face-down as your Prize cards — don't look at them. Then everyone flips their Active Pokémon face-up together.

D Decide Who's First

Flip a coin or otherwise agree on turn order. The player who goes first skips their first Draw Step and can't attack on turn one.

Gameplay Loop

Anatomy of a Turn

Every turn follows the same four beats. Within the Action Phase you can do things in almost any order, as many times as the rules allow.

Draw

Draw one card from your deck to start your turn. No cards left to draw means an instant loss.

Action Phase

Play Basic Pokémon to your Bench, attach one Energy, evolve Pokémon already in play, play Trainer cards, use Abilities, and retreat if you want to swap your Active Pokémon.

Attack

Choose one attack your Active Pokémon can pay for and resolve its effect. Attacking always ends your turn.

Checkup & Pass

Special conditions like Poison or Burn are checked, then the turn passes to your opponent.

Combat

Attacking, Weakness & Resistance

Damage from an attack is dealt in Damage Counters (10 damage each). Two type interactions can swing the math in either direction.

Attacker

Defender

Weakness — damage is doubled.

Resistance — 30 less damage taken.

Knockout — HP at or below 0 means the Pokémon is discarded and the attacker takes a Prize.

Special Conditions

When Things Get Messy

Some attacks and Trainers inflict a Special Condition on the Defending Pokémon. These are checked during the Pokémon Checkup between turns — a Pokémon can only have one sleep/paralysis/confusion condition at a time, though Poison and Burn can stack alongside it.

Condition	What Happens
Poisoned	Takes 1 damage counter (10 damage) at every Checkup. Stays until the Pokémon retreats, evolves, or is otherwise cured.
Burned	Takes 2 damage counters (20 damage) automatically at every Checkup, then flip a coin — heads cures it, tails it stays burned.
Asleep	Can't attack or retreat. Flip a coin at Checkup — heads wakes it up.
Paralyzed	Can't attack or retreat until the end of your next turn, then it wears off automatically.
Confused	Flip a coin to attack — tails means the attack fails and your own Pokémon takes 3 damage counters instead.

The Finish Line

Three Ways to Win

Keep any one of these in sight and you're playing to win the game.

Empty Your Prizes

Knock out Pokémon, take Prize cards, and be the first to collect all six.

Total Knockout

Leave your opponent with zero Pokémon in play — Active or Benched — and they lose instantly.

Deck Out

If your opponent can't draw a card on their turn because their deck is empty, the game ends in your favor.

Quick Reference

Glossary for New Trainers

Active Pokémon: The Pokémon currently in battle, front and center on your playmat.
Bench: Up to 5 Pokémon in reserve, safe from attacks unless a card says otherwise.
Retreat: Pay the Energy retreat cost to swap your Active Pokémon with a Benched one.
Evolve: Place a matching Stage 1 or Stage 2 card on a Pokémon already in play — never on the turn it entered play.
Prize Cards: Six cards set aside at the start of the game; claim one each time you knock out a Pokémon.
Ability: A special power printed on a Pokémon that isn't an attack — usable anytime the card allows unless "Ability Lock" is in effect.

Ready to play? Bring this guide to Games Mothership — we'll get you a starter deck and a seat at the table.

Guide built for Games Mothership · Pokémon TCG rules summarized from official Pokémon Company resources. Pokémon is a trademark of Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc. — used here for educational reference only.