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How to Play the Pokémon TCG: Beginner's Rules and Turn Guide

October 31, 2026 · 4 min read

On this page

In the Pokémon Trading Card Game, two players use 60-card decks, attach Energy to their Pokémon and attack to Knock Out the opponent's Pokémon. You usually win by taking all of your Prize cards. These rules follow the official Pokémon TCG rulebook, with newer details noted below.

What you need

  • A 60-card deck for each player. Apart from basic Energy, a deck can hold up to 4 copies of a card with the same name.
  • Something to track damage, a coin and a marker for Special Conditions.

The easiest way to start is with a ready-made theme deck, or the free Pokémon TCG Live app.

The three card types

Card type What it does
Pokémon Your attackers. Basic Pokémon can be played directly and may evolve later.
Energy Pays for your attacks.
Trainer One-off effects, split into Items, Supporters, Stadiums and Pokémon Tools.

How to set up a game

  1. Shake hands and flip a coin to decide who chooses to go first.
  2. Shuffle your deck and draw 7 cards.
  3. Put one Basic Pokémon face down as your Active Pokémon. You can put up to 5 more on your Bench.
  4. If you have no Basic Pokémon, show your hand, reshuffle and draw 7 again. Your opponent may draw an extra card for each of these mulligans.
  5. Put the top 6 cards of your deck to the side, face down. These are your Prize cards.
  6. Flip your Pokémon face up and start.

Diagram of one player's Pokémon TCG play area, with the Active Pokémon, five Bench spaces, Prize cards, deck and discard pile

What you can do on your turn

First draw a card. Then do any of these, in any order:

  • Put Basic Pokémon on your Bench, up to 5 in total.
  • Evolve your Pokémon, though not on the turn they came into play or on either player's first turn.
  • Attach one Energy card per turn.
  • Play Trainer cards, with a limit of one Supporter and one Stadium each turn.
  • Retreat your Active Pokémon once a turn, by discarding Energy equal to its Retreat Cost.
  • Use any Abilities.

Finally, attack if you can, which ends your turn. The player going first can't attack on their first turn, and under current rules can't play a Supporter on that turn either.

How attacking works

Check that your Active Pokémon has the Energy shown next to the attack. Then apply damage in this order:

  1. Work out the attack's base damage.
  2. Apply Weakness, which usually doubles the damage if the card lists that type.
  3. Apply Resistance, which usually subtracts a set amount.

When damage equals or exceeds a Pokémon's HP, it's Knocked Out. Its owner discards it and everything attached to it, then moves up a Pokémon from the Bench. The attacker's player takes a Prize card into their hand.

Some Pokémon are worth more when Knocked Out: Pokémon ex give up 2 Prize cards, and Mega Evolution Pokémon ex give up 3.

A Mega Venusaur ex card with numbered markers on its HP, attack cost, and Weakness and Retreat

On this card, (1) shows its HP, (2) shows the Energy needed for its attack and (3) shows its Weakness, Resistance and Retreat Cost. Its rule box also notes that it gives up 3 Prize cards when Knocked Out.

Three ways to win

You win the game if:

  1. You take all of your Prize cards.
  2. Your opponent has no Pokémon left in play.
  3. Your opponent can't draw a card at the start of their turn.

Tips for your first games

  • Build your Bench early. If your Active Pokémon is Knocked Out with nothing on the Bench, you lose.
  • Attach Energy every turn. It's the most common thing beginners forget.
  • Watch for Weakness. It's often the fastest route to a big Knockout.
  • Don't play your Supporter too fast. Check your hand first so you don't discard something useful.

What is Standard format?

Most organized play uses Standard format, which only allows recent cards. Each modern card has a letter called a regulation mark in its bottom corner. Following the April 2026 rotation, cards marked H or later are legal in Standard. Check the current official rules before a tournament, as this changes every year.

Curious about what's in the packs? Try our Pokémon pack opening simulator or learn what the rarity symbols mean.

FAQ

How many cards are in a Pokémon deck? Exactly 60.

How many cards do you start with? 7, plus 6 face-down Prize cards.

Can you attach more than one Energy a turn? Not with your normal attachment, though some card effects let you do so.

Does the video game type chart apply? No. Use the Weakness and Resistance printed on the card. Our type chart is for the video games.

Pokémon artwork and card images © Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK and The Pokémon Company. mgame.gg isn't affiliated with or endorsed by them.

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