The Pokémon Trading Card Game is a game for two players. Each of you brings a deck of 60 cards and battles with Pokémon, powering up their attacks with Energy cards. Every time you Knock Out one of your opponent’s Pokémon you take a Prize card, and the first player to take all six of their Prize cards wins. You can also win if your opponent has no Pokémon left in play, or no cards to draw at the start of their turn.
You can learn the whole game at your kitchen table with one boxed set, then take it to a Pokémon League night at a local shop, a casual session where everyone is welcome.
The cards in a deck
A deck has exactly 60 cards. You can include up to four cards with the same name, and Energy cards are the exception, so you can include more than four of those. Every deck mixes three kinds of card.
- Pokémon. Your fighters. Each shows its type, its HP (how much damage it can take before it is Knocked Out), its attacks, its Weakness and Resistance, and its Retreat Cost.
- Energy. Energy cards attach to your Pokémon and pay for their attacks. Each attack shows how much Energy, and which types, it needs.
- Helper cards. These support your plan in all sorts of ways. Lt. Surge’s Bargain, for example, draws you four cards.
The play area
Each player has the same areas in front of them.
- Active Spot. Your one Pokémon in the fight right now. You must always have an Active Pokémon, and you can only have one at a time.
- Bench. Up to five more Pokémon waiting their turn. Any Pokémon you have in play that is not Active goes here.
- Deck. Placed face down. Nobody looks at it or changes its order unless a card tells them to.
- Discard pile. Where used cards go. A Knocked Out Pokémon goes here along with any cards attached to it.
- Prize cards. Six cards set aside face down from your deck at the start. You take one each time you Knock Out an opposing Pokémon (more for some powerful Pokémon) and add it to your hand.
The game board in Battle Academy shows this layout, which makes setting up easy for your first few games.
Setting up a game
- Shake hands and flip a coin. The winner decides who goes first.
- Shuffle your deck and draw 7 cards.
- Put one Basic Pokémon face down as your Active Pokémon, and up to five more on your Bench.
- If you have no Basic Pokémon, show your hand, shuffle it back and draw 7 again (a mulligan). Your opponent may draw an extra card each time you do this.
- Set aside the top 6 cards of your deck face down as your Prize cards, then flip your Pokémon face up.
A turn, step by step
Players take it in turns. Start your turn by drawing a card, then do any of the following, in any order you like, before you attack.
1. Put Pokémon into play
Put Basic Pokémon from your hand onto your Bench, as long as you have space (up to five).
2. Evolve
If one of your Pokémon has been in play for at least one turn and you have its evolved form in your hand, you can place the evolution on top.
3. Attach Energy
Attach one Energy card from your hand to one of your Pokémon. You can do this once per turn.
4. Play helper cards
Use cards that draw, search or otherwise set up your next move. You can play as many Item cards as you like, but only one Supporter card per turn.
5. Retreat if you need to
To swap your Active Pokémon for one on your Bench, discard Energy from it equal to its Retreat Cost, then move a Benched Pokémon into the Active Spot.
6. Attack
If your Active Pokémon has the Energy an attack needs, it can attack. The number beside the attack is the damage it does to your opponent’s Active Pokémon. Track damage with damage counters, often small dice. If the defending Pokémon has a Weakness to your Pokémon’s type, the damage is usually doubled, and Resistance usually takes 30 off. If the damage reaches the Pokémon’s HP, it is Knocked Out, it goes to the discard pile, and you take a Prize card. Your opponent then moves a Benched Pokémon into the Active Spot. Attacking ends your turn.
Your first turn
The player who goes first cannot attack or play a Supporter card on their first turn, and neither player can evolve a Pokémon on their own first turn. Everything else, such as benching Pokémon and attaching Energy, works as normal.
Mega Evolution Pokémon ex
The current series of cards brings back Mega Evolution. Mega Evolution Pokémon ex have massive HP and powerful attacks, but your opponent takes 3 Prize cards if one is Knocked Out, so protecting them is a big part of the strategy.
What you need to start
Battle Academy
Battle Academy is the official learn-to-play box. Inside you get three 60-card decks, a game board, tutorial guides, a rulebook and accessories. It is for 2 players, a game takes about 30 minutes, it is rated 6 and up, and UK shops sell it for around £27.
My First Battle
If you are teaching a young child, My First Battle is a smaller pack with mini decks and simpler rules, made for children aged 6 and up.
Build & Battle Box
A Build & Battle Box contains a 40-card ready-to-play deck, 4 booster packs and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live. It is a quick way to get a playable deck plus some new cards. Shops also hold events when each new set arrives, which you can read about in our guide to what a prerelease is.
Accessories
Alongside your cards you need:
- card sleeves to protect your deck
- dice or tokens for damage counters
- a coin, or a coin-flip die, for effects that need a flip
- a box to carry your deck
An Elite Trainer Box is one common way to get all of these at once. Recent ones include sleeves, Energy cards, damage-counter dice and a coin-flip die.
Pokémon TCG Live
Pokémon TCG Live is the free official digital version, with an interactive tutorial and the same Standard format as in-person events.
The current sets
The main series on sale now is Mega Evolution. So far it includes Mega Evolution, Phantasmal Flames, Ascended Heroes, Perfect Order, Chaos Rising and Pitch Black (released 17 July 2026). The next expansion, Delta Reign, is due on 6 November 2026.
There is also 30th Celebration, a special anniversary expansion that is available now. Every card in its booster packs is foil, and each pack includes a Pikachu rare card.
Formats you will hear about
A format is a set of rules about which cards are allowed in your deck. Most local events, including League Challenges and League Cups, use Standard.
| Standard | Expanded | |
|---|---|---|
| Cards allowed | Cards with the H, I or J regulation mark (and any newer marks) | Cards from the Black and White series onwards, apart from a list of banned cards |
| Where you meet it | League Challenges, League Cups and most tournaments | Some events, so check the listing |
| Changes | Older marks rotate out each season | Unchanged for 2026 |
Each card has a small letter, the regulation mark, printed at the bottom. Each season the oldest marks rotate out of Standard, so new players can start with recent cards. The latest rotation took effect for in-person events on 10 April 2026, when cards with the G mark left Standard.
Legality depends on the mark, not the set a card came from. An older printing can still be used if a current printing of the same card is legal, and new cards become legal for tournaments about two weeks after release.
Where to play in the UK
Pokémon League is a regular, casual gathering at a local shop, run as part of the official Play! Pokémon programme. Our guide to Pokémon League nights explains what happens on the night, how League Challenges and League Cups work, and how to get a Player ID.
To find a game near you:
- browse UK venues that run Pokémon events on our Pokémon page
- look at city pages such as Manchester, Newcastle and Exeter
- check what is on in the Manchester events calendar
- search the official Play! Pokémon Event Locator
Your first game checklist
- Pick up a Battle Academy box (or My First Battle for a young child).
- Lay out the game board and work through the first tutorial booklet with a friend.
- Play a few full games with each of the three decks to see different styles.
- Sleeve the deck you like best and put some dice and a coin in your deck box.
- Try the tutorial on Pokémon TCG Live if you want extra practice.
- Find a League night near you. Let the organiser know it is your first time so they can point you towards a friendly opponent.
Common questions
How many cards are in a Pokémon TCG deck?
A deck for normal play and tournaments has 60 cards, with no more than four cards of the same name apart from Energy. Smaller ready-made decks exist too: a Build & Battle Box has a 40-card deck, and My First Battle uses mini decks for young children.
How do you win a game of Pokémon cards?
You win by being the first player to take all six of your Prize cards, which you earn by Knocking Out your opponent's Pokémon. You also win if your opponent has no Pokémon left in play, or cannot draw a card at the start of their turn.
Is the Pokémon TCG easy to learn?
It is designed to be picked up quickly. The Battle Academy box is rated for ages 6 and up, includes tutorial booklets for brand new players, and a game takes around 30 minutes. Pokémon TCG Live also has an interactive tutorial if you prefer to learn on a screen.
Which cards can I use in the Standard format?
Since 10 April 2026, Standard allows cards with the H, I and J regulation marks, plus any newer marks. The mark is the small letter printed at the bottom of each card. An older printing is still allowed if a current printing of the same card is legal.
How many Prize cards do you get for a Mega Evolution Pokémon ex?
Mega Evolution Pokémon ex give up 3 Prize cards when they are Knocked Out. They have huge HP and strong attacks, so the trade-off is that losing one hands your opponent a big step towards winning.