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Casual / Other Beginner
Casual Play: Theme Decks, Prereleases & Kitchen-Table Games
Not every game is a tournament. A guide to theme decks, prerelease events, and house rules for fun at home.
Articles
Beginner articles
Strategy, deckbuilding, format overviews and more, filtered the way you like.
6 articles
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Gym Leader Challenge Beginner
Gym Leader Challenge: The Singleton Format Explained
One copy of each card, one Pokémon type, no Rule Box Pokémon. Here's why players love GLC and how to build your first deck.
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Standard Beginner
Building Your First 60-Card Deck
A simple, reliable skeleton for your first homemade deck, plus the most common mistakes new deckbuilders make.
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Learn to Play Beginner
The Three Card Types: Pokémon, Trainers, and Energy
Every card in the game is a Pokémon, a Trainer, or an Energy. Here's how each type works and how to read them.
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Learn to Play Beginner
How to Play Your First Game of the Pokémon TCG
Setup, turns, attacking, and winning: everything you need for your very first game, explained in plain language.
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Learn to Play Beginner
Understanding the Formats: Standard, Expanded, GLC & More
Standard, Expanded, Gym Leader Challenge, casual… What do they all mean, and which one should you play first?