The best way I’ve found to get good with a deck is to play the first 3 or so turns with open hands: everyone’s hand face up on the table, so you can all see every choice.
You’re not trying to win. You’re trying to learn how your deck sets up, so you know the pattern almost game in, game out, and how to get there whatever you draw.
Why open hands help
- You learn your setup pattern. Most decks want the same board by turn 2 or 3, like the same Pokémon on the Bench and the same attacker ready. Once you know it, you stop guessing.
- You find different routes to it. One game you’ve got Buddy-Buddy Poffin, the next it’s Ultra Ball, or a Supporter. Seeing lots of hands teaches you more than one way to get there.
- Everyone can help. With the cards face up, your friend can say “what about playing this first?” and you can talk it through.
- You spot what’s missing. If you keep getting stuck the same way, you know which card you need more of.
How to practise
Open-hand practice
- Shuffle and draw 7
Set up like a normal game: Active Pokémon, Bench and 6 Prize cards.
- Turn your hand face up
Put your hand on the table where everyone can see it. Your friend does the same.
- Say what you are aiming for
Before each turn, say out loud what you want your board to look like by the end of it.
- Play 3 turns
Play the first 3 or so turns each. If you’re not sure, try a couple of different ways and see which works best.
- Reset and go again
Shuffle up and do it again. Ten quick goes teaches you more than one long game.
My setup pattern
| Turn | What I want on the board |
|---|---|
| Turn 1 | [Placeholder: e.g. two Basics on the Bench] |
| Turn 2 | [Placeholder: e.g. first evolution, Energy attached] |
| Turn 3 | [Placeholder: e.g. main attacker ready to go] |
[Placeholder: the different ways you get there, like what you do with Poffin, what you do with Ultra Ball, and what you do if you only have a Supporter.]
If you keep having to mulligan, you might need more Basic Pokémon in your deck. Need a reminder of the setup rules? See the rules quick reference.
Bring the same deck to every practice. The more times you see it set up, the faster you play it when it counts.
