Not Far From It Now

Pokemon, the video game, originated from a game boy game where a boy was tasked with capturing and taming all 150 different Pokemon. The game revolves around raising and collecting creatures and battling them against rival Pokemon collectors. Pokemon, the card game, is a spin off from the hit video games on the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS.

What is the Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG)?

The Pokemon Trading Card Game is an Role Playing Game, similar to the popular card game "Magic the Gathering." The object of the game is to use your cards (each card is a special Pokemon creature) to defeat the rival Pokemon trainer (read: player). Certain cards have become very valuable due to their effectiveness in the game and their rarity.

What is the difference between a "Starter Deck", "Theme Deck" and a "Booster Pack?"

The Starter Deck provides an introduction to the card game and provides enough cards for two players. The Theme Deck is a single player deck that has more powerful cards (aka Pokemon) and provides more strategic moves for the player's deck. A Booster pack is a collection of 11 cards that provides a chance to get rare cards to make one's deck more powerful.

Each Starter deck is identical where the Theme Decks have some variety and the Booster packs provide for powerful collectible cards. Some players will buy multiple Booster decks to find a special rare Pokemon card for their own deck. Each Booster pack has 11 cards which consist of one "rare" card or "holofoil" card, 3 "uncommon cards," and 7 "common cards."

If you are new to the game, first buy a Starter Deck and then one Theme Deck of your liking. Each contains a rulebook to follow to get the hang of the game. Once you have mastered the basics, start purchasing booster packs or find your desired Pokemon card on online auction websites such as Ebay.

Is there a "Pokemon Card Pricing Guide?"

A company called Pojo has a nice pricing guide for Pokemon cards. Here is a website where you can view static prices of Pokemon Cards. In general, Pokemon cards do not fluctuate too much in price.

http://www.pojo.com/priceguide/usbasic.html

Striking Gold
To find the rarer cards online, search "Holo" cards or Pokemon cards that are encased in a holographic foil. You can also complete your theme deck by looking for your deck's name in auction searches. Finally, you can use websites like mine to find the exact card you are missing to complete your deck. Be sure to balance out your deck as much as possible to allow yourself to be versatile in playing your opponents.

Richie Truxillo - Owner of The Pokemon Card Dealer - http://www.pokemoncarddealer.com - Your source for Rare Pokemon Cards, Holo Pokemon Cards, Uncommon Pokemon Cards, and auctions for the Pokemon Trading Card game (TCG).

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posted by treehkczc  # 11:31 AM