WINNING THE GAME
WINNING THE GAME
How do you win a Pokémon TCG match? By collecting all of your Prize Cards!
Remember those 6 cards we put face-down at the beginning of the game?
When a monster loses all of its HP, it is Knocked Out. The monster has to go to the Discard Pile to take a rest.
When you Knock Out the other player's monster, you get a special reward: you get to pick up 1 Prize Card and put it in your hand!
Victory Condition
The very first player to take all 6 of their Prize Cards wins the game!
Some Pokémon give more than one Prize Card when they are Knocked Out because they are extra powerful. For now, your learning games can still use the simple idea: a Knock Out equals progress toward prizes. As you level up, you will learn to count prizes two or three at a time — like skipping numbers on a hopscotch court.
If you run out of cards in your deck when you need to draw, you still have a team on the table — but in official rules you lose the game when you cannot draw a card at the start of your turn. Little Trainers do not need to memorize every edge case today; just know that managing your deck is part of the puzzle.
Win or lose, the last thing you do is thank your opponent. Great Trainers shake hands (or bump elbows, or wave — whatever feels respectful) and say "Good game!" Pride comes from playing fairly, not from the final score.
👨🏫 [Parent Prompt]
Ask: "If you start with 6 Prize Cards, and you take 2 of them because you got two Knock Outs, how many do you have left to win? What is 6 minus 2?"
🎉 Congratulations, Trainer!
You have completed the Starter Guide. You know how to read your cards, attach energy, do the math of battle, and use teamwork to claim your Prize Cards! Grab your deck, shake hands with your opponent, and have fun!
Test Your Knowledge
Complete the official Academy Exam for WINNING THE GAME to earn Doubloons and secure your operational badge.