Pick up Pokemon Strategy Guides at  amazon.com.

Play The Pokemon Trading Card Game 
LIVE on the Internet

How do you play the Pokémon TCG online?  First you need to download a free licensed program called Apprentice from Dragon Studios' website.  This program was originally designed to play the Magic: The Gathering TCG live on the Internet. Next you'll need to download the Pokemon patch.  We have a direct link the site where the patch is designed and posted.  Check back frequently to make sure you have the most recent version of the patch. 

Download, Install, & Play Pokemon Now

1. Get Apprentice.  Here are some links:

http://liche.org/appr146.exe

http://www.magic-league.com/download/appr146.exe

2. Install Apprentice by double clicking on it and pushing the "install" button.
3. Then, install the Pokémon patch. 

05.14.09 - MonsterOfTheLake has news on a new Apprentice Patch for the Pokemon TCG: 

"It's made by Carnivore, and includes the latest Rising Rivals set.

Mirror #1: http://liche.org/appr/RIpatch.zip
Mirror #2: http://www.mediafire.com/?zvmznzzmizy"
 

To install, extract the .zip file into your Apprentice directory (where Appr.exe is located), and click "Yes" if asked to overwrite."

Apprentice Options

Themes

To get a theme working, open up your apprentice directory.  In there is an file called appr.ini. (beware - there are 3 files called appr, but only one that is appr.ini)  Click on this file to edit it.  It should open notepad and you will see a long list of settings.  About one third of the way down, there is a line that should read Theme=<something>.  Edit that line to read Theme=./Graphix/<name>
<name> will be whatever the theme's name is.  For example, in Anthony's Theme, it would be pokemon.thm
Also, make sure when you get the theme, you put it under the Graphix directory under the Apprentice directory.

Pojo does not support themes and how to get them working, as they are not vital to playing Pokemon.  For support with a theme if you can not get it working properly, you will need to contact the theme's author.  Pojo is also not responsible for anything that may happen to your computer as a result of downloading and installing a theme.

Backgrounds

Bryan K. has created a background for apprentice. It can be obtained by clicking here. 

Installing it is similar to installing a theme, except you just change the line where it says          Background = Theme to say the Background = /Graphix/<background name>.  Please remember to put the background in the graphix directory, though.  Again, support for backgrounds are through the author, and only through the author - Pojo does not support them - we merely offer them to you.

DePenzar has also created a few backgrounds, downloadable here

GETTING STARTED

There are many terms in Apprentice that are meant for Magic: The Gathering. I'll define the most important ones for you:

1. Library = Deck
2. Graveyard = Discard Pile
3. Hand = Hand (duh!)

Here are the basics for playing a game, these are also the same basics I use when playing a game online with someone:

1. First go to File and scroll down to "Deck Editor" click on this.
2. It will show two columns, one that has all the cards, and one for your deck.
3. To add a card to your deck click on it and click the add button. (Remember only 60 cards per deck!) You can even type in the name of your deck.
4. After you're down with creating it, click on the red disk icon to save your deck.
5. Now that you have your deck, I'll talk about the other things.

START PLAYING

1. There are two ways to play "Solitaire" or "Connect via the Internet". Solitaire is to play by yourself and to get a feel for the program. Connect via the Internet is to play against someone on the net. Who knows? You could be playing someone halfway across the world!
2. Go to file and select new game.
3. Your deck will be shown as well as a bunch of options. Where it says starting life change it from 20 to 0. You don't really need this. On "starting hand" set the number to 7.
4. When you start playing you will have 7 cards automatically drawn for you. If you have a basic Pokémon you can put it face down on the table. To do this hold SHIFT and click on the card you want to put down. This will place the card face down on the table. If you don't want to place a card face down just drag it out to the table normally.
5. After each player's turn you must right click on the table and select the option "End your turn". This will end your turn and give the other player control. At the bottom of the screen it shows who's turn it is.
6. Oh yeah! I forgot to mention. You probably noticed the chat box at the bottom. Here you can chat with your opponent and view what is happening in the game. WHAT IS THAT!? Your name is SCRUB??? Well, don't worry you can change this, LOL. At the top go to "Options" and then select "Set Name", here you can type your nickname.

Now I'm going to describe some of the controls:

1. To flip a coin just press CONTROL + F.
2. If you play Prof. Oak for example and you want to discard your hand, go to the top and find actions, and select "hand" then select "move hand to graveyard" and you will discard your hand!
3. If you get damaged, right click on your card an select "add a damage counter", simple huh?
4. When you play trainers, need to discard energy, or your Pokémon is knocked out, simply right click on the card you want to discard, and select "bury" and you will discard it. If you use Item Finder and want a card back from your Discard pile (Graveyard) select the Graveyard icon and drag the card from the Graveyard to your hand.

Last but not least.......

HOW DO U PLAY ON THE INTERNET??!?!?!?

CALM DOWN!!! Here's how:

1. Go to "File".
2. Select "New Game.
3. Make sure you have your deck and instead of checking off "Solitaire" check off the circle next to "Connect via the Internet".
4. A pop-up box will appear and it will ask for your opponent's IP number. On the bottom of the box is your IP number, if you want to play against someone just ask them their IP number and type it in. Then click "ok". The person who is getting called by YOU checks off "Waiting for call" and clicks "ok". You should be playing in no time!!! Enjoy!!

- Brian W.

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